#the father has an excuse for giving character development since now he can do more intense and powerful blooms :D

[captain-amadeus]

Oh yippee bloom au update sketches cw slight skin bareness and scars

#bloom au #ough the thorns #looking at pie thorns and wondering if he also has scars #I drew his thorns connected to his hair so it should be fine for now #drew Eus relatively calm and stressed than angry baba temper #he still have wawa fits just that Ivy is there #don't want the overgrowth to spread to the wifey but at the same time it wouldn't be a problem #his pride makes the overgrowth stay on him and when he kisses her it shrivels #as for the second one he is loving her very much #early days when they were happy #they enjoy themselves in a grows when holding each other very closely way #nothing more they are literally sentient plants #oh yeah and old scars #the father has an excuse for giving character development since now he can do more intense and powerful blooms :D #thanks to emotional torment #it doesn't excuse it gives reason #ivy cannot fix him and her vines start growing from mouf (internal turmoil) #cap sketch #not my ocs #others ocs

[theerurishipper]

This is in response to some arguments in defense of the finale I've seen recently, and if you do believe these, then more power to you! But I disagree, and I'm gonna talk about why.

Rant under the cut. Fair warning, this gets pretty salty.

So I've seen a lot of arguments about how it just wouldn't be possible to have Adrien in the final battle, whether it be because it would be too traumatic for him and we can't explore that in the middle of a fight, or because it would take away focus from Marinette and she would be irrelevant ultimately. And I actually agree!

But what could possibly be done to resolve this? Oh, I know! Fucking write better.

If you were going to put Adrien in the position of being central to the story and write him out with the excuse that he can't live up to that role for various reasons, then why did you write him in that role? It's obvious to anyone that if Gabriel is Adrien's father, then the emotional weight of the conflict would be centered on him and not Marinette. Then why did you still write that into the show? If you wanted to focus on Marinette over Adrien anyway, then why did you make Gabriel be Hawkmoth? Let some other rando be Hawkmoth! And now there's no value to Gabriel being the villain beyond giving Marinette some material for her grand speech (which didn't do shit cause she still lost).

And if you were going to say that Adrien was too traumatized to be in the battle or that he wouldn't be able to deal with it well or that we couldn't see that... write around it? Have him deal with it before, or something, I don't know! Maybe give him that sweet sweet character development? Maybe let the friends who are supposed to support him actually do that? Idk man, this is all coming across as a bunch of excuses to me.

The thing is, this is a kids show. It's not real. The writers control everything that happens. It's not about "realism," it's about narrative payoff. It's about the most satisfying outcome. It's about character arcs. If Adrien was never supposed to face his father in a fight, then why make him a superhero? Could have just let him be Adrien the teen model love interest while Marinette is the superhero. Why give him powers which thematically represent him breaking free from his oppressive life and an enmity with his own father if it never mattered? If "it's us against the world, my lady," and "we'll get all the Miraculous back together," never mattered, then why include it? If two partners chosen to fight evil together and the yin-yang symbolism never mattered, why set it up?

If you set something up, you have a responsibility to deliver on it, and Miraculous failed. And yeah. I get that it's hard. I'm not saying writing is easy. But anything is better than this! Writing is your job, and I don't expect literal perfection, but I expect it to fulfill the basic expectations of writing. I expect it to at least be good. This is not good. They literally ignored their own story and themes and character arcs and narrative payoff because they wanted Marinette to get a swanky new outfit and a cool fight scene. It wasn't even for her character. It's just so that they can put give her a cool power-up and sell Bug Noire dolls. It's disrespectful to Adrien's character, and it's disrespectful to Marinette's character too.

The writers failed to make Marinette interesting in terms of the conflict with Gabriel. They gave all the set-up to Adrien and didn't want to write the payoff. There are no emotional stakes in the final battle. They literally only talk about Adrien, and he's not there for that. It's bad writing. And if they didn't let Adrien be a part of the arc with his father as the villain, what hope does he have in the arcs with Lila as the antagonist, since she is a Marinette-centric villain? TA has already said that Marinette is Barbie and Adrien is just Ken. The writers have said that Gabriel is considered a hero by the end of Season 5. The show bible says that Adrien will never find out that his father is Hawkmoth.

Let's face it, they aren't coming back to this. Gabriel's era is over. Miraculous is well known for setting up conflicts and dropping them like a hot potato. If we ever deal with this, it's gonna be half an episode of Adrien forgiving Marinette because "she did it out of love." None of this will matter come Season 6. The supposed conflict being set up now will matter to Season 6 as much as the Ladynoir set up in Strikeback with the "we'll take back all the Miraculous together, you and me," mattered to Season 5, which is to say not at all.

#Meta #My meta #S5 Finale #ML Salt #ML Writers Salt #ML Writing Salt #Marinette Salt #Not really but just to be safe #Ladybug Salt #If salt really ticks you off then please don't read this #I'm not here to change anyone's mind #I'm just ranting

[generalluxun]

Based on their season 1 (Primarily) and season 2/3 (if you desire it) characterization. How do you think the characters and story of ML would develop had Marinette developed a crush on Chat & Adrien a crush on Marinette?

My thinking, taking out any given issues with the shows handling of the characters and just what I think makes sense for them based on extrapolation feels:

Ladybug is definitely a bit more overtly "Adorkable" in the publics eye, but the danger of the situation does stop her from stumbling over herself as much as Marinette did with Adrien. She is far more likely to be pushing for secret ID reveals, but probably through hints over overt action.

Adrien is not as forward with Marinette as he is as Chat with Ladybug. Even ignoring the Chat persona being an exaggeration, he also has his reputation and ingrained habits to think of. But Nino did ask him for date advice so I think he'd make more overt attempts at wooing her & probably push harder on Chloe to be nicer.

Gabriel probably hates this and may be stumping harder to yang Adrien out of school, which could force Adrien to be more quiet about his interest as well.

Chloe is... Not having a good time. Regardless of whether her feelings for Adrien are romantic, platonic, confused cos of sexuality or the like. He matters to her a lot but right after arriving at school is not only putting a lot of distance between them but seemingly holding their friendship for ransom to earn the approval of a girl Chloe has issue with.

Okay so thought about this:

Ladybug falls for Chat in Origins when he rushes in to defend her during one of her initial panic/what is happening moments. She's reminded of being protected by Socqueline (Derision is not canon, ever, but we can repurpose bits of it) She had resigned herself to being 'on her own' after her friend graduated (not expelled) now, here is someone else making her feel *safe* even in mortal peril.

She's still Ladybug, she's still the leader. She is very focused on 'protecting her protector' though. He's *her* kitty. If only he could be in more ways than are allowed...

She'll push Fu to include him more, she'll pay more attention and push to be her best self. Her plans will be a little less effective, like in Kuro Neko she's focusing too much on her partner. It won't be crippling though, but it hints at what she needs to work on.

Now on the second day when Adrien shows up, things go differently. Let's give the Limo a flat so he shows up without Chloé. The world is a bit spookier, are monsters common? He's nervous. He drops his books, and someone stoops to help him pick them up and their heads bump.

'oh ouch sorry. Here let me...' sure hands ruffle through hos hair, checking for an injury. Adrien looks up and *cue music* Marinette.

She's already set on being her 'best self' to live up to her Perfect Pawtner. So helping the new kid around? That's just what she should do!

On Adrien's end though he can't help but marvel at how much she reminds him of his mother(hear me out) He's been adrift since her disappearance. His father is distant, Nathalie is cold, and even though Chloé cares she's a hurricane in a ponytail. Marinette;leading him to the classroom, showing him his seat, and giving him tips, makes him feel *safe*. (Woo parallels!) He falls hard and fast.

He becomes a Marinette stan, furst to support her. First to go the extra mile. Talking her up and excited to see what she will do next. Every step she takes to be the 'everyday Ladybug' only males him fall harder. The 'weakspot' he has to work on is how completely uncritical he is, after all his mother could do no wrong! He doesn't make the conscious connection, but he treats Marinette the same. She's not a memory of a mother though, she's a living breathing 14yr old. She will and should make mistakes. Adrien discounts them too much, excusing/rationalizing/redirecting her shortcomings which actually inhibits her growth. 'I was wrong' is something everyone needs as a part of their life.

Chloé is in fact having a bad time(maybe?) she can't bully or daddy her way out of this. Adrien gushes about Marinette and Chloé's initial 'ewww' turns him instantly cold (only briefly though) but it is a warning. If she wants to win she has to *beat* Marinette. She needs to be better, smarter, stronger, she can't fake it. She has to compete and win! Hijinks/rivalry ensues (Marinette isn't competing for Adrien, but the chance to show up Chloé is cathartic as heck!)

What's fascinating is how various other things will shake out. Chloé's 'daddy' goes unused, most people get ignored. She can't push and shove her way out of this. Alya has to listen to Marinette gushing about Cat Noir (she knitted herself a pawprint sweater that she sleeps in, but she has to keep fangirling on the down low in public so she doesn't clue in whoever CN really is!) Nino's crush on Marinette is DoA. Do he and Alya still get together? Adrien's in Nino's ear about Mari every day.

Does Alya pull Chloé aside and say 'wtf are you even doing?' emboldened by the blonde's shift from dominance to competition. Foes Sabrina branch out, being Chloé's 'trainer' for a myriad competitions. She(they) could come into contact with a lot more people.

It's a whole AU in the making.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #asks #ml au

[midnight-pluto]

COFFEE: special.02 — fun facts

COFFEE: tim drake x gn!reader

SYNOPSIS: Tim meets a barista that gives him what he needed most — a large coffee with way to many shots of espresso. Though what happens when just a single action changes the other's life, forever?

coffee master list

assuming you have gone through the whole of my coffee smau — here’s some things that you might’ve not known, my headcanons, and external info

PLAYLIST: coffee — i made a playlist that i think fit this smau or just tim in general, so feel free to listen

coffee pg.00 was originally meant to just be a one-shot but I had the bright idea to turn it into a smau since I had been really interested in them at the time and I had already created the main casts profiles so i saw no reason to not go through with it

originally reader was supposed to be adopted and have 2 moms but I didn’t know if you guys would necessarily want that or how relatable that would be so I scrapped it and went with unnamed overbearing mother and father

i actually had this idea back in December of 2022 and meant to post it on wattpad yes ik laugh at me but i didn’t have the guts to do so and I already had a lot of unfinished work that will remain unfinished

this smau also sprouted up bcuz i had gotten back into the dc rabbit hole bcuz if this goddamn site which has now grown to be a huge source of dopamine for me — ik it prob isn't healthy but this site has grown to be a safe space for me in the process so any negative infringement on my blog has me in a nervous wreck for days on end; yes, this is a reference to when i got shadowbanned for a bit

wow i got way to personal there, whoopsie

I had also originally planned for reader to give Tim a sticky note attached to his coffee that said something along the lines of: “Good luck with whatever you need 8 shots of espresso for :)” but I for some reason didn’t so the special note at the end of the pages didn’t rlly make any sense

tim might be a genius but he has a terrible sense of direction which is multiplied tenfold when he’s sleep deprived, hence why he almost dropped you off at the wrong apartment once — pg.04

duke being readers bsf happened cuz i personally believe duke deserves more content about him

duke also always somehow manages to be the message bird whenever both you and tim have a fight given how tim's first resort is the silent treatment and you're petty enough to give it back so the most the two of you ever communicate during that time is through duke — pg.15

on that same note harley has become your couple counselor which always manages to become awkward due to the sole fact tim is trying his best to subtly glare at harley since she has repeatedly tried to break his kneecaps when he was on red robin duty; again, petty

this was written by a person who has never worked at a coffee shop before so if you see and inaccuracies and have worked at one, feel free to call me out on it — not so i can fix, but bcuz i find my mistakes hilarious dont ask why, i just do

i still struggle on how i format the titles of the pages and always have to look back on my previous posts to remember how i typed things out

i also suck at developing feelings and crushes with characters so if it seems rushed or sucks that will be my one and only excuse given the fact that i find it extremely hard to even gain a crush irl

nothing was proofread

tims favorite taylor swift album is evermore i may or may not make seperate headcanons about that later

planning on posting a wattpad version of this fic sometime around late january or february, i am still debating on starting an ao3 acc since the only thing i ever do on there is simply just read fics and im not sure if i like/understand ao3's format enough to start tho

TAGLIST: @grandstrangerphantom @marsbars09 @fabitheraven @lovelypitasworld @dyjcksn @mae77eris @sugarrush-blush @djchik @soundsfunbutno @apizzacalledmel @strangetrashblog @cipheress-to-k-pop @harleycao @unhingedtimdrake @a-homosexual-homosapien @aquarii-doodles @love-stay @criminallycan @hecate-frenchfries @job-ross-the-second

#coffee ☕️ - tim drake #tim drake x reader #tim drake x gender neutral reader #coffee shop au #tim drake x y/n #tim drake x you #batfam x you #batfam x y/n #batfamily x reader #batfam x reader #batfam #batfamily #tim drake

[tobiasdrake]

As much as I loved DBS: Super Hero, it did also serve as a reminder for why modern Dragon Ball gives Gohan so little to do.

What it boils down to is that Dragon Ball writers seem to have difficulty finding new ways for Gohan to develop or evolve as a fighter. This is because Gohan himself isn't interested in developing or evolving as a fighter.

By contrast to the proactive Goku, Gohan is a reactive character. He doesn't want to be a big martial arts super-warrior. He has no ambition to become Next-Gen Son Goku. That doesn't mean he won't Do The Things. He's been Doing The Things since he was four. But he needs to have a reason. Something he's doing it for.

"To be stronger/better, to push myself, to become more than I am now," is Goku's driving motive. Goku is a martial artist driven to surpass his own limits, and this drives him to keep finding new mountains to climb.

Gohan's driving motive is, "To protect my family from that asshole." He needs a reason. Self-improvement for its own sake (or, as some have offered, "to be strong enough to deal with the next guy") isn't his passion. Plus, he's already one of the strongest people in the entire universe. How much stronger should he reasonably need to be?

There are all kinds of stories you can tell with a reactive character like Gohan. He's basically a superhero archetype. Spider-Man doesn't constantly train to make himself a better fighter with every waking moment. He doesn't need to; His genre isn't one of progressive escalation.

The problem is, Dragon Ball is dedicated to progressive escalation, arguably to its detriment as Modern Dragon Ball is well past the point where escalation no longer holds any weight. The powers of the characters are so abstract by this point that they have to be defined solely in relation to each other. "Bob is STRONGER than Alex." "Yeah, well now we're fighting John, who's way stronger than Bob and Alex combined." "Yeah well Mark is 100x stronger than John!" "Frank could flex Mark into oblivion with his pinky finger."

This isn't a problem for Gohan, so much as it is a problem for the mindset people have when writing for Dragon Ball. Whether it's Toei or Toyotaro or even Toriyama himself, nobody ever knows what to do with Gohan.

Even when Gohan's in the driver's seat, he's being written by writers who don't know how to write the kinds of stories that Gohan, as a protagonist, is suited for. So they always wind up going back and rehashing things from the well of past Gohan things.

Goku gets to move forward and do new things, but Gohan is trapped in an endless cycle of doing the same three things and nothing else.

1 - Piccolo's sacrifice. Piccolo throwing himself in front of an attack for Gohan or maybe Gohan throws himself in front of an attack for Piccolo if we're being spicy today. REMEMBER THAT TIME. DO YOU REMEMBER? 2 - Gohan gets a rage boost or turns Super Saiyan 2, and then things get real. Everyone loved his Super Saiyan 2 transformation. They loved it so much they're still finding excuses to have him turn Super Saiyan 2 for the very first time again. 3 - Gohan has the power within him to win but he can't unleash it so Goku appears out of nowhere to save him and give him a pep talk, and then he gains confidence in himself and becomes strong enough to win.

To my knowledge, I don't think #3 has appeared in DBS as of yet but it was all over post-Cell Games. After everyone went nuts for Father-Son Kamehameha, we had "Goku gives Gohan a pep talk so he can win" as the resolution for both Broly: Second Coming and Bojack. Then in the actual manga, Goku made the save on Gohan during the Super Buu fight and then got sick of having to do this and fired him from protag slot entirely, which is worse.

Most of Super Hero was a lot of fun. But that final fight turning into "Let's literally bring Cell back so that we can do 'Gohan turns Super Saiyan 2 and defeat Cell' again but it's actually Cell again for maximum uncreativity"? I see you, writers. I see your total lack of ideas for this character.

#dragon ball #dragon ball super #dbs super hero #son gohan

[canonmisogynyvictimstournament]

PROPAGANDA

HOLY KUJO (JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: STARDUST CRUSADERS)

1.) She's treated badly by both the creator, Araki, and her own kid and father. When people start getting Stands (powers) hers tries to kill her, which functions as an excuse to start the plot of this arc of Jojo. The explanation is that she's too weak and gentle to control a Stand of her own, even though we see Stand users who are children, babies and even literal animals. Yes, animals. Holy's son Jotaro calls her a bitch and disrespects her for no real reason aside from establishing him as a rebel/delinquent, and Holy's father Joseph hates that she married a Japanese man and follows Japanese customs (Araki thinks xenophobia/racism is okay from a heroic character, apparently). Holy's saved from her evil Stand, but it's never explained why she couldn't have developed it into something useful- guess she was too much of a weak lady to have cool powers 🙃🙃🙃

2.) In the story, stands are developed due to Dio, who is in possession of the body of an ancestor of the Joestar family, stabbing himself with an arrow and developing a stand. In response, everyone in the family line begins developing them. Stands are supposed to be a representation of someone's "fighting spirit", and typically the stronger your spirit the more powerful your stand. Josuke(the main character's mom) develops a stand early on around the same time he does, except in her case she is too "weak willed" to develop a stand properly so she's dying from it. Part of the plot is that they have to defeat Dio to stop her from developing a stand in time or she'll die, even though everyone in the family keeps their stand but her after they defeat Dio??? This compassionate, caring woman who's practically a single mother is dying of being "weak willed" just what the fuck. There is 0 reason for this and It then takes multiple seasons for one of the Jojo's to be a woman and it's just a mess.

Also apparently when people try to justify it they put it as it needs to be a "fighting" spirit in particular but do NOT tell me Holy wouldn't have travelled to Egypt to throw hands with Dio for her son just do not she cared wayyyyyyyy too much about him.

POPPY PIPOPAPO (KAMEN RIDER EX-AID) (CW Mind Control)

1.) Poppy is a fully qualified nurse who magical girl transforms into a cutesy idol girl! Haha - yea you're never gonna see her act as a nurse. She's just a nurse because that's a Woman's Job and gives a reason for her to be supporting our Male Doctors. She'll provide some bedside manner because that's what nurses (women) do and that's their whole role. But better than that, she can scream really high pitched and sing songs because she's an idol! The other characters find this annoying and all make their annoyance at her doing this clear! But secretly (and this is spoilers) she's the villain's dead mother who he turned into a cute idol girl so she wouldn't be truly dead. She doesn't remember that that well but now she has a maternal instinct towards him! And also he kinda considers himself her father so… thanks for that. Well, since she's his mother, she can be in charge of babysitting him when he's caught for his bioterrorism time. Oh, and she'll sacrifice herself for the good of the world in an emotional scene where the writer forgot he literally already said that she has a revive button they can just press any time because who cares. Anyway here's a contrived reason she gets revived at the end to have an emotional scene with the male protagonist. Oh, but don't worry, we let her wear a superhero suit like 3 times.

2.) Despite working in a hospital for about 6 years, Poppy apparently isn't a nurse. Every male character around her is either a doctor, doctor in training, former doctor; but no. Poppy - who has been working here for 6 years - can't be a nurse. After all, she's just a rhythm game character! Yes, our female character isn't human, she's just a cutesy little rhythm game character who loves to sing and dance! She's our little mascot girl to sell the character song CD! Isn't she cute? She does all those cutesy idol girl things so you'll fall in love with her. Of course, it's not misogyny for a female character to be cute and girly, but the fact that she can work here for 6 years and not be considered a legitimate professional because she's an female idol-themed video game character, kinda rubs the wrong way. Also that the only exception for a male character being a doctor is the CEO that she gets stuck babysitting because she's technically his mother that he killed and turned into a cutesy idol video game character. Now she gets to play mother! That's what it means to be a female character we guess. Then we have how everyone around her treats her or reacts to her. We have Kiriya physically flinching away and looked annoyed when she talks too high pitched. We have her being told off that her personality is too "stressful" for patients to put up with. We have her being slapped by our protagonists. We have her being brainwashed to join the villains, who strangle her. And then she gets to die for the man pain and be brought back immediately. Then we get into the sequel movies where we put a collar on her to condition her into behaving in a way her master deems appropriate. She gets turned into a dress-up doll for them to play with.

3.) I'm just posting an image and would like to highlight the collar she's wearing in it

#polls #round 1 #week 1 #cw mind control

[eggsnatcheskneecaps]

i have a question ab transformers and im too scared to google it bc of what i think ill find but is there anything in canon that tells you if transformers reproduce??? and like how? do they have some sort of build-a-baby or smth??? sorry i know its late and this is absurd but its been plaguing mind for 4h now and i had to ask

Fjgng you're right to be afraid of what you'll find. There... Is a sea of fics out there.

The fandom has an extremely well curated Wikipedia, so if you're up for something more in depth, read through this article or browse through other ones.

Anyway, this is an excuse to ramble about Transformers >:) but I'll give you info on just the medias I've consumed, or know enough of.

The answer more broadly, there are cannon forms of reproduction, not sexual, per say, but the Transformers writers have a. Well. Long and weird relationship with Cybertronians having sex and especially pregnancies (yeah, you heard me right-)

To start off:

1. In one of the really old TF comics, we have a couple formed of a human woman (Cover Girl) and Brawn. They are married and also, they have a child. ...the child is not adopted. I don't if it's stated how they got there, but y'know.

2. In Beast Wars, we get protoforms.

In multiple continuities, they are basically the first stage in a robot's life. Kind of like infants. All they need is a spark (soul) and alt mode code (what they transform into) in order to develope into a fully grown Cybertronian.

The weird thing with this tho, is that you'll have characters such as Cheetor, who have been here from the start, and they'll be treated like the teenager of the group (although he IS the child appeal character), but then you'll see the ones who come along later, such as Silverbolt, who are immediately treated as an adult with full agency. Sigh.

But that's not all on reproduction in this show.

You have Rattrap at some point talk about... Bars on their home planet where waitresses walk around tits out, basically.

There are also some sex jokes, if I remember correctly. The femme fatale character takes a rod to cut it, her boyfriend cringes, and another one calls her emasculating.

For less cannon stuff that still sprung out of here; the official artists who worked on the show made a 3D render of Dinobot (main character) with... Dinobot Jr. Out on full display.

Also, at some point during the show production, someone decided to play a prank on someone else in the studio by submitting a pornographic parody of the episode script they should have originally given. Why does the fandom know this? It was leaked way back in the day before the episode aired.

Anyway, can you imagine being some poor fool thinking you're getting some exciting leaks to read and instead you get smacked with porn of the character who's literally inspired after Hannibal Lecter- also he transformers into a crab.

3. In Transformers Animated, protoforms make another return.

They basically work about the same way as they do in Beast Wars, except this time, we get Sari.

She's a protoform that somehow landed on earth, and her father, a human, touched it, which caused her to imprint on his DNA and become a hybrid.

In this show we also get several instances of objects being hit by the power of a Cybertronian relic, and making them come to life. Now, I don't know if they count as Cybertronians, since they are random ass earth objects, but they have a consciousness. Also, the same relic has been shown to be able to bring back Transformers from the dead. So.

...........

Ok. So. I received this ask forever ago, I'm so sorry for not getting to it. I've gotten busy and I can unfortunately feel my cognitive dysfunction kicking in, so I'll try to just get this done, but it'll be less detailed from now on and kinda disjointed.

Plus I was a while into writing this part and I lost the progress-

So. IDW1. The comics. They are a mess and weird.

Also, I read these years ago and I don't really remember the details.

You have hot spots on the home planet or moon. That create sparks (from the ground). Sparks can also pop out from Cybertronian relics, such as The Matrix.

Titans (HUUUUUUGE Cybertronians. They turn into cities or battle ships) may also carry hotspots that make robo babies.

Sparks harvested from this sort of thing either become cold constructs or forged. I'm not going to go into technicalities, but basically cold constructs are sparks who were taken and placed in a premade body and forged were allowed to develope naturally. If they are having trouble, a blacksmith may help them along by shaping their body. Or so I recall, at least.

I think I remember a mention in the comics about "A turbofox in heat". Turbofoxes are Transformers animals.

IDW1 also... Sports a lot of allusions to pregnancies. And. Pregnancies in general.

A lot of metaphors for pregnancies. Character is in a coma for 9 months. Another one gets a body upgrade and the entire thing is reminiscent of birth- an actual Cybertronian being mpreg with an organic alien------

^btw there was no narrative significance for this last one to happen

And. One of the main writers had... two? fanfics before he started writing cannon works. Telefunken and Eugenesis. Robots giving birth- to be fair, from their chests, from what I've heard. But the entire thing. It's. It's yeah.

Now!

IDW2.

Kiddies pop out of the ground. They are given one or two mentors. Mentors help them along to find what they want to transform into and their future jobs.

Earthspark, the Nickelodeon show, has come out pretty recently and I haven't watched it, but I think it has 3 robot kids as main characters! From what I know, they also popped out of the ground, except this time on Earth.

^also this one is canonically non binary sob

Transformers: Prime

I thiiiiiink they say Cybertronians pop out of The Well Of All Sparks? Which is a hole in their planet. Don't remember it being explored much. In the movie, a bunch of sparks fly out of it by the end, but I think it was a sort of- everybody gets revived! Yay!

The live action movies. Are also. Trippy

The ones directed by Micheal Bay are shit, but I gotta talk about them. You've got robots being sexual and creepy. But you also have sparklings. They pop out of goo eggs- I don't remember if in these movies energon or other relics posses and bring to life - I think they do tho.

However, that's an occurrence in the Bumblebee movie.

PS: I thought I posted this before I was done and I had a heart attack

#ask #squicksquak #transformers #sari sumdac #i can't put anymore picturesssss #nightshade #twitch #thrash #gauge #rubble #connie

[jerzwriter]

What sexual orientation are Trystan and Carolina?

Hey Nonny,

Thanks for the ask. I'm sorry I've sat on it for so long, but I was really giving it entirely too much thought. I also wanted to do more work on my HC before answering, and I didn't want to leave you hanging any longer.

In my HC, both Trystan and Carolina are bisexual, and Carolina is demiromantic.

Now, admittedly, I need to go back and look at my posted fics, and I may need to tweak some things a little to make that work for Carolina, but that's the direction I want to take. It makes sense for her. In my mind, she has not had any serious romantic relationships prior to Trystan, and she honestly wasn't seeking one with Trystan.

Carolina can be flirtatious, and she has had other relationships in the past, but she tended to be more comfortable with physical, no-strings-attached relationships that were more transitional in nature. When she attempted to have more, it definitely had more of a FWB feel. She wasn't comfortable in them and quickly found ways out.

Most people assumed she was relationship/romance-avoidant because of the tragic way she lost her father. Since that was the perception of many, including those she loved/trusted, including her therapists, Carolina tended to believe that, too. It wasn't until after she came out as bisexual and became more active in the LGBTQIA community that the lightbulb went on.

She knew her father's murder was an additional layer to her story, but it was not the full picture. Even before he passed, she knew who she was. She just didn't know it had a name. She didn't know others felt the way she did.

For what it's worth, I think her father was very much a "Don't look at my daughter or I'll kill you" type, and Carolina adored him. This is not why she is demiromantic... it's not connected... but it led to a delay in her understanding of who she was. When other friends had crush after crush after crush, they'd tease her for not having any, and her answer would be, "As if my dad would allow it." Honestly, it was a relief for her to have that "excuse" at the time, but as she got older, she realized there was much more to it.

Carolina can have a different relationship with Trystan solely because of the bond they formed. Their relationship developed slowly. Yes, the physical attraction was there from the start, but Carolina could only open herself to more after their friendship developed and deepened. Trystan proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how loyal and devoted he was to her, and not because he was expecting or demanding anything in return.

I'm trying to research the fuck out of this. I am not aro, and I don't want to misrepresent this. Hence, I will be reexamining existing fics and tweaking where necessary. I will also put a lot of care into future fics. I think we need to be more representative of all; however, I believe who do not share the same identity as the character REALLY need to do the work and not fall into perpetrating misconceptions and prejudices. Hell, as a bisexual woman, I try to remember that not everyone is bi like me. I'm rambling now, but that's my answer. :)

Thanks for asking, and I hope to explore all of this more soon.

#trystan thorne #carolina rose #trystan x carolina #crimes of passion #asks answered

[yostresswritinggirl]

Psychology and Literature are literally my 1st and 2nd option, but i went with my 3rd option which is comeng (shocker, i wanted to be a game developer but all i ended up with are dead braincells)

But yeah when i finished writing my brainrot i was like "fuck this doesn't sound like kavetham anymore" since at the time i couldn't think of a way how kaveh could enter here (since i legit do not know anything about his character other than being broke and acting like an old married couple with alhaitham) (also i didnt know we had similar brainrots so oops)

Anyways adding to the brainrot, i just checked the wiki and "Stark defender of the arts" caught my attention. Like the possibilities this just opened, like what if while the reader was being ridiculed by the sages for the nth time, and the reader being fed up with it is on the brink of tears but at the same time fuming with rage.

Then kaveh who just happened to be passing by heard everything from miles away, defends the reader from the sages, and before the sages could rebute kaveh takes their hand and run leaving behind the sages who could only do was shout threats at them for being disrespectful.

Once the cost is clear he asks the reader if theyre ok and helps them calm down, he could ask more about their topic as a way to help them get the incident out of their mind. The reader seems hesitant but gives in cause he really seemed to be interested, so they give in and reader ends up rambling to kaveh the whole day and they get into a flow where they talk about the arts, and at the end kaveh can also be the one that says to not let the akademiya to crush their dreams and to follow what their heart wants.

They part ways after that and after receiving kind words and advice from someone, who they didnt know but was genuinely interested in their topic, the reader thinks for a long time before they ultimately decide to leave the akademiya.

After you dropout, Kaveh who was busy with his thesis tries to look for you, out of worry and out of fondness, he wants to ask you if you were doing better now and seeing how you were passionate for art like he is he wanted to befirend you, as it probably isnt everyday you get to see another student so passionate about a topic the akademiya deems as "foolish"

Only to realize he didnt ask for your name, so he goes around the akademiya to ask if anyone knows you and where he can find you, he then talks to one of the readers classmates who goes "Ah them they havent attended class for weeks now, betting they dropped out or smth after all seeing from their thesis paper they didnt have what it takes to be in the akademiya"

Kaveh literally has to keep himself from punching the living daylights out of them, cuz excuse me wtf, but he leaves right away after not wanting to get into a fight, leaving with a pang of regret for not meeting you earlier but also he's happy that it seems that you have atleast followed what makes you happy.

Bonus: Alhaitham heard everything, thought it was a shame you left the akademiya but it was your own free will, but what got his attention was fhe snide remark your classmate said, normally he wouldnt care about this things, but this time its different and he makes a mental note to sure to make it a hard time for the said classmate during their stay in the akademiya (he's a menace you cant tell me otherwise)

- Lady in the lake anon

(P.S I feel like my brain rots are getting sidetracked from kavetham and just start thinking about individual fics 💀 Hope this brainrot if you can still call it that since it feels like a fic atp made sense 😭)

(P.P.S I also have a brainrot about the reader writing a book that ends up in the house of daena, It's angst and would have included it here if this long enough already)

(P.P.P.S Also congrats on 4k followers! You really deserve it since your writing is literally the best)

(small but major spoiler for 3.2 in this post)

You went with *wheezes* You took your father's (Cactus) route hahaha he's computer sciences

Oh yeah I guess that makes sense, I forgot Kaveh is technically barely even a character yet so it he's still quite hard to write for others *looks at Pervases* but you just reminded me that I actually also haven't read much into Kaveh

Now I see where the artistic reader came from (and where all those Kaveh x Nilou shippers popped up from) and huh it really does make sense, but now after several inputs I think I got a good grasp on the reader for the poly Kavetham now - but the thought of Alhaitham messing with the others, man if this was on the canon timeline, imagine the shit he can do as the temporary sage

You should get into writing too, it seems you have a sense for something like that yourself aha (thank you for the kind words!)

#lady in the lake #exile.goblet #exile.reader #kaveh #Alhaitham #spoiler tag #poly kavetham #sorry i barely got sleep so i may not have addressed everything here

[youhavehitawall]

So I just wandered in off of the rest of tumblr (I saw a picture of a Cars-universe road train, and that got all my attention right away). What is this "Backwater Downs" thing?

anon i think you are my New Favourite Tumblr Person , so welcome! there is no way to explain this shortly so please settle in. (and excuse how long it took me to answer, i tried to pare this down as much as i could and failed)

Backwater Downs is one of several "expansion packs" to canon that i've been developing. It runs concurrent with the movies and also with "The Carbecue AU" (Carbecue focuses on expanding canon characters, while the Downs is for OCs) It takes place in one of the remote opal-mining communities, vaguely inspired by the Grawin opal fields near Lightning Ridge. BWD is significantly more remote, though, and relies almost entirely on a road train for their living resources! Aggie, or Augustus, is the road train in question. She’s a Kenworth C510, and she spent many years hauling hundreds of tonnes out of large pit mines further north, before “retiring” to the lighter work of transporting livestock and living goods through the outback. She’s found a home in Backwater Downs specifically, and often chooses to stay there in the wet season instead of returning to dock in Alice Springs. Her nickname “Aggie” refers to the machine used to separate opals from dirt and clay, which is what she does during her downtime there! She’s mostly very quiet, but she has a razor sharp wit and she uses her time on the road to study. She probably has like seventy university degrees now. The Downs has less than fifty cars in the region, most of which I've developed, but there are three guys i talk about constantly:

Regiment 'Reg' Blitzborough, a rusted out semi/racing coupe cross who grew up in the military with his father. Reg is intelligent and passionate, and the town appreciates his jack-of-all-trade work, even if he’s stubborn and annoyingly overbearing as well. He’s partially deaf from his service, and he has chronic pain from the mixup of heavy truck gear and lighter racer parts being incompatible. He also smells like diesel and old swampy water, and keeps a pleco in his cabin to keep the algae down. (he refills his cabin every year. Because he’s also stark barking mad.) His father Michael briefly retired in BWD when Reg was a bitlet, but has since passed. Michael had the disposition of a brick wall and the only thing he ever loved was his son. Reg has a small convoy of trucks that helped raise him and that he considers parental figures, but he’s withdrawn from them all since Michael’s death. He also has two siblings and two nephews, which he only found out very recently. "Ratchet" is a ‘58 Plymouth Fury with a Cadillac DeVille cross, and used to play both sides of the Law before being gravely injured in a high-speed chase. The resulting damage gives him some mobility issues and has rendered him mute, so he communicates in a bird-whistle version of Morse code, and a fairly vague version of sign language (cars do not have hands you see). He’s ironically verbose and has an excellent eye for detail, but often misses social cues and so comes off as bitchy or aggressive. He’s been accused of “maladaptive behavioural tendencies” and “post-traumatic stress disorder” but he’s not quite ready to accept that damage yet. He can have trouble distinguishing reality. Most days, he works for Leo Curbjumper in the “Club in the Scrub” (a real place!) as a waitress. He’s won most attractive BWD resident every year since first arriving, and has all the locals under his tires. He also has four brightly-coloured siblings that swore to kill him on sight if he ever set a tread in America again, and several nieces he's never had the chance to meet. "Austin" is a ‘51 Hudson Hornet and the official Health and Safety Manager for BWD. He lets Reg do most of his work, instead focusing on his massive archival project of pretty much everything to ever exist. He specialises in personal records - war diaries, stories told around the campfire, anything and everything. He’s a fantastic liar and good at keeping his mouth shut. Austin believes in the Story, and in Names, and things like the Soul. He has a very thick southern Minnesota accent, mixed with the dozen other places he’s lived. He’s quiet but competitive, cheerful, and infuriatingly stubborn, and his favourite animal is the turbo-chicken. He used to be part of Ratchet's family but the whole murder thing applies to him too. He can play the drums!

I'm going to stop myself here because otherwise it'll never end but thats the basics!!! (also sorry it took four months to answer, in my defense i thought it was only three weeks)

#hogsart #food for thought #genuinely this ask means so much to me u dont understand anon #backwater downs

[moonstone27ls]

Archer season 13 so far....

well truthfully this is only my reaction to A.J.’s first episode.

Sooo spoiler warnings...

....warning...

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Typical adventures seem about average. No not saying they’re bad or anything its just you know nothing thats making me go “this is poor quality”. A.J.s ep... not gonna lie a bit confused on her age. She said she was a preteen... but that would range from 9-12.... AJ. was 5 when Archer met her in season 11... Season 12 gotta assume what 6? I admit downside they don’t tell you how much time passes. Still think she should be 7. Even if she was 9 that would mean its been 4 years since Archer woke up.

Anyways age aside, thoughts on the ep.... I think Robert controls/or is trying to mold A.J. to his image. Do I see Lana putting her in all those camps yes, to be a better parent/and expand her learning. Lana’s like those moms who push the kids to levels they want them to excel but not as far as I can tell is bad. But anyways back to Robert, while I can believe A.J.’s feeling conflicted about the divorce, don’t see why Robert would have a problem with A.J. being familiar with Pam, I mean he saw them as much as Lana (I mean storywise). I actually liked how Pam was trying to bond with her. 

And while Lana probably wouldn’t like it, she does clearly have Archer in her... which makes it hard for me to see him try but still get shut out.

He’s being shut out both by Robert and to degrees Lana. Now before some gets all feminist or whatever on me. I’m not an idiot I know Archer is Archer, but he’s no Rick or the other screw up comedy leads. Archer unlike most of the others is getting character development and is TRYING.

And while I still think Lana mostly cut him out do to complications with the coma and probably was still pissed from the incident with Veronica Dean. I think she should give Archer some ATTEMPTS to bond with A.J. She already has sole custody of her. (No not referring to her ongoing battle with Robert, I mean in regards to her and Archer). Most of the main cast has had some interaction with A.J. and Archer is limited or not allowed from what I can see. And yes I get it, fatherhood has to be earned.

But he can’t earn it if Lana cuts him out. Not gonna lie thought it was a shitty move to cut the toy right in front of him. She is CONSTANTLY trying to make him change and yes I get she was aggravated. But she also saw what Archer was raised with and I do mean that constantly. This isn’t a “oh she saw a bit of Mallory’s parenting”.

I mean heck even from A.J.’s talk Mallory got more time with her (RIP Jessica Walters). And Mallory was once everything Lana claimed to stand against.And although we can go “Well Archer’s a mess”... uhhh half the cast is a mess BD;, I mean Pam did stuff in season 2 to a certain someone... look I’m not gonna nitpick I’m just saying nobody on that cast is perfect.

I mean I remember in season 12 she was a bit peeved at Archer for bonding with a baby gorilla and did that whole “say some words to Poko” but clearly wanted him to remember A.J. As much as she wants to blame Archer himself for putting himself there. Lana is just as much to blame because she cut him OUT of A.J.’s life and never attempted to really let him reach out and know her. I mean I was super pissed at season 11 when she called Robert “daddy” and instead of just letting Archer have a moment, its clearly hinted she was still wishing to cut him out. Instead of keeping a “sleeping beauty” story she let her own daughter she sees Archer as “sperm deposit”. 

I mean even if she’s mad he’s gone back to some old ways. Its because he was SUPER pissed that the one time he tried to do right by her and let her have his title of “world’s greatest spy”. I repeat he’s mad because the one time he tried to be selfless and wanted to help Lana, he’s told what he did doesn’t matter. I’m not excusing it, I’m just saying that basically ruined his motivation. I think if Lana would attempt to let A.J. know her father things would change. I mean heck remind him she’s the reason he can see A.J.

I mean she has the power in this relationship and instead of directing him. She lets out her frustrations out on him. I mean the car ride was more of a reason her plans aren’t working. Well just in my opinion when she faked a kidnapping and had him shot. I dunno I think there’s possiblity there for more growth if she’d give Archer a chance and explain to A.J. that he’s her REAL father and not Robert(screw you and your money Robert).

#Archer #Archer fxx #Archer fx #Archer tv series #Archer Tv show

[tehuti88-art]

2/17/23: r/SketchDaily theme, "Free Draw Friday." This week's character from my anthro WWII storyline is Margit Dannecker. She's a pretty new character and is the mother of THIS guy. She's deceased before the main story takes place but played a large role in the personal development of her son's character. There'll be more about her later in my art Tumblr and Toyhou.se.

Regarding her design, since her son is intended to be a purebred Siberian husky I guess that means she is too, though she's quite petite in size. She's intended to resemble her son's (later) stepdaughter, Margarethe (similar name too), although they're not related.

TUMBLR EDIT: I'm stepping into it deciding to draw this particular character 😕 but I want to exorcise her from my head. I'm going to have to try to keep details vague but a WARNING ahead of time, the Dannecker family is probably the most disturbing aspect of this story (well, aside from the literal Holocaust), so whenever their detailed profiles go live on Toyhou.se I may finally use an individual profile warning page (currently I just use a general warning for my entire account since I have so much triggering content). Meaning that although I won't go into gruesome detail here, yes, it will still be disturbing and offensive.

I'll say outright that the Dannecker storyline involves intergenerational child abuse. So please skip the rest of the entry if that's too much, I fully understand. Just a note that this isn't a plot point "just because"--in fact, while I knew of the situation with Dannecker and his stepdaughter, I only recently learned of that between him and his mother, it wasn't planned from the start. I generally don't try to get too far into the psyche of people like Dannecker, I figured he's just similar to a psychopath (if not specifically one), but the reason behind some of his behavior (a reason, not an excuse) emerged, so I felt the need to develop it. It's not intended merely to shock but to explain how somebody became so despicable.

All right, now that there's been a warning...

I've already gone over, various times, the terribly inappropriate relationship between SS labor camp commandant Ernst Dannecker and his young stepdaughter Margarethe, or Gret; I've never just come out and said it. Dannecker literally stalks and then marries Gret's mother, Else, for the specific purpose of grooming Gret, whom in a twisted way he considers to be his "true" wife. She's like fourteen or fifteen when he marries her mother; he gives her a year. So she's about sixteen when the abuse starts, and it continues until she's around eighteen or nineteen when she encounters Josef Diamant at the labor camp and the rest of the story has been told. Gret knows about the hidden passageway under the labor camp, which she and the prisoners use to escape, as Dannecker took her down there once to abuse her; this is why he told her nobody would be able to hear her scream.

Their relationship is a painfully complicated one in that, while on some occasions (like in the passageway) he's an absolute brute toward her, even going so far as threatening to target her younger sister, or put her family in his camp if she doesn't obey, on other occasions he comes across almost like a normal, doting father, spoiling her with gifts, fawning over her accomplishments, treating her with actual kindness. Part of this, obviously, is just the typical grooming process. Another part of it, however, is Dannecker's genuine feelings. He DOES love Gret. But it's a very messed-up, twisted-up love in that he doesn't have the same emotional capacity that other people do. He realizes what he does to her is morally wrong but that's not HIS morality, and on some level he does hope she'll come around and willingly become his wife. He's not insane. I don't even think I can call him a pure psychopath/sociopath as he DOES care about her, and his mother Margit, in a way I don't think psychopaths can. But...it's just corrupted and hopelessly messed up. Dannecker isn't capable of normal, healthy love; this is the way he was born, though his mother's actions helped refine it and bring it out. I think he still would've been messed up, and incapable of a healthy relationship, even without what his mother did (she herself sees this dark side of him emerge more than once, and it unsettles her). It's just that he probably wouldn't have ended up continuing the cycle by targeting Gret. Margit just helps cultivate what's already there. I. e., Dannecker was screwed from the start.

Result of all this is Gret despises her stepfather and tells Diamant she wants him dead, AND she actively participates in his murder, even taking a trophy--his honor sword (symbolic?)--afterward; yet after the dust has settled, and he's no longer a threat...she realizes, oddly, that she loved him, too. She always refers to him as "Papa," and frequently recalls the loving things he did for her--sure, most of these were just his grooming efforts, to try to win her over--but there was a genuine fatherly moment here and there and she remembers these fondly. There's even this unsettling scene, where Gret, by now aiding in the plot on Dannecker's life, asks him to take her back down to the hidden passageway where he did such awful things to her; he's actually surprised that she'd ask this (indicating that he's aware of how he hurt her), yet agrees. It's for reconnaissance reasons, but still, a harrowing--and confusing--experience. This has been edited (mostly text omission but a word change or two, as well) for obvious reasons; I'm going to eschew my typical ellipses, as they seem too suggestive. This was written before the plot point with Dannecker's mother developed, BTW.

She was skilled at readying herself relatively quickly, washing herself up and restyling her hair into its two customary long blond braids which her stepfather loved so much, putting on her undergarments, choosing her best dress from the closet full of beautiful dresses Dannecker had bought for her. She knew he liked the black dress the most, the way it complemented his SS uniform, drawing looks from both inmates and guards as they'd walk across the prison grounds. He was a lot like a vain cockerel puffing itself up as it paraded around its prize hen, she mused, and this thought gave her a tiny spiteful tang of delight as she hurried to slip the dress on and tie herself into it. Shiny black boots much like his own, and black bows on her braids, joined it, and with a final glance at herself in her mirror, she headed for the breakfast table.

Her mother, younger brothers, younger sister, stepfather all glanced at her as she entered; her mother and the older of her two brothers looked pensive, while Dannecker beamed even brighter than her mother had earlier, and she knew her ruse had worked; his vanity about his beloved camp and his position in it were his weak spot. "Come, sit beside your papa," he said, patting an empty chair, and she obeyed. The rest of breakfast went relatively normally, Gret eating silently as the others chattered, though under the table, her stepfather clasped her hand in his own, caressing her fingers.

Dannecker didn't follow the standard practice of a commandant living at his camp, she wasn't sure why, perhaps because of his family; she suspected he'd live there if not for them. Obviously someone higher up had granted an exception. His camp had never had any major incidents, his inmates and guards were well behaved, so perhaps this earned him some leniency. Every day he took a shiny black chauffeured car to the camp and today was no exception; they were allowed to drive within the main gate and slightly into the yard itself, where Dannecker would exit, taking hold of Gret's hand to help her step out and avoid muddying her boots and dress. She would loop her arm about his and he would walk her toward the main building as if she were his prize. They were always greeted politely by the adjutant and the other guards and the kapo if he were assisting Dannecker that day; Gret always greeted them politely back. On their way across the yard, she would also surreptitiously peer toward the inmates, see if any were paying especial attention. She spotted him off to the left and somewhat toward the back today, the Jew prisoner whose plan she'd seized onto as her potential salvation. His eyes met hers for just a fraction of a second and that was the extent of it: Gret averted her stare, looked toward the ground, ignored the dull business talk of the adjutant as they passed inside the building and headed to Dannecker's office.

It was a large, well-appointed office, yet she hated it, everything it had come to represent, especially the ornate wooden desk. She could tell from the furtive glances he cast her now and then that he was thinking similar things and probably would have loved nothing more than to indulge right then, but his adjutant was still talking, and the kapo stood at the back of the room with his head lowered respectfully. "This is really that important...?" Dannecker asked just as Gret came out of her thoughts; when the adjutant nodded a bit meekly (Dannecker's temper was well known everywhere, Gret mused), he sighed and stepped away from his desk. "Have to take care of a little business first, dear Gret, then we can go on our tour, ja?" She nodded. "Schindel will get you anything you need." He gestured and he and the adjutant left the office, the door going almost shut behind them.

The room grew quiet although she could hear distant voices in other parts of the building. "There is anything you want, Fräulein...?" someone asked softly, and she glanced up to see the kapo peering at her. She shook her head.

"Nein, danke, Herr Schindel."

He bobbed his head, shifted his gaze to the side, said nothing else. Gret tried not to think about the camp too much but the position of the kapo had always struck her in particular, someone having to do such odious things, and feign that everything was fine, just to survive. It seemed far too familiar. She didn't doubt he'd been on the receiving end of her stepfather's torments more than once, though there was no way she could speak to him about it.

Although it made her feel ill at ease, she went to sit in Dannecker's chair; she kept herself perched on the edge of it and tried not to think too much about him sitting in it. Everything in the office seemed to have a hidden connotation that made her insides clench unpleasantly, even some of the decorative items on the shelves. Oddly, the only neutral thing was the room just off the office, behind his desk; she knew this was meant as his personal quarters, where he was intended to sleep and easily be called on if there were any trouble in the camp, yet it was mostly empty, devoid even of a bed or cot, with just a few items for storage. It was dark and secluded and the perfect place for him to attack her savagely whenever he wished with no repercussions yet for some odd reason he never had. She suspected that the room was too private, too intended for that purpose, for him to get off on using it.

As if in response to her thoughts, the office door swung open and Gret jumped. Dannecker smiled and gestured; she obediently stood.

"Come now, pretty, we can take our tour." He glanced at Schindel. "We'll be looking around the camp for a while, maybe an hour or so. Let anyone who might stop by know that I'm not to be sought out or disturbed until I return, ja? Unless it's an emergency."

"Ja, Herr Kommandant."

"Let's go." Gret slipped silently out of the room as Schindel watched and she had the sudden dim wonder, did he know...? Did he suspect...? Dannecker looped his arm around hers and they headed up the hallway, footsteps echoing as they drew further away from all the business going on elsewhere in the building. She peered up at him, once only; he looked back down at her and gave that smile again, that smile that looked so kind and indulgent to anyone else who looked at him and saw a good father, but which to her was snakelike and menacing and reminded her of something far different from a good father. She didn't look at him again and as far as she could tell he didn't look at her, though she knew he must be thinking of all the prospects that were open right now, prospects that she was willingly walking into.

She briefly remembered her real father, who'd never been particularly attentive or doting toward her the way Dannecker was, yet he'd never done any of the other things her stepfather did, either. Although not especially loving or affectionate, her father had definitely been attentive to her mother, if the four living children, and several miscarried and one stillborn one, were any indication.

"Here we are, pretty Gret." Dannecker slowed his step, letting go of Gret's arm and reaching for his belt. She felt the tiniest twinge of panic even though all he did was remove a large keyring and approach a tapestry hanging on the wall before them. He nudged it aside and inserted a key into a hole that was barely visible; a dull thunk sounded when he turned it and then removed it. The hidden door was heavy and unwieldy, and he had to push at it with his shoulder to get it to obey; when it cracked open he gestured her forward. She slipped past him through the narrow space, trying to avoid touching though she brushed against the front of his uniform anyway; she felt her face grow hot and her insides twist again, but he didn't react, just pushed the large door shut and locked it again before returning the keyring to his belt. Another gesture, and they fell into step with each other, descending the slight slope into the passage. The air grew damp and cool the further they went; they approached the place where he'd first shoved her against the wall, and Gret felt her body start to shake, her heart thudding in her throat. Suddenly, the Jew prisoner's plan didn't seem worth it anymore; nothing was worth being down here again, alone with him, no one knowing where they were and no one able to hear them if they made any noise. She wished more than anything to be back on the surface, to just keep accepting him because at least that was more tolerable than being here. She fully expected him to notice her trembling, to deliberately misinterpret it, to offer that oily smile; yet the most surreptitious glance at his face showed he wasn't even looking at her, was staring at the passage ahead and seemed more pensive and distracted than anything.

Although she dreaded any sort of interaction with him--one could never tell what might set him off--she murmured meekly, "Something is wrong, Papa...?"

"Nein," Dannecker said. "Nothing for you to think about. Here..." He slowed to a stop, gesturing at the intersection at which they'd arrived, the passage continuing ahead but also left and right. "This way"--he gestured right--"is a dead end, a room with some storage at the end. This"--gesturing left--"leads under the west side of the yard. Ahead continues to the edge of the camp. Which way would you like to go?"

"A...ahead, Papa."

She peered at the darkness ahead, envisioning him dragging her within like some feral monster with her unable to see him. He reached up just after they stepped into the hallway and dim light surrounded them, from an old dingy bulb hanging from the ceiling. Gret let out a breath; this part of the tunnel was smaller, narrower, than before.

"You're nervous?" She nearly jumped, glancing up at him; she hadn't expected him to talk. "You're holding my arm rather tight," he added, and she hurried to loosen her grip, taking a step back for good measure, as she'd been almost pressed to his side. This bizarre muddle of actions and reactions--all of it stemming from a father who acted very little like a father--was bewildering. Although she'd never been close to her real father, she certainly longed for him now, to clutch his arm instead, have him protect her from the monster who was currently protecting her.

"S...sorry, Papa," she whispered.

Dannecker turned away, making a noncommittal noise. "Hold my arm all you like, there's nothing dangerous down here, though. Damp and mold and spiders is all."

You can scream and scream as much as you like... She made herself keep holding his arm, since he might get angry if she let go, though she kept her grasp loose. Something far more dangerous than a spider was down here, right here with her, yet Dannecker's voice and expression remained neutral, oddly disinterested.

So you can see Gret's confusion, longing for the protection of a distant, absent father, being protected by the very person she usually needs protecting from. She loves him, and she hates him. She doesn't take his honor sword merely as a trophy, a sign that he has no power or threat over her anymore. She also takes it as a reminder of his protection, literally using it to defend herself as he's no longer there to protect her from everything but himself. Yeah, it's confusing, as I imagine it'd be for anyone who's been victimized by someone they love and who's supposed to love them. It takes Gret a very long time to work through her feelings; it's easier to just shut them off most of the time. (This is the reason the other characters view her as cold and uppity--the man she later ends up with, Lukas Mettbach, at first refers to her as "Nazi b*tch," misinterpreting her aloofness and her similarities to her stepfather (she often dresses in black, wears shiny black boots, goosesteps a bit when she walks, and parrots Nazi tropes while collecting Nazi memorabilia) as blind devotion to him and his ideals.)

(All this is even further complicated by her mother, Else's, reaction when Gret tries to get in touch with her after the war. Else truly loved Dannecker, seeing him as having rescued her and her children from a potential life of poverty following her husband's death in combat; she has no idea how he never cared for her at all, frequently calling her a "fat old cow" behind her back. She's infuriated with Gret for taking her beloved Ernst away from her; she refuses to believe Gret's account of Dannecker's abuse, and even when Gret's brother Christof reveals to her that he himself witnessed it, she insists Gret must have seduced her stepfather. She disowns Gret, and dies never having forgiven her; ironically, the woman Dannecker admitted to Gret he could barely even stand to touch is the one person to really grieve for him when he's gone. Gret's two other siblings also pretty much turn their backs on her, making her doubt her own perceptions; only Christof, who helped her out after she escaped into the Diamond Network, shows her any sympathy.)

Dannecker went through a similar experience himself, with his mother, Margit. He, too, is very confused. This is the part of the story that emerged most recently and I touched on it in Isaak Schindel's entry.

Margit is married to Walther; they're a decent upper middle-class family, and she dotes on their lone child, Ernst. Ernst is a rather willowy, shrimpy kid, physically awkward and easily cowed, the sort who would get beaten up frequently under normal circumstances. The thing is that Ernst has a mean streak; it doesn't come out often, but it does peek its head out just enough for his classmates to leave him alone. He makes no friends, but then again he doesn't want any. He's cold and aloof and keeps to himself.

At home, his father is stiff and formal, a bit distant, but his mother lavishes him with love and attention. He's the center of her life. Walther finds her attention to him to be a bit offputting--he thinks Ernst needs to toughen up some--but he has no real reason to suspect anything's amiss, especially since Ernst doesn't respond much to Margit's affection. That changes one night when she visits his room at an awkward moment. He's embarrassed, but she tells him not to be, it's just natural. And maybe it is, but what she does afterward isn't.

I'm not sure of Ernst's age, but yes, he's underaged. And a one-time thing becomes an ongoing thing. The situation confuses him at first but his own mother says it's normal--she went through it with her father when she was young, and if Ernst ever has a daughter, she tells him, perhaps he'll do the same. So Margit's coming from a nasty background herself, and just continuing a cycle she was taught to normalize. And her son follows along, because it's his mother, of course she knows better than he does. They have to keep it secret from his father as she had to keep it secret from her mother, but that's just the way of things. Nobody else would understand the connection they share. (At least that's how Margit puts it.)

Ernst quickly latches on to the relationship with his mother in a way he never did before, seeming to become almost addicted to it. Margit sometimes has to coax him into calming himself down or being patient, he's so impulsive and starved for her attention. She sees the first hints of malice lurking beneath the surface whenever he doesn't get his way, but he's generally quite obedient to her, as long as she keeps a soft sweet placating demeanor and promises to reward him later on. For quite some time, this is how things go, until one day Walther catches them together.

Of course he's aghast--he knew something inappropriate was going on, just not THIS inappropriate. He starts yelling, Margit starts yelling--the only one not yelling is Ernst, who just watches the two screaming back and forth. It doesn't get through to him the exact import of his father's words: "How could you do this to him?--your own son!" Even through all his disgust, Walther rightly sees Ernst as a victim, but it's a thought neither of the others shares--they both fully believe they share some sort of sacred love. He finally yells for Ernst to get out and go to his room--Ernst refuses to go until Margit tells him to--and once he's there, Walther locks him in and keeps the key from Margit. After some further arguing he figures out this has been going on for years. He vows that this is the end of such "degenerate" behavior, and the next day they're going to address it head on. He goes to call somebody on the phone and makes some sort of arrangements; then pulls Margit away from Ernst's door, threatens her to knock it off, and orders her back to their room. He himself stays in the hallway and prevents her from heading to Ernst's room again. The rest of the night passes in this uneasy stalemate, but as soon as morning comes, Walther unlocks Ernst's room and orders him to wash up and pack--"A few changes of clothes, toiletries. Pack! Now!"

Walther's never been so livid, so Ernst obeys, while Margit hovers outside, begging to know what's going on. Walther refuses to answer, orders Ernst out to the car; Margit insists on going along, and Walther doesn't argue. He still doesn't answer any questions, either; though when he drives them to the railway station, the other two have figured out he means business.

Walther purchases a single one-way ticket, steers Ernst toward the platform, Margit on their heels, pleading. The train arrives not long after, and based on its next intended destination, Margit figures out where it must be headed. "The military academy?" she cries, and pleads with Walther--Ernst isn't made for military life, not her boy, he's no soldier. Indeed, though he's grown somewhat by now--he's about sixteen--Ernst is still shy and awkward and gangly, all arms and legs, and has never shown any militant propensities--he just wants to stay with his mother. Walther is undeterred, however: "Maybe there, they'll raise him right. Unlike in our house!" The train stops, the conductor opens the doors and starts calling for passengers; Walther grabs Ernst's arm and hauls him forward. Ernst finally protests, calling for Margit, and she calls him back, while still pleading with Walther; the three raise such a commotion that faces start peering curiously out the train car windows. When Ernst refuses to board the train, Walther first threatens to thrash him; then, when that doesn't work, he hisses, "If you don't get on now, I promise you you'll never see your mother again." That threat works; Ernst glowers, but takes his bag and ticket and gets on the train. The doors close and he hurries to the window to look out; Margit sees him, yells his name, runs after the train a bit as it starts to move, then collapses on the platform, sobbing.

Behind Ernst, one of the other teenage boys occupying the car murmurs, "Muttersöhnchen"--"Mama's boy." Everyone else chuckles. Ernst shoots the other boy a livid glare, but just as quickly looks back out the window, and doesn't stop until his mother is out of sight. The conductor arrives to ask for tickets, and everyone loses interest in joking; Ernst sits down at last to gloomily await his arrival at the academy.

Margit, meanwhile, is ordered back in the car--"If you don't get in, I'll leave you here," Walther vows--and they head home. From that point on, things are very strained. Margit refuses to even talk to her husband for a good long while, and when she does it's to rebuke him for abandoning "my boy." She definitely doesn't share a bed with him anymore. When a letter from Ernst arrives from the academy, Walther intercepts it, reads it, is infuriated all over again; even being away from home, Ernst's attitude toward his mother hasn't changed, and Margit's attitude hasn't changed, either. Walther tears the "vile" letter up and throws it away, though Margit manages to fetch it out, put it back together, and read her son's profession of his feelings for her. Walther manages to keep any other letters from getting through, so she doesn't get to hear from him for the next couple of years or so. And then, the Great War begins.

The dreadful news comes: Those at the military academy who are of age will be sent off to the Western Front. Margit doesn't even get the chance to see her Ernst one more time before he's sent off to fight. She breaks down sobbing, and spends the next several years in utter torment; Walther doesn't have to intercept letters anymore, as Ernst doesn't send any. The army sends no notice that anything's happened to Ernst, but this isn't much of a comfort to Margit, who slips into a deep depression. She largely ignores Walther, who sticks by her nonetheless; he still dimly hopes this is what's best for their son, though he hadn't counted on a war breaking out. He's admittedly anxious about Ernst, as well.

A letter at last arrives shortly before the armistice is declared: Ernst Dannecker has been wounded, but not seriously; he'll be coming home. The Danneckers arrive at the railway station to wait. Margit cranes her neck and anxiously watches everyone who disembarks, looking for her boy. It's only after most of the passengers have already gotten off that a young man climbs off with his bag, keeping his arm pressed close to his side; he doesn't really catch Margit's attention aside from the fact that he's wearing a military uniform. She looks at him until he finishes fiddling with his luggage, stands straight, then just happens to look in her direction--and freezes. The two of them stare at each other; Margit is confused, she was waiting for her gangly awkward boy, yet this is a tall, well-built man. But there's no mistaking those eyes, or the way he looks at her. It's been several years, after all. Of course her Ernst is all grown up now.

The three head home; Dannecker has a wound to his side but it isn't too bad. Nonetheless, his mother fawns over him, repeatedly exclaiming over how much he's changed--maybe serving in the army wasn't such a bad idea. Dannecker is both taller and more fit than his father now, and when the two of them look at each other, it's very awkward; Walther has to avert his eyes, as Dannecker can be intimidating with merely a glance, now. They sit for dinner, talk a little, then retire to the parlor for drinks, talk some more. After a while Walther starts to nod off, finally slumping in his chair, snoring. Margit catches Dannecker's attention--she's holding a little bottle. She slipped something in Walther's drink to knock him out. The two of them smile at each other, then leave the room together. All that time away in the military didn't change everything; Dannecker is still his mother's boy.

The two of them aren't as subtle about it as they used to be, mostly because Walther doesn't have much leverage over his son anymore--all Dannecker has to do is look at him and he realizes he stands no chance in a fight. He really has no choice but to put up with it. Dannecker, meanwhile, moves up in the world; when a paramilitary organization called the Schutzstaffel forms, it looks to be exactly what he's interested in; he resigns his military post to join, and is assigned to a camp as a guard. Margit proudly irons his new uniform and polishes all the shiny bits like a good obedient wife; Walther chafes but does nothing.

Dannecker quickly earns a reputation in the camp. He'd already told his mother of some of the things he did at the front, including his behavior toward the women; Margit finds it distasteful but obviously he did such things only because he had to, growing boys have needs after all. He seemed anxious that she'd be angry, yet she isn't. This is another peek at the darkness lurking beneath the surface, however, and his job in the camp just seems to bring it out even more. There's one especially nasty incident in which a Jewish prisoner, seeing Dannecker approaching, turns and runs straight at the fence, electrocuting himself; it turns out he'd had a run-in with Dannecker while they served at the front. It also turns out they'd had an interaction before that, when he'd so casually called Dannecker "mama's boy." Dannecker has a very long memory when it comes to perceived offenses, and is more than willing to act on them. Which puts his own father directly in his sights: Despite how well it may have turned out for him personally, he still resents Walther for separating him from Margit all those years. Walther has good reason to avert his eyes.

I'm not sure what it is, but one day something sets Walther off, makes him lose his temper; maybe he catches them together in his own bed. Whatever it is, he snaps and starts screaming at them like the first time, except this time he no longer considers Dannecker a victim--he's a rival now, going along with it willingly. Again, Dannecker refuses to leave when Walther yells at him to, and only a soft word from Margit makes him obey; he glowers at Walther as he passes, a glare much like the one he gave the young man who called him "mama's boy." Walther ignores the implication, and continues arguing with Margit; this is it, he insists--Dannecker will have to move out. When Margit says she'll simply go along with him, Walther replies, well then, he's going to make a call tomorrow, and inform Dannecker's superior officers of exactly what's going on. Given the SS and their rules and regulations, there's no way they'll permit such "degenerate" behavior to continue unchecked--Dannecker will surely lose his position in the SS-Totenkopfverbände, and face possible punishment, as well. Margit has no response for this, as she knows it's true; Walther says he's going to sleep on the couch, and they'll pick this up in the morning. He exits, and Margit sits in the bed crying until she falls asleep.

Walther doesn't know that after he left the room, Dannecker didn't retreat to his own bedroom as he did when he was a boy; he listened to the entire conversation. After Walther falls asleep on the couch, he slips into the room silently and approaches. Walther wakes abruptly when Dannecker makes a small sound, and blinks up at his silhouette in the dimness, mumbling, "Ernst?"--right before Dannecker shoves a pillow down over his face. Walther fights back as much as he's able, but his own son is a lot stronger than he is now, thanks to all that training Walther sent him off to, and it isn't long before his motions grow weaker and slower and then he falls still, going limp. Dannecker continues pressing the pillow over his face for a few moments more until he's sure the job is done--like I said, he's very patient when he sets his eyes on a target--then he carefully lifts it and sets it aside, damp side hidden. He closes Walther's eyes, repositions his sprawled limbs, and draws the blanket back up to look like he's still merely sleeping, before heading back to his own room. He falls asleep easily.

Early in the morning, Margit wakes, gets out his uniform, iron and shine, makes him a quick breakfast. Glances at her husband still sleeping on the couch but doesn't disturb him as she doesn't want to deal with him right now. Dannecker gives her a small kiss before he leaves--they look and act just like mother and son, nothing untoward, though once he's gone she agonizes over what they're going to do next. She can't bear to be separated from her boy, yet she can't endanger his job. She grows more anxious as the morning goes on, no solutions coming to mind; all she can think of is divorce, though Walther is unlikely to let her go without a fight. It finally occurs to her that it's almost noon and he hasn't awakened yet; she at last goes to rouse him, steeling herself for an altercation. He doesn't respond to her voice, not even to her gently shaking his arm; growing concerned, she tries to turn him toward her. Then gasps and recoils--his skin is cold, eyes half closed, mouth slack, a bluish tinge to his lips. Margit shrieks and heads for the phone--she tells the operator to call the camp, and begs to speak with Dannecker. When he's at last put on the phone he has to order her to calm down, she's grown so hysterical. She manages to tell him she's found Walther no longer breathing--apparently a heart attack, she has no other idea what to think--and she needs Dannecker there. He promises to come as soon as he can, and ends the call. Margit takes a moment to try to settle herself before it occurs to her how calm Dannecker himself was throughout the exchange, not raising his voice even once as she cried and babbled over the phone; something compels her to go look at Walther again. She can hardly bear it, yet she looks him over without touching him--nothing amiss--but she notices the pillow sitting against the back of the couch, atop Walther's leg--something about it seems off. She gingerly picks it up, turns it over. The other side is damp. Margit immediately drops it back where she found it, full of dread. She tries to tell herself it can't be what it's starting to look like.

Dannecker arrives with an SS doctor in tow; he looks Walther over, confirms his death (obviously), but seems puzzled when Margit suggests a heart attack; she admits he has no history of heart issues, yet what else could it be? The physician replies that Walther's eyes have tiny hemorrhages in them: a sign of suffocation. The dread rises even higher in Margit's breast; yet the doctor says perhaps he choked on something in his sleep, and calls a team to collect Walther's body and take him away for autopsy. He expresses his condolences and they all depart, leaving Dannecker and Margit behind.

Dannecker comforts Margit as she cries and remembers how poor her last exchange with Walther was; the comments he makes in response start out sympathetic, but slowly grow more resentful. Margit picks up on this and the dread seeps back; when Dannecker outright says, "He asked for this, keeping you away from me," Margit looks up at him and finally whispers, "Ernst...don't tell me you...?" He doesn't even deny it, just repeats that Walther was the one keeping them apart, of course he had to act. He seems genuinely confused when Margit reacts with horror--"Ernst! He's your father! I didn't mean THAT [you should kill him]...!"--though the more she protests that she didn't want him to do this, the more the perplexed look on his face changes; his eyes grow dark, his mouth turns down. The ugly malice just under the surface peeks out--this time, it's directed right at her. And for the first time, Margit is afraid of her own son, as she knows exactly what he's capable of--he told her himself. As horrifying as his own actions are, as much as she didn't want him to do this, she realizes she can't afford to cross him as he could do the same to her. She immediately changes tack, brings out her soft sweet placating voice, touching his arm and pressing close and calling him her boy, promising that they'll stick to the story Walther must have choked in his sleep and they're the proper mourning wife and son. Anything to protect his position. She's terrified of getting on his bad side, but just as when he was a teenager, the tactic works; the malice fades from his eyes, the tension leaves his muscles, slowly her sweet loving boy returns. He agrees to go along with her plan.

Margit now knows exactly where she stands: Dannecker can, and will, turn on her as quickly and easily as he's turned on everyone else who's wronged him, if she sets him off. He won't give her a pass simply because she's his mother and his lover. This is something she never counted on dealing with; she's never come across anything like this. She knows there's something fundamentally wrong and broken inside "her sweet boy" and no amount of her love and affection, however twisted, can fix it. She's walking through a field of landmines same as everyone else, and she acts accordingly, being extra careful to remain in Dannecker's good graces. She likely won't get any second chance.

Fortunately for Margit, she's good at what she does. She and Dannecker convincingly play the roles of devoted wife and son in grieving; Walther's death is perfunctorily investigated by the Allgemeine-SS, then the file is quietly closed and life goes on. Dannecker and Margit continue living in the same house and now freely share each other's bed. (They aren't aware that the Allgemeine-SS never COMPLETELY shuts down its observation--they've picked up that something is off, but don't have enough to act on, and their chief, Col. Heidenreich, advises them to tread softly to avoid a scandal.) Margit continues keeping house as if tending to her husband, even while gently prodding Dannecker once in a while that he should look into starting a family of his own, as the SS requires. Dannecker resists the advice--she's all he wants, there is nobody else. And it's true--he's never cared about anyone else in his life but her. It isn't love the way normal people feel it, but it's the closest his broken psyche can experience, and he feels it only for her. He doesn't want to get married, to be with any other woman, to start a family, if it isn't with her. Margit knows this is impossible--she never had a family with her father, for example--yet is sure not to push too hard lest she set him off. There's plenty of time to change his mind.

Except, as it turns out, there isn't. I think this occurs shortly before Dannecker is promoted and sent to watch over his own camp, though I'm not 100% sure. Margit faints one day and falls while Dannecker is at work; he nearly panics when he returns home and finds her on the floor. She insists she's all right, just tired--she's been fatigued lately--but with this, and the nasty bruise she's suffered, he doesn't even need convincing, he calls a physician. Margit is taken to hospital for tests and observation. After a while, a doctor appears with a sorrowful look and bad news: Blood cancer. This is the late 1930s/early 1940s; there's no effective treatment for leukemia yet. No matter how much Dannecker protests, and then threatens, that they need to try more, there's nothing much they can do, aside from trying to keep her comfortable and manage her symptoms. Dannecker's not used to his demands being refused; Margit has to calm him down so he doesn't target the doctor. She tries to keep her head for her son's sake, though when they're alone she fights not to break down, crying, "I'm afraid, Ernst." Although obviously just as rattled by this news, he comforts her again, promising to stay by her no matter what--she's his mother, his love, after all.

Margit rapidly declines; the disease is fast acting, aggressive. The morphine keeps her in a stupor much of the time, during which Dannecker forces himself to return to work, though when she wakes he's there to hold her hand and stroke her hair. The hospital staff take note of their odd closeness, but say nothing. One day in a moment of painful lucidity, Margit finally does break down: "I can't bear you seeing me like this, Ernst. I don't want your last thought of me being a shriveled little shell in this bed. I want you remembering me how I was." Dannecker insists he doesn't care how she looks, but she grows more and more adamant; she doesn't want to go this way. And then, meekly, she broaches the subject: "My Ernst, isn't there...isn't there something you can do...?"

This is Nazi Germany, and Dannecker is in the SS. He works in a camp. The Nazis have ways of dealing with people they deem a burden on society, "life unworthy of life"--and among these are the physically infirm, the terminally ill. People like Margit. Euthanasia, as it's so optimistically called, is legal. Dannecker knows immediately what his mother is asking of him as he's helped oversee the termination of countless unworthy lives himself. He pales, then grips Margit's hands harder and insists, "Mama, you don't mean it. That's just your sadness talking. There are other things we can do." She insists, though--the doctors have said there are no other options, and she doesn't want to suffer to the very end: "Bitte, my Ernst, you can't let me, you must be able to help me." She grows more strident and despondent the more he tries to talk her out of it and at last he realizes there will be no changing her mind; for once she stands firm against his pleas. And eventually he stops arguing. She can tell from the look on his face that her decision crushes him inside yet he calls the doctor back to consult with him.

The doctor comes to talk with the two. Margit knows of the SS's euthanasia programs but something she ISN'T aware of is the exact method used--what the Nazis call "euthanasia" isn't really a "good death" at all for most people. So no, Dannecker can't offer her this option himself, unless she wants to go in the gas chamber. The doctor is sympathetic and suggests a drug overdose--done properly it'll be like drifting to sleep. Margit jumps at the idea; Dannecker isn't happy, but doesn't object. After making absolutely sure this is what she wants, and having her sign the proper forms with Dannecker as witness, he brings in the proper equipment and administers the drug, then retreats a bit so Dannecker and Margit can sit together and wait. The two stare at each other while Dannecker clasps Margit's hand and she strokes his face, smiling and murmuring, "My sweet boy." Her voice and motions start to slow down though she does manage to tell him, "I'll always be there for you...I'll never leave you," before her eyes drift closed and she dozes off. After a little while longer, her breathing stops. Dannecker puts his head to her chest but can't hear anything; the doctor returns to check her vitals, finds that her pulse has stopped. He tells Dannecker the news though it's obvious already. Dannecker just stares mutely at his mother, his eyes wet. It's probably the first and only time he's ever cried over anyone.

Life goes on, though it's dull and tedious with an empty bed and no one there to greet him when he returns home, no one who "gets" him the way only Margit did. He gets a shiny new post as commandant of his own labor camp and moves into a nice big house nearby but even that doesn't do much to assuage the hurt, which is a really strange emotion he's not used to feeling. Then while walking down the sidewalk one day, in a bit of a hurry, he rounds a corner without watching where he's going and slams into somebody else who's also walking too fast and not watching where they're going. The other person drops their grocery bag; Dannecker drops, period, losing his balance and hitting the ground. He angrily snaps, "Watch where you're--!" before his eyes lock on somebody standing several feet away--a young girl, petite, in a long dress, with long blond braids and big blue eyes. The two of them stare at each other in silence as the woman Dannecker had run into hurries to pick up his own scattered items and help him up, apologizing profusely. A few other children, two boys and a younger girl, also stand to the side, but it's the oldest one Dannecker can't stop staring at. She's the spitting image of a much younger version of his mother.

He finally notices the older, frumpier woman trying to assist and placate him--obviously his SS uniform has her rattled, and she's terribly apologetic, taking the blame for his fall, retrieving his belongings before seeing to her own. He pushes himself up, dusts himself off, takes back his papers, grumbles for her to watch where she's going from now on; she thanks him repeatedly for his leniency, collects her scattered groceries, urges her children to come along now, she's so sorry, so sorry. Dannecker and the teenaged girl continue staring at each other as the little family passes by. She even glances back at him while they're walking off before turning away. Dannecker can't stop staring after her. He's distracted all that day, returns home at night, lies in bed staring at the ceiling. Murmurs softly, "Is it a sign? Is it you...?" He's not religious or spiritual whatsoever...but those braids, those eyes, that face. Margit had promised she'd never leave him. Is this her? Has she come back to him? He knows that was not literally his mother...but just maybe, his mother sent her to him. It must be a sign.

Dannecker has connections, and he's patient and perseverant. He does some asking around, some digging. Finds out the frumpy woman's name is Else, and her older daughter's name is Margarethe. "Margarethe," Dannecker whispers to himself; even her name is like his mother's. This is all the proof he needs that the two of them are meant to be. Margit had told him, after all, that one day he should have his own family, and hopefully his own daughter, to carry on what Margit had taught him and what her father had taught her. He's never been interested in starting a family, yet here is one ready made for him. He has a new pet project. When he learns Else is a widow, he starts making his plans to win her over. He's not interested in her in the least--Gret is the one his heart is set on. He's willing to do whatever it takes to get her, and eventually, he does.

Here's Dannecker's entry, somewhat outdated but the rest of his story. Here's Gret's.

Dannecker fulfills his mother's vow that the cycle of abuse would continue with him as the perpetrator and Gret as the next in a line of victims, including himself and Margit, that goes back who even knows how far. Gret, however, finishes the cycle, by participating in his murder--the abuse ends with her. It's a bit ironic, though, that she DOES repeat her stepfather's behavior: He murdered his own father as well. So although she manages to break free of the abuse itself, she doesn't ENTIRELY free herself of his influence over her. She carries his sword as a weapon of defense...but it's still also a symbol of the man who should have protected her unconditionally, yet ended up hurting her most of all.

[Margit Dannecker 2023 [‎Friday, ‎February ‎17, ‎2023, ‏‎3:00:10 AM]]

#artists on tumblr #ibisPaint x #SketchDaily #original characters

[watevermelon]

Just Enough | Diluc (Genshin) x Traveler!Reader

✧ Summary: Between freeing Dvalin and pursuing the Geo Archon, you were constantly moving forward to find your brother with hardly a second to look back. You were in a rush to find your lost sibling, not realizing how your heart had stopped in Mondstadt. Visiting the city while waiting for things to die down after Rex Lapis’ death, you return to a… jealous Diluc?

➳ Spoilers for the Dark Knight Hero quest and some of the manga background ➳ Notes: lots of fluff, slight angst and jealousy, character development, mutual pining at one point, a long one-shot that covers the (1.0) beginning of the Liyue story  ➳ Navigation

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If he had only asked you to stay.

To say that these past few weeks were a blur would be a severe understatement. For months you were simply a lost wanderer, traveling from world to world for any sort of clue that could lead you to your brother.

And in just a matter of weeks you were suddenly Mondstadt’s hero.

From bringing peace to Dvalin’s heart to meeting Mondstadt’s infamous Dark-knight hero, you were familiarizing yourself with a people and a place for a world you knew you did not belong to. Learning of the history of the Seven Archons, the Gods’ of contracts or of freedoms, suddenly you were being thrust into it all at once.

You shared the burden of knowledge with a few of Mondstadt’s elite, the true God of Freedom walking in plain sight to the citizens of his nation. And with him, were the quick allies you found side-by-side when fighting a dragon. 

It was all happening so suddenly and Lord Barbatos himself was giving you directions to the next country over, to continue on your journey in meeting all seven Archons to Liyue. 

To this day, you could fondly recall your final celebration in Mondstadt.

“To think that despite his small stature he can drink so much.” Kaeya commented from his seat at the table, eyes slid in the direction of Venti at the bar next to you. You could see the impatient stare behind Diluc’s eyes, not at all happy that their God was indulging himself so freely.

“Honorary Knight, Mondstadt thanks you for your service.” Jean formally stated, for the nth time since Dvalin had been freed.

“I’m just glad I was at the right place at the right time.” You answered back, offering a placating smile in return.

“Humility doesn’t pay for dinner!” Paimon hmphed next to you.

“But aren’t we at a feast now?” You countered, gesturing to the table. 

She sighed again before moving to get a taste of some of the honey roasted ham. “Fine, don’t blame me when we have to settle into that poor excuse of a tent!”

“Please, do not feel you are in any rush to leave.” Jean offered, “You are welcome lodgings at our Favonius Headquarters.”

“With the other Knights of Favonius?” Diluc asked, face completely blank if not for the small upward tilt of his left brow.

Kaeya flirted with you from across the room, uncaring of the other partygoers, “You could always stay with me.”

You laughed lightly and responded, “That’s a hard pass.”

The Cavalry Captain simply shrugged, offering it to you again if you changed your mind before grabbing another glass of wine and walking with Jean toward the busy table.

Barbara was trying different dishes and offering some to her older sister, spouting descriptions with medicinal purposes and flavors that compliment one another. Lisa was no better as Amber egged both of them on, completely sober as she continued to feast on the food laid before her. Other Knights of Favonius that you recognized were scattered about, enjoying the first truly peaceful night in the past few weeks.

“You are welcome to stay at the Dawn Winery, while you look for your brother.”

He relished in the sight of your smile.

“Thank you, Diluc.”

That was three months ago.

And since then you had been thrown into more of not your business but suddenly IS your business, business.

You remembered your last day before setting off from Mondstadt. The Knights of Favonius would surely call on you again and so you had quick goodbyes with Jean and Kaeya the day before. Venti was saved for last, a somewhat light-hearted and yet somber goodbye as he was the first and last person for you to see in Mondstadt. 

But Diluc… How could you even start that conversation?

He was the lone wolf with a prickly reputation and an even worse sense of patience. You remembered the first time you even spoke to him, clipped words meant to get straight to the point. Not to mention that he was the first person to antagonize Kaeya, who was one of the few people you kinda trusted in the beginning.

It was not until the side adventures, the little quests you did one-on-one that you realized how much more there was to the edgelord that was Diluc. 

Of course, he was still the strict type to focus solely on the mission. 

But you realized more about why Diluc had come to be this way. 

‘The uncrowned king of Mondstadt.’

As you worked together against the possible abyss invasion of Mondstadt, you poured over strategies and testing of his slime potion. And while slimes were not the hardest enemies to fight, he still complimented you on your form and appreciated your quick style with the sword.

You had a unique style, unlike Kaeya or anyone else of this world.

“Elegant, but deadly.”

You took that as a compliment.

And little by little Diluc opened up to you, cluing you into his personal history. 

He and Kaeya were step-brothers, growing up together at the Dawn Winery. How he knew Jean since he was child and once served as her superior in the very organization he now despised. How he still has things to protect, to avenge. And while his description about what happened to his father was nothing more than a quiet stare, you were still grateful that he was entrusting you into his world.

You remembered Kaeya’s words as he discovered Diluc’s nighttime secret:

“I’m glad you’re working with an assistant.”

Kaeya’s tone may have come out scathing, but you knew better. Kaeya and Diluc used to be close, close enough to entrust their lives with one another. There was no doubt that Kaeya still cared about his brother, but with Diluc pushing everyone away….

Again, you were so appreciative that he chose to let you in.

When Kaeya finally left the bar, you turned to Diluc with a smile. “I think my work tonight earned me at least one glass of wine?”

That broke a small smile on his face, not the slight tilt on the sides or the wistful, far off look he got when he recalled something beyond your knowledge.

“Alright.” He waved over a nearby waitress, all of the customers tonight employees of the Dawn Winery. “Let’s take this up to the balcony, I’m going to close up anyway.”

“Oh?” Paimon’s squeaky tone somehow went up another octave in curiosity, “I just remembered I have to ask Venti something! Why don’t you two enjoy your date alone.”

She flew away before you could swat at her for her teasing words, blush apparent on your face. Diluc kept his flat face as he maneuvered things behind the bar, wiping at something before putting something in the below cabinet. 

To your surprise, he handed you a bottle and two glasses, motioning with his head toward the second floor. Charles was among some of the ‘customers’ tonight, taking his usual spot behind the bar as Diluc stepped out.

You followed him wordlessly, walking up the steps and out the second-floor door closely behind him. He pulled out a wooden chair next to the table outside, you taking the seat underneath the stars as he plopped down alongside you.

“I thought the stars here in the city would get overcrowded by the lights.” You admitted, “But they’re beautiful even here.”

“Yeah, they are.” Diluc agreed, making you smile before turning to him.

“You’re not even looking at the stars.”

The pyro-user simply smirked, before looking up at the starry sky with you. You relished in the moment, glad to have some time alone with Diluc. Many had commented that the winery owner was so elusive, missing from the bar weeks at a time and unseen within the city walls. And yet here he was, enjoying the crisp air and a glass of wine with you.

“Thank you.” You started.

“Shouldn’t you be demanding thanks from me?” Diluc asked.

You laughed lightly, “Yeah, cause I’m sure that the abyss mage would have totally kicked your ass without me.”

Diluc had that slightly amused expression on, looking a bit more light-hearted as he turned to you with a slight tilt at the corner of his lips.

You continued, “I mean, thanks for entrusting me with your secret.”

Diluc paused, looking you straight in the eyes, probably to gauge your honesty. And he would concede that there was nothing else there. You wanted to be his friend, the first in a long time to have approached him without your own agenda regarding either the winery or his fortune.

In return, he poured you a glass of wine and replied, “You’ve long earned it.”

“Thank you, Diluc.” You took the glass and felt your heart flutter at the brush of his fingers. “I’m glad I got to know you.”

“I’m glad you’re in my life too.”

He shot you another one of his genuine, millisecond smiles before pouring some from the bottle for himself. 

“Wine and not grape juice today?”

But he did not answer, instead eyes latching onto the rise of goosebumps on your arms. You could not help it against the crisp Mondstadt air, naturally feeling a chill at this time of night. Without a word, he shrugged off his outer coat, the thick black one he wore at almost all times of day, and rested it casually on your shoulders.

You muttered a small thanks as you snuggled into it. Diluc’s iconic dark coat, a complete contrast to yourself. While you wore a white dress with open sleeves and plenty of skin, Diluc wore black covering most of his body with the exception of his neck and face. Seeing it on your shoulders only reminded you of that fact.

“Don’t need you getting sick anytime soon.” Diluc stated plainly, as he returned to his seat.

You huddled into it more and replied, “Aw, Diluc cares.” Again, you were rewarded with another flat expression. “Or rather, if the events of today are to show anything, you’ve always cared. Just in your own, protective way.”

He slung an arm across the back of your seat, leaning closer before stating in a low voice. “Don’t forget that.”

Your eyes snapped to his, the both of you basically sharing the same breath in your close proximity. His scarlet eyes, usually a searing color when on the battlefield, looked surprisingly tender only inches from yours.

“You mean so much to me, Diluc.” You whispered back, afraid that anything above a whisper would punctuate this amorous atmosphere.

He slowly dragged his face alongside yours, stopping beside your ear and continuing in his low voice. “So do you.”

There was no stopping the shiver of anticipation that crawled up your spine.

You could feel the small smirk grow against your skin before he pulled off and grazed his lips against your forehead.

The expression on your face was practically begging him to kiss you. From the small lean in your side against his arm slung around you to the way your eyes slowly fluttered closed, it took all of his self-control to stop himself before he pulled you closer. He wanted nothing more than to grasp you by the back of your neck, relish in the way you melt against him. To kiss you now and tomorrow and maybe even the morning after at the winery.

Diluc had to remind himself that in less than a week you were going to be long gone.

He did not want to ruin this memory a week from now, asking what if and why. And so he settled on a simple kiss above your brow before leaning back in his seat, enjoying the moment he had with you tonight.

You were disappointed, but actually not surprised. It was a feat in itself that you were so close to Diluc in this short amount of time, it would do no good in pressuring him into anything else. But also, another more rational part of you, had to remind yourself that getting attached to the people of this world would only make it hurt more when you had to return home.

This was for the better.

But no matter how much rational thought Diluc used to push you away, you were sure that you had already fallen for him. From the small interactions with Diluc, you could barely recognize the moment that you were completely enamored with him. It was not during the first time you saw him fight or even the night he leant you his jacket. No, you feared it was much before then.

To think you had gotten attached to Diluc in such a short amount of time.

But then you had to say goodbye.

“Safe travels.” Diluc stated from behind the bar when he saw you enter on your last day.

You were not sure what you expected, a drawn out goodbye or a fore longed hug, but Diluc was still, well. He was still Diluc. And to see him re-erecting his walls before you left for your journey was a sad thought, but needed while the two of you were hundreds of miles away from one another.

But you would regret it if you didn’t say anything.

Instead you settled on, “I’ll miss you.”

The hopeful look in your eyes spelled out exactly what you wanted to hear back.

Diluc instead replied, “You fight good.”

“Oh. Um.” The hesitation was clear in your voice.

Was this really how you were going to leave things?

But with Diluc turning his attention back to the wine glass he was previously wiping, yes. It seemed that this was exactly how he wanted to leave it. Paimon scoffed, but said her own goodbyes before flying away.

“Goodbye, Diluc.”

Outside the tavern, you let your frown grow at that interaction. After everything you had been through together, Diluc complimented you on your fighting? Then said peace out?

“That was really lame.” Paimon commented aloud as she floated alongside you. You could not help but internally agree, but you had a whole journey ahead of you. At least the busyness of Liyue would keep you busy from dwelling on that conversation.

But as you said goodbye to Venti, the both of you stood in silence under the giant tree staring at the city. You thought about going back three times, to get a proper goodbye out of Diluc. But doing so would do neither of you any good, since it would only open more issues.

“No more questions about the other Archons?” Venti asked, voice surprisingly serious.

“Can’t think of anything.”

“None even of a certain… winery owner?” You could almost hear the smile in his voice.

You rolled your eyes and responded, “You’re such a little shit.”

“Hehe.”

You both continued to stare at the city, the marvels of its people and history within its high walls. To think Barbatos and Dvalin were finally free, because of your otherworldly intervention. Venti was truly thankful for you, and while he knew his words were on the more mischievous side, he knew that you understood.

Venti’s voice permeated the air. “Be safe in Liyue.”

You smiled back and offered him a tight hug, replying. “As always.”

To think that the same day that you stepped into Liyue, Rex Lapis was murdered before your very eyes. It was like the Gods actually hated you, having to rely on a Fatui to run away from the government officials hot on your trail.

Since then you had been working with Zhongli to prepare for a parting ceremony. From running around for certain types of Jade materials to singing to flowers, you were happy to take a second to yourself at all. You were afraid that trouncing around Liyue with a bounty on your head would do you no good and often stayed in the wild areas. Visits to the city were for necessities only, which often left you relying on the ever so truthful Childe or the mora-averse Zhongli.

More than three months after your initial departure to Liyue, you stepped back into the walls of Mondstadt’s bustling city, a commission nearby and you figured you were safe simply due to your reputation under the Knights of Favonius.

Venti was the last face you saw and the first face that greeted you, beckoning to join him for lunch. With your final commission of the day finished, you joined him with a smile and ordered some honey roasted ham.

You recounted some of the news to Venti, meeting many of the adeptus and how out of touch they seemed with the region. You described Zhongli from the funeral parlor who always felt like he knew more and played a higher part in Liyue (and you inwardly noted how Venti’s eyes lit up in recognition at the name). And also, Childe the Fatui Harbinger that had you on edge. 

“You’re hanging out with a harbinger?” Venti asked.

“Uh oh.” Paimon reacted.

“Well.” You remembered your last encounter with Signora. “It’s complicated.”

Venti paused before sighing, “Is he cute?”

“That’s not why!” You huffed back instantly.

“So he is cute!”

“And rich!” Paimon added, joining in on the teasing.

“Not the issue here.” You stated, “He saved me from the Millelith and helped me get into contact with the adepti.”

Venti’s mischievous smile from the earlier teasing turned blank, as if he was fully ingesting your words. “... Why would he do that?”

“Huh?”

But Venti quickly recovered, waving away the question and urging you to move past it. “Just thinking out loud, continue. What happened after?”

And so you recalled everything from then. How the soldiers followed you all the way up the mountain and how you had to defend yourself from people that were supposed to be on the same side as you. 

How there was someone out there with the strength to take down a God.

Venti laughed at you for like, twenty minutes.

After his laughter subsided, he held a hand over his stomach and asked. “They think you killed Rex Lapis?”

He took another look at your pouting face and laughed again.

It only made you scowl further. “I’m glad you think my supposed war crimes are so funny.”

“I think I’m missing the punchline again.” Paimon added.

“Hehe. You’ll be fine.” Venti shot back his mischievous smile, “Besides, I’m sure you’re looking forward to laying low here with a certain… someone here.”

You paused and put your fork back down, “What are you trying to say?”

“Well, the Dawn Winery is throwing a festival tonight.” Venti stated clearly, “Isn’t that why you’re here?”

“Wait, really?”

The mischievous light was back in Venti’s eyes, “I’m sure the winds of fate have brought you here purely on coincidence.”

You sighed and turned to him fully. “You trying to fight, old man?”

“Hehe.” His signature giggle, one you found almost endearing, was undoubtedly mocking you. “We should go together later.”

And true to his word, somehow you found yourself with the Anemo Archon heading over to the bar. To think that it was Venti who introduced you here and now he was bringing you along again.

That is, if you even had a chance to make it inside at this rate.

The area was packed to the brim, all the seats outside in front and on the side of the building already taken. There was a line out the door, many hopeful young women with gleaming eyes trying to get a one-on-one conversation with the current barkeep and owner.

You peered into the open door and saw Diluc and Charles behind the bar, the red-head adorned with his usual flat-expression. It was the first time in months since you had seen him, but he looked exactly as the day you had left. Still the same colored wardrobe and prickly atmosphere, Diluc was still, Diluc.

What did not help was the ever growing line of flirty men and women trying to vye for his attention.

It only seemed to further nail the pit in your stomach.

Was this… jealousy?

You didn’t dwell on the thought for long.

Instead, you considered for a single-second if you should just turn tail now, but Venti must have seen your hesitation and grabbed you by the arm to walk inside. Dozens of eyes followed you on the way in, many people recognizing you as the young hero of Mondstadt and honorary knight of Favonius.

The crowd was surprisingly less inside, but knowing Diluc he probably would have tried to corral everyone to the outdoor areas. Venti continued to lead you towards a table in the back and you saw a familiar red-bowed Outrider.

“I didn’t even know you were going to be here today!” She greeted you excitedly. 

“Tone-Deaf Bard here convinced us to stay the night.” Paimon replied.

“Oh?” Her voice lifted in a tone that only spelled trouble, “No matter, I’m glad to see you in one piece.”

“I’m assuming you’ve heard.”

Amber stretched in her seat and lowered her voice, smile turning to a smirk. “Well, I won’t confirm anything. But my suspicions are that the blonde person the Knights were pursuing for stealing the Holy Lyre may be the same blonde person running from the Millelith.”

“What a crazy theory.” Paimon responded as she cleared her throat.

“At least it’s just a theory, right?” Amber replied. “Anyway, we’ll hold the seats. Do you mind going up to the bar to order?”

Paimon chimed up as she floated down into the wooden seat, “Yeah, you should go.”

You barely had a second to object before Venti agreed and was motioning for you to go back to the bar. If not for their eager stares at you, you would have rolled your eyes at how obvious they were being.

“Fine, fine. I’m going.” You stated aloud, getting up from the seat you inhabited for at most ten minutes. 

Turning towards the bar, you took in a deep breath to collect your thoughts. To think you fought the Wolf of the North and Oceanid with more courage - it was just Diluc.

“Long time no see.” You greeted, trying to sound extremely casual. “Bottle of wine for one of your favorite people?”

Diluc looked at you for a quick second, then back down to the bar, then rapidly snapping back up to you in surprise. “Hey. Of course.”

Unsure what to say, you responded back with a simple, “Thank you.”

“Didn’t know you’d be in town today.”

“It was all coincidence. Venti told me about your event tonight.” You mentioned, motioning behind you to the table where the three of them were waiting. Amber waggled her eyebrows in response and you turned back to Diluc in embarrassment.

But he was looking at you the entire time. “For a war criminal, you look well.”

“Ugh, not you too.”

“Ironic how you delinquents always return here while hiding it out.” Diluc did not answer, instead openly teasing you.

Honestly, it was a little ironic that you and Venti ran here after stealing the Holy Lyre, just to end up back here while the Millelith were on the hunt for you.

Instead you replied, “They didn’t release any names.”

“Right, it’s probably some other sword-wielding blonde with white clothes and access to the Anemo vision.”

“Obviously.”

To think you were so involved in Teyvat's politics. An otherworldly being with no prior connections to the people or nations was somehow involved with the highest ranking people of every country you’ve stumbled into.

Everyone from the Dvalin team knew about your primary objectives: to find your brother and regain your full power through the seven Archons. And when news of Rex Lapis’ death reached Mondstadt, Diluc could almost physically feel the dread in his heart that something had happened to you. And when the Millelith released their man-hunt of your exact profile, there was no doubt that you were involved. 

To see you standing before him, in association with an Archon of all people, it was like a breath of fresh air on his heart. You were here in the tavern, fine and even enjoying the night. 

A large part of him wanted to ask about your journey, what was it that had you on the run again? But with the growing line out the door, he knew he barely had time to keep this conversation going.

So instead, Diluc grabbed glasses and a bottle of wine from beneath the bar and asked, “Spare a few minutes for me later?”

You nodded quietly, handing him the necessary Mora before returning back to the table.

Amber did not pull her punches, “So, you guys dating yet?”

You almost dropped the bottle, but Venti was quick even through his laughter.

“Yeah and I’m the Archon of Snezhnaya.” Paimon replied sarcastically.

“Shut up.” You pouted, “It was just nice to see each other after all this time.”

“Oh so you had a good conversation? Did he ask you to stay after? Are you going to stay the night? Did he offer for you to stay at the Dawn Winery?” Amber spit out question after question, not a sense of patience or tact in her words.

Venti was still laughing like the Archon of assholes he was.

While they prodded through their multiple questions, you tried to wave them away to another conversation topic. If Amber was prodding you like this, you could only imagine that the other Knights, such as Kaeya and Jean, were also aware of your strange relationship.

Amber tried to push it a bit more, but you were able to spin the conversation to ask what the others were up to. It was interesting to hear about the little tasks in Mondstadt, small commissions that the Knights take care of in the city as well as guarding the areas further out into the country.

And while you hated to drift off with them sitting right in front of you, your mind often wandered toward the red-head behind the bar. Diluc had personally asked you to stay back later, undoubtedly to speak to you about something one-on-one. Would it be cowardly if you left early? Would the others notice if you tried to make a break for it at one point?

Again, it seemed as if Venti was capable of reading your mind, lightly calling you to attention and putting a casual hand on the back of your chair.

He was not letting you get away from this.

Venti even shifted the conversation to you, asking about Liyue and the local adventures you had while in the city. Unable to ignore the direct questions, you told them about the stories of the people you met so far and the strange events you seemed to be dragged into.

“Wait, start over.” Amber cut into your most recent story about a ship just outside of the Liyue city. ”You just glided down onto the Pearl Galley?”

You paused then replied, “Well. I mean the ship was just sitting there outside the harbor and I was curious.”

“And so you boarded a luxury ship without an invitation?”

“Yeah, so?” Paimon answered with a question, genuinely confused.

“And yet you wonder how you keep getting involved in all these crazy schemes.” Amber answered ambiguously.

“Well, eventually I did get an invitation.”

“But after you were already on the ship.” Amber pointed out. “How did you even glide that far out?”

“I climbed to the top of the nearby mountain and then just dropped down.”

“Wow.”

“Is it really a surprise?” Venti commented, “She doesn’t even follow the proper stairs here in the city. Don’t think we don’t see you climbing over every wall here in Mondstadt.”

“You’re such a weirdo.” Amber sighed with a smile, “You’re lucky we love you so much.”

You continued on with your stories, some in the city and others within hidden temples deep in the wilderness, puzzles and timed traps masking treasures you sought to find. Amber and Venti listened on in rapt attention, asking questions here and there and even teasing you about your constant climbing.

You hadn’t even noticed how the bar patrons were starting to slowly thin out.

The night with Venti and Amber was such a refreshing feeling compared to the nights you spent staring up silently at the night sky, only Paimon at your side. It was nice to hear and speak to other people, to not be on the run and always looking over your shoulder.

Feeling a light tap on the side, you turned to see Diluc standing at attention.

“Hey.” He greeted you again.

“We were just on our way out!” Amber exclaimed, standing instantly with Venti not far behind her. “Mondstadt’s star Outrider has to be up bright and early tomorrow.”

“Which is why you’re both leaving…?” You asked.

“It’s my duty to ensure the safety of the city and we said we were going to discuss something.” Venti answered ambiguously.

You crossed your arms, “Discuss what?”

“The— !” Amber paused, “The thing. You know, with the stuff at the Seven Winds Temple.”

“Right! Let’s get going.” Venti turned to Paimon at the last second, “I think this will interest you.”

Paimon winked at you before turning to Diluc, ”Right, the stuff!”

Diluc motioned you to follow him and so, once again, you found yourself following behind the Pyro-user out the second-floor balcony. However, instead of sitting at the table, you learned against the railing while Diluc stood to the side.

“Wasn't expecting you to be gone for so long.” Diluc started with a flat voice.

You turned to him with a slight grimace. “I’m sorry, I ended up getting caught in something important back in Liyue.”

More important than him.

The implication was quiet in the back of Diluc’s mind.

But that would always be the case. To think that the first person in years to open up his shell was someone who could only be in his life temporarily. You intrigued him to the high heavens - the strange mix of both pride and humility as you fought and carried yourself. You were strong, but merciful. Kind, but a purveyor of your own brand of justice.

It had been a while since he met someone with such genuine reservations as you.

But your time together was already ticking down, from your time in Mondstadt to your time in his world. You were looking for your brother and who knew if he was even in Tyvat currently? It would be unfair to be bitter towards you. And so he resolved long ago to simply cherish the moments you had together.

So instead of snapping back, Diluc teased you.

“I’m sure. I’ve heard of your extensive… wanted days.”

You sighed aloud, “How did the news travel here so fast?”

Diluc smirked, “First Barbatos and now Rex Lapis? What kind of luck do you have?”

“The worst kind.”

Of course, there was something he wanted to learn more about. After he had caught wind from Katheryn in Liyue, Diluc still wanted to be informed about your current situation. To think that you were in close association with one of the high Fatui Harbingers after Signora personally attacked you, it was almost like you were openly inviting trouble.

It also did not help that many of the gossip mills included how attractive this particular Fatui was.

He goes by the alias of ‘Childe.’ Young, but deadly!

A Fatui, but doesn’t wear his mask - for good reason! He’s quite the looker.

I wouldn’t mind if he impaled me somewhere. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Needless to say, his sources did not alleviate his worries.

Of all people? A Fatui was one of your close associates in Liyue? A party of him wanted to snarl, the thought a worse downgrade from the Knights of Favonius. At least he knew Kaeya would do you no harm; he doubted the same could be said about Childe.

Archons, why did he care so much?

Diluc told himself multiple times that your abrupt parting was necessary to keep himself from getting too attached to you. But it hardly mattered when he was worrying this much anyway in spite of that.

Fuck, why did he just let you walk away like that?

Diluc was not going to make the same mistake.

He turned to you and asked, “Like the Fatui kind?”

You sighed, “Believe me, I don’t like it either.”

“And yet somehow here we are.”

“It’s complicated, okay?”

“When is it not with you?” Diluc asked, more hypothetically. And while from anyone else, it may have felt offensive, you could tell from his tone that it was just a tired sigh.

“Tell me about your journey.” He continued.

“What?” You answered with a question, genuinely surprised. “It’s a long story, not all that interesting.”

Diluc took a step forward, taking the spot next to you against the rail as your shoulders touched. “I want to hear it from you.”

You couldn’t help but smile, “Okay.”

And so you recounted your journey to find the Geo Archon, how the adepti set up strange puzzles and at some point you swore you were pulled into a teacup that somehow contained a full domain.

There were also other missions on the side, other things you would do to collect Mora or materials if you were going to get any stronger. Some of them made sense — doing deliveries, clearing abyss camps, and other mercenary like duties. Other instances, not so much.

“Only you would accept a commission from a ghost.” Diluc teased as you recounted the treasure in the mines.

“In my defense, I didn’t think he was a ghost at first.”

“Right. Nothing suspicious at all about a transparent old man in the middle of an abandoned village.”

“I was reading the poster he was showing!”

“And when did you realize he was a ghost?”

“... After I met three other ghosts.”

Diluc cracked a smile at that, only making you pout more. You had adjusted your postures overtime, standing against with rails to your backs as you faced the tavern.

“He paid me good Mora!” 

“How…?” Diluc thought about it before waving it off, “Forget it. I don’t want to know.”

You laughed back before you saw the lights inside the tavern switch off, complete darkness in the windows as the remaining employees packed up and went home. 

“Oh wow, I hadn’t even realized how long we were out here.” You admitted, “I’m sorry I took up so much of your time.”

“Don’t apologize. I wanted to spend this time with you.”

“Still, it’s already late.”

“You’re right. Where were you and Paimon going to spend the night?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” You admitted, “Venti convinced us to stay, but I don’t even know where he is.”

Diluc pushed off the railing to stand facing you, “You could stay the night at the winery. We can retrieve Paimon tomorrow.”

What game was he playing? Your disappointing departure with Diluc cutting you off and now he was asking for your time and space back into his life? You hated that he pushed you away just to pull you back in at his convenience. And while you understood his personality tended to keep people at a distance, you had your own limits as to what you could withstand. 

“... Diluc, what are you doing?”

“You’ll have to be more clear.”

You closed your eyes, trying to gather your thoughts and hamper down on your rising temper. “Come on, why are you being so nice to me?”

He stared at you expectedly, blank eyes urging you to continue.

It only served to make you more angry.

“Diluc, when I left you hardly blinked. And now that I’m here, after months of us not talking, you want me to spend the night?”

“I told you before how much you meant to Mondstadt.”

To Mondstadt? Not even to himself personally? 

You decided it was better to confront him cleanly asking, “Why didn’t you kiss me that night we were drinking here?”

Diluc paused, not a single hint of surprise on his face as you addressed the situation head-on. “Why should I have?”

“Don’t act like you didn’t feel it. There was something between us.” You scoffed.

He noticed your use of past tense.

“Does it honestly matter? You would’ve left anyway, I saved us both the trouble.”

You visibly recoiled in response. “Is that what this is about? I have to go to Liyue and the other counties, Diluc. I have to find my brother.”

“I know that.” Diluc cut in, before you got the wrong idea. “You don’t think I’m acutely aware of that fact? The fact that this is my home and not yours. That one day you’ll find your brother and I’ll never see you again?”

“Wait.”

“Believe me, I know better than anyone that you’re off to find your brother. And I’ll help you in any way that I can.” Diluc continued, not heeding your confused attempts to stop him. “But let’s not pretend like I was anything more than a stepping stone in your journey.”

“That’s not true!”

“Oh?” Diluc’s tone was almost challenging,  “It’s not? So once the dust is settled, if I asked you to stay here with me, would I be enough?”

You stuttered over your words, “I --”

“I don’t want to hear your excuse because we both know the answer.” He cut you off, “I was trying to save myself from that before it happened.”

“Will you let me speak, you idiot!?” Your voice cut through the silent evening air.

Diluc paused, standing a good ten feet away from you and looking angrier than you’d ever seen. But he did, thankfully, stop talking.

“Is it crazy to think that I feel the same way about you?”

“What?”

“Diluc, I’m just me!” You answered, “I have nothing to my name but an objective to find my brother — if he’s even alive at this point. I need to try and I need to continue on this path…”

He crossed his arms, but stayed quiet as he listened. 

“But just because I have so much ahead of me, that doesn’t I don’t care about where I’ve already seen.” You took a few steps toward Diluc as you spoke, “You mean so much to me and I wouldn’t ever want to throw that away.”

“You won’t have a choice if you have to leave this world.”

“If!” You pointed out, “Diluc you’re so worried about the future, about me walking away from you forever, but it doesn’t have to be this way.”

“And suddenly there’s an alternative?”

“There’s always been one, you idiot! You just never bothered to actually talk to me.” You put your hands on his chest, the light material of his dark clothes underneath your palms. “I would’ve tried. If you asked me to make this work, to come back to you at the winery back then, I would’ve done it.”

Diluc closed his eyes, taking in your words as his hands snaked down to your wrists.

“Don’t give me empty promises.”

“I mean it!” You defended, “You aren’t just another person, Diluc. I—“

He opened his eyes then, reflecting back to you as hopeful and curious. “You…?”

“I care about you more than you know.” You settled on, still unsure about the extent of your feelings. “Why are you giving up on us before even starting?”

You stared right back at Diluc, his silence paramount to the inner turmoil you were sure he was going through. From his late father to the betrayal from the Knights, there were plenty of reasons why Diluc was so hesitant to connect with other people.

But you’d be damned if you didn’t try.

Your hands felt heavy against his chest. Despite your small demeanor and even smaller palms, the weight of your hands seemed to play seesaw between his heart and mind. He had logical reasons to keep you at a distance, but here you were trying to carve your way through back to him.

It had been a long time since he cared about anyone like this. And Diluc could not even recall the last time he wanted to sorely kiss someone at all. But how could he not want to now? You stared up at him, eyes blazing with determination as you tried to convey your feelings.

“You mean so much to me.” Diluc stated after a few silent minutes, “Let’s make this work.”

The smile you shot him was wide and radiant, a private blessing that only he was gifted tonight. He wrapped his arms around your waist, eager to feel more of you — to envelop you in his arms and keep you within them tonight. 

One hand strayed upward, carding itself in your hair and pulling you closer until both your eyes fluttered closed. The soft skin of your lips slotted against his, an endearing frenzy to give one another tender pecks. You could not help the happy mewl that escaped your lips as Diluc licked against the crease of your skin.

Moaning aloud to his tender touch, Diluc was eager to explore every inch of your wet cavern. There was no battle of tongues, simply moving in tandem as Diluc dominated the kiss. You tried to maneuver to give him more access, but with your height difference it was the best you could do.

Diluc lifted one of your legs, wrapping it around his waist and lightly tapping the other to do the same. Eyes clouded with lust, you did as instructed and quickly felt the soft thump behind you, the wall of the tavern helping hold you upright.

You fell more and more into the passionate lip lock, pushing to match his intensity as Diluc connected you in one of the most intimate ways possible. One hand was still in your hair while the other continued its scandalized trail downward.

You prayed to Barbatos that nobody heard you outside the tavern.

The both of you would later attribute this impassioned frenzy due to the prolonged time apart and mutual pining (culminating in a mistake outside on the balcony, twice inside the bar, and the rest of the night back at the winery).

For the first time, you enjoyed the morning sun streaming in through the windows, a lazy arm strung across your waist as you snuggled in the chest of the man you were growing to love.

Diluc woke long before you, hand threading through your hair silently as he resolved to remember this moment. You kissed at the naked skin of his chest twice before nuzzling him, feeling the light arm pull you closer.

“Good morning.” You started, voice muffled against his skin.

But you would have never expected Diluc to be so affectionate.

He kissed the top of your head, murmuring in a low tone. “Good morning, my love.”

Nothing about your relationship was perfect. You still fought and cried like every other couple. But you both knew that what you had was real, willing to fight for it no matter the obstacles that came with the future.

It did not matter that Tyvat was not your home.

Wherever Diluc was, that was where you’d return.

---xXxXxXxXxXx---

Extra: “What if they end up fighting?” Amber asked the other two as they walked down a side-street of the city.

“Then we’ll find out the moment it breaks out. Trust me.” Paimon replied. After all, your Anemo power would only serve to make any fire larger.

“They’ve both been in that pining puppy phase for so long, I doubt it’ll come down to that.” Venti added.

“500 Mora says they’ll be dating by the end of this week.” Amber bet.

“1,000 that they’ll be together by tonight!” Paimon countered.

“10,000 that they’ll be joined in every way by tonight.” Venti added, the mischievous tone not missed by either woman.

“You tone-deaf bard!” Paimon exclaimed as she slapped her hands over her red cheeks. “The traveler is more dignified than that!”

Amber had a hand on her chin, “Dating? Probably. But more than that…?”

Venti held out a hand to both, vying for both to shake one and accept the bet.

Nothing, but a couple of suckers. 

Amber grumbled once when she heard the news, but otherwise excitedly congratulated you two on finally accepting your feelings. Paimon’s whine could probably be heard in a fifteen mile radius and Venti’s proud smile didn’t help either — accepting the easiest twenty thousand Mora he ever made. 

And, just to gode the tiny guide a little more, Venti turned to Paimon in the middle of her complaining rant. 

“Hehe.”

---xXxXxXxXxXx---

A/N:

The festival idea comes from Diluc’s story 1: “The winery holds festivities from time to time. These events are routinely attended by enthusiastic fathers, eager to introduce their wonderful daughters to the young and single winery master.”

#genshin diluc #genshin kaeya #kaeya #diluc ragnvindr #diluc x traveler #diluc x lumine #diluc x reader #amber genshin #genshin venti #genshin childe #genshin zhongli #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact imagines #diluc #diluc Ragnvindr x reader #x reader #fluff #angst #jealousy #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact scenarios #Jean Gunnhildr #genshin jean #genshin traveler #genshin impact #genshin impact fanfic #reader insert #genshin impact imagine #genshin impact headcanon #genshin impact reader insert

[hawkinsschoolcounselor]

Mike Wheeler & The Closet

As we ever so slowly approach season 4, I want to discuss what is, to me, a very intriguing bit of speculation. The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that Mike’s season 4 arc will deal with him being in the closet. 

I know there’s fans out there who like to depict Mike as being adorably in love with Will, but I’m afraid that we aren’t going to see anything like that, at least, not in season 4. I started thinking about this because of those “leaks” about Mike ignoring Will when he comes to visit.

When we last saw Mike, he was saying his goodbyes to Will and El, specifically in that order. He talked to Will in a guarded, but still earnest, manner. He was afraid Will would move on from him, but Will assured him that it was “not possible.” He then went to talk to El, oddly enough, in front of a closet. This was an awkward goodbye, as Mike tried to play dumb about having said he loved her before. When El kissed Mike, he didn’t respond. He stood there, eyes open, and looked confused when she walked off. 

The big moments seem to come after all of this. When the Byers pull away, we get a shot focused on Mike.

He’s sad, but visibly moreso than the others. When the others leave, he lingers behind. 

Looking at his face, you can see he’s grappling with emotion. His mouth opens and closes as if he has words he can’t manage to say. He eventually sets off, but not before looking back.

That’s a heartbreaking look right there. He’s looking back at Will’s house knowing he won’t ever bike back there again.

When he gets home, he seems in shock, almost catatonic. He stops and stands in the middle of the room, stiffly and unblinking. In a callback to when he returned home after Will’s “body” was found, Karen sees him and comes to give him a motherly hug.

Mike accepts the hug, but remains emotionless. The most we get is him looking down at the very end. Mike has feelings that he has no idea what to do with. I don’t think it’s because he’s dealing with losing Will and El. He’d be far more visibly sad if that were the case. Mike is an emotional guy. Even as a teenager, I think he’d noticeably be in anguish, if not outright crying onto his mother’s shoulder. This is someone who is temporarily blocking out emotion because of what it could mean.

The ending of season 3 could very well be when Mike first considered that he may be gay. Losing Will has always been a fear for him, and he may have finally figured out why.

It seems very intentional that Mike was left hanging like this. This has allowed fans to interpret things very differently depending on who you ask. Using available character and setting developments, though, I intend to hypothesize what I believe will be Mike’s most likely arc for season 4.

Mike now knows something isn’t quite “normal” about him. His likely response is to deny it, hide it, and, possibly, condemn it. This is where any tension between him and Will might originate. 

Mike is probably eager to get out of Hawkins. He may well be under heavy pressure to get a girlfriend, and any claims of his girlfriend “who moved away” would start to seem like a tired excuse after a while. This can come from multiple sources, including peers, other Party members, or even his own family. A visit to California would not only allow him a break from that pressure, but it could also give him some “proof” that he still has his out-of-state girlfriend.

Since we know that Will is doing a hero project on Alan Turing, there’s also a big possibility that he’s now going to be bullied in Lenora Hills like he was in Hawkins. We got a glimpse of El getting mistreated, so it’s not really a stretch to think Will gets it, too.

Will may not have done the project on him because the man was gay. Will may not have even known that, at least before doing the project. A nerd doing a project on the father of computer science checks out. Still, if other kids make the connection, especially if Will mentions it in the project, then I imagine it’ll be open season on him. This project appears to be due right before Spring Break, when Mike is scheduled to visit.

Will is likely to keep his mouth shut about any bullying, especially if it’s gay-related. He may have thought he escaped that, and he wouldn’t want anyone to know it’s happening again. Unfortunately, El wouldn’t be likely to know to keep quiet about that, especially since she’s getting bullied, too. He may try to explain it to her without her knowing the specifics, and, perhaps, she will do well with it, at least at first. She’ll no doubt be confused, but she’ll understand that he doesn’t want Jonathan, Joyce, or Mike to know.

What may happen in season 4 is that 1) El lets slip to Mike that Will is being bullied for being gay, probably in the course of talking about her own bullying, or 2) Mike witnesses the bullying. 

Mike will probably already be keeping Will at an arm’s length when he arrives. This wouldn’t be out of cruelty, but, rather, because Will reminds him of what he’s trying to ignore. Mike is likely to double down on El as his girlfriend, all the while trying to avoid any overly intimate moments with her. This will create some tension, and Mike may be visibly guilty about it, but believe it to be for everyone’s own good. In his mind, the last thing Will probably wants is to find out his best friend has a thing for him, and that’s if Mike is even willing to consciously admit that to himself.

Mike finding out Will is again being bullied for being gay may make it all too real for him. He likely thought Will would be away from all of that. When he finds out why it happened, he may criticize Will on doing his project on Alan Turing. He wouldn’t be trying to be mean, but he would be thinking in terms of the same self-preservation he’s been working on. Will, of course, would take it as disapproval, especially if Mike is overly blunt and defensive about it. Mike might also want to avoid associating with Will out of fear that people might pick up on his own internal struggle. 

This could lead to the rumored argument between Mike and Jonathan. A defensive, closeted Mike might be so harsh in his disapproval of Will’s project, as a result of him overidentifying with the bullying, that he might come across as a bully himself. It could create a rift between them that is similar, but altogether different, from what was seen in season 3. 

Internalized homophobia is a powerful thing. Mike and Will both have their own obstacles to overcome in regards to their feelings. Mike’s, however, are defined by self-loathing. He’s been brought up to see being gay as a bad thing. He’s never thought less of Will for the bullying he received, but that was before being gay became such a real thing. Before now, Mike was always able to see it as one of those things that happened to other people in other parts of the country. Now that he’s starting to realize what’s going on, the last thing he wants is to encounter it in his own life. He doesn’t have any ill will for Will, but the bullying, and the possibility Will is gay, only make the whole situation too real for Mike. He can’t ignore his own feelings if he has to acknowledge Will’s situation, as well.

Mike will badly need someone or something to help him get past seeing being gay as bad. This is unlikely to happen within the scope of season 4. Perhaps it might start to develop towards the end, after they return to Hawkins. If anyone could help with this situation, it would be Robin. Having a positive role model is an important step for someone coming to terms with being LGBT, especially in an environment like a conservative, rural town in the 80s. Steve may be important, too, as he’s a regular, “cool” guy who easily shifted from seeing Robin as a love interest to a best friend.

I know a lot of people are already looking ahead to Mike and Will being happy together, but the journey is just as, if not more, important as the destination. Mike is going to be alternating between concern for Will and fear of Will’s situation being his own. It’s not his feelings for Will that upset him. It’s the implication of what it means for him in the grand scheme of things. Mike just wants to be normal and accepted, and this is another thing keeping him from that. In a perfect world, he’d have both, but, instead, he’ll have to choose. Unfortunately, he’s not ready to do that, yet, and it will almost certainly get messy before he comes to terms with it all.

#stranger things #mike wheeler #gay mike wheeler #byler

[sepublic]

Reaching Out!

            OH MY GOD THIS EPISODE I CAN’T AAAAGAGGGGHHHHHH

         Edric! Edric content and B-plot! Now I need an EMIRA plot too, PLEASE! But we probably won’t get one because Season 3 was shortened, DAMMIT! But Ed my boi… Character development! Multi-track, beastkeeping Edric was always something I considered but it HAPPENED, he’s getting to be his own person and not worry about being alone! Eda is his new mom too!!! And Batric, he adopted the bat! Edric has insecurities over being a screw-up, I can’t, I CAN’T!

         The Blight kids all know multiple forms of magic! Makes sense, they don’t care for rules and aren’t covenbound yet… Amity is meant to join the Emperor’s Coven, so she needs all kinds of magic besides Abominations anyhow! And Amity having to join a coven, they discussed that with Alador! Is Alador chill now, by the way? He and Eda knew each other as kids? You can see Odalia and Darius in the background of his youth!

         …I’m still a little wary of Alador. He SEEMS to be respecting his kids more and SEEMS to be realizing that he’s neglecting them. But he also said he liked Amity’s hair for being colored like an Abomination. But maybe I’m fretting, or this is a plot point that the show would’ve carried further, but had to resolve early because of Season 3 being shortened! But yeah, he’s INTERESTING, and I’m fascinated by this dude; I like how he goes for the hug but Amity gets to keep him at bay because he hasn’t earned that either! Confront Mom AND Dad over this, nice!

         THE TWINS AREN’T PERFECT THEY LOOK LIKE DORKS!!! Do they always look like this or just this one time, either way I love it! Emira being a healer and big sis to Amity, I love it… And technically she gets away from Edric, so hey, BOTH twins’ fears are acknowledged and fixed this episode! I need an Emira B-plot PLEASE, if we lost one because of Disney I will SCREAM-

         LUZ! LUZ! CAMILA AND VEE! HER DAD! Her dad is dead, and I just… UGGHHH for a moment I was really concerned! I love the parallels to Raeda and how lying and hiding things from her GF causes ISSUES, and Luz ends up making a real apology for it! Saying that her grief over her father doesn’t excuse what she did, doesn’t make up for it! It feels like a standard ‘hiding your issues and causing troubles because of it’ plot, but TOH makes it feel refreshing and like these are actual character decisions and not just a recycled, stock-formula plot!

         I LOVE LOVE that everyone can tell something’s wrong, literally everyone; Those are GOOD friends, that’s good support! Luz tries to deny her grief over her dad and everyone can immediately tell, and they don’t outright confront her because they are somewhat motivated to give her a healthy distraction, but it seems no distraction is healthy! Not to mention Eda asking about RAINE, she’s actually doing things to look after her old ex! Actually trying to follow up! And the Day of Unity…

         Pffft, I expected Wrath to show off his improved skill, only for Alador to one-shot him anyhow! Methinks he wouldn’t have done so well against Amity, either… Slightly better, but that’s not saying much. I wonder who his coworker was, Darius…? Either way, the rumors of the new future not being kind to ANY magic… Eeyup. But also, ‘unite with the Titan’??? IS BELOS GONNA FUSE EVERYONE’S FLESH TO REGENERATE THE TITAN?! Or absorb them and their magic into its brain, what the hell?!? I smell horrific body horror but I’m also kinda hyped because I’ve been guessing this since Agony of a Witch…!

         Luz has a hover glyph! Luz is SO SMART, and she’s the Spellraiser! Not to mention her and Amity kicking butt… It’s a shame we don’t see them tag-team together, but still! AND THE GROM TREE, AMITY PROMISING TO PICK FLOWERS! And how Luz outright SAYS that she was projecting her issues with Amity and Alador, how she was jealous, or maybe wanted Amity to have a good relationship?! This is SUCH a healthy relationship and it’s so cathartic how these characters actually TALK about their feelings and verbalize it, it’s like a fanfic in the BEST way possible, again!

         Also, the comeback of Eda’s potions business, no thanks to Edric! Amity was only borrowing those stones, but could we see Emira and Edric keep these appearances, to reflect how they’re more comfortale in their own skin, especially Ed? So now EVEN THE TWINS have a new Season 2 appearance! And we know Luz does, she wears the letterman Eda gives her in further episodes… THEY CALLED HER EDA’S KID EVEN ALADOR DID!!! God I love this. I love the follow up and continued extension on characters. Also yeah, Wrath def had that demotion coming, the stolen lunch was clearly the last straw of many that have been alluded to can acknowledged this episode.

         I think some of the witches that Luz and Amity fought were ascended background characters, or at least SCAB was, I believe he was in episode 1! Either way I’m invested in Scab. And the fight scenes and animation were SO GOOD! Vee my beloved, getting to cook with her new mom… The way she stops mixing at the end, can she sense and notice Camila’s discomfort? So now mother and daughter have someone noticing and caring, now I need a fanfic of Vee trying to comfort her mom, learning about the dad she could’ve had, understanding Luz more!

         Just… GGYAAAGGGHHH! And how Amity and Luz grow the flowers with the Plant glyph, in front of the Grom tree; A callback to Enchanting Grom Fright, how Luz discovered the Plant glyph that episode, used it to defeat Grom and grow that same tree! I can’t, I CAN’T, this episode was EVERYTHING, the humor was top-notch, twins content and development… AND NEXT EPISODE! Eda’s gonna tell Luz about Raine, since she keeps bringing them up, so OF COURSE Luz is gonna be curious! And Eda might give some pointers on how to avoid her mistakes, even if Luz clearly overcame those this episode.

        Wow… Just amazing. For a moment I was wondering what could be such a big deal for Luz, was it her father’s death and she needs to visit his grave??? AND I WAS RIGHT! And it makes sense for this to pain Luz so much, to not want to bother Amity by making her think about HER dad by extension, which she already has issues with. And how Amity and Alador are sorta repairing their relationship, because Luz gets for others what she never had, so they never have to go through that same pain! 

       And how Luz clearly feels like she’s disrespecting her dad’s memory and just UGGGHHHH THIS EPISODE WAS EVERYTHING! And THEN LUZ TEXTING HUNTER, who was that Flapjack pic for huh??? Hunter’s clearly being exposed to outside opinions and friends on a REGULAR BASIS, Luz isn’t mad at him and he knows it! My boi is getting all the setup to leave, so much interaction with Willow and others... There was so much! Up next, Them’s the Breaks, Kid!

#the owl house #amity blight #lumity #luz noceda #alador blight #edric blight #emira blight #eda clawthorne #edalyn clawthorne #warden wrath

[danny-chase]

Reasons I know the Batgirls writers didn't do research warnings for salt I'm freaking annoyed as hell

Cass throwing a fight because Babs asked her to keep a low profile is absolutely laughable. In Batgirls (2000) - which mind you, isn't a hard read, it's less than 100 issues and all available on DC's own app, she gives 0 fucks about her secret identity and it takes her realizing she wouldn't be able to live with Babs to actually care about it being a secret (she literally broke into the CIA without her mask on). That she went back for her stuff makes sense, but she would have just clocked the guys in the first place.

Cass being "the gloomy one" - they literally looked at her aesthetic and assigned her one personality trait. Like oh come on. Read 3 comics with her character and you'd know that's not what she's like. She's stilted and awkward in this, whereas in her solo she's fluid and does what she thinks makes sense in the moment.

Similarly Steph being the "happy" one. Look, Dixon be damned, at least he gave her some amount of depth in Robin. Steph is not just cheery all the time, she's had legitimately traumatic things happen to her. She had to give up a child for adoption. Her father abused her. She had a close call with being sexually assaulted by her piano teacher as a child. She has a temper. This Steph has no mode other than happy. Even in her Batgirl series where she was noticeably more cheery, she still had moments of disappointment, worried about things, and felt more human than this

"We barely slept" skejendb in what world is Cass waking up early like come on.

Steph just being there to be Cass's hype man and constantly being cheery feels so wrong. Like yes is the old stuff she was always impressed by Cass's abilities, but there was always the underlying comparison of skill level between the two. It wasn't just "Oh wowwie cass, you're so cool!!!" It was "Cass can do this. And I can't" because Cass was testing her, making her try too, and it genuinely came from a place of her loving Steph and not wanting to see her getting hurt (once the two got to know each other).

Fundamental misunderstanding that the Batgirl mantle means "girl", as in "not an adult". Like... really? Barbara in Batgirl: Year One had graduated college, and iirc was serving in Congress when she was Batgirl before. It says in the first issue of Cass run that she's 17. Steph is in college when she's Batgirl. I would let the 13-14 comment slide because it's not actually a part of the comic but it's so blatantly obvious they're supposed to be children in this run. And Cass and Steph are not children. In fact even in Rebirth Detective Comics, Steph at the end along with Tim went on a roadtrip where they had implied (lied) to Bruce they were going to go start their freshman year. Iirc they slept together. And now Tim's like 20 and Steph is 14? Holy age gap Batman editorial!

Steph worrying so much about Babs approval. Like since when? The girl who got stone walled and cut off from the Batfamily because she didn't meet Bruce's ridiculous standards, and started patrolling during the day without backup because she wanted to be a hero cares about doing things Barbara's way? Someone who they haven't even established a relationship with? Like no offense DC, but Steph's interacted with Babs not all that frequently, I for a second don't think she's going to give too many shits about Babs approval

Steph comes off as a complete amateur who's never done any of this stuff before. Way to erase character development DC and repeat her shitty writing that was eventually used as an excuse to kill her off! Can you hear me clapping! Wonderful job! And while I'm here this is about batgirls, but fuck you seeley for calling Steph the failure as robin, because if you'd actually read those comics you'd notice how BRUCE NEVER GAVE HER A REAL SHOT. Because you're pretty much hit over the head with the "he's only using her to get Tim back subtext"

Going to Babs instead of doing something themselves is very ooc for both Steph and Cass as established in prev points. In what case would Barbara workaholic Gordon dismiss them like that either. "Go to bed you're delirious?" From the character that used to have surveillance cameras on the joker she constantly used to watch? Yeah laughable.

Barbara used a cane on (1) page and they put her bed atop a flight of stairs and the apartment is four stories up (implied in the beginning they had to walk up them sooo no elevator). It doesn't feel like they put much thought into how that would work out, or care about returning her to a wheel chair anytime soon with all those stairs everywhere. She treats Steph and Cass like her children when we've had 0 build up for a relationship with either of them. She fell asleep at her desk (Barbara sleeping is laughable).

I've seen comics treat Babs worse but I've never seen Cass or Steph this infantized. Congrats Batgirls writers, I hope selling out to fandom 1-D characters gets you good sales, and you had to do no work researching the characters so it's a double win! Thanks for ruining characters I like. It's literally not even hard to read either of there Batgirl series, congrats on tripping over the bar that was below the ground.

Edit: @fancyfade pointed out it was one of Steph's dad friends that assaulted her, which then led into being upset with her piano teacher latter (if i was writing batgirls, you better bet I'd have reread that issue)

Edit 2: I know invisible disabilities exist. This is better rep than none at all. But imo, she's not Oracle again until she's paraplegic again.

#negativity #salty rant #genuinely loathe when female characters are sacrificed towards making the book appeal to the generic female or whatever #i wouldn't have liked this as a kid pfftt i would have taken one look at the boys comic and been like i want this one instead #stuff like this is why i had my I'm not like the other girls phase and hated pink and whatever #fuck dc #all my homies hate dc #the rage #i feel after reading that #it makes me want to scream and quit dc all together