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tomriddleslove · 4 months

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Forgotten once again.

✩Tom Riddle x Reader

Summary: The one where Tom isn’t capable of love, but you thought you could change that. Alternatively: Possesiveness and Love become the same thing.

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this one because Tom’s character is sm fun to write. It’s interesting because despite my delusions I couldn’t ever imagine him being capable of loving someone, and if he did it would be like this. Also this is probably the last time i’ll post for the next three weeks!

Warnings: Toxic Relationships, mentions of manipulation, violence (towards others). Generally about a very toxic and unhealthy relationship so please do not read if you’re triggered by anything to do with this! My inbox is always open if you ever need someone to talk to 🫶🏼.

Songs: Leaving Tonight - The Neighbourhood

Spectre - Radiohead

Tom Riddle was many things.

For one, he was ambitious. He would achieve whatever he so desired. If he had the means to do it, it would be done immediately. If he did not, well...

He would find the means to do so. Because Tom Riddle achieved whatever he so desired.

He was also charismatic.

Tom had a natural charisma that drew people to him. Whether through his charm, intelligence, or a combination of both, he had a magnetic presence that captivated those around him. This charisma played a significant role in his ability to influence and manipulate others to further his ambitions.

Tom Riddle was brilliant. Gifted with a sharp mind and a keen understanding of magic, he excelled in his studies. His intelligence, coupled with his ambition, allowed him to delve into dark magic and ancient mysteries, seeking knowledge and power that others might shy away from.

Tom Riddle was many things, but there was only one thing he lacked.

Perhaps it was karma, some form of divine intervention, his hamartia, that it was this very thing that would be his downfall in the years to come.

Tom was many things, but loving was not one of them.

Tom Riddle was not loving. No - he was not capable of love.

Tom Riddle, was incapable of experiencing genuine love due to being conceived under the influence of a love potion, not true love. The circumstances of Tom’s conception were marked by coercion and manipulation, as his mother, Merope Gaunt, used a love potion to attract and bind Tom Riddle Sr. to her. It was artificial and devoid of true affection. This was a concrete and inexplicably tragic detail that meant Tom Riddle simply was not physically capable of reciprocating love.

Key word, reciprocating. For, it was very much possible for someone to fall in love with Tom. A cruel thing it would be, for one cannot simply love Lucifer himself and expect to be loved in return. Tom Riddle's incapacity for reciprocating love stemmed from a profound emotional void rather than an inability to elicit affection from others.

This fact was a cruel truth that you only chose to accept once it was too late. One does not simply get involved with Tom Riddle, and come out unscathed.

Tom never cared for love, really. To him, it was just some sort of transaction or tool, something to be manipulated for his own benefit. Love, in Tom Riddle's eyes, was a means to an end rather than an intrinsic value. It was a sentiment that he observed in others but never truly felt himself.

Love, however, seemed to be the most raw, human thing in existence. It was everything we hated, yet also everything we loved. It unravelled our deepest insecurities, it brought things to the surface that we had long pushed to the side. It required us to lay ourselves, bare, for the other to see. Love made us tolerate the very worst of things, love made us hate the very best of things.

Many things can be complementary in life. Love was not one of them. It was overpowering, consuming. It changed who you were.

Love was the beginning of life and the end of it. Love was part of being human.

Tom lacking this fundamentally crucial aspect of the human experience may have been the very thing that led him to despise his humanity.

When Tom had met you, it was slightly different. A puzzle piece that didn't quite fit but intrigued him nonetheless.

You were undeniably talented, a mind that had its worth. You had this air of arrogance, and whilst Tom hated unbacked arrogance, you had the means to justify it. You were self-assured, and he found it to be somewhat refreshing compared to the other people he knew (who unashamedly sucked up to him.) You didn’t fall for his tricks immediately, which made him all the more agitated, and intrigued. Rather, you seemed to enjoy being with Tom most when he’d drop the ‘perfect and polite’ facade he had. You valued honesty and bluntness, two things Tom did not do (After all, how would he gain the trust of others if he truthfully told them he planned on using every single one of them?)

However, the more time he spent with you, the more he found that he fed into what you liked. And somehow, to his dismay, he found some sort of sick satisfaction in it. He enjoyed seeing you actively seek out his presence, and as much as it went against what Tom believed, he liked the validation of having people want to be associated with him. It was a testament to how he longed to be known, to be admired. He observed, learned, and dissected your intricacies, seeing you not as an individual but as a canvas upon which he could project his desires.

He soon grew very used to you, and he didn't absolutely loathe you. As the days unfolded into months, and the months unfolded into years, a semblance of tolerance took root. He played the part, masking his true intentions beneath a veneer of charm. Tolerance morphed into a twisted form of acknowledgement — an acknowledgement that you held a role in his future ambitions, his ultimate goal.

After all, that's all he ever did anything for, right? His goals, His desires. His needs.

The evolution was subtle but insidious. What began as a detached fascination transformed into a possessive need. Tom, driven by an insatiable hunger for control, found satisfaction in manipulating the threads of your existence. Obsession seeped into every crevice of his thoughts. Your every action became a challenge to him, something for him to understand, something he wanted to have control over. His infatuation stemmed from a desire to have control, to claim your very being, to possess you like some sort of artefact in his prized possessions.

Whilst you may have been immune to Tom’s charm when you first met, you certainly weren't without your weakness. After all, Tom always got what he wanted, and if he didn't have the means to do so, he'd find it.

He became fluent in his ways of understanding you, observing every little thing you did. He dissected the very core of your being till he was sure there was nothing he wouldn't know. Casual conversations about schoolwork in the depths of the library turned to confessions about your life as the hours passed. Tom preyed on your vulnerability, sowing seeds of doubt into your mind.

He agreed with you when you expressed your frustrations at your friends, he encouraged your rash actions. He told you what you wanted to hear, and made it seem as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

As everything he did, each word he spoke was carefully calculated, a thread sewn in the fabric of your fucked up relationship, binding him inexplicably closer to you without even realising.

He pointed out things, seemingly from a place of concern, making you distance yourself from your friends. He highlighted instances where your friends might have let you down, carefully framing himself as the only steadfast pillar in your life. Tom was everything you could have needed; he understood you, and he made you feel seen.

He was selective about what he let you know. He let you know he had grown up in a children’s home, and that his mother had died. Trust was a two-way thing, and you were smart enough to detect when it wasn’t being reciprocated. He let you see what he wanted to see, for no human was perfect, and he needed you to see he had his imperfections if he wanted you to trust him.

He needed to make it seem as though you made him feel seen too.

Tom had been sitting in your room, working with you on a transfiguration assignment you both had been set. Cross-legged on your bed, he still remembers how you had sat down next to him, visibly frustrated.

Tom, ever attuned to you, asked whether you were ok because that's what someone who cared for you did. He didn't care greatly though, not in a selfless way. Rather, he needed you to know that he was the only person who knew you, the only person you needed.

You opened up about what had happened, explaining how your friends had betrayed your trust, and how they seemed to misunderstand you, leaving you feeling isolated and vulnerable. Tom, feigning empathy with expert precision, listened intently, absorbing every detail like a sponge. You began crying because it all became too much.

You never thought Tom would comfort you. You believed he'd perhaps pat your back, or assure you it was all fine. What you didn't expect, was for Tom to draw you in, to wrap his arms around you, and pull you into his chest. You didn't expect him to soothe you, and rub your back as he uttered words of comfort into your ear, seemingly shielding you from the emotions that had been weighing you down.

You didn't expect to feel safe, to feel protected. If only you knew the only thing you needed protection from, was Tom himself.

You felt special. You knew it was not in Tom's nature to do so. You had no idea how vile of a person he truly was, but you understood he was avoidant of sentiment or affection. For him to have been so tender, made you feel loved.

It was only ever bound to go downhill from there.

It was only natural that you had fallen in love with him. From there it all somewhat became a blur. In between the lines, the illusion of love was beginning to waver. Graduating from Hogwarts, you no longer held those ambitions you once had. Your plans seemed now to be a distant memory, a past life. You had Tom, and that was all that mattered.

Tom had gotten his job at Borgin and Burkes. You moved in with him. You ignored the pleas of concern from those who were near and dear to you, who Tom hadn’t managed to isolate you from.

Tom convinced you that they did not have your best interest in mind, that they didn’t like him because he was a poor orphan, working a salesperson job. He had earlier convinced you he had his insecurities about his past, and he used that to make you believe the people around you were prejudiced, that they didn't care for your happiness but rather their status being affected by who they associated with. No one would want to be acquainted with the girl who loved the charity case.

You believed him. You couldn't fathom why they didn’t like Tom. You shut them out.

It was rather terrifying seeing how quickly Tom could snuff out your fiery flame, and reduce you down to someone who became dependent on him. You rarely left the house, your life revolved around what Tom wanted, and how Tom felt.

He left you teetering on the precipe of unhappiness, fulfilling your needs to the point where you couldn’t complain for fear of seeming ungrateful, unloving.

He would neglect you, coming back from work to lock himself in your bedroom, pouring over books and writings. He wasn’t who he used to be, caring, affectionate, loving.

Shame on you for assuming you could make Tom capable of love.

His neglect pierced your soul, and when you mustered the courage to voice your needs, he snapped at you for bothering him. Tom's transformation into an emotionally distant stranger left you in a state of perpetual uncertainty.

At times, you resolved to leave him, but Tom had a knack for sensing your unrest. As though he could read your mind, he returned with offerings and apologies, painting himself as the troubled victim and casting you as the ungrateful perpetrator. Guilt became the shackle that bound you, and his apologies only deepened the wounds.

Tom, in those fleeting moments of remorse, would momentarily embody the man you had fallen in love with. You cooked dinner together. He’ d play with your hair as you read, and he fucked you as if he truly did love you. Yet, the morning after, the bed would be empty, and the reality of your entangled existence with Tom would once again sink in.

He began leaving for work earlier and coming back later. You began to doubt whether it was because of work, the day he came back reeking of dark magic.

You were undeniably clever, after all, that was what had sparked Tom’s obsession with you in the first place, and so it didn’t take long for you to connect the dots. Tom’s friends back in Hogwarts seemed more like devotees than anything else. This, coupled with him spending countless hours reading through books he wouldn't let you see, and his sudden late hours suggested to you he was dappling in dark things.

You weren't wrong, per se, but Tom was far beyond dappling in dark things. He had become the image of corruption itself.

The cycle persisted, a disheartening repetition of highs and lows that left you questioning your worth and the authenticity of the connection you had with Tom. His intermittent displays of affection, punctuated by periods of neglect and manipulation, became the norm. The more you yearned for stability, the deeper you sank into the quicksand of your toxic relationship.

You couldn't pinpoint exactly where neglect turned into heated words. Arguments turning more and more intense. Slammed doors became broken porcelain, yet the remorseful embraces remained the same.

The outside world, once filled with friends and dreams, now seemed like a distant echo. Tom had successfully eroded the foundations of your past life, isolating you from the support systems that could have provided a lifeline. His poisonous whispers had convinced you that only he truly cared for you, painting the rest of the world as indifferent or antagonistic.

The empty mornings and hollow apologies continued, and you slowly began to realise the love you once believed in had become a warped caricature, and the person you had fallen for had let his obsession manifest into your relationship, seeping through the feeble foundations.

The crisp air of Hogsmeade offered a welcome escape from the suffocating atmosphere of the shared home with Tom. As you strolled through the quaint village, a familiar face caught your eye – Elizabeth, your closest friend from Hogwarts. A twinge of nostalgia mixed with apprehension as you approached her.

"Hey, Elizabeth," you greeted, attempting a smile.

Her response was guarded, her eyes revealing a mixture of concern and wariness. "Hello. Long time no see."

You sensed a tension in the air as you tried to engage in small talk, but Elizabeth's words soon cut through the facade. "Look, What happened? You dropped off the face of the earth, and it's like you vanished after graduation. In our last year, you completely ignored all of us."

A knot tightened in your stomach as you fumbled for an explanation. "I... things have been complicated. I've been busy."

Elizabeth's expression softened, and she sighed. "Busy? More like completely consumed. We all missed you, you know? But you acted like we don't even exist. What happened to the person we used to know?"

You frown, crossing your arms. “Missed me? I only stopped talking to you because you all acted weird around me.” You respond, defensively.

“No, we didn't. You got angry at us when we told you we were worried for you. You rarely went out with us, you were always too busy elsewhere.” She corrected, and you felt a frustration bubble within you.

“No, it didn’t really seem like that. You all isolated me and the only person I had left was Tom. It was only natural that I wouldn't want to go back to being friends with you after that.” You snap.

Elizabeth's eyes widened, sympathy replacing her earlier frustration. "Tom? Are you serious? He's the one who isolated you, not us. We've been worried sick about you. You're not the same person anymore."

Who did she think she was? She knew nothing about the two of you, let alone what your relationship was like. Tom was right, these people had it out for you. They didn't care for you, not at all.

“You don't know what our relationship is like Elizabeth, so I suggest you stop making assumptions.” You hiss, glaring at her.

"We cared, but you pushed us away," Elizabeth explained gently. "You were so wrapped up in whatever was going on with Tom that you stopped caring about anyone else. It's not healthy, and we were genuinely concerned."

Elizabeth reached out to comfort you. "Listen, I know it's tough, but you need to reevaluate your situation. Staying with Tom isn't healthy, and you're not alone. My door is always open if you need somewhere to stay or someone to talk to.” She says, fumbling around in her pockets. She pulls out a receipt and hastily scribbles down an address, thrusting it into your hand. She gives you one last look of pity, and you feel enraged. You immediately apparate back home, you didn't have time for this foolishness.

You apparate back home, the confrontation with Elizabeth leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. The hastily scribbled address clutched in your hand feels like an unwanted invitation, an intrusion into the carefully constructed reality that Tom has woven around you.

As you step into the shared home, the atmosphere is unsettling. Tom is hunched over a dark tome, his eyes flickering up to meet yours as you enter.

"Where have you been?" he questions, the softness of his tone belying the underlying intensity.

You toss your coat aside, frustration boiling beneath the surface. "Out. I needed a break from all this," you retort, the words laced with the anger that has been building up.

A dangerous glint enters Tom's eyes, his composure slipping. "A break? Is that how you see it? Is it a burden to you?"

"Yes, Tom! I don’t know what’s gone wrong? One day you’re fin and the next you’re acting as though i’m a nuisance to your being," you snap, the resentment in your voice cutting through the room.

His posture stiffens, and a quiet threat laces his words. "Oh really?"

Your anger flares, a defiant fire pushing back against his dominance. "Guess who I saw today, hmm?" You seethe, venom lingering in your tone.

A momentary confusion flickers in Tom's eyes. "Who?" he questions, wondering how this could be relevant to the conversation.

"Elizabeth," you declare, watching his reaction closely.

Tom's expression darkens, and a cold tension settles in the room. "What does she have to do with anything?" He retorts, stepping closer to you.

"She told me a few things, Tom. About how I've distanced myself from everyone, how they were worried, and you know what struck me?" you press on, your anger finding a new target.

His eyes narrow, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. "What?"

"That I believed it was my friends who had abandoned me, but in reality, it's been you isolating me all along," you accuse, the realization fueling your rage. You jab your finger into his chest as you speak.

Tom's composure wavers, but he quickly recovers. "I've been protecting you. You can't trust them. They're trying to pull you away from me."

"Stop. Stop it, Tom. Have the decency to acknowledge I'm not that fucking stupid. I know what you're trying to do,” You say, voice cracking. You resist the urge to shield your ears, his words burrowing their way into you as he attempts to trivialise your worries, making you out to be the irrational one.

Tom frowns, and the sight of you beginning to doubt him had bile riding in the back of his throat. H reaches out, hands holding onto your shoulders as he urges you to look at him.

“They’re lying to you. They’re trying to pull you away from me again! Can't you see this? Why do you believe them over me?” He says, voice pleading with you in fake desperation, the lengths he was willing to go to to ensure he could continue to possess you were unthinkable.

“Enough. Im fucking done. You’re so fucked up, Tom. You never loved me, did you? You only ever wanted to own me, to control me. Tell me, was it worth it? Was it ever fucking worth it, spending 5 years of your life weaving this tapestry of bullshit just so you could keep me locked up in here?” You snap, grabbing your coat.

Tom's pleading expression transforms into a cold mask, and a sinister calm settles over him. "You think you can just leave? You're mine, and you'll stay. I won't let you go." He utters.

The realization of his true nature, the toxicity of the relationship, fuels your determination. "Watch me,” You hiss.

As you move toward the door, his grip on control slips further, and an unsettling mix of rage and desperation flashes in his eyes. "You'll regret this. You'll come crawling back. You always come back." He says. You take a single look at him before slamming the door and walking off.

One cannot simply dance with the devil, and change him. He always changes you.

Tom Riddle was far beyond the devil.

You wondered if for once in your life God had been on your side when you had that chance encounter with Elizabeth. Despite your harsh words, she had accepted you into her home with open arms. The weight of the past five years settles heavily on your shoulders, and the enormity of what you've lost becomes painfully clear. You were young, so damn young, and you’d been living as a glorified prisoner, trapped by the very thing that was meant to liberate you.

But love was ugly, wasn't it? It made you tolerate the bad, it made you irrational. Love could bare its teeth into your neck, and you'd let it, for love was ugly.

It was ugly, but it was not macabre.

Tom knew where you were. Tom always did. It was already established that Tom always got what he wanted. He wanted you, and he found a way to ensure that.

At first, he did not bother you.

He believed you would come back to him, as you so often did. But when a week had passed and you had not reappeared as you always did, beautiful face flushed red, eyes glossy with tears as you wordlessly stepped in and fell back into normality, he began to worry.

If it came to any relief to you, which it might have, Tom believed he loved you. What you had was a far cry from love, an echo of what it should have been. But in the mind of he who cannot love, this is what he believed it to be. One could only wonder whether everything would have been different if he actually knew what love was. But he didn't, and he never would, so he was left with some sort of fucked up obsession that he believed was love.

Tom felt a gnawing emptiness that only intensified with your departure.

Again, he loved you, if one could call it love. It was a sick, twisted version of affection that demanded ownership. In his distorted reality, your existence became an extension of his own, a possession he couldn't bear to lose. The mere thought of you breaking free ignited a desperate panic within him.

He needed you like a drowning man gasping for air, clinging to the last vestiges of sanity.

Schopenhauer believed that the will, a blind and irrational force, dominated human behaviour. Love, according to Schopenhauer, was an expression of the will's desire.

Tom felt this indescribable gap in his life without you there, as though he simply wasn’t complete without you. The old him would have hated to admit it, but he needed you, and his need for you grew from a sickly infatuation to a desperate yearning. Love, in his distorted reality, meant ownership, and he was losing his grip.

It was a rather bleak evening, and you had a horrible feeling in your stomach as you sat on the sofa of Elizabeth’s living room, where you had been presiding for the past week.

How cruel it was, that you and Tom were so attuned to one another.

You somehow knew it was Tom without needing to see them.

As Tom had resonated with the words of Schopenhauer, you had resonated with the words of Plato. For you, love could not be controlled. Instead, it was a divine madness that took hold of individuals, transcending rational thought and choice.

You had often thought that was a beautiful thing. However, when it was love that was causing your demise, it no longer felt beautiful.

Elizabeth comes down the stairs and raises a brow when she sees you perched on the edge of the sofa, staring blankly off into the distance. She eyes you apprehensively as she opens the door.

That voice. It simultaneously sent dread coursing through you, and butterflies erupting in your stomach.

“Come back now. It's been far too long.” Tom says, his voice oh so tempting.

“Seriously? You think you can get her back with that bullshit?” Elizabeth snaps, standing at the door.

Tom, however, remains fixated on you, as if Elizabeth's words were mere background noise. Ignoring her comments, he continues, his eyes piercing into your conflicted gaze.

"Stop this. Come back. It's where you belong," he urges, the words carrying a persuasive weight that had once held you captive.

Elizabeth's frustration peaked as she turned to face you, pleading in her eyes. "Don't listen to him. He's toxic, and you don't need that in your life. You deserve so much more."

Tom's eyes bore into yours, his tone silky but insistent. "You don't belong in our business, Elizabeth. You’re as meddlesome as you were in school. She knows where she belongs."

You remain silent.

"He's killing you. Can't you see that?" Elizabeth's voice held a mixture of concern and frustration.

But Tom's voice slithered through the air once more, persuasive and relentless. "Come to me.” His words echoed a twisted sense of possessiveness, yet held such allure, spoken tenderly, enough to convince you it would be fine.

You clench your fists, nails digging into your skin. You stand up, letting out a shuddery breath. You walk towards the door.

“Fuck, stop! You don't need to go! Don't act like you have nowhere to go! I've given you my home, I’ve let you stay. Stop going back!” Elizabeth says, frustration laced in her voice.

How easy it is to claim you simply need to just “stop”, and it would all be fine.

It was never that simple. Tom's presence was poison, yet it was also the air you breathed. You had only known Tom for what felt like aeons, and you had shut everyone who questioned you out. All you had was Tom, all you ever would have is Tom.

He was home, a twisted kind that keeps you warm while slowly suffocating the life out of you.

As you walked back into his outstretched arms, a sense of numb acceptance settled over you. The outside world ceased to matter; the only reality was the one with Tom.

It wasn't love as the poets wrote or the philosophers pondered. Yet, in its ugliness, it was the only reality you knew.

“Good girl,” he murmurs, wrapping his arms around. Like a serpent, his embrace constricts around you, possessive and suffocating. You lean into him, feeling the coldness of his touch seep into your skin. It's oddly warming though, as paradoxical as it seemed.

"Where else would you go, my love?" he whispers, the sweetness of the endearment masking the toxicity beneath.

The serpent and its prey, bound in a perverse waltz of dependence and decay, disappear into the shadows, and the world outside is forgotten once again.

#slytherin #slytherin boys #harry potter #tom riddle #draco malfoy #lorenzo berkshire #slytherin boys fic #theodore nott #blaise zabini #pansy parkinson #tom riddle x you #tom riddle x y/n #tom riddle x reader #tom riddle fic #tom riddle angst

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aspoonofsugar · 29 days

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Charlie and Vaggie: Anima and Animus

There's something that I've been dying to say More than anything, more than anything Need you to know I love you more than anything More than anything

Charlie and Vaggie have intertwined and complementary arcs, which are beautifully explored through the jungian archetypes of anima and animus.

WHAT ARE ANIMA AND ANIMUS?

According to Carl Jung, the anima and animus are parts of the human mind. In particular, the anima is the feminine and the animus is the masculine. Everyone has naturally both, but society promotes specific gender values and drives people to repress traits culturally associated with the opposite gender. So, to fully be complete, a person should integrate the negated part. In stories, this usually happens through a meaningful romantic relationship.

Charlie and Vaggie are two women, but they still exhibit opposite gender traits:

Charlie is a princess, who sings her heart out at every chance. She is focused on words, ideals, feelings and she strongly believes in love. All traditionally feminine traits.

Vaggie is a soldier, who shows pride in her fighting abilities. She is focused on actions, pragmatism, battles and she strongly believes in strength. All traditionally masculine traits.

And yet, things are not so simple. Let's consider Charlie and Vaggie's designs for example:

Charlie usually wears masculine clothes, as she prefers androgynus suits. Not only that, but her name means "free man" and she goes with the gender neutral "Charlie", rather than her given name "Charlotte":

Valentino: YEAH! That BITCH Chuckie or Chandler, or I dunno- Something mannish like that.

Vaggie usually wears feminine clothes, as she sports a short skirt and loose long hair. Even her name is linked to femininity, as it literally means "vagina":

Angel Dust: You're doing great, Vagina.

Even when it comes to Chaggie's The Nightmare Before Christmas's allusion...

Charlie references Jack Skellington, as she is the Princess of Hell and a passionate dreamer

Vaggie references Sally, as she is a run-away and Charlie's level-headed helper

So, Charlie seems superficially more feminine and Vaggie appears more masculine, but their looks and inspirations suggest otherwise. Why?

In truth, even if Charlie is a singing disney-like princess and Vaggie is a badass super-soldier, they don't perfectly fit the typical anima and animus characterization. This is true for their appearances and on a deeper level. Specifically:

Charlie is linked to the anima (feminine), but she is active (masculine) and stronger than Vaggie. Finally, even if she is passionate about feelings, she is often insensitive. For example, she doesn't notice her loved ones' struggles, like Angel's pain and Vaggie's insecurities.

Vaggie is linked to the animus (masculine), but she is reactive (feminine) and very sensitive deep down. Moreover, she is weaker than Charlie in terms of raw power, so her obsession with protecting the princess is misplaced.

Charlie is an anima character with a strong repressed animus and Vaggie is an animus character with a strong repressed anima. They have to integrate with each other to become whole. Still, what should they learn from their partner?

LOVE AND HATE

Charlie and Vaggie have the same problem declined in opposite ways:

Husk: Princess, is a bleeding heart who wants to solve everybody else's problems 'cept her own.

Husk about Vaggie: This one judges everyone and everything because she hates herself.

Charlie wants to fix everyone in an unconscious attempt to fix herself. She loves everyone because she herself wants to be loved.

Vaggie is cold and closed off out of guilt and self-hate. She is suspicious of everyone because she can't really forgive herself.

Both girls have low self-esteem, but Charlie tries to compensate with love, whereas Vaggie tries to defend with hate. These different coping mechanisms stem from their upbringings.

Charlie is the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith, who love her deeply, but are also distant and neglectful. As a result, she admires them, but feels unworthy of their attentions and legacy:

Lute: The only reason you're still here is because daddy gave you and your hellborn kind a pardon from an exorcist blade. How does that feel, to know how little you matter?

She is stuck being the lovable, but useless princess.

Vaggie is brought up in Adam's army, which is an abusive environment, where hate is seen as strength. Vaggie has a place in the world because she kills and is good at it:

Adam: You were on the front lines, I wouldn't forget a bad bitch like you. It's why I named you after the best thing ever. Vaggie. Anyway, you sure fucked up, didn't you?

She is stuck being the ruthless and remorseless soldier.

The path ahead for both girls lies in discovering they are more than just the princess and the soldier. In particular:

Charlie must accept she herself is capable of feeling negative emotions, like pain and anger. She can be aggressive and this doesn't make her mean. It makes her healthy.

Vaggie: Well, I mean… You're the princess of Hell. You don't really use the power that comes with that, which I love about you, but maybe you can… I don't know, command a little more… Authority? Charlie: But that's so mean. Vaggie: It's not mean, exactly. It's… uh, aggressive kindness.

Vaggie must learn to open up to others. She must show vulnerability and express her positive feelings more. She has a merciful and sensitive side, which doesn't make her weak. It makes her strong.

Chaggie have the potential to help each other bloom. Vaggie is the first person to tell Charlie she should be more self-assured in her role of Princess of Hell. Charlie is the first person, who takes care of Vaggie as she is hurt and unable to defend herself. Charlie can teach Vaggie to embrace her inner maiden (love, mercy). Vaggie can show Charlie how to be a real warrior (aggressivity, strength). At the same time, their opposite mentalities lead to some problems in their relationship.

TRUST FALLS (APART)

Charlie: I trust everyone, so maybe you know better on how to build it properly!

Angel Dust to Vaggie: To be fair, do you trust any man? Any men? Men?

Charlie trusts everyone, whereas Vaggie trusts no-one. So, none of them really knows how to trust properly. This becomes obvious in the episode Scramble Eggs, where:

Charlie trusts Vaggie so much she doesn't realize she is putting a lot of pressure on her partner:

Charlie: Oh, come on. It'll be easy! I'm sure you can handle this. Vaggie: Yeah, um, Sure, I can handle this. No problem.

Vaggie trusts Charlie so little she isn't able to confide nor lean on her partner:

Charlie: It's no big deal, Vaggie. You know, maybe I can just help, uh- Vaggie: No. I told you you could trust me, and I'm not going to let you down.

Charlie acts like the damsel and lets Vaggie handle the whole situation. Vaggie plays the knight and refuses to share the burden with Charlie:

So I, I'll be your armor Do whatever it takes, I'll make the mistakes I'll spend my life being your partner

The song Whatever It Takes plays the princess/knight motif straight. Vaggie sees herself as worthy of Charlie only if she can be her knight in shining armor. This may seem sweet, but there is something to be said about Vaggie echoing Carmilla, a mother who is singing to her daughters:

So I, I'll be your keeper Do whatever it takes, I'll make the mistakes I'll keep you safe and keep this secret

It makes sense for a parent to shoulder the burden for their kids' sake. However, a person wanting to do the same for their lover is unhealthy. Especially, when the secret of a balanced relationship is established early on:

Charlie: From the dust of Earth, they created Adam and Lilith, equals as the first of Mankind.

The two partners must be equals, but Vaggie sees herself as inferior to Charlie and tries to over-compensate. In this way, though, she takes away Charlie's agency. Charlie instead knows something is off deep down. However, she does not address the matter because she would need to go deeper into herself, her feelings and her relationships. And Charlie wants to avoid it at all costs.

Chaggie's communication issues are conveyed meta-narratively in Charlie and Vaggie's individual songs:

-Charlie's Happy Day in Hell has our princess sing so loud that she almost covers Vaggie's warning:

Charlie: If I can show them the dream I've dreamed That any soul can change! Vaggie: Those angels' minds are hard to change Charlie: Then they will know everyone can be redeemed From the evil to the strange! Vaggie: They're bloodthirsty and deranged!

She doesn't listen to Vaggie.

-Vaggie's Whatever It Takes is sung by our knight to her princess, but Vaggie has Charlie leave before the beginning:

Charlie: Vaggie, don't say that! You do so much! It's- Vaggie: I'm sorry. I'd… I'd like to be alone for a minute.

She doesn't talk to Charlie.

Eventually the couple's trust exercise is solved positively:

Charlie: No, no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I put pressure on you. We work as a team. I guess I just thought all this would be easier, but, we'll figure it out, together. I mean, look what your exercise did for them.

Charlie goes out of her way to talk with Vaggie and Vaggie's team-building works. Charlie puts both her and Vaggie's feelings into words, whereas Vaggie builds trust through her actions.

Despite this, Chaggie don't really address their problems, which come back stronger:

Adam: Don't you act all high and mighty Did you ever think your little girlfriend might be a liar? Vaggie: Don't, Adam, please! Adam: What's the fuss? Why hide the fact that you're an angel just like us?

Charlie has been ignoring Vaggie's dark side, so she is devastated when it comes out. Vaggie instead has been hiding the truth from Charlie, so it is revealed in the worst way possible. After this, there is an inversion in Charlie and Vaggie's dynamic:

Vaggie: Charlie, can we talk about this-- Charlie: We can talk later. Right now, we have a job to do. You with us?

Vaggie is the one looking for a conversation, whereas Charlie pushes her girlfriend away. Before they can reconcile, the two girls need to go through individual trips and to find the guidance of two mentors.

A singer

A dancer

SINGING AND DANCING

Rosie and Carmilla are mature versions of Charlie and Vaggie:

Rosie is the Ruler of Cannibal Town, one of the nicest place in Hell. She is good-natured, but respected by her people. Moreover, she runs an Emporium, where she helps her clients with their personal problems. This is pretty much what Charlie would like to do with the Hazbin Hotel. Rosie is also a singer and is inspired by Dolly, from the musical "Hello, Dolly!"

Carmilla is Hell's top weapon dealer, so she specializes in war and is herself an exceptional fighter. However, she is not ruthless and mostly fights to protect her loved ones. She is the kind of person a more balanced and self-assured Vaggie might become. Carmilla is also designed as a ballerina and her two daughters are called after protagonists of famous ballets.

Why do Charlie and Vaggie's adult selves have a singing and dancing motif? That's because Charlie and Vaggie are respectively a singer and a dancer.

Charlie is a singer:

Charlie: My name is Charlie, I like to sing! And when we get to know each other it's the greatest thing!

She always conveys her feelings through songs, like her many attempts to pitch her hotel (to the Sinners, to Adam, to the Cannibals). What is more:

Charlie: But Lilith thrived, empowering demonkind with her voice and songs.

Charlie wants to become like Lilith and to empower people with her voice. Her objective is to grow into an inspiring leader, who changes minds and touches hearts with words.

Vaggie is a dancer:

The problem is that she has yet to realize it. Vaggie struggles with self-expression, which is why she has very few songs in the first season. That said, she shows her devotion through actions, like her determination to fight for Charlie. What she needs to learn is a new fighting style rooted in love. That is dancing, a way to express one-self through the body. This is made clear by the two cut episodes Challenge Day and The Baphomet Ball:

This cut plotline had Vaggie fight proto-Carmilla and lose. Charlie would later cheer her up by inviting her to a Ball. There proto-Carmilla would be impressed by Vaggie's dancing skills. The basic idea is obvious. Vaggie is a fighter, who must evolve into a dancer.

So, once again Chaggie is complementary:

Charlie is linked to singing, words and "soul", as she herself is the Heart of the Hazbin Hotel.

Vaggie is linked to dancing, actions and "body", as she herself is the Arm of the Hazbin Hotel.

As a result, they are given opposite missions to save the hotel:

Charlie must convince the Cannibals to join her army (singing). She must find people, who will help them fight.

Vaggie must discover from Carmilla how to fight the exorcists. This means both learning her fighting style (dancing) and obtaining the angelic weapons.

And yet, to succeed in their respective areas of expertise both Charlie and Vaggie must step into the other's shoes.

Charlie learns to better understand Vaggie and by doing so she realizes the importance of actions:

Rosie: If there's anything I've learned, it's that words are cheap, but actions, they speak the truth. So, what have her actions said? Charlie: That she believes in me, and what we're doing.

Not only that, but she is forced to take a look inside and starts unpacking some of her negative emotions:

Charlie: My girlfriend is an Exorcist angel, and she never told me Rosie: Oh, shit! Quite a secret. How does that make you feel? Charlie: Just, angry, because we share everything, because she always supported me, and my ideas, and-and- and now, I don't know whether or not that was just more of the lies! Oh no that's a horrible thing to think! Do i think that?! Yes! N-no. Kinda?

As a result, she comes up with a song that combines her natural showmanship and charisma with a new resolution to act:

Charlie: For the first time in my life I might have to be ready for this Ready to be the one who's leading from the front Gotta come into my own Gotta come into my throne Gotta take charge and defend my only home And although I kinda feel unsteady Now I need to be ready for this

Charlie steps into the role of leader and is ready to take action:

All: For the first time in our lives We know that we are ready for this Rosie: We'll show Heaven a fight they won't forget! All: It's time to take a stand Charlie: It is time to lend a hand! (Cannibals: Huzzah!) Against the angels and their deadly threat! All: We cannot take it anymore The time has come to go to war Prepare to fight, we're ready for… THIS!

Vaggie inspires the residents of the Hotel to stay and convinces Carmilla to help. By doing so, she shows how much she has grown thanks to her time with Charlie:

Vaggie: What's important now is that we're going to have a fight on our hands. Look, this hotel is about to become the most dangerous place in hell, and we….I, can't guarantee your safety anymore. I still believe in Charlie's dream. I know this place can work. But none of you signed up for this. I'm gonna go learn how we can fight back, and when I come home….Well I'll understand if none of you are here.

Moreover, she learns to fight in a new way intertwined with music (Charlie's passion and world):

This fighting style is focused on defense and survival, rather than attack and killing:

Carmilla: Angels attack quickly, viciously, and without mercy. You'll need to defend better than that.

Carmilla: Well, look at that. You might just survive this.

It is based on love:

Carmilla: I see you're driven by your detestation Your every step is stoked with animus You need a different type of motivation Or there's no way that you can handle this I know you're thirstin' for vengeance, Vaggie You're out for blood But you'll only stand a chance if you're out for love

By the end, Charlie and Vaggie meet each other in front of the Hazbin Hotel. Charlie leads the people (soul) and Vaggie has the weapons (body). They have also grown enough to better understand each other. Charlie empathizes with Vaggie and forgives her lie. Vaggie realizes how much Charlie cares for her and is ready to value herself more:

At the same time, Charlie faces some of her repressed "aggressivity" and makes an important step as Princess of Hell:

Rosie and Alastor: She's bound to pass the test as Princess of Hell Like her Daddy, she is madly power-fell!

Vaggie instead learns some "self-love" and makes progress into becoming a true angel:

Carmilla: You're gonna fight without gloves And when that push comes to shove Yeah, you just might rise above Long as you're out for love

These changes are fully embraced and tested in the final battle.

FINALE: DEVIL AND ANGEL

The fight against the Exorcists is where Charlie and Vaggie's integration is on full display, starting with their designs:

Charlie wears a mini-dress with a heart decoration and wields a shield.

Vaggie fully covers her body with an androgynous and practical attire. She fights with her signature spear.

The usually masculine looking Charlie appears feminine. The usually feminine appearing Vaggie looks masculine. Their outfits also fit their respective fighting styles. Charlie is defensive, whereas Vaggie is aggressive. Wait... isn't something wrong? Shouldn't Charlie grow more aggressive and Vaggie more defensive? Yes and this is precisely what happens as the battle progresses...

Charlie is overwhelmed by her anger and grief over Sir Pentious's death and unlocks her full demonic form. She goes from defense (shield) to offense (pitchfork) and injures Adam. Finally, she transforms her arm into a claw and stops the First Man in his tracks.

Vaggie is attacked by Lute, loses her spear and is forced on the defensive. She protects herself from Lute's relentless assault until she reveals her angelic wings and traps her opponent. Eventually, she has pity of Lute and lets her live.

Charlie's climatic moment is a show of strength, whereas Vaggie's is a show of mercy.

In other words:

Charlie appears more feminine, but acts more masculine

Vaggie appears more masculine, but acts more feminine

In comparison to their usual dynamic, Chaggie go through a complete inversion. This development is conveyed also by a small detail: their hair. Charlie lets hers loose, while Vaggie ties hers.

Charlie's hair usually covers her horns and is tied because she represses her demonic side. The moment she gives in to her inner demon, the horns come out and the hair gets loose, just like her feelings are untamed.

Vaggie: I'm not used to fighting with long hair.

Vaggie's hair is an attempt to hide her past and vulnerability. She has it grow after her abandonement to mask her scars (her eye and missing wings). In the finale, she ties it to fight freely. In this way, her brand new angelic wings can come out in all their beauty.

So, Charlie embraces her demon side, while Vaggie has her inner angel emerge. The twist is that Charlie the demon teaches Vaggie how to be a proper angel. Vaggie the angel instead shows Charlie that there is value in demonic traits. They integrate with each other to become the best versions of themselves. This shows also before and after the fight.

In the Finale, Charlie expresses all her self-loathing:

Charlie: He did it for us, the ultimate sacrifice He gave me his trust, and look how we paid the price This bloodshed could have been avoided If I convinced Heaven to work together I took a hotel and I destroyed it I know I could have done better Better, instead of letting you down

Thanks to this, her loved ones come to her side and support her. What is more, she starts to back up her words with actions:

Katie Killjoy: Charlie Morningstar managed to fend off the angelic attack with more than just nice words.

In More Than Anything Reprise, Vaggie conveys her love to Charlie through words and is there for her in a moment of self-doubt and weakness:

Vaggie: You've already done so much So many lives you've changed So many souls you've touched And in the end, if it's only me you've saved

She shows her sweetness and sensitivity.

By the end of season 1, Chaggie are together and stronger than ever. They have made the first steps into integration and tapped into their respective potentials. Both as individuals and as saviors of the universe.

THE MYTH OF EDEN

Charlie: Drawn in by Lilith's fierce independence, Lucifer found her, and the two rebellious dreamers fell deeply in love.

The series starts with a retelling of the myth of Eden, which is set-up as the heart of the series:

Plot-wise all the characters are living with its consequences

Theme-wise it shows the birth of love between the first man and the first woman...

The twist is that the first couple isn't Adam and Eve, but Lucifer and Lilith:

Who are foils to Charlie and Vaggie:

Both couples have a demon and an angel, who fall in love against the odds.

Both Charlie and Vaggie foil Lucifer in different ways. Like her father, Charlie is a wide-eyed idealist, who doesn't fit in her kingdom and wants to change it. Like the devil, Vaggie is a fallen angel, who is let down by heaven and finds love in hell.

Both Charlie and Vaggie are set-up to foil Lilith. Charlie is a demon full of love, who wants to empower others with her voice. Just like her mom. Vaggie is an angel hidden in hell, who keeps secrets out of a misplaced wish to protect others. Lilith is a demon hidden in heaven... wanna bet that she is keeping secrets from her husband and daughter to protect them?

Why is there such a juxtaposition between the two couples? Two reasons:

Charlie is gonna deal with her complicated feelings for her parents through Vaggie. Her partner is gonna challenge her to grow into her own person (microchosm).

Lucifer and Lilith unwillingly broke the world, but Charlie and Vaggie are gonna fix it (macrochosm)

This is why the two couples are immediately juxtaposed:

After Charlie ends her retelling of The Story of Hell, Vaggie arrives to check on her.

Lucifer and Lilith destroyed the status quo:

Charlie: But this gift came with a curse. And with this single act of disobedience, evil finally found its way to Earth. With it, a new realm of darkness and sin. And the order Heaven worked to maintain was shattered.

Charlie and Vaggie will bring a new and better one:

Charlie: We'll make a difference, wait and see Charlie and Vaggie: We're gonna do this, you and me

#hazbin hotel #chaggie #charlie morningstar #vaggie hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel meta #my meta

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gofancyninjaworld · 28 days

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No one is born knowing how to communicate

A: And that's okay...

Dr Kuseno made it look so easy. He just swanned into Saitama's apartment, proferred him a gift of beef and the hero's hostility melted away.

Fubuki felt positively foolish, and yet encouraged.

Since then, however, she's found that the only thing meat bribes pull in are dogs. Literal dogs:

And even dogs need more than meat to be loyal.

What gives? Well, it's obvious that Fubuki mistook Dr Kuseno's gift for a bribe: more on that later. Probably. And yeah, it's funny, but it's more interesting than that.

Learning how to communicate is complex. There are a ludicrous number of unspoken conventions and rules in every human society, so much so that we don't fully learn how to smile socially until we're in our forties. Dr Kuseno carefully judged his gift: he had a legitimate reason to offer Saitama a gift in the first place, out of gratitude for Saitama going out of his way to mentor Genos. Then he chose a gift Saitama would be sure to appreciate and presented it at a time when Saitama would be thinking about dinner. The worst that could have happened is that Saitama took the gift but insisted on the doctor going home (and taking Genos with him) -- it would still have left the desired positive impression. And things went really well. Kuseno made it look effortless.

Fubuki is only in her early twenties and her experience to date has been far from typical. She's learned that either she can intimidate people or she can flatter them into doing what she wants. With Saitama (and later Bang, Bomb, and Kuseno), she has to learn how to talk to more powerful people whom she cannot overpower, over whom she has no leverage, and who are unimpressed by her looks, simpering, or flattery.

Fortunately, Fubuki is nothing if not astute. She's worked out that she needs to develop complementary skills if she's to make herself useful to the S-Class heroes she wants to hang with. How to talk to them to get the help and cooperation she desires? Ah, that's a work in progress.

B: ...Unless it's not

Let's move onto another miscommunication.

Something that I hadn't before was that, unlike the webcomic version where Saitama only thinks to himself that Genos seems depressed, in the manga, Saitama out and out asks him if this is the case. He wants to know.

It mirrors King asking Saitama that very same question and getting Saitama to open up and be vulnerable for the first time (ever, in any version of the story). So it is very appropriate to see Saitama trying to do the same for Genos, particularly as he is openly fond of the guy.

However, it goes wrong. Saitama feels himself under pressure to say something wise to make it better. So he puts on his best 'confident' face and inadvertently makes everything much worse. Oh dear. What makes this particularly painful in the manga is that Saitama is much more invested in trying to reach Genos, and it's made Genos think that Saitama saying that he doesn't see what he's doing must mean that earlier times when he's praised him must have been just Saitama being nice. For sure, Genos could have pushed back and made Saitama clarify what he meant, but he's even worse at communicating: and Saitama's glib remark about being bright struck him square in the insecurities.

I'm going to come to something that I only realised once I started typing this up. Even though I've pointed out their abilities to communicate, neither King nor Kuseno have the perfect words to say. Kuseno started out by first committing a faux pas in bringing his great big outside boots into Saitama's flat, then nearly boring Saitama to death with a long-winded explanation. King started out by trying to guess what was bothering Saitama. Both, however, did the most important thing about effective communication: they picked up on their going wrong and changed tack.

It's not about saying the right thing: it's about responding to the person you're talking to.

The thing that King did that Saitama was trying to do for Genos was to ask Saitama open questions, and shut up in the interim, letting Saitama talk to fill in the silence. He'd only speak to ask more open questions when Saitama ran out of things to say, and through that, gently started to challenge Saitama's thinking.

But doing so means being comfortable with several seconds of silence. And that is excruciating. It is almost irresistible to jump in and say something, anything. And it would have been a longish wait, for Genos to slowly sit down and decide to start speaking, which might well have started being about something only tangentially related to his worry. King did that for Saitama: Saitama started out talking about what was bothering him on the surface -- being too strong -- before eventually coming to what was really bothering him, feeling lonely and profoundly isolated from everyone around him. Saitama does not yet know how to wait a person out.

It's a problem in this case because it's introduced a big barrier between those two, not an insurmountable one for sure, but one that could easily compound later.

Ah well, no one is born a communicator. We just have to wait and see if they work out a way to open up and be honest with each other. So it goes! There's more ways to introduce conflicts than to have a monster trample Tokyo, after all!

And so help me, the struggle to learn how to communicate is 1000% worthwhile.

#OPM #meta #Saitama #Genos #Dr Kuseno #Fubuki #King #communication is hard work #I love how well ONE brings across some of its subtleties #the pressure we put ourselves under to stay the 'right thing' when listening and openly receiving what we're hearing is more important #the true struggles for the characters are rarely monsters #but rather lie within themselves and between the people they want to understand #damn that's a little too IRL for comfort #ah well no one is born knowing how -- let's all struggle forward to do better!

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mal3vol3nt · 21 days

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Who do you think is the Yin and Yang of atla? (in ur opinion) I think it’s Aang and Zuko and I’d love to hear ur thoughts

i think you’re completely right tbh. i’m sure there are other relationships in the show that could also be considered yin and yang but cmon… no one else quite fits the definition like aang and zuko

they are each other’s exact character foils. they understand each other in a way no one else does. and they are constantly, from the very beginning, “pushing and pulling” simultaneously with one another. initially, their relationship may seem like two opposite forces battling against each other, trying to achieve very different goals (aang escaping zuko’s attempts to capture him). but it becomes clear their their stories have always been a complementary, cohesive, and interconnected set. and it’s revealed so beautifully in “the storm” with iroh telling the crew that the avatar gives zuko hope and it then cutting to katara telling aang that he gives people hope. they are influencing each otherrrrrr

and then in “the awakening” when aang voices that he wants his honor back, a direct parallel to zuko who’s been chasing for that exact thing and now has his honor ‘back’. HELLO??? their stories are so beautifully intertwined

it’s even in their bending art forms and styles. yin (darkness—NOT EVIL) is considered passive and soft whereas yang is more brunt and active. when zuko teaches aang firebending, he has to bring aang completely out of his comfort zone, encouraging him to embrace another side of himself that he had previously misinterpreted as a bad thing (his ability to firebend after hurting katara). aka BALANCE and ACCEPTANCE and DUALITY. the entire sequence of them learning the dragon dance and performing it with the dragons just spoke so much as to how they are two parts of the same whole. they are ONE. they are in SYNC despite their differences. they are constantly PULLING and PUSHING each other into their destinies. I COULD SCREAAMMMM

i love them together so much. i get people often use their ship as the show’s representation of yin and yang but im so sorry. it’s zuko and aang 100%. they are the yin to the other’s yang. the light to the other’s dark. they are two parts of the same whole and together they are balanced. ofc they became world leaders together. i could just die about them

#they make me wanna pull my hair out /pos #aang #avatar aang #zuko #prince zuko #fire lord zuko #zukaang #<- platonic tho #yin and yang #the besties ever #atla #avatar the last airbender

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haven-of-dusk · 29 days

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Semi-random scene analysis time. I honestly always liked this scene, and it took me a bit to figure out why, but I think I got it.

First off, just aesthetically, *chef's kiss*. The mussed up helmet hair looks adorable on all three of them, the outfits are on point, I'm literally just now noticing that I think the Steiners have matching backpacks (their commitment to the bit is insane and wonderful), it's all great.

Second...it's just funny. And charming. Ethan and Aiden ping-ponging the conversation between each other for a second without even letting Scott get a word in is fun, and the delivery of "This is about you being the target of demonic ninjas." "You mean the demonic ninjas who pulled swords out of their chests and kicked our asses?" "Yeah! Those demonic ninjas!" was pitch perfect. I feel like Charlie and Max don't get enough credit for how well they bounce off each other because it's assumed they would be good at it, when in actuallity I've met more than one set of identical twins who SUCK at that.

Lastly, it might be me reading too much into things, but I do think this scene is a great example of characterization through limited dialgoue and action. A line that stands out to me is "Since this is our first experience with demonic ninjas, we're thinking we should play it safe." The use of the plural pronoun is very telling to me, because I'd be willing to bet even thinking of protecting Scott was Ethan's idea, and yet he always uses the 'we' pronoun because he and Aiden are an inseperable team.

It's something I feel S3 really did right: distinctifying Ethan and Aiden into their own people without sacrificing their bond to each other. I feel like a lot of fiction that introduces twins as minor characters just makes them a unit without much distinction between them (hell, Harry Potter did it twice, for instance), but despite the Steiners literally having a merged form, the show made an effort to show how they're very different, yet still complementary people. They could be simplified to the brains and the brawn, but even that straightforward premise tells us a lot about how they've survived as long as they have and presumably a contributor to Deucalion recruiting them. It also makes Aiden's death all the more heartbreaking the more you realize how important they were to each other.

I'm getting a little off-topic here, but the point is that simple interactions like this can darastically shape a character and I feel as though that's underappreciated. Especially when it comes to already underrated characters like the Steiners.

On a last, less serious note, I appreciate that the three werewolves with miraculous healing abilities all still practice proper motorcycle safety and wear helmets, gloves, and long sleeves. Unironically love that for them.

#teen wolf #scott mccall #aiden steiner #ethan steiner #scene analysis?#sort of?

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jbaileyfansite · 5 months

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Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer's Interview for WMagazine (2023)

Warning: Spoilers for Fellow Travelers ahead.

Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey had a feeling their characters’ sexual escapades in Fellow Travelers would ignite a social media firestorm. But apart from some in-person encounters with fans who watched the Showtime limited series, both actors claim they’ve avoided going down a rabbit hole of reactions to their performances.

“The first week of just seeing a GIF of a toe was kind of alarming,” Bailey says in a joint interview with Bomer. “But when you’re doing a scene like that, you know what function it serves—not just in the story, but in the selling of a TV series. I call it the Trojan toe: You slip it in, get people watching, and by the time they get to [that moment], they’ll understand exactly what the show’s setting out to explore.”

Adapted from Thomas Mallon’s 2007 novel, Fellow Travelers chronicles the clandestine romance between Hawkins Fuller (Bomer), a debonair State Department employee, and Tim Laughlin (Bailey), a wide-eyed college graduate, who fall in love at the height of McCarthyism and the Lavender Scare in 1950s Washington D.C. As they weave in and out of each other’s lives across multiple decades, Hawk and Tim’s enduring relationship hurtles toward a devastating conclusion in the 1980s. Following Tim’s terminal AIDS diagnosis, Hawk visits his lover—whom he has nicknamed “Skippy”—one last time in San Francisco, where they both come to terms with the significance of their volatile romance.

“A lot of people feel seen—not just by the sex scenes, but by aspects of queer identity on the show,” Bomer says. “That’s the hope, right? That whatever you’re pouring your heart and soul into resonates with somebody or makes them feel seen.”

On a recent visit to New York City, Bailey and Bomer were affable and laid-back—a far cry from the brooding, tortured characters that have defined their respective careers. Bouncing ideas off each other, the charming costars spoke with W about their approach to telling their characters’ epic love story, the surreal experience of shooting their final scene together, and what to expect from Maestro and the next season of Bridgerton.

Why does Hawk and Tim’s connection make them question everything they thought they knew about themselves?

Jonathan Bailey: You will never really know what Hawk and Tim would’ve been like [as a full-fledged couple]. You can’t judge them on anything, because there’s a survival element at play, which reflects the brutality of the world they were born into. As [the show] expands and this liberation blooms, we see more of [Hawk’s wife] Lucy [played by Allison Williams] and the impact of Hawk’s decisions on the characters around him.

To me, it’s a love story for the ages because you can follow any thread and it comes back to the political backdrop. But ultimately, there’s a real meeting of souls between the two. They complete each other in a way that’s so painful. But in a world where joy, connection and absolution are so hard to find, especially in the ’50s for gay men, it becomes addictive, and there are toxic cycles that come from it.

Matt Bomer: There are aspects of their own personal trauma that are complementary of each other.

JB: And they feed the other’s insecurities.

MB: The sad thing is, when Hawk is finally at a place where he can be his most authentic self and be available and empathetic enough to be a real partner in a relationship, it’s too late.

Hawk has a very specific moral code as a gay man living a double life in the 20th century: He is clearly able to show genuine affection for Tim, but he needs control in his relationships and is able to code-switch in public. Tim doesn’t understand Hawk’s ability to compartmentalize his life, but he still finds Hawk irresistible. How did you want to embody the many contradictions of your characters?

MB: For me, it all went back to Hawk’s childhood and that horrific incident that happened with his father [and his first love, Kenny]. He refuses to be a victim, so he’s going to find a way to survive and thrive in whatever way he can. It all ties into the fact that he will never be the victim of a homophobic society or family again.

JB: What Tim’s really drawn to in Hawk is his center. Hawk is the epicenter of all these people’s worlds because he doesn’t afford them space to veer him off in any direction. Tim’s always there for Hawk when he needs him, but Hawk’s never really there for Tim, and that is something Tim is drawn to. Tim’s quest in life is his desperate need for a groundedness, and the choice I made early on was to physicalize Tim so that his inner and outer world were matched.

Tim finds it really hard to lie; he can’t not be completely transparent. The decoding of Hawk is something that fills all sorts of needs in Tim. But as he gets older and [society’s] way of thinking aligns with his need to disassemble the cards he’s been given, Tim finds a stillness and a calm, which is reflected in the way he can then handle Hawk.

MB: Hawk does have his allegiances and his own sense of empathy, but if it comes down to anything that’s going to threaten his survival, he can go full Scorpio and cut it off. [He’s] a little Mother Teresa, a little Tony Soprano. [Laughs.]

JB: And in the performing of [those scenes], Tim felt so much more love than I thought he would. In episode two, I think it became more confusing to play Tim in the best possible way, because when he says, “I don’t understand you” [to Hawk], it’s because he can see the palpable empathy, love, and compassion. That is just as real as everything else, and that is a bind for Tim and really hard to step away from. When they look at each other, there’s no one else that’s ever existed. And if you’re lucky enough to have that with someone, it’s really hard to let that go.

There are little details that anchor each of Hawk and Tim’s sex scenes—the eye contact, the importance of consent, the shifting power dynamics, the negotiation of how much of yourself you’re willing to give to another person. How did you want to subvert traditional depictions of queer intimacy?

MB: We were so fortunate that those scenes were just an extension of the story, that the relationship was never the same after one of those scenes as it was before. It was always an externalization of what was going on with the characters internally.

JB: I think it’s a rule that [creator] Ron [Nyswaner] learned on Homeland where every single scene has to further the story—and that’s true of the sex scenes. Because there haven’t necessarily been elevated, eight-hourlong gay dramas like this; there was space to breathe, and that constant negotiation between the two of them is so vital. I remember speaking to [executive producer/director] Dan Minahan in Toronto. We had a good few hours, and we ended up talking about intimacy and how you can capture it on film. The thing that I understand [from] enjoying love stories or intimacy on film is the moments where they surprise each other.

MB: Yeah! It’s not like Hawk’s pushing the envelope the whole time; Tim upends Hawk as much as Hawk upends Tim’s expectations.

JB: We basically started with the chicken soup [scene in episode one], when Hawk seduces Tim for the first time. By the time we were in episode four, we were really emboldened as a team. As Jonny and Matt, we were always whispering, “This is absolutely fine, if you want to do this.” For so many people, it’s bizarre to think of that as a job. But when the material is as rich as this, no stone will go unturned into [depicting] how intricate, sensitive, celebratory, and joyful those moments are.

MB: I believe everybody should get to play every role, but I think the fact that we’re both openly gay men lent an ease and an understanding of a lot of the aspects of the relationship.

JB: You can have conversations between yourselves of why your instincts are cropping up in those moments. It was a bit like when, just before they dive, synchronized divers do that thing where they jump up and clap.

MB: [Laughs.] That was us! And there’s no [going] halfway in scenes like those that are written in this [show]. You know you have to go all the way.

Knowing that the entire emotional weight of their relationship rests on the penultimate line, “Promise you won’t write,” what did you want to convey in Hawk and Tim’s final scene together outside the governor’s ball? What do you remember from shooting their goodbye scene?

MB: I remember everything about that day.

JB: Yeah, I do too. Everything was in hyper-focus. It was overwhelming.

MB: It’s one of those scenes that you’re really glad you didn’t have to shoot on day two, because we had five and a half months of history [with] these characters. It was one of the last things we filmed together.

JB: I left [Toronto] early as well [to shoot Bridgerton], so we didn’t finish [shooting] together. We finished the love story in that scene.

MB: Yes, that’s right. It was one of those days at work where you have to try to get out of your own way and trust that all you’ve invested in these roles and these relationships will be inside of you. You don’t have to try to force or push anything; you have to just try to keep it alive and spontaneous when the cameras are rolling.

JB: I think we filmed it in the first take, didn’t we?

MB: Yeah.

JB: There are moments in that scene when it was like the world melted away. It’s amazing to see Tim establish his boundaries and be really kind with it. In that moment, he’s fully centered and aligned, and Hawk helps give him that final push to go, “I know what I’m doing, and what I’m saying is the right thing.” He’s never really known that with Hawk.

MB: Yeah, Hawk is finally emotionally vulnerable. I had every intention of coming into that scene and not letting any emotional vulnerability creep through, but it’s just one of those things where the scene takes over and you don’t want to block it.

Have either of you given much thought to what a second season of Fellow Travelers could look like?

JB: What I hope this [season] will be is a trampette into telling other queer stories, because two white gay men are the way in [to start a larger conversation], and it would be so interesting to have a world explored of [Jelani Alladin’s] Marcus and [Noah J. Ricketts’] Frankie. They were such a massive reason why I was like, “Okay, this is going to be good.”

MB: They weren’t in the book, and it was so important from the creatives that we included that narrative.

JB: I would totally come back and support Frankie’s story.

MB: Yeah, I would come in and do two days—whatever they need me for.

JB: Frankie and Marcus up front, and I’ll be there.

Surely, we all deserve to have the two of you star in a rom-com together (with a happier ending than this one).

JB: If someone comes up with it... Who would be the dream?

MB: To direct?

JB: Yeah. Luca Guadagnino?

MB: Yes, Luca or Andrew Haigh.

JB: We’ll do it!

MB: We’re there. And Russell T. Davies, if it’s a miniseries.

Have you discussed collaborating again in the future?

MB: Listen, sign me up to work with Jonathan Bailey any time. [They shake hands.] I will bring a tray to his character at the dinner table in a scene.

JB: Stop it. As long as it’s [like] Upstairs, Downstairs…

MB: [Laughs.] Yes, exactly. I would love that. Next time, I have to be British though. And I’ll come to London.

JB: I’ll be a Texan cowboy. [They laugh.]

In addition to Fellow Travelers, you both have new projects that will be debuting in the coming months. Matt, what were some of your takeaways from working with Bradley Cooper on Maestro?

MB: Bradley is such a generous and beyond talented scene partner—and his style of directing is so electric and present. He wants everything happening on the camera for the first time. I feel like I was really the beneficiary of his process before I started work on Fellow Travelers because I got to watch him and Carey [Mulligan] travel through all these phases of their multidecade romance. And then, [I was] getting to work with Johnny—who’s so similar in many regards, so generous, always keeping you on your toes and bringing things to the material that make the scene richer.

JB: Has Bradley watched Fellow Travelers?

MB: I keep telling him to! And Carey says she wants to. She keeps asking me where it’s on in England.

The third season of Bridgerton will premiere in two parts on May 16 and June 13, 2024. Jonathan, what new layers of Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony’s relationship will we see in the new season?

JB: I’m a massive fan of “Kanthony.” There’s so much to enjoy for both of them now, and we explore that in season three. They’ve overcome a lot. [We’re] talking about the need for communication in a romance, and that study of how they communicate and how little they did communicate until the very end [of season two]. So now, we can see them completely celebrate each other for who they are. There are really lovely conversations about heritage and familial roles, and once you meet someone who understands you fully, having sacrificed so much for the families as they both have, how exciting [it is] to make decisions that might change the course for them [as a couple].

Source

#fellow travelers #jonathan bailey #matt bomer #interviews #interviews:2023 #wmagazine interview #NEW!

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tandefeaffe · 14 days

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i just finished reading ruben's birth chart 😩

With the Taurus sign so important in his chart, he's constructive, stable, and sensual. Good taste, sense of beauty, manners, and unfailing good sense - all these qualities contribute to his charm and seductive power. Furthermore, if some people criticize his slow pace and his stubbornness, he rightly reply that this is the price for his security, and that he like the way it is - slow and steady.

Venus in Gemini and Sun in Taurus

These two signs are definitely complementary. The Sun in Taurus facilitates the establishment of long-lasting affective adventures and therefore, it achieves fulfilment. Venus in Gemini hates to lock up the couple in a routine inevitably detrimental to the spontaneity and the plenitude of feelings. However, perfect balance can be achieved only when both tendencies are expressed – although they are antinomical in many regards. Selecting his partner, understanding and evolving abilities are decisive here. He must satisfy his solar sign's thirst for tranquillity and Venus' needs for novelty, alternately. He must meet the urges for intimacy, stability and the pressing necessity to fuel his passion, over and over again. As paradoxical as it may seem, he love only that very person who sometimes upsets Taurus' quietness and who challenges the serenity he dream of. Because passion is priceless. This is the price he has to pay for it.

He has a charm, everyone would like to say he's a lady killer. TOO MUCH CHARM, SO MUCH VOLUBILITY. Feelings and intellect are so tightly mingled that he may not know any more whether he is really in love or whether he is acting. He has a taste for flirt and variety, and he appreciate very much complicated situations where no one knows where the truth lies any more.

#ruben dias #tarot reading #footballer

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inmyhorrorsera · 9 months

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S5E8 "The Roast" thoughts:

Ok, I watched this episode three times and I'm still smiling. I love when you think and episode is gonna be about something because of its title and then surprise you when its all a misdirection (see also: Succession's "Connor's Wedding").

At first Laszlo's err… state intrigued me, love everyone projecting and imposing their own insecurities (Guillermo's secret, Nadja's hex) as a reason on why he is behaving like that. And of course it's a stupid reason 😭.

"And a flat pepsi for Guillermo". Oh Nandor, that's the worst thing you ever done to Guillermo, that's the worst thing you could do to anyone. And yes, I remember a certain S4 episode.

I screeched like a bird when Colin mentioned dreaming about being a baby under Laszlo's care, not only because I wanted this shit to happen since the past finale, but also I really thought the episode was going on that direction (and also bc its another W for my predictions).

Having said that, LOVED the nonchalance of Nadja and the others when they were like 'no, it wasn't a dream, that totally happened'.

I mentioned it in a separate post: they really had a Sweet Dee in IASIP moment when The Guide gave the roast idea, only to be ignored and then the same idea being stolen by a dude who is celebrated.

Seanie's poor brain it should be soup at this point, we don't know if he can hazily remember the event like it happened before.

What can I remember is his line after Nadja's roast because it was one of the biggest laughs for me: "Women CAN be funny!" I fucking loved it so much, it's the perfect condescending shit straight men say all the time, even when they're trying to be complementary to you they can't stop being garbage. It was a simple line but Anthony nailed the delivery and timing. Seriously, rewatch that part.

At first I was confused why all the jokes were so mid, but shortly I realized this episode wasn't about the roast at all, lol.

Just by watching screenshots of other users I noticed that in the scene of Nandor resting his head on Guillermo's shoulder there's a BIG flame between them. LMAO. There's no way that is unintentional.

Good for The Guide being the catalyst of Baron Afanas learning the truth. I was demanding more screen time for her lately, so having some incidence in the main plot goes on the plus column.

The other guests present at the roast being shocked at the knowledge of Guillermo killing vampires surprised me; I always assumed Guillermo being a familiar/slayer was a known fact in the vampire community after his very public massacre at the Théâtre des Vampires.

Fuck yeah when I realized this is a Doug Jones spotlight episode, I just fuckin ahgdjkaksdf, love him, perfect, no notes.

The Baron being terrifying!! Guillermo was seriously scared for the others and he barely tried to show off his Van Helsing abilities.

Nandor and Nadja begging the Baron to not hurt Guillermo!! 😭 Them being dragged while grabbing the cape!! 😭 They're spiritual siblings to me!! 😭😭

They really reminded me a little bro and sis begging their mom to not hit their beloved older brother with the chancla for talking back or something.

I fell for the two fake-outs with the sack lol I'm so gullible when it comes to vampires I guess.

NANDOR PAINFUL SOUNDS (MOANS???) WHEN HE BELIEVED HE WAS IN FRONT OF GUILLERMO'S INERT BODY. IT WAS SAD BUT ALSO A LITTLE HORNY!!!

"At least he died doing what he loved: beating off in the toolshed."

A wonderful small detail: After Laszlo opened fake Guillermo with the knife he cleaned his hands on The Guide's dress.

Idc if you think its dark, the whole 'Nandor will kill you and then kill himself' bit becoming a recurring joke it's peak writing.

I wish I can say something more serious about Baron Afanas' sadness over how boring his life is now. But I just keep thinking that the way he talks about his homelife with The Sire and the Hellhound sounds exactly when a dude has a middle life crisis and suddenly he doesn't enjoy his marriage anymore. They're husbands!! And I loved how cunty he looked at the end all half-charred (see posted gif) Queen!

Now, the Nandermo of it all: What more can I say than incoherent screaming and foaming from the mouth? Episodes 8 are all about them again!! Nandor on the window looking all cliched melancholic heroine of a romance novel?? How relieved he was when he found him in the coffin??? Him still remembering Guillermo's card word for word???!! Knowing that this toxic dark sided devotion goes both ways???!!! Borrowing the words of Fleabag: THIS IS A LOVE STORY.

Seriously, I know all these soft Nandor moments are here so the heartbreak when he learns about Guillermo being turned it's even bigger. But still denying that there is a romantic undertone between these two it's just being purposely adamant at this point (i'm looking at you wwdits reddit). Even if nothing explicitly romantic happens on screen, just by watching these moments, I know, we know.

Now, go listen to the ending song again. You will not regret it.

#i wish nandermo enjoyers only good dreams tonight!#to the others sorry err for me keep winning and being right #nandermo #wwdits #what we do in the shadows #wwdits thoughts

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drabblesandimagines · 8 months

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Possession

Barnabas Tharmr x fem reader Mentions of injury, possessive behaviour, bad Barney vibes 2,480 words

It had been foolish to ever think you could ever escape Barnabas’ notice when you’d set foot on the battlefield that day. No matter where you’d be in Castle Black – an endless maze of corridors, staircases and chambers – Barnabas or Sleipnir could always find you, even when you weren’t sure exactly where you’d ended up yourself.

As you sliced down another beastman in your wake, saving a soldier’s head in the process, an armoured figure manifested behind you, throwing an arm around your neck and pulling you back into their chest.

“My, my, what do we have here?” Sleipnir’s voice tickled into your ear as you squirmed.

“This isn’t the time, they’re advancing-"

“Ah, ah, ah,” He tsks. “My liege has bid me to remove you from here at once. Come.” You hadn’t tried to hide yourself away in the depths today, instead simply returned to your chambers, changed out of your armour and into one of the many dresses Barnabas had commissioned for you – all in a complementary inky blue and black to match his own threads. You sit down on the edge of your bed, take a steadying breath and await the inevitable summon by the Lord Commander to atone for your disobedience.

You fiddle with the crystal-infused bracelets around your left wrist – one on each, crafted with orichalcum. The only thing that could break them was Odin’s grip. You’d tried to remove them of course - trying to slip them over your hand using all methods of slick – water, soap, oil… and blood, from when you’d tried too hard.

They hurt. A dull, constant ache from being cut off from your ability to manipulate aether - something you’d done for years for the people of your village, with the blessing of Leviathan.

Not that you’d ever primed, though.

Being the Dominant of Leviathan was something Barnabas appeared to deem you unworthy of, but one that you could prove yourself under his tutelage and care. You hadn’t had much choice in the matter – it was come willingly, or come unwillingly and watch your village be razed to the ground. The bracelets come off only under his watchful eye on very rare occasions, and always sealed back on before too long under his heated palms – no trace of the crack that was once there, the seams perfectly melded once more.

Years you’ve been here, studying the religious word, tutored in the blade by Odin himself, and Sleipnir when the king was preoccupied with other duties. You were taken through daily grueling training regimes, before you began to take on opponents from the Waloeder army itself. Never to kill – Barnabas was clear about that – but to test your skill for the day you will face Mythos. But until then, there was never any talk of you being sent out to battle, despite the amount of times the Enherjar had set sail with bloodshed in her sights.

And though the result of your training over the years is clear - your prowess with the blade, your form complimented often by the king - you were still banned from the battlefield, even when the conflict is on the doorstep, the enemy hammering upon the very doors of the keep.

Whispers of Ultima in your ear, your part in his grand plan, yet never allowed to meet.

Benedikta, on the other hand, is often sent out on missions – the latest being to get Hugo Kupka on side by any means. She is not fettered either, using Garuda’s strength at will, even to send strong gusts to try and topple you in the courtyard for her own amusement.

“You, little lamb, are too delicate,” she’d pinch at you with her words, then grasp at your wrist in amusement, squeezing at the bracelet as if to dig it into your skin. “Not to be trusted with your own power, hm?”

She was sent out with her own men – a troop she’d hand-selected to serve by her side. Complimented by Barnabas on her return for her exemplary work, rewarded with a feast, toasted with overflowing cups of wine.

Should you want to be praised by your captor? Was he even truly that anymore? You hadn’t tried to leave once. It seemed pointless. But, after so many years in his company, you’d be a liar to ignore the gnawing ache to be accepted by him.

A cursory knock announces Sleipnir’s arrival. You get to your feet and open the door, stepping out without being prompted or coerced. He bows – mockingly perhaps, but you could never really tell – and nods at your attire in approval before he grabs you by the crook of your elbow in a pincer-type grip. He doesn’t need to tell you that you’ve been summoned.

You walk in silence for a while, his grip remaining firm, until you break the silence, noting you are not heading to the throne room.

“Where are we going?”

“The king has requested your presence in his chambers, my lady.”

That makes your stomach squirm – you’d never been summoned to his chambers before. “Don’t coddle me, Sleipnir, how bad is it?”

He looks over to you and smiles, as if you’d told a joke. “I’d advise holding your tongue, my lady, or I fear you may well lose it.”

“Ah.”

You reach Barnabas’ chambers at the top of Castle Black all too soon and Sleipnir pauses, letting go of your elbow but then his fingers immediately begin to fiddle with your hair. Your braids had loosened from the exertion in the fight - it would be unwise to greet your king unkempt.

“There.” He concludes, happy with his work. “This is where I must leave you. I do so hope to see you again, my lady.” He smirks, holding an arm across his chest as he bows. His final act is to knock once upon the heavy oak doors before he opens them and shoves you inside before you can show any hesitation.

Barnabas Tharmr, Warden of Ash, King of Waloed, Dominant of Odin is sat on his bed, facing the window away from you. From his stance, you can tell he has his legs spread wide as he leans back, his arms propped behind, keeping him upright and his fingers are gripped tightly on the inky blue satin sheets.

The door behind you closes and your heart feels it might beat out of your chest in trepidation.

Barnabas leans forward then, lifting his right hand in the air, snapping his fingers once – the sound echoing around the chamber like a bolt - before pointing down at the floor in front of him and lowering his hand once more.

You walk around the bed then, obediently, and kneel at his feet without looking at him, tucking your legs beneath you, bowing your head down low as if you made to kiss his boots - the way he demands and expects to be greeted.

“You, little one, defied my orders.”

You take this as the moment pertinent to Sleipnir’s advice from before, and remain silent, staring at his legs instead – leather splattered with dirt from the ground and the blood of his enemies. He can’t have been long back. The man is all leathers, belts wrapped around his thighs and waist, some embossed with silver. You wonder how long it takes him to dress in the morning, whether Sleipnir assists.

“I was abundantly clear that you were to remain inside, little one.” He knows that nickname irritates you – it has done for years – it belittles your place in his court, so he delights in using it. He refuses to use your name, or maybe it’s just been so long he’s forgotten. “Yet what do I find? You, on the battlefield, swinging around the very blade that I crafted for you, that I gifted you, that I taught you how to wield, sullied with the blood of beastmen that I bid you stay away from.”

You still hold your tongue.

His hand grips your chin then, tilting your head up to face him with a jerk and your eyes meet his – full of disapproval.

“Speak.”

“I could not sit idle any longer.”

He barks out a laugh as he lets go. “Idle? Whatever do you mean, little one? You have your duties to attend to within the castle.”

“But Benedikta is-”

“You are not her.” He leans down over you now and your eyes are drawn to a dark patch on his shirt – he hadn’t been wearing armour on the field, too cocky. “I will not entertain this foolishness again.”

He moves back slightly and you see the sliced flesh, blood oozing from within.

“You’re hurt.”

“I was distracted.” He growls in annoyance, tugging his shirt to cover the wound from your sight.

“By me?”

He doesn’t reply.

“You need to take care of that.” You press. “You’ll bleed out.”

He smiles, almost as if he’s amused. “And you would care if I did, little one?”

Would you? If Barnabas perished, would that mean you’d be free to return home – or whatever was left of it? Your questions about how your village fared were never answered. Would the bracelets cease to be, or would you spend the rest of your days with them trapped around your wrists?

But there it is again, that gnaw to be accepted, praised, cherished… Barnabas had slowly became your whole world, after all.

“Yes.” You whisper. “I could… I mean, if you’d permit me, I could...”

He snatches your wrist quickly, his fingers pinching around and there is a crack which makes you flinch. You expect pain to follow, that he’s lashed out and broken your wrist for even daring to suggest such a thing – that Odin would need healed of all things – but there is only a clatter as the crystal-infused bracelet hits the stone floor.

The second one follows in quick succession and it’s as if you’ve taken your first breath of air, that hollow ache in your soul finally filled once more as your connection to the aether is restored.

Barnabas presses a tender kiss to the wrist still in his grip and it makes you shiver. “They will go back on as soon as you are finished.” The statement cuts through your euphoria.

“Of course.” You nod. “Could you lie down, please?”

He does rather dramatically, it must be said - falling flat on his back on his bed with his arms spread. You get to your feet and climb up, kneeling besides him and hover your hand above his chest, hesitant.

He smirks. “You may touch your king, little one.”

You tug gently at his shirt, revealing the full severity of the wound at last. It is a nasty, lengthy slice across his chest, blood seeping at pace, but Barnabas doesn’t even seem phased.

“It’ll leave a scar.”

“Good. It will serve as a reminder to us both.”

You flex your fingers, drawing in the aether around you until it manifests into a glimmering liquid in your hands – the healing waters of Leviathan. You smooth it onto his skin and if he feels any pain from your touch he does not flinch. You then press down your palms on top of the injured flesh and will it to heal.

It only takes a moment – the flesh knitting together under your touch, leaving pink, puckered skin, and then all that remains is the slick of blood.

“It’s done.”

He hums a moment, looking wistfully up at the ceiling.

“Mother would kiss it better.”

You feel your cheeks flush. It’s a command, albeit very thinly veiled. You wet your lips with your tongue and lean down, placing a hand back onto his chest to balance yourself and kiss the new scar, softly, blood and all.

As you sit back up, he follows you, catching your chin once more and swipes his thumb across your lips.

“A little red upon your lips is most pleasing, little one.”

He holds your gaze for a moment and you know what it means. You lean over the side of the bed and pick up the bracelets, presenting them to him.

“Good girl,” he murmurs, pressing one around your wrist. You don’t know how he does it – perhaps in the same way his beloved sword manifests - but within a second the bracelet is sealed back on. There’s not even a seam from where it was snapped. The second follows quickly and you wince as the connection to the aether is once more is severed – a stolen breath that you’ll never quite catch.

You expect him to dismiss you now, so you hang your head low, awaiting your instructions like the loyal pet you’ve become.

“Tell me - do you truly not know why I forbade you from the battlefield?”

You bite your lip, fists clenching. “I am not worthy of the power of my Eikon, I know, but how am I meant to earn it if I am not permitted to…?” He grabs you by the chin again, tilting your head up and silencing you with a squeeze.

“I have no doubt of your prowess with the blade – I taught you myself, after all.” He boasts, releasing your chin then only to cup your face with calloused fingers. “No, I forbade you because they are not worthy of you. I will not have you mingle with those below your station.”

“My station?”

“You are a gift from the Almighty. I would not be so careless with the treasure our lord has bestowed me. I vowed to keep you safe under my watch until Mythos is ready.”

“But Benedikta can-” You try and back out of his grip but his hands remain firm.

“Ah, little one is jealous,” he grins, amused. “You have nothing to fear. Whilst she occasionally warms my bed, it is you who warms my cold heart. I beg your forgiveness for not making that abundantly clear, but allow me to rectify.”

Before you can question, one arm drops to around your waist, the other to the back of your head and he pulls you forward, crushing his lips to yours. Your hands press up against his chest, ready to push him away.

You should push him away, but you don’t.

You definitely shouldn’t kiss him back, but you do.

You can feel his victorious smirk in his kisses – he has you exactly where he wants you and you don’t mind. It’s nice to be held, to be wanted…

He bites your lip, not enough to draw blood, but enough to make you gasp and he takes advantage to slip his tongue in, running his fingers up and down your spine, making you squirm.

“Do not worry, my lady,” he pulls back, keeping his fingers dug into your scalp, a possessive look in his eyes. “I will make sure you do not sit idle again.”

Comments, likes and reblogs make my whole day x

Masterlist . Requests welcome . Ko-fi

PS: I am still working on the 400 followers requests! Work's been a bit busy x

#ghostdogwrites #barnabas tharmr x you #barnabas tharmr x reader #barnabas tharmr #ffxvi x reader

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miyamiwu · 7 months

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Cool dice

Cool Dice = nerd (complementary), cool socks, please tell me about your special interest/hyperfixation

Hmmm where do I start

I am really into Chinese bl (danmei). Most danmei are like shounen with the homoerotic undertones, except the sexual tension actually gets paid off!!!

And I say “like shounen” because, unlike Japanese BL, there’s a lot more emphasis on plot when it comes to danmei. Of course, there are also danmei focusing on romance, but the best ones have complex plots you don’t really find in shounen ai/yaoi.

Naming a few mainstream danmei, to start:

Heaven Official’s Blessing = fallen god reascends for the third time and befriends a demon king. Together, they get to the bottom of a lot of scandals in the heavenly court

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun = evil emperor is reborn to the year he was still a teen and is yet to do any evil stuff and once again has to face his loathed master (shizun) and obey him.

Little Mushroom = sentient mushroom takes over dead human body and infiltrates the human base to retrieve his stolen spore

The Earth is Online = humanity is pulled into a death game

Sha Po Lang = ancient industrial Chinese setting (steampunk???) about a prince and his Yifu + war and stuff

And some non-mainstream ones, but are my absolute favorites:

Fourth Perspective = Sci-fi where characters have “logic chains” that grant them random abilities (that may or may not be useful), but with limits. Main character’s logic chain allows him to see other people’s “logic factors”

I Became a God in a Horror Game = Guy who’s obsessed with money gets pulled into a death game and comes out victorious every time (his driving force is money). Very mindblowing arcs and well-written characters

Mermaid Effect = guy picks up “fish” on the beach and keeps it as a pet, but then it turned out to be a biological weapon

Si Tian Guan = guy who died in political drama gets reborn to the year before it all started and vows to not repeat the mistakes of the past and also protect the person most important to him. This one made me cry a lot that I still couldn’t finish it...

It’s like… these stories just happen to have gay protagonists. The characters being gay and in love aren’t their main selling points. They actually have stories to tell outside the romance and the fucking (which is often censored coz, yknow, China) and also explore a variety of deep themes, and that just makes them more interesting to me

#miyamiwu.msg #variabels #danmei #ask game #tgcf #2ha #little mushroom #the earth is online #fourth perspective #i became a god in a horror game #mermaid effect #si tian guan #miyamiwu.src #miyamiwu.recs

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thelunarfairy · 7 months

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The green eyes of perdition

It seems like we haven't talked about this little princess, right?

Sweet and kind, but secretive and apathetic Sakura.

Let's not be so mean to her, let's be fair. Her face always seems to be sunk in sorrow and sadness over something she has no control over.

Sakura is the human who has a bond with a supernatural, in this case Tsukasa, ok, we know that. She is his assistant, which means there is a contract between them. Sakura is not dead since Hanako said that "the traitor" is a human linked to a supernatural and that he is spreading rumors.

Another indication that she is not dead is that students can see and interact with her. But then you ask, if she's not dead, how does she have a bond with Tsukasa if he only grants wishes to the dead?

There are some possibilities, let's list them

She died and came back to life

She has special blood just like minamotos

She is a type of deity

She works directly for a greater deity

In the first possibility, she may have died in the red house or school and asked Tsukasa if she could come back to life in addition to another complementary request to this one, which would make her have a very long bond with him. So we have our first counterargument, if that were the case, she couldn't have been alive for so long. Even if she suddenly came back to life, would she live more than 100 years?

The second possibility would be a plausible explanation, but we have another counterargument, if that were the case she wouldn't be able to make a wish to Tsukasa, since he only grants wishes to dead people.

Being a deity still has a foundation. We don't know what her abilities are and if she has them, but would a deity be considered a dead person? And if she really was some kind of God, why would she need to bond with Tsukasa to fulfill her own desire? He is clearly superior to her and she is uncomfortable with having to live with him and obey him. He is her "master" as she said. But there is an interesting fact about it, Sumire asks Hakubo if he was working for her.

We don't know if this is true, he neither denied nor confirmed it. She asks if Sakura put him to be one of the seven mysteries, that's very curious. But we can't completely trust what Sumire said because she was imagining that was the case, that is, it was her deduction that Hakubo worked for Sakura. Maybe she thought of this because of the way Sakura spoke to her, we don't know, Sumire is naive, she didn't know much about the world, since she spent a good part of her life and post-death (?) in that village.

Anyway, she relayed what Sakura said to Hakubo, reminding him of his duty. And he says this

It seems like he recognizes who Sumire is talking about?

If Sakura had the power to appoint or remove the mysteries from their positions, then why would she be going to all this trouble to remove the yorishiro?

The last possibility, she works for a greater divinity. It's an interesting argument, let's assume she made more than one request to Tsukasa and in addition to the bond she had to do some things he wanted. Or, Sakura made a request that only a God could grant, and in order for her to have that wish fulfilled she would have to obey that God in some way.

So let's suppose, Sakura died and asked Tsukasa to come back to life, ok, then she made a complex request (that everything cease to exist, something she left between the lines) so Tsukasa asked God to fulfill it and in exchange for that she would have to help Tsukasa remove all the seals from the yorishiros, as she is actually doing. Then, when she did as he asked, her wish would finally be fulfilled. That makes sense, doesn't it?

She would be working for a deity, a deity that would be linked to Tsukasa, the boy with whom she has a bond and whose wish can only be fulfilled after God's wish ends. Makes sense, doesn't it? But what about Natsuhiko, where does he fit in here? A human but immortal guy who is there to "take care" of Tsukasa. That was the only reason that was explained as to why he is among them.

He himself says he is responsible for taking care of Tsukasa and the boy never went against him even when Natsuhiko interrupts him (we know that Tsukasa doesn't like being interrupted and he gets aggressive) this never happened, even when Natsuhiko tried to stop Tsukasa from playing Katanuki , something that Amane makes clear that makes Tsukasa angry.

Don't you think it would be funny if Natsuhiko was that God? hahaha it would be a really big plot, but I don't know if I believe in that hypothesis because he's a human, but it would be funny. Natsuhiko is strangely similar to the Kannagi who was trapped in the red house, maybe they have some family connection? And if they did, how would that change Natsuhiko's life? That Kanagi didn't appear for nothing, he must have some greater importance in the future (perhaps). I still don't have much to say about this flirt, we have almost no clues about him.

So to finish, we have one last hypothesis, Sakura being the former or the next number 7. I saw some people talking about this because of her name, but that doesn't seem to make much sense. It doesn't seem like Sakura wants to be tied to a bathroom fulfilling other people's wishes, she doesn't care about anyone, and she wants all the mystery seats to disappear. So how does this hypothesis fit in?

She and Tsukasa want all mysteries to cease to exist. Tsukasa wants humans, both living and supernatural, to be able to do whatever they want, and Sakura wants everything to cease to exist, and she went after this desire even though she had to put up with Tsukasa and wait for so long, in addition to remorselessly using other people to do so. .

Despite this, Sakura doesn't really seem satisfied, even though she is so close to getting her wish. As always, JSHK being contradictory.

Does it seem to you that she is happy?

He says "you don't know that for sure" and she reacts that way. We can even see the little stars next to her, showing that she was happy to hear this. Was she happy when he said she's not sure it will all disappear?

But, as I don't like to rule out possibilities, let's imagine that she also reacted that way because even if everything ends he wants to go out with her.

This story always comes down to a "wish" what is Sakura's real wish?

There are still other hypotheses and possibilities that I want to develop about this trio, perhaps in the next opportunity, for now I am satisfied with what we have.

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mythaura-blog · 9 months

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Development Update - August 2023

Hi folks, Miyazaki here with quite the colorful update for you all!

In this update we're going to cover all things color, including:

New additions to the wheel

Magical color-shifting items

A shiny new page displaying the full wheel

Ways that you can design your own color via Ko-fi

A contest for you to design your very own color

We'll also cover the Quarter 1 (2023) Ko-fi sponsor rewards, two new sponsored companions, and our annual Beast Creator Contest.

More info available under the cut!

New Colors

We've been asked frequently if we'll be adding any additional colors to Mythaura's color wheel. We can now say with confidence: yes we will!

Koa found a sustainable way to add these new colors for Beasts, meaning that we have the ability to add in new colors even post-launch.

In the update where we talked about Seasons, we mentioned each Mythaura Season will have its own unique theme. This theme will determine the unique Seasonal items that are available for players to earn. We are planning to add one new color to the site per Season, which will be thematically appropriate as well!

To kickstart our color wheel expansion, each member of the dev team came up with a new color:

Fossil by MunkeKing

Pidgeon by Kymara

Racecar by Sark

Periwinkle by Luciellia

Sunset by Koa

Padparadscha by Sashie

Sunrise as a partner color to Sunset

Patina by Miyazaki

Color Wheel Page

Earlier this month we added a color wheel page so that the entire color wheel could be viewed at a glance. We've also got a handy Beast previewer in the middle, so that you can see what the selected color looks like for a Beast's base, top, bottom, and eyes. The wheel can be organized by either Hue or by its Standard order, which is the order the site uses when calculating colors during breeding.

This page also shows the relevant Ephemeral Inks that the selected color may be included within.

Ephemeral Inks

Magical brews of shifting hues...Ephemeral Inks and Ephemeral Eyedrops are Harpy-crafted products that shift a Beast's colors.

Ephemeral Inks will shift a Beast's:

Base color

Top color

Bottom color

Any Specials colors

Any Supers colors

Ephemeral Eyedrops will shift a Beast's:

Eye color

There is a wide variety of Ephemeral items. Each one corresponds to a pool of colors. For example, Ephemeral Blue Ink contains all colors in the "Blue" category based on its hue while Ephemeral Dark Ink contains all colors with a lightness value below 50%. The Ephemeral Dark Blue Ink is the intersection of those, containing colors in the "Blue" category that are also dark.

In addition there are three Ephemeral Inks which contain all colors...

Ephemeral Prismatic Ink - Completely randomizes the beast it used on

Ephemeral Analogous Ink - Shuffles to colors that are analogous to one another (e.g. yellow, red, and orange)

Ephemeral Complementary Ink - Shuffles to colors that are complementary to one another (e.g. orange and blue or purple and yellow)

Ko-fi Custom Color Sponsorship

Are you interested in sponsoring your own color to be part of Mythaura's color wheel? We are now offering this as a service in our Ko-fi shop!

Work with our art team to bring your custom color to life! After providing input and direction to our art team, we will come back to you with a proposal for your color. Up to two rounds of changes beyond the initial design will be offered.

Name suggestions are welcomed, but the final name will be left to the discretion of the dev team.

Turnaround time will vary based on the current workload of our artists. An ETA will be provided upon purchase.

NOTE: custom color sponsorshp will not be available post-launch. This is exclusively a pre-launch service.

Custom Color Contest

To celebrate the cooperative nature of the color wheel that we're making with you, we're opening a Custom Color Contest. We want to offer the opportunity for you to make a permanent impact on Mythaura's color wheel!

This contest is free to enter, and only has the following parameters:

Only one entry allowed

Fill out Google Form by Saturday, November 25, 2023 at 11:59pm PST

The dev team will reach out to the winner on December 1 to begin the color design process. Winner will have until December 22, 2023 to complete their color design.

Winner will also receive 3x copies of the Empemeral Ink that matches their color's base hue (Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green, or Violet).

We're so excited to see what you come up with!!

Quarter 1 (2023) Rewards Reveal

Our Quarter 1 rewards have been completed and are ready for their public debut! Thank you to the Ko-fi Sponsors who voted on the different Glamour and Companion concepts, we appreciate your support and feedback.

Q1 (2023) Glamour: Twilight Dreamscape

Q1 (2023) Companion: Filigree Moth

Q1 (2023) Solid Gold Glamour: Adult Peryton

Ko-fi Sponsored Items

Pygmy Tunneler