#trying to convince himself why he doesn't deserve to be a father

[evilminji]

You know... >.>

My Dad always used to tell me, if I get a Genuine Genie(tm)? Get a lawyer first. Before I make my Wishes(tm), so they can help me word them correctly.

Obviously, a human lawyer would not be foolproof... BUT! What about a Ghost Lawyer?

Like? Obviously Desiree would be PISSED. How DARE you twist HER wish twisting! Her THING is "what you believe is your heart's desire always comes at a terrible cost" which is what she DIED to learn.

So obviously she would NEVER, willingly, bend her Obsession for ANYONE. And you'd have to make a DAMN good case to that Lawyer for why he ISNT breaking the law by helping you. Probably some "you can: save the life of an unconscious person against their will/shove an unobservant person OFF the train tracks, even if they get hurt, to save their life" clause.

Like? Using a ghosts Obsession against them? Bad. Illegal.

Using it against their will, to save OTHER ghosts, who are in immediate danger? Not illegal, but they will be PISSED. Still not great though, you will want to apologize and fast.

So like??? Reality Bending Power. Patrick Star Method of "what if we MOVED the city... somewhere else?" Considered at 1am. Team of Ghost Laywers, acquired.

Amity and all Limnals are REMOVED from the DP-verse.

Wish worded juuuuust so. Any ghost that forms there? Yoink! Instantly removed to the Zone. Natural Portals? Cut off. Let the whole Reality fade out at an accelerated rate, as no NEW energy is fed into the system. Entropy will do, what entropy does. Exactly as they wished it.

They hated Death so much, they speed up the heat death of their ENTIRE universe by Eons. Congratulations, you guys "Won". Enjoy the wildly more fragile flora, fauna, and general ecosystems. Now that none of you have that ambient Ectoplasm strengthening your bodies. Yeah, the things you used to shrug off? Those are gonna maim or kill you now.

Doesn't MATTER if you "learn your lesson" though! Cause this is WAY past that point! This is "cutting off the tumor before it kills us" territory, and buddy? Amity ISNT the tumor. Go forth a grow, just like you wanted.

They won't be here to fix your messes anymore.

Because Danny got himself a dictionary thick "I Wish..." contract. Which was worded, as it needs to be, in one loooooooong run on sentence. Shouted "I Wish what's written on THIS, as it is currently, and without any form of editing or negotiation!" As fast as he could. Yote the document in Desiree's direction. And Flew like an INCANDESCENTLY pissed off Genie was trying to set his everything of fire.

Which she was.

Thankfully, Paulina came in clutch with her History of all things Jewelry, world fashions, and Make-Up knowledge. That, coupled with the Power Of Rich Friends(tm)? (Sam. Her mother was THRILLED to take her Jewelry and clothing shopping for something other then blacks and dark purple. They went on a jet setting whurl-wind tour. Sam actually kinda liked a some of what she found.)

They have Apology Bribes.

They shamelessly HIDE behind the mountain of Apology Bribes, while they explain themselves. Is Desiree HAPPY? No. But those bracelets are magnificent and she DOES deserve nice things. Those silks will really bring out her eyes. And she... DOES... admit...

Maybe...

That things are not... SAFE. Any longer. Danny TRIES. Everyone else can see it. And he's made incredible strides! Even convinced his lunatic parents. Though they're still not quite POPULAR. (WAY too pushy and invasive with their questions, for most people.) But the fanatics in white?

They nearly killed Box Lunch. If her father hadn't BEEN there...

And the poor man will have that scar on his back for the rest of his afterlife. Desiree can see why Danny is pushing. Does she LIKE it? No. But...

She supposes she will content herself with the suffering of the Fanatics in White and all who support them. THEIR wishes, twisted. Their ugly heart's desires.

Fine.

"SO YOU WISH IT. SO IT SHALL BE!"

And? The ghost town of what WOULD of one day grown into Amity, had the witch's there not been found by those they had fled from, which sits in long rotted ruins, amongst the trees in nowhere Illinois? Poof! Two "Towns" are switched.

The roads out of town coming to a clean line stop, meeting not even goat paths. Just trees. Old growth.

But it's not ALL of Town, is it? Faces missing. New, confused, faces from every corner of the map, taking their place. No Limnal left behind. No supporter of the GIWs genocide, brought along. Family's kept together where they could be. But by the few, scared and upset, green flashing eyes of children in the crowd?

It seemed for some, it was easier to fear and hate, then love their children.

Already they were being gathered up by school teachers and PTA parents. As everyone tried to figure out what had happened. Concerned, quite muttering a dull roar as everyone tries to coordinate.

Red Huntress joins Danny and Dani in the Sky. She doesn't get a word in. Wanted to know what the HELL was going on. She was with her dad in Chicago! Dani was in Taiwan! Literally! As in, sitting in a SUBWAY station one second, the next? Outside!

But they don't get to demand those answers. Because there is a sonic boom on the horizon. And then? Floating... weird... not ghosts?

Uuuuuuhhhh?

Hi?

That much blue... sure is a Statement. Like the cape and... bloooomers? Shorts. Bikini bottoms? It.. it's a Cool Look, dude! No, really. They are being VERY supportive here! If YOU like it? That's the only thing that matters!

Red Huntress smacks the Danny/i's Repeated upside their heads and demans to know what the Not-Ghosts are doing in their airspace.

Oh YEAH. Good point! What she said! And can it WAIT? They're kinda going through A Thing right now...

Kon? Wants it on record he loves these guys. They're hilarious. The LOOK on Clark's FACE?? He wishes he could frame it. Preserve it for future generations. Thing is? There was NOT a town here a second ago.

Well, bout 30 minutes or so, but you get the idea. One moment? Tree noises. Bam! Thousands of people! Obviously the checked it out. Only to be met with two... three maybe? Heros who have NO IDEA who they are.

Clear Reality warping shenanigans. Might be time travel or multiverse. Question is... are they STAYING? And if SO? What now...

@hdgnj @ailithnight @the-witchhunter @nerdpoe @dcxdpdabbles @mutable-manifestation @hypewinter

#dpxdc #dp x dc #dc x dp #dcxdp #dc x dp prompt #danny phantom #minji's writing

[konigsblog]

Ghost and Graves completing for the same person? 👁️👁️ Let the battle of the red flags begin 🚩🚩🚩

oh god, both of them are so competitive...

graves adores having authority; he adores being people's superior. he almost has a god complex, acting as if he's royalty, that no-one is better than him. he believes he'd be the best father and husband to his future kids and wife, that no-one can even come close to how amazing and loveable he is. he doesn't even realise how toxic he is; how controlling and how manipulative he can be. he denies it, he just can't fathom how anyone could think that he, phillip graves, is manipulative.

simon is also toxic himself, he can be a total asshole and lash out on people for no reason whatsoever. it doesn't help that he clearly has some sort of anger issues, unable to keep his cool when the new recruits pester him too much. he's easily annoyed, easily infuriated, and has serious jealousy issues and wouldn't be a great boyfriend. he's not delusional about this though, not like graves. but he doesn't want to admit it, so he never let's people know about this side of him, hiding it ‘til he's finally in a relationship where he can hopefully trap his lover.

of course, this usually ends simon's relationship; his horrible attitude and controlling behaviour. graves never bothered to find love, because as he said, no-one was on his level, that he was waiting for the woman he thought he deserved.

graves tried to manipulate and gaslight you, whilst simon kept it calm, making snide and snarky comments when you talked about the commander. he desperately tried to convince you that you deserved better, all while trying to win you over, hoping you'd fall head over heels with him.

when simon falls in love, it's obsessive, possibly illegal.

when graves falls in love, he expects obedience, he expects the ground he walks on to be worshipped. he's too egotistical and cocky for his own good, which causes arguments when you bring up simon. he doesn't understand why you wouldn't want him. he's doing you a favour by trying to become your boyfriend, don't you know who he is?! he's phillip fucking graves, and he expects nothing more than love from you.

what good would simon do for you? that heartless, cold, stoic man would do nothing but leave you absolutely heartbroken and gut wrenched.

#orla speaks #phillip graves #cod graves #phillip graves x reader #graves x female reader #graves mw2 #graves mwii #mw2 ghost #ghost call of duty #simon riley #simon ghost riley #ghost simon riley #simon ghost riley x reader

[king-zacharyy]

IF YOU HATE HELLUVA BOSS, HAZBIN HOTEL, AND/OR STOLITZ, DO. NOT. INTERACT. (WITH THIS POST OR MY PAGE)

Okay, I am currently rewatching Helluva Boss, and I just finished S1 Ep7: OZZIE'S, and... How do some people genuinely believe Stolitz is one-sided?

From what I've seen, Blitzø absolutely returns Stolas' feelings, even if he refuses to acknowledge/accept that he does. A lot of people, from what I've seen, have been using Blitzø' words to Stolas in OZZIE'S and his words about Stolas to Fizzarolli in OOPS as arguments for why Blitzø "clearly" doesn't love Stolas back, but my question is, do some of y'all not have basic media literacy?

Sorry if that’s rude, but seriously. There are plenty of clues to how Blitzø is actually feeling during and after these scenes.

1. Blitzø was literally holding back TEARS as he said that in the van scene.

2. He says that Stolas has made it very clear that all it is is Stolas wanting to be fucked. That wording is very distinct and, honestly, says that Blitzø does NOT want it to just be a Fuck Buddies things.

2.5. May I remind everyone that Stolas literally calls Blitzø his "Impish little plaything" in Truth Seekers? And that that likely just confirmed the insecurities we know he was already feeling? (We know he was feeling insecure about his and Stolas' relationship already because of how he reacted in S1 Ep5 to Striker goading him)

3. Literally ALL of what happens after the van scene. Including all of Episode 8. He goes home and cries himself to sleep, and then goes and self-destructs at a party. Bee said it herself that he wasn't drinking to have fun.

4. In S2 Ep6: OOPS, His face when he said it was nothing more than Stolas being horny gives away how hurt he actually is. He is desperately trying to convince Fizz and remind himself that Stolas doesn't want anything more.

Honorary mention that I'm not sure is really a fifth point is him calling Fizz and Ozzie hypocrites.

Moving on from those scenes and onto Blitzø's insecurities about love and his self-worth issues. Blitzø does not believe he deserves love. He does not believe anyone does or can love him. We can see this in how he acts with the people in his life. He pushes them away. He is obsessed with M&M's relationship because they're the only model of a healthy relationship he's ever had, and he wants that with someone. We also can tell because of how he reacts to what Fizz and Verosika say in OZZIE'S.

Blitzø hates himself. He crosses out his face in the pictures hung up in his apartment. He blames himself for an accident that caused his mother's death, his best friend to lose his limbs, and his sister to hate him.

No one was truly there for him after the accident. Fizz may have been crippled, but he had a support system. Blitzø did not, and no one was there to tell him it wasn't his fault.

Not to mention the fact that up until the accident, he was CONSTANTLY being put down and told Fizzarolli was better than him. Even his own father cared more for Fizz than him. Honestly, I'm surprised there isn't any actual animosity towards Fizz on Blitzø's part.

Speaking of the fire and Fizz, Blitzø was planning to confess romantic feelings to Fizz that night before the accident (We know this because of the letter and flower he was holding before the fire started). That likely made it difficult for him to confess his love to someone because if you think his brain wouldn't connect love confessions to the greatest trauma of his life, you're dead wrong.

Brains make weird ass connections when it comes to trauma/traumatic events.

In conclusion, Blitzø loves Stolas, Stolas loves Blitzø, and they both need to heal and get their shit together. Stolitz forever.

Kloveyoubye ❤️

#haters dni #helluva boss antis dni #Hazbin haters dni #hellaverse #helluva boss #helluvaverse #stolas #blitzø #stolas x blitz #helluva boss blitz #stolas helluva boss #stolitz #rants n rambles #rant post

[dragon-watcher03]

hihi, anon who still hasn't gotten concubine!reader out of their head 😭

if it's not a bother can you do some headcanons for the Lin Kuei brothers with Kuai’s concubine reader? your dialogues and writings are seriously amazing

Bout time someone appreciated my trope-

Lin Kuei Trio x Concubine!Reader

Headcanons

Ft: Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Smoke.

Note: We're so close to 100 followers dude- Also the reader has a daughter in this scenario that she gave birth to asexually.

Scorpion

Since you are his concubine, you'd expect him to treat you as such, but he doesn't. You are a strong, kind, hard-working woman who doesn't deserve to be treated in such a way. In fact, he's grown to see you as more of a second partner than a concubine. He also tries really hard to bond with your daughter since she doesn't have a biological father and he wanted to play that role.

He and Harumi silently agreed that, concubine or not, they would treat you as part of their relationship. They only don't do that when they are around Kuai's father and mother, but even then they just don't talk with you rather than being rude to you.

Kuai has grown fond of you, but it saddens him to see you so distant from him and Harumi. He knows why you do it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. And he has made it clear to the other Lin Kuei ninjas that they must treat you with respect.

After his father's death, although he felt depressed, deep down, he was somewhat happy that he no longer had to ignore you, and maybe he'd even tie the knot with the two of you and Harumi. He'd try his hardest to win your heart the old-fashioned way rather than use the fact that you are his concubine as an excuse to marry you.

As a lover, he'd be very caring and warm towards you and Harumi. He loves you both equally, and that goes the same for you and Harumi. He calls you guys a 'throuple' and has special nicknames for you and Harumi.

After a while, you finally opened up to them, which made him very happy that you trusted him with your heart. He's a very touchy husband and wanted to start a family with you and Harumi. But he was very cautious around Bi-han seeing as he also wanted you as his wife.

Sub-Zero

He is completely envious of his younger brother getting to have you instead. Especially since he's the eldest sibling? It made him hate his father more than he already did. And he couldn't wait until he could become grandmaster.

At first, he wasn't really interested in you since you were a concubine. But then he saw you fight, and your strength was very impressive to him. That was what drew him to you in the first place.

Then as time went on, he started to grow obsessed with you and making you his wife. He always tells you that you don't deserve to be a mere concubine, let alone his younger brother, and constantly tries to convince you to leave Kuai and become his instead.

It almost worked, but you were only staying as Kuai's concubine so that the Lin Kuei would provide you and your daughter with protection and you don't know what will happen if you leave Kuai. Bi-han understands, but at the same time it frustrates him since he is fully capable of protecting both of you by himself.

If you decided to marry him and leave Kuai, he'd be an excellent (but strict) father and a possessive yet soft lover to you. I say he'd be a strict father because he'd want your daughter to be able to defend herself, but he knows when to give her a break.

And if you don't, he'll be upset with you but won't force you to do anything you don't want to. He'd still treat you with the utmost respect and protect you during missions. And when he does become grandmaster, he'll say you no longer have to be Kuai's concubine in order for you and your daughter to be protected by the Lin Kuei.

Smoke

He thought you were very beautiful when he first saw you, but he was rather confused as to how you ended up as a concubine to his brother.

He treated you very well just like the other two, but he'd never hit on you or try to convince you to leave Kuai since he didn't want to ruin their relationship. But when he found out why you became a concubine, he felt kind of bad for you and your daughter.

He's also secretly upset that you didn't get to choose a partner. Maybe if you did, he could try and win your heart the correct way. That doesn't stop him from spending some time with your daughter though, since she has no father he thought she'd enjoy some sort of father figure in her life.

Deep down, he was sort of jealous of Kuai, but he never let that ruin his relationship with his brother. However, it doesn't stop him from ruining his relationship with other men, including Bi-han (if their relationship wasn't ruined enough).

While you are Kuai's concubine, Tomas does not treat you as such. He always has your back during missions and is the one to bandage you up afterwards. He is very kind and caring to you and would make a great husband. (wink wink nudge nudge-)

If you choose to be with him, he'd be ecstatic. He finally managed to win your heart over and let you be with someone you actually love rather than just being with someone for protection. He'd be a very sweet and clingy partner and a fun and playful father to your daughter.

And when you decide you trust him enough to open up to him, he's extremely understanding and supportive of you. He also really enjoys spending time with your daughter even if you aren't in a relationship.

#mortal kombat #mk1 #mortal kombat x reader #scorpion x reader #sub zero x reader #smoke x reader #bi han #kuai liang #tomas vrbada

[metal-mouse]

Dad!Ominis is the best fucking thing ever.

Crying, screaming rolling on the floor

What about Seb?

You know what, I have a lot of opinions about this one.

Under the cut because mentions of pregnancy and childbirth <3

I want to start this off by saying that Sebastian Sallow would be an amazing father.

When MC reveals they are pregnant, he goes on a roller coaster of emotions.

At first Sebastian would be over the damn moon that he's going to be a father. Like, MC has never seen him this happy in the entire time knowing him. He's excited, he gets started on a nursery right away, he tells the neighbours before you even have a chance to tell any family.

However, as the weeks go by the doubt starts to settle in.

Perhaps Sebastian doesn't deserve to be a father. Not with his past. Not with the things he has learned and the things he has done.

How could hands that have taken life hold new life? It seemed wrong. Sebastian was certain his touch would taint someone so new, innocent, and pure.

MC notices that Sebastian withdraws a little bit. He goes from constantly touching her belly and talking to his child, to just straight up avoiding her and avoiding talking about the baby.

Sebastian starts working more, taking on more cases and staying longer at the office in some attempt to buy his redemption. He had become an Auror to try and make up for what he'd done, and to try and prevent others from doing the same thing he did - why not try a little harder.

MC sits him down one night when he gets back from work very late and finally coaxes him into confessing his fears. MC reminds him that she too has killed, and she asks him if that would make her a bad mother. Sebastian is appalled at the notion, insistent that MC will be an amazing mother.

MC reminds him that the past is the past - it's not possible to undo what had been done - all she and Sebastian can do is learn from their mistakes and become the best people they possibly can. Sebastian is crying. He loves MC so freaking much.

Anne is happy for Sebastian. Five years after Solomon's death, the twins had spent a long time talking and had formed a tentative relationship again. Despite a lingering rift, the two were quite close again.

Or, if Anne has passed away, Sebastian visits her grave and lets her know she's going to be an Aunt.

He visits Solomon's grave as well.

Sebastian is convinced it's a girl. MC thinks it's a boy. They're both right. It's twins.

He reads to MC's belly, and MC is amazed that the baby always seems more active whenever Sebastian does so.

Cries the first time he feels the baby kick. It embarrasses him so much, but he's just so so so happy.

He'd be so obnoxious during the pregnancy, insistent that he'll do everything and MC should just sit there and look pretty and make their child. It drives MC insane, and it takes some sharp hexes to get him to relax a little bit.

Pre-parental panics like he's a sim in the Sims 4 when MC goes into labour.

Obviously they have twins. I'll play into that cliche so hard. A boy and a girl. Sebastian has a mini crisis over this. They name the twins after Sebastian's parents and Eleazar and Miriam Fig.

As they grow, the girl looks exactly like MC just with Sebastian's eyes and freckles. The boy is literally just Sebastian. MC wants to know where the hell her genetics went - until he gets an attitude and she understands that the poor boy has her temperament.

Sebastian is literally the most fun dad. He helps the twins play pranks on their unsuspecting mother. He takes them to Quidditch games all the time. He teaches them to fly on those mini-brooms.

He continues reading to them, this is something he does well into their early adulthood. The twins find it very relaxing.

Still has his doubts. Still has his bad days. Still is uncertain every step of the way, but he tries as best as he can - and to be honest, he's a wonderfully supportive and patient father.

I'm sorry but he's the stereotypical introduces himself to any of his daughter's male friends with a threat and always asks their intentions with his daughter.

Splits discipline with MC evenly, neither of them are the good parent/bad parent. Also helps with EVERYTHING. Often takes over and tells MC to go sleep because raising twins is a lot of work.

They're such a happy little family.

#babydaddy #sebastian sallow #my headcanons #sebastian sallow x reader #I had to stop I could go on forever with this tbh #these are so much fun I really like doing these #always feel free to leave me asks :) #reni answered

[gabessquishytum]

I love warprize Hob, but I’ve been craving some reluctant Prince Consort Hob for a while now.

When Dream’s kingdom conquers Hob’s father’s lands, Dream declares that he will marry Prince Hob. Hob knows why. It’s much easier to rule a newly conquered population if they can connect the new dynasty to the old one. He’s the deposed king’s only remaining, legitimate child. He’s the only option. It makes sense.

His new husband is cold and distant. He says very little to Hob, though seems to trust him enough to sort out court disputes and give him other minor duties.

Even when he comes to Hob’s bedroom, he hardly says a word, though he’s at least considerate of Hob’s pleasure. In fact, he seems to find most pleasure in watching Hob fall apart underneath him.

Hob is resigned to spending the rest of his life in this relatively lonely and loveless existence. Doing his duty to protect what’s left of his people. And even though the sex is mind blowing, he doubts that will last. Dream will no doubt take a mistress at some point.

What Hob’s not aware of is that Dream has been head over heels for him since he first saw the Prince fight valiantly with his army against Dream’s, while Hob’s father cowered in a castle.

Dream is just really bad at letting his mask slip enough to show Hob how he feels. Against Matthew and Lucienne’s advice, he had sex with Hob on their wedding night. They had suggested Dream give Hob a chance to get to know him and his feelings, but Dream felt that if he could only give Hob enough orgasms, then surely Hob would realise how he felt without having to go through the mortifying ordeal of expressing himself.

Cue misunderstandings and a long drawn out courtship. Eventually, after a lot of mishaps they get their happily married life.

This is so good!!!! I really like the idea of them having this amazing, earth shatteringly good sex life, while absolutely just never talking or interacting properly for any other aspect of their marriage. Hob doesn't know whether to feel grateful (at least he's getting orgasms) or just straight up used. He's definitely just waiting for the day that Dream stops bothering to show up at his bedroom at all.

He gets so antsy and fed up with the whole situation that it blows up into a (unfortunately public) fight. Hob just wants to know why Dream is fucking him but not fucking talking to him! And Dream really doesn't want to have this conversation because he's convinced that his personality is so terrible, Hob will hate him if they ever properly get to know each other. Well, Hob isn't letting it slide! Right in front of the court he demands to know why he is being used as a husband, but not respected like one!

Dream turns bright red and drags Hob off to somewhere more private, and he's all "how dare you embarrass me!" And Hob is all "if you don't want me just send me away" and Dream is like "I can't do that because I LOVE YOU."

*crickets chirping*

Things are rather different after all that. Hob gets the proper courting he deserves. Dream slowly but surely opens up to his husband. They did try to temporarily suspend their bedroom activities to focus on other parts of their relationship, but that barely lasted 48 hours.

And yes, Dream does have a terrible personality, but it turns out that Hob loves him anyway!

#the sandman #dreamling #nsft

[loving-jack-kelly]

davey jacobs is sixteen years old and clutching his brother's elbow as they show up for their first day on the job. he's worried that he can't handle this, worried to set a bad example, worried that he won't be good enough and worried his family will go hungry.

these boys are different from him. they're loud and carefree, they have black eyes and dirt on their faces and holes in their shirts barely mended in much rougher stitches than davey's mama's careful fingers leave behind. they wrap their arms around each other and steal from each other and laugh and give it back, they roughhouse and curse and even the smallest of them looks like he could hold his own in a fight in a way that davey knows he couldn't.

but none of that matters, because what matters is that davey is here to feed his family, and he's here to watch out for les. what the other boys do can't get under his skin, he can't be intimidated by them and god knows he can't wish he was more like them, because he has a role to fill. and it's big brother. it's role model. it's bread winner. it's not friend or goof-off or wisecracker.

but these boys don't accept that. davey watches, helpless, while jack teaches les to tell a convincing lie. while les learns to wrestle in a way they've never been allowed at home. davey watches, helpless, while finch teaches les to pick a pocket and romeo teaches les how to be a distraction while he steals fruit from a vendor. davey watches, helpless, and tries to force himself to stick to the parts he has to play. he doesn't make up a headline because his father taught him not to lie. he doesn't steal because he believes in working for what he needs to survive. he doesn't waste time on silly games, he doesn't let them rope him into their stupid arguments, he doesn't get distracted by the easy camaraderie they seem so determined to spread to him like a disease.

davey has a role to play, and feeding his family doesn't include any of those things.

he doesn't let it bother him when jack throws an arm around his shoulder or pulls him by the tie to someplace new. he doesn't let himself think about what it means when jack laughs and davey's heart beats faster. he doesn't let himself get distracted by the way jack gets a faraway look in his eyes and starts talking about stars and the moon and dreams and plans and hopes in a way that davey has never allowed himself.

davey has a role to play, and falling in love with somebody like jack kelly has nothing to do with it.

every night, davey manages to pull les away from his new friends and brush off the dirt to make it a little less obvious to their parents how little control he has over les during the day. every night, davey dutifully hands the coins they've earned over to abba and promises to do the same tomorrow. every night, davey pretends not to ache with how badly he wishes he was the same as les, that he could come home every night with stories of friends and not just sore feet and the promise of more of the same tomorrow.

and then, davey starts a strike. he knows these boys who are so different from him a little better now. he knows that, for all the playing they do and all the happiness they seem to have, they've been jealous of him since they day they found out he had a family. jealous of the roof over his head, no matter how cramped the apartment. jealous of his shoes that don't have to be lined with old papers when it rains. he knows that for all the playing they do, they work twice as hard. he knows they don't understand why he's so stiff and serious, and that's okay, because he also knows that they deserve better and he doesn't have to understand them to want better for them and for himself, too.

davey starts and strike with jack, and the two of them stand in front of all of these boys and with jack's understanding of who they are and davey's words to describe what they want, what the deserve, from the people trying to starve them...

this is a role davey can fill. what is a big brother if not a leader? what is a leader if not a role model? davey can do this, he knows he can, and for the first time he can remember he's not resigned to be who he has to be, he's proud of it. these boys are different from him, louder and sillier and rougher, but they swallow him into their group and laugh with him, not at him, and they listen when he talks. they put les on their shoulders and promise to keep him safe and davey knows now he can trust them, so he does.

and when jack, the noble idiot, tries to leave them behind, davey holds his own. he's never been more angry in his life, angry at jack and at pulitzer and at the world that's let them be treated like this for so long, and when he starts talking the equally angry kids at the rally shut up and listen. they listen when he talks and trust him enough to let him go talk some sense into jack, and this time, when davey goes home, even though there's less food on the table than there should be and mama and sarah look worried all the time, abba looks proud. proud that his son is taking a stand and proud that his son is refusing to back down from the hardships.

and when the strike is over, davey finds, the roles he has to fill come a lot more naturally and also don't matter much at all. he's a big brother when les runs off with his friends, and he'll be a big brother when he finds him again after lunch. he's a role model when he stays after sundown at the lodging house to help a little kid learn his letters, and he'll be a role model when he kisses his mom on the cheek and gives her the money from a long day's work. he's a breadwinner when he calls out an exciting headline from a street corner, and he'll be a breadwinner when he places a lucky bet on one of race's stupid card games and gets an extra thirty cents from the pot.

he likes it better this way.

now, when davey gets to the yard in the morning, he doesn't hold tight to les's elbow. he doesn't worry so much. these boys aren't so different from him. now, he laughs when les scales the gate before it opens just to prove he can, and he laughs when jack throws an arm around his shoulders, and he laughs when finch hits him square in the nose with a balled-up scrap of yesterday's headline. now, he's learned to take and throw a punch and stands his ground when oscar and morris try to act like they own the place. now, he notices his voice getting louder and prouder when he's with these boys until he matches them completely.

now, when jack gets that faraway look in his eye, davey lets himself sigh and talk about the things he'd do, if he could ever leave. he never will, he knows, because he loves his family and he'd never leave them behind. but he lets himself imagine, like jack, just for a few minutes at a time that he could afford to get out. go to university, maybe, write a book. or write headlines of his own, chase the stories that excite him and write them for others to read.

and now, somehow, he finds himself letting himself think about the things he's avoided so completely before. somehow, he finds that it isn't so scary, the way jack laughs. when jack says, stay the night why don't you? and davey can't come up with an excuse better than the lies jack so readily supplies (say you walked too far, it was too late, we had to go to Brooklyn and you stayed the night over there, c'mon, it'll be fun) and somehow, lying doesn't seem like the end of the world anymore. somehow, it doesn't seem to scary to spend the night lying with his shoulder pressed against jack's on the rooftop, the night just cold enough that they don't want to be far apart. noise comes up from the bedrooms below them, and the city around them, but somehow this rooftop feels isolated and silent anyway.

and somehow, when jack asks, would you get out? if you could?

davey says, no. i couldn't leave you behind.

and it doesn't feel like a betrayal. he's still a big brother. still a role model. still a breadwinner.

but this time, he's also a kid in love for the first time, and somehow, he knows that's okay.

#newsies #davey jacobs #jack kelly #javid #hmm. accident but i like it so woe post be upon ye. lol

[silver-itallics]

Last Light

Warnings: canon typical violence, heavy angst, hurt no comfort, you guys will be mad at me

a/n: I was thinking about when Leigh mentioned in the saw commentary that someone wrote a monologue from Lawrence's point of view after leaving the bathroom and I wanted to write one for Adam

"I'm a liar?"

"I wouldn't lie to you."

Liar, lies. Seems like either way, Adam is getting screwed over.

He sits in the dark, dingy bathroom, his eyes still struggling to adjust. His throat is raw and aching from all the screaming and crying. Not even the hardest sex could have done that to him.

God, he's really gonna die having fucked one person.

All of his relationships were mediocre, even the platonic ones. Scott treated him like shit, the guy probably hasn't even noticed that he's gone.

Has anyone?

Lawrence is someone that would be noticed, he's got a wife and kids for fucks sake.

"I've got a family too, Lawrence! I don't talk to them anymore, that's my mistake. A mistake I'd like to fix."

One of the last things he remembers at the apartment is scribbling "Call mom?" On a crumpled post it and sticking it to the wall. The paper has probably fallen down by now. Forgotten.

Are his parents even looking for him?

Probably not. They probably haven't noticed either.

Everything that Adam does ends up screwing him in the end, just like this. But he can't really blame anyone but himself, can he? Not even $200 was worth being stuck in this bathroom. Doesn't even soften the fact that he'll probably be here forever.

The money was meant to go for his food. Not a camera, not developing fluid, not even that shiny new pokemon game Adam wanted. Food.

A necessity he barely even had.

"Why? Call it my need to eat."

He remembers snapping at Lawrence like it was the most obvious answer. But food is a luxury even Adam can't afford. The guy lives off of ramen noodles and sodas from the gas station. Sometimes he even wonders why he never gained any weight since he ate such shit.

His mom was never the greatest cook, but he'd take soggy meatloaf and unseasoned mashed potatoes any day.

At the thought, Adam's stomach rumbles. His guts ache from hunger, but he's not a stranger to it. That's usually how his day goes.

He can't even blame Jigsaw for trapping him here. But in all honesty, Adam has done so much self sabotaging, that he's probably done worse to himself than the man that left him here.

He's felt worse betrayal than when the dead man stood up, peeled the fake skin off his skull and left him here.

"Game over!"

Dead man. Adam squints in the darkness, trying to make out Zep's corpse. He's not even sure why. The first time he saw a dead body, or what he thought was one, he puked his guts out into the tub. Couldn't even keep down his latest meal.

He'll probably starve even quicker now.

The room smells like blood, and his fingers are sticky from the same substance. Not only is he a voyeur, he's a killer. Maybe his last girlfriend was right: he's too angry.

Adam isn't very good at anatomy, at least the human side of it. But he knows he broke through layers of skin and bone when he'd crushed through the hospital orderly's skull.

"It's the rules!"

Knowing now, he feels guilty. Awful, even. Guy probably had a family too, even if he was a bit of a creep. Where do you draw the line of deserving a family? What's so bad that you no longer are worthy of someone related by blood? Adam's probably the worst person to ask that.

He'd stormed out on his parents after a petty argument, an excuse to leave. One that he'd been wanting to have since he was seventeen. Somehow, he'd convinced himself that they wouldn't accept him, even if they let him drop out of high school and didn't even call the cops when he left. But was that tolerance or pure disinterest?

Maybe he's not a total waste of time, since his mom had called not long before he got his power knocked out the same way he was.

"Adam, your father's not angry anymore."

Lawrence had a home, a family. A good one, too. The pictures he saw of Diana and Alison made him crack a smile. At least before the one with them tied up. He shivers, probably both from disgust and blood loss.

His shoulder aches, oozing blood all over his shitty thrift store clothes. Adam understands why Doctor Gordon left. He has some place to go, people to welcome him home with open arms. Most places Adam went, he wasn't even noticed.

He kicks with his right foot in anger, the chain rattling as he does. The metal bites into his skin and the amount of pain he's in is just frustrating at this point. Adam screams, but his voice is raw and broken.

As much as he hopes the doctor will come back for him, at least he has half the brain to know that Lawrence probably won't make it. The man that he's had the first physical touch from in months is probably bleeding out in the sewers, and there's nothing he can do about it.

He doesn't even have a choice to cut off his foot like the doctor did. Sure, the blood loss will probably kill him, but Adam is sick of waiting around for something to happen. A job to drop, a phone call.

But he can't even do that.

The hacksaw he found in the toilet had snapped in half. A result of his ever consuming anger. Seems like everything he does leads back to that.

"I see a strange mix of someone who's angry, yet apathetic. But mostly just pathetic."

If Adam isn't angry at the world, he's angry with himself. He feels like a waste of space on the good days and a tumor on the face of the earth on the bad ones. At least with photography he felt like he had a purpose, even if it was supplying creeps and weirdos with material. He wasn't really helping anyone, was he? Even Tapp ended up dead.

But Lawrence helps people. Even if he thought the guy was initially a jerk, Adam admires him. Misses the man's blood stained hands as he cupped his cheeks.

"I wanted to be a vet."

That way, he'd benefit the world somehow. Even if he was pulling tennis balls out of dogs' throats or cleaning up puke every day. He'd much rather smell vomit, as he's getting quite sick of the coppery scent of blood.

"That's nonsense. I've seen kids with brain cancer graduate high school from a hospital bed."

"They got further than I ever did."

Adam has been pretty able bodied his whole life. While he'd consider it a nuisance that his body doesn't match up with his own view of himself, that's not a disability.

Maybe his parents wouldn't even mind, maybe they'd help him with the cost of surgery and injections. But he hadn't even told them. His parents barely know who he is. Adam barely knows himself.

"What do voyeurs see when they look in the mirror?"

Nothing. The answer is nothing.

He's like a leech, sucking the energy and luck out of everyone around him.

Now he's left to sit in his own grave- metaphorically and literally. He probably won't even have the luxury of being buried or cremated.

Hopefully someone will come around and put him out of his misery. Like a calf with two heads or a dog with rabies.

But until then, he's left to wait.

#adam faulkner stanheight #adam stanheight #chainshipping #saw 2004 #sawposting #angst #saw #writing #leigh whannell

[neuroticbookworm]

Dead Friend Forever, Tee and Redemption?

I'm caught up on Dead Friend Forever (just in time for the finale, *smirks*) and I've been mentally munching on two things since yesterday's episode: 1. Why did the show decide to dedicate so much screen time for Tee so late in its run? and 2. How has it added to what we already know about Tee from previous episodes?

Episode 11 opens with Tee delivering Non to his piece of shit uncle, where he finally realizes that his uncle is running a criminal business and no, he is not gonna gently reprimand Non and then set him free. We're then taken on this journey where Tee finally shows a shred of guilt for what he has done, after Non called him out on every shitty choice Tee made that directly led to Non being in this position. We got a short detour of his struggles with his father, him expressing interest to escape the crime world his uncle has trapped him in, that was clearly meant to elicit sympathy for Tee. But all it did was leave me feeling enraged that this pathetic excuse of a human being was only capable of facing moral conflict when *he's* the one staring down the barrel of a loaded metaphorical gun, and not a second before that. Basic human decency and empathy is nowhere to be seen.

When Non supposedly dies (there's no fucking way, I ain't buying that), Tee goes into the shortest mourning period I've ever witnessed on TV, and then immediately latches onto the first boy that shows the slightest interest in him. That was the extent of remorse he’s capable of. And a more damning evidence of how little he had truly changed his ways after playing a part in Non’s “death” is his behavior in the earlier arcs of the show. He was a petulant, aggressive and avoidant little shit whenever Non was brought up in conversation. So understandably, the choice to explore Tee and the happenings in his life after Non’s “death” in episode 11 had left me feeling angry with the way the show was clearly steering the audience towards accepting Tee’s redemption.

But, was it though? The show also places New directly opposite Tee, in conflict and in their moral drive. Tee was and is driven only by selfishness. He wanted to earn money, then save his ass, then not get implicated in murder and finally not let others dig up dirt on the murder he did help commit. New/Tan is driven by revenge. A funny thing about revenge: it is also deeply selfish. Wanting revenge implicitly means that they have already failed the person they are trying to avenge. New could've started out with the right motivations of wanting to find out what happened to his brother, but he soon got dragged into a convoluted mess of guilt, revenge, rage, depression and substance abuse. None of what he had planned on doing to the gang would help Non if he were alive. It is no longer about Non, the moment he started plotting murders is the moment his motivations morphed from finding Non to helping himself and appeasing his sense of helplessness and guilt.

The fact that Tee and New were clearly placed in direct conflict in episode 11 was so interesting to me because these two characters are seemingly on the opposite sides of this conflict, but are ultimately driven by selfishness. I hope the show focused on Tee’s backstory not to convince us that maybe he deserves redemption, but to show us how much he believes that he does. And I hope that the show will tell him, as he slowly bleeds to death, begging for mercy, that no, he actually fucking doesn't.

#can y'all smell the bloodlust on this post? #i hunger for death #the death of these bitches in particular #dead friend forever #dff #thai bl

[sun-undone]

the cinematography in the first Jiara confrontation scene in 3x04 is so fucking good and i just need to rant about it for a bit. specifically the repeated camera angle that frames Jiara through the broken porch screen.

as some very important context, the screen was broken back in 1x07 when JJ tried to give the stolen 25k to Luke to pay for his restitution. JJ and Luke got into a pretty brutal fight that ended with them crashing through the screen and JJ almost killing Luke with a wrench in pretty much the same spot that Jiara is standing during their conversation in this 3x04 scene. the ghosts of that confrontation and all that trauma from Luke in general are ever-present in this scene and inform so much of JJ's reaction throughout the scene, and i think this continued camera angle through the broken screen is clear symbolism of that.

btw the theme of every post i ever make could be "i might be reading into everything way too much" but i'd like to think that these camerawork decisions were meaningful, so i'm running with the assumption that they were

so the first time we see this angle is right after Kie tells JJ that Big John is alive:

they're both clearly happy about the news, it's the lightest part of the scene by a landslide, and yet we get this angle reminding us of JJ's broken home and family life, specifically with his own father. so even though JJ is smiling about Big John being alive and John B being reunited with him, this angle portrays maybe some internal feelings of jealousy or grief for his own situation or even a bit of foreshadowing that Big John may not be good for John B, which this episode absolutely starts to show us.

the second instance of this angle is when Kie starts to shift the conversation from Big John and the treasure to how she wanted to check on JJ:

i LOVE how they're both framed so perfectly in the open part of the screen, it really symbolizes how Kie has noticed JJ pulling back and is actively trying to show him that she's gonna be there for him no matter what. they're literally positioned together in this symbolic open wound of JJ's.

the third and fourth times that we see this angle are after JJ has pulled away from the second almost kiss with Kie and is rattling off all the reasons why they could never work out:

he even calls direct attention to the porch screen and everything that it and the house in general represents for him when he throws an empty beer can (which is also incredibly fitting) through the hole. the angle lingers throughout this portion because he feels so trapped in his history and his reputation and his trauma, and he's desperately trying to push Kie away cause he's convinced himself so deeply that he doesn't deserve the love that she's offering. the ghost of Luke calling him a worthless piece of shit (and probably countless other things throughout his life) is kind of holding him hostage here, and the angle persisting portrays that feeling of believing something for so long that it becomes the only thing you know. it’s literally and metaphorically framing his view of himself through the trauma he’s experienced. all of that baggage is always clouding the edges of his self-image, just like the porch screen is framing these shots.

as JJ goes on to ask why Kie should even care about him and his shitty situation, we continue to get the angle. he's still self-destructing as well as taking his anger out on the trash in the yard, turning his back to Kie as he insists that she doesn't (shouldn't) care about him, but she continues to bridge the gap between them, once again moving to place herself firmly inside that symbolic open wound right along with him.

the final time we get this angle is when JJ has decided to remove himself from the situation because Kie won't take his bait of trying to push her away and it's just become too much for him:

i definitely think that this reflex of his to run away from difficult conversations is an unhealthy coping mechanism caused by the abuse that he's suffered (and we've consistently seen examples of him shutting down emotional shit and self-isolating throughout the series so far). his inability to comprehend how anyone but especially Kie could love him and have a desire to help him unconditionally is also absolutely a side-effect of his trauma and abandonment issues, so it makes perfect sense for this moment to also be framed through that broken porch screen. it's reminding us exactly where this reaction comes from. if anyone watching was wondering "why is JJ acting like this??? what's his problem????" then hopefully they can realize that they've got their answer from the very composition of this shot.

this is kind of a mess, my brain has really not been working very well recently but i hope it makes some kind of sense. basically i love these shots and they make me incredibly emotional because of how weighty they are. luke wasn't in this season at all but his presence was very much felt. that is all

#jiara #obx3 #outer banks #jj maybank #kiara carrera

[marcskywalker]

merthur au/prompts I can't stop thinking about (@ fic writers)

arthur being magic positive and hiding it from merlin. I spoke more about it here and @neupulman wrote this amazing fic based on it but omg this idea lives in my head RENT FUCKING FREE and I'd love as many fics written on it as possible

merlin being cursed (or wtv) and temporarily loses his magic. He grows insanely controlling of arthur cause he feels like he can no longer protect arthur from danger if he doesn't have magic and is constantly trying is order him around. no, you're not allowed to go there, no you can't say that, no you're not allowed to accept food from him. and arthur is just ?????? tf is wrong with my best friend?? but doesn't read much into it because it's merlin and merlin's always been a little weird and bossy. merlin keeps getting into so much more trouble (cause again, his usual way of staying out of trouble is magic) so arthur's put in position to protect him more often and both of them are ???????? "why THE FUCK ARE you putting yourself in danger for me??" and "WHY ARE YOU getting into so much trouble??" until they figure out that "oh you're in love with me and can't bare to see any harm come to me" and "oh you have magic and someone already hurt you by taking it away"

Arthur meeting Merlin's family for the first time and being accepted. Idk how clear I can make this but I hate Arthur's family and how is he is treated by them (except you ygraine, you're dead and lovely) so ya someone give that boy loving affirmations

One of them is brainwashed/mind controlled/possessed and beats the shit out of the other person who refuses to fight back. I LOVE this trope. It slaps all the time. Look at destiel. Look at stucky. ALL THE TIME

another au that I've spoke about before AND I'LL SPEAK ABOUT IT AGAIN: I took that scene where Arthur says "I'll give up my crown just see her smile again" or something like that about morgana, and ran with it. There is only so many assassination attempts a brother can go through before he wilts and does another to have his sister back. In Arthur's case: he willingly hands over the throne for a chance at having a chance at his pesty, loving, older sister (I AM A YOUNGER BROTHER ARTHUR TRUTHER) look at him with something other than endless hate. what I Love about this prompt is that it could go so so many different ways. @mobycotton was lovely enough to write this amazing fic for me that I LOVED. In my head, Arthur is really shaken up by another one of Morgana's attempts at killing him. He doesn't know what's saved him and at this point he wishes whatever it is would stop. He goes down a spiral thinking of his family; the mother that he killed, the father that he let down, the uncle he betrayed and the sister he never deserved. What good could he be for Camelot when he wasn't even good enough for his flesh and blood. So he announces his truce; gives it over to morgana and leaves Camelot and everyone he knows behind. The knights and merlin have to eventually hunt him down and convince him otherwise (and he meets random people along the way who are stans of King Arthur just like me and he gets some sort of self esteem back)

Protective BAMF merlin. Basically merlin overhears someone talking shit about his prince and starts a fist fight. Arthur finds out

Mid s1 merthur where Arthur knows he's in love with Merlin and he shoves it DEEP inside, sticks to pining after his manservant like the pathetic (lovingly) puppy he is. All Merlin knows is that, for whatever reason, he would rather eat his own feet than let anything happen to Arthur. Which is why when brave, stupid arthur walks towards a stranger light source in the forest; he follows without hesitation, only to see...... arthur and himself snogging against a tree? Basically a pining, repressed prince Arthur and Merlin I don't know what this weird feeling in my tummy when I see him is Emrys accidentally walks through a portal into an alternatively universe where they know how to communicate well and have been disgustingly in love. The four of them have to work together to get Arthur and Merlin back where they belong.

Merlin makes a deal with his king cenred: for protection of his village, he will infiltrate Camelot's castle and bring them down. He just wishes someone had told him that prince charming of Camelot would make him fall in love with his pouty lips and gooey eyes. I don't know if yáll have noticed this but Arthur pouts A LOT. I can't take him seriously smh

#merthur #bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #yes I am aware some of these are more arthur centric I can't help it he lives in my head rent fucking free #merthur prompts

[charlithepuppeteer]

Httyd rant

( little talk of self harm and cursing)

TELL ME THE FUCK WHY THE FIRST THING TO SHOW REMOTE LOVE TO HICCUP IN LIKE TEN YEARS IS A FUCKING DEADLY ASS DRAGON. LIKE ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY THINGS IN THE WORLD WAS THE ONLY THING CAPABLE OF SHOWING HICCUP LOVE!?!?!?!?!

Dragons and Vikings hate each other. They are trained from a young age to kill each other. But one day the freak show of Berk manages to shoot down a Vikings worst nightmare. Then when he says he did it no one believes him.

He gets yelled at for trying to help. Also he is pushed inside a building that he was already going to really harshly in my opinion.

Finally he just wants to prove himself and no one can tell him that he is good just the way he is. He says he just wants to be like the other Vikings of Berk but isn't given reassurance. He goes in a rant saying he isn't enough for his father and he practically hates how he can't fit in and gobber says he needs to stop being himself to fit in. If your a sixteen year old trying to fit in that's traumatizing to hear.

He is also used as a punishment for the Vikings. No one wants to go on the trip but then as soon as Stoic says whoever stays behind looks after him everyone raises their hand. His own father used him as a tool.

Later when he tries to tell his father he doesn't want to fight dragons he gets forced into it. And he also always get bullied in dragon training. Astrid literally stepped on his face and yelled at his ass for trampling him. Like of you were in my way and it's all your fault that I fell on top of you and stepped on your face.

Also she gets mad that he didn't try to take the kill when he was trying to let her do it. Then later on when he starts taking the disarming manuvers she gets pissed off. She is literally unreasonable in the first movie.

Next he finally starts to get socially accepted in berk for stopping the dragons attacks with knowledge. The only person who was remotely nice to him from the start regardless was fishlegs.

Then when Astrid finds out about toothless she looks at him like she is so disgusted. Like she just saw a mother murder her kids. He takes her on the flight and then she is begging to stop. I think she deserved that.

Astrid later points out facts for hiccup and helps him in his time of biggest self conflict. If course she is one of the easiest to forgive because she looked so sad when hiccup was walking into his house. She also tries to save his life in the arena multiple times.

Then toothless comes to the rescue. He gets startled at the weapons the Vikings are holding and tries to protect hiccup. Hiccup tells him no but it's to late because he is being pounced on by lots of Vikings. He is yelling and screaming for them not to hurt toothless and to please let him go and leave him allone.

He then is dragged away by stoic and yelled at for loving the only thing to ever accept him for who he is. The only thing that brought him happiness was stripped away essentially because of him. And to top of all the he is still trying to convince stoic. Stoic yells at him says he isn't a Viking and he isn't his son.

He was literally disowned for being happy and standing up for what he believed in. And he gets shut away in a room and begging for his dad to love him again not for him not to hurt toothless.

He has to watch them leave with his only source of happiness. Then he gets an idea that is super crazy but his only chance. He had to convince the others to ride dragons and save Berk and toothless.

They ride into battle and are immediately shut down by the other berkians. Then hiccup had to try to rescue toothless. Only once do the berkians see what they're doing do they support them. And Hiccups dad finally shows he loves hiccup by saving him and toothless. He also says he's proud to call him his son. Like that makes it better.

also the people of Berk are sad when they think he might be dead. Not because they care for him though. It's because he is the heir to Berk. And because he can control a night fury and is considered powerful because of this. He is close to dying and perky are sad because the new weapon could be dead.

When he wakes up he doesn't get apologized to from all of Berk, he gets a new tail fin and the news his plan worked. Then he is accepted into society again. He doesn't get apologized to for the extreme trauma berk put him through. And also everything is supposed to be okay now because of what berk did while hiccup was conked out from his fall.

He most likely was also dealing with depression, anxiety, and possibly self harm for not being good enough for his father while going g through this shit. He does not get paid enough for his job.

#Hiccup needs a hug #hiccup haddock #hiccup and toothless #How to train your dragon #Hiccups trauma #Screw all of Berk

[mayfieldss]

Fake - Isaac Lahey | Part Seven

series masterlist!

Warnings: Angst, fluff, language, mentions of abuse.

Scott McCall knows things about his pack, he knows how they're feeling, he knows when they're hurting, and he knows Isaac isn't himself. And when it comes to Scott, he just can't stop himself from stepping in, even when he knows that he shouldn't. "Hey man, I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but maybe it will help, you know, to get it out".

Isaac turns, the Alpha now walking beside him and giving him no choice other than to participate in the conversation. "What exactly do you think I need to talk about?".

It's obvious. Isaac knows full well what Scott means and Scott knows it too. There is a part of Scott that wonders if he's crossing a line but lending a shoulder to cry on is in his nature, an unstoppable trait that he never can ignore, so, he speaks his mind. "Y/N".

Isaac can't help the small flinch that comes over him at the mention of your name. He hadn't seen you since destroying a perfectly good classroom.

"Why would I need to talk about Y/N?" in truth all Isaac wanted to talk about was you. As much as it hurt him, you were his favourite topic of conversation. Today, it would be painful, not to mention how risky it would be. Isaac was well aware that Scott could sense every lie to leave his lips, and he knew that talking about you would only lead to him pouring out feelings. His burning desire to tell you how he felt.

"Isaac, I know you two broke up, I know you guys were a thing for a really long time so I just thought-" Isaac turns then, the look in his eyes cutting Scott off mid-sentence.

"We only dated for a month" Isaac stopped at his locker and the frown on his face could burn through the metal of it.

"Come on man," Scott's voice is gentle, but it holds a heavy seriousness, "You've both loved each other for longer than that".

"She doesn't love me". Isaac can hear the roll of Scott's eyes as if they were bowling balls that just hit a strike, a groan of frustration leaving his lips.

"You know," the voice of Stiles has now interjected into the conversation and Isaac doesn't know where he came from, or why he's here, but he is. "For a werewolf, you really waste those good old superhuman abilities".

The Stilinski is now leaning up against the locker beside Isaac's, one hand gripping the strap of his backpack. "Can't you like, smell emotions and shit?". As usual, Stiles waves his free hand around as he speaks, and Isaac resists the urge to snap his fingers.

"Right now, I smell an arrogant son of a bitch" Isaac tries for a smile as he slams his locker, earning looks from a few passers-by. Scott gives Stiles a warning look that Isaac just manages to catch.

"Look, all I'm saying is I'm a regular guy and I can sense the way she feels about you. I mean she looks at you like you're prince charming. Personally, I don't see it but-"

Isaac has stopped listening now, thinking about all the times you've looked at him over the years. Nothing stood out to him, you'd always looked at him the same, even when your fake relationship began.

Stiles is still rambling on, and Isaac cuts him off "We've always been better as friends" Isaac is trying to convince himself more than he is the two boys in front of him, but Stiles' response doesn't help.

"I think you've always been more than that".

-

The moment you'd shared with Isaac in that classroom flooded your mind to the point of drowning all other thoughts, specifically the part in which you'd almost confessed everything. Isaac was happier with Allison—at least he would be once he got up the guts to ask her out—and you, were happier with him.

It was no secret that Isaac hadn't been dealt the best cards in life, his father never offering anything in the way of love and his mother long past gone. He deserved happiness and a relationship that kept his heart full of everything he had never been given. You couldn't stand in the way of that happiness, and if you did what did that make you? Did that make you just as bad as those who had hurt Isaac before?

You'd told Isaac that you just wanted him to be happy, and that much was true, but everything you hadn't told him had threatened to spill that day too. You had been seconds from screaming your feelings into the air of that classroom, spilling your heart onto the floor for Isaac to interpret.

It had also begun to sink in after you'd promised Isaac that you could stay friends, that that might not be the case. If Isaac became Allison's boyfriend, there was no way she would be comfortable with his supposed ex coming around to watch the new episode of the bachelor, no matter how nice Allison was.

Even though you had never really dated Isaac, you knew it would be disrespectful to Allison to spend as much time with him as you used to. It was dawning on you now just how much of the plan you and Isaac hadn't thought through. You hadn't intended for it to ruin your friendship, but somehow it had torn you both apart, and a piece of you knew it could never go back to how it was.

There would be no more late-night phone calls or movie nights that ran into the early morning, just you and Isaac huddled up and staring at a laptop screen, surrounded by your many pillows and stuffed animals. There would be no piggyback rides to class and passing of notes that contained little drawings of your math teacher. There would be no you and Isaac.

-

As the lunch bell rang Isaac found himself walking to the library, hoping more than anything that you would be there, waiting for him. When he got there, you were nowhere in sight.

It settled on Isaac then, the truth of his situation. You were always in the library on Tuesdays, and the fact that you weren't seated at a table with your notes spread in front of you only cemented the fact that you were avoiding him.

It's then that Isaac's phone rings, the buzzing making a few studying students turn to him with scowls on their faces, fingers pressed to their lips.

Isaac goes to answer the call, but when he looks at the screen his heart stops. It's you calling him, a picture of you and Isaac laughing filling his screen as your name flashes across it. There is a loud 'shhh' from someone across the library and that is what brings Isaac to finally answer the call.

"Where are you?" Isaac can't stop himself. He knows you're avoiding him and feels pathetic for asking, knowing you'll never give him the answer.

"Stop looking for me, Isaac". Your voice seems to echo, and it's then that Isaac realizes you're in the same room as him. He can hear you breathing, speaking to him, behind one of the shelves and out of sight. If Stiles were here, he might applaud Isaac for putting to use his supernatural abilities.

"I'll stop looking for you if you stop hiding from me" Isaac takes a few steps into the library trying not to seem suspicious to your eyes, which are most likely watching him through a stack of books.

"I'm not hiding from you" Isaac can hear your heartbeat jump from across the room, the familiar beat of it just a little faster as you lie through your teeth.

"You are hiding from me" Isaac is whispering, trying not to anger any more studying students with his presence. You're doing the same, though Isaac suspects for different reasons.

"I am avoiding you, there is a difference" Isaac takes the phone away from his ear as you speak, turning to look down an aisle of shelves. You've got your back to him, oblivious to the fact you're within steps of each other.

"It really looks like you're hiding from me".

You spin around on your heel, banging into a shelf as you do and knocking books to the floor. "Isaac, what the fuck?".

"Hey," Isaac raises his hands in surrender, "that wasn't my fault, you walked into the bookshelf, not me".

Even so, Isaac moves forward, helping you to gather the books and rearrange them on the shelves. The last thing the both of you need is an angry librarian chasing you down.

"Isaac, I told you, if you're going to date Allison we can't be seen together".

"Nothing is going on between me and Allison" Isaac grabs your hand now as if he can convince you that he doesn't want anyone else with the touch.

"You went home with her after the game Isaac!" Your words were spoken louder than anything should be in a library, and Isaac watches you shrink back into the shelves in embarrassment, letting go of his hand.

"I didn't go home with her Y/N" Isaac's voice is a harsh whisper as he steps forward to meet you.

"Well, where did you go?" You don't sound jealous, just genuinely curious, the tone of a friend inquiring about her friend’s love life. Isaac hates that. He would love a hint of jealously to grace your lips, so he knows that what he feels isn't one-sided. So, he can believe the ever-present words of Stiles Stilinski running through his mind.

"We went to the movies, me and Allison" Isaac hates himself for saying it and he doesn't know why. Maybe it's the silent 'oh' that leaves your lips or the way you smile at him with your next words. "Isaac, she's into you. Soon you two will be the couple Beacon hills is raving about, don't give up on the plan".

The atmosphere seems to shift, the annoyance you held at the beginning of the conversation now faded into small smiles and nods that make no sense to Isaac. He wants you to shout at him, do anything to show him that you care whom he dates, that you want him just as much as he does you. But you don't, you just smile.

"Isaac, you're gonna ruin your chances by hanging around with me" You swat him on the shoulder "Go find your girl". You move past him, bag swung over your shoulder and phone in hand. Isaac thinks over grabbing your arm, pulling you back, kissing you so you understand that you're the girl he spent so long trying to find. But something holds him back. Maybe it's fear that Stiles and Scott are wrong, that you only see him as a friend, a very close friend. Or maybe it's the voice of his father, telling him everything he will never be to a person like you. Either way, he finds himself watching you go, before walking in the opposite direction, avoiding the urge to scream.

-

You run into Stiles on your way out of the library. He's wearing the usual, plaid shirt, jeans, and a t-shirt that sports a joke you don't understand. "Hey, Y/N" He nods to you as he speaks, changing direction to walk beside you down the hall.

"Stiles" You smile at him before pointing behind you, unable to stop a frown from forming "Weren't you going that way?".

The boy shrugs, bottom lip sticking out as he walks by your side, "I don't really have anywhere to be". You laugh, though say nothing and Stiles takes this as an invitation to talk.

"So, have you and Isaac made up yet?" The question is innocent, and he seems genuinely interested in the answer for his knowledge rather than anyone else's.

"No, Stiles we haven't, and I don't think we will" Your heart stings with the words, thoughts of your lost friendship with Isaac plaguing your heart. There are memories there too, of his lips on yours, the date on the school field, and the parts of your fake relationship that didn't seem so play pretend.

"Oh, come on. You two are like Disney perfection" Stiles throws his head back as he walks, and you pull him to the side to stop the boy from colliding with a passing student.

"We were not Disney perfection" You press on the past tense of the sentence, trying to get it through to Stiles that you and Isaac are no longer an item, that you never will be again.

"You two were like Rapunzel and that criminal guy" Stiles is throwing his hands about, an unnessacary accessory to his words, though, he does it anyway.

"Eugene Fitzherbert?" You raise an eyebrow as you round a corner in the direction of your English class, hoping you can soon escape the Stilinski.

"Who the hell is that?".

"The thief that Rapunzel loves".

Stiles considers this for a moment, shaking his head in disbelief "No he had a cooler name than that".

You can't stop the exasperated sigh that leaves your lips, the boy beside you catching you at the wrong time on the wrong day. All you wanted was to get through your classes and be free to wallow in your losses in the safety of your bed, once home. "He had the alias of Flynn Rider if that's what you mean, but his real name was Eugene Fitzherbert and he fell in love with Rapunzel". Your words come fast, wanting the conversation to end more than anything, Stiles turning to frown at you, a hint of judgment in his eyes.

"Do you have all the details of that movie memorized?".

"No, everyone knows the story of Rapunzel" You glance his way, sending his look of judgment right back "Except you obviously".

Stiles raises his hands, backpack slipping off one shoulder "Hey, I'm not the odd one out here, you're the girl who remembered a name like Eugene Fitzherbert".

You point at him, a fake laugh escaping you "You just remembered it too so now your point is invalid".

"I only because you just said it!" His voice trails off as you head into the classroom, only a few students situated inside in wait for the teacher. Stiles sticks his head into the class as you sit down, making a love heart with his hands "Eugene and Rapunzel, Y/N" You raise your middle finger in his direction, trying to avoid the stares of those in the class along with you as Stiles continues. "They are one of the most stable Disney couples out there, you and Isaac are made for each other".

You look up at him, his head still poking round the door with a smile "Fuck off Stiles".

He frowns at your harshness and disappears, though you can hear him shout to you from down the hallway as he leaves "Don't give up on your Eugene, princess!".

You roll your eyes once more as you pull your books from your bag, though there is a smile hanging off your lips at his words.

-

TEEN WOLF GENERAL: @arignipanja574

ISAAC LAHEY TAGLIST: @noonesheren @lselnerys @anonymouslyheresblog @anitdot

GENERAL TAGLIST: @heliads @candywh0r3 @caplanreads

#isaac lahey fanfiction #isaac lahey #isaac lahey x reader #isaac lahey x y/n #isaac lahey fanfic #isaac lahey fluff #isaac lahey fic #isaac lahey angst #isaac lahey teen wolf #Isaac lahey series #Isaac lahey imagine #isaac lahey imagines #isaac lahey one shot #isaac lahey one-shot #isaac lahey oneshots #isaac lahey one-shots #isaac lahey x femreader #isaac lahey x reader insert #isaac lahey x female reader #teen wolf fanfiction #teen wolf x reader #teen wolf isaac lahey #isaac lahey story #teen wolf fanfic #teen wolf fic #teen wolf imagine #teen wolf imagines #isaac lahey drabble #isaac lahey headcannons #isaac lahey drabbles

[i-guess-im-into-this-now]

The Apothecary Diaries

S1Ep2 First watch

Review with spoilers for episode 2 under the cut.

(Which is mostly me ripping into Jinshi.)

Jinshi. My man. I'm both exasperated and excited to see you try your plan to seduce Maomao.

I saw it in episode 1 when you easily maneuvered Maomao into exposing herself and confessing, so I knew you were somewhat crafty. Also, this being a palace intrigue story, I do expect some shady stuff. Even so, I was hoping you would be upfront and honest with Maomao. She was forthcoming with her background, skills, and why she stepped forward to help the sick infants (I'm of the opinion she may have additional secrets that she has not yet revealed, but even so), and yet Jinshi is planning on using dishonest methods to try and control her.

He's a handsome man in power, he's probably used to being able to influence women with seduction. However, I think this plan is likely to fail. Maomao nearly spontaneously combusted when someone joked about her becoming a courtesan, so I'm guessing his flirting will either fluster her in a way that doesn't seduce her or she will find it bafflingly or dishonest and do her best to ignore it. I'm here for anything, whatever goes down I know it's going to be entertaining.

I just met Maomao last episode and I already know seduction is the wrong method to use with her. He would find more success by appealing to her sense of responsibility, justice, or even just her curiosity. He's too smart. I predict that he'll figure this out sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, I hope this seduction plan backfires terribly for him. I want him to end up seducing himself and for Maomao to gain that power over him, where Jinshi hoped to take it from her. I want him to suffer in his desire for her, and eventually I want Maomao to return his affection, but not until he gets what he deserves for trying to manipulate her.

Oh! Okay, I didn't guess that. She's grossed out by him. Maybe I've read this all wrong. *Me rethinking everything. Trying to see earlier scenes in new shades* I'm not convinced she won't like him eventually, but if she is repulsed by men it would explain a few things....

Oh no! Or if she has sexual trauma! That would explain things as well. Ahhh! I hope not! This show won't go that dark will it? *Remembers human trafficking and infant death in the first episode*

At first glance the other ladies in waiting seem nice enough. They are fast to fill in gaps with their own assumptions and immediately gossip about it, so Maomao will want to watch that, but they at least seem compassionate.

Once again we are reminded of Maomaos self harm tendencies with her experiments on herself. In a flashback her father simply laughed and said "that's my little mad scientist." I wonder if she's ever had someone looking out for her that truly cared about her well being? She seems very self sufficient but Maomao deserves to have someone who makes her feel safe and cared for, especially since she's not protecting herself.

For fucks sake Jinshi! Once again he is setting up tests for Maomao without her even knowing she's being tested. In this case he had the food presented in ceramic bowls rather than the more useful silver to see if she would mention it. She did, once again proving her reliability and knowledge.

Princess Peach (I haven't learned this lady-in-waitings name yet but her hair piece looks like PPs crown so I'm going with that for now): If you had spoken up earlier and told someone you were literate, you would have received higher wages.

Maomao: I was kidnapped and brought here against my will. And taking into account that part of my earnings get sent back to the people who stole me, I wasn't exactly eager to.

PP: Basically, you would rather take less pay if it means not supplying the scoundrels who took you with extra drinking money?

This exchange is interesting to me and I think could be seen a couple of ways. On the one hand it could be seen that Maomao would rather suffer herself to ensure that her enemies also suffer than to allow herself to prosper if it means her enemies could also prosper. It could be seen as an act of malice at her own expense. Which... it is. But, that view doesn't account for Maomao's feelings about it which I'm guessing are more self-sacrificing. She would gladly forsake better pay because it's the right thing to do. Evil should not be allowed to prosper and it certainly won't do so with Maomao's help. She'd pick her own suffering every time to prevent injustice.

Goddammit Jinshi! Did he knowingly give Maomao food with an aphrodisiac in it?! What an asshole. He plays so dirty. Thank goodness Maomao is too skilled to fall for that, and now she's on to him.

And Maomao casually solves another mystery, with minimal evidence. She's way too good at this. It could become a problem if she solves an actual crime instead of the two accidental poisonings that she's done up to now. We know someone has tried to poison the concubine twice already so there is someone nafarious in the palace to watch out for. Depending on who it is, if Maomao exposes their crimes, they will probably come for her too.

Jinshi, you bastard! He knows his flirting isn't working, and she easily avoided being secretly dosed with an aphrodisiac, but ask her to make one herself? Well shit, he can get her to dose herself.

Okay so the emperor deliberately placed Jinshi in the back palace to test his concubine's loyalty, but I've got no time to dwell on that because HOLY SHIT! Does Jinshi have a degradation kink! I love that for him!

Meanwhile, Maomao's kink is apothecary ingredients. Lol! She's too funny!

Maomao. Just what am I supposed to believe here. You act disgusted by Jinshi's attempts at seduction but then you think stuff like this:

If he were to come on to someone, blushing and with those looks, it's over.

I'm sure it would be enough to captivate anyone. Male or female.

Moving forward we get this ominous exchange from the concubine and princess Peach:

PP: so the new girl is capable of making drugs.

Concubine: what a beneficial skill.

Does Maomao even realize what it means that she can identify poisons and make them? In a harem setting?! She'll be suspect #1 if anyone gets poisoned, especially considering she's a commoner of low position, meaning she's expendable. Plus, people will be trying to manipulate her into using her skills for their machinations (*cough* Jinshi *cough*). I feel like this story is in the calm before the storm.

There are so many dangers around Maomao and she's so completely alone. She's got her knowledge, skills, and wit but she is so outnumbered and outmatched. I hope she will find a powerful or useful ally.

Fucking Jinshi! This dude's out here stroking her hair, kissing her neck, and whispering in her ear?! Maomao has given no indication that she would welcome his advances, but of course he doesn't care about that. He's out to seduce her. Dick. Joke's on him though, he's going to pay for stealing that chocolate from her. If for no other reason than he'll be left wanting more. Hmmm. That's probably a metaphor.

Actually, now that I've said that, I think that might be right. Jinshi is trying to his best to distract Maomao while stealing the fruits of her labor. Both literally in this scene as well as more generally in all of their interactions. Jinshi has been delighted as Maomao has risen to every challenge and passed every test. Unlike other women in the palace, Maomao doesn't swoon with a sultry look, she resists that, even if she isn't completely immune. He's intrigued already. And he'll be wanting more. I can only hope Maomao keeps him at a distance for awhile. At least long enough for him to really get to know her, understand and learn to respect her.

Her response to Jinshi this time was notably different from before when he flirted with her. This time he didn't use his looks (she couldn't even see him), or any flirty comments. Instead he gently brushed her braid aside and kissed the back of her neck then whispered his appreciation to her. I am once again curious about her past. Did she have anyone in her life to offer her physical affection? Also, thanking her and acknowledging her hard won skills? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's going to work on Maomao. So if Jinshi has a degradation kink then maybe Maomao has a praise kink. That should be fun for them.

But also, why did Jinshi want Maomao to make an aphrodisiac? Was it just for the concubines to use with the emperor?

Now that I've gotten to the end of the episode I've got to go back and ponder about the emperor sending Jinshi specifically to the back palace. Jinshi and his servant are chatting about an incident when a concubine invited Jinshi to her room and Jinshi describes the incident as

an indiscretion we cannot abide.

And I wonder who he means by "we." We as in the back palace? The empire? The harem hierarchy? The imperial family?

Then the servant states a little indignantly:

But to place you in the rear palace, and using your beauty as a means to test their true character...

Why so indignant on the behalf of the rear palace manger? He's got a high position. Power. Respect. By most metrics he's doing great and his placement in the rear palace should be seen as an honor. It would only be seen as an indignation if one were coming from an even higher position. And what's higher than the emperor's harem?

To which Jinshi laughs and responds:

Our emperor can be quite cunning. We all use whatever we're given.

What would be cunning about sending a handsome palace official to the harem to test their loyalty? Seems like a reasonable request. It's the emperor's perogative to appoint his officials as he sees fit. To use what he's been given. Is there some reason it is remarkable to send Jinshi specifically to the rear palace?

Then to what seems like a non sequitur (but isn't!) Jinshi starts talking, fondly, about how Maomao gave him a death glare.

I've never had anyone look at me so harshly in my life!

Really? Never? No one has ever glared at you? How novel... for a prince. I guessed that last episode with zero evidence just based on a twist I'd like to see, but I'm a lot more confident about it after this exchange.

It is also the link that explains how the conversation jumped from how unusual it is that the emperor sent Jinshi to the rear palace to his delightful experience of being glared at.

Jinshi being a prince also adds color to some of his behavior. His expectation that women will fall for his flirtations, his entitlement, sense of privilege, not to mention the deference he receives.

I'm so intrigued by this story. These characters are 💋🤌

If you liked this, you might like my review for episode 1.

Episode 1 review

Episode 3

#maomao #jinshi #the apothecary diaries #apothecary diaries #jinmao

[thornpixie]

Rewatching xo Kitty knowing the outcome, and I'm more convinced than ever that Dae deserved far better

Be warned, it’s a long one

That boy went through so fucking much. He TRIED to tell Kitty what was going on. He really tried.

He only got involved in the fake relationship thing with Yuri because he was at risk of being kicked out of school. His girlfriend lived on the other side of the world, as far as he knew, and the relationship with Yuri wasn't real. He is a teenage boy; he probably thought no one would get hurt. Yes, he was wrong to presume that. This isn’t a ‘Dae is perfect’ post. He isn’t. That’s what makes him so likeable to me. But he said himself - he only agreed it with Yuri four hours before he saw Kitty at the welcome party. He was completely blindsided by her, and STILL one of the first things he said to her was 'I need to tell you something'. HE TRIED TO TELL HER! But Yuri cut in. He cared about Kitty, but this was his future, and I completely understand why he went along with it. Given the chance to explain - which Yuri promised him he could do the following day - he knew Kitty enough to know she would understand. But he couldn't risk his future. One night wasn't worth getting kicked out of school for. Kitty completely blindsided him showing up out of the blue, and he was put on the spot. But this was his life. His education. His entire future.

It sucks that Kitty got hurt, but she was the one who flew across the world without telling him. Dae had to do what was best for him and his family, which was accepting Yuri's financial aid. Even after that, he tried to explain to her again. She refused to talk to him. And I get it, I really do. Again, these characters are teenagers and acting emotionally. Kitty was understandably furious and hurt. But Dae did not get the opportunity to explain then either. He tried again the next day, but there were bigger, far more powerful people involved, pulling the strings and manipulating him. This isn’t a grown man who should know better. This is a SIXTEEN YEAR OLD BOY! He is going through a lot. His mom has recently died. His family is brassic. His sister is being bullied, made worse by the fact her shoes are falling apart so everyone knows the family is poor, and you could see how upset Dae was that he couldn't help by getting her new shoes. He is at risk of getting kicked out of school because he can't afford the tuition. It seems obvious to me that his father is not coping well, and Dae is forced to step up and be there for his sister. At the same time, he is trying to be there for Kitty who, yes, has lost her mom, but she has no idea of the other struggles Dae faces. Should he have respected her enough to confide in her about his family situation? Probably. But I understand him making bad decisions as a teenager.

So someone comes along and offers to make all that stress go away. They're going to pay some of his school fees! And all he has to do is pretend to be in a relationship with them. Who wouldn't accept that offer? Then he is told to sign an NDA. Again, he is sixteen. He hasn't got a lawyer who can explain the implications to him. All he knows is he is getting a job and a salary and security for his family out of this deal where he just has to pretend to date a girl. The reality of it doesn't hit him until Yuri reminds him that he cannot tell Kitty about anything because now he has signed an NDA and will be sued. Everything he has been offered, all the great things for his family, are at risk of disappearing if he tells Kitty the truth. And at first he's going to do it anyway. He loves this girl, he trusts her, and he would do it to be with her... until Kitty herself proves she can't be trusted. She spilled the secret about Min Ho. At that point, he does the right thing for everyone involved. He literally cannot be with Kitty and tell her the truth without potentially getting himself SUED. He might love her, but they are teenagers. No high school romance is worth that risk, I don't care what anyone says. So he ends the relationship rather than string her along. And you can see it kills him to do it (big up Minyeong Choi's acting), but it is best for everyone involved. And tbf, he has little choice. His dad could lose his job too, and that is not worth it. It's just not. He doesn't have the luxury of acting out against his parents, like Yuri, and knowing she'll still never have to worry about a thing. He doesn't have the luxury of being able to do whatever the hell he wants, like Min Ho. He has a loving and supportive family unit in his father and sister, but everything they have is at risk. And he can fix it. He can make their lives easier by breaking his own heart. It is a selfless thing that he does.

I don't blame Kitty for her reactions. Again, she is a teenager, and she has an amazing family, a supportive step mom, financial security... ultimately, Kitty is a little spoiled by that. It's understandable. But she creates a lot of problems for herself with her lack of life experience. She needs to grow up a little bit, realise she doesn't know and understand everything, and give people a chance.

Min Ho was never really Dae's friend. He is a spoiled brat. He missed hanging out with him so he decides to throw his toys out the pram and be a jerk, just to have Dae back? That’s not teenager behaviour, that’s toddler behaviour. Okay, is he sweet to Kitty at times? Undoubtedly. I think he genuinely does grow to care about her. It doesn't make him any less of an asshole though. He could see how much his supposed 'best friend' was hurting, and he actively stirred the pot between him and Kitty, for his own agenda. Calling Yuri to tell her about the outdoors club. Insisting that Kitty was flirting with him. Pushing the 'Portland stalker' narrative. Telling Professor Lee about the dorm situation. Trying to make her get mad at Dae again when the truth came out and they got back together. GOING BEHIND HIS 'BEST FRIENDS' BACK AND TELLING THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE THAT HE WAS ALSO IN LOVE WITH HER AND BEING HAPPY SHE BROKE UP WITH HIM. He is an awful friend to Dae. And I'm not saying Dae is perfect, and there are definitely things he could have done better. But Min Ho is a spoiled, pretentious asshole who really doesn't care about anyone but himself and I hope Kitty doesn't develop feelings for him in return. He is used to getting everything he ever wanted, with no consequences (none that he cared about, anyway) and it’s boring. Kitty has shown zero romantic interest in him. Long may that continue.

Ultimately, Q is the only true friend that Dae has. I hope they will maintain that in season 2 by having him come clean about Florian. Otherwise, everything Dae has gone through for his family will be for nothing because he loses his room and board scholarship. I think Q has a strong sense of right and wrong, and a good moral compass, so regardless of his feelings for Florian, he will do the right thing. At least, I truly hope so.

Kitty and Dae need some time apart. They met when they were like twelve? And have been online dating ever since. They’ve never looked at anyone but each other romantically, and their entire being has been tied to this person who they couldn’t physically be with. That takes a toll. They need time apart to figure themselves out. Kitty, to explore her sexuality, and Dae to just get his life back on track. I truly believe that, in time, they could grow back together. I don’t think they can survive without each other. They’re too interwoven.

Anyway, a parting thought - JUSTICE. FOR. DAE.

#xo kitty #dae x kitty #kitty x dae #xo Kitty Dae #Minyeong Choi #anna cathcart

[emeraldspiral]

Listen, I fundamentally disagree with the "Dib is an incel" take.

Dib's problem is not that he's so egotistical he thinks he deserves everyone's respect, it's that he overvalues the opinions of others and allows their lack of respect to influence how he feels about himself. He knows he's right, but he's constantly being gaslit into questioning whether he really is crazy when the overwhelming majority of people can't see what he sees, especially someone like his father who appears to be otherwise intelligent. He assumes in more good faith than they deserve that the people around him are reasonably intelligent enough that it must somehow be his fault if he isn't getting through to them. He must not be arguing well enough or providing sufficient evidence. He's convinced he has to work his ass off for their approval, rather than brushing them off as idiots. Probably because his father is in agreement with all of them, and his father surely can't be an idiot, because he's the parent and Dib's the child and when you're that age the parent is always right because they are your god.

Dib is not an incel, he's not even a "Pick Me". He's the person who dedicates way too much time to arguing over bad takes on the internet because his self-esteem is so low that even the opinions of random assclowns who should mean nothing to him have influence over how he feels about himself.

Zim on the other hand, has some pretty overt incel moments. Like, he outright says at the end of the Virooz arc "I'm amazing and anybody who doesn't see that is just too stupid to realize it". He is oblivious to his flaws and can't understand why anyone would not like him or punish him or not give him what he thinks he deserves. His approach to trying to obtain a best friend is acting like he's a prize to be won and anybody who doesn't want to jump through hoops for him is unworthy anyway. He cannot comprehend why being related to him wouldn't be Dib's ultimate fantasy that he'd never want to leave. He thinks if the Tallest don't want to come see him, they're wrong, so he should hijack their ship or teleport the earth into their path and force them to come and be impressed by him.

Dib can't reconcile with the feedback from everyone else telling him he's wrong, so he can't help but believe on some level that he is wrong and they're right. Zim just convinces himself that he's right and everyone else is wrong.

If we were actually talking about romantic and sexual unfulfillment, Dib would not be on message boards complaining that Chads are stealing all the Stacys who are too shallow to give him a chance. At worst, he might respond to a rejection by trying to figure out what the person's reservations were and work to address them in order to convince that person to give him a chance. He'd probably either try to change to be what he thinks that person wants a la Mopiness of Doom or he'd be himself, but still bend over backwards trying to impress someone who doesn't even care about or deserve him.

Zim is already a nightmare even without the ability to feel romantic or sexual desire. If you rejected him, he would either go on a public rant about how ugly you are and how you should've been honored that someone like him would even consider you, or blow up your home planet.

#invader zim #dib #dib membrane #zim #is a space incel