🖤Shadow🖤

The mirror replied "To whom?"

"The miller who made the flour for my bread," the queen would say, or "Whoever spun the thread my shawl was made of".

The second time, she says "To the King," and she is pleased to see herself once more.

The third time, she says "To the Royal Advisor," and is once more satisfied to see herself.

The fourth time, she says "To the scribe who takes the King's letters." She is shown the man's wife. And she seethes, but quiets herself, for it is only right that a man loves his wife.

The fifth time, she says "To the Court Wizard," and is shown the man's departed mother as he remembers her from his youth, radiant and smiling and warm and larger than life.

The tenth time, she says "To the Stable Master," and is shown the fastest horse in the stable, majestic and free as the wind even in captivity

"To the baker," she is shown the man's daughter, young and adorable and full of joy and laughter.

"To the artist who did my portrait," she is shown a painting of a woman done by the man's teacher, who he still looks up to now that he is well established himself.

"To the Royal Knight," she is surprised but not displeased to see the castle's entire guard force in the middle of doing drills.

The one hundredth time she asks the mirror, and it asks her "to whom?" she once again says, "To me." And she does the same the one hundred and second, and again and again and again.

the hand bones connected to the hand bone

the hand bones connected to the hand bone

"He's right!" A voice echoes from the back of the crowd.

colour??? in my shitty doodles? more likely than you think

YES he is aroace just like me fr

YES he is in a platonic and/or romantic polycule with rocky and adrian

YES he is in a vaguely monster-fuckery relationship with simon iron lung

No. No no no.

I want more "could you give me a freakin' minute" snarky crashout Ryland vs. "if you leave I will start Experiencing The Horrors but I'm also going to crashout if you go too near me" complicated Simon.

I want more Ryland being boisterous, who's really good at taking charge. The guy FLAUNTS being "Doctor-Captain Ryland Grace" to Stratt. He WENT FISHING in a PLANET'S ATMOSPHERE WHILE EVERYTHING WAS ON FIRE. HE GOT HIMSELF FIRED BECAUSE HE POPPED OFF AT THE MOUTH. HE HAS AN EGO. GIVE IT TO HIM.

I want more Simon, who had his ego beat the fuck out of him, and is actively learning to try and gain that back again, because he used to be a prick on Eden, and now he's scared he'll turn back into that monster if he lets his self control go. Scared something Bad Will Happen either to him or because of him. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]

WHERE IS SOFTSPOKEN POLITE SIMON WITH A TERRIBLE PAST AND ROWDY VODKA-SLAMMING-IN-SUNGLASSES USED-TO-BE-A-PRICK GRACE WITH A SOMEWHAT NORMAL BACKGROUND ??? The background-not-matching-the-personality trope is RIGHT THERE guys.

I want more Simon who thinks Ryland is a delusional liar vs. Ryland who can clearly see the signs of psychosis in Simon, and he might just be right. (I love you, Losing Streak by AO3 user rosysoleil)

I want Simon who has been trained to body pain and yet still fucking cries like a bitch (because he was, and he does). Simon is NOT stoic. HE IS NOT. Simon's got a pokerface and it's terrible.

I want more meet-ugly Punch Your Lights Out While Squealing Like A Bitch Ryland Grace vs. K.O.'d By A Whimpy White Guy Simon, who's more apologetic about the incident than Ryland is.

LOOK AT RYLAND'S ARM. LOOK. DUDE HAS A SLEEPER BUILD. It might be an accident (or totally justified self-defense) but, as stated by @anne-jordan in this post, Ryland "It's been a while since I've taken pills from strangers" Grace would be swinging back.

I want more BITCH FOR BITCH Simon and Rocky who think arguing with each other is fun, because Simon's sense of humor involves being mean (being rowdy with the boys on Eden was common) and Rocky is so with it.

I want more "sexuality crisis" Ryland Grace who thought he was straight vs. "dude labels went out of style like 230 years ago" True Neutral Future-Man Simon. SIMON'S THE CHILL ONE. SIMON DON'T GAF

I want more "forced proximity doesn't mean we have to fuck" stories!!! Turn that trope on its head!!!

I want more sexually complicated/aromantic-but-sex-positive Simon that ISN'T because of his trauma!!! Maybe he's just Like That, and that's okay!

Also, hey guys, guess what? Simon can just be a straight dude. These can just be straight dudes. Best buds. Guys. Healthy male friendships. HEALTHY MALE FRIENDSHIPS. It doesn't have to be yaoi all the time.

Give me variation. Give me underused dynamics. Challenge fandom with your writing. I dare you. I DARE YOU.

Does anyone hear me. Is this mic on??