#zero sum game

[starseekerstar]

AHHHHHHHHH

Izuku only wanted to be a hero because of all might and he only liked all might because of katsuki-AHHHHSHHS

This fic is making me feel all the feelsjdjdhd its sooo good

http://archiveofourown.org/works/32263660.

[the-obnoxious-sibling]

where's that post about how embarrassing it is to realize that you're getting obsessed with a character that's exactly your type?

eta: here

[cdr2002]

Follow @starfleet-library if you want someone who’s really making this their thing, but I’m gonna drop some trek book reviews as I read through the collection I’ve amassed and if I remember. Hopefully this will be more consistent than my Voyager episode reviews on my BlueSky lmao

Currently reading through “Typhon Pact - Zero Sun Game”. Enjoying it so far!

Spoilers ahead:

Mack brings to life a really awesome full agency realized version of Sarina Douglas, Bashir is just right for my tastes and his capacity got self reflection shows his growth in and after the series, and my girl Ezri looking adjusted to that worm at last; confident, daring, decisive, and clever, oh captain my captain how far you’ve come. And she never becomes Short Jadzia, she always feels like Ezri.

The Typhon Pact are a fascinating concept for a villain alliance in Star Trek, taking the ever popular Romulans and aligning them with a cadre of more underused antagonist races and those rogue elements that get left behind as the Federation (now with Bajor!), Klingons, Ferengi, and Cardassians become all friendly after the Dominon War. The Breen taking on industrial responsibilities in this partnership feels right for them. Thot Keer is perfectly captured as a tired foreman trying to get a job done and not giving a damn about these politics no matter how much the Romulan and Gorn representatives want to bother him. All of the worldbuilding for the Breen as well is excellently done and the idea that a multitude of species are hiding under those masks (I imagine including the alpha canon Breen from Discovery) is super interesting.

The baby Breen in a little baby helmet fucking took me out though oh my god I burst out laughing they put the Breen mask on the baby oh my god lmao.

On page 126 so we’ll see how things develop further, enjoying how this is is developing so far.

My current plan after this one is to read through the duology of Warpath and The Soul Key because Taran’atar seems like a fascinating character and I love Ro and Kira working together and I’m a big mirror universe girlie who ships Mirror Ezri/Mirror Leeta hard and likes seeing my Rebellion homies in general. I will try to forgive them for killing off the Intendant to prop up prime Illania Ghemor. Then after that either Wrath of the Prophets or the SCE reunion under the guise of a TNG novel “Indistinguishable From Magic”, a major favorite of my beloved girlfriend @laneleeta

After that probably the Cold Equations trilogy then the remaining Typhon Pact books I own. And then who knows! I’ve acquired quite a few of these now. Hope this will be fun

[auberylis]

Someone bought a module from me, and while assembling it, my 6 years old simple soldering iron (held by duct tape for 2 years) fell apart... so i finally treated myself to a nice soldering station, spending all the module money i got :D

[thedivinemissema]

[wafultheawful]

“I think you look good as a short person.” She laughed with soft delight.

Moira snorted, “I look good regardless."

[crimsondinnerparty]

Hannigram: The Ultimate Zero-Sum Game

If there’s one thing *Hannibal* nails perfectly, it’s the complex, borderline insane dynamic between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter. But what makes their relationship so captivating is how it's a zero-sum game from start to finish.

One of them has to lose for the other to win—and sometimes, it feels like winning is the worst thing that could happen to either of them.

What Is a Zero-Sum Game?

In basic terms, a zero-sum game means that for one person to gain something, the other has to lose an equal amount. It’s like a tug-of-war where both sides can’t win at once. And that’s exactly what Will and Hannibal are doing the whole time—pulling each other apart in this twisted dance of love, manipulation, and survival.

Hannibal Wants to *Consume* Will

Let’s be real: Hannibal doesn't just want to be friends with Will. He wants to **own** him. Hannibal's love is this dark, possessive thing where he needs Will to embrace the darkness completely, to be his mirror. Think about it—every time Hannibal talks about "seeing" Will, it's always about how *he* sees Will’s potential for violence and darkness, and how Will just needs to step into it.

Season 2, “Mizumono”: Hannibal’s attempt to flee with Will wasn’t just an offer; it was an ultimatum. For Hannibal, Will’s refusal to fully join him led to one of the most violent, heart-wrenching betrayals in the series. Hannibal leaves Will bleeding out on the floor not because he’s rejected but because Will *failed* him by not becoming what Hannibal wanted him to be.

Will’s Struggle: To Keep His Soul or Surrender It

On the other side of this is Will, constantly fighting against Hannibal’s pull. What makes this a true zero-sum game is that if Will gives in to Hannibal—really gives in—he loses who he is. Will’s whole battle is about preserving his empathy, his sense of right and wrong, but the deeper he goes into Hannibal’s world, the more that slips away.

Season 3, “Digestivo”: When Hannibal lets himself get caught just to stay close to Will, it shows how far this game has gone. Hannibal’s giving up his freedom, but it’s all part of trying to win the ultimate prize: Will’s loyalty. Will is trapped because any attempt to leave or resist Hannibal brings him back into this twisted love, even at the cost of his sanity.

The Finale: Both Can’t Survive

Fast forward to the series finale, and we see the game come to its ultimate end. When Will finally acknowledges his attraction to the darkness Hannibal represents, he’s no longer just resisting—he’s accepting that there’s no middle ground for them. It’s all or nothing. So what does he do? He takes them both off the cliff. In a true zero-sum game move, Will realizes that for either of them to win, they both have to lose. And so they fall together.

“The Wrath of the Lamb”: That final scene is the perfect metaphor for their entire relationship. Will’s decision to pull them both into the abyss is the only way to escape the endless push and pull. They can’t just be together; they can’t just walk away. If Will fully embraces Hannibal, he’s lost to the darkness. If Hannibal lets Will go, he loses the person who sees him most clearly. So, they fall.

Endless Cycles of Power-

Even when one gains the upper hand—Will trapping Hannibal, Hannibal framing Will—this only pushes them deeper into each other’s worlds. Hannibal sees Will as a masterpiece in progress, something to mold. But the second Will truly gives in, he stops being himself. The balance between them means that love, survival, and destruction are all the same thing.

In Conclusion: Their Love Is a Zero-Sum Game

The Hannigram relationship is tragic because it’s unsustainable. They are trapped in a game where the only real "win" comes from total domination or destruction. Hannibal's love is about consuming Will, and Will’s love (or resistance) is about holding onto whatever is left of himself. Every moment of their relationship is about pushing the other to a breaking point, and neither can win without annihilating the other.

In the end, love isn’t just complicated between these two—it’s a weapon, a means of control, and a game where survival means the loss of something essential. **They can’t exist together without breaking each other apart.**

---

Hannibal once said, “Killing must feel good to God too… He does it all the time, and are we not created in His image?” In Hannigram’s case, this line rings true: their love is all about creation and destruction. To love, for them, is to annihilate.

-—————————————————————————

[dekuxroki]

“zero sum game” by roadtripwithlucifer

no words. like actually zero words (iykyk).

No but seriously this is one of the BEST BKDK fics I have read. it’s got the angst, the fluff, the emotions, the rizz, the drama, the smut, the action, the delicious character work, the shock…. like it’s everything you want in a fic. The writer is hilarious and has their own ongoing memes / crisis in the author notes which makes it even better. I will be forever reading this story over and over. If you’ve never read this monster of a fic then do it now….it’s taken me a few days to read it because you have to READ it and not skim it to really get the full flavor. It’s an amazing story and I love love love it.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works