Cyden

✧･ﾟ a vault of thoughts that won't leave me be ✧･ﾟ she/her —⭒ * * * ⭒— Hyperfixations: Grey’s Anatomy, Bones TV, Ouat, Twd, MCU, Atla & Tlok, HP, DHw and many more Currently (re)watching: Grey’s, Bones, Supernatural “Evil Regal... after all this time?” “Always

[thecyden]

BONES (2005-2017) | 2.17, “The Priest in the Churchyard”

That’s tempting…🤭

I love rewatching the show and finding sweet and funny moments between these two. Booth and Brennan bickering with each other is just the best. It's one of their love languages, and I absolutely adore it.

[thecyden]

Three Seasons of Derek Shepherd Pissing Me Off (A Thorough Review)

I’m rewatching Grey’s Anatomy for God knows how many times, and for some reason, only now Derek Shepherd and the way he treats women is making me so fucking furious that I actually wanted to dedicate an entire tumblr post to it. I’m already at the end of season three, and I’ve got a ton of complaints about this man.

Let’s revise what kind of shit he did to the women he’s dated so far. That's a loooong ride...

⚠️HUGE SPOILERS STARTING FROM HERE⚠️

1. He dragged Meredith into a love triangle.

I don’t have a problem with Derek not telling Meredith on the first night that he had a wife. That’s fine, they just met at a bar, they were going to spend one night together, they both thought they were single, and nobody was obligated to share more than they wanted that night. Considering the fact that the next morning Meredith forgot his name and immediately kicked him out — obviously not planning any kind of continuation — things could have gone differently. So that’s okay.

But when she showed up at the hospital, they officially met, and he realized he was interested in more than just one night, and he wanted to start some kind of relationship with her. At that moment, before starting anything, he should have told her he was still married. At least that he’s married but planning to get a divorce — like, it’s temporary. At least that. But he didn’t say it for one reason: because if he had, any decent woman would have told him, “Go fuck yourself, sort out your personal life, and after you’ve sorted it out, maybe we can get something started.”

Besides, Meredith fully understood that she was a first-year intern and he was an attending, and they stood very far apart on the hierarchy ladder. She knew it could hurt her career, and she tried to push him away, even though she was still drawn to him. And he didn’t help with that — because he kept coming at her, he wouldn’t leave her alone, he was constantly in her space, constantly flirting, and wanted more. He also fully understood that this could hurt both their careers — hers and his. And guess what? It did. Spoiler. Sorry.

2. He took the advantage of her.

Derek kept pursuing her throughout the entire first season. And the peak of this whole bullshit was (s1ep5) the party that I usually kinda glossed over, but this time, during this rewatch, it became so obvious and disgusting and vile that I was just like, “Holy shit, what a revelation.” So here’s what happened: Izzie threw a party at Meredith’s house, literally the whole hospital knew about it except Meredith herself. And Derek, of course, went there. And now pay attention (!) — Meredith came outside completely wasted with a bottle of tequila in her hand.

Derek showed up after a shift at the hospital in his own car (meaning he was sober), walked up to her (I repeat: SHE WAS DRUNK), and they ended up having sex in his car.

I mean what do you call that? He literally took advantage of her while she was most vulnerable. He also knew that sober she wouldn’t have said yes. That’s just some fucking asshole behavior, may I tell you. And yep, Bailey caught them seconds after. He got away with it, she didn’t 😍

3. He lied about himself while he was in a relationship with Meredith. After that episode, they ended up in a relationship. They started dating, they actually became a couple, they lived together in her house. And he continued to hide information from her — not just that he’s married, but about himself in general. Barely, he showed her where he lived, barely told her anything about his life, his sisters and interests, etc. Like he’s some romantic, mysterious guy — which drives me crazy because it’s not romantic at all. It’s not romantic when you have no idea who you’re dealing with.

4. He chose to stay with his wife, but he continued to think of Meredith as his own.

At the end of season 1 Addison shows up to save her marriage, and we finally find out he’s married. Addison circles around Derek, trying to figure out if the marriage is worth saving. Derek is also in a state of confusion, not knowing what to do. But dude, you’ve been in Seattle for TWO MONTHS (at least that’s what we’re told). You ran away from New York. You had two months to figure out what to do with your life. What the hell were you doing? What were you thinking about? Addison puts divorce papers in front of him and says, “That’s it, I have nothing left to do here. Either we get divorced right now and I leave, or you don’t sign papers, and I stay, and we try to save our marriage.” Derek wanders around with those papers like a lost puppy right after telling Meredith by the elevator, touching her cheek and all that, that Addison is leaving, and they can just continue their relationship. So he chose her — not directly, not literally, but still his actions and his words indicated that he chose her, Meredith (s2ep5).

And then he has the audacity not to sign the divorce papers. And then he has the audacity to corner her on the stairs to yell at her, saying, “Meredith, you don’t understand how hard it is to put an end to an eleven-year marriage” Like you wouldn’t get it, Meredith, lol. I was fucking floored when I heard those words. And I was floored even more that she didn’t react properly — she just stood there blinking when she should have told him to go fuck himself right then and there. 💡Look, I actually like Derek’s position regarding his eleven-year marriage. It’s one thing when you’ve been dating for say two months and you don’t really know the person, you don’t know what kind of relationship you could have with this person, etc. At that point, you can absolutely call it quits at any moment and not look back. But when you have +10 years of marriage behind you and there’s been a conflict that complicates things, I don’t think the right solution is to just tear everything apart and move in opposite directions. You’ve got +10 years of shared life — and there was a reason you got together in the first place, right? Things were good, you loved each other, you got married, you kept living together as a couple, and everything was fine until something cracked and led to a big conflict. So I think the right thing to do in that case is to try to save the marriage. If both partners still have the desire to repair things, why not? Actually, that’s the right thing to do. And in that regard, Derek did good.

But he’s not good for keeping Meredith around like he wanted to sit on two chairs at once — hang out with this girl, and also stay with his wife. And he absolutely had no right to yell at her like that, as if accusing her of not understanding his deep, complex feelings, lol. He said, “I’m hesitating about signing the papers, about leaving Addison.” He’s saying this to his — essentially — current girlfriend. What was she supposed to answer? “Yeah, sure, take your time.” Like, “We’ll stay together while you decide whether you want to end your marriage or not, and then you’ll come back to me with a decision, and what am I supposed to do? Where do I fit in this equation?”

What an asshole!😡

She should have said: “You call Addison your family, you tell ME you have doubts before signing the papers — which literally means for ME that you have doubts about being with ME! What am I supposed to do in this situation, sit and wait until you decide? Decide what? To break up with me and go back to Addison? But while you’re deciding, I’m supposed to be understanding? You have doubts, but I have no doubt that I have no business in this relationship right now. Come back when you’ve figured your shit out. Maybe then we could have something. But as long as you have doubts, go be doubtful somewhere away from me.”

And he still had the nerve to stand there, blame her for something that wasn’t her fault, roll his eyes, yell at her. “To end in one day? I need a moment to understand the magnitude?” Dude, what have you been doing for two months in Seattle?! You had plenty of time to decide what to do with your life and your marriage, but you just decided to ghost your wife and screw a new girl. Bravo!

Anyway, Derek decides to try to rebuild his marriage with Addison. But that’s not the end of our shitshow. Because the whole time he acted like he was doing her a favor, and he kept reaching out to Meredith. Throughout his entire reconciliation with Addison, he behaves like an asshole to both women. First of all, if you’ve decided to rebuild your marriage, you should at least let go of the situation that led to this. But no, Derek acts like he’s doing Addison a favor. Yeah, she cheated, that’s true — she did cheat with his best friend, and that’s her fault. But you want to fix your relationship. You made a decision, so stop tormenting her. 💡Honestly, Derek tries to look good, that’s what I see. He tries to do the right things that would look right from the outside, but inside he’s just completely disgusted by having to do this, and he just tolerates it. And it fucking infuriates me.

At the same time, while rebuilding his marriage with Addison, he doesn’t leave Meredith alone. He still considers her his property, because he’s constantly in her orbit. Even Bailey had to ward him off at one point. There was a moment in some episode where Meredith was feeling bad, it was obvious to everyone. He wanted to “comfort” her, and Bailey stood between them so he wouldn’t approach and reopen those wounds. Like, I see no care in that. Just fucking let her go already, you chose someone else — go away. But no, he keeps circling around her. And when he thinks she spent the night with Finn, what does he do? First, he goes back to his wife and has sex with her in the shower — obviously not thinking about his wife. Disgusting. Add that to the list. Second, he then accuses Meredith in the hallway, literally calls her a slut. Thank God she finally stood up for herself. She should have said more, because what the hell is this level of audacity? She’s single, you’re not together anymore. You still think she’s yours. But that’s your problem — she’s free to do whatever she wants, she’s been free to do whatever she wants for a long time.

And this story ends with Derek cheating on Addison with Meredith. I refuse to blame Meredith for this because — on one hand, yes, she’s also guilty, she knew this time Derek was in the relationship, but on the other hand — he had so emotionally attached her to himself that I think she was genuinely dependent on him at this point, kind of trapped and submissive. So yeah, I don't blame her. (maybe it's just that I want to blame Derek for everything right now, lol 🙂)

P.S. This isn't the end of my rambling, but tumblr's making me stop here. For anyone who’s interested – catch you in the next post.

TO BE CONTINUED…

[thecyden]

Who would have thought that Danielle Van De Kamp would marry a future super wild serial killer!? ☠️ Then again, I wouldn't expect anything less from her :)

[thecyden]

Bones (2005-2017) | 4.4

The beauty of this episode! Ripley's story never fails to make me cry. When Brennan goes to Booth and says she decided to adopt the dog, only to hear that he had already been put down — my heart broke for both Ripley and Brennan. Yet another living creature Bones loved was taken from her.

It all started with that last screenshot. I cried my eyes out at Ripley's funeral, and then B&B hugged. It was so simply beautiful that I had to capture it. After that, I wanted to capture more beautiful moments from this episode. RIP Ripley Brennan ❤️‍🩹

He reminds me of you. He’s got warm and reassuring brown eyes and he’s capable of great violence.

Like all dogs Ripley saw only good in people. Dogs are like that. People should take a lesson.

[robertphilip]

It is not possible that you are wrong about Flynn, so I'm being completely rational.

[thecyden]

SEARCHING FOR A #BONES FANFICTION STORY I've already asked about this on Reddit. Now I'm turning to higher powers, so to speak, ahahaha. Guys, please help me find this fanfic. A few years ago I read a fanfiction story where Booth and Brennan were already in an established relationship, and I think they had just gotten married. A new doctor shows up at the Jeffersonian. He starts hitting on Brennan. She seems to say that she's married. Then she confesses this to Booth and asks him to stay calm. And Booth meets with the doctor. I think he doesn't reveal who he is right away. And he explained to this new doctor that their relationship is stronger than he thinks, because the doctor apparently doubted Booth and Brennan's relationship. I can't find this story, but it won't leave my head. I think it was posted on Ao3, but I searched and didn't find it. And I can't remember if it's a standalone fanfic or a chapter in a one-shot series. I hope the author didn't delete it. Anyway, if anyone knows this fanfic, please tell me. I really want to find it, t's haunting me

[youbutstupid]

When Scarlett Johansson joined the Marvel universe all the way back in 2010, she did not have the ability that current actresses in the franchise have now and that is the ability to be seen as a valuable member of the team as opposed to an accessory.

My girl was being sexualised at every single interview, being asked if she wore underwear under her black widow suit and even being groped by interviewers. Natasha’s background was only slightly explored and her fighting style consisted of wrapping her legs around men’s heads in order to further appeal the male audience.

Yelena has the story arc she has and the ability to grow as a character because Scarlett fought for her to when she was producing the Black Widow movie. It makes me so upset that she knew she would never get the superhero experience that the men around her had, so she put aside her own spotlight in order to give Florence the standing that she couldn’t have.

I will not accept Natasha slander because Scarlett put everything she had into that character for a decade and had to go through so much just to be a part of that franchise.

[thecyden]

Every time I rewatch the MCU, I get frustrated all over again by how Natasha is portrayed in these films. Spoiler: she’s barely given anything! And yet, even in those painfully short scenes (some of which feel downright humiliating), Scarlett managed to create a character beloved by audiences of all ages, genders, and backgrounds worldwide.

What frustrates and saddens me even more is that: out of the 6 original Avengers, 5 are men — and 4 of them got solo films with sequels. Natasha got scraps. And despite that, she still remained a compelling character.

From her first appearance in Iron Man 2, fans spent over a decade asking and waiting for her solo movie. And after all that waiting, what did we get? They killed her off leaving no chance for sequels. Then produced her standalone film which wasn’t really about her. It was made to wrap up her story and — most importantly — to introduce Yelena Belova, setting her up for future MCU projects. It’s like an endless cycle of disrespect for this character.

Even Peggy Carter got her own series, and she only appeared what? in one or two Steve’s movies?! Natasha showed up almost everywhere except in her own solo story (no hate to Peggy — I love her and the show). What I’m saying is, I would’ve loved a prequel TV show or movie about Natasha — her origins, her spy missions before SHIELD. And I know I’m not the only one. Unfortunately, that moment’s passed. Now all we’re left with is people saying, «Yelena is so much more interesting than Natasha» 🤦🏻‍♀️

[thecyden]

Maggie & Negan: A F*cked-Up Dynamic That Makes Too Much Sense

Once upon a time, my dad—a hardcore TWD universe fan—suggested I watch Dead City. Apparently, in our relationship, I’m the grumpy traditionalist who clings to the original series and side-eyes anything new. But I gave it a shot.  

Let’s be real: the plot? Not great. And I wouldn’t have made it through if not for Maggie and Negan. Jesus Christ, those two grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go. Let's address the walker in the room: Yes, I'm emotionally invested in the dynamic between a widow and her husband's killer. No, I don't need therapy (probably). Listen. I’m not saying it’s healthy. I’m saying it’s fascinating. And it’s not just because Negan aka Jeffrey is a stud who’d make a killer power couple with Maggie (though, yes!). It’s because their chemistry is electric, layered, and earned. Years of buildup, trauma, and twisted interdependence make their dynamic fascinating. Their relationship isn’t about romance—it’s about obsession, survival, and the f*cked-up ways grief binds people together. I’m obsessed, so here’s my take on #Neggie for anyone who cares.  

Why It Couldn’t Have Happened Sooner  

Some fans try to force them together right after Glenn’s death, or during All Out War. That’s not just unrealistic—it’s impossible. 

That first year? Maggie wasn't just grieving—she was haunted. Every glance at Negan was Glenn's last moments replaying on loop. Even years later, she still couldn’t look at him without seeing Glenn’s bashed-in skull. But by Dead City, something shifts. She’s had years to sit with her rage, and instead of fading, it’s mutated. It's no longer white-hot rage—it's a cold, calculating obsession that's kept her alive longer than any weapon ever could.

Negan was hyperfixated on Rick—their war, their rivalry. Maggie was barely on his radar. Post-war Negan was still a narcissist—his redemption was performative. He helped people, sure, but mostly to prove he could. And Maggie? He sees her as a living monument to his sins.

This Isn’t a Love Story (And It Never Will Be)  

Maggie and Negan’s bond isn’t about romance. It’s about being the only two people who truly see each other.  

Think about it: every person Maggie has ever loved is gone. Glenn. Beth, parents, the farm. Hershel (physically present but emotionally galaxies away). Even Rick's group are just memories now.

Negan is the only living archive of her pain. The man she’s spent years obsessing over. Her vengeance is her anchor. If she killed him, she’d be hollow. If she killed him, she'd erase the last witness to her grief. Worse—she loses the purpose that's fueled her survival.

Negan never had real connections—not in the Sanctuary, where he was feared, not worshipped. Not until Carl, Judith, and later Annie. But Maggie? She’s always been in his head, a ghost of guilt and unfinished business.  

He's spent years trying to outrun his past, but Maggie is his past. Notice how he never truly fights back against Maggie's manipulation. He wants her to punish him because he thinks he deserves it. That's why he follows her into hell without protest.

They’re stuck in this twisted codependency, and I’m fascinated by it.  

TL;DR: They’re toxic, tragic, and the most compelling duo in TWD right now. Fight me.   Anyone else weirdly invested in these two?   

[captsharonstark]

"Sometimes the eyes speak much louder than the mouth ever could." -Steve Wentworth.

Negan and Maggie looking at each other throughout Dead City 1x06 (Doma Smo).

[thecyden]

i'm sooo obsessed with this ship

[coalitiongirl]

Regina breaking a cycle of abuse and protecting Emma from her own fate

[hrlshnv]

Whose shadow is better? 🐱 or 🐸

[atlaculture]

ATLA Writing System Pt. 1: The Opening

Wanted to do a series of posts showcasing my appreciation for the writing in Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise. To the say the series went the extra mile in its use of Chinese characters (Hanzi) is an understatement. Allow me to explain:

The everyday writing system of the ATLAverse is Traditional Chinese. This writing system is used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan in the current day; It was also used in Mainland China prior to 1956--- nowadays, they use Simplified Chinese characters.

However, the series will switch writing styles when it wants to highlight the "ancientness" of something. For example, in the show's opening, each element is written in either Bronze Script (over 3000 years old) or Seal Script (over 2000 years old).

Water, fire, and air are written in Seal Script. Earth is written in Bronze Script. As a point of reference, here's how these concepts look when written in Traditional Chinese:

水 (Water)

土 (Earth)

火 (Fire)

氣 (Air)

Also, the symbol on the left and right sides of the world map is a stylized way of writing "longevity". I go more in-depth about the character here:

...longevity is an appropriate symbol for the Avatar world. Not only are the world and the entity of the Avatar quite ancient, but our protagonist is literally 112-years-old.

And the texts at the top and bottom of the map? They translate as...

The powers are divided into four The world [all under heaven] is restored by one The bottom text is a slightly re-worded quote from The Analects of Confucius: Avatar Map Quote: 天下一匡 (The world [all under heaven] is restored by one.) The Analects of Confucius: 一匡天下 (Through one, the world [all under heaven] is restored.) Same characters, but different word order.

In Part 2, I'll highlight some interesting uses of different Chinese scripts within the actual show. ^_^

[ladyabaniko]

[devinellekurtz]

Getting the Gaang back together! Instagram | Twitter

[operationbeifong]

— I SERIOUSLY CAN’T WAIT FOR THE OFFICIAL MOVIES (TRILOGY) TO COME OUT. Y'ALL COMPREHEND WE’RE FINALLY GETTING THIS? Î Î

[moonles]

Tokka Week 2023: Comedy/Pranks

I hope I did them justice! :D

[creampuffqueen]

Avatar Yangchen's Favorite Foods

My winter break boredom combined with my chronic writing procrastination have combined to form Yangchen Thoughts at never before seen levels.

AKA, I was doing a bit of research into potential Air Nomad cuisine and suddenly found myself needing to know what Yangchen's favorite foods would be. So here we are.

Most of the foods listed will be primarily of Tibetan origin, considering that is the main cultural inspiration for the Air Nomads. However, because Yangchen spent a large portion of her life in different Earth Kingdom cities, there will be some dishes taken from other cultures as well. I will be providing links to as many recipes as possible! (Note: some of the recipes themselves are not vegetarian, but could easily be modified so to fit with the Air Nomads' vegetarian lifestyles).

Now, when it comes to food, Avatar Yangchen strikes me as someone who prioritizes function over flavor. Obviously she prefers her food to taste good, but she's more concerned with what said food can do for her, convenience-wise. She prefers foods that can be eaten on the go, snacked on while working, or downed relatively quickly. As well, she wants her food to be on the filling side, which lessens the amount of time she has to spend eating. She's quite pragmatic about her food. (Is this a good thing? I suppose that's up to you to decide). Finally, her cooking skills are pretty minimal, so most of her favorite dishes are quite simple to make.

Most of this post will be under a cut because, as per usual, I can never make anything short :)

Butter Tea

This is a very traditional Tibetan drink, and it's one that Yangchen would have grown up drinking. It's actually mentioned in The Dawn of Yangchen! It's a drink she would find very comforting, as well as filling due to it being nearly half butter.

Breakfasts

Tomato Egg Soup

It's quite literally what it sounds like. This is a breakfast dish, probably very common in the Earth Kingdom and/or Fire Nation. It's simple to make, but hearty and warm.

Shom-Dae - Rice Pudding

This is a rice pudding made with yogurt. It can be eaten with fruit as a filling breakfast, or sweetened to be made into a dessert. Yangchen doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, so she prefers this for her breakfast.

Snacks

Bhobi

This is basically a Tibetan burrito. A soft, thin flatbread wrapped around various fillings. Typically these can have anywhere from 3-5 different fillings, consisting of things such as stir-fried vegetables, noodles, eggs, you name it. Yangchen would absolutely be a fan of the versitility, and would likely make these to use up leftovers for a tasty snack.

Shogo Khatsa - Spicy Potatoes

As the name implies, this dish is made up of spicy potatoes. I think Yangchen would actually be a huge fan of spice, and as such would totally love these. She would probably also dip them in Sepen, which is a Tibetan tomato-based chili sauce.

Various Street Foods

Yangchen would love trying local street foods at all the places she visits, but she has a few favorites. Fried tofu, spring rolls, and spicy cucumbers. They're all very easy on the go snacks.

Onion Tingmo

This snack is definitely more of a comfort food. These are a type of steamed bun with green onions folded in, and I think these would be Yangchen’s guilty pleasure; the kind of food she could eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Meals

Tenchung - Lentil Soup

The Air Nomads would certainly be fans of lentils, considering their high protein and iron content. This is another very simple soup, but would be very comforting and nostalgic for Yangchen - as well as quite filling.

Mokthuk - Momo Soup

Momos are Tibetan dumplings, which Yangchen would enjoy eating on their own, but when added to a hearty soup the dish is called Mokthuk. As you're probably starting to figure out, I think Yangchen is a pretty big soup fan. Just like in the attached video, Yangchen would load her soup up with chili oil for added spice.

Pishi - Tibetan Dumpling Soup (also known as "Lemur-Face Soup")

This soup is extremely similar to Mokthuk, but the dumplings are made in a different way and more resemble wontons. This dish is often colloquially referred to as "Lemur-Face Soup" by Air Nomad children, as the folded dumplings resemble the faces of flying lemurs. Because the dumplings for this soup require a bit of extra effort, it would have been a rare treat growing up. Yangchen loves it both for the flavor and the fond memories it brings.

Desserts

Tenshi-Bhakthuk

This is a fried pastry covered in a sugar syrup that is typically served at New Year's celebrations. They are small, crunchy little snacks that Yangchen would love eating each year at the celebration.

Bulug

The best way I can describe this is that it's a Tibetan funnel cake. This is also served at New Year's celebrations. When Yangchen was younger, she and her sister Jetsun would always get one of these to split. It's a bittersweet memory now, but she still absolutely loves the food.

----

And there we have it! A whole selection of foods I think Yangchen would enjoy. Feel free to use this in fics, art, headcanons, whatever, and your own as you see fit!

Due to all this research I've done, I also have lots of ideas for foods that could be added to the Air Nomad cuisine as a whole - who knows, maybe that will become a separate post of its own!

Pretty much all recipes came from Palden's Kitchen ; would absolutely recommend checking his channel out! His videos are very high quality and his voice is incredibly soothing, honestly I want this man as my grandfather now.

Finally, I also need to give a shoutout to @atlaculture for providing inspiration and resources for my Tibetan food deep dive!

[yellow-hues]

Well--