Levi
[XIV][ShB stuff]
Levi
Thinking on the WoL's relationship to Azem
Levi
Fandom really only thinks about WoL and Azem in the terms of shipping with Emet-Selch, which is like, fair, but like, it can be so much more than reincarnation romance
Levi
I've never really mentioned this before, but my main WoL (K'iir) absolutely hated Emet-Selch for various reasons
Levi
And everyone does there "Emet-Selch and Azem's shard keeps falling in love with each other" but what happens when Emet meets one who hates his guts
Levi
Anyway also no one really thinks about what the WoL's opinion of being Azem's shard is
Levi
K'iir is ambivalent, he's never met the guy obviously, so he can't really like or dislike someone's never met
Levi
But he does not like the idea of being so tied to Azem, it absolutely zeros in and slams at his single biggest struggle in his life: his sense of identity and independence
RETRIBUTION
I’m on and off in terms of Big WoL Thoughts but since my wol’s character arc involves comparing himself unfavorably to a successful family member it was a fun little goalpost shift for me to play around with
RETRIBUTION
“I have accepted that my oldest brother is an asshole who sucks.”
Levi
Elpis sucked for K'iir not just because he was stuck with Emet-Selch, but also because being called Azem's familiar by everyone struck a nerve
RETRIBUTION
“.....now there’s this fucking unsundered previous life”
Levi
K'iir feels bad about it because from what he knows, he thinks he would like Azem if they were separate people who met, but they're not, and he's here not only as a piece of Azem, but having to rely on his power as well
Levi
So he feels a little resentful, but he also feels bad for being resentful because none of this is Azem's fault also wouldn't this be some weird form of self-hate (as if he doesn't do enough of that already)
Levi
And then Dawntrail happens and ha ha ha ha
Levi
he will never be free from his existential crisis
Levi
Sorry Rintaro your husband is a mess (they are both messes)
hiroc
with how I end up writing mine, I don't do the romance angle either (Venat is the better option-)
hiroc
Zotikos end up as Hades' annoying lil gremlin friend who is more thrills than sense, yet get pissed off at Hiroc (WoL) because
hiroc
I wanna say I specifically went for "when you see an almost perfect fanfic depiction except for like, a couple of headcanons that threw you out of immersion" kind of annoying
hiroc
the sundered poor man's bootleg, the WoL
Levi
yeah and in regards to Emet-Selch, I think people forget that he changed too
Levi
He's not the same person he was when he was friends with Azem
Levi
(Something K'iir had to begrudgingly accept)
Levi
but yeah the interpretation of shard I went with is "has similar underlying traits that express themselves differently" if that makes sense
Levi
like, a love of travel and meeting and befriending others, but for different reasons
Levi
an ability to connect with and unite others, but not in the same way
hiroc
Yep, plus your usual environmental factors like a different childhood
hiroc
I do like the idea of like, WoL wanting Emet-Selch to at LEAST see them as an individual
hiroc
like hey, stop projecting your dead situationship on me and see me