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shoyosoneandonlywife · 3 months ago

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The absolute and ever persisting mischaracterisation people have for Oboro

This mostly comes from me constantly seeing people treat Oboro as a mindless underdog who's just obsessed with validation from his dad(yoshida shoyo) and I had recently wanted to put my thoughts into words so here it is☝🏽

Misunderstanding Oboro

The fandom, like 99 percent of the community, reduces him to a jealous character that ruined everyone's lives when even before his resurrection, he was living a tough life (servant) and when he met his dad, he felt understood and happy he got an actual parental figure and for that to be ripped away at a very young age affected, nay more like traumatised him along with the fact that he was viciously killed in front of Yoshida Shoyo.

Oboro's depressing past

Yet he could not die for a 2nd time as he was resurrected due to his dad's blood, he couldn't run away again either to join shoyo as he felt the consequences 1st hand, and wanted to protect the one man that treated him like his own child instead of brushing him off (it is often shown and stated in the flashbacks how he was ill treated and cast off).

But when he saw that shoyo was able to adopt more kids and being happy with them (not really, like we the audience know.), he got jealous like any child/teen would when their parent gives their siblings more attention, his helplessness to come to terms with the fact that he was not able to join them (cuz of naraku and the dangers) along with the fact that Shoyo was able to find peace without oboro, ate away at his conscience which instigated his salty attitude towards his own school/family, Shoka Sonjuku.

A petty feeling like jealousy causing a snowball effect

The feeling that "that shouldve been me, but I can't even join them when they're right infront me" in his mind solidifed the idea to HIM, that they could find happiness.

But in the end he couldn't give up and run to his family, due to what he had sacrificed and the predicament of him being in naraku in the first place, when he should've died young and long ago.

So that could cause him to spiral into self pity and jealousy which ultimately pushed him, in the span of a few years, to rat them out to the Naraku, "if I can't have happiness then neither can they" mindset had taken root in his heart, and anger towards Shoyo, for somewhat putting him in that predicament in the first place(in his eyes) ,-

like being semi immortal, not able to die normally, enslaved to the naraku alone and bloodstains on his hands as well due to his killings, when he could have just died without going through any of this, had shoyo not resurrected him.

Oboro learning of his dad's history

That grief is what led him to fully go through with his plan to burn down Shoka Sonjuku, after Shoyo gets executed and he literally was burning in his pyre. To Oboro's unfathomable shock, Shoyo comes back as Utsuro, his guilt was now at the forefront of his mind, he may have justified it before (while shoyo's head was severed) as justice for him, and seeing his death would have helped him push down his guilt by claiming its all over.

However, he soon became one of the first students of his to learn of his immortality and traumatising past(like takasugi later on). Moreover, seeing his parent alive when things should have been done and wrapped up completely due to the predicted death of his,

As well as not being to close the chapter of shoka sonjuku in his life, like he saltily wanted to in a moment of anger. These were ideas he was not able to accomplish due to this unforeseen twist. He then realised the true nature behind Shoyo's being/existence as well as his agonising past.

Oboro would have come to the conclusion that had he just approached Shoyo, maybe things would have been better, Shoyo could have protected him along with the others. Shoyo was more than capable to take care of his children that he took under his wing, but Oboro had realised it too late.

That guilt of betraying the one man that was like a father to him and nurtured his growth, taught him the good of the world despite going through such horrible things like Oboro threw him into a flurry of self sabotage. In my humble opinion, Shoyo was a crystallised resolution of a father for Oboro(and very much canon), definitely. As Yoshida Shoyo's blood being directly passed down to Oboro to have him be reborn, and let him live again testifies this.

This further solidifies the idea that Shoyo had accepted him as his own child. EVEN FURTHER confirms that they are blood related, like they actually are. That's a father and his first son your honor.😭

What guilt propels a human being to do in dire circumstances, an example is Oboro. (Power of Guilt)

The fact that such a kind man himself had become resolute to destroy the world, which was propelled partially because of Oboro. If Oboro hadn't ratted out Shoka Sonjuku, he could have continued to live as Shoyo, but his execution by gintoki, and schemed by Oboro, all of this emotional turmoil realised by Shoyo, triggered a trauma response and caused him to regress back to being a killer, ultimately trying to end the world, along with Oboro's juniors.

Oboro BLAMED himself for Shoyo becoming Utsuro once again and for the upcoming plight of the world, he couldn't bring himself to fight the man that saved him and rebirthed him to even live in the 1st place, his guilt is the ultimate and strongest reason as to why he swore loyalty to utsuro.

When he fought with his juniors he constantly brought up Shoyo and how he had died, what he taught, repeatedly, projecting his guilts onto them, and constantly repeated the fact that he was also a pupil of Shoyo towards the end, to both students and teacher, for example, "what would your teacher think? How do u keep up with y(our) sensei not around?" are things he has said to them.

Which can also be taken as introspective for him, but Oboro so desperately wants to connect and find someone (specifically somehow connect with his juniors deep down) that feels the same way as him, his loneliness and lack of a loving foundation that was snatched away from him is what caused him to so viciously fight his juniors/family.

Another fact is that after Shoyo left, the first thing Oboro did was disobey his teachings and kill people, he ultimately decided to become spiteful and violent to protect himself (in hindsight, it was done to protect his shoka sonjuku too) which is another thing he could have been very felt very guilty of, as he had not realised the truth behind many things that went down in the past and was too late to realise already x2.

In a way he was trying to make them realise what really went beyond what they knew of Yoshida Shoyo, and make them feel regretful of what had went down, but it is more of self-projecting from him in the end. Since he also blames himself for the demise of Shoka sonjuku and Yoshida Shoyo.

During the rakuyo arc, when Oboro realised his time is going to run out, he realises that his guilt is what caused him to blindly follow his father, even if he wanted to stop him he couldn't, which is why during his fight with Takasugi, he ultimately smiles and monolgues with Shoyo about how in the end he (Oboro), is very much caring towards his juniors and proud of them just like Shoyo is.

He finally makes peace with his guilt and pain that he had projected onto others, and attempts to try finding someone(shoka sonjuku juniors) to relate and bond with, as Shoyo turning to Utsuro had turned him into an emotionless void as well which was like rubbing salt to the wound.

Which is something he also blames himself for, people tend to go to many extents when they truly believe it is their fault and feel incredibly guilty, especially when it involves a loving family member, which is why, while he dies he tells Takasugi everything and that they should stop Utsuro, which majorly contradicts what he had done up till that point.

He went into the battle with Takasugi knowing he would die, as seen by the audience, when he was already coughing up blood before the fight. Before his fight with Takasugi, he also proclaims and reminds Utsuro that he is also a disciple of Yoshida Shoyo (Hes not implying utsuro is different he literally says I am YOUR pupil as well if I remember correctly).

Oboro's atonement and last advice to his juniors

This solidifies the idea that he wanted to die as Shoka Sonjuku's senior and a son/disciple of Shoyo, not as an underdog who aided in the destruction of the planet. Takasugi understanding Oboro's sentiments(like the good brother he is) and burying him in Shoka sonjuku also supports this idea.

Fundamentally he could've aided Utsuro because he also lost faith in the world, but reminiscing about Shoyo and Shoka Sonjuku is what led him to fight Takasugi till his blood dries up, to lose to his dear junior and atone for the mistake of uprooting their lives in an act of petty jealousy, which ultimately fast forwarded the return of Utsuro and the destruction of earth.

Bringing Oboro down to earth as the complicated human he is

Conclusively, Oboro was through and through the perfect example of a child/sibling, growing salty and jealous towards their parents when they treat their younger or older siblings better or favour them more(more susceptible to this at a young age like Oboro was), this is a more destructive path, MUCH more destructive and violent, of course, but it makes us realise how a petty feeling like jealous could even really lead to so much destruction and pain if we yield to it.

Even the the most kindest and softest beings like oboro (initially he was and a very grateful person) had led him to resolutely destroy the lives of his juniors and his teacher that he should have protected, especially in their culture where Their teacher is supposed to be held in the highest regard, Shoyo was not only a teacher but a father that protected and guided him during his most toughest times, atleast up until he had felt abandoned and neglected by his father (who was unaware).

That's it really but people always hate on him for being very salty & unreasonable, yappa yappa when I found his actions understandable, not justified of course but I understand where he is coming from, due to his very tough past & a painful life he led until the end (his blood slowly drying up over the years)

Conclusion

So yea he is just like Utsuro, just like how the oldest child resembles their father the most, it applies for Oboro as well, both led very tough lives that majority wouldn't be able to tolerate, which is why he sympathised with Shoyo even when he became Utsuro. So people should see Oboro like the complex and multifacted character he is, just like his father.

Both were led astray due to their pain that they understandably couldn't get over and which they still tried to alone for until their ends. Of course people are free to hate the character but hate o him for the accurate and right reasons not your own shallow perceptions of him being a braindead obsessive underdog smh media literacy is at zero percentage.

But I mostly said this because people just label him as someone that was obsessively and blindly following around his dad like a dog which is wrong imo, he's fully grown and is very capable of perceiving things most of the others couldn't, along with being able to go toe to toe with the rest of the gang.

Oboro's unspoken talents

Oboro is a clever man too, he was the most heavily ostracised and demonised person in the nark, even after Shoyo left, but was still able to become the Skilled and accomplished leader of the nark despite the odds and enemies against him even within his own group. He was still able to rise to a certain high authority.

I think that alone speaks volumes on his capabilities and his intelligence. Because at the end of the day as Yoshida Shoyo had predicted, he was the most advanced student in Shoka sonjuku due to his early starting.

But all I see is people seeing him as an underdog that doesn't think for himself which is what is the biggest mischaracterization of his is, his guilt is what made him decide to support shoyo, he continously made the choice out of GUILT Is the point I want to drive home, not that he just out of nowhere followed Utsuro because he has no brains or anything.

Which is what ive seen people assume automatically in this fandom, hating him for shitting on gintoki and the rest is valid, atleast that means he's held accountable for his own conscious actions.

But along with that fact they unnecessarily lump in the false characterization dat hes just dumb and follow orders like the obsessive servant he is, really irks me. As that is what the treatment he went through was, like see him as the cool senior that he is, not dumb & dumber.

So this ultimately confirms the fact that Oboro is a heavily misunderstood character/antagonist. And I hope people are able to appreciate his multidimensial characteristics more just like how we celebrate Takasugi and the like.

***

That's it thank you for reading and if you wanna read about Yoshida Shoyo's character analysis too I'll link it here. Have fun, take care and bye bye!

Yoshida Shoyo: Part 1, Part 2

Gintoki's Lake toya analysis

#gintama #oboro #gintoki #takasugi #katsura #yoshidashoyo #utsuro #yoshidashouyou #shoyosonlywifenattorney #karpuxyoshidashoyo

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clotpolesonly · 1 year ago

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What are your Dark Heir theories?? I'm sooo curious to see what happens

it's so so hard to predict where anything is gonna go from here, i'm honestly STUMPED, adlfkhj

i have a couple of thoughts and i do not know how plausible they actually are, but

-- i think that Edmund Creen was behind the plot to switch Will and Katherine as children. possibly. i might be crazy, but i feel like somebody had to have orchestrated all of that, and somebody had to sent that servant from the very beginning to tell Will about the Stewards. the servant claimed that Will's mother sent him, but she KNEW that Will was NOT blood of the lady. she knew that he was not the savior they were looking for. she wanted Will dead, she wanted the world protected from him, and she would not have sent anyone to take him to the Hall. right?? but someone had to do that. i feel like Edmund is gonna be the chess master, the spider at the center of the web, pulling all the strings to orchestrate exactly what he wants to happen in a con that he's been running for almost two decades.

-- i think it's possible that Katherine might not be dead, or could be resurrected. if i recall correctly, her death by the corrupted blade didn't resemble the deaths from the beginning of the book when it was unsheathed. those were more sickness, like they were rotting from the inside out or something, and they just died. but Katherine was petrified. she essentially turned to stone. like the tree at the Hall. the tree that Elizabeth brought back to life with her touch. i'm JUST SAYING. it's within the realm of possibility.

-- i think, and this might just be wishful thinking on my part cuz i love angst, but I THINK that at some point in the series (maybe or maybe not in book 2) James will get collared. i don't know if Will will be the one to do it or what the circumstances would be, but Pacat cannot possibly just dangle that in front of us without following through on the fucked up promise of it, and i think he has the balls to do it. no idea how anyone would come back from it, but COME ON, GIMME THAT, I NEEEED IT.

-- i think that James genuinely doesn't know who Will is. we don't have confirmation one way or the other in the text yet, but we already got the surprise twist of "i knew all along actually" in Captive Prince. i don't think Pacat would retread that ground, and the sheer horror and betrayal of James finding out too late what he's done, what Will knowingly allowed him to do, what Will may or may not have intentionally led him to do, will be fucking delicious.

-- i think we'll be introduced to the 4th King or a descendant of him in DH. Pacat said that his favorite character in the series would be introduced in this book, and i think it's very possible it will be this person. the lost 4th king was said to return when their need was greatest, or something like that, and i expect DH to get pretty fucking dire, if we know anything about Pacat's narrative structure where trilogies are concerned 😂 also just more Reborns in general. it was said or implied that the Dark King killed a lot of his people intending for them to be reincarnated with him, but we've only gotten the one so far in James (two if we count the horse, which i do uwu), so i'm hoping/expecting to get more of them.

-- i think we'll get some kind of insight into the past. how much, i'm not sure, if Will and James will get clear memories of their entire past lives or if they'll get muddled flashbacks and feelings. we don't know how strong the buried past might be, if the whole personality/identity is in there waiting to take over or if it's something subtler. i'm hoping for subtler myself. there's a lot of possibilities, but i expect we'll start getting some answers and a lot of complications, and i'm looking forward to seeing what direction Pacat goes with it all.

#and the answer is #Anonymous #Dark Rise #Dark Heir #Dark Rise spoilers

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vintagepomeranian · 2 years ago

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First time drawing Blind Pew and I did it on some story and also obscured him 🙃

Never underestimate people, Captain. (Dw, smollett’s not dead despite the horrible injuries. About the ‘biology’ of cartoon characters, I’ll just say that they can never die, they just poof into a computer file (like SU but with files). However, just like SU, they need to be handled carefully or else there will be some troubles…)

Context: Blind Pew returns after being ‘resurrected’ by the main villain of Tooniverse and goes with his revenge on the TI protags (specifically Jim cuz you know, he got the map). He interrupts like this confrontation between Silver (who was keeping Jim hostage like in the film) and the main adults and Smollett knows Pew is a dangerous person bc of Silver and also Jim explaining about Pew. So smollett decides to attack Pew to protect Jim and the others only for this to happen.

This is the lead up to the Soviet Cartoon arc of Tooniverse, the whole synopsis of it is that Jasmine, Cinnamon and the TI crew (along with the aid of other Soviet cartoon characters, including some that are made up by me) have to rescue Smollett as well as fighting off any threats like the glitch creatures, including the corrupted characters led by Blind Pew.

#treasure island #ostrov sokrovishch #return to treasure island #treasure island 1988 #captain smollett #blind pew #tooniverse #tooniverse: soviet cartoon arc

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k1-b0kuma · 1 year ago

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rules: make a poll with the titles of your wips, let the poll run 24 hours, and write one sentence for every vote the winner receives.

tagged by @thatforgottenbasilisk who doesn't realise the terror they've unleashed.

open tag cuz I have no friends so if u wanna take part, go nuts ;~;

more info in the read more!

Taking Back the Crown: An AfO!Izuku fic, Taking Back the Crown follows Successor and his League of Villains as he strives to reclaim his father's empire.

Webzuku: A crossover with the Magnus Archives, the Webzuku series is a collection of fics following Avatar of the Web, Izuku, as does his patron's bidding in the shadows.

Izuku in Borderland: A crossover with Alice in Borderland, Izuku in Borderland follows Izuku as he ends up in the mysterious Borderlands, and must partake in deadly games to discover the truth, and hopefully return home.

Catzumi: A fic following Midoriya Izumi, a cat with a Quirk that allows her to become a human, as she strives to become the greatest hero she can.

Gamemaster AU: A fic following the mysterious Gamemaster, a villain who kidnaps Class 1-A and forces corrupt powerful people to participate in games to save them, revealing their corruption.

Untitled Danganronpa Crossover: A crossover with Danganronpa, this fic sees Class 1-A awaken inside a sealed UA, where the now cyborg Nedzu forces them into a deadly killing school life.

IzuToga Gender/Roleswap Fic: A fic following Toga Himito, a second-year hero student, trying to deal with the obsessions of Midoriya Izumi, analyst of the League of Villains.

Zombie Hero Team: A crossover with Zombie Land Saga, this fic sees Nedzu resurrect seven long-dead people in order to train them into becoming the greatest hero team.

Vastzuku: A crossover with the Magnus Archives, this fic follows Avatar of the Vast Midoriya Izuku, who has been unwillingly called in to assist Nedzu and UA in their fight against AfO and the League of Villains.

For the Love of Explosions: A crossover with Konosuba, this fic follows chuunibyou hero student Midoriya Izumi as she uses her powerful fire Quirk to become the greatest, most powerful hero/mage/demon queen ever.

Cultzuku: A fic in which Ochako takes a break from hero work to settle in a small community in the woods, led by Izuku, and Aizawa's investigations into its darker nature.

Mechadoriya: A fic in which Izuku will become a hero even without a Quirk, through the use of mad science and dinosaur mechs.

#poll #mha #tag game

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samgirl98 · 2 years ago

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I'll be honest with y'all, I have no idea what I was doing with this, and I don't know if I'll add more. I wouldn't mind if you give me ideas lol, but I really had to write this part at least. Enjoy.

Alternate Ways to Live and Die part 1 of/?

Red Hood had seen a lot of weird shit in his time as a vigilante/anti-hero. Hell, he had died and come back; he still didn't know the reason for his resurrection.

This had to be the weirdest thing he's ever been through.

“I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?”

“Wow, you’re a bit dense, huh,” the glowing, floating kid told him.

Wow, rude.

“Okay, let’s take this from the top. My name is Danny; I’m from an alternate dimension. My parents and sister helped me escape after the US government ghost-hunting branch discovered my existence. They threw me through a portal that led to the land of the dead that they had built in their basement. What’s so hard to understand about that?”

Okay, yep, Jason hadn’t misheard. (Red Hood had left somewhere in that explanation.)

It was still as bonkers sounding as the first time. He wasn’t paid enough for this shit.

Huh, Jason wondered if he could guilt money out of his dad—he meant Bruce.

“Okay,” Jason said while putting away his gun, “Okay, let’s, let’s back up a bit. First things first, what was that huge green portal you came through, and is it dangerous?”

“No, that’s just a portal to the Infinite Realms, aka the Ghost Zone. It’s the Land of the Dead I was talking about. Don’t worry, it closed, so no, it’s not dangerous.”

Okay, that was good. The last thing they needed in Gotham was a portal to fucking Hell.

“Great, second question; why are you here?”

Danny sighed and crossed his arms, “The government was hunting me down, so—”

“No, I go that part. Why are you here specifically, in this dimension in Gotham?”

“Oh,” Danny uncrossed his arm and brightened. Literally. Before him stood a kid with black hair and blue eye. He couldn’t be older than 16 years, “At the moment, I’m trying to hunt down my alt, see what their life is like.”

“Alt,” Jason asked, confused.

“Alternate self. It’s a cosmic effect, sometimes, two alts can have near identical backgrounds, and other times the only thing that links them is a single, life-altering event that defines every version of that person throughout every dimension.”

Jason stared at the kid as if he had grown extra heads and insulted Jason’s bloodline.

“Speaking of,” the kid continued, “I don’t suppose you know anyone who died around age 14 and came back significantly changed, maybe with some white hair and glowing, green eyes?”

Jason felt a chill go down his spine.

No, it couldn’t be.

“Maybe with a severe hatred of clowns and just a tiny bit of anger issues. Has a weird hero complex?”

Jason was speechless. Now that he looked at the kid (Danny), he looked like Jason at that age, if a bit leaner.

“FUCK!”

Jason had called in backup. There was no way in Hell—“you mean, no way in the Infinite Realms,” the kid had interjected between Jason’s rants.

Great, the kid loved puns.

That was beside the point; there was no way in Hell Jason was dealing with this alone.

He took Danny to one of Jason’s safehouses without telling the kid who he (suspected) Jason was to him.

The fact that Danny had followed a mysterious guy wearing a red helmet and a bunch of guns and knives talked about the kid’s self-preservation skills; as in, he lacked any.

“No, listen, guys,” Jason whisper-shouted into his comms, “I think he’s an alternate version of me, but I need help confirming it. And I need to find out without telling B cuz this kid is prime Wayne adoptee bait.”

Jason looked out the door from his bedroom to make sure the kid was still eating and not eavesdropping.

“Jason, listen,” he interrupted his older brother, “No names on the field!”

“Okay, Hood, whatever,” Dick said impatiently, “maybe it’s just some random meta trying to fuck with the heroes of Gotham. It’s not like we haven’t had any pranksters before.”

“No, Dickface, listen. I saw the kid walk out of that portal and,” Jason gulped, “I don’t know, there’s something deep inside me that recognizes him. And I know that sounds crazy, but I can’t explain it. I know he’s not lying.”

Silence from the other side.

“Please, I just need help figuring this out without having Bruce breathing down my neck.”

Jason heard a resigned sigh, “we’ll be there in 15 minutes,” Tim said.

“Jason, after we run some tests, whether or not this kid is lying, we have to tell Bruce,” Dick warned him.

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” Jason said, relieved, “I don’t care, just come help me right now, please.”

The comms went dead, and Jason took a deep breath to calm himself. It didn’t work.

Jason walked out of the room to find Danny twirling one of Jason’s knives while staring at his guns. He didn’t even flinch when Jason yelled.

“Jesus, kid, are you trying to get yourself killed?”

Danny looked up, confused, “I mean, I already did two years ago, so too late for that. But what exactly do you mean?”

Jason stalked up to Danny and took the knife out of the kid’s hand.

“This isn’t a toy; you can get seriously hurt messing with it. You’re twirling it around like a baton. It’s not!”

Danny smirked. Jason was sure he’d seen that same smile reflected in Bruce’s eyes from Jason’s own face.

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m already half-dead, then! Can’t kill a ghost, now, can you?”

Fuck, this was karma. This was karma for all the death jokes he had pulled on his family before. Now Jason knew how traumatizing and disturbing those jokes could be.

(It didn’t mean he still wouldn’t use them.)

“Can we go back to you being a ghost? Wouldn’t a zombie be more appropriate if you died and came back?”

Danny snorted, “Ancients, Hades, no! Why would I want to be a mindless, rotting corpse?”

“You said you died and came back to life,” Jason yelled, exasperated.

“No, I said I died and came back significantly changed. How does that equate to a zombie? Anyway, I’m what you call a halfa; half human, half ghost.”

Jason gestured for Danny to continue when the kid looked at him.

“When a portal to the Ghost Zone was ripped through me, I didn’t die all the way through. The ectoplasm that suddenly radiated into me changed my DNA. Death plus ectoplasm plus mysterious portal equals Schrodinger’s boy.” Danny said while pointing to himself.

Jason had no idea what to say to that. After a moment of silence, Danny continued, “Now I can die on command and have ghost powers.”

The kid shrugged his shoulder almost as if he was saying, ‘what can you do?’

Jason wanted to cry.

Did every version of him experience death one way or another? Was that the cosmic tie Danny had been talking about?

“What’s ectoplasm?” Jason asked in lieu of one of the awkward questions he wanted to ask.

“Green stuff all ghosts are made of,” Danny answered while raising his hand. In his palm, a Lazarus green goo formed. Jason jumped up and away from it, the shining color giving him flashbacks of anger, bloodshed, and vengeance.

The green goo quickly disappeared.

“Sorry,” Danny said while scratching the back of his neck, “I didn’t know it would make you…uncomfortable.”

“It’s fine,” Jason snapped back before taking a deep breath, “you didn’t know.”

Danny nodded and dropped it before starting again, “You have a lot of guns. Jericho 941s with customizations?”

Jason blinked, surprised. The kid knew guns; Jason put another mental tally on Danny being an alternate version of Jason.

“Kid, you are far too comfortable with a guy with weapons and a weird costume than you should be,” Jason said instead of answering Danny.

Danny shrugged, “You’re my alternate, and I can probably fold you like a piece of paper if I wanted, Jason.”

Jason blinked at the casual name-drop before taking out a knife and being on high alert, “You know my name, and you knew I was the one you were looking for. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Oh, I didn’t truly know until I heard you talk to Tim and…Dick? Is that his actual name, or are you mad at him?”

“You have super hearing? And yeah, that’s his name.”

“My condolences to him. As to how I knew, I’m a ghost; we know things,” he said in a mysterious voice but with a cheeky smile, “Besides, like you, I just knew. It must be the ectoplasm.”

“I don’t have ectoplasm.”

“Sure, and I don’t do things halfassed.”

Jason groaned. How did any version of him end up with Dick’s sense of humor?

Before Jason could wonder even more, there was a knock on his door.

****

When Tim had heard another potential Jason Todd was running around, he had been ready for a bloodthirsty man hellbent on killing and/or maiming Tim or half of Gotham’s rogues.

Instead, Tim had found a wisecracking beanpole with Dick’s habits of telling puns and Jason’s morbid sense of humor.

Tim would’ve preferred a homicidal maniac.

Tim and Dick ran some tests and asked questions while Jason stood on the side without his helmet but with a domino mask. The white streak in his hair seemed to be shining and wavering in the wind. Weird.

“Test results show he’s from another dimension, uh,” Tim hesitated.

“He’s me, isn’t he,” Jason groaned, “How is there a version of me with Golden boy’s fucking humor?”

“Hey,” both Dick and Danny yelled simultaneously.

“What’s wrong with quips,” Dick asked, affronted.

“Yeah, when you beat a villain, don’t you go off on them, say a pun or three?”

“Exactly,” Dick agreed while snapping his fingers, “Especially the ice puns.”

“Oh, ice puns are the best. I have ice powers and love using them.”

“Really, well, that case, ice to meet you, Danny.”

“Oh, be chill, my beating heart. It’s ice to meet you, too. It almost feels like I’m meeting a long frost friend.”

Tim turned to Jason, “Make them stop, please.”

Both Jason and Tim watched in horror as Dick and Danny started a quote/ unquote ‘pun-off.’

“Jason,” Tim started.

“Yeah?”

“I give you permission to kill me. Please, put me out of my misery.”

“Can’t. I’m about to off myself.”

Dick and Danny turned at them, “Oh, all right, Little Wing, Baby Bird, don’t be so dramatic. We’ll stop.”

“I make no such promises,” Danny said while looking them straight in the eyes, “you act as if we’re pun-ishing you.”

“That’s it, Timmy. There is no way he’s an alternate version of me. He’s Dickie bird’s alt.”

“No, he’s yours. Deal with it.”

Fuck, this is ridiculous.

“Okay, since we figured out the kid wasn’t lying, should we call B now? Not that I want to deal with the Old Man,” Jason whispered the last part.

“B? Is that your dad? Cool,” Jason glared, “my dad’s name is Jack. He’s 6’9” and built like a tank. Is your dad that tall?”

Everyone else choked or looked at Danny’s 5’3” beanpole body and couldn’t imagine his dad being that tall.

“Are you adopted? Cuz there is no way you got his genes if he’s that tall,” Jason said.

Danny crossed his arms and pouted, “I just haven’t hit my growth spurt yet. My dad says the Fentons are late bloomers. He didn’t reach his height until he was twenty-one. I’m just fifteen. I have a few years. Besides, if my sister is anything to go by, I’ll hit my spurt, too.”

“You have a sister,” Jason asked, “A biological one?”

Danny perked, “Yeah, I mentioned her earlier, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember. You said your parents helped you escape from the government.”

Danny’s smile fell, “Yeah, let’s say where I’m from; there are only two heroes. I’m one; the other is my age, but she does what she can. Since I’m considered an ectoplasmic being, I don’t have rights and can be experimented on whenever and without prejudice.”

“My parents are ectobiologist. They hated ghosts, and I was afraid to tell them about my double life, but,” Danny shrugged, “I did, and they took it well.”

“I thought after they found out, everything would be better. I was wrong,” Danny whispered.

Suddenly, the kid brightened up, “But I guess going through the Infinite Realms and exploring while I wait for them to pick me up is cool, too!”

Jason looked at his brothers; he was sure they all had the same looks of worry.

It was time to bring in Bruce.

So, I loved this prompt, but it had no overarching story. For the time being, this is done unless you lovely people give me ideas where I can go from here, and if something captures my attention, I'll write it. I don't do fic cases well, so don't send me much of those I prefer more slice of life and just them getting to know each other. Maybe their similarities and differences, that'd be great.

I also feel the need to reiterate I've only ever watched Danny Phantom and have just started reading comics so most of what I know about DC and the Batfam is from fanfic and movies, so remember that when you leave ideas.

Thanks!

@sailor-goddess @realityisdulllonglivefiction @roseinbloom02 @stargirl1331 @batbootie @yjfk @fandom-reblog-central

Red Hood: so you’re, what, from another dimension?

Danny: actually yeah, that’s exactly where I’m from. At the moment, I’m trying to hunt down my alt, see what their life is like

Red Hood: “Alt?”

Danny: Alternate self. It’s a cosmic effect, sometimes two alts can have near identical backgrounds, other times the only thing that links them is a single, life altering event that defines every version of that person throughout every dimension. Speaking of, I don’t suppose you know anyone who died around age 14 and got brought back significantly changed, maybe with some white hair?

Red Hood:

Danny:

Red Hood:

Danny:

Red Hood: :|

Danny: :D

#dc x dp #dc x dp fill #might continue this #tw: guns #tw: death

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multifanritz · 2 years ago

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I just galaxy-brained a total crack idea and I need your input. Consider: Bruce could not communicate with a gun to his head. Freshly resurrected Jason wants to test this. Now imagine terrifying crime lord who came out of nowhere holding a gun to Batman’s head in front of Robin and Nightwing just screaming shit like “Talk to your kids you repressed motherfucker and try using actual words for once!!!” That’s the pitch :)

Bestie i love this idea, but im gonna tweak it just a tiny bit

Set up: Tim is tied up (a lot, cuz jason KNOWS the ways he is able to get out) and Jason has a gun to his head. Bruce and Dick where led there and r standing a good 20 feets away trying to de-escalate the situation

Dick: You kidnapped Robin to get B to talk about his FEELINGS??

Jason: Well, I thought about kidnapping HIM, but I know that man would rather die than let out his emotions. His birdies on the other hand...

Bruce: Let him go, Hood.

Jason: Not until you talk to your kids you emotionally repressed asshole!

Dick: Okay, he might be emotionally repressed, AND an asshole--

Bruce: Hn.

Dick: But he's not THAT bad.

Jason: Hey, Robin, when was the last time Daddy Bats here said he was proud of you?

Tim: Uhm... is that a trick question?

Jason: What about you, Blue boy? When was the last time you both had a conversation that DIDN'T end up involving something to do with the nightlife?

Dick, crossing his arms: Yesterday

Jason: And the time before that?

Dick, thinking: It....uhm....huh.

Bruce: I care about my kids.

Jason: Oh really? When was the last time you told them you loved them?

Bruce: I--

Jason: WITHOUT it having been a near death situation??

Bruce: .......

Jason: Jesus christ, you need therapy

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thevibraniumveterans · 3 years ago

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Went on a small not-quite rant this weekend responding to a valid viewpoint about Marc and Layla’s breakup.

One of my group chat mates had stated:

“Yk i think we could do so much better if layla and marc's breakup was written better. When layla said- "i Dont want protection, i want honesty", as a way to establish why marc betrayal hurt her and Steven is better for her, i was like honey, reallllyyyy?! Do you realise what khonsu could do your mind+getting involved in the whole scarab hunt could straightup kill you+steven is cute but maybe deal with your divorce first? Like how do you fall out of love with Marc like that? I get that layla deserved to know the situation but that's not a good enough reason to breakup. More than anything i want a conversation bw both about the same. A proper breakup with palpable reasons. If i were layla i would eventually get back with marc cuz he did all that to protect me and offered to divorce me cuz he himself was partaking in lethal missions.”

She had a point! It’s valid, and I understand it. However, I respectfully disagree:

I'm not convinced Marc broke up with Layla. As far as I'm convinced, he still loves her. It's just that he can't really put forth his emotions, so due to whatever past trauma that led him to create Steven, Steven can handle all the emotions Marc can't. I am aware that Marc was pushing Layla away, not because he doesn't like her, he does! A lot! He loves her! But he wants her to be safe. Like I've said, she's only human, and therefore vulnerable. She can take care of herself just fine, hence “I don't need protection", but that's the thing, isn't it? She's just human. Marc has endured far worse. Why on this great green earth would he want her to experience what he has experienced?

Out of concern for her safety, Marc emotionally distances himself his wife because he knows Khonshu will pick her to be the next Avatar. Because Layla is the love of Marc’s life, Layla has inadvertently become some kind of a liability. Marc’s weak link. To him, if he severed that link, then therefore Layla is safe. It pained Marc, I’m sure, to hand his wife the divorce papers. I don’t think the divorce actually went through (“You sent these papers but you never signed them,” Layla says to who she thought was Marc (but was actually Steven) in Ep 2). Because when Marc confronts Steven in the tent and says, “Are you in love with my wife?”, Marc doesn’t say ex-wife. Remember Ep3, when Marc sees Layla in danger? He’s got that “touch her, and I’ll kill you so hard your ancestors wish they were never born” look in his eyes. Marc isn’t selfish. If anything, he’s selfless.

Marc’s desire to protect Layla stemmed from his guilty conscience over his inability to save her father. He wants to protect her in the only way he knows how - by emotionally distancing himself from her. I don’t think it’s bad writing because Marc and Layla have not broken up. There is so much evidence they still love each other, just not in the typical couples way where they’re all lovey-dovey over each other, and this is exactly where, and when, Steven comes in. Steven embodies everything Layla loves about Marc, hence why she falls for him. She likes so many of the same things he likes, hence why Steven falls in love with her. Steven falling in love with Layla can represent a scenario under which Marc wished he had fallen in love with Layla.

Marc’s entire relationship with Layla was formed solely because he wanted her to be okay. He had nearly died, and was resurrected by Khonshu and served under him, and so, by doing all these dangerous things, Layla wanted to be with Marc wherever he went. But for an ordinary but strong woman like Layla to be involved with powers beyond her grasp, Marc does not want any of that harsh life for Layla. He loves her so much, but he can’t deal with her being his emotional liability. It’s not that she’s getting in his way, he feels that the best way she can stay safe is to be emotionally distant from him. And I feel like there’s been some subtle character development for Marc all this time that Steven’s been in the driver’s seat. Let’s revisit that tent scene-

Marc stated point-blank, “I wish I could just disappear, I really do.” You know why he feels that way? He knows he carries the guilty conscience of not being able to save Layla’s dad. He wishes he could just disappear so he wouldn’t have to deal with this. It sounds harsh, but that’s why Steven’s here, isn’t he? Marc also tells Steven, “If you're gonna go through with this, you gotta be smart, for Layla's sake.” Marc loves Layla, that much is clear. Since Steven will not relinquish control of his body to Marc, best Marc can do is tell Steven to please take care of Layla. Because Marc can’t do that. Not really. Steven can, though.

Marc, in trying to protect Layla from the kind of person he is/was, that being an internationally wanted mercenary who kills to live, quite literally, it’s not a safe environment for Layla. She’s proven time and time again she can stand her ground, but she’s only human. She has no suit, no healing powers. She’s vulnerable. And Marc wants to protect her. The only way he can do that is by being emotionally distant. Let’s rewind a bit to the scene in the car.

Layla sounded hurt when she wondered why Marc would just want to disappear. It’s clear that she still loves him. Even Marc states yet again, “that deal didn't involve you getting Layla and us killed, did it? That's not gonna fly with me.” Layla being in danger is the Number One Thing that Marc does not want to happen. Even when Steven asks, “Well, hadn't he disappeared from your life already?” And Layla responds, “Yeah. I mean, whatever. His suit was his best feature, wasn't it? Didn't even have that anymore.”, she’s not entirely convinced that she’s over him, because she’s very much not. She’s trying to deny that Marc’s absence is affecting her, but she can’t. Let’s get back to the other half of the tent convo for a bit… (where after Marc says, “I’ve been in situations like this before”, the conversation continues…)-

The hilarity of Marc being jealous over Steven falling in love with Layla aside, it’s actually pretty deep with meaning. Marc wants to protect Layla but he can either do that, or he would’ve been dead. (Perhaps in trying to both save Layla’s dad and trying to protect her, resulted in Marc being shot and subsequently resurrected. But we’ll see.) His servitude to Khonshu is the reason why he pushes his wife away. She’s not getting in his way, but he’s only concerned for her safety. So, before Steven and Layla head into the tomb…

I’ve pointed this out before- Steven can give Layla what she never got (or stopped getting) from Marc. Steven is everything that Layla loves about Marc, but without Marc in the picture, he can’t protect Layla, but Steven can. Layla first moves in for a kiss, but before she can do so…

Layla feels that she wasn’t getting honesty from Marc - and the only reason why he’s hiding things from her is to keep her safe. Remember how Marc told Steven that getting Layla killed wouldn’t “fly” with him and that he’d never let that happen? Stuck in the passenger seat, all Marc can do in between punching Steven for kissing Layla and helping Steven in the tomb, is ruminate. Reflect. Let’s get to that scene.

Notice how Marc’s tone went from assertive (“Steven, give me the body right now. This is a suicide mission.”) to one of resigned acceptance. Marc’s not even angry anymore. He’s not even mad anymore. And while Marc could not apologize for being involved in the murder of Layla’s dad, Steven apologized instead, not knowing Marc’s story:

I’m aware “I’m sorry” is a standard response to being told of someone’s death, but here it holds special meaning because Steven apologized where Marc could not do so, hence why Marc had time to really think it over, realize that Steven can be for Layla what Marc couldn’t be. It’s not bad writing. It’s complicated. It was meant to be complicated. A married man coming to terms with the fact that one of his alters is falling in love with his wife, it sounds hilarious but it’s also such a good way of saying, “here, I’ll take care of her for you. You need me, I need you. We need each other. She needs me, she needs you. And you’re not always there for her. In your absence, I’ll love her for you.” And this is precisely what Marc learns to accept.* It’s an unconventional relationship, but it’s a beautiful story. At first I was laughing my head off at the brilliant absurdity of it, but then I realized, hey, it’s deeper than I thought. And it’s off-the-walls wonderful.

* It also kind of explains why both the physical manifestations of Marc and Steven were so relieved to see each other towards the end.

#mcu #moon knight #moon knight ep 4 #marc spector #layla spector #layla el faouly #steven grant #steven x layla #marc x layla #oscar isaac #oscar issac hernandez estrada #may calamawy #them 🥰#moon knight meta #moon knight thoughts #long post

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khentkawes · 4 years ago

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Tony Stark-antis need to learn some chill and basic narrative comprehension skills. Like really? Again with this bullshit?

Dude, we are ONE episode into Falcon and the Winter Solider and people are already using it as an excuse to resurrect anti-Tony Stark bad takes. Like... WTF fandom? Do we really have to go through this with every single post-Endgame mcu project? Really? When are ya all gonna learn some comprehension skills and actually pick up on what the narrative is trying to say?

Say it with me: the bank loan scene was a not-very-subtle jab at systemic racism and the way black veterans have been treated in American for decades. It’s not an excuse to anti on about how “tOnY sTaRk DiDnT pAy ThE aVeNgErS CuZ hE’s A eVIL bILLIonAiRe!”

Are you all so afraid of talking about systemic racism that you have to blame Tony Stark for Sam not getting a bank loan? Really? After a year of BLM protests and extensive awareness-raising for systemic racism, and y’all still don’t get it?

That’s the real world issue that the narrative was trying to lay out, and it’s the in-universe explanation for that scene, which is trying to address out-of-universe real-world issues. But now let me be petty and go back to the in-universe issues of whether Sam got paid... because this whole take is just pissing me off and I have to rant. So...

Sam hasn’t had a paying job in seven years, and he chose to leave the Avengers when he defied the Sokovia Accords because he blindly follows everything Cap says without ever thinking for himself. He’s been badly written ever since he showed up at the end of Age of Ultron. And that bad writing means he’s just been playing as Cap’s lackey, and in doing so, he CHOSE to leave the Avengers, to reject a government paycheck, and take his chances on the run for two years as a fugitive. So yeah. Two years, no job, no pay. And as far as we can tell, he didn’t do a whole lot of awesome saving-the-world in those two years either. He was just hiding out with Cap and maybe punching a couple of low-level terrorists or something .There certainly weren’t any alien invasions that he stopped in that time. And after that, he was dust for five years. That’s not his fault, obviously, but no one can expect to collect a paycheck while they don’t exist. That’s why the post-Blip economy is probably a bit wonky at the moment. So in total... seven years. No job. No paycheck. Part of that is consequences of Sam’s actions and part of it was through no fault of his own. But yeah, after seven years with no paycheck, there’s a good chance he’s got money issues. Did banks seize assets of those who were blipped? Totally possible.

But now, in-universe, let’s remember that all this bullshit that antis are spewing about “Tony Stark should have set aside money for his friends and teammates” and “Sam saved the world from aliens so many times, so he deserves a pension” and “Tony could set up a trust fund for all of the avengers because they’re his friends!” Yeah. That’s all 100% BS.

First off, Sam Wilson and Tony Stark are not friends in the MCU. Never have been. In Civil War, Tony said, “I know we don’t know each other very well” because they don’t! They’ve NEVER FOUGHT TOGETHER ON THE SAME TEAM! Think about that. Tony wasn’t an active duty avenger between Age of Ultron and Civil War, and that’s the only time period where Sam was an active avenger. So they were never really “teammates” and they weren't friends. They were, at best, acquaintances or coworkers who never worked closely together.

And during that time, when Tony appears to have had little contact with the avengers, he was bankrolling the team. He says, “what, am I doing here? Running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?” He made the compound and supplied all of the avengers’ tech. He gave them free room and board. It sure looks like they had everything they needed, so it’s entirely possible (even likely) that Tony was paying the Avengers during this time. But that’s all it was. Two years when Sam was an active avenger, Tony wasn’t, but Tony was still bankrolling the team. After that... Sam was a fugitive and then he was dust. So he spent 7 years with no job, and two of those years were by choice, because of Sam’s rejection of being an avenger and refusal to accept a government paycheck. He chose to be a vigilante with Cap, and vigilantism doesn’t supply a paycheck on its own.

And finally... Sam has never saved the world! And he’s only fought aliens during Infinity War and Endgame. So where are people getting this whole, “but Sam should be paid because hE sAvEd tHe wOrLd!”? Uh, no. Not really. He helped in Endgame. He tried to help in Infinity War. And that’s good. That’s important. It’s not nothing. But it’s also not saving the world. In this first episode of TFATWS, Sam literally accepted thanks from a guy who said “you brought my wife back,” when Sam had nothing to do with that. Bruce snapped and brought back all the dusted. Sam had no role in helping for that. Now I get that Sam was probably just being polite. But it’s contributing to this narrative that Sam did more then he actually did. Naw, man. Marvel never cared about Sam Wilson until five minutes ago. So they’ve never actually shown him doing anything that was, well, important. And that’s a fail on Marvel, but if we’re looking at it from a purely in-universe perspective... Sam Wilson doesn’t deserve any more or less than any other government/military contractor. Because that’s what he is now (he’s not an Avengers because the Avengers no longer exist), and that’s what he was up until the last scene of Age of Ultron. Most of his existence, he’s been a solider. He’s a military guy. So if he’s not been getting paid, that’s on the military. Tony, at most, would have paid him for two years of his time and work. The rest is all on the military, including Sam’s current finances.

Which means, you want to blame someone for Sam’s finances and his inability to get a loan? Well, there are three reasons. 1. Sam chose to leave the Avengers to become a fugitive with Cap, which means he had no job and no paycheck for two years. That’s the consequences of his actions. 2. the military either stopped paying him at some point, or hasn’t been paying him enough/quick enough in the past six months since the Blip. Military pay for veterans and veterans’ access to benefits is a real problem, but it’s a military problem. And it’s possible that any back-pay or pension that Sam is owed is tied up in red tape, which is probably only exacerbated by his time as a fugitive (which might mean he was made ineligible for any pension). And finally 3. systemic racism. His sister was pretty clear on the fact that “people like us” are the ones who always seems to be denied loans. She was saying that there is money available for loans, but it always go to white folks first. Maybe try listening to the black character explain why they believe they aren’t getting paid. Sam (when not on the run or blipped) was living a pretty cushy life as a supporting avenger for two years. He apparently didn’t have to think about how systemic racism could affect his family because he was temporarily insulated from it. Now that layer of protection is gone because he’s not living in a cushy compound away from the real world (which, for the record, is probably a good thing. I think the Avengers being so isolated from the real world is probably partially what led to the problems in Civil War). So now Sam is going to be confronted with the reality that systemic racism is real and can affect anybody, regardless of your fame or your job. And after the past year of discussions on race, the fandom shouldn’t be surprised by this narrative.

I am so sick of every single MCU project post-Endgame being twisted by antis who just want to use it to hate Tony Stark. I mean, seriously. Give it a rest, people! Try reading the narrative the way it was intended and stop twisting it for your hate-Tony-Stark obsession.

#falcon and the winter solider spoilers #tfatws spoilers #barely but still #tony stark defense squad #antis need to be quiet #fandom discourse is exhausting #yall make it harder for me to care about anything associated with captain america and now that's beginning to include sam wilson #khent rants #marvel critical #kinda #i wanted to like the new shows #but the marvel writers are shit #i did enjoy wandavision #even though it had some problems #and i loved seeing rhodey in tfatws ep #khent's marvel discussions #khent's posts

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unalivejournal · 3 years ago

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u mentioned only reading kripke era fic do you have a reclist 👀👀👀and if not could you link some of ur faves cuz the stuff that gets circulated the most right now is all like late late seasons fic and kripke era is my favorite too but im having trouble finding that many fics for it or even seasons 6-10 era which im fine with also. its just that like. the last five seasons were so bad that it makes fic generally worse too because people have to jump off of just Thee stupidest plot choices no matter how good their prose skills might be. but anyway yea if u have recs that would be awesome :)

hi anon i was thinking abt making a reclist and u just gave me the perfect excuse thank u

jess adamilligan’s kripke era fic recs

from making this ive learned that i never bookmark ANYTHING. sorry all of these r like….. 10k and under. i DO read longer fic but i don’t have any kripke era longfics bookmarked & tbh i prefer short oneshots

season one gen

disclaimer because it’s unfortunately needed: NONE of these are w*ncest! they’re all completely tagged as gen and i did not read them with the intent of consuming ship content.

Coaster Park by fogsrollingin, 10.4k, G, gen

Coaster Park had been experiencing an unusually high frequency of technical difficulties. Dean wouldn't have pulled a shift treating nauseated, heat-stroked, or dehydrated park-goers for that if he could've helped it, but when 'technical difficulties' were accompanied by rumors of things moving and stopping on their own in front of the operators' eyes, Dean had to throw down.

No historical tragedies or disasters in the area, ectoplasm, or EMF. Dean's only lead was a battered-looking kid that'd been coming to the park every day since it'd all started.

really interesting au fic! slightly ‘it’s a terrible life’. dean winchester is a hunter/EMT and sam wesson is a college kid destined to die on a roller coaster ride.

two basic motivating forces by sahwen, 7.8k, T, gen

He can’t cry, it’s not allowed; even as a child he was hushed into silence, whether his tears were from a long car ride or a late night or a raging fever. It’s never been an option, it’s never been an available outlet, and it’s not about to start being one just because he’s having an emotional breakdown on the bathroom floor.

Sam isn't only afraid of clowns.

BIG emetophobia tw (both for graphic depictions of nausea/vomiting and for the fact that this fic is about sam suffering from emetophobia) for this one but it’s my favorite sickfic. portrays anxiety over getting sick really well and is a fascinating examination of the different ways that sam’s fear of loss of control can manifest itself. also has lovely brothers content <3

Let’s Start at the Very Beginning (Remix of Just as Easy as 123) by nwspaprtaxis, 4k, T, gen

Dean’s functionally illiterate and Sam’s determined to remedy it...

PLEASE READ THIS ONE god it’s so sweet. dean never learned how to read properly due to his nomadic childhood and sam teaches him how.

dean/cas

Broadway Musical by Griftings, 9k, M, m/m

This is the day that marked the Holy and Blessed Union of Dean Winchester and Jo Harvelle.

The merging of prominent bloodlines is always a grand occurrence, but breeding pedigree hunter families like Winchester and Harvelle is something to be rejoiced. It is also something to be meticulously planned, which thankfully the Host is very good at.

Or, the romantic comedy where Dean Winchester and Jo Harvelle are destined to get married, Castiel is given the task of playing matchmaker and fails terribly, the entire Heavenly Host becomes a sitcom audience, God warns against male pregnancy, and Jimmy Novak is incredibly unimpressed with angels in general.

somewhat of a fandom classic and the humor holds up wonderfully. a very silly fic completed with commentary from angel radio throughout the entire thing.

Sappiest Season by dollsome, 2.7k, G, m/m

In which Dean and Cas have to stop an evil Christmas tree (like you do), and it requires a little fake couple action.

hilarious little s5ish fic. one of the first i read when getting back into spn. i don’t want to spoil anything but this is my favorite pick me up and i still giggle randomly whenever i think about it

The (Mostly Accidental) Courtship of Dean Winchester by tuesday

Angelic marriage rites were never intended to go quite like this.

another fandom classic. ik this one is recced a lot but how could i NOT include it. dean and cas get married (mostly by accident) and they’re huge cunts about it

the one thing in the galaxy god didn't have his eyes on by prufrock, 2.4k, T, gen + m/m

“Wait,” Dean says. “Let me get this right. You can fly, right—you can teleport—but you can’t drive a car?”

or, after the events of S5E03 "Free to Be You and Me," Dean teaches Cas to drive. Cas finds it stressful

im always a sucker for a good ftbyam fic. also i can’t drive so. resonation

So Says The Sword by komodobits, 85k, E, m/m

The briefing was simple: ‘Stand guard over the Michael Sword until the battle is ready to commence. Await further instructions.’

Castiel doesn’t mind working security duty; he was briefed shortly after the initial salvation of the Sword from the pit, and again before taking up his position. He knows what to do. However, it’s easy to forget that the green room isn’t real. Time moves differently there, the space ever-changing to make a prison of mountains, cathedrals, salt flats, orchards, and whatever Castiel was led to believe about Heaven’s greatest weapon—Dean Winchester is something entirely unexpected.

NO introduction neede. i think everyone on spntumblr has read this already but still. if you haven’t then i am demanding that you read it NOW. tbh i’m just adding this one so that i have at least one long fic here 😭

the weight by @myaimistrue, 3.5k, T, gen + m/m

“Do you…” Bobby sighs. “Listen, Dean, do you have something you wanna tell me?”

It’s the conversational equivalent of being punched in the stomach.

Or, Dean works through some things with Bobby's help.

WHEN I SAW THE USERNAME I GASPED I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS U. anyway i Love coming out fics idk why i just do. the world is ending and dean comes out to bobby

canticles by 2street2car, 10.3k, T, m/m

“But you know something? If I couldn’t get you laid, at least I gave you a good first date.”

feat: footsies at a Ruby Tuesday, stargazing, the recreation of an iconic "Dirty Dancing" scene (no, not that one—the other one), and practicing for When You're With A Girl.

another ftbyam fic that skepticalfrog (i believe?) recommended a while back. made me feel at least 28 new emotions

Epilogue by JayneL, 28k, E, m/m

Bobby is here, swearing somewhere above and behind him; and Dean is here, talking about 2014 like it's a foreign country; and Sam is here, and is not Lucifer. Which means-- Bobby is here, swearing somewhere above and behind him; and Dean is here, talking about 2014 like it's a foreign country; and Sam is here, and is not Lucifer. Which means--

Cas is no longer when he was. Lucifer sent him back.

Coda to 'The End'.

2014 cas gets sent back to 2009, feelings ensue etc. i don’t remember all the details of this one bc it’s been a while but it’s really good

bonus

currently reading

Fragile As We Lie by perilously, 11k, E, f/f

Dragging Bela Talbot out of perdition isn't so much a decision as it is a frantic choice based on gut instinct. Her soul is bright, if fractured, and Anna yearns to do good again after the perversion of free will that immediately preceded her death.

Bela's no ordinary human, though; she's prickly and damaged and beautiful, and Anna doesn't want to leave her side. So maybe they can figure out how to navigate post-resurrection, post-Apocalypse-that-wasn't Earth together.

#sorry i took a few days to answer this haha #asks #anon #fic recs

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transgenderer · 2 years ago

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(ntn spoilers)

so i was talking earlier about how jod is still fixated on pre-resurrection earth, constantly making little references to its culture, etc, despite living a miniscule fraction of his life pre-rez, and how the resultant ninth house culture is pretty clearly aping aspects of 20th/21st century earth culture despite existing for absurdly longer, for 10k years, and how weird and neurotic that is (i mean, you can excuse it as lazy worldbuilding, but i prefer to see it as thematic)

but yknow, at least the ninth houses are obsessed with pre-rez because theyre led by a guy who grew up pre-rez. but blood of eden is ALSO obsessed with the pre-rez earth! they could have named themselves after the thousands of years of culture humanity presumably produced outside the control of the nine houses, but they dont! they name themselves after pre-rez culture! this whole giant war is a conflict between two sides who cant let go of a long dead culture, who cant move on. oh, and the resurrection beasts too, chasing their killer for a myriad.

it fits really well with the themes about the futility of revenge cuz like, yeah, so many people in this series are fixated on a long distant past, generally for revenge but also just in general, its a series about not moving on (cf harrow not moving on from gideon and doing the lobotomy, cam not moving on from pal, (altho i guess both those choices were vindicated, so its not strictly pro moving on))

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st-hedge · 4 years ago

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I had to take a little break from drawing so i decided to pull together some thoughts from an excavation exploration of one of my favourite places in botw which is the great plateau. Sorry i cant do a longer post tumblr seems to crash and break when i add more text and screenshots 😬

So, the great plateau. The more i try to pick at it and figure out what it could have been in botw’s past the more I’m stumped. There is a theme of landmarks around the plateau having names that have connotations of death (river of the dead, forest of spirits, of course shrine of resurrection) and then there are some very innocent names. This seems to completely contrast the function of the plateau as a training arena of sorts, both for us as players and the champion cuz of the 4 hidden shrines that are associated with the one hit obliterater challenge, the divine beast hidden beneath the shrine of resurrection, and maz koshia’s arena

I think what has happened is that the function of the plateau has changed over time in the same that in real life we find strange monoliths that may has just been a place of dwelling, then became religious sites, and then burial grounds. I think that the great plateau was first a training arena and then became a burial ground of sorts, but perhaps it was for more ceremonial burials, perhaps even people being sent off on their last journey on water. Example, what the fuck is the function of this ‘staircase’? It leads to nowhere besides mount hylia and the shrine, there are no ruins on either of these peaks

Perhaps this path (or stairs) led down to the docks in the river of the dead where people were sent off on their last journey. Then, the river drops off into the lake below beneath the suspension bridges

#long post #i dont know how to tag this #reference #ill make a post about the gerudo desert tomorrow #hopefully #unless tumblr breaks again

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salmonthestoryteller · 3 years ago

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Shannara Chronicles

So I finished both seasons of the Shannara Chronicles. Love season 1, mixed feelings on season 2. Spoilers ahead!

I did grow up reading the books, but it’s been forever since I read them. So overall that didn’t affect most of my opinions on the show. My one exception is I love Flick, and was unhappy about his lack of screen time or mention in season 1. I was super salty about Eventine not being the one to tell Wil that Flick fought in the war.

I was watching the episode going: “Wow, Eventine, you hear the name Ohmsford and don’t even ask about the man who went behind enemy lines to save your sorry ass during the war?? Wth, dude. Not cool.”

So I actually did appreciate getting more Flick in season 2, and Wil finally learning his uncle had fought in the war. The scenes between Bandon and Flick were well done, and even his death worked for me. Because Flick fought a war to stop the Warlock Lord, watched his beloved brother lose his mind after that war, and there was no way he wasn’t going to do everything in his power to prevent his return.

I will also say, I do feel that Bandon should have said “Flick was right”, not “Allanon was right” in his final scene. Not just because I’m a Flick fangirl, either. Flick was the last person to try to reach out to Bandon emotionally. I also would have accepted “Wil was right.” Because Wil was his friend in season one, so if he’s going to think about who he should have listened to in the end, it should have been the people who did try their best to help him and show they cared. And the facts are, Allanon never showed Bandon he truly cared. He admitted himself that this situation existed because he pushed Bandon too hard and didn’t think of what was best for him. Because he treated him like a tool to use and not a person. So I’m not fond of them giving Allanon that moment. It’s understandable Bandon wouldn’t want to listen to Allanon. But he should have listened to Wil and/or Flick. And that’s what he should have said when facing the truth.

I actually ended up liking Eretia/Wil/Amberle in season one. It starts out and you're like - oh, god another love triangle. And by the time they’re reaching Safehold, you're like - holy shit. Not a love triangle. This is totally poly, and I’m down for it. Of course, then Amberle becomes a tree, so… But I felt like it was still addressed in season 2. Wil is jealous that Amberle talked to Eretia and didn’t talk to him, Eretia calls out Mareth on her feelings for Wil while admitting she knows what it’s like to love him. The year apart has led Wil and Eretia on different paths and to different people, but they don’t write off their history, or their shared love of Amberle.

Okay, just insert all the squeeing about the Eretria/Lyria romance in season 2 here. Because it’s gorgeous. Their fights are understandable, but not for a moment do you not think they aren’t in love through every moment of it. I just wish they’d let Eretia keep Lyria’s ring. It’s made more than obvious she will return to her, so why have her return the ring? I am so disappointed in that choice.

On the flipside, what the heck was with the Ander/Catania romance in season 2? It made no sense. It did nothing for the plot. Let’s be serious here. Given that Catania was with Bandon in season 1 - is the very reason he is on the loose - and is probably a little traumatized over her boyfriend turning evil, and the love of Ander’s life - Diane, the woman he pined over for ten years, remember her? - just died last year, the idea that they suddenly fell so madly in love Ander would consider giving up a marriage of alliance for Catania is ridiculous.

Not to mention that Catania is killed so quickly it barely matters that they’re together anyway. On that note, why did we have to kill Catania exactly? It felt so pointless to murder her. I really hate deaths that are just for drama and not for plot. And before anyone says “they had to stop her from giving Eretia’s message to Ander”: So Edian had the chance to kidnap the woman the King of the Elves is supposed to be in love with to use as a hostage against him - which would make way more tactical sense - but chose to just kill her and offer a lame excuse even Ander didn’t believe? With geniuses like this as spies and leaders, it’s a wonder The Crimson is succeeding at anything.

Sorry, but the whole Ander/Catania thing felt like it was there because

“Women and Men can’t be friends”

“We can’t have the only couple kissing in season 2 be w/w”

And nobody is ever gonna convince me those aren’t the backwards opinions that made the writers put them together in season 2, as opposed to just having her be a friend and advisor. Ander could have hesitated over the marriage cuz he still isn’t over Diane’s death and Catania could have been like, “She’d understand. She’d want you to put our people first.” And they could have kidnapped her instead of killing her and then that would explain her presence in the Crimson stronghold when Bandon took over, rather than having the Warlock Lord raise her from the dead. Edian could still have given the excuse, “Catania left cuz she disapproved of the marriage.” And Ander could still have frozen and been like, “Wait, what? She encouraged me to accept the marriage.” Almost nothing would have changed by them not being a romance and not killing Catania. (Twice at that.)

(They could also have also just… not killed Diane in season one. Just saying…)

On the note of deaths that make no sense. Let’s talk about having Ander survive the battle against Dagda Mor, witness the death of pretty much his entire family and the woman he loved, only to have him killed in season two by an antagonist who dies an episode later. Purely for drama and audience pain. Not because it makes one spit of sense for the story.

Remember how Slanter only agrees to the alliance in season one because of Ander? Because Ander was willing to let him out of the prison he’d been kept in. To make the choice as a king that, despite Slanter killing the brother he loved so much, if he wanted this alliance - then he needed Slanter. He also was willing to respect Slanter’s culture when they found the dead gnomes. If Eventine had still been in charge, Slanter would have told him to go eff himself for asking for their help, but Ander had shown Slanter he had more depth and understanding and Slanter was willing to risk his people on him being the man he hoped he was. The evolution of their alliance and tentative friendship was a great story. And then they threw it away for what?

If they killed Ander so Eretia and Lyria could be together, first Ander already knew Lyria loved Eretia and this was strictly a political marriage so he wasn’t in the way in the first place. Second, they still didn’t end the season with them together, so what was the point?

The elven-gnome alliance exists for exactly two reasons and their names are Slanter and Ander. It is not going to hold with Ander dead. For that matter, the alliance with Leah will probably not hold with him dead either. Lyria is the daughter of the woman responsible for the death of the last known (Cuz nobody knows about Mareth) member of the elven royal family. (Queen Tamlin is a fascinating and complex character, but the truth remains Ander is dead because of her machinations). In a world that has been set up as misogynistic from episode one (Amberle wasn’t supposed to run the Gauntlet because she was a girl ringing any bells?) there is no way Lyria would be able to keep the peace under these circumstances. Not because she wouldn’t be a good queen, but because she was just handed a political nightmare.

That’s before considering that part of Ander’s story both in season one and the struggle with the Crimson in season 2 is because he had spent the last ten years avoiding his duties. He wasn’t taken seriously as king because of that. Um… Lyria has the same issue. She literally was “missing” for the last year and has a history of running away. She’s going to have the same struggles Ander had in getting her people to put their faith in her, let alone other kingdom’s people. Realistically, someone would rise up, seize the throne in Arborlon - probably go for Leah first before attacking the gnomes. Or possibly vice versa. Even if Ander had lived, he and Lyria would have still had a giant mess on their hands - killing him only makes this “Yay, party, everyone’s going to stick to the alliance this time” ending feel super unrealistic. Sigh.

In a lot of ways it would have made more sense to have the Crimson’s defeat be the end of season 2 and Bandon resurrect the Warlock Lord in the finale. Not bring the Warlock Lord back for - what? 2 episodes and defeat him? It made him look really weak by comparison to Dagda Mor, and that was a bit of a disappointment for me. He’s the Warlock Lord. His defeat should have taken a whole season. I guess considering we won’t get a season 3, I get why they made sure to wrap it up in season 2. At the same time though it feels rushed after the build up.

All and all, I still enjoyed the show a lot. And I would have come back for a third season if we’d gotten one.

#meta #salmon rants #the shannara chronicles

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smolbeandrabbles · 4 years ago

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Selfish pt.8 - Sheriff of Nottingham x Reader (Robin Hood 2018)

@wltz-bby @happyskywhale

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7

Author’s Note: This sat in my drafts for ages with a note screaming that I had all the plot points and just had to write it. At least it made me chuckle every time I looked at it! But it’s finally done! And I get to bring you more of the Sheriff and his Norse Goddess. (Come on, we know she is.)

I read this back out loud and made myself laugh a bunch of times. But also there are SO many great conversations in this. It’s another piece of mine I like very much 🥰

Disclaimer: Robin Hood characters & plot not mine / mad world still courtesy of Otto Bathust / lyrics not mine

Premise: The more you look at Nottingham the more you see corruption in it’s power structure, and you turn to the one man you can confront. There are things that you want to move forward with in your relationship, but not until you’re on exactly the same page...

Words: 9575

Warnings: Sexual Pre-Amble / All the plot threads for the movie pick up and our girl is not best pleased with any of them / Scars/Sheriff’s Backstory

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I tried to warn her this ain’t a friendly game It’s just warfare by a different name She won’t listen so I’m tryin' to pretend That I don’t know how the story’s gonna end It’s like a tight rope hangin' by a thread A vicious cycle where no one comes out ahead She’s divin’ in to try to save a drowning man But I’ll take her down with me if I can My heart stays locked away somewhere You’re the reason that it’s there

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Fighting for the things you give me I wanna share your love Feelin' like a wounded soldier Strength is not enough And I can't win this battle on my own My sword has long been buried Piled on with dirt Speak to me your promises Resurrect your word I'll rise up and be your voice I made my choice This is my story Your songs are stored inside my heart So break me apart It's for your glory Let it pour out of me Let it pour out of me It's for your glory So ride out on your wings of love Show me that you're here Cast down on my enemies Trembling with fear Cuz I can't win this battle on my own No I can't win this battle on my own I'll rise up and be your voice I made my choice This is my story

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Months more passed into your marriage, and you could happily - hand-on-heart - say that you were enjoying it. Askel became a little softer on it, but kept trying to point out that he wouldn’t see it as a real marriage until at least he was involved. When you put it to Marcus, as the witness, he simply held his hands up. “Look, I just did what I was asked. But if it was just for a certificate to prove something… I dunno if it counts.” You would let the Church argue that one. Tuck would have the answer, but you weren’t sure if you wanted to hear it or not. It was a marriage, and that’s what Wil was putting to the people, documents standing or not. It wasn’t something you even had to push down or to the back of your mind, it was just something you never thought on. At least your brother was starting to realise how much happier you were now, and that your husband continued to make you happy. That was what mattered. And their relationship was certainly getting better because of it. Askel’s English was broken, and his accent at times make it difficult (not that he cared), but he was trying now. That made you proud of him, especially when the Sheriff responded in kind with Norse. That made Askel happy – to see you were not the only one trying in your relationship. Both of you were making an effort for the other. It had Askel thinking this might work after all, although on occasion he’d grumble to you about not getting the opportunity to stab the guy on behalf of your father, and then take you back home. Teasingly you offered to let Askel return home but he always refused, preferring to ‘protect’ you. Although you weren’t sure you needed it. Askel did like spending a lot of time down at the docks now, however, as the Norse ships started arriving – you knew he was enjoying being around your people again. You weren’t always on duty with your guard, and you had them all pretty well trained by now. Marcus liked to, on occasion, give you breaks and you seemed to be given a lot more advisory meetings to attend. Luckily Lucian was still around to help you with those. You weren’t sure you wanted to put unnecessary stress on someone who was meant to be retiring, but he simply chuckled: “My dear, these are the hardest fought battles. Political ones, you’re doing excellent work out there I can already see that. But now I must help you master these. Besides, I would feel better doing something for the Sheriff. Wil does need guidance on occasion! He made the right choice with you, of that I am certain.” He didn’t need to add that statement, and you were certainly humbled. You were done with those today, though, and you knew that Wil would be busy for the rest of his own. Considering how much complaining he’d done this morning whilst dressing. To save him from leaving looking riled up – especially as the Lords decided to make it their mission to collect him - you pulled him back from the door at the last second and into a fierce kiss. At least he’d left with a smile, if not a yearning to spend the remainder of his day alone with you. He’d been continually busy for the past few weeks, and less time could therefore be spent with him outside of quiet morning and night hours. You were aware that during this time Vesper had been able to stretch his legs less and less, and that horse was growing restless. You were off duty, and with nothing else much to do other than read or sit with your thoughts, you believed you could provide the perfect solution. You approached the Sheriff’s office fairly cautiously, greeted with a smile by Alden, who was now every so often joining your guard in training. Although you seldom saw the point, because he was already very good. He didn’t need you – but he wanted to be involved and that was sweet. “Good day, my lady.” He stood to attention and you politely inclined your head, “How is he?” “On and off. You’ll be welcome respite.” “What a shame that it is only to ask one question, is he with anyone?” “No, and he’d prefer for it to be kept that way until his next meeting. Of course, you will be a notable exception.” “I’ll knock anyway!” And you did so, but didn’t wait for a response before entering. “…Oh, thank God. I was beginning to think my personal guard wasn’t doing his job.” “You specifically told him I could enter?” “I don’t think he’d stop you.” Wil pushed his chair out to stand but you stilled him, “No, please, stay seated it’s just one question and I’ll be leaving! You have much to do.” “Well, you may ask when ready.” “Vesper.” “…Yes?” His head tilted. “May I take him out? Beyond the walls? I just… You’ve been busy and I’d like to make sure that he doesn’t get… too restless.” “Ah. Well I’ll defer to you, if you think he’ll be fine.” There were a few seconds of silence between you, before he smiled and added, “I think he trusts you, but do be careful.” “I will, I promise!” You beamed – it was all about respect, but you would want to keep control of a stallion like that. You’d watched Wil with him enough to know how it was done. Thinking better of just turning and running back out, instead you approached his desk, leaning down to catch his lips – this kiss far more gentle. “Enjoy your day.” The smile that graced his face was a delight to watch, “Thank you. I’ll try my upmost to make that so.” Wil took your hand in his, pressing his lips to your knuckles to bid you farewell, you couldn’t help beaming as you left the room, closing the door behind you and wishing Alden well. You were certainly about to have a good day. Marcus had told you previously that Vesper only let the Sheriff anywhere near him to ride. So you knew that if this worked it was another number to add to the apparent ‘miracles’ that were happening here because of you. Then again, you’d always had an understanding with this horse; he was considerably calmer with you than the others, and it didn’t take long for you to persuade him to let you saddle him up, hands through his mane and over his neck, before stroking his muzzle – whispering gentle words in Norse. The same ones you used to use with your own horse before he was fully used to you; until Vesper allowed you to slip on his reigns. “Okay, Vesper…” You stroked him delicately again, before swinging yourself up onto his back, “let’s get you running!” Although you were careful with him through the streets of Nottingham, you could feel the both of you getting used to each other, figuring the other out. He was tall and steady, more than Eyhamel was – but you had to remind yourself he wasn’t the same kind of horse. Which gave him the edge out here – he was used to walking streets like this now. Eyha was still nervous about how close some of them were; in the mines especially – he was used to small spread out houses, sea air and countryside. You wondered how long Wil and Vesper had been a partnership, did Vesper grow up on streets like this, or did he know Wil’s country estate? The one where his family had- Vesper tugged the reigns sharply and you gasped, knowing you’d have got distracted, out of sync. Angrily thinking on something you shouldn’t have been. It had transferred through you into him, and you were forced to take a calming breath. “Sorry. That one’s on me.” Both of you were eager to get running, and you could feel that energy as you approached the gates. You’d come a different way to usual today, and this one led out to the toll bridge; the ground was a little flatter and smoothed out down a slope, with no trees here you knew you could let the power in the horse beneath you fly. Although you didn’t get to do that right away, because as you pulled up to the toll bridge the scene unfolding in front of you demanded your attention. The guards operating the bridge were currently yelling in the faces of a couple of scared looking peasants. And when the yelling didn’t work, they were dragged to the floor and promptly beaten. The anger running through you into Vesper had him starting forward, and you were glad of it, not attempting to pull him back. “STOP!!! STOP!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?” Your shouts were at least controlled as you put Vesper between the guards and the people, forcing them to back up. Your look was hard and if they thought you were done with them- “What. Are. You. Doing?” You demanded once more, glaring. “They have to pay the toll, can’t pay, no entry.” The guard very nearly spat, as if you were the problem. Clearly he wasn’t impressed with your intervention. “Are you Nottingham guard?” If they were yours you were about to axe them on the spot, “Who do you report to?” “The council.” Oh, that meant they weren’t charged with defending the city. “We are not the guard.” “I should hope not.” You forced them to back up again, Vesper was happy to aid in the fact that you were having none of it, “I’d see you off my guard before you could think. Who authorised you to do this!?” “The Sheriff. We have our orders.” You stilled Vesper for a moment with one single blink, Wil? Wil was just letting this happen? Did he know it happened like this? You knew you didn’t want to believe it. “We’ll see about that.” If you weren’t so determined to take Vesper out you’d be marching back up to the palace and dragging him down here to witness for himself. “Let them through.” “On whose authority?” You folded your arms, “My husbands. My own. I don’t care – you should be ashamed of yourselves.” Power, give them a drop and things like this happened… You wheeled Vesper around to the two peasants, recovering themselves and their goods. “Are you alright? Do you need assistance?” Your face and voice were considerably softer. That would be a short trek, you wouldn’t have minded doing that. But they both shook their heads, bowing their thanks to you. “No, M’lady! Thank you.” “Truly, it’s nothing. I can only apologise.” You waited to make sure that they got inside before turning back to the guard, “I catch you doing this again, you really will have to answer to someone higher than me, and I can promise you, you won’t be keeping your positions either.” You made sure to let that sink in with enough fierce in your voice, before once again turning his horse on a dime and urging Vesper out over the bridge. Well, now you’d need to spend some time out here cooling off, too.

The Sheriff, whilst all this was happening, had left his office. As much to be truly alone as to catch a glimpse of you, finding the highest point in the palace to keep an eye on as large an area of the outskirts as possible. He took his work with him, although he couldn’t say he wasn’t distracted. This could at least have been brushed off for a few days, the opportunity to watch you run his horse was not something to be missed. Wil found himself smiling uncontrollably as you did appear, and when you said run Vesper, you’d really meant it. You pushed him hard, galloping across the flat plains, fluctuating between sweeping and tight turns to add variety to the speed. But there were rivers and streams that you strayed into and Wil could swear he heard your laugh from all the way out there. And on the other side, lush long grass bled into the scenery and slopping hills, before it ended in forest. You never strayed up there, but you certainly strolled out of sight every so often. On these occasions he would just watch and wait for you to come back, instead of getting anything done. He sighed gently, before chuckling – wishing he could be beside you right now, wind rushing through his hair. A distraction maybe, but a welcome one. The Sheriff’s blue eyes flicked back down to his documents, before he firmly placed them to one side, focusing back on you. Voice soft as he mused to himself, “Well, Y/N… you’ve done it again…”

***

Your escapades at the toll booth this morning didn’t take long to reach the Lords and, when eventually the Sheriff had to abandon his seat in favour of the Lords meeting, they were quick to jump on the subject with him. If he were honest, he was happy that you seemed to be taking control, using your voice, showing Nottingham your authority here. As you were married, he didn’t see anything wrong with you using him as your leverage. Wil supposed that the Lords didn’t like that you were female. He wasn’t about to let that kind of thinking stop you – and the Sheriff knew for a fact you weren’t either. However, apparently, you’d been busy in town this morning. “-She’s been messing with the toll bridge! That’s there for a reason, but she’s threatened the guard! They aren’t the city guard, not hers! She’s letting people through without paying the toll! This is unbelievable! She’s going to destroy everything we’re putting into place-!” Wil sat back in his chair, and stretched, looking between them all as they all began fussing and agreeing. He’d let them all talk, but not listen to a word. That was the reason you were here after all, was it not? You were here to shake things up, that was the purpose of putting you in charge. “With all due respect, gentleman, she is in her position to challenge the way things are done.” “She means to topple us.” The Sheriff held his hands up, “No, No. My wife will make things better for our city. I’m sure whatever happened at the toll was a misunderstanding. She already has our defences in better shape. She’ll do much more for us than that.” Pembroke gave him a look of significance, “The war effort?” His eyes narrowed, what was Pembroke suggesting? “She has no part in that, nor reason to know anything about it.” “The tolls-” “I will make sure that I explain to her the importance.” Wil took a breath, “I have this under control.” “Do you?” The Sheriff chuckled, “You think I can’t handle a woman like her? She’s young, she does not understand all our ways yet. She’s malleable – she’ll toe the line. I won’t even need to ask it of her.” He knew that you probably had a better grasp of things than he’d admit to them; but the war wasn’t anything he’d needed to involve you in, it was so far away. Getting you mixed up in it was unnecessary – besides that, he was sure that his side of the plan was something you could agree with. Also, right now William had to play the game the men in front of him wanted him to play – assumed he was playing. The Sheriff had to show that he could control you, that you weren’t unruly. It wouldn’t take much for one man in the room to think you were a little above your station and want you shipped back home. Or worse, there was so much worse that could be done… Wil crossed his arms over his body, just so the hidden blade pressed flat into his chest – they were underestimating the both of you. It anyone came for you, he’d protect you with his life, of that the Sheriff was already sure. You had a duty to defend him and his city, and you might think it to be that – whether you loved him or not. But he would certainly be doing this for love; the knowledge he’d never meet anyone quite like you ever again. Shaking Nottingham up was not the only thing you’d done, after all. You were undoing him piece by piece, and it had been so subtle at first Wil hadn’t even noticed – but now he wanted all these things he’d never considered before… and he wanted to share them with you. “See it done, Sheriff.” Oh he would. Just not in the way they thought.

*** By the time you got back it was late afternoon, you made sure to come back through the gate you went out of – shooting the guards a look, just so they knew you’d be going straight to the Sheriff with this. Luckily you weren’t in a nice dress today; you and Vesper by this point drying off nicely, but certainly a little worse for wear. Water stains and mud flecked your dress and his lower body. You couldn’t help but be glad you’d got to ride him, and from the signals he was giving off, Vesper was happy too. You dismounted as soon as you entered the palace grounds, laughing as you led him back towards the stable. You were happy to go and brush him down yourself, but when a stable hand came to relieve you of him – promising that all would be okay when you warned him of Vesper’s temperament – you found yourself void of things to do. Not for long, your curiosity had you running back to Wil to see if he’d be back from his duties today. Not in his office anymore, but his ready room. Doors and windows open, light flooded him and you had to pause and catch your breath at the way it broke over his form, his eyes, sifting through his hair, the occasional glint off his signet ring. You felt a knot in your stomach for a moment and couldn’t help but softly gasp as the heat ran through you. Oh. It was like that…

Eventually he put his quill down and his eyes raised to you. A small smile on his face as this time he did get up from his seat, “Darling, forgive me, come come…” The Sheriff waved you forward. “Oh, I-!” You walked to him, “I wasn’t waiting for your permission, I-” you took his hands in yours, loving the way the smile on his face grew exponentially as you did so, “I’m sorry. I was… a little dazed.” He chuckled, “By me?” letting your hands go he cupped your face, and that smile of his became a smug smirk. “Who else?” Your voice was soft, and you let him lead you to his lips. Even though his kiss was sweet and short it just made you want him more. But Wil cleared his throat: “What happened at the toll booth today?” You took a step back from him, hoping that tone wasn’t really as accusatory as it sounded to you, “Do you know what they are doing to your people-!!?” Suddenly all your outrage from this morning came flooding back, “I understand that tolls must be paid, but beating it out of people!?! If they can’t pay, turn them around, but BEAT them!?” “Y/N-” “NO! NO! Listen to me, do you have any idea how badly that reflects on you?” Wil’s eyebrows furrowed, how much you cared for him really was admirable, but you had to understand how this worked; “Y/N, those are the rules. You care too much. You do. It doesn’t matter what they think of me, but how they follow the rules.” “They’re BEATING pe-” you stopped yourself short, you knew he understood that. Hell, you knew he understood that better than anyone. “It matters. You are not a bad person. Stop… stop trying to make me believe you are.” “This is the way it goes.” “You’re better than this.” “I’m not.” You hated that sincerity in his eyes, why wasn’t he fighting this? “You are.” You shook your head, drawing him back to you, “You can stop this.” “You know it doesn’t work that way.” He stepped back and towards his desk, “Your actions are reflecting on you and if they think you’re pushing a little too far they will…” Wil left that sentence to finish itself. Any sexual excitement within you was suddenly gone at how nonchalant he was being, “I would like to see them try!” “This’s not the point, is it.” “You can’t ignore what they are doing on the pretence of protecting me, what if it was your idea?” The look in those blue eyes was almost haunting, “The Church is fine with this!?” “Backs bent, heads bowed.” The Sheriff’s voice sounded tired – something he’d heard and repeated all too often. Too much history. “I’m sorry, Y/N.” The shake of your head was not only in disappointment, but that you really hadn’t fathomed how big that barrier was to him. A wall you couldn’t see, and maybe one you’d never clear. “It’s not me you need to apologise to, but the people of your city. What they think of you matters, if only to me. And it should matter to you.” “They will think what they think, I have very little say in that. You on the other hand…” The Sheriff collected something from his desk, and held it out for you. “I care what they think of you very much. And whilst I may have my own barriers… you influence the thinking of this City. They will tolerate me to love you. And if you are swaying the people…” You took the letter from him delicately, “The Church can’t put a stop to that?” He nodded encouragingly as you turned your eyes to the parchment, and they widened at the seal, “…My- My father-!?” “I thought it only right for you to be the one to open it.” “Thank you.” The look in your eyes and that smile were so sincere. The kind he got to see on your face when all your defences were down, when you could be yourself with only him. Something Wil wished he could see much more often than he did. You broke the seal and read, small smile immediately widening, eyes scanning the English. It was a little grammatically incorrect… but the sentiment was there. It was English for your husband, that much was for certain. And your smile became a joyous laugh as you wiped a tear from your eye. “It’s a congratulatory letter on our marriage!” “Really!?” And the tone in the Sheriff’s voice made you look to him immediately; you didn’t ever think you’d heard it so light. So overjoyed. The wall was suddenly down as genuine awe crossed his face, eyes bright and wide. You gave a nod, before beckoning him to you, and as he rounded you Wil wound his arms around your waist, propping his head on your shoulder to read. You watched him curiously, at the way he tried and failed to hide that smile – eventually doing so by placing a kiss into your skin. “Well, the honour is certainly all mine.” You laughed, hands over his, “We’re getting somewhere.” “Anything is progress.” He agreed, “Long may that continue… But, with you here, perhaps there is nothing we can’t do.” “Well,” you reached behind you to run your fingers into his hair, “As long as I can change that attitude of yours. Keep your people on side… You keep running things as you do. We make quite the team.” This time the Sheriff’s kiss was to your neck, and he lingered there, making you shudder. “On that, I can agree.”

***

Eventually you discovered that perhaps the Sheriff was not really protecting you at all. Perhaps he was protecting himself, perhaps his fairly blasé approach to the treatment of his people was not on account of the Lords and the Church. It was just more spun rhetoric; but spun to you? That hurt more than you expected. Clearly you weren’t supposed to find this out, but you had only just missed him in his ready room – with the window open and the wax still melted, a stack of draft notices ready to be signed; that right around now you had half a mind to burn - and all the signs that the room had been hastily vacated, made you believe that Wil was unexpectedly interrupted and he would return soon. You were fine with waiting but were looking a little too closely at the papers on his desk; one immediately confusing you, that looked like Arabic writing… And as you pulled it from out of the stack you gasped instantly in shock. Panic overtook you for a minute and in your wish not to believe it was what it so clearly depicted, you leafed through the documents to hide it again. But you knew you couldn’t leave it out of sight out of mind, and for all he had said to you, the Sheriff owed you an explanation. Wil took the stairs back up to his space with a grumble. Why anyone had thought that small breakages were important enough to interrupt him for he didn’t know. Other than him turning his annoyance on them “Just FIX it then!” and muttering about time wasting. He didn’t need to survey the evidence, all they needed to do was mend it: in fact the Sheriff wasn’t even sure he would have noticed if they hadn’t had directed his attention to it. When he reached his ready room, he was surprised to see you there, pouring over the papers on his desk. Wil thought this odd; you’d never been interested in draft noticed before now. You didn’t need to be either, he’d already said that he wasn’t about to touch your city guard. The Sheriff entered the room cautiously, and quiet, craning to see exactly what you were staring at. Unfortunately the angle of the rest of his stacks of documents didn’t make that so easy, and he was so tall you couldn’t fail to miss him. Wil didn’t even get to open his mouth. “This better be a peace treaty because not only is that Arabic, that’s the Church seal and there’s NO way in hell I want you involved with that!” You’d allow him an explanation, but your look to his face told the Sheriff he better not even think about lying to you now. Wil swallowed hard; his mouth opened then he thought better of it. You turned away from the desk, stance fairly aggressive – and that extended to the look in your eyes, colour vibrant with anger. Wil raised a hand to stop you before you started, you had to hear it from him, no matter how hard it might be for the Sheriff to say. “Y/N… It’s not- it’s not like that.” “Those are numbers, Wil, what are you doing!? Are you paying the enemy-!?” He pressed a finger to his lips “SHH!” and his tone was insistent, “Let me explain this!” “I don’t think you need to-! If you’re plotting with them that’s treason! What about the King!? And with the Church!?” You were clearly shocked, and Wil stepped back to close the door, eyes still on you, “After what they’ve done to you!? Being in league with them!?! The King is responsible for our union! He sent me here-!” “This has been going on a little longer than you’ve been present in my life and it’s not about that, it’s a means to an end!” “If they find out they will KILL you! You’ll be made a spectacle of! This is your country! Why send so many innocent men out there to die for a cause that you’re clearly working against! What is the play-!?” You took a step back as he took one forward, flinching. This wasn’t good, and Wil had to get you back on side quickly – but there was something about what you were saying, you still only cared for him. That’s what you were worried about, what would happen to him. “Is- Is that why you must be so silent!?” “Y/N. It’s not… please, it isn’t what you’re thinking. It is not that our King is bad, it is not… a means to seize power, that is just the outcome of an idea. But I need the support of the Church to take this all the way to being in power. Think about it, if I have unlimited power… control of England, then I have the means to stop the Church. There’ll be no more control, not of me, of the people, of everyone else they oppress just because they hold power through their ‘Divine’ cause.” He swallowed, exhaling deep and trying not to sound so fanatical, “…This only works if the King is removed. That will only happen if the enemy win. Then, once I am in place… Well, the Moors will bring their religion with them too, as you have.” You took one thing from this. “You don’t believe.” “Would you?” “…Wil…” That hurt so much, “Wil, you… you are lost!” No belief? No faith? In anything…? You stepped away from him again, which was too much for the Sheriff’s heart to take and his hand shot out to grasp your wrist, dragging you closer to him: “No! No. Not with you. I have never been lost with you.” He kept you there, but the look in your eyes was breaking his heart, “The King lets this happen. To me, to countless others… and so it continues. I can’t touch the Foundling House, I can’t stop this without winning this war, this way. What kind of King lets these things happen, Y/N!? Would your father!?” “There’s another way. Wil there is a better way. Working with the Church is not the answer.” “They will never see it coming if I involve them. They think the power is shared, really for the first time it is me using them. But, make no mistake, Y/N, I need them.” “No…” You wriggled free of his grip, but cupped his face instead, “You don’t.” “You told me I was a better person than this. Now you understand I’m not.” He indicated to the paper, “But I need you with me on this. And it is the only thing I will ask. Bad, yes, I admit as much… But to do a world of good? You must see that?” You looked away from him and back to the parchment, glaring hard. The Sheriff’s hands settled on your waist, but you didn’t back away from him this time. Your look was steely, and he was going to hear this once and once only and heed you on it. “I do not approve of this. But I am with you on it - IF at the end of all this I may slay some of these Lords and these people who hurt you. And I don’t want to hear another word from you on supporting our soldiers out there. You are going to tell me the truth, William, or I’ll take this to the King myself. Do you understand me? Not one secret.” There were a few more seconds of silence than you would like but eventually he nodded, “Yes, yes. I understand.” And the Sheriff knew there was no way to threaten you or have you back down on this. You’d be much more likely to slit his throat than listen to his demands. You took a step back, “Find yourself. Because I don’t think you’ll do it in me.” Head down you brushed passed him and exited the room, deeply troubled. Wil turned to watch you go with a soft sigh; you had it all wrong. You were all of his faith that he had left. Nothing good had ever come of believing in a higher power or doing as the Church requested… but you, something had brought you across the water, and to him… The Sheriff wasn’t inclined to think that was just good luck. You stopped on the stairs and had to sit for a moment, hand against the wall; breathing hard to make sure you didn’t cry instead. You hated that you somehow sympathised with this cause. That you understood him. It was treason, it was crazy, Wil would bet his life on something so insane that may not even work out for him. You knew he was power hungry too… you didn’t like it but it was there, and you doubted he would deny it. The Sheriff wasn’t going to find taking that crown a burden, he would relish it. But after all the pain they had caused him in the past, if his end goal truly was to rid this country of its oppression under the Church, then you couldn’t help but agree it might be something desperately needed. It wasn’t just him after all – and it was quite clearly also affecting his present. Haunting Wil in everyone he had the misfortune of interacting with. After all, the Sheriff might be free of that house, but he was not free of them.

*** The Sheriff certainly became more careful of the way that he spoke around you in meetings. But when you knew all the pieces at play, it was fascinating to watch them talk. You wondered if everyone in this room was in on it. Just a few of them? You started accompanying him to Church a little more just to keep your eyes on them. At night though, Wil would sit you down, or take you in his arms and he’d spill all those secrets that no one else would. Things that, by the way he told them, only you knew. When you asked if this was only because you asked, or if he really trusted you with such information he only smiled. ‘You should know.’ So, for the imminent attack of what every Town Hall meeting called ‘the far enemy’ you had begun challenging Marcus, Alden and Askel to defend the walls. Each of them picked a specialist crew from your guard and tried to defend the wall from you. Armed with a training sword and bow. The idea was to stop you from making your way inside the walls, but every so often another member of the guard was selected as a target and you had to get to them. Honestly it was the most fun you’d had in a while, even if it produced mixed results and some of the teams were far better at stopping you, or slowing you down, than others. Sometimes you wouldn’t even have scaled the walls or made it to the first gate. Sometimes you’d end up cornered on top of the wall, but you’d put up a pretty good fight before they finally caught you. Sometimes you could get through, but they’d slowed you down enough to gather a force up at the palace or to move your ‘target’ far from the scene. Sometimes they’d still be peering over the wall and you’d have to whistle them from an opposite roof, waving. Sometimes you’d end up dragging the target back to them and saying, “Well, my husband would be dead by now. Congratulations!” When they dared you to do the same thing, you were nearly always successful. Askel always scoffed and said that was just because you were so adamant at defending your man – not necessarily your city. Your argument was you were head of the Nottingham guard, so if you couldn’t stop people they might as well dismiss you now. (But you might also concede his point.) But it was a laugh, and you all enjoyed it so much that it became a regular drill, and you’d practice all times of day and in all weathers. The greatest thing was just to hear Wil turn it into propaganda; how the guard were preparing for all eventualities, that they were going to defend Nottingham just as the soldiers were defending ‘us’ in the Crusade. You’d only allow it because he always looked so happy to talk about good things happening and the Church always looked kinda sour about it. You did your best to act as a Lady of Nottingham would and not smugly smirk over at them… you didn’t always succeed. But pretty soon you and Askel were teaching the best and brightest to free run the roof tops and scale the palace in good time. Marcus was built a little heavier and it wasn’t his forte, but you admired him trying, before he eventually concluded he’d rather keep his feet on the ground. Alden however was quicker than you, and as you started to figure out how useful he’d be, you were actually glad of the Sheriff’s offer of his personal guard to the cause when necessary. More important to you, of course, was that you had to worry less about who Wil had to defend him, when you could see clear evidence of how good Alden was, and how much he’d grown, right in front of you. Lucien liked watching you with a shake of his head as if you were all young, naive idiots and, usually when you’d made it to the roof, called up to you that he didn’t realise Nottingham needed an ariel team. He wasn’t about to hide how proud he was of his guard growing, and almost literally flying, with you. One thing was for sure, if the far enemy did ever get over here, no matter what the Sheriff’s arrangement was, you and your boys would defend this city. You wouldn’t let innocent lives you were charged with protecting die just so he could take power. That, you vowed.

***

To show solidarity with your trainees - and those now returning to the city from war unable to be much use there anymore, but still wishing to help out, that you’d taken into your guard – every so often you would stand the wall yourself. You certainly didn’t mind it; everyone was in fairly good spirits and would call to each other up and down the wall. Sometimes they sung songs that you didn’t really understand and if Wil passed below you, he’d yell up about using such language around a Lady with a shake of his head. Only with them throwing back that you were ‘hardly a Lady’. You didn’t mind it much, you were just happy that everyone else enjoyed themselves and you got to look out across the landscape and dream about riding out as far as your eyes could see. Sometimes you could see smoke whisps coming from far off villages and on the occasions that you were facing Shirebrook you could only smile as you thought of Charles and Cara. They seemed due a visit, you would make a mental note of that. One thing you did always make sure to check on was the mines and the tolls. Regular contact with your people kept you popular and Marian, along with her Will, were always welcoming. Especially if you took Tuck with you. The four of you would discuss policy that you had no qualms taking back to your husband for your night talks; even if he blustered and told you he’d hear no more on it. As long as there was one voice in his ear attempting to help the people, you were happy being it. Especially away from the smoke and mirrors world of the Lords – who you trusted less and less the more they opened their mouths. Today you were back on the wall, and in a moment of true boredom, doing nothing more than passing the time of day with Marcus. There were still a few complaints you had that you’d only tell him, and as usual he’d simply chuckle about it and offer solidarity. Sometimes advice, but even just lending his ear helped you sort through things in your brain. Luckily it was a clear day, and the suns rays were warming but not beating down on you. Good on all accounts. However, you were distracted from the conversation by someone calling you: “My Lady-!” At first you couldn’t find the source, not the wall, or below you, “My Lady!” Turning you realised that they were in the street behind you, a small group on horseback. You approached the edge of the wall cautiously, Marcus walked in step, hand on the hilt of his sword, almost making you laugh to see how quick he would be to defend you from nothing. “Yes?” “My Lady, do you… perhaps know where we can find the Sheriff?” You tilted your head, why would they ask you? You’d been out here all day. “Your husband is expecting some very important members of his jurisdiction. They have arrived and urgently wish to speak to him but, we have looked everywhere. We were hoping you may be able to assist?” Instead of offering them any places you’d be convinced they wouldn’t have checked – that he wouldn’t want anyone else knowing of anyway – you simply chuckled, “Yes. I will find him for you, whereabouts would you like him sent?” “The main hall, if you please My Lady. Thank you.” You turned back to Marcus, “Well, right hand, I leave my watch in your capable hands.” “Go on. Aid him to his meeting. In fact stay, he’ll need you, I can imagine it’ll only be tedium!” You headed towards the set of steps with another barked laugh, “Thank you, Marcus! You’re sending me to that tedium too!” It didn’t take you long to figure out where Wil would be. If they’d been thorough in their search, there was only one room they wouldn’t dare enter. Each and every room you could knock on and, alright you’d be facing his wrath if you entered without permission, but you’d have still found him. If they couldn’t find him, then he was out – unlikely, considering Wil often told you if he was to be away from the palace for too long – or he was here. You knocked gently on your room door and upon receiving no answer opened it softly. Your assumption was correct and you closed the door quick, but silently, behind you. Wil was lying on his front on the bed, arms folded under his chin, completely unbothered by the day. You stilled for a second, wondering why he might have left his shirt off. You weren’t about to ignore how much those scars still made your heart ache. He was clearly here to hide away from the world, you weren’t about to stop him. “Darling, what’s wrong?” Your voice was soft, as you walked forward, studying him for any signs that it was anything of significance. Illness? He’d been alright when you’d left him this morning. Wil sighed, shuffling, “To be honest I’m fed up with everyone. I just needed some quiet time alone. Not to be shirking my duties, but…” You paused, not wishing to be intrusive if he didn’t want, “From me too?” “No… No…” He chuckled, “You can stay.” You clambered onto the bed, still surveying his body; “You’re tense…” “I’m what?” “Tense… It’s all in your body language… your shoulders are tense, are you okay?” Wil opened his mouth, but clamped it shut, lucky that you wouldn’t see. No, he dare not tell you about what was going on in his head. “Yes, I’m… fine.” “Just close your eyes and try to relax…” He was suddenly aware of a pressure on his lower back, and your legs brushed against his as you settled yourself on top of him, trying to make sure not to pressure him with too much of your weight. Suddenly your hands were on Wil’s shoulders, pushing gently against all the tensions that had built themselves up in his muscles. “What are you doing?” “It’s just a massage… don’t worry, I’m pretty good at it, you can thank your rigorous guard training for this – my mother passed it on to all her children and now all you guard are perfecting it too. Good for war and training injuries but, also tension… and you, husband dearest, are extremely tense. I will not ask what is troubling you, but I would like to relieve you of it.” He groaned gently as you worked at the knots, which made you smile, at least he was enjoying it, “That feels good…” “Yeah?” “Yeah… Where have you been all my life?” He moved his arms from under himself at your insistence. “Well, now you know. Just come to me!” The Sheriff groaned again as you worked down his arms, into his fingers, and then back up, “Can you do it a little harder?” “Oh I forgot, it’s not fun if it’s not painful.” You smacked him playfully, “Sure, whatever you say.” But that only made him elicit more contented groans, louder than before. “Shhhh!” Although you couldn’t help but giggle, “You’re meant to be hiding from the world, aren’t you?” “Harder!” “Wil – I don’t want to hurt you-! Y’know there’s a fine line between relaxing your muscles and tearing them!” You ran your knuckles up his spine; and the growl he elicited made you smirk; you did the motion again, if only to keep the Sheriff growling like that… “Agh-----!!!” “I told you it’d hurt.” “That didn’t hurt, that was good, do it again.” Unbelievable. “You’re very good at this.” “Happy to help!” You made your circles a little lighter, assured that even when working tension out of him you wanted to be gentle. There was probably a lot of scar tissue under his skin, and you didn’t want to upset it, or cause twinges in him. He chuckled slightly, running his hands gently along your legs under your dress, you couldn’t help but sigh against his fingertips. Although you couldn’t see the Sheriff’s face, you were sure that pulled a smirk from him. “I don’t know want to be too rough…” “Nothing wrong with being rough.” You wondered if you were supposed to take that with the sexual edge of his voice. Probably. You swallowed hard, happy that if you were blushing he also wouldn’t see your face. You pushed your fingers to his neck, and then through the ends of his hair, the Sheriff sighed again as you pulled your fingernails back down, and then over his shoulders and ran his spine; Wil shivered a little, which made you giggle. “Isn’t gentle so much better?” “I get the feeling this isn’t a massage…” You refused to rise to that, even if that heat that hadn’t flooded you for a little while – since you’d seen him in that glorious sunshine before speaking about the toll booth in fact – returned at just the sound of Wil’s voice right now. You continued circular motions up his back, pushing harder in areas and softer in others; what the Sheriff didn’t realise of course was you’d spent the first few run-throughs seeing what he liked best and where, so now you could give him a proper massage. All you wanted was his emotional responses the way he’d given them to you before. “Ahhhhhhh---!!” You smirked slightly; “Better?” He growled; hands back on your legs, “Harder---!!” Ignoring Wil’s command for his whole body, just pushed harder through the parts that wanted it, you refused to strain anything on him. You supposed this was fairly intimate, considering you’d not actually officially consummated your marriage yet… if you could call it a real marriage. He still messed with your feelings too much, you didn’t want to give yourself to him once more until you could trust him to keep your happiness paramount, to keep you completely in the loop. Your body let you know exactly how it felt about that idea, and threatened to shake, you pushed back through his hair, and stopped. The Sheriff’s smile was present in his voice, “Finished?” “If you want me to stop?” And you thought that was probably for the best. “Well. Lady’s choice.” You laughed, and sat back, so you were between his legs and not sitting on him anymore. Wil turned so that he was leaning on his elbow, and could look at you, “What is your verdict, should I be partaking more often?” “It’s possibly not the only way you can relieve tension.” The smirk twitched on his lips and Wil took your hand in his, guiding you a little close to him, “Well, I’m certainly fine with staying here and learning more.” This time you knew you were blushing horribly, and your body was fine with completely betraying you. “Well, I believe I should be telling you that you have visitors, but I will greet them for you as your wife… I wish for you to stay here. And rest, you do enough.” You smiled gently, “I’m glad you thought it was okay.” “Okay?” Wil shook his head, and leaned in, for your efforts you received a series of short and incredibly sweet kisses, “It was a lot better than just okay.” he murmured against your lips before kissing you one last time.

***

Quiet mornings were nice between you, today you didn’t need to be anywhere in particular until much later in the day and even then, the Sheriff had extended his invitation as a courtesy. Certainly, therefore, a meeting to present only as his wife and not an important advisor. You’d probably decide if you were turning up or not at the very last minute. Wil was getting ready for the day, but, sitting there at the end of the bed talking to him in your white nightgown was distracting at best. You had one foot dangling off the edge of the bed and your other tucked up under you as you rested your arms and head on your knee. Due to this, your nightgown had ridden up, and both legs were fully exposed to him. This wasn’t unusual, he couldn’t lie about that – but… this morning looking at you was getting him a little worked up. The Sheriff supposed that was mostly because he had a lot on his mind right now, especially about you. His movements were sluggish as he got dressed, and Wil felt uncomfortable at best, breathing heavily. He bit his lips together, hoping you weren’t noticing this… and yet perhaps hoping that you were… Good God he wanted you, but, did you want him? Did you really? There were too many mixed signals, an he needed to be sure.

The Sheriff cleared his throat, approaching you, “Y/N... I realise that... we have not been intimate in a long time. And I don’t know if that is because you don’t trust me, you don’t want me- Well, with what you know it almost doesn’t surprise me. Although I... have been in conversation with Tuck.” You immediately looked up; eyes wide, attentive to what he was about to say. Clearly you couldn’t trust anybody anymore. “And he... imparted to me that you have been in conversation about... the possibility of children?” Of course Tuck would betray such a conversation. After all the confessional visits; this was a big one. “I...” You blinked a few times, unsure of exactly where this conversation was going to lead. It wasn’t one you’d ever had; you didn’t have the faintest idea of Wil’s stance on it. “I have talked to my handmaidens about it, yes.” The Sheriff stepped forward, taking your hand in his as he sank to his knee, “Oh, so… you would… want to-” He paused for a minute to think on his phrasing, “Do you want this with me?” “I never exactly envisioned this conversation happening this way.” “Well, what better time?” “Why did he even mention it?” Wil shrugged delicately, “He thought I might like to know.” Your eyes dropped from his face and you chewed your lip, “Forgive my thinking, but I wasn’t so sure – with your own past – you would want to have children.” “It wasn’t something I suspected to get the opportunity to-” He waved a hand, and then smiled gently, “Forgive me, but the prospect is exciting, isn’t it?” You swallowed thickly, “It is.” You wouldn’t deny that, “But I cannot bring a child into a world where we are not on the same side about where we’re going.” “Aren’t we?” “…Wil. There are problems here, and I will not have a child with you to fix them.” Your hand was still in his and you squeezed it, as his eyes dulled and you knew you were hurting him, “…But,” and it was a big but, “I am ready to try. While we figure everything else out.” Then you took his other hand in yours, “And we will, figure it all out, together.” The smile on the Sheriff’s face, the brightness in his eyes, the way he laced your fingers had your body screaming at you. Louder than ever before, than even that first night. “We will.” He agreed, “But do not doubt that I want this, with you.” That emphasis was clear, you knew all about the other women; but you were his only focus now. Your body trembled and you hoped that it was not betraying you to him; was that excitement? Or desire? Or both? ‘It’s now or never!’ was all you could think. ‘If you want him as bad as you know you do, what better time than when he is asking you for this.’ “Do you, have anything important to do today?” The Sheriff’s head tipped, eyebrow raised, wondering if you were going where he hoped you were: “Not, particularly.” “I do not wish for you to just shirk your duty for this…” Although there was a tiny smirk on your face. “Is my duty not to you?” and to our future. “Stay. With me.” “Now?” This wasn’t just the conversation about what could be, this was the conversation. His eyes brightened, “Of course, I will stay. If my wife insists.” “Oh…” You pulled him off his knees and to your lips, as Wil already shrugging himself out of his coat, “I do.” Wil’s hands glided up your legs, as his kisses became a little harder, a little hotter. Your nightdress moved up your body and it was all you could do to help him, pulling at the ties at the top to wriggle out of it. You looped your arms around his neck, already moaning against his kisses, knowing that your arousal was already plain to see on your inner thighs. The Sheriff stripped himself of his jacket and undershirt, and then his trousers and undergarments. His hands on the inside of your thighs as you kept kissing him, parting your legs delicately as he laid you back. That sticky sweetness already lingering on his fingertips, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “How long?” “Too long…” Was your only breathless answer as Wil pulled his lips from yours to lick his fingers, “Oh, Y/N. You should have said something.” You shook your head, but he denied you the opportunity to recapture his lips as he ran his fingers through your wetness – causing you to shudder. “…You just said it for me.” That smirk of his was bigger than usual as he tasted you again, and this time when he kissed you harshly, the Sheriff pressed his tongue to yours, giving you the opportunity to taste yourself. You moaned quietly again, pulling his body to completely cover yours and he held you strong in his arms as you wrapped your legs around his. “I love you.” You pulled back for just a moment, just to study his face as he said it. “Do you?” “You know I do.” You were once again struck by the vulnerability, the way Wil said it with such conviction. No games, no lies. There was no room for any of that here, not between the two of you. Not here. “I love you too…” He shuddered at the Norse. Your hands were up in his hair, gentle kiss to his forehead, then his lips, “I want this… and I need you… Wil, I need you.” He held your hands once more as he pushed into you, gentler than before – but so different. Your body tingled, coils in your stomach radiating the same heat as before. Everything was suddenly so pleasant. It had been before, but now… perhaps that was just you thinking on context. Before it was about you, it was about becoming his… This wasn’t; this was about both of you, about your future. The possibility of having a family… You pulled him closer, and mixed with your moaning were distinct words; Norse – what else? The Sheriff smiled into your skin, pressing lingering kisses against your shoulder. “I want to hear them, Y/N, even if I don’t understand them…” But you both knew he already did. The sentiment, the million different ways you were capable of telling him how much you loved him. The million different ways you always would…

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💜Thank you for reading! I don’t think I’ll get 9 done by the end of the year but I’m happy that we’re at this point and we can start heading towards the movie plot now!💙

#These two songs are my ipod on shuffle and me going /OH! These lyrics for the Sheriff!/#Robin Hood 2018 #Sheriff of Nottingham #Sheriff of Nottingham x Reader #Ben Mendelsohn #196 #Raina #Linzi Writes #Smol Bean Drabbles #So I think the next part might be hard but I'll endevour to do my best. Like I know what's gonna happen #But it's filled with a lot of my very favourite thing to talk about #But I know the songs and they are some good songs #So hopefully you won't wait too long #but I know me so no promises there-!#Thank you for keeping up with this one! :) esp. as it's gonna be longer than Sway #But Danny conceding another crown is gonna hurt...

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