#[ END OF BEGINNING ] verse

[late-to-the-party-81]

Her Alpha

AN: It’s Alpha Steve time!It feels good to be updating all my series 😀 This fits in between Surprise, Surprise and Birthday Gifts

@noseyrosey1597 asked: I’m obsessed with Alpha nomad Steve and his omega. Could you possibly do a one shot where she meets the team? Maybe she doesn’t like Tony

Endless thanks to my beta,  @endlesstwanted. Likes are loved, reblogs are golden. Mood board by me and dividers by @firefly-graphics

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Bingo and Challenge fills:

@steverogersbingo  - A1 - Alpha Steve

Master list | SRB Master list | Series Master list

Summary: It’s not even been 24 hours since you and Steve were reunited, but it’s the start of the next chapter - you’re moving in with him at the Avengers Compound, which also means it’s time to meet the team. You’ve just got to hope you can keep your pregnancy hormones under control.

Relationship: Alpha Steve x Pregnant Omega Reader

Word count: 2.8k

CW: A/B/O, Sexual content (P in V sex, pregnancy sex, knotting), Steve’s dirty talk, smidge Angst, hormonal and aggressive Omega Reader, Pet names (Omega, sweetheart, Mama).

You woke up, an almost long forgotten feeling of contentment suffusing you, and turned within the pair of thick arms that held you. With a sigh you looked up into the face of Steve, your Alpha. You lifted your hand and smoothed a lock of his hair back from his forehead, marvelling at the sheer beauty of him. It was almost criminal, the way his long eyelashes kissed his freckled skin. A happy chirp made its way out of your throat and Steve stirred, pulling you tighter to his body. 

If it weren’t for the ache on your neck, or the echoing one between your legs, you’d still believe this was a dream. Five months had gone without you seeing each other, longer than anytime before, but now the sporadic visits were finally over. The Accords were rescinded, Steve was no longer a criminal on the run and you could truly be together. Today Steve would be taking you to where he lived, the Avengers Compound in upstate New York, and you wouldn’t have to put up with this shitty, damp apartment anymore. You’d have a nice place to live, access to a state of the art medical facility for when your pup (or pups) came, and you’d get to meet all of Steve’s friends. What a difference a day made.

You sighed again and tilted your head to press your lips against Steve’s. His eyes were still closed, but you knew he wasn’t fully asleep because he deepened the kiss almost immediately and a muscular thigh, covered in coarse hair, pushed its way between your legs. You rocked against it as he kissed you, despite the fact that it increased the ache that was there. You welcomed the mild discomfort because it meant he was really here with you.

“Morning, ‘Mega,” Steve mumbled against your lips. He rolled onto his back and pulled you with him so you were straddling his hips, his morning wood slotting against your sex. Your fingers threaded into the slightly too long hair at the nap of his neck and he let out a pleasured growl.

“Morning, Alpha,” you purred as you lightly ground down onto him. You were wet already, a combination of being back in your Alpha’s arms along with being in your second trimester - your libido had picked up and Steve couldn’t have returned at a better time.

“Ready to leave this all behind?” he asked as his large hands landed on your hips and helped you move back and forth over his length, covering it in your arousal.

“Mmm-hmm,” you confirmed. “Although I’m not ready to leave this bed yet. There’s something I wanna do first.” You lifted your body, took Steve in hand and then sunk back down, a feeling of bliss suffusing your whole being. You were glad that it hadn’t been that long since he was last inside you so that you didn’t need to go through any arduous prep.

“Oh, sweetheart. Fuck.” You very rarely took the lead like this - you blamed your hormones - and Steve’s eyes rolled back in his head. “That’s it, Mama. Ride me. Take what you need. Look so god-damn sexy, carrying my pups. If I could I fuck some more into you. Jeez.”

The power trip was making you dizzy with arousal. You wanted him to lose his mind due to his want and desire for you. He was your Alpha - your mate. You were pregnant with his pups, and now you were going to start the rest of your life together this very day.

As you rocked atop him, Steve ran a hand up your body to cup one of your breasts. His thumb flicked over your engorged nipple and you gasped at the sensation as your body clenched around his length. Your whole body was much more sensitive now.

“Steve,” you keened, and sped up your movements. “So close, Alpha. Make me come, please!” You knew he was close as well because you could feel his swelling knot teasing your entrance. 

“Your wish is my command, Omega.” His other hand dropped to your clit and he drew matching circles over it, both hands working in tandem on different parts of your body to pull you over the edge. You moaned loudly as the pleasure hit, rocking back and forth on his cock as your pussy spasmed. A second dart of pleasure hit you as Steve’s knot popped and you felt his cum fill you up. Steve’s noises of ecstacy merged with yours as your movements slowed and then finally stilled. You collapsed on top of him, breathing heavily, your bodies still joined together.

“We don’t need to pack up until this afternoon, do we?” you asked. Steve chuckled, his body jiggling yours as he did.

“You don’t need to do anything, Omega. I can sort it out while you’re having a nap.” He pressed a kiss to the top of your head.

“Oh, good,” you replied and then let out a yawn. “I find myself worn out for some reason.”

“I wonder why,” Steve replied with a snort. “Now relax. Let your Alpha deal with all the mundane stuff.

As the car made its way up the long drive leading to the large, white compound, you felt your stomach flutter in anticipation. You’d never met the other Avengers, having only encountered Steve by chance just before he went on the run. It had been like one of those moments from an old movie, where your eyes had met across a crowded room. You’d approached each other warily, sensing a connection but being sensibly cautious. Then you’d each caught the scent of the other, and that had been it. It was a miracle you hadn’t just started fucking in the middle of the coffeeshop, the way your body had reacted - your inner Omega would have done so, happily. Luckily, Steve was a little bit more controlled and managed to at least wait until you’d had one dinner together before agreeing to come back to your apartment with you. 

That had been just over two years ago, and given how he’d mated you and then had to disappear, only returning for your heat or his rut, your relationship could be termed a whirlwind. Now you were going to meet his friends - his family - and announce that you were going to be having his pups in a matter of months. Your hands twisted in the fabric of your coat, and you pulled your lower lip between your teeth to chew on it.

Picking up on your anxiety, Steve pulled you tighter into his embrace and used his thumb to release your lip from its torture.

“They’re gonna love you, Omega. I promise.” His deep voice soothed you and you rested your head on his chest.

“You’re sure?” you asked quietly.

“How could they not? You’re so sweet and kind. And when they know you’re carrying my pups they’re gonna be thrilled. Happy likes you already, so you have nothing to worry about.”

You flicked your eyes up to the driver’s mirror, catching the glance of the tall, broad and cheerful Beta who’d turned up to whisk you and Steve back to the compound. Apparently he was Tony Stark's Head of Security and you’d been put straight at ease when he’d greeted you with a genuine smile and a ‘Nice to meet you, ma’am.’ You hoped the rest of the introductions would go as smoothly.

The car came to a halt, and you looked out of the tinted window in awe at the enormity of the site. 

“Here we go, Mama - home sweet home.” Steve got out of the car and then held out his hand to assist you. “Let’s head on over to the common room - the others are waiting. Happy will sort out your bags for us.”

Unused to this level of attention, you spun around to face the security specialist. “Oh, you don’t have to. I’m sure we can…”

Happy held up his hand and flashed you a grin. “It’s not a problem at all, ma’am. It’s practically a holiday compared to some of the things Mr Stark asks me to do.”

You giggled back as you wondered what on earth Iron Man had his staff doing? You’d wouldn’t ask though, getting the feeling that you’d regret knowing the answer.

With your arm tucked safely in his, Steve led you into the state of the art compound and along a maze of corridors. Each one looked the same. Your confusion and apprehension must have shown on your face.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart - you’ll learn your way around in no time, and while you’re getting there, you can just ask FRIDAY for help - she’s Tony’s AI and can help with whatever you need.” Steve lifted his head and addressed the ceiling. “Isn’t that right, FRIDAY?”

“It is, Captain. I’m here to assist in any way possible.”

You jumped as the voice came out of hidden speakers, and Steve couldn’t hide his smile.

“Is she always listening?” you whispered, pulling Steve down closer to you. The thought that there would be a computer intelligence that would be able to hear you… your cheeks started to heat at the thought.

Steve shook his head. “She does continually monitor us and the surroundings as standard, but not everything is for her computer eyes, sweetheart. We can tell her when to engage the privacy protocols.” He gripped your chin between his thumb and forefinger and leant closer. “Some things are just for me, Omega.” He let out a little growl and nipped at your lower lip, making you jump for the second time in as many minutes, although for totally different reasons. His eyes were dark and his expression held all sorts of promises, but you knew there was no time for that at this moment. Besides, the wait would just make it better.

Your mate obviously had the same idea, as he started walking again, keeping his stride short so he wasn’t dragging you along.

“So, Bucky, Nat, Wanda and Vision live on site. Sam splits his time between here and DC. Clint also splits his time. Thor has rooms here for when he’s visiting from Asgard - at least with his hammer he doesn’t have to worry about the commute time. Tony and Pepper obviously have their own place, but Tony spends a lot of time here, mainly because Pepper’s banned all his large tech and tinkering stuff from their house. Tony should be here, or at least on his way over. He said he was desperate to meet you.”

“Why does that worry me?” you jested.

“He’ll just flirt with you - that’s what Tony does. And he’ll mainly do it to wind me up.” He screwed up his face and you giggled. The idea that you’d even respond to the flirting of someone who wasn’t your Alpha was laughable.

Steve had done a good job of distracting to you, because you didn’t even think about the fact that you must be near your destination until Steve steered you through an open doorway and into a room that housed a large number of sofas, a massive TV, a kitchenette, a foosball table and seven other people.

“And here we are,” said Steve as he came to a halt, moving you in front of him with his arms clasped around your waist. “Everyone, this is my beautiful Omega. Sweetheart - this is everyone.”

You knew your eyes were bugging out of your head. You were in the presence of literal superheroes - your brain had long gotten over the fact that Steve was Captain America - and didn’t for the life of you know how you were going to adjust. 

One of them pushed away from the wall and walked towards you with a shy smile, long dark hair flopping over his brow. “Hey, Doll. I’m Bucky, it’s nice to meet you. Sorry I kept Stevie away from you for so long.”

You grinned back at him and shook his proffered hand. At this distance you could tell he was an Alpha, just like Steve. His scent wasn’t unpleasant - metal, sandalwood and fresh snow - but it didn’t speak to you like Steve’s did. His blend of spring sunshine, lemon thyme and honey called to your Omega in a way that no other Alpha’s ever had. “It’s good to meet you too. I’m looking forward to finding out all of Steve’s deep dark secrets from you.”

Bucky threw back his head and laughed, and you heard Steve mutter something under his breath that sounded like ‘I thought it was Tony I’d have to worry about’.

The next to step forward was a petite, but lethal looking red-head. You knew from news reports that this was the Black Widow - or Natasha. “Hi, I’m Nat. I’m glad that this idiot finally managed to find someone to put up with him.”

You sniggered behind your hand as Steve let out a cry of mock anger. Hearing all of the banter made your heart soar. It really was like meeting Steve’s family. 

He introduced you around to the others, and you subtly scented them as they got close. Nat had a strange scent - like a cross between an Alpha and a Beta, and you didn’t know what to make of it. Sam and Thor were both Alphas, Clint was a Beta, Wanda an Omega, and Vision was just Null, being an artificial construct.

Your inner Omega was slightly concerned by Wanda for a few moments, until you realised that she and Steve obviously had a big brother-little sister vibe going on and you relaxed.

“Now,” said Steve, “the only person left to meet is…”

There was a crashing and clattering noise from the hallway, and then another man appeared - there was no mistaking who it was.

“...Tony.” Steve finished.

Tony swaggered into the room, walking up to you and Steve.

“Hey Capsicle, sorry I’m late.” He clapped his hand jovially on Steve’s shoulder and grinned.

Before you even knew what you were doing, you’d pulled away from Steve, grasped Tony’s wrist, and pulled it away so he was no longer touching your Alpha. Your upper lip curled and a snarl left your mouth.

“My mate,” you spat at the surprised Omega.

The room fell silent and you felt nine pairs of eyes focussed on you, but your hindbrain was in control, protecting your growing family from this interloper.

“Umm, sweetheart?” Steve placed his hand on your back between your shoulder blades. “Are you alright?”

You growled, eyes still focussed on Tony, who had much more of your Alpha’s scent lingering to him than you were happy with.

“My Alpha,” you bit out, stepping up into Tony’s personal space. “Mine.”

“Okay…” Tony breathed out, slowly removing your hand from him and taking a few steps back, looking you up and down as if he was trying to see what was under your coat. “So, ummm, I think congratulations are in order! I’m guessing that’s what’s set you off.”

From the corner of your eye, you saw Vision cock his head and heard him whisper to Wanda. “I think I’ve missed something, dearest.”

“She’s pregnant and she sees Tony as a threat,” Wanda whispered back.

Tony coughed awkwardly and drew your attention back to him.

“I can assure you that I’m not after Ste - your Alpha. I have an Alpha of my own. See.” He pulled down the collar of his shirt, showing you his mating scar.

Your eyes narrowed as you peered at him. “You smell of my Alpha.” The accusatory tone was obvious, and you could feel Steve shifting awkwardly behind you.

“Well, we do spend a lot of time together. We’re friends. I was helping him yesterday - trying to find you.”

You snarled again and Tony’s eyes went wide, as though he thought you might leap forward and try to rip his throat out with your teeth. Your inner Omega was considering it.

“B-But,” Tony continued, “I smell of my own Alpha - Pepper - more. Here��” he held his wrist out towards you, and cautiously you leant forward and sniffed. Tony smelled of oil, coffee and amber. Steve’s scent lingered on him, but it was almost drowned out by another set of notes - vanilla, jasmine and lemon.

“Hhmmph.” You grunted out a non-committal noise, but backed up towards Steve again, taking hold of his arm and aggressively scenting at his wrist - publicly claiming him -, never letting your gaze leave Tony.

“Sweetheart? Omega? Would you like to go to our apartment now and have a little rest?” Steve spoke tentatively, as though you were a bomb set on a hair trigger.

“Not rest. Knot.” you retorted before grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the room. “FRIDAY - which way to Captain Rogers’ apartment?”

The Avengers watched you go, and then looked at each other as soon as you were out of view.

“Well,” said Tony as he breathed out heavily. “I might have to keep my distance from Cap for the next few months.” 

Nat chuckled. “Might be best, especially if you want to keep your larynx intact.”

Tony brought his hand up to cup his own throat, lips twisting wryly. “Yeah. At least we know one thing - she’s not gonna let Rogers walk all over her.”

Tag list: @km-ffluv, @wheezy-stucky, @kmc1989, @kombatfather1796, @christywrites, @alexakeyloveloki, @wolfsmom1, @doasyoudesireandlive, @goldylions

[ignitingthesky]

The Silt Verses, Chapter II: And Next Of Dark Deceit

[accultant]

thinking about iago as a companion ever since I saw puck's recruitment

You can find Iago at the last light inn after the Marcus fight, regardless of if Isobel is taken or not (though, they will congratulate the heroes and buy them a round of drinks if Last Light is saved). They will pose as another refugee and there is a passive perception check to see if you can recall seeing them before. On a fail, you get a headache from studying their face too hard.

You can also find Iago in Moonrise Towers before the Marcus fight where they are throwing a shriveled tadpole for Steelclaw to play fetch with. Trying to initiate dialogue with them here will generate a random excuse as to why they are "busy," leave the conversation, and they'll be unapproachable after that point. They will still meet you again after the Marcus fight, but pretend not to recall ever meeting you before and double down on the refugee claim.

You'll be able to actually recruit them in the first combat you get into after this encounter, in which they will aid you, having followed your party. They'll ask to join in order to help stop the absolute and to find someone they've lost.

If you do not recruit Iago here or if you never initiate the fight with Marcus, you will find their body discarded behind the altar when you confront Orin at the Bhaal Temple. From them, you can loot a tooth earring and a letter to their brother that is too bloodied to read.

[thelordismylightandmysalvation]

He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV)

(via Verse of the Day - Ecclesiastes 3:11)

[deus-ex-mona]

pretty minor thing to think about, but i find it interesting how chapter 7 is the first chapter illustration to show chizuutan as chizuru (instead of chuutan)

like, i get it’s a flashback chapter, but we hardly got to see her as chizuru in the previous few chapters thus far… maybe we’ll get to see more of her as her true self after the hiyori fight/make up? only future chapters may tell, i guess…

[lookninjas]

This is way more metal metal than I'm usually into, but holy fuck this is good shit. I love the interplay of the vocalists, and then adding Will Ramos on top of it is just ridiculous.

(Sidenote: I'd heard of Will Ramos but this is my first time hearing his vocals and -- Jesus H. Christ, man. Somewhat disappointed to hear that he doesn't do cleans with Lorna Shore, but still. Those harsh vocals are insanely good all on their own.)

[disillusionedjudge]

((rozarrian spy au

[harpershigh-arch]

@faerunscursed

The shadows of Baldur’s Gate hung thick in the alleyways, the city rebuilt, but the scars ran deeper than stone. Jaheira moved like a ghost through the streets, her hood drawn low, blending with the darkness as she hunted the remaining Bhaalists that still defile the city. Three nobles already lay mauled in their beds. The dramatic flair of a ravaging beast tearing apart the ones who liked to carve people's flesh felt like a poetic retribution. Gruesome. Unceremonious. Savage. A fitting end for the willing followers of Bhaal. They had worn the masks of power and prestige, but underneath, they had been no better than the murder god they served. Tonight, her claws would find a fourth.

Suddenly, a foul stench reached her nostrils, sulfuric and hot. A deep growl reverberated from the shadows behind her, and Jaheira turned sharply, just in time to see three pairs of glowing red eyes.

Hellhounds.

Their forms were massive, fur black as night, tongues flicking with fire as they prowled forward. The first lunged without hesitation, snapping jaws coming far too close. Jaheira rolled, her body twisting just out of reach, her heart pounding. She cursed herself for wasting too much of her druidic magic in her last kills — if she hadn't, now she could simply turn into a crow and fly away. 

Without other choice, she darted into the narrow alleyways, hoping to lose them in the labyrinth of the city, but they were relentless, their snarls echoing closer and closer behind her. Her breath was becoming harsh, ragged. The city she once called home now felt like a cage. She knew these streets, had fought and bled for them. But now, she was being hunted in the very place she had sworn to protect.

Jaheira slid around a corner, only to find herself at a dead end where it shouldn't be one. The newly built buildings loomed high above, and the sounds of the hounds were growing closer, their claws scraping the cobblestones as they closed in.

Trapped.

She spun, her eyes darting for any escape route, but there was none. The hellhounds stalked forward, fire curling from their nostrils, cornering her like prey. Her hand tightened around her weapon, muscles coiled like a spring, ready for one last fight.

For a moment, she allowed herself to feel it — the weight of it all. The constant battle, the unending cycle of death. Three Bhaalists already dead by her hand. But for what? Another would rise. Always another.

She gritted her teeth, fury and exhaustion turning into one single thing inside her. She wouldn’t die here — not like this, cornered by some hell-spawned hounds. But the odds were grim, and she knew it.

"Come then," she hissed through clenched teeth, raising her blades. "Let’s see if your masters will miss you when you’re gone."

She barely had time to cast Barkskin before the first hound lunged. Her skin hardened like tree bark, and she sidestepped, bringing down her scimitar in a wide arc. The blade found its mark, cutting deep into the creature’s side, but the second one was already closing in.

Flames erupted from its maw as it snapped at her. Jaheira threw up her hand, casting Absorb Elements just in time to shield herself from the searing heat, but the force of it knocked her back. She staggered, feeling the burn on her arm despite the spell, but she couldn’t stop. The third hound was circling now, waiting for its chance to strike.

With a grunt, she raised her hand, roots and vines bursting from the ground and wrapping around the second hound’s legs, yanking it off balance, buying her precious seconds. The first hound charged again, but this time she was ready. Her scimitar fell with all her strength, and cleaved the beast’s head from its body.

A scream tore from her throat as fire ripped through her side — the third hound had bitten deep, its jaws locked on her. She slams her elbow into its head. It released its grip just long enough for her to call down another spell, and the sky roared as a bolt struck the creature, turning it to ash.

The second hound was on her now, the vines no longer holding it. She swung wildly, her scimitar clashing with its teeth. Every breath was agony, every move slower than the last. Blood ran down her side, mixing with the dirt beneath her feet. The hound’s claws raked her leg, its maw opened, ready to tear her neck. She gritted her teeth, summoning the last of her strength. With a desperate lunge, she plunged her blade deep into the creature’s throat.

It collapsed, twitching, its fire finally extinguished. Jaheira stood over the fallen beasts, panting, flesh painfully burnt and blood soaking her clothes. She staggered, barely able to stand, her vision swimming. The battle was over, but she was dangerously close to following the hounds into the darkness.

Jaheira slumped against the cold wall, each breath a ragged pull of pain. Her vision blurred as she stared down the darkened alley, where a figure appeared at the distance, its silhouette tall and unhurried, like death itself drawing near. Panic flared in her chest, but her body refused to move, exhaustion overtaking her limbs. She blinked, trying to focus, but her strength was fading fast. As the figure stepped closer, the world around her dimmed, the weight of her wounds pulling her until, with one final breath, everything went black.

[rohirric-hunter]

.

[abyssembraced]

@hymns-across-the-stars asked:

"You don't have to be evil any more than you have to be good. You can live a purr-fectly fine life without really being one or the other. And the fact you used to be a Dark Master doesn't need to mean anything anymore... unless that's what you choose to go back to." - gatomon to the reincarnated lil fuck

---------

Concealed in some bushes, Mushroomon stared at a particular group of eight Digimon, studying them from a distance.

He didn't get it. Even now, it just didn't make sense! Those DigiDestined humans and their partners... Cherrymon had said that he was lacking something, and whatever “it” was, they had it, and it was the reason he had lost to them. The reason he was so weak now.

Yet, watching all those partner Digimon, he didn't see anything that made them so special! They were just... Sitting around and talking! He could do that, too!! He had an entire army to talk to whenever he wanted when he was a Dark Master! He even played with them whenever he wanted, too! And they did everything he told them to! Talking wasn't special!!! 

But... They still killed him in the end. Cherrymon must have been onto something, as much as he hated to admit it.

Mushroomon clenched his fists.

It was so frustrating! The partner Digimon were right in front of him! What was he missing!? If only he were stronger, then he could march right up to those stupid Digimon and make them tell him the answer!

A voice from above broke him out of his thoughts. Scanning the treetops for its source, his eyes eventually fell upon... Her. 

He'd been spotted. 

Since when had she gotten here!? He glanced frantically between the Gatomon looking down on him from the tree and the rest of her blissfully ignorant group of friends out in the clearing. Sure enough, that little gathering indeed had only seven Digimon left in it, and the eighth was here with him.

And was... Talking to him?

Mushroomon looked away, fists still clenched, turning the other's words around in his mind.

“I want to be strong.” Being strong meant people listened to him. They tried to make him happy. They did what he said. They had to. “And I don't care what I have to do to get that way again!” ‘Good’? ‘Evil’? None of that mattered! Getting strong meant getting more data, and so what if that data came from other Digimon? If they died, it was their fault for being weak!

[pensivespacepirate]

AM I IN FUCKING ESKEW AGAIN

[lemonhemlock]

i am way too late for any of this, but i felt like ranting a little (a lot) over tma, so here it goes.

i actually really, really liked the dreamlike quality of the S5 statements. i think they're some of jonny's best work. so evocative and just beautifully written, the feeling of horror so prevalent, so delicate, so entrapping. i would listen to them absolutely enthralled. what a submersive experience. so on that front, 100% would recommend.

the problems i have are mainly with the meta-plot. certainly, personal preferences and biases come into play here, bc i despise jonmartin with the fire of a thousand suns and would have loved a jonelias corruption narrative, but, i feel that, in his quest to appease the j-mart shippers, jonny sacrificed a lot of his story's integrity. also, i have no way of verifying this, but it also felt like he inserted his own biases in a way that wasn't necessarily productive.

ultimately, i feel like he disrespected his main antagonists and that essentially translated into a sort of irreverence towards his own story. elias was easily his most dramatic and interesting villain (regardless of what he originally intended for him, it's how he developed throughout the story & i think there is a certain honesty in a writer acknowledging and respecting that), stole every scene he was in, yet after his great villain reveal in S4, he is absolutely absent throughout his entire apocalypse. it creates a lack of catharsis that i find bothersome. his death is way too easy. yet when he finally appears in MAG 193, it is glorious. he is terrifyingly in the throws of religious ecstasy as the eye's pupil. such an interesting idea! so little it was developed though bc jonny for some reason doesn't like elias.

there's this entire commentary about how elias is really just there to be eye's pupil until jon takes over from him, bc it's jon the eye truly desires. as if after faithfully serving the beholding for two centuries and bringing about his ritual, the eye would just disregard elias and actually be interested in the one person who is unwilling to play ball. please be serious. not saying that jon can't be the eye's "special little boy" or whatever, but the nerfing of elias/jonah borderlines on petulant. ofc, jonny is the author and you cannot begrudge a man for writing whatever he wants, but, as a listener, i have to say it feels very unsatisfying whenever authorial biases directly affect the storyline. very deus-ex-machina. very unearned.

i also have a problem with how the eye was ultimately handled and, once again, nerfed. the introduction of this element in relation to the beholding, that it sees but does not understand, felt very trite to me. it was added as a way to de-power the eye and elevate the web. but how could it even be true in the context of the entity conceptualization? the reason scopophobia is a thing is because people fear someone is behind the watching. what they fear is judgment or someone keeping tabs on them and using that information to harm them in some way. that requires intelligence, a capacity to distinguish between the harmless and the incriminatory, a propensity for casting moral judgment, of holding people accountable, of assigning blame, of discovering people's deepest, darkest secrets, of weaponizing shame. no one is afraid of a crow or a cat staring back at them, because, while those are also living beings, they lack the higher intelligence that creates the context necessary for scopophobia. so how can the eye not possess intelligence? apparently it doesn't, because jonny decided he didn't like the eye and the spider was oh-so-cooler instead.

but that only lead to the spider being way too overpowered than it should have been. as the so-called brain of the operation, the web really manifests a lot of faults that could have been exploited, yet the character never do, because the web needs to be true It Girl for some reason. this all feels very childish. the web's motivations do not work in-universe. we are often told it doesn't have a ritual because it is content with playing its games of manipulation within the world as it currently is. and that honestly seemed a rather fair assessment to make, but later proved to be a red herring, because it was the web that was actually behind the eye's own ritual.

i have several gripes with this. 1. if the spider is so smart, why doesn't it/can't it have its own ritual and re-shape the world according to its own preferences? why does it have to piggyback on the eye's grind? 2. the spider's big plan seems to be bringing about the eyepocalypse just to convince the characters to let the fears out into the metaverse so it can start again. because, as it turns out, the eyepocalypse isn't really it's preferred state of being? it was the status-quo after all? the web DID prefer the world as it was, because it allowed it to thrive off manipulation and puppeteering, things it can't really engage in as much as it would like, since now everyone is trapped inside various fear domains. so, why-oh-why, not just leave the world as is? why even bring about an apocalypse in the first place if your intention is to always inhabit a apocalypse-less place?

i felt like this was such a plot-hole of an explanation the way it was presented. the web's greatest flaw was that it loved intricate plots so much there was a real danger of over-complicating its own plans and failing to see the forest from the trees, so to speak. the eye could have been used not to boggle down on meaningless details and ramifications, but to get a better sense of the bigger picture, something the web could very well lose sight of (pun intended). so the web's "plan" could have been ultimately rendered meaningless, because instead of choosing the simplistic, straightforward, occam's razor solution (no apocalypse, just thrive off the world as it is), it chose the overly complicated path that placed it in a situation it didn't thrive in (eyepocalypse) and made it even more complicated to get out of in the first place. it basically surrendered its destiny into the hands of people who had zero reasons to act sympathetic and could have very well chosen to destroy the entire world, fears included. and yet i am supposed to be in awe of the web's great intelligence and buy into the whole dumb eye propaganda?

many things have already been said about the moral dilemma at the end of S5 and my take on that is that jon was right. it was the merciful and just solution to prevent other people from other universes from suffering at the hands of fear entities. but i will be indulgent and account that it is a difficult choice to make for anyone, since human beings are so survivalist in nature and the choice to just make the fears someone else's problem in the hopes of their plans maybe getting foiled more effectively by others is tantalizing. who knows what any of us would have chosen had we been in their situation? perpetuating the horrors on someone else just so you could get reprieve is so cravenly but it's human and i get it. however, by no means is this a happy ending the way it was framed by the narrative. what melanie, georgie, basira and martin did was horrible and evil, but it is never acknowledged in that way. the least jonny could have done is have jon resist martin's selfish decision and have martin genuinely kill him. but, no, martin gets his romantic send-off together with jon, with the open possibility that they get transported to another world where they could start over. melanie, georgie and basira get to start a new life in the entity-less world, after contributing almost nothing. the worst characters get to live & they're validated in their awful behaviour.

however. i do feel like there were other ways to resolve the eyepocalypse without resorting to a horrible sophie's choice in the first place, but that would require a more extensive endgame re-write.

[storiesofthenight]

Verse: Fallen; Aemond was taken prisoner after failing to take Harrenhal. Open to: anyone in team black.

Time was a blur when you spend it in a cell. Aemond had come to that conclusion in the last … well, he really had no idea how many days it had been actually. He sat on the floor, staring at the stone walls around him, or he slept. During his waking hours, he found himselfwondering just how long they’d keep him there before bringing him out to face death. Because he had no illusions about this. The moment he had crawled himself out of the lake, Aemond had known things were going to turn sour for him.

Somehow he’d hoped his own men would find him, they’d take him to safety and they would try again la- … No, they couldn’t try again later. Vhagar … He’d looked back at the lake, knowing his dragon was down there somewhere, under the surface of the lake that seemed so deceptively motionless. It had swallowed her up and it was a small miracle that he hadn’t been dragged along. But then again, he had fought so hard that his muscles and lungs had burned with the need of oxygen before he’d finally reached the shore.

Now, stuck in this cell, he knew it’d been foolish to think his own men would be the first upon him. Of course with his luck it’d been the enemy, the blacks. What had surprised him was that instead of simply executing him right there and then, he’d been taken back and put into a cell to wait for judgement. Judgement … as if it could be anything but death for someone like him? After all, they looked at him and saw nothing but a traitor, a kinslayer, … a monster.

Sighing, he closed his eye, and pulled his knees up against his chest. One thing he knew for sure ... when they came for him, he wasn't going to go down easily. He did not intend to simply kneel or roll over or whatever they wanted of him. He would fight, he would take as many with him as he could. And yes, they'd taken his sword and he was weakened by lack of moving around and eating properly, but he didn't care. He would give them hell, even if just for killing Vhagar ... a pain he still couldn't quite allow himself to linger on, not while he was there at least, in the hands of the enemy.

[atanxdoesstuff]

haruka deserves better fr

bonus: majima and kiryu beating each other up in the background

[xotherwcrldsx]

I also need to write a fic about Amy's first kill... for no reason at all! Totally not to release some pent up anger and project 😌

[nature-godsgardenofeden]

Happy Wednesday ❣️💛❤️ beginning and ending