#(as well as the fact that he was breaking his daughter out of prison)

[dirty-bear-rick-sanchez]

So… remember all the way back in The Wedding Squanchers when Rick assumed that the wedding invitation was an invite to Birdperson’s ‘annual Oscars party’?

And then in Juricksic Mort Rick was desperate to host the Oscars and refused to take Curtis as a plus one?

And notice the way Rick deliberately looks at Birdperson when he says ‘makes sense he recognises me, we both hosted the Oscars. It’s a pretty exclusive club’?

Now I’m not saying that Rick manipulated the President into getting him the Oscar host gig in hopes of impressing Birdperson… but that’s totally what I’m saying.

[warblogs17282]

A quick breakdown on how Blitz has made IMP's + Stolas' lives better.

Millie:

To start, Blitz shatters the stereotypes and such Millie grew up surrounded by and believing, more specifically, the stereotypes of that Wrathians are only good for muscle and that all she could be is a simple farm girl or an underpaid goon. Blitz shatters these by quickly calling out those stereotypes as 'bullshit', and proceeds to list off Millie's good qualities, which are much more then just muscle. And well, we definitely see the qualities Blitz said Millie had in her all the time. "You're tougher, smarter, and frankly more capable than anyone I've ever met in any ring."

Plus, the line where Millie said that Blitz made her feel like she could be anything as well, because she believed that Blitz could be anything. Blitz made Millie believe that she could be more than a simple farm girl, more than an underpaid goon.

"He gave me so much…A career, a husband, a future. And now…He's my best friend."

Moxxie:

The classic scene where Blitz just talks a mile a minute, never gets old. But seriously, the first thing of note is just how Blitz is instantly able to point out a good quality in Moxxie, that being, the fact that Moxxie is really good with guns. Just look at Moxxie while Blitz is talking about things like his daughter and his plan on how to get out of the prison. Blitz is able to very quickly uplift Moxxie by just being his mile a minute self, and that is a quality I love in Blitz.

Plus, alongside breaking Moxxie out of prison, he also got him a life away from Crimson, his abusive father. Away from the mob life he was forced into, even as a young child.

Plus, I feel like we can also apply Millie's line of "He gave me so much…A career, a husband, a future. And now…He's my best friend." to Moxxie. A career, a wife, a future outside of Crimson and the mob family. I imagine the best friend part holds true as well.

Loona:

You all remember why Blitz adopted Loona, right? It's because Blitz saw so much of himself in Loona. Blitz felt the need to prevent Loona from going through similar things that he did, to break the cycle of abuse, to give Loona a caring and loving father that Blitz never had. All of this being a month before she grew out of the adoption system.

And Blitz's love and care for Loona is quite obvious, which Loona herself admits to in s2 e2.

"That doesn't mean they don't care." and "He may not always get it right, but he's trying."

This is the most obvious example of Blitz loving and caring for Loona, that Loona recognizes that Blitz loves and cares for her greatly, despite Blitz being flawed and imperfect (cause let's be real, no one is perfect or not flawed at all).

Stolas:

As well as giving Stolas some of the best days he's ever had in his life, Blitz also gave Stolas the ability to stand up to Stella, the person who abused Stolas for all of those years. To allow Stolas to have his own autonomy, to be his own person, instead of feeling like he has to follow along with whatever Stella and/or the Goetia family wants him to do. He also gave Stolas the courage to get the divorce, which in turn, massively helps to take away the power Stella had over Stolas for all of those years.

[szasfuckingwife]

WHEN I LOOK IN YOUR EYES, I FEEL ALIVE

EX CONVICT!TOJI X MOM!READER

WARNINGS: angst, fluff, Toji has gone to prison, Toji fushiguro is a family man and wants his family back !!

SYNOPSIS: Toji being incarcerated fucked you and your daughter up badly, and when he’s released, you want nothing more than to hold him again.

A/N: i was listening to Blue by Beyoncé while writing this and she made that song for her daughter and I just felt the need to sob for some reason🥲 but yeah prisonbf! Toji missing his gf and kid fucks me up.

When Toji went to prison, you knew it was the end of your relationship. You warned him so many times that this would happened, even before you gave birth to your daughter. And, knowing Toji, there was no convincing him.

The court trial was the worst memory that comes to mind when talking about Toji. When the judge declared he was guilty, it wasn’t a shock to anyone, even Toji.

But it didn’t help that you were there, holding your two year old as police men took him away. Not once, during the whole ordeal, did Toji look back at you two, deciding it was too much to see his girlfriend and daughter who he loved so much get taken away from him. He’d probably break down right there if he looked back.

You cried so much that day, especially when getting told that he’d be facing five years. Even when your lawyer ensured that Toji would face a lot less if he behaves well in prison, it all went in one ear and out the other.

It had been a difficult two years, he’s missed out on so much. Such as, his daughter’s third and fourth birthday, you having a new job and the fact that you and that guys relationship was more serious than he thought.

He remembers when you told him about it. It was bittersweet due to the fact that you brought your daughter so Toji could see her. “Daddy!” She exclaimed, excited to see her dad even though it’s behind a poorly cleaned window. She was too excited to even speak through the telephone.

But Toji already knew. Toji knew his daughter loved him. He talked to her about school and smiled as his four year old talked about whatever she’d been doing for the past week. Except, she mentioned that her, mommy and ‘that man’ went to the park.

When his daughter said that, Toji looked at you only to see you looking away, embarrassingly. Despite his annoyance, the raven haired man kept smiling at your daughter, even more attentive than he was before.

You took the phone once your daughter was finished, “He’s just a friend from work.”

“Why don’t I know about this guy?” Toji asked whilst keeping his hand pressed up against the glass so his daughter could press her hand up too.

“Because it’s not that serious to be talking about.” You sigh. And you were right, it was a couple of dates and drinks but he didn’t make you feel things that Toji had made you feel. “Don’t do this, Toji, not here. Not in front of her.” Your daughter looks up at you, her hand still separated from her fathers due to the glass.

He scoffed, “Does he sleep over? You fuckin him now, is that it? In my bed, huh?”

You stayed silent, not wanting your daughter to hear you lash out. Toji grew even more annoyed at that, “You know that’s gonna upset her, right? She’s gonna think you’re replacing her dad. That shit isn’t fair, Y/N. You know I’m gonna be released soon.”

“And that’s supposed to make me roll out the red carpet for you? And forget that this shit ever happened?” You scoff. Toji opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again choosing to let you talk. “I’ve missed you so much. She misses you so much. Do you know how hard it has been to raise a child on my own? And for you to give me shit if I wanted to move on? Fuck you, Toji.”

His questions not only angered you, but upset you. You had every right to allow yourself to move on after him being locked up for two years. The fact that he’d even attempt to make you feel bad about that was absurd.

Toji watched silently as you held back tears, put the telephone in its holder and walked away with your daughter.

That was the last conversation he had with you for a year. Toji would’ve slapped his past self for even talking to you like that because he misses you now more than ever.

There were so many times where he’s called you, longing to hear your sweet voice. Even if it’s you saying that he’s a dick and you never wanted to hear from him again.

But that wish was never granted.

‘Hey, it’s me again. It’s nearly peanuts fourth birthday..’ He smiles remembering the nickname you gave your daughter. ‘I was just wondering if maybe you could come around? Or maybe give me a call, just so I can wish her a happy birthday. I miss you more and more each day. Both of you. I love you.’

The voicemail meant nothing to you. It should’ve meant nothing to you. But hearing him say your daughter’s nickname sent tears down your face.

He truly misses his little family.

You can only imagine his excitement when he was released. He called an uber straight to your home, his home. He had nothing but a bag of his possessions and $20 but once he’d see you again, he’d be more than satisfied.

It was a Saturday morning. You cooked your daughter some scrambled eggs for breakfast, reminding you of her dad who ate eggs almost everyday. Toji was set to be released any time now, and that loomed over your head like a plague.

Suddenly, you hear three loud knocks coming from your door. It startled you, and your daughter who nearly dropped her orange juice. It was probably one of your friends who forgot their bag here, you thought.

But once you opened the door, you were met with an unwanted surprise.

Toji stood, smiling down at you, dressed in a casual hoodie and joggers. He was definitely more buff due to all the muscle gain he earned through prison. It was strange seeing him again. Not behind a glass but in front of you. Not in his orange jumpsuit but in normal clothes.

You wanted to touch him, see if he was real.

“Hey..” He said. Oh, how badly he wanted to kiss you right then and there. Seeing you again after a year was the best thing that has ever happened to him.

When your daughter saw him, stood at the door, her mouth fell open. “You remember me, sweetheart?” Toji crouched down to her height with open arms as she ran towards him.

He almost cried as his little girl sobbed into his shoulder, she wasn’t as little as she was when he last saw her. He realised how much time has passed. And how much he’s missed the both of you.

“Daddy, don’t l-leave again…”, the four year old croaked out, her nose stuffy and eyes watery. Toji rubbed her back, encouraging her to let her feelings out.

Toji almost jumped when he felt an extra pair of hands join in the hug. However, when he looked up and saw you, he was reminded that everything he ever did and everything he’d ever do would be for the two of you. He pulled you into the hug and held you both, kissing both of your foreheads.

All resentment you felt towards him went away the second you saw him. The three of you caught up, well, it was more of you and your daughter catching him up. The most Toji could do was mention all the times he’s intimidated people at prison, even those serving longer sentences than him. However, Toji was still glad to know you ended things with that guy you were with.

He helped you cook dinner, not forgetting to kiss your cheek every step of the way. The meal truly being made with love. He missed the domesticity of his life. Even when he was going through all his trial stuff, he remembers you, his baby daughter and him all cozied up on the couch, eating spaghetti or something.

And now he had that opportunity again. He enjoyed seeing you remind your daughter to not play with her food and how she asked for ice cream once she was done.

Once the day was over, Toji sat on his bed, his back still not truly recovered from sleeping in a dingy prison bed. It also helped that you were there. You removed his clothes, peppering him with kisses as you did so. He snuggled up to your warm body and just listened to your steady breathing.

“I fucking love you.” He whispers and you hum in response. He knows you and how it’ll take some time before you can utter those words again. If it takes him the rest of his life to make things up to you, he’ll do that.

But that’s fine. As long as he’s with you.

[weepingtalecowboy]

Fanfic prompt :Everyone always makes the joke that Wild and Hyrule are the most likely to get kidnapped

But in their literal game mechanics and the lore of the games

Hyrule must run from anyone and trust nobody or someone could hand him over to ganon he definitely is really skittish about trusting anyone but when he sees someone help him he does trust them a bit more (he knows the concept of stranger danger and had to become a master at it or else it was game over)

Wild literally just has to throw a banana and you can almost always tell it is a Yiga even before you even pull out said banana (it is part of the game mechanics after all)

But you know who is the one who actually canonically is the most likely to get kidnapped and not notice it at any point during the entire process

Wind who has jumped on the boat of sketchy old man and pirates during both his adventures

Like he was extremely lucky that nothing ever happened to him

And he probably doesn’t know the concept of stranger danger because nobody on the island is a stranger or dangerous to him how would he even figure out if nobody is telling him about it or showing it

Like the first thing he does when the game starts is run up to a random girl who has fallen from a tree then she turns out to be a pirate and even if she has told him the truth about the kidnapped girls

You don’t jump on the boat of a pirate no matter how nice they seem (for all we know she could have orchestrated this situation to kidnap him and it is pure luck that she was just nice like that )

Essentially because later during the failed heist he gets throw across the sea he literally just wakes up on a different boat with no record of how he got there and instead of alerting anyone (because Wind fell island has a prison so he could have told the guards that a random guy had him on the boat and all that) he breaks fucking tingle out of the cell just to buy a sail for the weird talking boat and then continue on with just the two of them together (like I get desperately trying to save his sister but telling a guard or two that your sister got kidnapped and that you are saving her to make sure that at least a few people will know where you are like grandma definitely doesn’t know that you no longer are with the pirates)

And even more unhinged is the fact that tetra is not a good person at all she has interrogated a guy who wouldn’t sell her bombs which should have tipped Wind of as a red flag she has scammed a rich man out so much that he lives as a beggar with his daughter (also a thing that makes it more vague than ever to know what she would have done to his grandmother like a promise telling him she would bring his sister back safely is very dubious)

Also he canonically has repeatedly went to tingle's tower and asked him to translate the triforce charts (like that is tingle and nothing more has to be said)

Like Wind has the most luck known to mankind

It also somehow gets even worse because during phantom hourglass he and tetra are on the boat (which understandable because she proved that she is someone you can trust and a good friend)

And after waking up on a random beach the first thing you do is go into an old guy’s storage unit to get his sword (and somehow again not get mugged , kidnapped or trafficked because you never go somewhere alone when a single person is aware of it with no weapon especially when someone told you to go there )

Then he went with a different shady guy he just saved at the temple who genuinely looked like a problem in the making (and it was a problem in the making like I love linebeck he is a father figure for wind but also he did have the problem with his ex who wanted to kill him and he looked really shady and you would not have been able to escape if he did kidnap you because you are on the sea )

Like obviously Wind hasn’t learned his Lesson at any point in time because every time it went well

But with Yiga nothing goes well with them

He would probably hold hands with them as well and any other kidnapper would have a very easy catch

He probably joined the chain in less then a second without any form of self awareness (like everyone definitely was nervous with each other but not Wind he heard they said everyone else can sleep while another takes watch and planted his face on a pillow and was just out like that while everyone else was uneasy and didn’t sleep well or also took watch to make sure they won’t be killed in their sleep)

The chain really has to teach him that lesson (for the sake of like literally everything he has ever done because that luck will run out at some point)

Like Warriors definitely is seeing Wind go with literally everyone and not understanding why like that looks like a trauma response (it is just wind with over 12 years never learning about stranger danger and a big misunderstanding but also not really wrong )

[evita-shelby]

Promise?

For @novashelby

Tommy & adopted!daughter!reader

Gif by @ssa-kitsune1310

Even though you know you aren’t a real Shelby, it is always awful to be reminded of that fact.

No one dared to do it in front of your family, but there was always someone wishing to hurt you like that the moment they got a chance.

Many had heard the story of how Tommy found you half-starved in the street as a toddler cradling your dead mama before he left for the war and brought you home as his daughter. Most assumed he was your father in truth as it was known how often he frequented ladies of the night after Greta’s death.

But he wasn’t, you were some orphan little girl whose mother got kicked out of her home and died of exposure in a street corner begging for scraps. He loved you and named you Shelby and his family was your family since that night he found you.

You were raised a Shelby, you kept their traditions, you went to church with Polly and learned Rromani just as Finn did and now you would have a mother and a baby brother.

Your family didn’t like Grace, for what she did to Ada and for the betrayal that killed Danny Whizz-Bang that December. But she seemed nice enough, loved your father even if he didn’t seem as in love with her as he had been before she left.

Her family didn’t like you.

They called you the little bastard girl, the street urchin who should be sent away so you can’t steal Charlie’s inheritance or cause a rift in her marriage because stepmothers are replaceable, and children are not.

“They always send us away; he won’t love you anymore because you aren’t his real baby.” One of Grace’s cousins whispers to you as you eat sweets in your room away from everyone. “Daddy sent me to school because my stepmother told him too and now, he only loves her and the stupid baby because he’s the Boy. If Charlie wasn’t his baby too, she wouldn’t be able to do anything.”

You do not sleep a wink that night or those after because while Grace likes you now, you know too well what she’s capable of. Freddie would still be alive if she hadn’t called the coppers on him when Karl was born. The beatings and torture in prison gave him weak lungs after and the influenza finished the job.

It’s been some time after the wedding when you finally get the courage to ask your dad about it. He’s troubled, things with Grace aren’t what they pretend they are.

He doesn’t trust her, can’t have a real marriage or even love if there isn’t any trust, you heard Johnny Dogs’ wives say to each other while you played with their girls earlier and they whispered about them in their gossip.

And it was true, he never invites her to meetings and never confides in her like he promised when they argued yesterday about it. Your dad had raised his voice and told him he wasn’t changing his mind about something, and you knew what it was he meant even if you only heard those words.

“Daddy, are you going to send me away?” you put on your bravest face as you ask him in his office. You sit on his lap even now that you are older as you have always done even after Grace came into his life.

“No, sweetheart, whatever gave you the idea I would ever do that?” He asks concerned about it all.

“One of the girls at the party told me that when her daddy got married and had a baby with her stepmom, the stepmom sent her to a bad school, so the Boy doesn’t have any competition.” You tell him everything that troubles you and don’t even hide what you heard him say yesterday. “She said Grace would do it too because that’s what all stepmothers do in her family.”

“Y/N, no one is sending you away. I would never allow that to happen.” He smoothed your hair and quieted your fears, and yet you need more than just those words.

“Do you promise?”

“I promise, as long as we live, you will be my daughter and I will never send you away even if the King himself ordered me to.” He offers his palm, spits on it like he does with promises he will never break and you do the same as you agree.

You never leave his side, you grow up as a Shelby would and when Charlie leaves with Lizzie after Ruby’s death, you stay with him to the bitter end.

[asharaks]

solas & the evanuris, part two

By the ‘present day’ of Inquisition, opinions on fen’harel vary widely from clan to clan. to some clans he is a frightening figure and to others a more neutral one; however, he is not considered evil per se, rather unpredictable and insidious and frightening — who does his advice benefit? how do you tell whether his advice will save you, or doom you to save something greater? 

he’s running damage control when red lyrium breaks containment in da2 and precipitates the plot of dai; it causes the prison in which he keeps his peers to fracture, which leads him to formulate and carry through his plan; he’s willing to accept the countless deaths it will cause to reverse what he’s done, but from the beginning this is a great tragedy to him. 

there are plenty of opportunities to speak with him about the gods; depending on when you do so and your relationship with him, his attitude towards them (in particular mythal and elgar’nan, god of vengeance and retribution) varies from bitter and resentful (particularly in the early game) to almost wistful (towards the end, as he grows closer to the point at which he believes he will see them and the suffering he’s caused them again). he also remains fairly nasty in speaking about modern elves, but with a visible current of guilt and shame about what he feels he has reduced them to. as lavellan in particular, speaking more positively about the rest of the evanuris than about fen’harel will provoke frustration and even anger in him, and the more you anger him, the more transparent he becomes. 

the inquisitor can still make the choice to drink from the well of sorrows, which binds a piece of mythal to you as her protector; as lavellan, solas takes this worse the closer your relationship (romantic or otherwise) because he fears seeing you become him and repeat his mistakes, remembering his legacy as mythal’s right hand. his response to this fear is to become hostile and antagonistic, berating you for the choice rather than explain himself, which covers his real fear for you as well as the emotions brought up by seeing what he believes to be the worst of himself play out in you. (if your relationship is worse, he is noticeably more vigilant around you and quicker to question your choices than he previously was) however, any inquisitor other than lavellan who chooses to drink from the well sacrifices all relationship with him as he can’t countenance mythal’s essence going to one who isn’t elven; dialogue here varies depending on previous relationship.

for this part, we (briefly)(not that briefly) return to origins, and flemeth & morrigan. as previously stated, mythal’s spirit has been carried by elven mages, specifically: the spirit of her people, nurturing and protecting her as she did for them. elves in dire need, elves in times of heightened emotion: how she came to possess the elven mage flemeth isn’t known, and accounts vary, but the facts remain: the witch of the wilds is an elf, indisputably, and so are her children. she remains ancient, and odd, far older than she has any right to be, and continues her isolated life in the korcari wilds as presented. morrigan, her elven daughter, reared in the wilds and cut off from society at large, retains her contempt for others she views as weak. throughout origins, she continues to make remarks about circle mages, about city elves, her opinions on the dalish being mixed: she both respects and admires them, and holds them in pity and contempt, believing her education from flemeth is worth more than their own culture. her upbringing, combined with her status as a powerful witch, has left her feeling disconnected from the elven people, a mage before she is anything else, flemeth’s daughter before anything else: her time with the warden gives her more worldly experience, and a new perspective, but she doesn’t lose those sharp edges.

we meet her in inquisition, playing a similar role to the vanilla game: as an elf, she doesn’t hold a prestigious position, but is rather regarded similarly to briala, as an amusement celene keeps out of eccentricity. she simultaneously resents and disdains this attitude, and various comments throughout the winter palace suggest that many of the Game’s more competent players are well aware of how dangerous celene’s magical advisor is, in much the same way as they talk about briala. briala and morrigan are shown to have a complicated relationship, with briala standing for the elves morrigan considers herself separate from, and morrigan placing her emphasis on esoteric magical studies, giving herself a reputation as a less-than reliable political ally. her relationship with an elven inquisitor is likewise strained, with her attitude to the dalish becoming more pronounced, as she becomes defensive when called on it: she and solas are to be found in tense discussion around skyhold more than once. kieran, if present, is also elven.

SO: we come to the well of sorrows. morrigan immediately volunteers to drink, and she and solas begin to argue almost immediately. he points out her disdain for other elves, particularly those on the blunt end of the most brutal oppression, while she argues that she is best equipped to use the knowledge provided by the well; the inquisitor can also put their two cents in, here, with unique dialogue for elven inquisitors.

it is also possible to put forward another candidate here: Briala. as a highly significant spokesperson for the elves of orlais, she represents a major faction in contemporary elven culture, and has already shown willingness to go to extreme lengths for her people. depending on the outcome at the winter palace (if she survived; if she isn’t in exile) it’s possible to suggest her, as a representative for the elven people.

it is possible to suggest solas drink, and though he will become agitated and angrily refuse, this is met with a sharp spike to approval, and decreases disapproval for any following choice (morrigan, briala, the inquisitor), with the exception of non-elven inquisitors. upon nominating a candidate, he will always protest; the player is given a couple of options to defend their reasoning, with one giving a slightly decreased disapproval. for example, asserting morrigan’s right as stronger will net greater disapproval than arguing her right based on her shrewdness and dedication to forgotten magics. as lavellan, volunteering to drink yourself profoundly agitates him, particularly with high respect/romance.

Solas never actually explains his real motivation in DAI; he keeps the inquisitor in the dark until the end, obfuscating with grandstanding about the hypocrisy of the gods as he is unwilling to face sharing what he did, but reading between the lines and dialogue with mythal reveals cracks in his story that reframes solas as a less righteous figure than he claims. 

He has hair. It is beautiful.

(previous - solas & the evanuris, part one)

[traumasurvivors]

Vent incoming about abuse, victim blaming, enabling, etc.

My last response to the last anon got me thinking about the fact that I am the black sheep in my family. I really am.

I think this was almost a decade ago that I met this girl. She was 15. Her mom worked for my parents, and I worked for my parents in the office. She ran away from home, so during the summer, her mom brought her to work with her and left her in the office with me to make sure she knew where she was at all times.

This girl ended up opening up to me that her mom's boyfriend had sexually abused her (he also worked for my parents.) Her mom knew this. The guy was actually serving prison time on weekends for what he'd done to her. The girl's mom had asked the girl whether it was okay if she kept dating him... The girl had been 13 at the time and said "yes". What else would she say?

When I found out about it, I got involved and her mom ended up breaking down because he'd "cheated" on her with her daughter. (Yet another red flag about her mom... If a man molests your daughter and your first thought is that he cheated on you, that's gross.)

My mom and I ended up supporting the mom though to try and help the daughter, and the mom left the boyfriend. He eventually quit (after deciding it was a great idea to confront my mom and say that I was grooming the girl because I had a girlfriend at the time and his therapist had told him that's what I was doing... Like..??)

Well, the mom ended up moving right in with my uncle (not the uncle who abused me for those who know about that). I should also mention the girl had a brother, and the mom moved immediately in with my uncle and started a relationship with him.

He was a raging alcoholic. I'd get invited over, and he'd start drinking, and he'd begin screaming at the kids. They'd be sobbing on the floor, and I'd get pissed off and take them out of the situation. My family would get annoyed at me and ask why I'd even take my uncle up on his offer to visit when it always turned into a thing... And the reason was because I wanted to protect the kids. They were 15 and 14 and very much children to me that needed protecting. I was so scared myself honestly. I'd be shaking but my instincts were very much to protect them. And I am so disgusted with their mother that... she didn't? And she brought them from one bad situation to another.

This all came to a head when I watched my uncle try and physically slam the brother's head into a glass coffee table. I got beyond angry, and told him he was disgusting and took the kids out of there.

My family was angry. I was keeping them with me. I wasn't letting my uncle and the mom take them home. My parents got mad at me because it was causing issues at work because the mom was so mad. My grandparents told me to be the "bigger person" and not make waves.

No one believed me, or the boy that my uncle had tried to do this. Or that there must be a reason. Or that I was being dramatic.

The kids ended up going back on their own because they felt so bad about the shit I was coming under from my entire family.

The boy ended up running away not too long later.

I got pushed out from my family. I was the problem.

I'm still mad about this to this day honestly. They ended up realizing later that my uncle was very much a raging alcoholic, and it wasn't just when I was involved that he'd get out of control. When I wasn't around to blame anymore, things came to blows with the rest of the family. No one ever apologized to me (except my mom. Honestly, kudos to her. She says to this day that she should have realized she raised me to protect those that needed it and she's disappointed in herself that she didn't listen to me.) They just all pretend it didn't happen. I very much avoid my family for the most part.

But yeah, that's the long story of what I was referring to in my answer about being the "bigger person" because I was told to be the "bigger person" and stop trying to hide abused children at my place.

[admrlthundrbolt]

Prisoner (Mizu x Chubby Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mizu had spent all her life on a journey for revenge. After reconnecting with her mother, she is brought into a new situation. Though when the outcome is being the bodyguard of a soft, selfless woman. What is a samurai to do?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi guys, I'm back at it again. I recently watched Blue Eye Samurai and felt my heart break for Mizu. She needs someone to care for her and stay by her side. So this is my heart felt blanket to wrap her in. Hope you enjoy.

Side note, Mizu is referred to male and female. Until the reveal that is.

---------------------------------------------------------

After being reunited with her mother. A feat that she never would have dreamed of. Mizu hopes had soared. This was the start of something new. A way to give up her old life of revenge. To move forward and be happy. If only she knew how short that laughable notion would last.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A foreboding sensation crept down her spine. Following her mother down the dark alleyway, her eyes couldn't stop darting back and forth. She hadn't been in this town long, but knew that they were in the seedier part. The occasional person would be slumped against a random wall. Though she never stopped long enough to see if they're chest was still moving. It wouldn't do to involve herself in something right now. She needed to keep up with the surprisingly fast older woman.

Another movement out of the corner of her gaze caught her attention. Long enough for her to collide into her mother. The woman scowled up at her. But her expression quickly softened as she brushed herself off.

Patting the younger woman's arm, she gave a thin withered smile. “It's not much further.” Continuing forward, she knew her daughter would follow.

True to her word, after a few more turns she stopped. It was a larger building than most of the others in the area. Still not in the best shape, but a proper structure. It didn't have any obvious signs of what may be inside. Which was odd for a building of this size.

That was until a man was thrown out the front entrace. He was short, his bones showing prominently through his skin. He had the same far off look on his face that her mother had after lighting her pipe. It was a an expression she had grown wearily used to.

A hard visage took over Mizu's face. Of course, when did anything urgent not involve her addiction. Facing her mother, the irritation only deepened. She didn't even attempt to look apologetic. Instead turning to the other man.

He was muscled, as wide as he was tall. And as she looked up at him, that seemed a feat. He glared down at the pair of them.

Her mother was quick to scramble over. “We have an appointment with the master of the den.”

He grunted, but moved the curtain aside. Stepping into the front room, they were met with a billow of smoke. It wasn't enough to cover the room, still noticeable all the same. She had to refrain from covering her nose. Without the knowledge of why her mother brought her here. She did know that annoying their host wouldn't be a good thing. Especially if her suspicious of what this place could be was correct.

The man led them up a flight of stairs and down a hall. All of the doors were closed, yet the same acrid smell wafted from them. Coming to the last door, she was quick to size up the man standing guard. He wasn't as tall as the first. Though muscled all the same. After a few whispered words, he allowed them to pass.

The room was smaller than she expected. But was well furnished to make up for the fact. Many brightly colored banners lined the walls. Depictions of flowing landscapes and floral arrangements were an odd decor choice. You would think that the boss of an opium den would want to display power. Not the softer, more delicate things in life.

He sat behind a solid looking desk. It was free of clutter and meticulously organized. The man was smaller than the others he employed. The hunch in his posture revealed a life of hardship.

Though this did nothing to to sway Mizu. She wanted out of this place as quickly as possible. It was not a wonder to her why her mother was being so secretive. The only question on her mind was why the woman brought her along.

Gesturing to the chairs before him, the man spoke. “I assume you're here to settle your debt. I can't help but notice that you have brought along someone.” Leaning forward, a slight smile slid onto his face. Eyes taking in the younger person, pausing at the sword on their side. “That's not supposed to be a threat towards me is it?”

A shifting sound was obvious outside of the door. A promise of violence to come, if this man saw fit.

Quickly sitting in one of the chair, her mother glared when she didn't follow. As much as she hated the loss of a tactical advantage. She didn't want to make an enemy out of this man in his home turf. Sitting down, she tried her best to split her attention between the man and door.

Shaking her head at the man, the older woman smiled brightly. “No, I would never dishonor you my lord. I come with a payment and propositions." Scooting forwards, she lowered her voice. “I have heard hearsay of your daughter needing protection. My son is an excellent swordsman that has taken care of many clients. They are just the person for the job.” She sat back proud of the solution that she had laid out. Perhaps this could curry her enough favor for a line of credit.

Not realizing the holes that were being bored into the side of her head, by her daughter. Hot anger course through her. Would she ever stop being a commodity to her mother. They had only just reunited. Yet she was shoving her off somewhere else to suit her needs.

Needing a moment to calm herself, she turns her gaze on the man. He met it steadily, seeming to consider the offer.

Narrowing his eyes he scowled. “You are confident in your skill?” His calculating gaze shifted to the mother as she nodded. “And you are willing to vouch for him?”

Smile widening the woman nodded feverishly. Glad that her half cocked plan was working out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Their first meeting was as tense as expected. Mizu stood next to your father. Silent as he explained how he had hired them to be your bodyguard. You looked down at the ground, only glancing up for introductions.

Your tone was soft and sweet as morning dew. Just as your plush body was. It was a stark difference to the hardness in your eyes. Though it was this that made her curious.

Dismissing the both of you, she followed you down the hall. It was a grand home. More rooms than your family needed. That is, if you weren't also housing the people from your father's business. It was easy to tell the difference between the household staff and the others.

Especially when it came to your interactions with them. You were always kind and gentle with your words. Until you were met with someone from the trade. A steel mask would slide onto your face in a moment. That didn't stop their attempts all the same. Many of the men would approach you with salacious smiles. But between your coldness and the hand resting on Mizu's blade. They never tended to linger.

Your relationship was a bit different. You weren't aware of his full situation. But your father rarely came by things in an honest or legal way. So it was hard to judge to harshly about why this man was chosen.

In a way, it had actually brightened your life. You had an easier time traveling the estate. Making your expected rounds, you found yourself enjoying the company. Even if it was usually a silent presence, it was still comfortable.

Your time spent painting was especially lovely. Most people would talk your ear off. What are you making? When will you finish? Is this really how you want to spend your time? It always seeped the joy out of the activity. Not with Mizu, he just watched patiently. It was nice to see him admire the pieces as you worked on them.

It was one of the days that realization came to her. “Are you the one who did the painting in his office?” It came out as more of an accusation than a question. Causing her to internally cringe.

Without turning a sad smile settled onto your face. “Some of them. My mother is the one who taught me.” Pausing you faced him. “So he decided to put them up in his office. He says they help bring brightness to a dark place.” Your smile had thinned by the end of your explanation.

Nodding at the turn in the conversation, she looked back at the canvas. “They are beautiful pieces.” She was afraid she had spoken out of turn. Until a soft smile graced your full face. An action that had her stomach flutter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She had been a bit surprised to find out that your father wasn't expecting you to marry. It was a much less traditional way for a family to lean. But after seeing his attachment to you. One of the only reminders of his dead wife. It was hard to argue with his logic.

The day she met your brother cemented the sentiment. He was everything you weren't. Cold and ruthless, as large and muscled as your father's hired hands. You were so gentle and soft. It was a shock to see you near each other.

He was often away to tend to business. Leaving his wife and son at the house. Though it seem that she prefered his absence as much as you did. You stepped in as a helping hand, as you often did.

Even if the family had lost your mother. They did not go without a matriarch. You easily stepped into the responsibility of such. Your motherly nature and grace was something Mizu admire. It was as if you were everything she lacked in femininity. She thought it would be something she might envy. But as she watched you play with your nephew. A feeling of warmth filling her cheeks was the only reaction.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This hadn't been the first time she had caught you sneaking out. You often carried a few painted scrolls to the night market. Her following in your shadow. You were decent, but she had the experience of someone who could die if found out. Her past had been hard, but it had shaped her into a weapon.

You would peddle your wares and head back home. So she felt no reason to take away the only independent thing you did. Even noticing the repeat customers you had. Always refusing their coins, while you pushed a few extra back into their palms. It hadn't escaped her noticed what you were doing. It made her shake her head. How lucky did she have to be to meet such a selfless person. You were a goddess among mortals.

But your peaceful nights out didn't last. She had followed you back like any other outing. Only to get distracted by a hair clip. It looked so much like the cherry blossoms you often painted. You would always jest that you would be a master painter. If you could capture the beauty of the tree outside your window. They were your mother's pride and joy. Just like her memory, you nurtured and loved them.

As she approached the stall, she heard a scream. It was a woman, that much she was sure of. Sprinting towards the sound, she hoped that her gut was wrong. Heart pounding, she raced through the streets. Not concerned with what damage she may cause. Knowing that you weren't involved was her only concern. But she was wrong to get her hopes up.

Tossed to the ground, your kimono hanging from one shoulder, torn. Your face was red and your gaze steely. Glaring at the two men in front of you, you spat on the ground. A thick glob of red saliva landed near their feet. "That's all I have. Take it and leave me be.”

The smaller of the two nodded and began to turn. Stopping when the taller man rested a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe it's not just money we’re after.” His other hand reaching down.

Having assessed the situation well enough, she rushed forward. Her blade made quick work of the two fingers closes to you. They all looked in her direction. The two men sneering and you admiring awe.

Tears of helpless gratitude shown in your eyes. Scrambling towards her, you were nearly grasped by the injured man. Tucking you behind her, she glared at the men. Challenging them make a move.

The smaller man shook as he stood before the swordsman. He recognized a skilled opponent when they were in front of him. Eyeing the man beside him, he cringed. It would have been hard to tear his brother away from a lady as fine as yourself before. But add an injured body and ego on top of that. He didn't like his chances of getting him out of here alive. That didn't mean he wouldn’t try. “Apologies sir. We didn't realize the lady was your’s.” He bowed his head low, tugging on his brother’s sleeve.

The other man grunted in pain. Staring down the samurai, he seethe.

Shaking her head, Mizu glanced down at you. She could feel your grip tighten when he claim you belong to her. Yet another example of you having no say. She wanted that to change. For her to be the reason for your freedom. “She belongs to no one, but herself.”

Widen moist eyes shot towards him. Did he really believe that? You had never heard a man say such a thing. Waves of warmth spread through you at the statement. Shifting your plush body a bit closer to him, you spoke softly. “We should go. The night watchmen could get suspicious soon.” If they changed shifts before the two of you get back, it could spell disaster.

Nodding, she turned to leave the pathetic men. Not noticing the glint in the larger man's uninjured hand. The sting of the blade seared across her back. In an instance she reacted. Tossing you away, as her blade caught his throat. Falling to his knees he gurgled. Reaching towards the smaller man, not realizing that he was already speeding off. His own brother, leaving him to bleed out in the street. His last glimpse of his attacker being pulled away by an angel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Climbing through your window was hard enough on your own. Throw a wounded bodyguard into the mix. Let's just say you were hoping your luck didn't run out. Setting him against the wall, you went to fetch some water.

Taking this lull in the night to calm your racing heart. It wouldn't do to be caught out so late, especially flustered. It was quick work heading to the kitchen and back. This late in the evening people rarely roamed the halls.

Shutting the door behind yourself, you faced him. Surprised to see his bright gaze was already on you. You had always found his eyes intimidating, yet alluring. They burned with an intensity that you yearned to learn of.

Shaking the thoughts from your mind you went to work. Only to be promptly halted. He wouldn't allow you to undress him. You quickly became frustrated. “I need to see the wound to clean it.”

“It's fine.” Attempting to stand, he shifted back to a seated position, groaning. Narrowing his eyes, he sighed heavily. Allowing the top to slid down her shoulders? Oh! She folded in on herself as she felt your gaze burn into her body.

Soft fingers slid along her skin, warm and delicate. Just how she thought your touch would feel. It helped relieve some of the tension. Silently the wet cloth was dabbed against her wound. Pressed into the mared skin with care. Thankfully it wasn't to deep, so a wrap would do.

Finishing up, you couldn't help the sad look lingering in your eyes. “I understand. The life of a woman comes with many choices. Most of them not for us to make.” You slipped the sleeves back up her strong shoulders. Trying not to let your touch linger to long. Even if you longed to feel her skin, if only for a moment more. “I have been fortunate in some ways. My life has offered me more opportunities than I can recall. While I stay within this house that is.” Emptying the red tinged water out of your window, you sighed.

Her brows knitted together in confusion. “Why not escape. You have left multiple nights, helping others. Yet you always return.” She was surprised when you sat in front of her. Grasping her hands with your own. If she could bottle your warmth, she would never shiver again.

Your gaze softened, while your resolve hardened. “It's not that simple. I have so many that rely on me. Not just this household, but the citizens of this village. I refuse to turn my back on them.” You tightened your hold on her hands. “Any of them.”

She became overwhelmed with emotions. If she thought you made her warm before, she was burning up now. Grappling with her racing heart and fluttering stomach. She made a rash decision. Leaning forward, she tentatively brought her lips to yours.

They were as luscious as she imagined. Molding with hers like a dream. So supple, though not as plush as your thighs settling in her lap. You cupped her face with a gentleness that she knew she didn't deserve. It was as if she'd died and been given a glorious afterlife. One were she could wrap herself within your euphoria.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you two lie, limbs tangled together in an exhausted heap. She smiles down at your bare sleeping form. Plush body fitting against her own like a puzzle piece. It was pure and made all her worries melt away.

In this moment, your warmth seeping into her. She knows that her mission for revenge was over. Staying by your side and protecting you was what she was made for. Taking care of the person who always put others first. It had become her sworn duty and she wouldn't want it any other way. Especially knowing that you would stay by her side.

[cairavende]

Worm Arc 23 thoughts:

So much happened in so few chapters, how do I even break this down?!?

First off, Colin had better stop fucking bonding with my daughter! And apologizing and making amends for past wrongs! I'm a huge fan of redemption arcs and second chances and that is being used against me! JUST LET ME HATE THIS MAN!!!!!!

My bug daughter is in prison but that's almost like, a minor side thing? It barely matters right now except that it gives some background structure. Compared to everything else the prison bit is just . . . a thing.

I'm in tears over bug horse. I'm bawling. I may never recover. RIP Atlas, you were the best of us.

TAYLOR GOES TO THERAPY!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED!!!!!!

I love Jessica so much! She does such a good job. I want to bake her cookies as thanks but I'm not sure if that would trigger some type of conflict of interest.

Fucking Glenn. I want to hate him and love him all at the same time.

Is he an artist? Absolutely! He has a vision and it is beautiful.

But also if it comes down to "letting the world end or compromising said vision" he might be the kind of person who would watch the world burn with a tear running down his cheek, because at least it was beautiful.

Look I get it. My daughter is terrifying. But that isn't because bugs are scary. It's cause my daughter is terrifying. Making her use butterflies just means a bunch of people are gonna start having butterfly phobias.

Like come on, Clockblocker gets to break fundamental forces of the universe and cause people to question their very existence!

Do not try to tell me that someone getting time frozen and just . . . skipping a chunk of time because their mind is not part of the time stream for a few minutes would not provoke some deep thoughts of existential dread! Sure not in everyone, but not everyone is scared of bugs either! I just think it's very unfair.

The Adepts are fun. Sure powers aren't "magic" but might as well have fun with the idea! Besides it seems to be working and if I had powers I'd absolutely love to lean into a magical focus idea.

I am quite upset about the fact that during the whole Thirteenth Hour thing Weaver didn't get to shove bugs down Clockblocker's throat to save him. It would have been so poetic. Saving the day by shoving bugs down throats was still super amazing, I just wanted it to be Clockblocker.

It was the most extreme level of active awareness and minor "control" while being disabled that we've seen from Taylor so far though! Really curious to get more into that, the nature of passengers/shards, and all those things. I have so many thoughts, but they're all just speculation right now (I don't think writing 75 pages of theories that all end up being wrong is really gonna be very helpful).

“If anyone asks, you kicked their asses with butterflies.” Clockblocker gets it!

It was really cool to get more into different vibes of the world with the Vegas section! I love me some thinkers and strangers.

I'm very glad The Number Man used a sniper rifle. I would have been a little disappointed if he didn't after getting into his head in his interlude - it is just the perfect weapon for him. Motherfucker over here just bouncing bullets.

Finally got to see more Bambina after the little bit in arc 8. Her power is wild, I love it! Also Bambina's mom just shot right into the top contenders for "worst parent in Worm". Like, WTF lady.

August Prince is wild. Sucks when the most effective use of your power is "human shield" though.

Considering she had an interaction with The Number Man and Contessa, Taylor actually came out of it pretty good! Sure they lost the target they were trying to bring in, but I don't know that they really had a chance of keeping Pretender. Contessa isn't easy to stop.

The only problem I have with the Las Vegas Wards actions is hiring Bambina to break Pretender free. Otherwise ya, fucking ditch the Protectorate. Given the information they have it makes sense.

TAYLOR HAS FAN MAIL!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Grue's letter was way to heartfelt. Tattletale clearly wrote most of it.

Like come on: "I could hit you, hug you, yell at you and hold onto you for hours all at the same time. It’s fitting that I want to kiss you and throttle you at the same time because that’s what you were to me for a long time. You drive me crazy and I can never understand what’s going through your head." This is totally Tattletale! She couldn't flirt with Taylor in her own letter, she had to be sneaky about it!

"You’re an idiot. I want you to know that. You’re an idiot, Skitter. You’re brilliant and reckless and I’m betting it makes sense to you to do this but you’re an idiot." - also Tattletale.

LOOK I'M GONNA MAKE THIS SHIT GAY AND THERE ISN'T ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP ME!!!!!!!

Imp's letter might be my favorite.

Tattletale's actual letter ends with "See you there, hun?" Just. So fucking gay. Sorry I don't make the rules.

Speaking of gay, Rachel's letter!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wolfspider wolfspider wolfspider!

Like I mean come on

"Being around you wasn’t simple or quiet but things made more sense.  Your minion with dark hair said we need to be around people but I’m around people and still feel somethings missing." GAY

"Going to take puppies to your place again soon. Show the kids to them. Might help." SO GAY

"You have plan, okay. But if your plan means you’re thinking about fighting us you should know I am getting very good at hunting and skinning things." HOLY SHIT IT'S THE MOST LESBIAN THING EVER

"We both stay alive. Try hard." TOP-TIER GAY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!

GGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY

AND THE SCENE WITH THE CHILDREN!!! AND THE BUTTERFLIES! AND THE DICE!!!!!!!!!!!

dies of joy

Seriously, 23.4 is the most beautiful chapter in Worm so far and it'll be very hard for it to be outdone.

I could talk about just that chapter for pages. It was perfect in every way. Even if I knew it had to end with Behemoth pretty early on. There was too much hope in that chapter for it to end any other way.

But in the middle of all that downward "oh fuck it's Behemoth" stuff we got an Undersiders reunion! With so much gay!

Like - “But you guys mean a lot to me.  I’m sorry I didn’t say it before, but I couldn’t without letting on that something was going on.  You’re my family, in a way.  As lame as it might be, I love you guys.” My head turned from Grue to Rachel to Tattletale as I said it.

SO FUCKING GAY

She starts at Grue sure but ends with Rachel and Lisa when saying "I love you". Certified gay.

So gay that even Imp agrees! Though I've been doing the long drawn out “Gaaaaaaayyyyyyy” since like arc 2. So Imp is a bit behind the curve here.

TAYLOR WANTS TO GO ON A DOG PARK DATE WITH RACHEL! IT'S THE MOST LESBIAN DATE POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Weaver's new flight suit is pretty neat. Dragon is a pretty good big sister.

Cody Interlude thoughts:

THIS motherfucker! I was waiting for him to show up again.

I am so mad. I'm so fucking mad.

Cody is the worst. He's pathetic and dumb.

And Accord just has to go and get killed by him in the dumbest way! GOD DAMMIT ACCORD I SIMPED FOR YOU SO HARD!!! AND THEN YOU DIE TO CODY! OF ALL PEOPLE! YOU CAN'T BE COOL IF YOU DIE TO CODY!

Chevy too! I thought he was cool and all, but he had to die to Cody. God. The worst.

ALSO MY BABY GIRL HE TRIED TO HURT MY BABY! THE ONE WHO ISN'T MY DAUGHTER!

SOMEBODY HELP TATTLETALE!

I did like seeing more of the mechanics of the Yàngbǎn after getting hints about how they work in the Lung interlude.

The power sharing plus the power amplification is a pretty broken combo tbh. Feels like there is some pretty neat stuff that could be accomplished with that.

Fuck this man though. Simmy just had to whisper to him and just dove right in. Cody can't even conceptualize what fighting back means, that would require him to grow as a person in literally any way.

Sucks for the Behemoth fight though. I guess my daughters are going to have to save the day. Again.

[weylersource]

WYLER VALENTINE'S DAY EVENT 2024!

Dreadful Valentine's Day to you all! I hope someone rips out your heart and uses it as a decoration in their bedroom during this beloved holiday! 💔 🔪

So I, Kara (@remusjohnslupin) one of the mods here at @weylersource, decided to create a chill, straightforward event to celebrate our favourite totally healthy and wholesome insane couple.

SO WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?

The concept is simple. Under this post, you will find prompts assigned to each specific day leading up to the Valentine's Day, on which day we post or share something related to that theme. It can be anything: gifsets, fanfiction, fanart, graphic.

WHAT IF YOU'RE NOT A CONTENT-MAKER?

That's okay! If you're not a content creator, you can share a passage from a book or a quote you read that reminded you of Wyler and that specific prompt. Or you can make a compilation, or a playlist! Basically, all content form is welcome during this event.

ABOUT PARTICIPATION

Lastly, it should go without saying but, of course you don't have to participate every single day and post something for every prompt to be a part of this event.

Just pick whichever ones that inspire you, and please make sure to tag your contributions as #wylervday2024. Don't hesitate to shoot a message if you have any questions.

Special shoutout to Gabbi (@tastethesetears) for indulging my insanity and the fact that I just sprang this on her, and Wince (@wincestation) for helping me through the whole process of picking the prompts!

I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Prompts can be found here:

DAY 1 (8th of February): Jail/Prison (Because according to an early tradition, Saint Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer.)

DAY 2 (9th of February): Letter (An 18th-century embellishment to the legend claims he wrote the jailer's daughter a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell before his execution.)

DAY 3 (10th of February): Key. (In Italy, Saint Valentine's keys are given to lovers "as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver's heart", as well as to children to ward off epilepsy, called Saint Valentine's Malady).

DAY 4 (11th of February): Flowers. (In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion for couples to express their love for each other by presenting flowers.)

DAY 5 (12th of February): Spring and/or Blindness. (A proverb says "Valentine – the first spring saint", as in some places Saint Valentine marks the beginning of spring. / According to an early tradition, Saint Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer.)

DAY 6 (13th of February): Heart. (According to legend, in order "to remind these men of their vows and God's love, Saint Valentine is said to have cut hearts from parchment", giving them to these soldiers and persecuted Christians, a possible origin of the widespread use of hearts on St. Valentine's Day.)

DAY 7 (14th of February): Red. (Yes, I mean Valentine's Day in its modern sense. Throw us all your stuffed animals, hearts, and red decorations that are wholesome. Or, knowing this fandom, you guys will use this prompt to break each others' hearts.)

[brucewaynehater101]

I hate Bruce and I hate Joker.

However, their relationship is so fucking compelling that it's maddening. I want them both to die.

This is a semi-rant, semi-analysis and most definitely not 100% correct. It's more speculation than concrete fact/characterization on Bruce's part.

Joker has a one-sided toxic obsession with Batman. He wants Bruce to beat the shit out of him before returning him to Arkham. He wants to watch as Bruce decends further and further into madness as he grips onto his moral code of "no killing" as if it's the last lifeline he has. Joker is kicking his feet giddy as he watches Batman make excuses after excuses of why every action of his BUT murder is justified. Bruce falls further and further into being an abusive asshole, and Joker is so fucking happy about it. How far can Joker push and torment the Dark Knight until he finally just snaps? It's such a delectable mystery and experiment that Joker is testing on Batman, the "hero" to save Gotham. How far will he fall? How far will he go?

Will killing his son finally cause him to cross the line? Paralyzing his friend's daughter (Barbara [Joker didn't know she was Batgirl])? Killing hundreds of people? What will cause Batman to finally stop Joker for good?

On the flip side, Batman despises Joker with all of his being. He wants nothing more than to obliterate that monster until he is nothing but ash. He can't, though. Is getting rid of Joker truly worth letting go of that final moral line?

At least, that's what Bruce tells himself. He tells himself that he throws Joker in Arkham, not in the Watchtower prisons or the phantom zone or other more secure facilities, because that's the morally correct decision. The court of law, even incorrectly, deduced Joker was legally insane. This, legally, makes Joker not responsible for his actions. It doesn't matter that any hack with a law book could see that Joker doesn't qualify for the insanity plea. It doesn't matter that Gotham's legal system is known for being corrupt. It doesn't matter that Joker breaks out frequently. Joker was declared insane.

Bruce doesn't change the status quo, and he tells himself this is the way it must be. He makes sure to tell everyone around him as well. It's the way it always has been and Bruce is too far into his mistakes to correct it now (if Bruce changes Joker's situation now, does that make all of Joker's victims Bruce's as well? Is he responsible for their deaths due to his negligence and, at times, protection of Joker?).

After a while, one starts to wonder why Batman won't come up with permanent solutions for Joker. He has contingency plans for every hero and villain out there. Unlike some of the other villains, Joker is easily accessible. Batman could lock him in a more secure prison, destroy his ability to commit crime (as he did to Jason), or kill him. He has options.

He doesn't utilize them, though. In fact, he's even brought Joker back to life a few times.

It makes one wonder if he keeps Joker around for selfish reasons. Does he want to feel useful? Does he want an avenue to express the anger and hate burning inside him? Is he too deep in past mistakes to admit his wrongs?

Anyways, fuck Bruce and fuck Joker. I hope they both rot in hell as the worst couple to exist (not talking about Lego Batman, though. They are pretty cute in that).

[dirty-bear-rick-sanchez]

Episode thoughts under the cut

I loved Morty knowing Rick so well that he just straight up lies about the coffee lmao. Also the way he says 'hey buddy' like he's a dad entering his kid's room when they're in a depressive episode is so funny to me

Rick just literally saying 'family' to address the family

I thought the ghost/unfinished business joke was funny

I also love Rick being so petty (and Summer being petty back about the portal). It's so funny that he just calls the family 'stupids' as well. Devastating insult bro

Interesting that Gearhead was the first person he went to? He definitely needed someone to give him the courage to get the rest of his friends for an intervention (especially BP)

'Told you he wasn't dead' killed me

BIRDDAUGHTER. Funny name, love her being an emo teenage edgelord who just goes round killing Gromflomites. 'This is worse than prison'? Love it

Also I really liked that we got to see this side of BP's character this episode? He's so funny and I love getting to see him be a shit. Him trying to parent his daughter and just drinking wine? We love another alcoholic girldad

I really liked getting to see Rick/BP/Squanchy actually hanging out as well? I feel like it's a good insight into how they probably were back in the Flesh Curtains days

I like the 'birthday, birthday, birthday' gag

Also Rick immediately being like 'fuck this we're getting wrecked'

The honey scene was definitely for the Rickfuckers

Can we talk about the fact that Rick was definitely trying to impress BP by bringing up the fact that he hosted the Oscars? Which is definitely why he wanted that gig in the first place

Once again I love getting to see this side of Birdperson. Definitely makes sense why he and Rick get on so well

I liked the visual gag of Rick being high

Also BP and Squanchy playing the knife game lmao

Rick sits so fucking dramatically

Look at BP's face, he definitely wants to fuck that Predator guy

Son heist

I love that Rick can immediately identify Squanchy's shit based on the smell? Like he knows it's his and no one else's

BIRDPERSON PUTTING HIS HAND OVER RICK'S MOUTH

(You know Rick is gonna be thinking about that forever)

I like the recurring Squanchy tooth thing

'Why is this my thing' lmao

Poor poopy child

WAYNE

Them all just chilling together waiting for their drunk food? love it

I love BP leaving to collect his daughter from attacking a Federation outpost with the exact same energy as a parent collecting their child from school after they got suspended. It's so funny to imagine the GF having the same sort of vibe as they do with Rick and just texting BP like 'yo we got your daughter here' (I know that's not what happened but it's a funny mental image)

Lmao Squanchy

I did like the fading pill bit

Poor Gene

Overall I liked getting to explore this aspect of the dynamic between Rick/BP/Squanchy/Gearhead (+ the others of course but they're the OGs yk?) and also the concept of intervention/alcoholism. I think it's interesting to see that Rick does want to help but his support system is so fucked that this ends up happening and it makes a lot of sense when it comes to his own issues. I really like the way they handle Rick trying to get better and do the right thing but struggling so much to break out of unhealthy behaviours/habits. He's painfully aware of how fucked up he is and how much of a bad influence he is but he doesn't know how to fix the issue/be a positive influence and he definitely views abandonment as a good thing because he's removing himself from the situation. Very interesting way to explore this aspect of his issues, especially since all his friends are also alcoholics with that level of denial/refusal to get better

I had this discussion with @hazelnut-u-out before the episode aired but I do like that they're showing Mr PB directly suffering as a result of Rick's actions in canon? Considering that he started as a joke/meta character it's very interesting to show him actually shifting to more of a serious character who appears in the actual show and experiences real issues, especially since the show becomes less and less sitcom-y as Rick becomes more aware of the reality of how fucked up all of these things are.

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Emergency Medical Hologram

By Ames

Please state the nature of the medical emergency. For a hologram who was never constructed to be left on indefinitely, the Emergency Medical Hologram sure does get a lot of development. He starts off Voyager as an insufferable computer program, grows to learn to fight for his own agency, and ends Voyager as an insufferable computer program of an entirely new ilk! What an arc!

Your hosts here at A Star to Steer Her By are quick to cringe at some of the Doctor’s squickier moments (that are interestingly heavily weighted toward the final seasons of the series), but there’s a lot to champion him for as well! The EMH makes us view artificial lifeforms like him as people, in the same way that Data did on TNG. So make sure your mobile emitter is firmly attached as we dive into the Best and Worst Moments of Voyager’s chief medical hologram below and on this week’s podcast episode (activate at timestamp 1:05:06). Hey, I’m a blogpost writer, not a doctor.

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

Inside you there are two Beowulfs For the first chunk of the show, the Doctor is confined to sickbay for the most part due to his holographic nature, so when he gets to do a hologram-appropriate mission in “Heroes and Demons,” it’s an adventure unto itself! He romances the bonny lass Freya. He solves the mystery of the disappearing crewman. He literally lives out an epic tale and it’s so engaging!

Before I met you, I was just a disease If you liked the Doctor’s relationship with Freya, you’re going to love his relationship with Danara Pel in “Lifesigns.” It’s probably the most genuine we’ve seen the Doc so far, as it’s clear he wants to do what’s best for the diseased Vidiian woman who hates her own body. But he urges her to keep fighting and keep healing because he loves her, the real her.

A physician must do no harm Boy, do we love it when our chief medical officers get righteous about their patients. We saw it with McCoy, we saw it with Crusher, and we saw it with Bashir. And now the EMH ends up being the only person on the Voyager to not silently condone splitting Tuvix in half in “Tuvix.” Sure, he doesn’t do anything to stop it either, but he makes it clear that what Janeway is doing is wrong.

You’re too sick to get better We’ve given B’Elanna and Tom some credit for helping the Doctor experience what it’s like to have a family in “Real Life,” but the actual growth we see is all his own. Deciding (with some encouragement from his friends) to be with his holo-daughter Belle as she dies is heart-breaking, but also encouraging for the Doc to treat the situation so realistically.

Two holograms, alone. Romulans on one side, Starfleet on the other. Alarms beeping everywhere. We see time and again the EMH use cleverness to resolve a situation, even when he’s severely out of his depth as he was in “Message in a Bottle.” But that’s where two EMHs are better than one! He and the EMH Mark 2 are able to take control of the Prometheus back from Romulans, keep the ship from exploding, and even reconnect with Starfleet in the Alpha Quadrant!

History is written by the victors Hands down, one of the best episodes of Voyager is “Living Witness,” and the EMH (or his backup program, who is essentially the same guy) really gets to shine throughout. Awoken 700 years in his future, he saves the reputation of the Voyager that the Kyrians and Vaskans have misrepresented, empowers Quarren to think critically, and keeps the two species from civil war.

Luke, I am your father We still can’t get over the fact that, when the Doctor went down to the planet in “Blink of an Eye” to perform some reconnaissance, he comes back claiming that he somehow had progeny. We never learn in what capacity and by what method, but it definitely blows up our skirts to know that the EMH somehow had a son whom he sadly had to disappear on.

You have the audacity to turn a house of worship into a prison? Jake just loves this little moment from “Spirit Folk” to death. It’s just the line delivery of the EMH as Father Mulligan in the Fair Haven holoprogram storming into the church and shouting “Sinners!” at all the Irish townsfolk who’ve taken Harry and Tom prisoner. He does get captured too and his mobile emitter gets swiped, but what a great line delivery from Robert Picardo.

Extremely Marginal Housecalls When the EMH’s creator, Dr. Zimmerman, is terminally ill in “Life Line,” our hero packs his bags for a trip to the Alpha Quadrant to cure him. And it takes a lot of coaxing and even some covert subterfuge to get to two egomaniacs to see eye to eye, even if all of those eyes belong to the same actor. But the Doctor succeeds! Turns out you can teach a Mark One new tricks.

My Treatment Coefficient is one When he’s kidnapped and forced to work on the Dinaali hospital ship in “Critical Care,” the Doctor is quick to observe the unethical medical practices, classism, and hypocrisy in their systems. And not only that, but he finds a clever way to work around their tight regulations to force the medical administration to care for all of its patients, not just the elite.

Hoshi, eat your heart out Though not the linguist that Ensign Sato is on Enterprise, the EMH is able to create a language that Fantome’s people can use to communicate in “The Void.” It’s no surprise that it’s derived from music which both the Doctor and Fantome share an affinity for, but it’s also a great moment of empathy when Doc and Seven determine these alien pests are more than they appear.

The holoprograms have nothing to lose but their chains We’ll go off in our next section about how the EMH is kind of a twat when he writes his holonovel, Photons Be Free in “Author, Author.” But on the flipside, his words also prove to be empowering to other sentient holo-people like the obsolete EMH Mark Ones out there. His depiction of subservient life as a holo-person may just start opening minds to their human rights.

—

Worst moments

The Strange Case of Dr. Doctor and Mr. Doctor Whoever gave the EMH the power to tinker with his own programming was just asking for trouble. One of the first things he does in “Darkling” is turn himself into a Mr. Hyde who is even more appropriate to the Robert Louis Stevenson novel than Kirk in “The Enemy Within.” And he somehow becomes even grosser around Kes than usual, which is saying something.

You are out. Auf wiedersehen. Fascinatingly, almost all of our Worst Moments take place after Seven of Nine has joined the crew. Maybe it’s because the Doctor starts getting more to do, and that includes more BAD things to do. Maybe it’s because he spends way too much time sexualizing Seven, as he does in “The Gift” by designing for her the ugliest, cringiest, most uncomfortable catsuit we’ve ever seen. Maybe it's something else. Let’s explore this trend…

Now you will cluck like a chicken And we already have a really awful example in “Retrospect” when the EMH peddles really problematic pseudoscience on Seven instead of impartially investigating the circumstances. He’s not even a little bit unbiased when he surveys the Entharan lab for evidence. But what we can’t forgive the Doc for is literally hypnotizing Seven – some mystical claptrap with no science behind it!

Rise and shine! The EMH has always been a bit of a prick, but usually he knows how to compromise for the good of the crew. So it’s actually a big negative to see how selfish and rude he is to Neelix and the other displaced crewmembers in “Demon” when the whole ship is bunking up to save energy. Dude, everyone is being inconvenienced here. The least you can do is let them sleep.

By George, I think she’s got it! Here’s another example of the Doctor treating Seven of Nine like a sex object instead of a peer! We’ve already given Tom grief for this one, but in “Someone to Watch Over Me,” the EMH recasts himself in the role of Henry Higgins to Seven’s Eliza Doolittle, and it’s just upsetting! Why can’t these men let Seven have her own agency without making it all about themselves?

Yep, here’s your problem: someone set this thing to evil It really shouldn’t take just turning off the EMH’s ethical subroutines for him to turn into a psychotic torturer like he does in “Equinox.” Does he not have common sense or the Hippocratic Oath or even anything better to do than torture Seven just because he’s told to? Just because he now CAN do unethical things apparently means he can ONLY do unethical things.

The dream dreams the dreamer… in bed I admit, I can’t judge someone for their private thoughts since no one other than telepaths would even know what they are. But the sheer concentration of the Doctor’s perverse daydreams all through “Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy” is a little much. When you can tell that he’s painting Seven in the nude just to titillate the audience, that might be bad writing, Berman.

Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, DOLT There’s something about seasons six and seven that turns the Doctor’s insufferableness up to eleven. When the Qomar inexplicably fawn all over him for his singing ability in “Virtuoso,” the ol’ doc really lets it all go to his head and is ruder to the crew than ever before. He’s even prepared to stay with the tone-deaf aliens because they unconditionally treat him like a celebrity.

This one takes the [cheese]cake Everything from “Body and Soul” paints the Doctor in a really ugly light and, especially in the final season of the show, it makes it hard to come back from the impression of him as unsympathetic, self-centered, and abrasive. So when Seven expresses that he has violated her body while he was possessing her and his response is to blame her, that is starkly unforgivable.

Anything you can do I can do better – I can do anything better than you This is the same as one of the extremely out-of-character moments from Harry Kim’s Worst Moments list from last week, but it warrants repeating. What the hell was the deal with the dick-measuring contest between the ECH and Kim in “Workforce”? For that matter, what is the Doc even doing as the ECH right now? Chakotay is back and in command! Step down already!

Once upon a Seven of Nine We gave the Doctor credit for speaking for holo-people in getting Photons Be Free published in “Author, Author,” but the way he workshopped it left much to be desired. How freakin’ hard would it have been to make the characters in his story more randomized and NOT just exaggerated, cynical versions of the crew? It would’ve been so easy to save face, my dude!

One Po-turd-o, Two Po-turdo-o, Three Po-turd-o, Four! I may be alone in my hatred of the turd people in “Renaissance Man,” but I maintain that the EMH shouldn’t have so eagerly (and boringly!) helped them. But what we can all agree on is that his confession to Seven when he thinks he’s dying is disgusting and a terrible impression for his character to basically go out on:

“You have no idea how difficult it's been, hiding my true feelings all these years, averting my eyes during your regular maintenance exams.”

VOMIT!!!

—

Computer, deactivate Emergency Medical Hologram. That’s all from the EMH, until we maybe revisit him when we get around to character spotlights for Prodigy which you are surely watching because it is stunning. For now, we’ve got some more Voyager characters to spotlight here and some more Enterprise to watch for the podcast over on SoundCloud or wherever you listen. You can also give us your medical prognosis over on Facebook and Twitter, and maybe tone down the “I’m a doctor, not a”s a little bit.

[forbiddenmoss]

Part 3

Sitting on the peer watching the twinkling stars ripple in the pond the farmer didn't hear someone walk up the peer. So lost in thought they barely noticed Shane sitting beside them. He sat in silence unsure what to say so instead he bumped his shoulder against the farmers and offered them a beer.

"you look like you could use this" how tempting it was to just drink the beer. Have one more night to enjoy and be free. The thought brought tears to their eyes. How long before things go back to normal? Will things go back to normal?

"sorry I can't..." Shane interrupted before he could hear the gentle sobs stuck in their throat

"ah not a drinker. That's good you don't want to end up like-"

"I'm pregnant"

That killed the conversation alright.

For the first time Shane didn't just look at the farmer he saw them. The tears in their eyes the lost expression. They seemed so far away trapped in the prison of their mind.

" ok ... So how do you feel about that?"

Harvey hadn't asked that. He'd congratulated them and started talking about pregnancy stuff. They zoned out and hadn't heard a word of it. Leaflets were crammed in their pockets but beyond that they knew nothing beyond the fact they were pregnant.

"I ... I don't know. I'm not in the right place to have a baby you've seen the farm so much still needs to be done and I've only just started to turn a profit I have so much work to do I don't see how a baby would fit in with my lifestyle."

"so don't have the baby"

The farmer pauses "but ... I kinda want a baby and I'm scared this might be my only chance to have a baby and I know I'm still young and that sounds crazy but I'm just so... Scared" the tears started to roll down their cheeks "nothing has gone to plan so far. I just ran away from everything I knew and now I'm a farmer. I don't know anything about farming."

"I didn't know anything about chickens till I came here" gulps down some beer "I didn't know anything about being a parent till I got Jaz either. It's tough at times I'll be honest"

"but that's different Jaz loves you you try your best and you're a good dad to her"

"yeah ... I'm not her dad"

"oh sorry I didn't mean to assume-"

"no no Jaz is my God daughter. I eh ... Her parents died one night. Car crash. It was raining the road was wet guess they couldn't break in time and-... Well... Died. I was looking after Jaz the night it happened and been with her ever since. That's why I'm here. I couldn't look after her. Can barely look after myself sometimes you know?" Taps the beer bottle and takes another drink "parents kicked me out when I was younger. Didn't want me back now I had a baby that didn't change anything. I'd lost my only two friends in the world and I was alone to raise a baby. Few months after Marnie found out and got a hold of me brought us here. Caroline knows lots of natural remedies and herbs to help with teething or sleeping or what ever issue I was having, robin would give us old toys and clothes had some really helpful books and Jodie was always having play dates and babysitting said it was good for Vincent and jaz to play together and Marnie made it all possible ... I guess what I'm trying to say is you're never truly alone. Even if it feels like it."

"that's nice but I can't just ask everyone to chip in and help me they don't know me I don't know them."

"don't you? you fish with Willie I know that means alot to him to have a fellow fisher. You don't judge Linus you give him your time and listen to him talk, Gus likes sending you new recipes and gets excited when you let him try what you made, you are helping Gunther fill the museum I've seen him in Pierres choosing thank you gifts asking what you'd like. You know us. Better than you think and we know you. As for asking them for help trust me you don't need to ask. They want to help they'll find away to help. I swear robin would just break in to renovate stuff for Jaz. Come home drunk to a mad woman in the kitchen sanding down the corners of the table. Almost scared me sober... Almost." Takes another drink.

"I don't even know if I want to keep it"

"it's ok if you don't. What ever choice you make is ok as long as it's the right choice for you. You don't need to have all the answers tonight. Either way you aren't alone"

"I feel like I've made so many mistakes what if this is another one? When I got here I was so rude to everyone how could they possibly like me? I just with I could start again."

" I know that feeling. I was rude to you when you first came here. Still don't know why you chose to be nice to me" he puts the bottle down and faces the farmer holding his hand out. "Hi I'm Shane. My pronouns are he him. I work at joja mart and i like chickens"

The farmer takes his hand "hi I'm Evie. My pronouns are she her. I work on the farm and I'm pregnant"

"well that's two things sorted tonight let's worry about the rest tomorrow" he leans back looking at the stars. The farmer follows his gaze watching night sky. It's so peaceful so beautiful her problems feel so far away and in this moment everything will be ok.

"yeah... Things will be ok. I'm not alone"

"and if you keep it even if the father doesn't help you have a whole village behind you, supporting you. You aren't alone"

The father.

"FUCK"

[dnalt-d2]

DAY 2 OF QSMP PRISON EVENT AND HOO BOY

There's at least a few things that happened that I managed to catch

We got the Pissa reunion at long last, we got Baghera-I mean Quacki showing up and causing mayhem, and of course we got ARIN BEING CAPTURED BY THE GODDAMN CODE????????? Is this a Fed Code or a Rebellion Code?? Or maybe an Independant Code??? We don't know, it's up in the air. And so is Arin lmao

There's a bunch of people working together to find an escape route, with Antoine passing along a lot of the information/materials he got to Phil so they can break out tomorrow before the crucifixion

There's also Ghostbit I mean the ghost of definitely DanTDM haunting the place and basically asking anyone who will listen to find his body/killer. A lot of people are theorizing this is Bagi and Cellbit's dad, which would really be interesting if that's true and not just Cellbit screwing around lol

And also that Abuieloier may be the one who killed him, which I could see being true regardless he seems like the kinda dude to murder someone

Slime finally got to meet his second daughter and proceeded to not fatally misclick her, and in fact defended her from the number one hater of everyone but Foolish, Agent 18

Who by the way called Tallulah (and the other Eggs as well essentially) Bio Capsules??? I'm getting into that in a later post, don't worry about that WORRY ABOUT IT WORRY ABOUT IT A LOT OH MY GOD WORRY SO MUCH

So yeah, The Prison Event is shaping up to be a bit more chaotic and FAR LESS casual than I was saying it felt yesterday. This day actually felt really important for MULTIPLE REASONS. And it's only gonna get more important from here, I think

One day left to see, I guess

(If there's anything else I missed, please let me know, since I could only pay attention to so many POVs at a time)

[farfromstrange]

Butterfly Effect | Michael Kinsella x Reader

Chapter 1: Toffee Nut Latte

Pairing: Michael Kinsella x Reader (afab)

Summary: Michael decides to check out the new café down the street and meets a kind-hearted barista who is determined to make him smile. Or, you serve a rather broody customer that seems like so much more than he lets on, and you decide to take the first step.

Warnings: None. Some angst in the beginning, but nothing serious, unless you consider bad flirting a warning.

Word Count: 5k

A/n: This is my first time writing for Michael. This really was a challenge and I hope I managed to get his character down right, but the man just needs a goddamn break in his life. I’m literally so nervous for y’all to read this… Also, I read some fics on AO3 and I watched some more Michael edits and tried to get the Irish accent on his end as right as I possibly could. I also googled a lot. If you want to be tagged, let me know! (Also, if you haven’t tried a toffee nut latte in December, you have to! It’s my comfort drink during Christmas time.)

The sky above Dublin is littered with gray clouds. A promise of rain goes through the news and every radio station with the weather report. There is a storm warning for those in Ireland who live close to the sea, but the city is told to be vigilant for any harsh winds. And as the first raindrops cascade down onto the asphalt, the clouds turn black.

Michael doesn’t mind the rain. It’s not because he was born and grew up in Ireland; it’s mostly because he has been lacking the feeling of nature in its rawest form for years. Eight years. Prison doesn’t treat anyone well, and he knows the weariness after getting out is normal, but he can’t seem to find a way to wrap his head around the changes around him. The world is so much different now than it was back then. But it is less the fact that gentrification has progressed to the point he has lost count of the family businesses that have disappeared and rather himself who has changed.

He lost everything eight years ago and paid the ultimate price. He is still paying for it. He truly believed that after getting out of prison, he could get back on his feet and get Anna back - it’s all he’s been looking forward to for eight years, to finally see and hold his little girl in his arms again, but she is not that little anymore and all laws and rules seem to be against him as he continues to try, try and try, and yet he always seems to lose. 

Jimmy and Amanda are happy. They pretend to be, anyway. Their kids are bigger now than when Michael went to prison, but they’re still boys. Looking into Amanda’s eyes again after all this time has made all the guilt resurface that he tried to swallow while he was fighting for his survival in the dark confines of his prison cell. 

He’s made mistakes, a lot of mistakes, and he doesn’t consider himself a good person, far from it, actually, but he wants to be better. He wants to be a father. He failed to be a husband and that led to a loss he can’t possibly put into words without tearing his heart out and putting it out into the sun for the flesh to melt off while his nerves are still connected to his conscious being.

He knows he screwed up and that he has no right to see Anna again, but he is selfish and there is so much he has to make up for. He can’t roll over and die, he has to try, and no matter how badly his family wants him back in the saddle, he wants to leave the man he was before behind. If not for him, he has to do it for his daughter. He owes that much to his wife, and he owes it to everyone else he has hurt to try. 

A lot has changed around and inside Michael. He is sadder now, he doesn’t remember what it’s like to feel joy, he’s lost, he can’t find his way back, and the nightmares still keep him up. He can’t sleep. The bullet holes are still there. Every corner of his house is haunted. It reminds him of what he did, of the sacrifices he made in the name of his family, in the name of money, and he gets sick at the sight of his reflection. He loathes himself.

And as he finds comfort in the rain, he walks the streets of Dublin with a nauseating feeling of nostalgia eating through the sensitive skin of his insides because even the city itself seemed to scream at him in the same degrading tone his entire life already likes to take with him. 

But he can’t say he doesn’t deserve it. He can’t say he doesn’t deserve the pain the universe and himself are projecting onto him because he does.

The rain grows heavier and he pulls the collar of his coat up to his throat. Some of the droplets get caught in his bear. He should probably shave, but he can’t find it in himself to try. 

The streets are empty. A lot of familiar storefronts have shut down, buildings have been demolished and modern architecture lines the streets. Even the coffee shop he and Jimmy used to frequent is gone now. But instead of a new, fancy business building, a seemingly normal café has replaced it. 

He stops. 

Butterfly Effect.

If his education hasn’t failed him, the butterfly effect describes the power of even the most minuscule change to have a huge impact on your life - everyone’s life, really. Everything affects everything. The flapping of a butterfly’s wings on one end of the world can cause a natural catastrophe on the complete opposite end. It’s chaos theory. 

Or, a nice cup of coffee can change the course of your day within seconds. That’s what he supposes it means. Otherwise, the name wouldn’t make any sense. An odd name for a café, he thinks. But the smell of roasted beans and sugary treats draws him in like a moth to a flame. 

The bell above the door rings, signaling the arrival of another customer. Compared to the storm raging outside, it’s cozy and warm inside the café you work at. The mostly brown interior reminds you of a cabin in the woods in the middle of winter. You’ve grown used to the noise of conversations overlapping, the sizzling of the coffee maker, and the occasional ding of the oven whenever someone wants one of the snacks from the display heated up and ready to go, or ready to dive into it in a comfortable armchair somewhere close to the plants. It’s the work-free section of the café, and it has become rather popular during people’s most stressful times. 

You have been working there for only a few months. After deciding to make a living from writing and quitting your nine-to-five desk job, you realized that money isn’t so easy to come by, so you let desperation lead you to the city and landed a job at this café that, at the time, had just opened. You were miserable at first because nothing was going your way, but you learned how to live with it because quite frankly, the place is nicer than you thought. After putting aside the pessimism, you found somewhat of an optimist inside of you, and that’s something you never thought you’d say.

The café is now your favorite place to be. It’s not a coffee shop because the main purpose isn’t to sell as many coffees to go; the place is perfectly decorated for people to stay and drink inside (and outside in summer). You get the occasional walk-ins, but most people stay for the atmosphere, and you can’t blame them.

It’s busy most of the time, there is a lot of work, and the stress wears you down and often takes the inspiration to create something outside of work away from you, but it’s not every day that a stable job comes with nice people and a nice ambiance. It’s better than staring at a computer screen all day, anyway. 

You wouldn’t call yourself ‘the norm’. You’re a mess most of the time, you still can’t make doctor’s appointments without rehearsing your speech a million times beforehand, and doing the dishes isn’t your favorite thing to do, but you have a routine. You have friends. You’re as happy as you can be, and you only find yourself having an existential crisis every two days now rather than every hour, which seems to be a big improvement that should be celebrated. You’re a mess, but you stand by it. 

Most people would have given up their dreams by now, but you have always been a dreamer, it keeps you alive, so giving up and returning to a life that doesn’t make you happy is not a decision that is even open for discussion. So many people have told you and keep telling you that you are never going to make it, but in your mind, you’re right where you want to be because that is where you can be, and everything else will come with time. 

Even the smallest changes can lead to a sudden 180-turn in your life. Butterfly Effect. The place of your employment seems to be a little too on the nose with their name. 

A rainy day usually means a lot of work for you, but you don’t let that sway you from admiring the beauty of Dublin hulled in gray in the afternoon. 

The bell above the door rings and you look up. The man that walks in is wearing a sweater as dark as the weather, but it’s green and it reminds you more of a sad field than the gray clouds in the sky. His hair is dark though, and the dark strands of his beard surround a mouth that looks like it hasn’t smiled in a while. 

He’s absolutely beautiful. 

The stranger approaches you and the air gets stuck in your lungs. He eyes the menu, his brown eyes narrowing to get a closer picture of the writing - it’s yours. You updated the signs this morning, and you paid close attention to detail. You wonder if it was too much, your cheeks starting to burn bright red, ready to apologize and read it to him, but then he finally nods and steps up to the counter. 

“Hi,” you say, your voice higher than usual, “Welcome to the Butterfly Effect! What can I get for you today?”

Your voice is like a breath of fresh air. Michael’s eyes fall on you, and he is instantly captivated by the force of your smile. It’s almost unfair how kind you seem, your little apron fitting perfectly around your waist and your hair only tied up enough to keep your face visible to the public. You’re open, painfully so; he suddenly feels like a smudge of black on a colorful canvas, and that canvas is you. Your smile is welcoming, it draws him in, but he doesn’t want to come closer. It’s light like yours that often gets ruined by the likes of him. 

“Just a double espresso,” he says. It’s his old regular. 

Compared to the volume of the bustling café, he’s quiet, but you still hear every word. There is a low vibrato to the way he speaks, and the new sensation makes you shiver. You have seen many people around here, it has become a favorite spot for people to hang out, but he’s a total stranger. And he’s different from the usual clientele that comes in. He’s mysterious, but he’s not dark. You wouldn’t describe him that way. He fits in with the furniture, you realize, and he would definitely make a cozy accessory.  

If only he could see himself the same way. It’s not hard to tell that he doesn’t, or he wouldn’t carry himself the way he does. You can almost smell the sadness radiating off of him, and the lack of a smile makes you feel almost sad with him. And of course, for him. 

“A double espresso?” you question. 

Your curiosity is piqued. 

He’s not sure why you sound like you’re insinuating something. Are you… judging him?

Michaels shifts from one foot to the other and says, “Yeah. A double espresso.”

“You know we have other options, right?”

He does. He can see the menu. His frown deepens. He finds himself taken aback by your candidness. He lifts his shoulders in a shrug. “It’s what I usually order. If ya don’t have any, I can look for somethin’ else.” 

You smile a little at his shyness. He’s on the completely wrong path when it comes to interpreting your intentions. It’s not like you’re judging him, not at all, but there is more to him, there has to be. Every person has a story. You work with people every day, you’ve encountered rare personalities and yet there are always those who exceed your expectations. Michael seems to be one of those very people. 

You can’t explain how you know, it’s merely a feeling, but your feelings are hardly ever wrong. You’ve been working in customer service for a while, and it comes with a certain sense of how people tick, what they’re like, and it makes you speculate about who they are inside, too. It’s what you’ve been doing from the beginning. At first, you felt bad, but you soon realized you aren’t doing anything harmful by observing. You are just studying human beings in their natural habitat, and it truly helps you get a better sense of who people are.

Coffee is the first indicator of the kind of person someone is. Unique coffee doesn’t instantly mean you are an adventurer unless there is something about you that would suggest it, just like the way you would order it or the kind of toppings you prefer. Keeping that in mind, ordering a double espresso also doesn’t mean you’re basic or ‘normal’ just because many people drink it; it’s the kind of person you see before you combined with the order that paints you a picture of who the person is.

You brew coffee for other people and make a living with that, so of course, coffee is something you judge based on. Sometimes, you memorize coffee orders simply to get to know the regulars that come in. People-watching is by far your favorite activity. 

With Michael, it’s not just the coffee that gives it away though. The second he opened his mouth, you knew. Even though your conversation runs based on customer and service provider, the air between you and the way he carries himself intrigues you because you have to admit, it’s not often you feel this starstruck by a random man coming into your place of work and ordering a boring double espresso.

But he isn’t just a random man, is he? 

The aura that consumes him and the clouds that follow him – they’re a testament to something else, something you don’t know about but that inevitably draws you in. He’s a magnet, almost. He shows so much without actually showing it, and he doesn’t even seem to know it. Perhaps that’s why he looks so surprised at your open and affectionate nature. He’s not used to people being nice to him. A lot of people that come into the café aren’t, but he surely is the most conflicted one. It’s a gut feeling that drives you.

“Oh no, that’s not what I meant!” you quickly assure him. “I get it, believe me. But let me let you in on a secret–“ You look deep into his eyes, and it’s enough to crack his foundation just a little. 

You meet his eyes and Michael gets flustered. Eye contact has become a means to intimidate, but the way you look at him is far from that. It’s different. He licks his lip and hopes you can’t see too clearly that you have caught him off guard.

Well, needless to say, you have. The second you meet his beautiful eyes that appear almost black in the dim light of the room, you see his stern expression falter and a sense of humanity flashing through. It’s a broken, painful sliver of humanity, but it’s human nonetheless. 

Shaking off the whirlwind of thoughts that almost turns you mute, you regain your composure. “We have this new toffee nut latte on the menu that tastes best with a little caramel and cinnamon on top,” – you point to the sign above your head – “You strike me as the kind of guy that could use more than just a boring espresso, especially on a day that’s already darker than our furniture,” you say before quickly adding, “No offense.”

Michael catches himself before he can lose all of his dignity. He chuckles awkwardly, looks away, then looks at you again. His eyes roam your face, then the sign behind you. He’s never been more grateful to his beard for hiding most of the blush on his pale cheeks. When he meets your eyes again, you’re still staring at him, and your smile is contagious.

You look so cute like this, with your apron and the butterfly clip that holds your name in place. Michael finds himself smiling at you, but it’s not because he’s nervous or shy – okay, maybe it’s because he is shy – but it’s because you are smiling at him so brightly, he forgets his name and he forgets what air feels like. His lips naturally curl up and mirror your expression, and he swears he can feel the blush rising to his head. A spark of warmth ignites in his eyes that was dormant for far too long. 

Whatever you’re doing to him, it’s working, and you’ve barely talked. 

I actually quite like the furniture, he thinks to himself, but the words wouldn’t find their way onto his lips. 

“None taken,” he says instead. 

You let out a sigh of relief. It’s hard to place the expression on his face, but his smile offers a lovely sight. “Oh, good. With gentrification and everything I really can’t afford scaring off a paying customer because of a toffee nut latte that you could get at Starbucks for twice the price. So,” you say, and you once again bite yourself in the ass for the inappropriate joke. 

Why are you still talking? You were so confident, so in your element, but now he has you blushing again and rambling like a teenager. If your boss were to hear any of the things you just said to the poor man, you would probably end up having a lengthy conversation about etiquette. 

You bite your cheek and close your eyes. “I’m so sorry, I should probably stop talking now. Just pretend you didn’t hear any of that. I really need this job. You probably think I’m crazy now.” 

Michael’s lip twitches again, much to his own surprise. “That depends, are ya tryin’ to sell me on overpriced or good coffee?” he asks. 

You feign a gasp. “Good coffee, of course!” You pause before adding with a wink, “Or so I’m supposed to say.”

You should shut up, but how can you when he is teasing you so effortlessly?

“That was a joke. Our coffee is excellent, and I’m not just saying that… okay, so, I’m mad, huh? That’s what you think. It’s official.”

He chuckles, his hand raising slightly as if to calm you down. Perhaps you have started talking a little fast, but rambling comes unfairly naturally. It’s your defense mechanism.

“I don’t think yer mad,” he says.

A blush spreads across your cheeks at the soft tone of his voice. He’s not as stressed as most of your customers; there is a calm amidst the storm.

“But if yer gonna rob me of five quid for a latte,” Michael adds, and there he goes again, teasing, “ya might as well get me an extra shot of espresso with that or I’ll start thinkin’ that ya are. Wouldn’t be good for business, would it?”

His words elicit a small giggle from you. “You can have as many as you like. On the house. But only today.”

You also shouldn’t be doing that, there’s a reason you’re supposed to charge for any particular changes like extra espresso or extra whipped cream, but you’re not thinking rationally anymore. Years of customer service training seem to be gone all of a sudden.

He shrugs again. “Just one’d be grand, thanks.”

“So, one toffee nut latte?” You meet his eyes. They remind you of ground coffee beans. You wonder if he smells the same, or if he smells like the rain outside mixed with the distinctive scent of wet grass in the air. You can't explain why the thought crosses your mind, but as soon as it settles in, it refuses to leave. “Or did I get that wrong?” you ask to clarify. 

Michael shakes his head. “That’s right.”

“Okay”

He nods to the pile of paper cups next to the register. “Actually, could I get that to go?” he asks. “Please?”

“Sure,” you reach for the cup, “I can make that happen. One more thing though, and then I’ll leave you alone. Can I get your name?”

He frowns.

“For the order,” you add.

“Oh, right. Name’s Michael.”

“Michael…” His name is just as beautiful as him. You use the Sharpie next to the register to write his name in bold letters onto the coffee cup. “I hope I got that right,” you murmur more to yourself than him, but he hears you nonetheless.

His eyes crinkle in the corners from how hard he's smiling. The glint they’re carrying is just as teasing as before. On the counter, his fingers start patting a steady rhythm. “If ya wrote it with a k, yer wrong,” he says.

“I didn’t,” you say.

“Then you’re good.”

You try not to pass away from the sight of his smile or the subtle praise he throws your way.

You eye him and hesitate before moving a line lower and adding, 

“You have a nice smile :)”

You consider putting your number as well, but that would be too much of a bold move, even for you, so you leave it be. You’re not even sure if he is as intrigued as you are; you develop crushes fairly easily, and it’s worse when hot men come in during tea time and order a coffee from you. You don’t want to creep him out, you just want to be nice. You want to make his day. He seems like the kind of guy that could use a pick-me-up, and you have your work cut out for you. 

Handing the cup over to your colleague, you return your attention to the man before you. “Anything else you’d like, Michael?” you ask. 

Swiftly taken aback by you saying his name so casually as if you’ve known each other for a while and he didn’t just walk into a café on a normal rainy day in Dublin like any other person around you but that you’re actually long-lost friends, he snaps out of it and shakes his head. 

You can tell he’s not that much of a talker, so you accept his soft ‘thank you’, and name the total. He hands you the money, and he tips graciously.

Michael isn’t even sure why he does it, but then your eyes light up even more and he realizes that’s why. He wants to see you happy. He wants to brand your face into his brain with a hot iron. 

The question ‘What the fuck is wrong with ya?’ Nudges him. ‘Stop it.’

He wants to, but he can’t.

You put the tip into your jar and offer him another smile, but this time your eyes are the ones holding the playful glint. “Well, thank you, good sir!” you say.

There can’t be much wrong with him. You are the kind of person many people would feel drawn to. He just doesn’t like the way it makes him feel.   

He looks away. “Sure. See ya,” he says, and when he turns around to pick up his order at the counter a few steps over, he reads the name on your nametag and calls your name most deliciously. 

You shudder. 

“That’s…” you peek at your name tag. “That’s my name.”

He said your name. Good God you feel like such a teenager.

Did you make the right decision by writing him that note? You’re not sure, but you hope he gets your hint and comes back because he has proven to be quite something else – someone else – and you’d be damned to let that beautiful stranger slip through your fingers like any other man you could have had in the past.

It’s just something about Michael that has you yearning for more. Something that entices you and pulls you in. Maybe it’s the mystery that surrounds him or the dark cloud that you seem to have been able to clear for just a moment, but you could see the rainbow following the rain. Someone just has to shine enough light on him to make him smile again.

As you look to your right, your co-worker casts you a knowing glance. She smirks, her arms crossed over her chest. “You have a nice smile,” she quotes. 

You roll your eyes. 

“Do you write that on all customers’ cups or just this lad?”

“Sarah,” you warn.

“I mean, he’s hot, but come on! What was that?”

You can tell she’s trying hard not to laugh at you, and you are this close to smacking her in the head with the whisk closest to you. For a moment, you consider it. 

“You need to get out more,” she says. “Learn how to flirt properly. That was just sad to watch.”

“Oh, fuck off!” you say, but the tone of your voice is playful.

You know the note was a pathetic attempt at flirting, and chances are he won’t reciprocate them, but at least you can sleep better at night knowing you’ve made his day better because you made him smile, and that usually goes a long way on a bad day. 

Michael, at first overwhelmed by the sweet taste of his coffee, quickly comes to the decision that he likes whatever drink you made him buy. It reminds him of Christmas, of simpler times, and it makes him feel warm inside.

He likes his coffee strong, you took note of that. While he can taste the espresso clear as day, the sweet hints of cinnamon and caramel mixed with the warm foam and whipped cream explode on his tongue. He would have never ordered it if you hadn’t recommended it, that’s for sure, but the different tastes blend perfectly and don’t take away the essence of what he truly likes about the double espresso he usually orders. It’s different, but it reminds him of home. 

The latte itself isn’t what causes him to pause though. It’s the written words underneath his name. Your handwriting is unique, fitting for someone like you, but he has no trouble deciphering it. 

“You have a nice smile :)”

The compliments he receives are usually comments made by his family, and they’re never that special. Not that Michael would consider himself special, anyway. He can’t remember the last time someone complimented his smile; his smile had never been the center of anyone’s attention before. Until now. He’s flirted with women, he’s been around, but the purity of your compliment paired with the carefully drawn smiley face next to your note feels different than where his conversations usually lead.  

He looks over his shoulder into the café where he sees you leaning over the counter through the runny glass of the window, a lolli in your hand as you hand it to a little girl. Your interaction flows effortlessly, just as it did with him. 

The child points to the butterfly clip that keeps your name tag in place. You reach into the pocket of your apron and find a spare clip to hand her. The girl’s face lights up and you look even happier than before. It's a smile not many people have, and a power that even seems to enchant children. 

The mother seems a lot more relaxed now that she’s talking to you. Michael begins to wonder if maybe your smile is the butterfly effect and not the coffee itself. Maybe you are the reason so many people come to the café. You offer solace, a smile, and some hot coffee. It’s every stressed person’s dream, he thinks, to be served by someone like you.

The rain cascades down on his tired features, but he’s not cold. He has his coffee and he has the thought of your smile etched into his brain, and there is something about you that won’t allow him to forget, no matter how hard he tries. 

He glances back down at the note, his lips curling into another smile. If someone passed by him and would ask him why, he wouldn’t even know what to answer. Is he smiling because of the note or because of you? Or is it the taste of something new? Or maybe he has just gone insane, he’s not sure anymore. 

The short moment of relief he felt inside the café is gone and instead replaced by the familiar feeling of dread. The gray of the clouds returns to his soul, and the light you have tried to light in his heart has gone out. The smile turns bittersweet before it dies on his lips, but then he looks back at you through the window, the rain turning your face blurry, and he wants nothing more than to scream at the clouds to go away. 

Michael is too weak to fight what’s eating him inside. It’s inevitable. People around him get hurt and he hurts himself in the process. He would be foolish to think otherwise.

But then there’s you. You are a kind-hearted breath of fresh air. You are good with people. You seem like the kind of person who could never do something bad. You’re an Angel. You’re the complete opposite of him, and opposites attract. It’s a treacherous feeling and it’s dangerous, but he can’t help it. 

A minute it took for you to make him smile. If that is not a record that piques his interest, he’s not sure what is. Not that he would admit his reason for going back to be your smile or the lovely note you have left on his coffee cup. He likes to think it’s the toffee nut latte and the ambiance, but deep down, even Michael knows that is not the reason he is truly smiling. 

Coffee has become his new favorite drink and he knows exactly where to get his fix. 

Tagging: @bellaxgiornata @loveroftoomanyfandoms @acharliecoxedfan @lina-mar @itwasthereaminuteago @mattkinsella