#A fine watchman for you.

[chiropteracupola]

Spring's a girl from the streets at night...

[canon-gabriel-quotes]

Transcript:

Hello? Hello hello?

Uh, I wanted to record a message for you, to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you, I’m finishing up my last week now as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I’m here to tell you there’s nothing to worry about, Uh, you’ll do fine. So, let’s just focus on getting you through your first week, okay?

Uh, let’s see, first there’s an introductory greeting from the company, that I’m supposed to read. Uh, it’s kind of a legal thing, you know.

Um, “Welcome to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced.” Blah blah blah.

Now that might sound bad, I know. But, there’s really nothing to worry about.

Uh, the animatronic characters here, do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I’d probably be irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay.

So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they’re left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long? Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too, but then there was The Bite of ’87. Yeah. I-It’s amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?

Uh, now concerning your safety. The only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, if they happen to see you after hours probably won’t recognize you as a person. They’ll most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now, since that’s against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, they’ll probably try to…forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn’t be so bad, if the suits themselves weren’t filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices. Especially around the facial area. So you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort, and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask. Heh. Yeah, they don’t tell you these things when you sign up.

But hey, first day should be a breeze. I’ll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night.

Audio source

Transcript:

Ah, sorry. I was just tongue deep in a robot.

Anyway, as I was saying *ahem*

WAS THAT THE BITE OF '87?

Audio source

[catsteeth]

Sugar & Violence

Podrick Payne x reader 

+:✿ Chapter 6 ✿:+ : Dreamer

Last Chapter | Next Chapter

Summary: You’re a Mormont being held hostage by House Lannister.  You are acting now as the Handmaiden for Margery Tyrell, whom you’ve grown quite close with. But it seems that a squire has caught your attention as you have caught his. 

CW: MDNI, afab reader, pining, NSFW themes, Threats of non-con, misogyny, Violence, mention of violence, mention of arranged marriages, mention of alcohol consumption, mention of NSFW themes.

A/N: I am dedicating this chapter to all the Podrick girls who have stuck with me through this incredibly long hiatus, and even supported some of my other works. I truly love you all so much, you know who you are. 

Word Count: 4.7K

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

You had been traveling north with the rest of the Knights watch for a few weeks now. Yoren was serving you well, keeping the men far from you and in line. Although not many of them were ignorant enough to say anything disrespectful to their Lord Commander's daughter. 

That was until some man on a horse began to take offense that you weren’t working like the rest of the men.

As you practiced your aim with an arrow, your brain felt clouded, you kept having a thought of Lannister horses trotting in the night, coming closer and closer. 

You tried to push it out of your head as you exhaled and shot the arrow hitting a tree, right on the mark you aimed for.

As you walked over to the tree to retrieve it you overheard two men, one in the river fetching water, and the other who sat on a horse.

“Why doesn’t she work like the rest of us?” The man on the horse said, louder than necessary. You ignored it as you pulled the arrow out from the tree bark, walking back to your mark to try again.

“She aint a Knights Watchman.” The man in the river said, 

“Ain’t it a girl's duty to cook and fetch water?” The man on the horse paid no attention to the man in the river's remark, he stared at you as he said it.

The man in the river stood to his feet, “She’s a Mormont, you’d better mind your tongue.” He warned. Maybe out of actual respect for your name, or maybe out of fear of your father.

“A Mormont is she?” The man on the horse said, He smirked. You began to aim with your bow and arrow, you exhaled about to let your arrow fly when the man shouted, “Bear girl! How would you like to warm my tent tonight?” It was loud enough to get the attention of all the other men in the camp. It fell silent. 

You dropped your bow and arrow. Finally looking over and acknowledging the man who had been bothering you.

You walked over, with a huff, and stood in front of the man on the horse. You petted the horse's snout with a smile as you ran your hand along the horse's neck, and along its body, until you were facing the side of the beast. You looked up as the man looked down upon you. 

“Is that a yes?” The man smirked, you smirked back as you grabbed hold of the man's saddle and with haste pulled the horse off its balance, making it fall on its side and the man with it.

The horse's weight on the man's leg broke it. As the horse got back up the man stayed on the ground, holding his leg and wailed, “She broke my fucking leg!”

As you walked away, you said back much more calmly, “I didn't, your horse did.” 

As you went to grab your bow and arrow that were on the ground, Yoren walked up to you, “We need men for the night's watch, not cripples.” Somewhat disapproving but also amused by your display.

“He’s got a clean break in the lower bit of his leg.” You said, aiming your bow and arrow, “A split and a crutch and he’ll be fine before we get there.” You said as you released the arrow, hitting in the exact spot you did before.

“How do you know that?” Yoren asked, his eyes were narrowed and his brows furrowed. He was suspicious at the same time he was curious. 

“Mmm.” You shrugged, “The way he fell?” You said dismissively. 

Yoren huffed, turning his attention back to the man wailing on the ground, “Get him up.” He said to the men surrounding him “And quit your whining!” He shouted to the man on the ground.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

Podrick was staying in an Inn just a few miles outside of Winterfell. 

Neither of you were aware of just how close you both were to one another. However Podrick grew more and more on edge as time passed. He was thinking of you constantly. When he was training with a sword he thought of you, when he was eating he thought of you, when he was bathing he thought of you, when he lay down for the night he especially thought of you. He often stared at the scar on his palm, a constant reminder of you. 

As he looked at the scar, he looked up to see Brienne staring at Winterfell. She knew Sansa was there, and in danger. She tormented herself with the thought. 

“She’s far away from the Lannisters. This is her home. Maybe Lady Sansa is better off here.” He said, partially wanting to comfort Brienne while partially wanting to be done with this mission and get on with finding you. 

Brienne turned to Podrick, “Safe with the Boltons? Who murdered her mother and brother? She is dangerous even if she doesn’t realize it.” She said with annoyance. As she did an old man came into their room, he placed new firewood beside their door. “Thank you. You live here a long time?” Brienne asked just before the man was about to leave.

“Aye.” The man nodded,

“Did you know about Lord Eddard?” Brienne questioned, Podrick looked at her with concern. He knew it was dangerous to discuss such things now. 

The old man narrowed his eyes at Brienne, “I knew him. And his father before him. Starks are gone now-” 

Brienne interrupted, “Not all of them. I know who's inside that caste.” she said with confidence. 

The man scoffed, “Everyone knows. The Boltons.” 

She shook her head, “I’m not talking about the Boltons.” Brienne walked closer to the man, “I need to get a message to her. Sansa Stark.” She was fearless, it reminded him of you, it was his only comfort now that you were gone.

“Who are you?” The man questioned, 

“Someone who swore to keep her safe.” Brienne said with the same cold tone as the man had with her.

“Swore to who?” He practically spat at her, 

“Her mother.” She said, again matching the hostility of the man, showing she was not afraid of him.

The man smirked, “Her mothers dead.”

“That doesn’t release me from an oath. I served Lady Catelyn. I still serve her. Who do you serve?” That took the air out of the room.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

That night, you and the rest of the night's watch slept in an old abandoned barn.

Your dreams as of late were stranger than normal. More real, but vague at the same time. And tonight it was worse. You felt the heat of fire, you could smell the smoke of the fire ripping through dry grass. You heard the horns of battle, heard the sounds of men grunting, the sounds of fighting. You saw fire, and two arrows released. You felt the pain of a knight cutting into your side. That's when you woke up.

You sat up with a loud gasp, your eyes were wild and wide. Yoren who slept beside you always was awake and immediately took you in his arms. 

“Calm yourself, Lass!” He said as you panted, 

“Fire, a sword, and arrows!” You said breathlessly clinging onto his coat,

“What?” He asked with narrowed eyes. Though before you could speak you and Yoren heard horns of battle ringing outside the barn you were all staying in, Yoren released you and stood “GET UP, YOU LAZY SONS OF WHORES!” He shouted waking the men up, “ARM YOURSELVES!” He continued to shout and wake up more of the men, He turned to you grabbing you by the shoulders, “You need to leave. You need to go far North.”

You shook your head, “You said my father would kill you if you didn’t take me with you. He’d kill me if I left you.” He looked at you as if you both knew that wasn’t true, you shrugged, “Well maybe not kill but he’d be ashamed and that's worse.” you conceded, “I can fight you know that.” 

He huffed and shook his head, “I’m not fighting you. You’re staying out of sight and going North.” He said as he turned his attention back to the men “THOSE MEN OUT THERE WANT TO FUCK YOUR CORPSES– OUTSIDE NOW!”

As he and the rest of the knights watched, one of the men holding a torch accidentally set the dry grass aflame. You smelt the fire and knew it was the same smell from your dream. 

“Where's the bastard?” A Lannister guard shouted, 

“More than a few here. Who's asking.” Yoren asked gruffly.

You paid little attention to what they said. You were too busy attempting to stay out of sight of the Lannisters. If you were found the consequences would be worse for both you and the Knights Watch. 

“Last chance. In the name of King Tommen. Bring us your bastards.” He said threateningly. 

“No I don’t think I will.” Yoren said, confidently. 

“So be it.” You finally looked over at that exact moment, to see Yoren shot with an arrow through the chest. You wanted to scream but you held it in. 

Even with an arrow in him, he was just as brave, “I always hated crossbows. It Takes too long to load.” Yoren said as he cut through the man with the crossbow. But he was no match against the rest of the Lannister guards. He was slaughtered before your own eyes. 

You knew there was nothing more for you to do, so you ran, ran as fast as you could. Though a man intercepted your path. A balding man wearing Lannister colors. He smirked at you as you tried to run past him. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” The man said as he grabbed hold of you, his hand covering your mouth. You saw him pull out a dagger and shove it deep in your side. You cried out, and he laughed. But then you bit down as hard as you could. The man screamed as you bit his finger off, finally letting you go. The horrid taste in your mouth lingered as you ran. 

Ran until your legs stung. The pain from your side only worsened as you ran. Becoming more and more intense and less and less easy to ignore. 

You stopped for a moment beside a river. You kneeled down to take a drink from it. You knew it wouldn’t help, but your mind and body were slipping out of consciousness rapidly as the pain grew. Soon, it was all fuzzy. You had no balance, and no feeling, your hearing was leaving you as well but you heard one last thing before it did. 

SPLASH

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

You awoke in a warm bed beside a fire. You looked around at the room, it looked like an Inn though you’d no money. 

You saw a woman in the corner of the room ringing out a wet cloth into a bowl, as she began to walk towards you, she smiled.

“Who are you?” You questioned, your eyes were hardly opened. You were so weak and clearly slightly frightened. 

“Baelise.” She said sweetly as she dabbed your forehead with the damp cloth.

“Where am I?” You asked, trying to sit up, but the pain in your side was too horrid. 

“A brothel. I found you in the river.” She said as she pushed you back into the bed,

“A brothel?” You asked with wide eyes, 

She held a laugh, “Don’t worry, I own it.” You looked around the room, looking for any sign of a man who might have come in, “No one has touched you.” Baelise assured you, knowing what you were afraid of. 

“I need to leave.” You said panting from the pain. 

“You need to rest, and eat. Lay down.” She said as she put the damp cloth back onto your head, “What happened to you, sweetling? Did men do this to you?” 

“Lannister guards attacked the knights watch.” You said pained.

“You were with them?” She questioned, it was odd for a woman to be accompanying the Knights watchmen.

“My father is their commander.” You said with a husky voice,  “I dreamt of it,” You said, you weren’t sure why you said it but you did. 

“Of what?” She stopped dabbing the cloth on your head, almost stunned by what you said. 

“Death. An arrow, a sword, and fire.” You said, your eyes closed now, trying to block out the pain. 

“Do you do that a lot?” She questioned, 

You realized you’d said too much, “How long til I can leave.” 

“Whenever that nasty cut heals.” She said with a huff, continuing to dab your forehead. You pulled down your covers, revealing your naked form. You saw the stitching she had done on your side. It was well done for a Brothel Madam, well done for anyone in fact. “I cleaned it, and sewed you up.” She said sweetly as she pulled the cover back over you.

You grabbed her wrist, “Milk of the poppy, please I need it.” You pleaded, 

“I’ll give you what I can. One of my girls is expecting a child soon, we’ll need it.” She said soothingly as she stood to get it. 

“She should give her essence of nightshade for that, not the milk.” You said with expertise, 

Baelise looked back at you with a smile as she rummaged through her various remedies and elixirs. “You have dreams don’t you?” 

“We all do.” You said almost frustrated that she remembered what you said before. 

“You have dreams that come to fruition.” You looked back to her, as she approached with a spoon full of the milk, “You lose yourself in thought, when you do, your mind goes to the future. You hear them speaking, you see visions of what is to come. Only brief moments, but enough.” 

“How do you know this?” You asked as you drank the milk in, 

“I saw you coming, (Y/N).” She said removing the spoon from your mouth. “I saw you fall in that river. Saw your lifeless body drift up the stream towards my brothel. I stood outside waiting for you.” 

You laid there, debating whether or not you could trust her. Whether or not you should tell her any more. Though you felt you could trust her. She knew your name, maybe her talent was much more powerful than your own, maybe you could learn from her, “It only started a few moons ago.” You said softly, 

“It comes to us when we are ready. Like our moonblood.” Her tone was soft and gentle like a mother.

“I saw the attack before it happened. I think at least. How do I stop it before it happens?” You said pained although this time it wasn’t from the cut in your side.

“It is sometimes beyond us to stop such outcomes. You can try, but no one will listen. They’ll think you are mad.” She said as she continued to dab the damp cloth on your forehead.

“This is a curse.” You scoffed,

“Gifts are not good nor bad. They are given.” She smiled at you softly, “You’re a healer yourself aren’t you?” 

“Yes.” You said, your voice soft and gentled from the milk.

“You always know how to treat a person's wounds do you not?” 

“I studied for-”

She interrupted you, “The most knowledgeable masters make mistakes. Outlook symptoms. Prefer to take shortcuts. You do not. You can place someone's hand in yours, examine a cut with your eyes alone, even hear the way a bone breaks and just know exactly what needs to be done.” She said, and you nodded. “It’s part of your gift.” You felt your eyes grow heavy, from the poppy no doubt. As you felt yourself drift into sleep, Baelise, tucked your hair beside your ear and whispered, “Sleep.” Before leaving you.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

That night Podrick dreamt of you. Not unusual but this time it felt as if it were real. 

He saw you in his chambers back in king's landing, wearing the dress you wore when you first laid together. “Podrick?” You asked softly, though Podrick tried, he couldn’t speak.

He tried to reach out to you, but each time he tried he felt further and further away from you.

“Podrick!” Brienne shouted, waking Podrick up from his deep sleep. He sat up disorientated, he held onto his head as he tried to come back to reality. “You sleep heavier now that we are sleeping in an inn. Perhaps we should return to the ditches.” Brienne said sneeringly. 

“Just… Having strange dreams.” He grunted, 

“As long as they do not affect our mission.” She said looking back to Winterfell.

He shook his head, “They won’t, My Lady.” 

Brienne looked over to him. She felt badly for always being so short with him.

“What are they?” She asked reluctantly. Podrick looked at her confused, not knowing why she would want to know. Brienne sighed, “We have been cooped up in this inn waiting for a sign from Lady Sansa, with little to discuss. This might be something of interest.” She conceded, 

“A woman.” He said, the longing very apparent in his tone.

“Never mind, I do not need to hear that.” Brienne said with disgust.

“Not like that.” Podrick shook his head, “I knew her from Kings Landing. She was Handmaiden to Margaery Tyrell. A Mormont who was held captive in the south.” She smiled as he recalled the memory of you, “She was a brave woman.” He nodded.

Brienne hesitated to add to what he said, “I remember her.” she said, thinking it might offer him some comfort.

“You do?” He asked, perking up like a starved dog who smelt food.

“Yes, she was practically connected to Margaery Tyrell’s hip.” Podrick sat closer as if he were a child listening to a story before bed, Brienne looked at him with furrowed brows but continued.  “She did not speak much. Handmaidens rarely do. But she complimented my sword. Unusual for a Lady I thought.” She said looking out the window, thinking that was the end of it.

“She’s an unusual woman.” He said as a compliment with a smile on his face, he looked back up to her, “She told me about you.” Brienne looked down at Podrick with curiosity,  “Said you were exactly what she wanted to be as a girl.” 

“A very unusual woman indeed.” Brienne scoffed. “Do you think she poisoned Joffrey?” She asked, her curiosity taking over her, “Mormonts despise southern houses. Despise the Crown. She had the opportunity to do it-“

“No. My Lady.” He said in haste, “She would spit in Lord's drinks. Never poisoned them.” He shook his head.

“The armored girl the boy from the inn talked of. You think that was her?” She asked softer than normal.

“He said she was a Mormont. No other Mormonts are that far south.” His tone was slightly deeper

“I gave you chance after chance to leave. Why didn’t you go find her?” Brienne asked as she turned her attention back to him.

Podrick looked down, slightly disappointed in himself, “I don’t know where she is. Don’t even know how to try and look.” 

“Once Lady Sansa is safe, I’ll help you.” Podrick smiled as was about to thank her before he noticed something behind her,

“My Lady!” Podrick shouted as he pointed towards the broken tower, where a candle was lit.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

Back in the brothel, Baelise continued to teach you more of your gift, as you tried to get your body out of bed. 

“Did you dream of anything tonight?” Baelise asked as she watched you attempt to get out of bed. 

“Just a brown horse, with a-” You grunted as you finally stood. “A white spot on its head.”

You finally were able to stand without assistance. Baelise knew that your time with her was coming to an end. She smiled at your progress but knew that she’d one last thing to teach you.

“Have you heard of the Lord of Light?” She asked softly, 

“Ramblings of it, here and there.” You grunted as you got accustomed to limping around the room. 

Baelise lit the fire, “The Lord might offer you further clarity.” She said as she fed the fire another log. 

“My family served the old gods.” You said dismissively, trying to pay closer attention to your unsteady steps.

“And yet the Lord of Light might allow you vision through fire.” She said as she stood, dusting her hands clean from the wood, “Peer into it. Deeply.” She said as she took you by your shoulders and turned you towards the fire.

You huffed, “I see nothing.” You shook your head, “Perhaps the Lord of Light does not like me.” You said as a jest.

Baelise rolled her eyes, pushed you closer to it, “It does not happen in an instant. Keep looking.” 

You did, as you did you could swear the fire morphed before your eyes. 

“Wildlings cross the wall. Welcomed in by some man… pretty as a girl.” You blinked hard as you looked away. You struggled to stand on your own, Baelise helped you up.  “My father is dead, or is going to be. I must leave here now.” You said as you hurriedly began to put your armor on. 

“Are you certain?” Baelise asked as she helped you, 

“You don’t know my father.” You said, finally finishing putting on your armor. As you rushed to the door you looked back to Baelise, “Thank you.” You said earnestly, she smiled and nodded as you made your way out.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

In Winterfell Podrick and Brienne were determined to find Lady Sansa. 

They heard the sounds of men and hounds in the distance and followed. As they approached the men shouted “It’s a bloody woman!” As Brienne pulled her sword out, so did Podrick. Brienne kills most of the soldiers on horseback, then knocks one off his horse before slitting his throat. 

Podrick, his fighting skills having improved under Brienne's teaching, fights and kills a Bolton soldier, but falls off his horse in the process. He then challenges another Bolton soldier, killing him as well. He thought you’d be proud of him for that.

Once all the soldiers are dead, Brienne steps towards Sansa. She laid her blade on the ground before her, kneeling, “Lady Sansa, I offer my services once again. I will shield your back and keep your counsel, and give my life for yours if need be. I swear by the old gods and the new.” She vowed,

Sansa began “And I vow… that you shall always have a place by my hearth- and…” 

“Meat and mead at my table.” Podrick said, helping her along with her vows. 

“Meat and mead at my table.” She stumbled, “And I pledge to ask for no service that might bring you dishonor. I swear by the old gods and the new. Arise.” Sansa vowed in return. 

Podrick smiled, as what was Brienne’s only wish finally came true. 

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

You however, were in Winterfell's woods at the same time. Limping your way North, the pain in your side, still greatly disabling you. 

“Who is this?” A Bolton Soldier said, “Not the redhead we're looking for.” Another Soldier said. 

You paid them no mind, not even looking at them. You had your bow and arrow, and your sword. If anyone dared try and fight you, you were confident even now you would win. 

“No, but she is a pretty thing-” The first soldier said, “Oi little girl!” He shouted, 

“Fuck off.” You rasped, 

The man scoffed, “You don't look like you're in much of a position to be a cunt.”

“I said fuck off.” You rasped even louder, 

“Come on, birdy. We’ve been out here a while. Give us a little fun and we’ll get you a ride wherever you like!” The second solider said. 

You finally looked over, and saw one of them was on a brown horse with a white spot. Just as you dreamed. You smirked, 

“Yes you will.” You mumbled, “Alright then.” You said louder, voice still raspy from the pain.  

The men laughed as they got off their horses, “That's a good lass.” The first solider said taking a step towards you,

The second solider however grabbed the first one, “You ain’t going first, I’m the one who convinced her-” 

“I don’t want used cunt-” The first solider argued back, 

You interrupted, “No need, I’ll take you both at once.” You said with a smirk.

They both chuckled as they undid their trousers, “You are a whore sent from the Gods aren’t you?” The first solider said, you stepped towards them. 

“Perhaps.” You said before pulling your sword out and stabbing through the second soldier’s chest. Before the other could pull up his pants to get his own sword, you pull your blade out of the solider and cut through the other with just as much ease as the first. 

You huffed, over exerting yourself in an already fragile state. Though you were more upset by the blood that had gotten on yourself. 

You looked up at the horse with the brown coat and white spot, and smiled at it. “Come on,” You said it to as you mounted the horse, “We’re going North.” 

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

As Podrick and Brienne made their way into the Castle Black gates. He looked around for any sign of you. He knew that this was the place you would go if you had gotten away. And when he didn't see you, it worried him terribly.

As he watched Jon and Sansa reunite, he looked over to Brienne hoping this would comfort her in some way. And hoping she still meant what she said about helping him find you.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱ The pain had gotten considerably worse over the next day as you rode, never stopping once. You rode hunched over in pain grasping at your side. 

Both you and your new horse which you’d given no name, were exhausted, and starved. But it would be worth it, as you approached the gates of Castle Black, two men stood above the gates wall, looking at you with confusion.

“Open the gate.” You rasped, your voice was weak and breaking. 

“You a Bolton?” The man shouted back down at you.

You huffed, looking up at him though still hunched in pain, “Do I look like a fucking Bolton?” You said your voice husky, “I’m a Mormont! Open the fucking gate!” You shouted though your voice was still unable to carry very far. 

“Open the gates!” The men shouted. 

As they did you rode in on your horse, everyone starred at you. Three men rushed to your aid as soon as they saw the blood that coated your side.

The men helped you off of your horse, you almost cried out from the pain of it all. 

“The horse needs to eat.” you said to some man who then dragged the horse off to the stables. 

You looked around for a moment, hopping your father was still there, somewhere. But when you looked around you saw Wildlings, and you knew your father was dead. You didn’t hate them, you didn’t know them. But your father would rather die then see them beyond the wall. That much you knew. As you kept looking, you saw Jon Snow, and Sansa Stark, looking at you with confusion and surprise, you looked at them with the same look. 

A sharp pain ripped through your side once more, you hunched over gripping at your side, wincing in pain. 

As you did you felt familiar hands on you, as you looked you saw the same brown eyes you loved for so long. 

“(Y/N)...” Podrick said softly, his eyes were wide and worried. He wanted to smile and embrace you but your state concerned him far greater. 

Before you could say anything the pain overtook your senses. Your hearing and vision left you just as they did in the river and you fainted. Thankfully this time, in the arms of your lover.

“You’ve a way with women.” A tall wildling man with red hair who was standing near by said. 

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

NOTE: NEXT ONE WILL EAT I PROMISE JUST LET ME SET IT UP OKAYYYYYYYYYY IM SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG AND SUCKS THE NEXT ONE WILL BE BETTER AND COME WAY FASTER... K, love you… xoxo 

-Bambi

BELOVED TAGS: 

@ryn-away @boojaynaqueen @holierthancunt @symonedoesart

@siimiasoi

@evilunicorns4minions

[twstinginthewind]

🦇 - I wanna hear your Vampy thoughts

It is a cold, damp night, and you wrap your coat around you snugly as you walk home from the train station. Your evening out had gone longer than you expected, but at least you managed to pick up the last train back. There were no taxis at the station, though, and your phone already died, so forget about scheduling a ride.

At least the rain had slowed down. Streetlights reflected on the empty moisture-slicked streets, and fog hung in the air like clouds descending to the surface, thick and imposing.

Ordinarily - from behind glass, while armed with a warm drink and a blanket - you might even find this kind of weather to be cozy. Ordinarily, though, you wouldn't have to walk a couple of miles in it, in rapidly dampening shoes and coat, your hair sticking to the sides of your face. Under a streetlight, you pause. You try and adjust your coat for better coverage, and push your hair away from where it's stuck to your forehead and temples.

And then you hear it.

A single, clear giggle drifts through the air. Your head snaps up. Is someone making fun of me?, you think defensively, looking around for the source of the laughter.

Nothing.

The mist drifts around you, carried by the shifts in the air currents made my your movements, but that is the only thing you see on the otherwise deathly-still street. No follow-up laugh, either; just the muted sounds of dripping, trickling moisture all around. No sign of where anything like that would have come from.

Despite being tempted to call out, you continue silently on your walk, tiny swirls of fog being kicked up with your every step. The fog is getting thicker as the night gets chillier, and you feel a bit like it wants to center itself around you.

Nothing like a bit of pointless paranoia to spice up a miserable midnight stroll, right? You huff and start to pick up your pace, wet shoes squelching against the pavement. And then, there it is again, no louder than the dull squish of shoe against sidewalk; a bright, short giggle.

Fine. Fine, if someone thinks your soggy walk home is so funny, let them laugh. Have fun, random weirdo, you mean nothing to me. You make a face, huddling inside your coat, and keep walking. The night suddenly feels about five degrees colder - or is it just your nerves?

Probably the latter, as your spine turns to ice when you hear, far too close to your ear, "What's the matter, Shrimpy. Don't you wanna stop and play with me?"

Despite the fear, you whirl around, making the mist billow and curl around you. No one was there. No sign of anyone, except that infuriating giggle, which now seemed to be swirling around you.

You are NOT having this right now. Fear, cold, and soggy shoes will not hold you back. You run. And as you run, the fog builds and builds around you. The usually semi-familiar streets become more and more unrecognizable. You try and keep track of where you are, but with no landmarks or signs visible, you find yourself taking a wrong turn or five, and you are suddenly in a part of town you don't recognize. You come to a stop, panting and coughing, trying to ease the burning in your chest. You look around. Are you finally alone?

Up ahead of you, a light becomes visible, shining through the otherwise impenetrable fog. Maybe someone out walking their dog, or a night watchman, or something - it could be help. You start towards it, a comforting glowing golden beacon in this dismal night.

... that little light seems awfully high up for a flashlight, you think as you draw close, and then it blinks. And then there's two eyes, one shining gold, one warm olive-brown. And just as quickly, there's a mouthful of sharp, needle-like teeth. And then there's pain. And the laughter again.

And just as suddenly, silence overtakes everything. And the fog pulls away from where you had been, revealing just a pair of wet shoes on the sidewalk.

[impalementation]

Read Uncle Vanya recently, and was struck by the similarity between Sonya's famous monologue at the end of the play and the church scene in "Beneath You." Specifically Spike's repetition of the phrase "Can we rest?"

SPIKE: [He walks to the crucifix at the altar.] She shall look on him with forgiveness, and everybody will forgive and love. He will be loved. [He stands before the crucifix, staring at it.] So everything's okay, right? [He embraces the crucifix, and his body begins to smoke.] Can we rest now? Buffy? Can we rest? - Buffy the Vampire Slayer 7x02 "Beneath You"

Here's Sonya's full monologue, though the most relevant part is at the end:

SONYA: What's to be done, we must go on living! [Pause] We shall go on living, Uncle Vanya. We shall live through a long, long chain of days and endless evenings; we shall patiently bear the trials fate sends us; we'll work for others, now and in our old age, without ever knowing rest, and when our time comes, we shall die submissively; and there, beyond the grave, we shall say that we have suffered, that we have wept, and have known bitterness, and God will have pity on us; and you and I, Uncle, dear Uncle, shall behold a life that is bright, beautiful, and fine. We shall rejoice and look back on our present troubles with tenderness, with a smile--and we shall rest. I have faith, Uncle, I have fervent, passionate faith... [Kneeling before him, lays her head on his hand; in a weary voice] We shall rest! [TELYEGIN softly plays the guitar.] We shall rest! We shall hear the angels, and see the heavens all sparkling like jewels; we shall see all earthly evil, all our sufferings, drowned in a mercy that will fill the whole world, and our life will grow peaceful, gentle, sweet as a caress. I have faith, I have faith... [Wipes away his tears with a handkerchief.] Poor, poor Uncle Vanya, you're crying... [Through tears] You have had no joy in your life, but wait, Uncle Vanya, wait... We shall rest... [Puts her arms around him.] We shall rest! [The WATCHMAN taps; TELYEGIN plays softly; MARIA VASILYEVNA makes notes on the margin of her pamphlet; MARINA knits her stocking.] We shall rest! The Curtain Falls Slowly - Uncle Vanya, Anton Chekhov (trans. Ann Dunnigan)

Uncle Vanya is a story of ennui and disappointment with life. The titular Vanya and his niece Sonya have spent their lives dedicated to supporting Sonya's father Serebryakov, a celebrated academic, at the expense of their own yearnings and ambitions in life. Over the course of the play, both experience disappointment in romantic love. They are also shocked by Serebryakov's intention to sell the estate they have poured their lives and funds into, without regard for the precarious position it will leave them in. Near the climax of the play, Vanya attempts and impotently fails to kill both Serebryakov and himself. Sonya and Vanya end the play where they began, toiling and romantically alone. On the surface, Sonya's monologue is a spiritually optimistic exhortation to endure and hope in the face of unrewarding drudgery. But it also highlights the bleak inability of the characters to change their circumstances on their own.

"When done well it’s not just Vanya who weeps. Through an act of will, the thing that has most afflicted them – drudgery – can be embraced. The (religious) reward is loaded with paradox: in death they will find rest, and new life. Whether or not you believe in God, it’s bleak yet the repeated phrases (“We shall rest!”, “I have faith”) have a persuasive force of uplift, tolling like a bell." - Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph

The connections to Buffy are numerous. Like Buffy, Uncle Vanya depicts the existential dilemma: How to carry on in the face of cosmic indifference? If your lot is drudgery, how do you keep going? Throughout the show, Buffy experiences slaying as an often dreary, inescapable fate, one which she has to imbue with her own meaning instead of expecting recognition or the approval of authorities or institutions. In seasons five and six this metaphorical slog is made more human and literal as Buffy struggles to continue on with the everyday aspects of being an adult. Buffy gets her rest at the end of season five, but heaven only ends up being a false, temporary respite--she has to keep going.

Freshly ensouled, Spike in "Beneath You" is newly aware of the existential struggle. Like Vanya and Sonya, Spike has been romantically disappointed and disillusioned, and can no longer rely on it as a source of meaning. It parallels Buffy's own disillusionments when it comes to both romance and Romance (for more on this if curious, there's my unfinished romanticism series). Furthermore, now that he can make true moral choices, Spike is faced with the prospect of having to keep on making them--day after day after day--and living with the consequences. He now truly understands that, due to his actions, a chance with Buffy is impossible--that his labors, with Buffy in mind, like Vanya and Sonya with Serebryakov, cannot reward him--that his romantic and heroic narratives of himself are pathetic, broken. Now he'll have to find some other reason to keep on making choices, and it will be a thankless, unending task.

But the scene also inverts aspects of Sonya's monologue in interesting ways, making it both more and less optimistic. As a text, Buffy is not underwritten by any kind of religious or spiritual faith. Where Sonya puts God ("God will have pity on us"), Spike puts Buffy ("She shall look on him with forgiveness"), and this invocation of deity is more clearly ironic in Spike's case. He proceeds to drape himself on a cross, a Christian symbol, and the fact that it burns him emphasizes the inability of formal religion to provide the absolution or direction or reprieve he might crave. In general, the religious imagery in the church scene, the basic image of an empty church, supports the idea that this is a scene about the struggle for meaning. What does it mean to crave redemption if there's no God (or Buffy) to grant it to you?

What is left, instead, is the human ability to provide such things. On the one hand, in Buffy, one cannot have faith in even a bleak hope of spiritual reprieve. But on the other hand, there is a hope and belief in people's capacity for agency and change. As always, any given scene should ultimately be tied back to Buffy's story, especially when the scene is a dramatic centerpiece between Buffy and Spike--who, like the other major characters, has paralleled her throughout the show. I think it's very significant that this scene comes so early in the season. It restates, via Spike, Buffy's own struggle for meaning and agency within the Slayer fate, adult existence, and Romantic ideas that bound her. It re-establishes that this is one of the show's most central ideas, something to be re-explored throughout the season and resolved--in some way--by the end. (Which I think it is. There are a lot of connections between this scene and Buffy and Spike's final scene in "Chosen." Spike's sacrifice, done without stated belief in Buffy's love, suggests achievement of some internal locus of meaning. He burns with purpose, instead of on a cross. This parallels Buffy's triumph over the first and sharing the Slayer power. She no longer burns on the cross of self-hatred, or slogging away at an isolated fate.)

Of course, as ever, I don't know for sure whether or not Vanya was a direct influence or reference. I would say it's fairly likely. I wasn't able to find anything direct on the subject. All I was able to turn up was that Joss Whedon (who wrote and directed that scene) had not seen The Seagull--another Chekhov play--until ca 2007, which doesn't exactly help my thesis, lol. But I will say Vanya is probably the more famous play, and Whedon has a documented love of theater, given "Once More, With Feeling" and the Shakespeare readings hosted at his house and such. Also, Vanya on 42nd Street, a classic performance of the play, was released in 1994. The modern, stripped-down rendition of Vanya in that movie has aspects in common with Whedon's version of Much Ado About Nothing. Here's Sonya's monologue from that Vanya. The delivery of "We shall rest" is simple and restrained, closer to Spike's delivery of "Can we rest" than a more ecstatic Sonya performance.

The church scene, also for reference:

[palfriendpatine66]

n-night at the museum, you say? 👀👀👀 tell me more

[make me write found here]

Anakin is a struggling inventor and gets a job as a night watchman at the museum. I haven't really gotten going on this one because I haven't quite decided whether Obi-Wan is a historian who works at the museum or is a wax figure/exhibit who comes to life and that's a pretty critical decision that needs to be made here...

For you:

Anakin tried to keep his face pleasantly neutral under the assessing stare of the head of security. For some reason he felt uncomfortable under the heavy weight of their watchful eyes, as needlessly nervous as the first time he had walked through a bank's alarmed doors. He wasn't the kind of person who forgot about the weapons in their pockets or accidentally ended up with pockets full of stolen bills, but he was desperate to make a good impression. He really needed the job.

"I'm very passionate a-"

"Make sure the next words out of your mouth are honest, I don't take kindly to ass kissing."

"-ah- about being employed," Anakin swallowed down the lie on this tip of his lips and flushed crimson.

"Good," their impassive face broke into a smile. "I think we're going to get along just fine Mr. Skywalker."

[kindleaf]

my most general naddpod advice is if you think you'll like it, give it a shot at least to episode 12. listen to moonstone, you can skip the ezry guest arc if you want but if you don't like skipping i hear it's fine, and then listen to episode 12, the watchman featuring nathan yaffe. if you like the vibe of that episode, that most closely tells you what the rest of the show will be like. and if you like that, listen to the galaderon saga. and if you like that, listen to the crick arc. and then keep going :-)

[marvelousmop]

The King in Yellow and the War Over the Mind

I think one of the most powerful aspects of Robert W. Chambers's The King in Yellow, and one which sets it apart from a lot of later Weird Fiction about academics who become too invested in the world of the arcane, is the idea that there just isn't anything explainably wrong with the play. People know there's something wrong with it, especially once you get to the second act... but if you just looked at the text itself, you wouldn't find anything.

'No definite principles had been violated in those wicked pages, no doctrine promulgated, no convictions outraged. It could not be judged by any known standard, yet, although it was acknowledged that the supreme note of art had been struck in The King in Yellow, all felt that human nature could not bear the strain, nor thrive on words in which the essence of purest poison lurked.' ~ The Repairer of Reputations

Despite how central it is, I completely missed it on my first reading (mainly because I was young and grappling with a particularly bad printing of it which made the text really small). I only started to grasp it when I listened to the concept album The King in Yellow by experimental post-rock band "Ah Pook, the Destroyer".

This album is largely inspired by Chamber's work, using that premise - an idea that you can't see but can still cause genuine harm - to talk about the current political climate. Songs touch on a wide array of cults and conspiracies - from the modern-day antisemitic ramblings of Qanon and Lizard People conspiracies to the strong figureheads and interpersonal conflicts of cults like Heaven's Gate. They even find time to touch on the Time Cube somehow, all under the framework of the King in Yellow propagating harmful ideas and bringing about the New Age of Madness.

But it's not as simple as just looking at these people and calling them mad. Okay, sometimes it is that (best exemplified in the gospel stylings of "The Tribulation of Alex Jones"), but there are cases where the characters are presented with genuine empathy, such as in "The Road to Carcosa" where we hear about the life of a man who, through exposure to the Yellow Sign (which here is attached to Right-Wing conspiracy theories) ends up destroying his relationship with his family. The singer gets a moment of lucidity in the refrain "The fall of my life came after; And all of my mind was scattered", though this fades away as we hear the end of this story: Him living alone in a gun-filled squalor.

Another thing that elevates this album is how it turns it all back on the listener. There's obviously a specific audience of Left-leaning listeners a project like this would attract, and those people are very unlikely to also share the beliefs of the average Qanon-minded person, but (much like in the book) it constantly emphasises that the actual specific beliefs don't matter as much as the spread of ideas. This is most visible in the refrain heard throughout the album:

The fall you believe Is not far as it seems And the deep can not be so alive The blithe poison meme That you did not believe But you saw and it entered your mind

Belief doesn't matter. Sheer exposure to these toxic ideas means that, in a way, you've already been harmed no matter what you take away from it. This idea is also present in the book, most directly in the story "The Yellow Sign".

In it, Mr. Scott is fully aware of the King in Yellow, but has actively tried to avoid its influence, partially due to the unfortunate fate of Hildred Castaigne (who featured in the story "The Repairer of Reputations" and at the very least wanted to do a monarchist coup of America that would place him as King - all after reading The King in Yellow). By all means, he should be doing the right thing - he has no interest in The King in Yellow and is actively avoiding the play... and it's not like anyone's staging it anymore, so he should be fine... and yet, after strange dreams, an erie watchman, and other bizarre events, he and his model, Tessie, are driven to read it. This is also a story the album quotes right at the start:

'Then, as I fell, I heard Tessie’s soft cry and her spirit fled: and even while falling I longed to follow her, for I knew that the King in Yellow had opened his tattered mantle and there was only God to cry to now.' ~ The Yellow Sign & Beautitudes

It's an idea I think is also evoked in the structure of the anthology. While the first 4 stories directly feature the King in Yellow in one way or another, the rest are tragic, sometimes supernatural romances with seemingly no connection to the title character, to the point where some reprints just do the first 4 and ignore the rest... though I feel it's deliberate when keeping this idea in mind. While the King is absent, Yellow is a recurring motif throughout the book, often emphasising death or danger, and reminding the reader of that titular presence. You have been exposed to the King in Yellow, and now your mind is his domain.

[cringecannon]

Happy to announce that I now also have Gortash brainrot.

Thought this would be the blog to share this thought on — Gortash fucking you while a Steel Watcher restrains you? Umm, yes please? Could also work the other way, to be honest, he too deserves to be fucked while being held down.

Anywho, being pinned down by a giant machine and forced to take it 👍 Thank you for your attention, everybody

Fuck. Yeah. I heart being manhandled and all that, even better when there’s no chance of fighting back against the thing manhandling you

This is most likely to happen if you’re a physically imposing specimen. He’s a decent sized guy, but even he can’t overpower everyone. Not to say it wouldn’t happen to someone weaker than him. At the end of the day, a show of brute force from his watchmen is a way of exerting power. Even if he doesn’t need to use them, he will just to really force it into your head how fucked you are.

You were being defiant. Maybe explicitly, maybe not. Your temperament doesn’t matter much to him. It’s the fact that you have the audacity to deny him anything. One blink and you’ll miss it hand movement from him and the room echoes with loud metal steps. The watchman is on you faster than you can anticipate, hard steel fingers wrapping around your entire bicep and yanking you back into place. You’re maneuvered and forced to your knees, your arm aching from the strain of being pulled around. Gortash leisurely descends the stone steps until he’s standing right in front of your knelt body. Apologize, dear, and this’ll go much smoother.

The catch of this is whether you apologize or not, the watchman holds tight. Gortash smiles regardless of your answer, and makes another hand motion to the automaton. It quickly obeys, bending your body into position.

If you apologized, it pulls you until your back hits the stone floor, steel hands gripping your wrists and holding them crossed on your chest. Gortash’s hands are gentle as he pulls your legs out from under you, gold claws just barely skimming your thighs as he spreads them and forces himself between them. Such a good pet. You know he’s going to take what he wants regardless. Why fight? Just keep your legs open and stare up at him with those wide, dumb eyes and it’ll be over before you even know it.

If you stayed defiant, the watchman slams you forward until your chest hits the floor, your head hitting the ground with enough force that your ears ring. You can feel the archduke’s boot on your back, pressing your chest down even further. He removes himself to walk behind you. You hear the watchman shift, but it’s firm grip on your shoulders is unyielding. You try to focus on the feeling of the cool stone against your cheek instead of him ripping your clothes. Stupid whore. Can never make things easier on yourself, can you? Fine by him. Makes punishing you all the sweeter.

[ask-pomni-things]

Hello? Hello, hello? Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you. I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So, let's just focus on getting you through your first week, okay?

Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced."

Blah, blah, blah. Now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be a bit irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay.

So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh... something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too. But then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah. I-It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?

Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll pr- they'll most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to... forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort... and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh.

Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night.

I'm going to throw hands.

[beebisbeeble]

Hello, hello? Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you. I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So, let's just focus on getting you through your first week. Okay?

Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced."

Blah blah blah, now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be a bit irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay.

So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh...Something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too. But then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah. I-It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know? Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll p-most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to...forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort...and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh.

Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night.

[writtenjewels]

Night Watch part 2

Part One

When Wilson told him there would be someone studying during the night shift, Jason pictured some kid. He was caught off-guard by the presence of a full-grown man. He had looked up on Jason's approach. Jason's heart gave a little skip in his chest. He was surprised, that was all. Sure, the guy had a fine square jawline and he had dark eyes pretty enough to be jewels, but so what?

“Well,” Jason spoke up once Wilson left them alone. “Good night.” He turned and made it a few paces before Salim called him back.

“I thought we could talk,” Salim suggested. “We'll be seeing a lot of each other, after all.”

There were no set rules against it. Clearly Wilson had a friendly relationship with the guy. Jason never had a problem with chatting in his other jobs. Still, the idea of talking to Salim made him squirm a little. Wasn't this guy here to study? Besides, it was Jason's first night, and he should acquaint himself with the job rather than waste time.

“I got work,” he grunted. He tugged the brim of his hat down over his eyes and walked off. This time Salim didn't stop him.

It took Jason walking half the perimeter of the building before he shook off the weird nerves. He was going to make a pretty shit watchman if his first encounter with a stranger unsettled him this much. He continued his circuit, mentally talking himself out of his funk. The only thing to do was talk to Salim and settle the awkwardness. The guy was still at the table, reading and taking notes.

“Hey,” Jason greeted. Salim looked up and gave him a smile. His whole face seemed to warm up from the expression. “Uh.” Jason cleared his throat and shook his head to clear it. “I'm Jason,” he introduced.

“I remember,” Salim assured him, looking amused. “Wilson introduced us about half an hour ago.”

“You don't gotta be a smart-ass,” Jason complained with a scowl.

“My apologies. It's a pleasure meeting you, Jason. My name's Salim.” He held out his hand and Jason shook it. Jason couldn't help noticing the strong, calloused grip. He let the hand drop and fidgeted with his cap.

“So what are you studyin'?” Jason asked.

“Ancient history, culture, music.” Salim's face grew brighter as he spoke. “I tried to teach my son that knowledge is never a waste of time. There is always something to learn, some way you can understand the world around you.” Jason smiled with him. The guy's enthusiasm was infectious.

“I'd better leave you to it, then.”

“You don't have to. That is,” Salim clarified, “I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.”

“I donno about that.” Jason fidgeted with his cap again. “I get all the history I need from cable TV.” Salim gave him a disgusted look and snorted.

“Typical.” Jason fought the amused smile and failed. Salim caught it, his face going wide. “Oh, you were messing with me.”

“All those books and you're still pretty ignorant,” Jason teased. The guy teased him first, so he figured a turn-around was deserved. “This is why I prefer the movie,” Jason added, and felt a little pleased with himself that he made Salim laugh.

“On second thought,” Salim mused, eyes sparkling, “maybe it is better for you 'leave me to it.' I'm finding it hard to focus.”

“You started it,” Jason reminded him, though amiably stepped back to give Salim space.

That wasn't so bad. Once he broke the ice, it was easy talking to Salim. There was something really charming about the guy. Night watch might not be too bad with him around.

[naavispider]

OR, ORRR, ok what if that who drabble was a memory he relive in a dream turned nightmare 🫢 the moment Quaritch comes back, ready to bring Spider into a world of pain, he wakes up with a jolt in the forest, maybe a month or two after that incident, hyperventilating as some squad members stir.

Miles was the watchman and catches Spider having a bit of a panic attack. (Yes I’m asking for a bit of comfort it it’s possible, maybe Spider even being all reluctant and going “you’re not gonna…hurt me again, right?” 😭)

This response is about a follow up I wrote to Noodle, imagining that the whole finding-a-dissected-Na'vi-in-the-Bridgehead-labs thing was a nightmare 💅🏻 Sorry it's taken me so long babe 💞

"Please!" Spider yelled as the door slammed shut behind Quaritch, leaving Spider, achingly, desperately alone again, on the cold hard floor of the Bridgehead cell. "Don't leave!"

He couldn't do it. He couldn't be left like this, not again. His mind mulled and churned and thoughts became fears until he couldn't think straight. His hands were clammy, his chest heaved with agonised breaths of air that simply weren't enough. "I'm sorry!"

He cried out, and then hands were on him. Large, strong hands. Hands he knew to be Quaritch's - but Quaritch had just left. He was alone. He was hurting. He was terrified.

"PLEASE!" he called out again, grasping for the touch in the dark. Distant noises floated towards him, but it was hard to hear anything past the sound of his sobs and the hissing of his exopack.

But wait... He was in a cell, inside... why was he wearing an exopack?

He flung his eyes open, drenched in sweat and clinging onto Quaritch's protective arms. His head span as he tried to figure out what happened, through the haze that his brain had become. Quaritch was there, shushing him. He was sat on the mossy floor of the forest, plants and bugs glowing around them.

It was bewildering - it had felt so real. All he could do was try to get his breathing back under control as relief flooded through him. He was safe, he was with Quaritch, the squad were nearby, and they were in the forest.

"It's okay... you just had a bad dream," came Quaritch's voice from above him. His face was pressed into Quaritch's chest, though Spider didn't remember getting there consciously. The sound of the recom's voice was steady, authoritative, yet laced with worry. Not yet capable of saying anything, Spider focused on the words. "It's alright kid, you're fine."

His fingers gripped Quaritch's arm as a headrush overcame him. He had become dizzy from hyperventilating. He tried to match the steady rise and fall of Quaritch's chest to regulate his breaths.

Eywa, he'd never had a nightmare this bad.

Slowly, his grip on the recom's oversized limbs relinquished, and Quaritch moved his arm to stroke Spider's back firmly. "Jesus, kid. That was one Hell of a night terror..."

Spider's head had finally begun to clear. "Sorry..." he mumbled. This was just pure embarrassing, really. "That was... I've never..."

Quaritch waited him out, but it was difficult to put into words how real it had felt. The dead Na'vi, laying face up on a table with his insides spewn out. Rotten. Decaying. Blackened flesh. A cavity of a torso.

Quaritch would never do that. Of course it wasn't real.

"That was shit," he settled on.

He was still under Quaritch's protective hold, so he gently released the man's forearm and pushed himself away slightly, finally bringing Quaritch's concerned face into view. The Colonel noticed the change in the boy's demeanour, tilting his head as if to encourage Spider to continue speaking. Spider noticed the furrow of his brow, the worried creases surrounding his golden eyes, and most tellingly, the way his ears were alert, pricked up and scanning for even the smallest sounds, utterly focused on Spider.

"You wanna talk about it?" Quaritch asked slowly.

No, he definitely did not. Spider shook his head.

"Was..." Quaritch seemed to steel himself for what he was about to say. It looked like the words weighed heavily on his heart. "Was I in it?"

Spider pushed himself back further, allowing him a sturdier position on the soft, luminesent moss beneath him. It also meant he could support himself fully without having Quaritch's hands on him. He looked deep into the recom's eyes, almost scared for what he would find there. "Yes," he said eventually.

Quaritch nodded. "Tell me."

Spider took a breath, unsure if revealing the truth would help either of them. But Quaritch was staring at him so intently, he couldn't help it. "I... we were in Bridgehead. I sneaked off and found..." Spider took a deep breath and forced away the images of the warrior on the dissecting table. "A Na'vi warrior... in the labs. He was..." He stared hard at the teal coloured glow of the moss beneath him to stop the images. "He was gutted... experimented on. And... and you knew about it"

Quaritch seemed to expect what was coming next.

"You... you took me back to the cell. You were going to leave me there. Again."

Neither of them had forgotten the days of confinement Spider had been subjected to in that place. Neither of them wanted to relive it.

"Spider..." Quaritch whispered.

It was strange hearing him talk so softly. Quaritch had almost always spoken to him in his strong, squad leader's tone of voice. Even when Spider had messed around, Quaritch never really deviated. He didn't shout, and he certainly didn't whisper.

"You know that - back then - those were different times. You weren't ready to talk. You couldn't be reasoned with." Spider hissed at that, but Quaritch ploughed on. "Not like now. You and I, we're good together. I'm sorry for the way it went down... at the beginning. But I ain't making no apologies for what it led to. You and me, kid. That's all. That's the only thing that matters."

Spider raised his eyes to look at Quaritch once more, uncertain of the man's words. If that's how Quaritch felt, great.

Spider wanted to feel the same, he really did. But he could not forget his trauma.

He nodded, if only to pacify the recom.

"It's late. You should go back to sleep."

"Can I have a tablet?" Can I lay next to you?

Quaritch exhaled, nodding seriously as he reached into his pack for the spare holopad that Spider was becoming increasingly dependent on to fall asleep. Spider took it gratefully, watching as Quaritch got up to return to his own resting spot against a tree trunk.

Somehow, the knowledge that Quaritch was on watch duty for the camp provided a reassurance that Spider didn't know he was missing. As he laid back on the soft ground, he felt comforted knowing that if he did slip into another night terror, Quaritch would be there to bring him back, with gentle hands and a strong embrace.

[maniculum]

Bestiaryposting -- Kengliwa

As a reminder, all previous entries in this series can be found at https://maniculum.tumblr.com/bestiaryposting .

The Kengliwa has three characteristics. The first is that they march in line, each one carrying a grain of corn in its mouth. Those who have none do not say to the others: ‘Give us some of your grain', but follow the tracks of those who first went out to the place where they find the corn and carry it off to their nest. The Kengliwa's second characteristic is that when it stores grain in its nest, it divides its supply in two, lest by chance it should be soaked in the winter rains, the seed germinate and the Kengliwa die of hunger. The Kengliwa's third characteristic is that at harvest time it walks through the crop and finds out by nibbling the ears whether it is barley or wheat. If the crop is barley, the Kengliwa goes to another ear and sniffs it, and if it smells wheat, it climbs to the top of the ear and carries off the grain to its nest. For barley is food for beasts. For the Kengliwa has no knowledge of cultivation; it has no-one to force it do anything; nor does it act under the direction of a master, telling it how to lay in a store of food. Yet it gathers in its harvest from your labours. And although you often go hungry, it lacks for nothing. It has no locked storehouses, no impenetrable security, no piles of supplies which cannot be touched. The watchman looks on at thefts which he dares not prevent, the owner is aware of his losses but takes no revenge. They carry their booty in a black column across the fields, the paths swarming with the convoy as it passes; the grains that cannot be held in their narrow mouths in narrow parts are consigned to their shoulders. The owner of the harvest looks on and blushes with shame at the thought of denying such frugal gains won by such conscientious industry. The Kengliwa has also learned to watch out for periods of fine weather. For if it sees that its supplies of corn are becoming wet, soaked by the rain, it carefully tests the air for signs of a mild spell, then it opens up its stores, and carries its supplies on its shoulders from its vaults underground out into the open, so that the corn can dry in the unbroken sunshine. Finally, you will never on any of those days see rain spouted from the clouds, unless the Kengliwa has first returned its supplies of corn to its stores.

Remember to tag posts with #Kengliwa so folks can find them.

[kaiokentimesten]

TRICK OR TREAT

Hello? Hello, hello? Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you. I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So, let's just focus on getting you through your first week, okay? Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced."

Blah, blah, blah. Now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be a bit irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay.

So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh… something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too. But then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah. I-It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?

Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll pr- they'll most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to… forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort… and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh.

Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night.

[youloveamonsterlikeme]

Hello, hello? Hello?

Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you. I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So, let's just focus on getting you through your first week. Okay?

Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon as property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced.

Blah, blah, blah. Now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them?

No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be a bit irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay.

So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh... something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too.

But then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah. I-It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?

Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll pr- they'll most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to... forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort... and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh.

Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night.

f five nights at frednarts