#Finn Samson

[fulfillingbineeds]

Misfits Series Four Episode Thumbnails (from Apple TV)

4x1

4x2

4x3

4x4

4x5

4x6

4x7

4x8

[theknucklehead]

Here are some of Filia's alts

Shantae

Fionna from Adventure Time (or Finn with Jake as Samson)

Steven Universe (also Stevonnie)

Rei Miyamoto from Highschool of the Dead

Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill

Hatsune Miku from Vocaloid

And while I'm on the topic, I do like that Filia and Samson have the same kind of relationship that Eddie and Venom have from the Sony movies.

[gridgegate]

23-24 cats + cellies + dela (johnny clegg)

[deepdisireslonging]

Wrestling Threesome Fics

Andrade Cien Almas/Reader/Dean Ambrose : Choose Me (AR, A, Ficlet)

Bobby Fish x Reader x Kyle O’Reilly : Our Princess (AR, S, threesome)

Dean Ambrose vs. Shane McMahon for Y/N : Who’s It Gonna Be? (AR, F, A)

Elias x Reader x Roman Reigns : Chained to the Wall (S, Threesome)

Jordan Devlin x Reader x Finn Balor : Teacher and Student (AK, S, Threesome, no M|M)

Revival/ FTR (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) : Hands Everywhere (AR, S, Threesome)

Roman Reigns x Reader x Drew McIntyre : Cheek to Cheek

Tommaso Ciampa x Reader x Johnny Gargano : Just a Thing (AR, S)

[ghostchasersmagazine]

Hanna-Barbera strips from Kenner's 1969 Give-a-Show Projector (Part 1)

Shows in order: The Adventures of Gulliver, Yogi Bear, Atom Ant, Top Cat, Moby Dick, Shazzan, Young Samson and Goliath, and The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

[funtasticworld]

HAPPY 66TH ANNIVERSARY TO HANNA-BARBERA

Shows 1967 to 1969

Fantastic Four // Mighty Mightor // Moby-Dick // Young Samson and Goliath // The Banana Splits // The Adventures of Gulliver // The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn // Wacky Races // Dastardly and Muttley In Their Flying Machines // The Perils of Penelope Pitstop

[bubblegumlefty]

Finn: Jeff, keep an eye on Elias today. He's going to say something to the wrong person and get punched.

Jeff: Sure, I'd love to see Elias get punched.

Finn: Try again.

Jeff, sighing: I will try to stop Elias from getting punched.

[ofmdrecaps]

08/28-29/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; Ruibo Qian; Vico Ortiz; Ruibo Qian; Nat Torres; Eliza Cossio; Madeleine Sami; Damien Gerard; Cortney Andersen; Call To Action: Yahoo Survey; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Today's Taika;

== Recap Status ==

Hey friends, my dad finally had surgery and he's alive but there are complications. I've compiled what I can for these two days, idk how useful it is. I'll try to get more done tonight since so much happened today but I'm not sure how far I'll get. Sending hugs and good vibes <3 Thank you for all the kind words and folks checking on me, sorry I'm slow to respond, been a lot the last few days. Pardon me for any mistakes, please feel free to let me know if there are.

== David Jenkins ==

David's mom Mary was just named US Open Employee of the Month! Congrats Mrs. Jenkins!

David retweeted this old post by Liam Gallagher <3

David Jenkins twitter

== Rhys Darby ==

= Cryptid Factor: Live in Edinburgh =

Rhys and the boys have posted a a partial video of the first night of The Cryptid Factor Live <3 Check it out on their patreon.

Source: The Cryptid Factor Patreon

The episode of Expedition X with Rhys is out on Discovery!

Source: Phil Torres Instagram

Rhys is being the best band manager Murray and promoting his son Finn's band! You can follow them on Youtube!

Source: Rhys Darby's Twitter

Yes, Rhys Darby has worn a kilt, take that information and do with it what you will <3

Source: @wastingyourgum's Twitter

== Ruibo Qian ==

The Pirate Queen is playing around with filters and having a good time <3

Source: Ruibo's Instagram Stories

== Vico Ortiz ==

Vico made a shoutout to our beloved Samson <3

Source: Vico Ortiz Instagram

== Minnie Driver ==

New hair cut for our Anne Bonny!

Source: Minnie Driver's Instagram

== Madeleine Sami ==

More Double Parked BTS/promos from Mads and Crew!

Source: Madeleine Sami's Instagram

== Nat Torres ==

I forgot about the other dogs that the cast posted for International Dog Day back on the 26th! Here's one of our awesome writers, Nat Torres' beautiful pup <3

Source: Nat Torres Instagram Stories

== Eliza Cossio ==

Another one of our writers we don't see out and about too often has made an appearance! We miss you Eliza! So good to see you having fun!

Source: Elisa Cossio's Instagram

== Courtney Andersen ==

Happy International Dog day from Courtney, The Revenge's rope maker and his pup! (David popped in to wish the Prince well too!)

Source: Courtney Andersens Instagram

== Damien Gerard ==

Happy Acting Anniversary to our dear Father Teach! <3

Source: Damien Gerard's Twitter

== Call to Action: Yahoo Feedback ==

Thank you to our friend Lucy over on twitter for bringing this to everyone's attention!

Source: Lucy on Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Sorry I don't have a lot in me right now to get the fan spotlight section together lovelies. I hope you're doing so well and staying healthy. I think about you all all the time. I found a few things that made me smile/had some good vibes, sending them along to you. Take care lovelies <3

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by bailey ☻ (@anxiety.positive)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Studio After Cigs (@st.aftercigs)

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

Smiles and chats for our guys tonight. Gifs courtesy of the so very talented @eddie-redcliffe and @celluloidbroomcloset

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

03/30/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR: Ruibo Qian; Rhys Darby; AdoptOurCrew; CoolPirates/Trans Day of Visibility; Fan Spotlight; Kudoboard Last Call; Watch Party Reminders; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonight's Taika

Hope your weekends going well luvs! I know it's almost over for some of you, and others have one more day to go!

== Ruibo Qian ==

Our Pirate Queen is absolutely just slaying today.

Source: Ruibo Qian's Instagram

= Rhys Darby =

Rhys and Finn Darby did an interview at the Whammy Bar in NZ! Wanna see the video? Visit Stuff.co.nz

In addition, Rosie caught them in the newspaper!

Source: Rosie's IG Stories

== Adopt Our Crew ==

Our dear friends at #AdoptOurCrew have posted a lovely letter to all our trans and non-binary cast, crew and fandom!

@adoptourcrew Twitter

＝＝Cool Pirates ==

Lots more trans and non-binary cast, crew and fan crew spotlight today!

= Madeleine Sami =

IMDB Link

The Sami Sisters

= Zayre Ferrer =

Inevitable Foundation

Zayre Imdb

= Zackery Alexzander Stephens =

IMDB Page

Outmuseam

ZackeryStephens.com

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Cast Cards =

Tonight's cast card is Toneey Acevedo! You may remember him as one of the tribal elders in episode 2 of season 1 who was helping Stede cope! So good to see him getting highlighted, thank you darling @melvisik!

= Final Glow Up Bracket! =

Our dear crewmate @thesparklyfkingpirate has been doing the #ofmdglowup for #marchmadness this month. I have been meaning to post about it for a week now and kept getting distracted. Sorry hon! Looks like it's down to the final two! Stede and Izzy! Source: TheSparklyFkingPirate's IG

== Kudoboards Last Call! =

REMINDER! KUDOBOARDS close on the 31st. 

Go send the cast and crew some love folks!

David Jenkins

Nathan Foad

Con O'Neill

Ruibo Qian

Leslie F*cking Jones!

Matthew Maher

Vico Ortiz

Samson Kayo

Alex "Ass Tonight" Sherman!

David Fane

Gypsy Taylor

Kristian "Wee John Wondays" Nairn!

Samba "BTS and Baking King" Schutte!

Fellow OFMD Fan Crew!

== Watch Party Reminders ==

Movie: Boy Date: Sunday March 31st at Time: 10am EST / 2pm GMT. We're watching Boy (2010) Hosted By: @tillychmo & @regg_official Location / Hastags: TBA

== Love Notes ==

Hello my lovelies! How are you holding up? It's almost the end of March, which is pretty darn hard to believe.

I really hope that you're out there having a good day. I hope your heart and burdens are a little less heavy today, even if they're not weightless. I hope you get a chance to take care of yourself even a little bit, whether that's a shower, or a meal, or a walk outside (or raiding the local target for discount chocolate)-- you deserve a break, and to get a chance to feel like you again.

Remember to love yourself my dears, just like we love you. You deserve all the darn love this crazy world has to offer. I hope you can see that, if not today, one day soon.

Src: @allontheboard Instagram

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Tonight's Theme: Video Games! For those of you who ship #Freemanji

Daily Darby Courtesy of @neonpigeons

Tonight's Taika Courtesy of @aanakin

[asharkapologist]

Fandom Opinion Chart + Explanations Under the Cut

I love Giulietta, it's as simple as that,,, her character growth from her selfish attitude towards her sister before the game, to trying to make her way into high society, to returning to her roots but finding love in a man supposed to be her enemy, to trying to stop the gang war that takes almost everything from her, to later leading a resistance against a dictator is incredible to watch. She's the real main character of Crimson Banks and Capital Peak idc. She endures so so much heartache, I cried both times I played In Love and War, that case genuinely makes me feel ill, and yet she manages to get back up because she's just that strong. I hope she was happy after the game ended.

On the other hand, I despise Jack. He makes several sexist comments throughout the game (I've half a mind to compile them to prove my point), and I have no idea how someone as immature and annoying as him managed to get a job in Interpol. His relationship drama with Asal is insufferable to sit through, and the way he constantly whines about her in South America and North America months after they broke up made me want to throw my phone, especially with the awful way he treats her after she's stabbed and almost died. And then in Travel in Time, he's just boring.

I initially didn't like Samson at first because he killed one of my favorite characters for a stupid reason (accompanied by a confusing message--how was Malcolm supposed to know Archie's death was targeted towards him?) but now I love him because his plan was so dumb and he's fun to meme on and he's REALLY hot.

Nebet is like my favorite main antagonist and it's so sad that she's gone for like two whole districts because even though I saw it coming, her betrayal HURT. Like 99% of s6's writing effort went into her, and she would have been a good antagonist even if she hadn't returned after killing her father, but the fact that she comes back and kills her younger self because she changed in exile makes her such an interesting character. I want to know so much about her, her thoughts while she was working with the team, and especially her epiphanies in exile, how she changed in exile and decided to turn against her parents and their goals. That's incredible fanfic material. She's also incredibly beautiful just LOOK AT HER.

Trevor Finn sucks. Fake af shark "expert" who probably just gave himself that title after watching Jaws but never bothered doing any research about sharks because he just spews misinformation and stereotypes about sharks that aren't true. For some reason, Pacific Bay really hated sharks. But other than that, there's not much else to mention about him, when with Jack I at least have stuff to complain about.

I realllly don't like Rozetta and do NOT think she was redeemed, even if Denise was a greater evil. I feel like people brush over the fact that she was KIDNAPPING AND TORTURING HOMELESS PEOPLE TO DEATH. She abducted who knows how many people and conducted horrific, torturous human experimentation on them that only one person (Zoe) survived, and nothing indicated she felt any remorse for those crimes, she only started fighting against Denise when Denise betrayed her and her friends. And even though Zoe escaped, Rozetta started the chain of events that led to Zoe's death. However, that being said, Rozetta is really, really pretty.

Archie is a millionaire and yet he dresses so drab. Lawson isn't as rich as Archie, and yet he dresses more fancy. Also Archie's collar looks weird and like his tie would be strangling him or something

I don't really like Penelope, but she (besides Nebet) is my favorite main character of s6! I relate to her a lot because we both like history and writing. I think we'd get along great talking to each other about story ideas, fangirling about fandoms, and talking about history.

Seamus x Giulietta is my favorite because Giulietta is my favorite character and I'm a sucker for tragic, star-crossed lovers. Got really emotionally attached to them even though I knew they wouldn't have a happy ending. Honorable mentions go to Arthur x Bernadine, Archie x Elisa, and Hope x Gwen.

Speaking of Hope x Gwen, they should have been canon instead of Gwen x Pierce. I hate this ship so much. Hope and Gwen had much more chemistry, and the FIRST DISTRICT in s7 proved why Gwen and Pierce wouldn't work out, and then out of nowhere Pierce shows up??? And gets back with Gwen randomly??? Huh??? And they have a kid??? Why. Hope was RIGHT THERE if you wanted someone to comfort Gwen after her mother's death and the complicated relationship she had with her.

I also don't talk about her as much as I should, but I love Priya! I love her character arc, her relationship with Zander is very sweet and well built up throughout the season, and her being a werewolf made her character arc all the more interesting. She's also just a very genuinely kind person, and I feel like she would have been a really good chemistry tutor when I was struggling with it in school lol

Given how annoyed I get with classmates and coworkers who are poor communicators, I would despise being around someone like Frank who's always late, drinking whenever he can, and who treats his female boss incredibly disrespectfully. Plus he eventually becomes a corrupt police officer and yeah, not a fan of those. Wouldn't want to be around one irl. He certainly needs professional help, but I am not the one to give it.

[grandvhs]

lista de nomes masculinos que estava no meu bloco de notas e eu só lembrei agora

starting with A ;;

aaron.

adair.

adam.

aiden.

ajax.

alec.

alfie.

allistar.

anderson.

andrew.

andy.

angus.

antonio.

anthony.

archer.

archibald.

archie.

aries.

arlo.

arthur.

ashley.

ashton.

austen.

avery.

axel.

starting with B ;;

bailey.

beau.

beckham.

beckett.

bellamy.

benjamin.

bennett.

bentley.

blade.

blake.

blaine.

blaise.

blue.

bobbie.

bodhi.

brad.

brandon.

braxton.

brayden.

brent.

brett.

brock.

brody.

brooke.

bryson.

starting with C ;;

caleb.

callum.

calvin.

cameron.

carlisle.

carlos.

carson.

carter.

casey.

chad.

chandler.

charlie.

chase.

chaz.

christian.

christopher.

cody.

colby.

cole.

cooper.

colton.

connor.

conrad.

corbin.

corey.

starting with D ;;

dakota.

dallas.

damien.

damon.

dante.

darian.

darron.

darryl.

david.

dawson.

declan.

demetri.

dennison.

denver.

derek.

diego.

diesel.

dimitri.

dixon.

dominic.

donovan.

drake.

drew.

dustin.

dwayne.

starting with E ;;

eason.

eaton.

eddy.

edmund.

edward.

elijah.

elior.

ellias.

elliot.

ellis.

elyas.

ember.

emerson.

emery.

emilio.

emmett.

enzo.

eric.

ernie.

ethan.

ethaniel.

evan.

everett.

everson.

ezar.

starting with F ;;

fabio.

fallon.

farah.

felix.

fernando.

ferris.

felton.

finn.

finnegan.

finnick.

fitz.

fitzgerald.

fletcher.

floyd.

flynn.

foley.

forest.

francisco.

franco.

frankie.

franklin.

fraser.

frasier.

freddie.

fredrik.

starting with G ;;

gabe.

gabriel.

gale.

gallagher.

garcia.

gareth.

garrett.

gary.

gavin.

gene.

george.

gerard.

gilbert.

giovanni.

glenn.

gordon.

grady.

graeme.

grant.

greggory.

gregor.

greyson.

griffin.

gus.

guy.

starting with H ;;

hadley.

hale.

haley.

hamilton.

hamish.

hansel.

harley.

harris.

harrison.

harry.

harvey.

haven.

hayes.

heath.

hector.

hendrix.

henrik.

henry.

holton.

howard.

hudson.

hugh.

hugo.

hunter.

hyde.

starting with I ;;

ian.

ibrahim.

icarius.

idris.

igor.

iman.

immanuel.

imran.

indi.

indiana.

indigo.

indra.

inrique.

irwin.

isaak.

isaiah.

isaias.

ishmael.

isobell.

israel.

ivan.

ivey.

ivor.

ivory.

izzy.

starting with J ;;

jack.

jacob.

jagger.

jai.

james.

jamie.

jason.

jaspar.

jaxon.

jaydon.

jed.

jeremy.

jesse.

jett.

joel.

jameson.

jonathon.

jordan.

jose.

joseph.

joshua.

jude.

julian.

junior.

justin.

starting with K ;;

kade.

kai.

kalen.

kameron.

kane.

kasey.

kayden.

keaton.

keegan.

keenan.

kellan.

kendall.

kendrick.

kevin.

khalil.

kian.

kiefer.

kieran.

kingsley.

kingston.

klaus.

kohen.

konrad.

kristoff.

kyle.

starting with L ;;

lachlan.

lamar.

lambert.

lance.

landon.

langston.

lawrence.

lawson.

leeroy.

lennon.

leo.

leonardo.

levi.

lewis.

liam.

lincoln.

lionel.

logan.

lorenzo.

louis.

luca.

lucas.

lucky.

lucis.

luke.

starting with M ;;

mackenzie.

madden.

maddox.

malaki.

malcolm.

manuel.

marco.

marcus.

marley.

marshall.

martin.

mason.

matteo.

matthew.

max.

micah.

michael.

miguel.

mike.

miles.

miller.

milo.

mitchell.

morgan.

moses

starting with N ;;

nadir.

naiser.

nasir.

nate.

nathan.

nathaniel.

naveen.

naydon.

ned.

nico.

neil.

nelson.

nero.

nicholai.

nicholas.

nila.

niles.

nixon.

noah.

noel.

nolan.

norman.

north.

nylan.

nyle.

starting with O ;;

oakley.

ocean.

octavius.

odell.

olaf.

oliver.

ollie.

omar.

omari.

orion.

orlando.

osborn.

oscar.

o’shea.

osten.

oswald.

otis.

otto.

owen.

oxley.

starting with P ;;

pablo.

page.

palmer.

parker.

parrish.

patrick.

paul.

paulo.

pax.

paxton.

payton.

penn.

percy.

perry.

peter.

phineas.

phoenix.

pierce.

pierre.

prescott.

presley.

preston.

prince.

princeton.

puck.

starting with Q ;;

qadim.

qadir.

quain.

quenby.

quill.

quimby.

quincy.

quinn.

quinten.

starting with R ;;

randy.

raymond.

reese.

reid.

remy.

reuben.

rhett.

rhys.

richard.

richie.

ricky.

riley.

robert.

robin.

roger.

roman.

romeo.

ronan.

ronnie.

ross.

rowen.

ryan.

ryder.

ryker.

rylan.

starting with S ;;

sage.

sailor.

salem.

samson.

samuel.

sascha.

sawyer.

saxon.

scott.

sean.

sebastian.

seth.

shane.

shiloh.

simon.

sinclair.

skyler.

sonny.

spencer.

stanley.

stefan.

steven.

stevie.

storm.

sullivan.

starting with T ;;

tamir.

tanner.

tate/tait.

tatum.

taylor.

teddy.

theo.

thomas.

timothy.

tobias.

toby.

todd.

tommy.

tory.

trace.

travis.

trent.

trevor.

trey.

tristan.

troye.

tucker.

tyler.

tyrone.

tyson.

starting with U ;;

umair.

umar.

urien.

usama.

starting with V ;;

valentine.

valentino.

vance.

vaughn.

victor.

vincent.

vinn.

vinnie.

vladimir.

starting with W ;;

wade.

walden.

wallace.

walter.

warner.

warren.

warrick.

waylan.

wayne.

wendall.

wes.

wesley.

west.

whitley.

wilbert.

william.

willis.

wilmer.

windsor.

winslow.

winston.

wolf.

wren.

wyatt.

wynter.

starting with X ;;

xachary.

xan.

xander.

xavier.

xeno.

ximen.

xylon.

starting with Y ;;

yahto.

yakub.

yasin.

yasi.

york.

ysrael.

yuri.

yusef.

starting with Z ;;

zachary.

zahir.

zander.

zane.

zavier.

zed.

zeke.

zion.

zolten.

[whitewaterpaper]

Denna månad har jag sett klassisk SF, klassisk fredriksdal och en remake på en klassisk Hitchcock. Det blir svällande muskler, svingande svärd, sjungande värjor, damer som försvinner och one liners som haglar.

Arnbergs Korsettfabrik (2000) [👍🔁🆓🎭] Eva Rydbergs klassiska omstöpning av Poppes Oskulden från Mölle. En fortfarande genuint charmig och rolig pjäs jag tycker om att återkomma till.

Battle in Outer Space / Uchû daisensô (1959) [👍🆓] Japansk SF, väldigt gediget producerad. Bra story, och bra special effekter. Regisserad och skriven av samma man som skänkte världen Godzilla.

Dark Star (1974) [👎] John Carpenter, över lag bra special effekter och produktion. Dock konstigt manus som gör att jag tappar intresset snabbt.

En dam försvinner / Lady Vanishes, the (1979) [__] Överlag sevärd remake på Hitchcock-klassikern. Mer hysterisk än spännande, Cybil Sheppard (i rollen som Kelly) och Elliott Gould (hennes manliga kärleksintresse) tenderar slå över på överspel men Angela Lansbury gör en bra roll.

Freelance (2023) [__] Vill väldigt gärna vara en "Jakten på Stenen"-actionkomedi, men blir mest konstig.

Gullivers Resor / Gulliver's Travels (1939) [👎🆓] Klassisk animerad film uppskattad av många. Dock då ej mig.

Herrskap och Tjänstehjon (2006) [👍🔁🆓🎭] Ännu mer klassisk fars på Fredriksdal. Rydberg är i högform.

Samson and the Slave Queen / Zorro contro Maciste (1963) [👍🆓] Varför plockade amerikanarna bort Zorro Från titeln kan man undra. Väldigt underhållande film jag med all säkerhet kommer se om.

Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights (1998) [👎🆓] Oinspirerad film som började med att konstatera att Sinbad behöver vara lite mer tonåring...

Sinbad of the Seven Seas (1989) [👎🆓] Rörigt och på gränsen till osebar film med Lou Ferrigno i rollen som Sinbad. Lou Ferrigno som Sinbad är typ det enda positiva som finns att säga om filmen.

Sinbads Tusen Äventyr / 7th Voyage of Sinbad, the (1958) [👍🔁🆓] Klassiskt Sinbad-äventyr.

Warcraft: The Beginning (2016) [🔁] Mindes den som överraskande bra, men upplevde den nu som tämligen avslagen. Kanske för att den här öppnade för uppföljare mot slutet som aldrig kom?

Har man, som jag, en viss fäbless för Zorro tycker jag man skall satsa sina minuter denna månad på Samson and the Slave Girl. Känner man att man vill sikta lite högre ser man med fördel Battle in Outer Space som är väl värd en chans.

Edit: Glömde emojisarna.

[eludin-realm]

Character Name Ideas (Male)

So I've been browsing through BehindTheName (great resource!) recently and have compiled several name lists. Here are some names, A-Z, that I like. NOTE: If you want to use any of these please verify sources, meanings etc, I just used BehindTheName to browse and find all of these. Under the cut:

A: Austin, Aiden, Adam, Alex, Angus, Anthony, Archie, Argo, Ari, Aric, Arno, Atlas, August, Aurelius, Alexei, Archer, Angelo, Adric, Acarius, Achilou, Alphard, Amelian, Archander B: Bodhi, Bastian, Baz, Beau, Beck, Buck, Basil, Benny, Bentley, Blake, Bowie, Brad, Brady, Brody, Brennan, Brent, Brett, Brycen C: Cab, Cal, Caden, Cáel, Caelan, Caleb, Cameron, Chase, Carlos, Cooper, Carter, Cas, Cash, Cassian, Castiel, Cedric, Cenric, Chance, Chandler, Chaz, Chad, Chester, Chet, Chip, Christian, Cillian, Claude, Cicero, Clint, Cody, Cory, Coy, Cole, Colt, Colton, Colin, Colorado, Colum, Conan, Conrad, Conway, Connor, Cornelius, Creed, Cyneric, Cynric, Cyrano, Cyril, Cyrus, Crestian, Ceric D: Dallas, Damien, Daniel, Darach, Dash, Dax, Dayton, Denver, Derek, Des, Desmond, Devin, Dewey, Dexter, Dietrich, Dion, Dmitri, Dominic, Dorian, Douglas, Draco, Drake, Drew, Dudley, Dustin, Dusty, Dylan, Danièu E: Eadric, Evan, Ethan, Easton, Eddie, Eddy, Einar, Eli, Eilas, Eiljah, Elliott, Elton, Emanuel, Emile, Emmett, Enzo, Erik, Evander, Everett, Ezio F: Faolán, Faron, Ferlin, Felix, Fenrir, Fergus, Finley, Finlay, Finn, Finnian, Finnegan, Flint, Flip, Flynn, Florian, Forrest, Fritz G: Gage, Gabe, Grady, Grant, Gray, Grayson, Gunnar, Gunther, Galahad H: Hale, Harley, Harper, Harvey, Harry, Huey, Hugh, Hunter, Huxley I: Ian, Ianto, Ike, Inigo, Isaac, Isaias, Ivan, Ísak J: Jack, Jacob, Jake, Jason, Jasper, Jax, Jay, Jensen, Jed, Jeremy, Jeremiah, Jesse, Jett, Jimmie, Jonas, Jonas, Jonathan, Jordan, Josh, Julien, Jovian, Jun, Justin, Joseph, Joni, K: Kaden, Kai, Kale, Kane, Kaz, Keane, Keaton, Keith, Kenji, Kenneth, Kent, Kevin, Kieran, Kip, Knox, Kris, Kristian, Kyle, Kay, Kristján, Kristófer L: Lamont, Lance, Landon, Lane, Lars, László, Laurent, Layton, Leander, Leif, Leo, Leonidas, Leopold, Levi, Lewis, Louie, Liam, Liberty, Lincoln, Linc, Linus, Lionel, Logan, Loki, Lucas, Lucian, Lucio, Lucky, Luke, Luther, Lyall, Lycus, Lykos, Lyle, Lyndon, Llewellyn, Landri, Laurian, Lionç M: Major, Manny, Manuel, Marcus, Mason, Matt, Matthew, Matthias, Maverick, Maxim, Memphis, Midas, Mikko, Miles, Mitch, Mordecai, Mordred, Morgan, Macari, Maïus, Maxenci, Micolau, Miro N: Nate, Nathan, Nathaniel, Niall, Nico, Niels, Nik, Noah, Nolan, Niilo, Nikander, Novak, O: Oakley, Octavian, Odin, Orlando, Orrick, Ǫrvar, Othello, Otis, Otto, Ovid, Owain, Owen, Øyvind, Ozzie, Ollie, Oliver, Onni P: Paisley, Palmer, Percival, Percy, Perry, Peyton, Phelan, Phineas, Phoenix, Piers, Pierce, Porter, Presley, Preston, Pacian Q: Quinn, Quincy, Quintin R: Ragnar, Raiden, Ren, Rain, Rainier, Ramos, Ramsey, Ransom, Raul, Ray, Roy, Reagan, Redd, Reese, Rhys, Rhett, Reginald, Remiel, Remy, Ridge, Ridley, Ripley, Rigby, Riggs, Riley, River, Robert, Rocky, Rokas, Roman, Ronan, Ronin, Romeo, Rory, Ross, Ruairí, Rufus, Rusty, Ryder, Ryker, Rylan, Riku, Roni S: Sammie, Sammy, Samuel, Samson, Sanford, Sawyer, Scout, Seán, Seth, Sebastian, Seymour, Shane, Shaun, Shawn, Sheldon, Shiloh, Shun, Sid, Sidney, Silas, Skip, Skipper, Skyler, Slade, Spencer, Spike, Stan, Stanford, Sterling, Stevie, Stijn, Suni, Sylvan, Sylvester T: Tab, Tad, Tanner, Tate, Tennessee, Tero, Terrance, Tevin, Thatcher, Tierno, Tino, Titus, Tobias, Tony, Torin, Trace, Trent, Trenton, Trev, Trevor, Trey, Troy, Tripp, Tristan, Tucker, Turner, Tyler, Ty, Teemu U: Ulric V: Valerius, Valor, Van, Vernon, Vespasian, Vic, Victor, Vico, Vince, Vinny, Vincent W: Wade, Walker, Wallis, Wally, Walt, Wardell, Warwick, Watson, Waylon, Wayne, Wes, Wesley, Weston, Whitley, Wilder, Wiley, William, Wolfe, Wolfgang, Woody, Wulfric, Wyatt, Wynn X: Xander, Xavier Z: Zachary, Zach, Zane, Zeb, Zebediah, Zed, Zeke, Zeph, Zaccai

[xoxomissm]

I read all of Deanna Grey's published works and I can't wait for more stories.

Outdrawn

Loved this sapphic, rivals-to-lovers, slowburn, grumpy/sunshine black romance by Deanna Grey.

College rivals become co-workers when Noah lands her dream job. She isn’t expecting to be assigned to work with her infuriatingly talented longtime webcomic competitor Sage. The tension between the two artists builds as they try and fail to ignore it while they work together on a comic revival. Noah and Sage let the walls between them fall as they both navigate setting boundaries with their respective families.

4/5 ⭐️

-------

Team Player

Two athletes decide to date casually to blow off steam and of course, they find more.

Team Player by Deanna Grey

On the ice, Aderyn is the fearless leader of the women’s hockey team. She is known for being ruthless to her opponents, but when it comes to dating she is far less lethal. Samson, her counterpart in many ways on the men’s team challenges her to date around while he proves he can remain focused on one girl, Aderyn. As hard as she tries to resist her old ways, Aderyn and Samson find an unexplored emotional connection between them. Aderyn doesn’t question it because she knows it is all too good to be true and Samson has to prove he how serious he is.

4.5/5⭐️

--------

Sunny Disposition

Sports romance, double life, grumpy/sunshine, AND they were roommates!

Sunny Disposition by Deanna Grey

To most people, Finn is a cutthroat college hockey player. To Naomi, he is a stream moderator and (hopefully! maybe more when they decide to meet up IRL. Finn never makes it because he gets into a fight after a game that leaves him without most of his memories and Naomi without any explanation. The person Finn was before the accident is gone and as he is finding out who he wants to be, fate gives them another opportunity when Finn realizes Naomi is his new roommate. They fall for each other almost instantly and Finn struggles to reveal his true identity. When he finally works up the courage, Naomi meets the shy gamer who was also hiding a filthy mouth and eyes only for her.

5/5 ⭐️

[mabaris]

Ultimate Meow Meow Poll

However you define your poor little meow-meows, the Dragon Age series has plenty to choose from. But who is the saddest, wettest, cringefailiest, morally ambigu-est, crimes-against-godliest?

Preliminary voting will run for one week, and the top 2 from each poll will advance to the bracket. Once the tournament begins, each round will last for 24 hours.

Pick up your faves by the scruff of the neck and cast your votes!

Cole/Connor/Fenris/Keran/Jowan/Tamlen

Anders/Cullen/Carver/Maric/Nathaniel/Velanna

Alain/Bethany/Blackwall/Feynriel/Merrill/Mhairi

Ariane/Calpernia/Daveth/Fiona/Isabela/Zevran

Leandra/Leliana/Maferath/Sera/Tallis/Teagan

Bartrand/Florianne/Gamlen/Oghren/Threnn/Worthy

Bianca/Cauthrien/Leske/Shale/Taliesen/Zathrian

Evelina/Imshael/Javaris/Minaeve/Pol/Sandal

Fairbanks/Karl/Ketojan/Mouse/Soris/Saemus

Corypheus/Jarvia/the Mother/Petrice/Uldred/Viddasala

Andraste/Clarel/Orsino/Solas/Swiftrunner/Varania

The Architect/Branka/Maddox/Morrigan/Samson/Stroud

Dagna/Finn/Krem/Renn/Shianni/Varric

Alistair/Dorian/Duncan/Sebastian/Sigrun/Xenon

Alexius/Briala/Gaspard/Loghain/Meredith/Lady of the Forest

Anora/Genitivi/Iron Bull/Malcolm/Valta/Vivienne

The tournament will be under the tag #meow meow poll if you want to follow it!

[willshipanything-blog]

Breaking the Rules- Chapter 8

Sorry again for the 2 week + gap, but this is a fairly long chapter (and I culled a LOT of stuff already). Plenty of angst and trauma to enjoy! ✨✌️

Full tags on AO3, along with the fic if you want to read over there

Breaking the Rules full chapter index here

(We know Finn isn't in this AU, but this is a story clue!) 🥲

Chapter 8- Better Halves

The rest of the day was perfectly normal on the surface, which felt somewhat surreal after that morning’s events. It seemed the things Max had told you (and the wrought emotion that had sprung up from you both) was an aberration, a temporary blight to the calm comfort that Max so easily provided. Barely ten minutes had passed after ascending the basement stairs before Max was corralling you to get ready, marshaling you and Samson out the door for a walk. Was it a way for him to create distance between himself and the basement, outrunning his mental demons with physical distance? 

But no- Max had returned to his sprightly, upbeat self and remained that way all day. You made lunch for the pair of you. Max did a grocery run. You both watched TV together in the afternoon. He’d even started to circle jobs in the newspaper, littering the ‘Help Wanted’ section with eager red circles. Even if COPY EDITOR- GALESBURG GAZETTE and JUNIOR DETECTIVE- DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT were a little out of reach. Max disagreed with your opinion. According to him, enthusiasm was more important than spelling and grammar, even if the job was essentially proofreading. Furthermore, Max informed you, the police might still hire him- his 2 priors were only minor, after all. Just possession- not possession with intent. His voice faltered even as he spoke, your derisive look probably also helping him realize that idea was dead on arrival. He mumbled under his breath before putting a red cross through that second job posting. 

If the usual daily routine wasn’t signifier enough, your ribbing banter marked an almost certain return to normality. As if Max hadn’t shared his abusive past, as if you hadn't both wept for the things that had happened, things that had been lost and hidden for years suddenly wrenched from the shadows and thrust into the light. As swiftly as it came, it went- a switch had been flicked, and it appeared Max was content to forget. Dousing that pain in darkness once more and illuminating the pleasantness of the here and now, his effervescent personality returned. 

As genuine as Max’s carefree attitude seemed, you thought you knew him well enough by now to know the truth, and figured you could read him almost as well as Al. Something in your gut that told you Max was still affected by what he’d told you. Maybe it was the longer than usual walk, a hint that he didn’t want to return to the house so quickly. Maybe it was that he’d played with Samson a little more today, a few extra treats, a little more love that was needed in this house. Maybe it was the way Max joked around with you today- not hesitant, but he did so with a dull glint in his eye, as if he didn’t have the heart to really mean it today. 

Another similarity between brothers, then. A characteristically Shaw trait. Slipping on a mask in an attempt to obscure one feeling whilst experiencing another emotion entirely. Al slipped between personalities all too easily, even after he’d unmasked himself. But he could still easily hide hurt, disguise pain, conceal guilt. Max might have possessed the same aptitude. You certainly didn’t possess such a skill. You could tell, throughout the rest of the day before Al returned, that Max didn’t quite believe your small smiles, and wasn't convinced by your half-hearted jokes. You supposed you hadn’t had a childhood of horrors to practice putting on a brave face for others. Although you were both concealing your sadness, yours was just more obvious, not as easily hidden as the shroud of obfuscation that Max had constructed. 

The worry that Al would sense your concern riddled you, having promised not to ask Max about the things that had nevertheless spilled out of him. But all seemed normal as you welcomed him home with a deep kiss, your genuine spark of warmth at his return burning the worries to cinders. As he changed out of his work clothes, you continued cooking dinner for the three of you, noting there was even enough meatloaf for Samson, too. As you plated the food, your worries rose from their ashes to burden you again, namely about what you might talk about over dinner. Al would always ask how your day had gone- would you be content to sit quietly and let Max fumble out of that quandary?

You barely had time to think of a solution before a warm pair of hands landed on your waist and Al leaned into your body from behind. You turned your head slightly and felt his mouth planted at the juncture of your neck and shoulder, plying soft kisses along your suddenly flushed pink skin. Soft hums from your own lips soon followed, and you issued a chirrupy giggle when he reached a particularly ticklish patch of skin. Even in your muted, worrisome state, Al was adept in his ministrations that even a small act of flirtation mollified those incendiary worries that had been threatening to reignite. 

“Dinner’s nearly ready.” you said, your voice trembling just slightly at the tingling sensation on your skin.

“Hmm, smells delicious, dove,” he crooned contentedly, nuzzling into your hair “I could just eat it all up.” 

“What, the meatloaf?” you scoffed, understanding the double entendre, given how often Al liked to bait you with them. A dry chuckle escaped Al before he nibbled at your earlobe with a firm bite, forcing a sudden inhale from you. The knife you’d been cutting up the meatloaf with clattered on the plastic worktop as you dropped it. This was fine. If Al’s presence meant the blush on your cheeks could hide any trace of hesitancy, if you stuttered at his playful teasing which hid the stammer of fearful speech, then you could suffer it a little while. It’s not as if you didn’t enjoy the distraction. 

“Oh, sorry guys,” you heard Max say as he tramped into the kitchen “I didn’t realize the kitchen was your new love nest.” Al didn’t move, not affected enough by his brother’s entry to cease his grip around you. Max (also unconcerned by Al’s unsubtle flirtations), sauntered casually to the refrigerator, where the soft clinking of glass told you he was helping himself to a cold beer. Max out of earshot, Al dared another lewd comment, whispering amorously into your ear:

“If he only knew the things we’ve done in this room, sweet thing.” 

You were sure the thermostat in the kitchen must have raised 15 degrees at those fiery words, painting your cheeks what felt like deepest crimson. Al knew you so easily flushed at the slightest dare of your predilections coming to light, and used it as a constant source of personal amusement. 

“Oooh, what’s cookin’, Scout?” Max had waltzed over and was hovering over your right shoulder (your left still occupied by Al’s chin), humming appreciatively at the homely dinner you’d made. Not wanting to turn and give Max a reason to tease about your bright blushing cheeks, you shooed both of them away with a hand, gesturing them to sit down. As you glanced over to the table, you noted Al setting three places with plates and cutlery, and Max placing down three beers he had grabbed from the refrigerator. 

Funny, how their presence at your back, essentially cornering you into the kitchen counter had felt safe, yet now they were a distance from you, a claustrophobic feeling had begun to slither over you, weaving through each pore in your body. Physical distance meant the pervading thoughts in your mind were allowed to edge closer once again. The brothers seemed to have no such demons on their shoulders. It was how calm, how happy both of them were, which felt unfair given how your own thoughts were hurricaning through your head, a constant blight of bad memories running a million miles an hour. This blight felt like a real manifestation, a crushing weight that only you were laden with. Al was unaware of the day’s events, and Max seemed to be coping well, as if sharing his problems had freed him from them, even if the past couldn’t be changed. 

That was the solution, you figured. That sharing your worries would help. A problem shared is a problem halved- isn’t that how the saying went? You were just apprehensive about sharing the origin of your most recent woes with Al. One, because he’d specifically asked you not to ask about those things. And two, because if he was asking that of you, how much worse was he affected by the past than Max? Of course he was, Y/N- he’d become the fucking Grabber for Christ’s sake. You might have told Al just a moment ago (in the safe warmth of his embrace) about all the truths that had been revealed to you earlier in the day. But Max had halted that. Dinner first, talk later, you concluded, pushing those worries to the back of your mind- a thing you had gotten so good at doing in recent memory. You just had to get through dinner and the expanse of the evening. Then, once you and Al were alone, you could talk. 

“How about we play a game?”

You winced at Max’s suggestion. You might normally have found his wording amusing, Max’s unawareness at the weight those words held in this house. But tonight they hit differently, like a skimmed stone suddenly dropping to the bottom of a lake. Al snorted at the proposal of Max’s, still able to find the joke in the double meaning. 

“Oh sure, Y/N loves playing games, don’t ya dove?” he drolled. You couldn’t muster more than a small curl at the corner of your lips, even for Al and his little inside joke that would usually have you turning a fabulous shade of fuschia. You had survived a little teasing over dinner, but the later the night grew, edging closer to the time you were going to talk to Al, your smiles were becoming more forced, your laughter less enthusiastic. All the joking seemed wrong, and you felt if you’d have joined in, any indecent comment or mocking joke would have tasted like ash on your tongue. Al’s eyebrows knitted in the middle, a sign he’d picked up on your reluctance to join in the little shared secret. You swerved his question- and his concerned gaze- by slipping away to the wooden cabinet in the far corner of the room. 

At Max’s insistence, you dusted off an old Scrabble box from the cabinet, setting the board up for the pair of you. Al decided to sit this one out- to watch his dove’s victory from the sidelines, he’d quipped. If you’d been in better spirits, you’d have teased back that Al enjoyed playing games just as much as you did. Instead, you left Max to reply to the comment with an exaggerated scowl. You both shuffled the tiles around in the cloth bag, counting out seven each and starting the game.

Whether playing a board game was a welcome distraction or not, you couldn’t determine. It meant stalling a little, giving you time to consider how to approach Al with your newly-acquired information. But each minute that ticked by was another moment where the weight of the unsaid knowledge hung like a millstone around your neck, heavy and suffocating. 

Between turns, you dared small glances up at Al, who remained in his armchair as you and Max sat cross-legged on either side of the coffee table, Samson lying beside you with his huge head in your lap. Al made little jokes as the game unfolded, admonishing Max for making up imaginary words, humming when his prediction of your winning was clearly on the cards. He was happy living like this, keeping up his little inside jokes and avoiding any serious topics of conversation. But he couldn’t avoid it for long- the bag of tiles was more than half-empty now.

Your turn. SECRET could score 16, if you played on the double word square. You settled instead for REST, for just half as many points. 

Max deliberated and fretted over each of his turns, allowing your thoughts to wander away from the board and to your inevitable confrontation with Al. How were you meant to strike the delicate balance between stating that you know the secrets Al didn’t want told, and reassuring him that he had nothing to fear from you knowing? You wanted to scream; to flip the board; to have the little wooden letters spell it out for him, if only so you didn’t have to have that conversation face to face.  

Your turn again. SHOUT would be good for 16, the H landing on a triple letter. You settled for SHUT, only one point less. 

“Good game, Scout.” Max grumbled as Al read the final tallies- he’d been keeping score while you played. Max grimaced slightly when he realized just how badly he’d lost, but shook your hand across the table like a true gentleman. As your hands clasped, he gave a tight squeeze, and you glanced up at his face, which held a warm smile but an unusually intense gaze. Max nodded slightly, before making excuses that he needed to take Samson out for a final walk around the block. Within a minute, the front door had slammed shut, leaving just you and Al in the house. Before you could speak, Al interjected.

“Dove, what happened?” The gravelly voice was laced with fierce concern.

He knew. Of course he did. Al could read the tiny expressions on your face as easily as reading the front page of the Galesburg Gazette. He could pick up on the cracks in your voice, the hesitancy of your tone as easily as humming along to a familiar tune of one of his old vinyl records. When had he worked it out that you were hiding something? Was it as soon as he’d stepped through the front door after work, or at dinner, or over the evening’s game? The urge to reply with “Nothing” was all too tempting, save for the fact that you’d promised Max to discuss things with Al. That, and Al would always know if you weren’t telling the truth. With a subtle tilt of your head, you gestured to the bedroom and he acceded, rising from his chair with a soft grunt. You scrambled up before he could offer to pull you to a stand, walking ahead down the corridor, avoiding Al’s eye as you scurried into the bedroom. 

After trying to plot out this conversation all evening, you had no clue how to even begin to broach this subject with Al. Al, who didn’t yet know how much you’d learned about his childhood, the abuses he’d suffered, the vile nature of his father who had harmed the family he was supposed to love and protect. Al, who was content evading the subject, happy to subsist on light conversation and inside jokes, midnight kisses and hazy morning caresses. Al, who now only knew pain when he meted it out and you accepted willingly during your infamous game. Living in ignorance (or purposeful avoidance) of those difficult questions that he knew you wanted answers to. Even prohibiting you and Max from questioning things you thought might be wrong. No longer. You couldn’t- you wouldn’t- go another day without voicing what you knew. And, hopefully, wringing out some honesty from Al’s own reticent lips. 

As the door snicked shut, you inhaled deeply. You spun round, half expecting Al to be an inch from your body, ready to embrace and soothe you, to hold your cheeks in his hands and wipe away any tears that might fall from your cheeks with the soft, sweeping brush of his thumb. Instead, he stood by the door in the harsh glow of the overhead light, a stark contrast to the soft crimson radiance of the lamplight that normally illuminated the space. Al stood motionless, save for his hands, where he ran his thumbs rhythmically up and down his fingers in a silent strum. His nervous tic- because he was unsure of what you might say? Or because he anticipated it? Or, perhaps, because he’d seen right through you, and was growing more agitated by the minute that you were keeping those revelations to yourself? 

Anxiety sliced through you like a cold switchblade on your skin. Still stalling, you began a question rather than providing the answers Al seemed eager for you to admit. 

“How did you-” 

“How did I know something was wrong?” His voice was flat, as if he had puzzled something out, but hadn’t yet decided if he should be concerned or furious. “You can’t trick me, Y/N. Something’s upset you, but I didn’t want to ask in front of Max. In case you were uncomfortable.”

His words held kindness within them, but it didn’t reach his mouth to send a reassuring smile. Nor did it reach his eyes- only a blank stare of blue steel, cold and impenetrable, locked on you. Maybe it was better this way- if Al imbued himself with warmth and benevolence, you’d be less likely to want to break that soft facade. Perhaps he was presenting that rough, stony exterior so you’d feel more comfortable throwing barbs his way- that’s what he was clearly expecting.

“I need to tell you some things, I- I just don’t want to upset you.” you stammered, balls fisted tight by your side, as if clinging desperately to the truths that were still unspoken. 

“You can’t upset me, dove.” 

In your mind, you scoffed silently: wanna bet? Ignoring that unhelpful thought, you sat on the silky sheets of the bed. Al followed suit, sitting beside you and turning inwards so you were facing one another. He took your right hand in his left, those promise rings that each of you wore shining, staring up at you beneath the bright light. Heartening you. Your promise: to be good- and didn’t that include telling the truth? His promise- to take care of you: that included listening to you, even if the outcome might be emotional unrest. 

“What’s all this about then, little thing?”

His face, when you gathered the courage to look at him, was still stoic, as if in reassurance that the things you might say wouldn’t affect him, like a dam wall impervious to external pressures. You swallowed a dry gulp, your throat dry with anxiety, but began, hoping those walls would hold. 

Al sat silently as you relayed what you knew, statuesque save for a few tells. When you began with the fact Max had told you things about their father, his grasp on your hand tightened slightly, an eyebrow twitching in response. You defended that with the truth- that Max had spoken to you freely, with no incitement from you. And you defended Max, too- arguing that Max shouldn’t have to bottle up his feelings, not when he clearly needed to bleed out the hurt inside him. You sensed Al shift uncomfortably at that, but you continued. As you spoke of the terrible deeds that had been inflicted on the young brothers, his grip relented and his glassy blue eyes fixed on a spot somewhere on the wall behind you- as if he’d already replayed those events in his head thousands of times, and your tale was a retelling of a familiar story. The same cruelties, just at a slightly altered angle, based on Max’s perspective of those occasions. 

You finished, and blue eyes devoid of emotion flicked back in your direction. His brows were straight, mouth neither grimacing or smiling. As if he was still deciding how he felt, or wasn’t sure how to express the too-many thoughts that were probably running through his wearied mind. You needed to see if the dam walls had been breached, if your words had hurt as much (or more) than his father’s belt. But there were no cracks or fissures in Al’s sober expression- sadness, perhaps, but he hadn’t been broken by what you’d said. But, you realized- how could you break something that had already been broken years before?

Al’s stony silence wasn’t particularly unusual, but you’d expected some response after your confession. Instead, you opted for a little reassurance of your own. 

“Al, I know you don’t want my pity. I know that. But I need to say it, just once,” He grimaced, but you merely gripped his hand tighter in yours and continued. “I am sorry, truly, for what happened. To you, and Max.”

The ugliness Al had faced needed acknowledgement. It was obviously a precursor to what had come after, and to ignore its importance would be living just another lie. To pretend it hadn’t happened now would be like you and Al living a contrived existence built on weak, crumbling foundations. Even if you might never untangle the puzzle of it all, the cause and effect, the chain reaction that had set so many horrific events in motion. 

Al hadn’t responded to your sympathetic remark, but his grip on your hand had remained tight, and his right hand had risen to cup your cheek in his palm, a soft thumb brushing the faded scar on your cheekbone. He knew the motion soothed you, though the reminder of why it was there lit a white-hot spark within your blood. The one facet of all this you realized you were bitter about. You had been hurt that Al hadn’t shared his story with you, when he knew every aspect of your own suffering, having been the source of so much of it. True, you hadn’t had a childhood full of terrors, but you were confident that Al was doing himself no favors by keeping it locked inside of him. He’d been living in his own solitary hell by not sharing, not communicating about the worst parts of his past. Why couldn’t he have told you- weren’t you past the point of secrets and lies?

“Al I just- I don’t know why you never told me.” Your earnest, somber tone and your cracked voice was evidence enough how much this fact had hurt you. Al’s thumb retreated from your cheek, but his hand remained aligned against your jawbone, the warm palm and cold rings disseminating both warmth and shivers through you. He inhaled, then spoke on a regretful sigh:

“It’s just like you said, Y/N- I didn’t want your pity when I didn't deserve it. And I didn’t want you to shift the blame to someone else for-” the reply had been curtailed, but you both knew how it would have ended. I didn’t want you to shift the blame to someone else for the things I’ve done. 

“Then I won’t,” you responded curtly, receiving a startled look from Al, who retreated his palm from your cheek at the remark. “I won’t use your past as an excuse. The things that man did to you- they don’t exonerate the worse things you did because of them.” If Al was alarmed, you were equally shocked at your own bluntness at that moment. However, the words you said were truthful, and you were glad your candidness outweighed your tact just then. Al seemed to appreciate it too, giving a faint nod and a soft hum of acknowledgement. 

“Thanks, dove. As long as you understand that.” he said in a gruff rasp. With your hands still connected, you looked down once more at the ring on your middle finger, then the one nested on Al’s pinky. In the harsh light of your shared bedroom, one more revelation couldn’t hurt, surely. 

“Can I ask just one thing Al- something about what Max said?”

“What do you want to know, dove?” Good. With the past exposed for you both to see, Al wasn’t about to start avoiding the subject so easily. 

“I asked Max if you ever fought back. He said ‘not then’. But did you, after a while?”

“Oh- that,” Al answered, “Yeah, Max doesn’t know the whole story there.” Al rose, your fingers disentangling as he did so. You remained sitting on the edge of the bed, watching Al intently as he began to pace along the shag carpet, one hand held up to his chin in quiet contemplation. When Al swiveled around to face you again, his eyes were tinged with darkness- he wasn’t sad anymore. This was Al angry. Your fingers clenched the silk sheets below you, and you listened breathlessly to the story. 

“I’d not long turned 16. I came home one day, and I could hear that fucking belt as I walked in the door. Max was crying, he was screaming and I saw red. I got between them both, told him it was my fault- I didn’t even know why Maxie was in trouble. I don’t think that piece of shit cared either way- he was happy to start on me.”

By this point, Al’s fists were bone-white, clenched tightly by his sides. Your own, if you dared to look, might have been a similar shade, gripping the blood red sheets beneath you. Al gave a low, breathy exhalation, as if he’d remembered something funny, before continuing, the intense ferocity of his gaze burning into you. You looked right back up at him with, not daring to break the taut, invisible connection between you both.

“I’d been damn-near pushed down those stairs, and he’d left me down there for the night. I could barely move, just wanted to pass out, but the phone- that fucking phone- it was connected back then and he’d ring it. To taunt me, to keep me awake. I cut the damn line, ripped the cord outta it. He realized, of course, and came right down. Picked up the receiver and started hitting me with it. Over and over and over. I was so tired, Y/N, so tired of it all-”

With Al looming over you in the bedroom, you could easily picture him in his father’s place, phone in hand and using it as a weapon. You looked on wordlessly, transfixed- enthralled and appalled in equal measure. Al paused, licking his lower lip with his tongue. An old familiar glint in his eyes. Not just a retelling of the violence, but the hunger for it, the thrill of it all. 

“I just balled a fist and swung hard for the bastard. Caught him right in the jaw. He fell into the wall, not quite knocked out cold, but dazed enough to stay down. Guess he never expected- never realized how much I was growing. The belt was still hanging from his other hand- I grabbed it. I used it. I had to. I wanted to.”

The image of Al’s father hanging over you morphed into Al now, a grotesque transformation in front of your wide eyes. The abused son fighting back. But, in doing so, undoubtedly taking on the mantle himself now. Were you imagining yourself as his father, receiving deserved retribution with each blow- or were you one of the boys it happened to years later? The lines between Al and the Grabber had been so clearly defined lately, but now the lines between Al and his father were blurring, bleeding into each other like a reckless watercolor of pain and ire. Fighting back was understandable- but at what point had Al cracked, a switch flicking in his brain that violence and fear and rage were things to be savored? Al seemed to calm, taking a long, tremulous breath before he spoke again, more sadly now.

“I left him there and walked myself upstairs. I remember my mom’s hands- they were shaking as she patched me up, and we were both crying in the bathroom. Max was watching us from the doorway. It changed after that- he never touched us after that. He was still a fucking vile man, but he left us all alone. Sat in his easy chair, watching TV and drinking himself to death. Luckily, that only took a few months.”

A happy ending to the story, or at least one of justice against mindless cruelty. Why then, couldn’t that have been the end? Why did the things after need to happen? Al was still standing in front of you, visibly shaking from the effort of sharing those broken fragments of himself. Your next words escaped you before your mind realized the crushing weight of them.

“You were old enough, big enough to fight back. Not like the other boys.”

There it was. The awful realization of what you’d just said. Al pursed his lips tight, blue eyes now ablaze with indignation- not at you per se, but at your words, honest and brutal as they were. The dam had burst. Too much pressure forcing itself against those stone walls of his mind, and you’d finally breached them. Surprising then, when his answer came in a calm wave. 

“Exactly, Y/N,” he said flatly, and you looked up through watery lashes at the agreement. “You’re understanding why I don’t deserve you, or anything. I'm glad you’re finally getting it. Maybe you’ve realized you should never have stayed.”

“No- Al- I-” you stammered pathetically, any response you might have had fracturing and splintering into a million tiny pieces on your tongue. Your head bowed and focused on your palms clasped in your lap.  You couldn’t even look at him after you’d said it, repulsed by your own cold, cruel words. Like a misbehaving child, a naughty girl- perhaps you deserved punishment for that vicious cut you’d delivered. Ashamed by your callous comment, after he’d finally shared that part of his existence that had for so long been sealed. You still didn’t glance up as he left swiftly, slamming the bathroom door behind him. 

Still under the harsh lighting, you sobbed silently into your sleeve; drawing attention to it might have lent itself to sympathy, which you didn’t deserve. Why had that comment been the first response to Al’s harrowing account? That he’d been fortunate and able to escape the basement, when others hadn’t been so lucky. The clarity of the thought hit you like a bullet in your heart. Al hadn’t ever really escaped the basement. Even if he’d fought back, ascended the stairs, defended himself and his family, an ensnaring darkness would always be holding him hostage, twisting his reality, warping his morality. A part of Albert Shaw would always be trapped in those depths.

Al burst into the bathroom, kicking the door shut behind him, instinctively turning on the sink faucet full force before hauling himself over to the toilet bowl. As he hugged the cold porcelain, he retched up the contents of his stomach, hoping his dove wouldn’t hear this gut-churning, visceral reaction. Al wondered, as he spat into the bowl, what part of all this had affected him the most. 

Surprisingly, it hadn’t been Y/N’s comment about Al’s crimes, how he’d picked boys who had no hope of fighting back the way Al had as a teenager. His crimes were his own burden to carry, his own debts to repay one day. No, it was the way her perception of him could so easily change. She loved him, but how far could that go if those horrific memories kept resurfacing? One day in the future, the cons of staying might just outweigh the pros, tipping the scales and shattering the precarious balance of the relationship beyond repair. 

Did she often see him as just as evil as the day he had taken her? Still that monster who had lured her in with a cheap trick, had bled and beat her black and blue, had used her body in the worst ways. Did she still think about the pain and violations whenever he touched her skin? The thought made him gag again, but he had nothing left in his stomach and heaved up watery yellow bile into the bowl. 

It was a strange paradox: Al wanted her to see clearly that he was no hero, and undeserving of pity. But at the same time, he didn’t want her to truly leave, and he’d spoken to her from that place of self-loathing when he’d suggested she shouldn’t have stayed. He’d have to go back to her soon, to explain that he’d spoken in anger, impulsive and wrong. He heaved himself up from the floor and stumbled over to the sink, splashing his face with water, running a frantic hand through his hair before turning off the faucet. He braced himself against the sink before looking into the mirror in front of him. Only the thought of his love in the next room held him back from punching the glass with a clenched fist. He really did look like his father, but a worse reflection of that bastard, like a warped, misshapen image reflected in a funfair mirror. 

His father had been handsome, too, and for years Al had wondered whether that had been used to an advantage. His mother, so gentle and sweet, lured in by the charismatic charm and gleaming white teeth, only too late realizing the monster buried beneath that facade, those teeth belonging to a wolf who had trapped its prey. Entrapped, just the same way Al had done to his little thing. He wondered if that same face he’d seen a hundred times, snarling and screaming, coming for him with the belt, was exactly what she had seen when he’d first locked her away in the basement. 

He had told her the bones of that fateful day when he’d fought his father, though a few details he’d omitted flashed through his mind. His father’s frozen expression, the fear of a son who was getting stronger every day, almost a man. The memory of him picking up the receiver, still smeared with blood, holstering it back on the wall as he spoke to his father. ‘This won’t work anymore.’ How he’d leaned over, spitting on him as he grabbed the belt from his father’s trembling, wrinkled hands. He’d snarled between lashes. ‘You don’t touch me.’ Thwack! ‘You don’t touch Max.’ Thwack! ‘You don’t touch mom.’ Thwack. ‘You do NOT control us anymore.’

A pathetic, hollow lie, of course. Even after his father had gone, Al wasn’t free. He’d been so alone- Max had left this house first chance he got, and then his mom had died not long after. 

The years of torment, the violence, the screams- it had twisted his mind and led to the creation of that vile creature who still couldn’t shake the past from his consciousness. Every abuse and anguish playing on repeat in his head. Naughty Boy. Naughty Boy. Naughty Boy. He wasn’t, was he? Not if someone else was. Al didn’t pretend to understand it- he just knew that he’d been wired wrong, those events serving to short-circuit his brain and fill his mind with sickening, poisonous thoughts. Still, he wasn’t about to place blame on his father- Al had committed those crimes alone, those conscious decisions that he would never atone for. 

He returned to the bedroom, where she had flicked on the soft, warm lamplight and pulled back the bedsheets to welcome him in beside her. As he accepted the invite, she looked up at him, her beautiful thick lashes wet with fresh tears, a wary gaze in her wide eyes. It wasn’t fear, Al was sure. But in some sick way, he wished she did feel that sometimes. Because when she lived in that eternal, hopeful dream, where she saw the best in him, what was inevitable except disappointment when she remembered all the things he’d done? She inched close to him as he lay down beside her, close enough that he could smell her sweet, intoxicating scent, close enough to grasp a lock of her hair and rub it tenderly between his thumb and forefinger. 

“I’m sorry I upset you, Al.” Upset. A word with more than one meaning. 

Did she think he was mad, angered by her indelicate words? Or was she asking if he was genuinely sad at- well, anything and everything. Past and present. It was a potent mixture of both meanings, Al figured- but none of that pain was her fault directly.

“My perfect, perfect girl. I told you before, didn’t I? You could never upset me, dove.” He brushed away a final, errant tear from her cheek.

The worst she could do was tell the truth, and whose fault was it that the truth was so heinous? The topic of honesty twanged in his chest like a discordant string, spoiling the soft melodies of her sweet voice who only wanted to make him happy. Al continued.

“I’m sorry for what I said. It’s all just- well, it’s a lot for me. I’m sorry that it wasn’t me you found out most of it from.”

“No. I can understand why you didn’t want to talk. I can’t even imagine.”

But she could imagine those things. She’d been through the same, and worse. How was she so selfless, almost to the point of ignorance? It couldn’t be easy to forget, but if her and Max could be so optimistic, Al could try better too. Be the man she saw all the time, not the undeserving one he saw in the mirror. The better side of himself, for his better half. Always for her. 

“You know I’m staying, don’t you Al?” her fingernails softly grazed the scar on his chest, a reminder that she had made that decision before, and would uphold that promise. 

He wrapped her up in his arms, small and delicate compared to his large frame, but infinitely more powerful. Because what if she did leave- Al would be broken completely. He trusted her promise- to always be honest. He didn’t doubt for a second that she would stay with him, not when she was here beside him, reassuring and kindhearted to a fault. He needed to feel her, her warm body pressed against his, smell her scent, hear her hums, or else feel like any moment she might vanish like a rabbit in a top hat. To wake up with an empty space next to him, after knowing the feel of her in his life- he’d suffer his father’s torments a thousand times over before accepting that as a reality.