#Give him a second to realize what she said at the beginning XD

[nohalosinhell-archive]

Send “They’re ’s a 10, but..” and fill in the rest to call out my muse!

@roxenne-the-vixen​ said:

For Arackniss

"They're a 10 but... he still ain't paid me back for the last two times I bought him coffee so m'thinkin maybe I might jus'keep the third one~"

Is she casually just walking by with her arms held up like a balance scale holding a cup in each hand? Gently teetering them?

Absolutely.

And does she actually care that he hasn't re-paid her? Absolutely not.

He just looked tense and thought maybe she could lighten his day.

There she is. 

Arackniss manages a small smile. He had a feeling he would come across her if he hung around. She always seems to find him after he’s come to blows with the old man. Maybe she comes by this place every day? 

“You wanna trade?” He asks, holding out a small to-go box and popping it open with his thumb. 

There might be two cannolis inside that box.  

[bluecatwriter]

Blood of My Blood: Permission

@animate-mush and @ibrithir-was-here, I finally finished drafting the scene! XD

As Quincey Harker first begins to fall in love with Lu Holmwood, he realizes that he should ask for her father's permission to court her. That should be an easy conversation, right?

CW: Descriptions of emotional abuse, mention of smoking

---

Arthur stood at a window in the second story, looking down at his only daughter, his most precious child, strolling and laughing on the lawn below with a vampire. 

Evening light bathed them both, making Lu's curls look like they were pure gold, and giving the boy's pallid skin enough color that he would have almost looked human— were it not for the glowing red of his eyes, so bright that Arthur could see it even from up here. Lu said something and the vampire laughed.

Arthur's hands clenched the windowsill as he leaned his forehead against the glass, feeling the roiling in his stomach that hadn't quite subsided since the creature had shown up in his office several days ago. Why he had even let Lu meet the boy in the first place was beyond him. He should have made some excuse— oh no, Lu, there's an undead creature running loose in Scotland, you and Uncle Jack had better go take care of it!— and sent her away. He should have kept her safe. That was his duty as her father.

Of course, it wouldn't have worked. Lu was smart, and Arthur was not a good liar.

But Arthur had failed to prevent their meeting, and now Lu was completely smitten. What's worse, it was easy to see why. The boy was sweet and engaging, an attentive listener, fascinated by the beauty of the world. He quoted romantic poetry with the same enthusiasm that other boys might discuss sports teams. And whatever he was, he was not a vampire like they had fought before. Arthur had tried five different crucifixes on him, as if one could be defective somehow, and forced him to chew garlic while Arthur stared at him as if daring him to collapse into dust on the spot. One of their sources had brought Arthur some holy water, and when he dabbed it in the shape of a cross on the boy's forehead, the vampire had stood there obediently and then asked if something was supposed to happen.

Lu suddenly looked up, and saw Arthur spying on them (no, not spying, he just happened to catch a glimpse and had to check on what they were doing, just in case the vampire was, for instance, trying to rip her throat out). Her eyes twinkled as she smiled up at him, the rebellious little grin on her face quite familiar to him now. He remembered how timid she was when he first met her, how she shrank into herself as if wishing she could disappear. Now she laughed loudly and grinned fiercely and made it clear that she was going to do whatever she willed, regardless of what "the dad" had to say about it. And that was what Arthur wanted, really— for her to be bold and confident and sure of herself— but why oh why did it have to manifest this way?

She waved and blew him a kiss. Arthur blew her a kiss in return, and managed to even smile, but his smile only held until the vampire turned his head and looked up at him too.

Their eyes locked, red to blue, and Arthur felt protectiveness rising in him like a flood. If he was a good father, he would march that boy into his office and tell him in no uncertain terms to stay away from his daughter. If you so much as think about touching her, I will stake you right through your unbeating heart, do you understand?!

The boy tipped his hat, bowing his head with that eerie courteousness that he had shown ever since he'd arrived. He looked a lot like his father— or, as he often clarified, his papa— just then.

What was worse, Quincey being a vampire, or him being raised by the man who had tried to murder everyone Arthur loved?

Arthur stepped away from the window, found that standing was suddenly too much work, and leaned back against the wall instead, slowly sliding down it until he hit the ground. He put his head in his hands and began to sob.

He didn't cry long before he heard a soft rap on the doorframe, and he struggled to lift his head to see Jack standing there. Jack gave him a sympathetic smile, then crossed the room and held out his hand, helping Arthur up into a chair. Arthur wanted to bury his face in his hands and keep sobbing, but he could tell that Jack wanted to talk, so he just looked at Jack through tears. 

Jack stroked his hand soothingly through Arthur's hair a few times before withdrawing it to sign, "Lu?"

Arthur choked out a small sound, and jerked his head toward the window. The sounds of Lu and the boy laughing came through the glass. "Jack, am I doing the right thing?"

Jack sighed, his smile turning wry. "You know Lu. She will do what she wants regardless, so we might as well go along with it."

Arthur groaned, leaning into Jack's touch as he petted his hair again. They'd had a similar conversation three years earlier, when Lu had started hanging about with a disgusting boy who treated her like a supporting character for his own ego. Arthur had wanted to throw him out onto the street on his head, but Jack had counseled that Arthur keep his disgust to himself. Forbidden love is very romantic, Jack had said, and Lu is a romantic at heart. She gets that from me, he'd added with a little smile. Arthur had gritted his teeth for four months, until one day Lu showed up unexpectedly in his room, her mascara running, and told him that she'd dumped her boyfriend. Arthur had never been so relieved in his life.

"I'm supposed to keep our daughter safe," Arthur said, his voice choking a little. "How do I know… how can I be sure…"

"You can't," Jack signed, his movements short and sharp. "We must trust what we know: that the holy objects don't burn him, that he has never drunk blood from an unwilling subject, and that his goodness seems entirely unfeigned."

Arthur gulped. "I don't know how I can handle this."

Jack kissed his forehead. "One step at a time," he said when he pulled away. Then he straightened, and Arthur could see him switching into Doctor Mode. "Now, young man, I am going to take your blood pressure."

He strode out of the room and returned with his sphygmomanometer, which he set up on the table. Arthur tried to calm his breathing as Jack placed the cuff around his arm and puffed it up, then frowned at the rising mercury on the device.

After a moment, Jack sighed, setting down the pump in his hand to sign, "It's a wonder your blood vessels haven't exploded."

Arthur groaned and leaned back in his chair as Jack deflated the cuff. 

"Maybe you should smoke more, to calm your nerves."

"I would turn into a chimney."

Jack huffed a laugh, and when Arthur tried to follow suit, he ended up crying again. Jack wrapped both arms around him and held him as Arthur shook silently, while the sounds of his daughter and the vampire laughing still drifting through the window.

*  *  *

Lu had complained about having to attend a boring party tonight with a friend, but Quincey was actually glad for it, because it gave him an opportunity to do what he'd suddenly realized he must do as soon as possible. 

He'd gotten careless, and lovestruck. (Lovestruck, what a beautiful word! He had imagined so many times what it must be like to be struck by love, but the reality was even better than he expected.) He'd gotten carried away, lost in the glow of Lu's presence— the sparkle of her eyes, the sharp wit of her words, the unabashed confidence in the way she moved through the world. He had been pining like a lover in one of those ballads he loved to read. And he had forgotten the most important step of all, the one that all other steps depended on. 

Lord Godalming's scowl from the window this evening had thrown the necessity of this step into sharp focus. He must approach Godalming tonight and hope to set all in order.

After Lu had left for her party, the servants directed him to Godalming's office, and Quincey stood at the door for a long time, rehearsing his speech in his head, before knocking. He heard Godalming's "Come," and opened the door, stepping inside with his most respectful yet friendly face on, to see Godalming at his desk.

Godalming's face always changed when Quincey entered the room: a tightening of his whole expression, as if it had suddenly become an effort to hold his skin in place. In the corner, Dr. Seward looked up from reading something. It was easier to decipher his expressions: he stared with singleminded focus and curiosity, much like Mum did, rather than Godalming's fidgeting and pacing and avoiding eye contact. But Godalming was the one Quincey must address, and so he only spoke to him.

"Lord Godalming," he said, proud of the even measure of his voice. "I ask your permission to come in and speak."

Godalming cleared his throat, shuffled the papers in his hands. "Yes, of course," he said, though his tone was unconvincing. Still, Quincey must take a chance.

"Thank you, lord." He crossed the room quickly and stood before Godalming's desk, his head bowed as if under the weight of an invisible hand. Before he could lose his nerve, he launched into the speech he had prepared. "Lord Arthur Godalming, I thank you a thousand times for your kindness in taking me under your roof, and for the hospitality that you have shown to me in my time here. I know that all in this household are under your authority, and all here belong first and foremost to you."

Quincey couldn't quite tell what kind of expression Godalming was making— he shifted in his seat, that tightness in his face grew more pronounced, and he glanced over at Dr. Seward. But he didn't tell Quincey to stop, so Quincey plowed on.

"I know you are a benevolent lord, for you allow all those of your household to pursue their lives in bliss and harmony. With this in mind, I humbly beg you to hear my request."

Here he paused, looking for any sign of what Godalming might be thinking. He seemed uncomfortable, perhaps— it was hard to tell— but he was not scowling, snarling, or getting that cold look that Father got right before breaking something. So far, so good. After a moment Godalming said, with bluster in his voice, "Out with it, then."

Quincey breathed a little sigh of relief to have explicit permission to continue, but worked to keep his voice formal. "Thank you for the opportunity to make my request. Lord Arthur Godalming, I ask that I may pursue and court your most treasured and beloved property, Lucille Holmwood."

"What?!" Godalming sputtered, and leaped to his feet. Suddenly, his expression was as easy to read as a book: outrage, and surprise.

Quincey resisted the urge to take a step back. He was surprised, too— he thought it was obvious that they were interested in each other. What part of this wasn't Godalming understanding?

"Don't ever call my daughter 'property' again!" Godalming roared, slamming his hands on the desk.

Now he did startle backward, blinking in confusion. Out of everything in his statement, how could Godalming possibly be angry at that? His mind scrambled to interpret the situation, wondering what unspoken rule he had trespassed.

"She is a person," Godalming continued, "not some trinket that I own— and certainly not a thing for you to own, either!"

"I would never dare!" Quincey burst out, affronted at the very thought, before remembering himself and dropping his head in deference. He had to show that he was obedient, that he would listen to the lecture and the learn the Lesson embedded in it.

Quincey had learned long ago that he had no desire to be like Father— he had no desire to rule, to overpower, to possess. But he had often, so often, dreamed of being like Papa. He had hoped to find a man or woman that he could adore and care for, someone he could protect. Owning another person was never something he had considered, even though he knew that Father would be disappointed in his lack of ambition.

He realized that he'd just been staring blankly at Godalming, who was clearly waiting for him to respond, and he scrambled to find the words that would avoid the worst kind of punishment. Bowing his head further, he clasped his hands in front of him. "I did not mean to cause offense, lord, but of course that is no excuse," he said, all in a rush. "I will welcome any punishment you see fit."

He didn't know what kinds of punishments Godalming was likely to give. The dread of not knowing made his stomach twist, but if he could endure it, perhaps Godalming would consider him worthy.

"I'm not going to punish you," Godalming said, speaking with disbelief, as if it was a ridiculous idea. (He must be trying to put Quincey off his guard so that he wouldn't expect the punishment when it came; Quincey made a mental note to stay alert so that it wouldn't catch him by surprise.)

"Thank you, lord," Quincey said simply. He kept his head down, watching furtively as Godalming and Dr. Seward signed quickly back and forth to each other, Godalming frowning and Seward looking concerned. Lu had taught Quincey a few signs, but not nearly enough to have any idea what they were saying. 

Godalming suddenly turned to face him, and Quincey straightened instinctively, though he still kept his head bowed. When Godalming spoke, his teeth were gritted, but he appeared to be trying to control himself. He seemed to value self-control, just like Mum did. "Jack has suggested that perhaps I've misunderstood you. Explain, then—" The sharp edge on his voice flared, then subsided. "—why you referred to my daughter as 'property.'"

Quincey spoke carefully, knowing that speaking the wrong word could be the difference between getting his request and getting severely punished. "Lucille belongs to you, is it not so?"

"Not in the way an object belongs to me," Godalming said, starting to pace. He turned on his heel, pointing an accusing finger at him. "And if you think to treat her like your property—"

Quincey flinched as if he'd been slapped. To be accused not once, but twice, of trying to commit treason in this way made him feel horribly hurt, but he couldn't just blurt that out. He struggled to say, "My lord, please let me speak."

"Speak!" Godalming burst out, waving a hand at him. "You don't need my permission, just speak!"

Quincey fought down the tears that threatened to spill over his eyes, stumbling over his words. "Thank you, lord. I… I had no thought of making her my property. I meant that… I was asking if I could become your property, sir."

Godalming stopped pacing stared at him as if he'd said the most unintelligible string of words ever spoken. Quincey stood there, unsure whether to keep talking, and then Godalming sharply turned to Dr. Seward, and they signed back and forth with puzzled scowls on their faces. Quincey waited anxiously, wondering if they were discussing his punishment. He hoped that he wouldn't cry when they put him through it. He hadn't cried during a punishment in a long time.

"Yes, I know, Jack!" Godalming said unexpected, then grabbed a paperweight that sat on his desk, fidgeting with it as he spoke. It looked fairly heavy; it would hurt if he chose to hit Quincey with it. Father considered corporal punishment to be uncivilized, but a different lord might have a different rule. "Just tell me," Godalming said to him, and again it was clear he was putting a lot of effort into sounding calm, "do you consider yourself to be anyone's property now?"

Quincey could have wept with relief to get a question that made sense— but now that it was posed to him, he had to pause. He had been ready to blurt out that yes, of course, he belonged to Father, and only to Father, as everyone in the household did, but…

Papa's last words to him were imprinted on his mind. He hadn't really understood them, standing at the castle doors that day that seemed so long ago now, but the reality of it was beginning to sink in. Remember, you don’t belong to him. Or, or to us. Just to yourself.

"I don't," he said, and he felt a terrifying emptiness at the declaration. He cleared his throat and tried to explain. "When I lived in Castle Dracula, I was Father's property, along with Papa, and Mum, and everything in the house. But Papa has sent me out now and says that I belong only to myself." Now that he said it out loud, it seemed stranger and stranger. But of course Papa would never go against what Father wanted. Papa had always taught him to do what was right, and obeying Father was right. Father must have changed his mind, and wanted him to own himself.

Godalming's expression remained steady, so Quincey decided to go on. "My heart's desire is to find another household where I may be owned and show my love and loyalty, just like Papa did. This is my deepest wish, that I have held since before I even knew that such a thing were possible." He shut his mouth, squeezing his hands together. 

The past few days, he had been thinking about the possibility of asking Lu to kiss him. He had never been kissed by anyone before, except the bloodless kisses that Mum and Papa gave him. Perhaps she would not like the taste of of his blood, but he could offer, anyway, and maybe she would like to try. He imagined her lips open against his arm— or even perhaps his throat!— and wondered what it would like to feel his skin give way under her teeth, to feel his blood leaving his body to nourish that one he loved. The thought of it was so exciting that it made him feel a weakness in his legs, a fluttering in his stomach. 

"Quincey!"

Quincey didn't realize he'd been daydreaming, and he snapped back to attention, again speaking in a rush. "I apologize for letting my mind wander, lord, I will accept any punishment you see fit."

"I'm not going to— for Christ's sake—" Godalming looked helplessly at Dr. Seward, as if he could explain this, while Quincey stood there still feeling confused. "Good grief, child, what kind of a life have you had?"

This was probably a test, but Quincey didn't know how to pass it. "A happy one," he said simply. "I come from a loving family."

"Why are you so afraid of punishment, if your family was so loving?" He spat the word like it was poison.

"Punishment is love," Quincey said, a note of frustration entering his voice. He felt a wave of anger at Godalming for insulting Father, for disrespecting the name of the family. "Father punished me to teach me how to be strong and right."

Godalming's eyes blazed again; Quincey wondered why it seemed to make him so angry. "So he never hurt you?" Godalming asked.

"Never," Quincey said, putting emphasis on the word, "except when it was for my good."

Godalming raised an eyebrow. "And when it was 'for your good'? What did he do then?"

"Whatever best suited the disobedience." Quincey spoke without emotion, trying to tamp down the annoyance he felt at this clearly bad-faith questioning of his Father's parenting skills. What did Godalming care?

"For instance?" Godalming pressed, his eyes narrowing.

Again, Quincey decided this must be a test. He focused on speaking as plainly and completely as possible. "If I paid too much attention to my books and not enough to him, he would make me tear up the books and feed the pages into the fire. Or if I forgot my place, he would come into my room and destroy my things." 

Godalming's expression was changing from demanding to horrified. "What kinds of things?"

He had a sudden, sharp memory of a stuffed toy rabbit that Papa had brought him when he was a small child. He could still feel the soft cotton against his cheek, see the button eyes and the embroidered smile. He'd named it Hoppy. 

"Things I liked. Especially things that Papa bought me in town. For instance, once I owned a toy rabbit. But then I questioned a decision that Father made, and so he took my rabbit and—" His voice caught; there was something about saying this out loud, when he had never spoken of it before, that made him suddenly feel like he was going to cry. "—and tore it to pieces." 

He still remembered the sound of the fabric ripping, the way that Father had held Hoppy just out of Quincey's reach and methodically shredded the toy until only fibers and buttons were left, Quincey screaming and begging him to stop all the while. Afterward, Quincey had wept and gathered up the shreds and brought them to Papa. Sometimes Papa could fix the things Father broke, but this was not one of those times. 

Papa had held him tightly and let him cry, and afterward they had had a burial service for Hoppy, at sunrise after Quincey should have been in bed.

He felt tears in his eyes and a knot in his throat, and in his attempt to hide both, he lashed out. "But the punishments worked! I learned to never question the wisdom of those better than me, and to obey instructions, and to be respectful in all circumstances. Besides, none of the things he destroyed were mine. They were all his. Everything in the whole land was his. Sometimes I just forgot. But I do not forget anymore. I would never ask to possess anything for myself. If you allow me to be part of your household, I will never forget that all belongs to you."

There was a long silence. 

"Jesus Christ," Godalming said, and slumped into his chair.

Quincey wasn't sure why Godalming was invoking the name of the man on the crucifix he now wore, but it was not the time to be asking questions. He stood there, waiting for him to speak again.

Godalming groaned, dragging a hand across his face. "Quincey, I— I don't know what to say."

Once again, a feeling of relief came over Quincey. He knew this kind of roundabout speaking, and knew what the proper response was. Without hesitation, he dropped to his hands and knees, pressing his face against the carpet. 

"Lord Godalming, I throw myself upon your mercy, as a wretch, a worm, begging to be your property and yours alone, to sit at your table and eat your scraps—"

"What the hell are you doing?" Godalming yelled. "Get up!"

Quincey sat up quickly, still on his knees, staring at Godalming's horrified expression over the desk. "I… I thought you wanted me… to beg?" Father had always liked begging.

"God, no! Quincey, please, please just pull up a chair and sit down and listen."

That he could do. Quincey quickly pulled up a chair and sat, hands in his lap. Godalming stood up and began to pace again, still fidgeting with the paperweight. He seemed to be grasping for words to say, and it was only after signing back and forth with Dr. Seward for a few moments that he spoke.

"Quincey, you say that you belong to yourself. Well, Lu belongs to herself, too. No one in this household is my property. Do you understand? Everyone here belongs to himself."

Quincey didn't see how that could possibly work, but there was nothing to do but take Godalming at his word and hope this was not a test. "I understand, lord."

Godalming paused, and looked at Quincey with a cross between pain and exasperation. "Quincey, you're a vampire. Lu is a human. You are a danger to her, as far as I'm concerned. I don't want you to court her."

Quincey felt the words sink into him like ice, and the urge to throw himself facedown on the carpet again made his fingers twitch.

"But," Godalming said, and paused. In that pause, it seemed that he aged ten years before Quincey's eyes. "But," he said again, and now his voice was husky, "I do not have the say in this. As I said, Lu belongs to herself, not to me. If you want to court Lu, and she wants to court you, then I… I won't stop you."

Quincey stared at him. This was impossible; he must have heard wrong. "You do not wish to exercise your right of ownership?" he asked hesitantly.

Godalming looked unspeakably weary. "Lu can make her own decisions— and you'd damn well better abide by whatever she decides."

"Yes, lord, of course," Quincey said quickly, still wondering if this was some sort of illusion that he would wake up from.

"But make no mistake: if it comes to it, I will protect my daughter above all else. Do you understand?"

Quincey resisted the urge to smile in relief. Here it was, a straightforward threat, something that he was used to working with. He tempered his wave of excitement, and stood solemnly, bowing. "I understand, lord. I swear to you, I will give you no reason for displeasure."

Godalming looked somehow even greyer than before as he leaned wearily on one hand. "I sincerely doubt that," he said, but it was a halfhearted mutter.

There was a long pause.

"All right, now go." Godalming waved his hand in dismissal. 

Whatever he might say, Quincey knew that permission to approach Lu as equals was still a privilege that Godalming had bestowed on him, and Quincey must acknowledge the gift. He reached across the desk and took Godalming's hand with both of his. Godalming startled, but Quincey was committed to the gesture now: he bowed his head over his hand and pressed a bloodless kiss to it, the way that Papa would do with Father when thanking him or placating him. He felt Godalming shudder under his touch.

He still suspected that this whole scenario was some sort of test, and that Godalming would punish him for it, but at least he could be on his guard now— and at least he could invoke Godalming's words against him if he tried to change his mind. Papa had taught him that it was important to remember exactly a person's words, so that you could use them in the future if you needed.

"Thank you, lord," Quincey said, looking earnestly into Godalming's face. One of his eyes was twitching, and Quincey could hear his heartbeat loudly. "I will treasure this kindness." Then he raced out of the room before Godalming could change his mind.

*

Arthur groaned and sank back in his chair, feeling a shiver go through his whole body. He could feel Jack's eyes on him, see the soft, bittersweet smile out of the corner of his eye. Jack raised his hand to speak.

"Don't," Arthur snapped. "Don't say a single word, Jack Seward."

Jack stood instead and walked to his side, planting a kiss on his head. "I'm proud of you, just the same," he signed, before using his hand to feel along Arthur's neck for his pulse. He pulled back and shook his head disapprovingly. "Blood pressure, young man, blood pressure."

"I said not a single word."

"I'll get you a cigarette."

"Jack!" Arthur grabbed his arm, and felt suddenly that Jack was the only real thing in this upside-down world where he had just allowed a vampire to start courting his daughter.

Jack paused, then settled himself onto Arthur's lap, linking his arms around him. In this position he couldn't speak, but he breathed long, slow breaths, his way of reminding Arthur to breathe, too. Arthur shuddered through several shaky breaths before he was able to slow enough to match Jack's pace. 

The unknown loomed before them, like a great blackness in his mind. He couldn't protect their daughter forever. Lu would make her own decision, and then… well, then there was nothing to do but wait and see.

~~~

[ushioliddell-blog]

I hope you like bittersweet treat @rattyboyisemo <3

So....Maxpierre, and trying not to repeat anything I said before. Took me an hour to find, but.....Here we go =D

After Horror Expedition, Q!Aypierre NEVER talk about Pomme. To ANYONE. He listens when the others co parents talk about her, jokes with them but not talk about on his own. He is so skilled that people often think as usual, he is indifferent and careless about her. And at the same time, really care about Q!Max, putting him before his own needs, even assuming things like he never want to be touched again (an another headcanons I have is it's Q!Max who decides to sleep with him again but in a more tender and passionnate way because Q!Aypierre assumed he would never want.... Why ? Because I remembered what Q!Max said in Purgatory : he didn't hate at all. He just have real trouble to admit it loud xD But that's another story XD )

He rebuilds SOFIA for him, but....never try to be his second dad. Always joking, always gentle but never accept to be his dad, to the point of making believe her in her code it's Q!Max who rebuilt her. At first, Q!Max didn't see anything because Q!Aypierre's love help him heal his wounds and because he becomes really overwhelmed with joy to be reunited with his daughter. He assumed like the others he was fearless and not traumatized. To the point of becoming to think he takes but don't know what to give because he seems to have everything and it troubles him (self confidence issue return ).

But one day, a sentence slips from SOFIA, too happy to be with her dad and creator again, and he sees how strange it is. He tries to tell it's Q!Aypierre but she denies everytime. He begins to think they hate each other and look more closely but see nothing but kindness and affections but never.....family affection. More like friends. He tries to explain to her but she denies again. He tries to think more about it and realize he never tell himself it was him. He understood because he was the only one able in the area but he never told him. And from this point, he begins to see all his others little attentions, who he said to be by chance and coincidences, all these things he knew were from him but he never realized fully. Doesn't help his lack of confidence at all XD He tried some little things but in the goofiest way, because he thought they were never enough. But these touchs him and he said it. But that doesn't seem enough (for him).

And he realizes he needs more informations (We need more informations lol ) because he doesn't know him so well. But too embarrassed at the thought of asking him, he ask them to his friends (the French, Q!Bad, Q!Pac ). He realizes they assume things like him but some of them (Q!Bad and Q!Pac ) explain to him to have seen him hide some of his darker thoughts in work, jokes, sentences with double meanings.... With the French, he realizes he never talks about Pomme again and one things he knew for sure was his love for her.

And after that he begins to look more closely. And he begins to see how he overworks at some time like.....the one year of his arrival on the island, all the jokes, sentences said to distract him and the others from his fears and doubts and how he feels, sentences that slips of his mouth because of his love for him which lower a little his defense and because no one really hear them, habits he keeps from the island like being wary of thunder, people coming too closely....

A lot of guilt results in of this for not seeing it before. And trying absolutely everything to help him too, like he always did for him. But in the goofiest way because not used to take care of this like staying with him when he decides to overworks himself, making sure he eats well....

And Q!Aypierre didn't see it at all, like before, mostly because no one ever care about that, since the only person who care is no more (Pomme ). (Q!Bad cares, it's just that Q!Aypierre and him are used to see but not make the other talk about ). And with time, and love which lower his defenses, his traumas slip more and more unconsciously making him seen as afraid of loosing a child again, thinking no good can come from his parenthood, afraid of being seen weak and abandoned for that again, used to deal alone with his traumas, thinking his partner's traumas are much more important to deal with, and his will come later.

With that Q!Max finally realizes that like him he has trauma, is not far perfect and he too can give him some comfort and make him realize it's okay to not be perfect, he will still be there.

Such a long post, a little bit rushed on the end sorry for these two things XD Especially because you wanted it not so complex XD But I hope this treat was enjoyable and if it inspires you, my pleasure <3

[xatsperesso]

The misfits are really a bunch of good kids

Wicked Phase Iruma Arc.

Agares and Gaap helped Suzy-Sensei with her gardening. It was for have her signature but still.

Kerori was ready to reveal that she was Kuromu to help to convince the last teachers, even if she was scared to do it. She was ready to destroy her cover for the class.

Exam Arc

No one has cheated. They have seen Iruma working a lot to sucess and were like "we gonna do it too". Result? Sucess for everyone. No Rank 1 anymore in the class.

Meanwhile Buer-Sensei has FOUR cheaters in his own class XD

Walter Park

Agares didn't hesitate to follow Iruma and the others for save the kids in Walter Park, he's grumpy and all but he helps, and he even smiles and let the kids ride his could.He could have go to the refuge with Rononove but decided to help to save the kids.

A little before, he was playing with them. Still grumpy but he was doing it.

He has had the reflex to save everyone around him when the monsters appeared.

Elizavetta? She didn't hesitate to play with the kids to reassure them, when she was in the refuse. She used her power to calm them and all. Meanwhile adults has yelled at her when the kids started criying. A teen was more ready to calm scared children than any adult here (except the parents, of course).

Kerori, even if she must have been scared, decided that calming all these terrified people was more important than her own fear. With the risk that Elizavetta recognize her, maybe.

Harvest Festival

Agares and Gaap let people sleep in their castle. Well Agares was very grumpy about it but he didn't do a lot to stop Gaap's decision. And he was very determined to protect the castle when Kerori has decided (to have fun) to steal his points. Like Gaap was.

Caim was totally ok with translating what Naphra was saying.

Kerori has had no problems to help Lied and Iruma to find the legendary items. Later she will have no problem to help Iruma to reach Clara. of course she asked something in exchange, but still she helped.

Allocer got back the pot that Orobas had stolen from Lied and give it back to Iruma and Lied. He also told Azz that Orobas was going to attack Clara and Iruma.

Jazz has told to the teachers "hep; you forget the points of the pot" Sure it was because he was petty toward Orobas with good reasons, because Orobas has been an asshole with all the misfits but Jazz still saved Lied and Iruma and they won thank to him.

Azz has destroyed his chance of victory to protect Clara and Iruma.

Music Festival

Kerori has almost blows her cover again, to help the class to prepare for the festival.

Purson decided that win the festival with his friends was more important than what his father was saying.

Evidol Games

Everyone has protected Chima, not only Iruma, but Kuromu, Ameri and Lied too.

Kuromu who has reacted that her (girfriend) rival called Iruma "ugly" XD

Heartbreaker Arc

Allocer has accepted to be Jazz's backup, knowing that he would have FOUR first years to protect rather than two. And he managed to protect one of Jazz's first year, even in the intensity of the moment (when someone tried to kill him few seconds before). It's thanks to him that Jazz wins with Azz.

All the Misfits and their first years who have work together to stop Sullivan to enter the game.

Caim who has super brave to protect everyone while they tried to stop the device. (see Jazz? it's what "sacrifice" meant, not your foolish plan)

Sabro who chooses to enter his Wicked Phase, because he realized that Atori was dangerous and that it was not a exam anymore, with all the risks that it could have. Because he wanted to protect the first years.

Agares who goes to Gaap's house to speak with him, listen what happened and reassure him.

There are so good kids XD

You see, this is why it boggles me that these are the ones seen as "trouble makers". Never out right said, but heavily implied at the beginning.

And like, these are the kids that are pointed out to follow their desires more than most, yet they still help even if the outcome won't benefit them

these kids that steal and gamble and are the ones who chose to help in the walter park event although it is nowhere near there responsibility

They choose to help and protect complete strangers in several occasions during the manga even when there chances of surviving was nonexistent.

And these kids will drop everything to help each other. Even Azz, the most distant of them, couldn't enjoy his win in the heartbreaker because he won alone

These are very good kids. The best kids iruma could've met, and it's very heartwarming whenever they're protective of each other.

And isn't it ironic, that the most selfish people in this manga are two certain humans who chase their pleasure on the expense of their own son?

[dandelion-wings]

Aether and Lumine? Paimon too.

Thank you for the ask! :> I am going to split this not on Aether/Lumine lines but on Traveler/Abyss Prince(ss) lines, because, well, canon did set it up that way, and while if absolutely pushed, Lumine is my Traveler, I mostly prefer to be agnostic in my meta and fic about who is who.

TRAVELER

How I feel about this character

Ah, yes, Traveler von Protagonist Disease.

The thing that complicates the Traveler for me is that I absolutely loathe the kind of semi-self-insert-but-semi-independent-character protagonist that seems to be getting popular in video games these days. Byleth in FE3H is another good example. I wish they didn't exist! I wish that it was either a full self-insert, character-builder and all, or that they gave us a protagonist with a personality in the style of Tales Of and Final Fantasy games in the first place. I really enjoy roleplaying a character as I play a video game, whether given to me as a fully-realized character or as one I made up myself, and this in-between kind of robs me of that because I can't go full "this OC of mine believes this" and I also can't try for accuracy to the character I'm presented on-screen.

That said, they have been getting better about this with the Traveler over the last few nations, and I like the increasing sense of actual, independent personality that we've gotten for them! Obviously a protagonist of this kind of game, where all the others have to like the player character to make the gacha appealing, is going to want to help others, so I actually particularly like the occasional thread we get where they're like "no, I don't actually care half as much for Teyvat as I do for my sibling, I don't not care but my main mission is still to get to them" because it's very refreshing to me.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Childe with the Lumine version, as two people who can and will absolutely fuck each other up in a play-battle, post-fight sex optional but fun. (Also I once read a Childe/Lumine AU fic where Childe was attempting to pursue The Greatest Game with Lumine and she turned the tables and pinned him down with knives through his hands, and it was incredibly hot.) Ayaka, as a one-sided crush on Ayaka's part. That's... really about it.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Paimon! My bestest and beloved friend. :>

My unpopular opinion about this character

With a handful of exceptions, I... do not particularly enjoy Traveler-centered fic/art/meta. I don't know how unpopular that is but it's all I've got.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I know why Hoyo can't do this with their gacha game full of waifus and husbandos, but I wish we had at least one major/playable character who just did not get along with them. All their voicelines are along the lines of "you think I'm fucking telling you that?" I just want to see how it would play out.

THE ABYSS PRINCE(SS)

How I feel about this character

Honestly much more fascinating to me, in part because they've been a lot more allowed to have some kind of personality from the beginning! I want to know all about what's happened to them, why they hold the positions they do, why they give their twin so few crumbs, etc.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I mean. Dain. XD

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Aside from their twin, also Dain! Love their history.

My unpopular opinion about this character

This sort of overlaps with the second, but while I don't know how plausible or how unpopular it is, the mirror in the Caribert quest where the Traveler saw them in it combined with some minor previous stuff to unlock a Theory for me that the Traveler and the Abyss Prince(ss) aren't twins, but a single person with, for the Traveler, altered memories, whom the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles broke apart in order to nerf their power and/or for other reasons related to the whole "Fourth Descender broken up for parts" thing. Fascinating to me.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Related to the above: Hoyo, please give me this. For all the game's deliberate sibling analogies and their pleasing narrative resonance, this theory honestly has way more appeal to me overall.

PAIMON

How I feel about this character

My buddy! My bestest friend! :> I get mad when people are mean to her (in-game or people who choose those options in play). I get sad when she talks about being scared without us (@chrysoula has a theory that this is all foreshadowing a quest/arc where she's taken away and I think this is reasonably likely but I'm also dreading it). I refuse to believe the theories that she's evil, but I do love the theories that she's a reduced/de-powered version of Something/Someone in Teyvat's lore, that would be very fun. I want to give her so many hugs.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I do not. XD

My non-romantic OTP for this character

The Traveler, of course! :> I also love her rivalry with Itto. I love when characters treat her as a separate person from the Traveler and have their own relationships with her.

My unpopular opinion about this character

From what I've seen in the fandom... that I like her at all? XD;;

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Hoyo stop giving us options to be mean to her. She doesn't deserve it. >:( Appreciating and loving Paimon hours ONLY.

[starlightbooklove]

Ok, today I was watching a video of a guy reviewing acotar (yes, I know I was impressed too) Something to note is that the videos are good, and without misogyny btw lol. Right now he is going for Acowar and a point that many made in the comments caught my attention was the 'death' of Rhys where they said how bad it seemed to them that SJM gave us collective heart attack with that part and then relived it in the next chapter Don't get me wrong, it's not keeping Rhys dead, but killing him in the first place that was causing the conversation and then I started thinking about it.

Something completely obvious is that people die in wars in books, often being main characters, because that's how it is in reality, close people die, so Having a main character die is something realistic, especially if he is going to be in charge or putting his life in danger, that's why I didn't see it as bad or strange when I read it - apart from having a breakdown crying - , (i did saw Amren's one very forced, It kind of took away a little bit of the greatness of her sacrifice yk) the first time, until I saw that, and then I thought about ACOSF and that something that makes the fandom a little agree is putting the main characters of the saga at risk was direct abuse to our hearts to make a convenient excuse for Nesta's arc, for nothing more.

You'll see, in cinema and literature, the use of death or torture to the characters that are loved by the audience is something Quite used, and i think that they're two ways You can use this: The practical And consistent and the stupid and desperate one.

In the first we can use Feyre's death in Acotar, it made sense, she was a human in a fae world, it went with the story, it advanced the plot, since she answered the riddle right before Amarantha killed her, What triggers Prythiam's release.

It is practical, it is something that in the context, with those characters, would happen, it is consistent because it fits into the environment, into the world that was built and it doesn't come from nowhere, since Feyre decides to go under the mountain, we know that she is in danger, so IT MAKES SENSE.

In the second one i'll use something different, there's a movie that didn't get much success in My country, and that is Enchanted 2, (i don't remember the name xd) where they take the protagonist, Giselle someone we sympathize with, and pretty much kill Her for a few seconds before Magic yk save her, all of this with the intention That the rebel daughter realized that her mother loved her, the movie was not really good really, it was very Made on the fly, it didn't have a specific direction, so this twist came out of nowhere, and not in the way that one manages to sympathize well, it shows that they used it to get a reaction from the audience so we can pay attentionv And to advance the plot, IT MADE NO SENSE, they used a death to grab attention because the movie wasn't surviving very well. So they turned to the fans' emotions In the same way that the nun resorts to jumpscares to have some terror, because it causes a completely instinctive empathetic reaction, not something genuinely felt.

Feyre's risky pregnancy made sense in the book, since from the beginning they specified that it had complications, the problem comes with the ending, where (which I see is not mentioned much) Not only Feyre died for a few seconds, but also Nyx, it is not the fact itself that is wrong but why it is clearly included in the story And it is clear that she is only there to be able to give a complete arc in the middle of this terribly done redemption arc, to Nesta.

It was not necessary, outside the redemptive context.

I think it was there for tel reasons (And one was completely lost in the other), to give some realism to all that about the Illyrian birth, and Nesta, and both could have been done in a very different way. They could have written Nesta more growth, And at childbirth it could have been a long labor or a cesarean section where it would take a long time if what they wanted was to make the the clear point, not directly 💀

It did not have a reason, and hey, yes, death is like that, confusing many times, but when you have a story, where you have absolute control of what happens (who lives, who dies) you must understand and be responsible for what the death of one character will do to the others And the story, it must have an impact that you are going to use in some way beyond just having an emotional reaction to readers to like Nesta.

Because number 1, this achieves the opposite effect because it greatly limits the growth that the character is supposed to have and makes Nesta less likeable.

And number 2 plays with the audience as if they were children, and the author is an adult who has her favorite toy next to fire, underestimating The mental process and maturity as if we could not see the senselessness of their death

If you don't believe it, think about it this way: aside from what Nesta did at the end, what other redeeming acts did she get? That she had anything to do with Feyre...None And who is the character with whom Nesta was the most bitchy in the entire book? Feyre What is the most necessary arc?The one about the sisters, the one with which we have nothing in almost the entire book, Nesta needed something that could cover almost a thousand pages of zero growth, a definitive act instead of writing a complete arc, and this is confirmed In the same book , because they were revived (Nyx and Feyre), And who was the only one with the power to do something? Well, our protagonist.

In essence, sjm killed the characters (characters that feel real to a certain degree for us fans and readers) so that Nesta could revive them, the only reason

What convenience does

If your character can only have one arc in your opinion, saving the people who saved her in the first place, then something is a little off in the story.

And if you can't keep a character dead, because you know what it does to your fans, then don't kill him in the first place. Once is coincidence, twice is causality, three is already a pattern and is crossing the line.

Abusing the integrity of a character in the story just because, without reason, without development, without background, is playing in the worst way with the emotions and affection towards the work of fans.

This is why this part is SO Bad Not only because oh, they die, but because of the reason behind it, when many talk about this, they don't do it from a place of a sad fan, but from a fan who is upset because they use our favorite characters as puppets.

[nani-nonny]

Tbh, never thought a new chapter would be dropped and you dropped it without any hints that there may be a new chapter soon xD tho it was a great surprise.

So we start off as Leonardo begin hungry and believe me, this so canon! After begin sick and in bef for days? You gotta go hungry at one point! And it made me giggle at how Mikey and them were doing the funny stare off contest xD

The moment Mikey left to get his family i knew his sandwich is as good as gone to F!Leo's stomach 😂 if i were him i would have enough shame to apologize or ask for somebody to make for me something 😭

And baby Lou under him begging for that lettuce was just heart melting 🥺🥺 i saw it and immediately went "JUST GIVE HER THE LETTUCE DAMN IT!!" Ahahaha!✨🤍

Finally after finishing the sandwich Mikey return to see what only left which it's bread crumbs and i can imagine Mikey doing this meme

And finally after so much prolonging things AFTER 9 chapters!!! F!Leo is gonna speak of everything and explain! (Btw, April entering the medbey with bag as her shield and pen as her weapon was silly if i were her i would have 3 pens and look like Wolforin😂)

And i wasn't wrong thinking after the explanation little Leo would be guilty (as he should/aff/p), after all he was the one who lost the key and almost get everyone in the same fate the elder had to go through. So it wasn't a surprise to see them all cry and hug each other for comfort (and for Donnie to slip out of the hug shirty because this isn't for his emotional bad boy image).

And here comes the moment "You ARE the father!!" I never thought you would use the "Maury show" as a reference 😂😂🤩 i personally love it and i also watched multiple videos of the show before.

And this... THUS shocked me

Leo was having the... You know *ahem* love making...

Also whoever said the 'Never speak to me again' is a pure asshole! Am glad they died in the war!! >:((

Then there's the big think about draxum (lol loved how he's trying to take care of him beauty) But seeing baby Lou knowing him is making me imagine F!Draxum begin so happy to have baby lou.

I don't know if i said this before (maybe i did in the very first ask that created baby tot and peepaws) but i feel draxum created baby lou because he couldn't be in the kids's lifes or be part of fatherhood because he started bonding for like what? a year? And then BAM! Apocalypse! Surely he wanted to take care of the baby tho i feel this wasn't the real reason... Maybe creating a real warrior to help winning the war (a side plan from F!Draxum he went with).

In my defense! The “teaser” came out as snippets and vague posts about how the writing process was going hehe (I think the most recent “teaser” was a vague post about F!Leo spiraling lol) but I believe the best teaser was a vague post prior to posting the chapter about the word count going from 3.4k to 4.1k! (I don’t think you saw those hehe)

Anyways! Chapter review from sniper, yippee!!!

Poor Mikey lol all he wanted was a sandwich but instead he was shocked to see Leonardo’s awake and standing at the doorway with the baby and CJ just as surprised to see him

Baby Lou is hungry, growing little girlie! She wants what her papa is eating, especially because it must be good if he’s scarfing it down hahaha!

rip Mikey’s sandwich, it didn’t last a second with Leonardo lol

April ready to fight when the portal pops up makes me laugh, she knows hahaha! You can count on her to back you up

Poor Lil Leo, forced to realize he may be just as much as a jerk as his future self is, and maybe there wasn’t that big of a change. And maybe… just maybe… he wasn’t exactly right about Leonardo being a total assface. Lol

I thought about different ways Donnie would break it to Leonardo that the baby is indeed his, but this route was much funnier. And faster lol. And I think it’s very on brand for Donnie hahah! Maybe I’ll post a snippet of how it would have gone in a different route… i don’t know.

And I love the memes that come from the Maury show! Although, I’ve never watched an episode except for small clips. The cameramen run really fast haha!

I don’t usually include my peepaws’ love lives so blatantly like (a)paf, mainly because I don’t really see them all that sexually active. Sometimes I like to think that, despite being absolute heartthrobs and “most wanted bachelors”, them being virgins makes it all the more funny. (That and I don’t have interest in writing sexual themes with the turtles… Bruce on the other hand /hj)

But in (a)paf’s case, I didn’t want anyone thinking he truly is a deadbeat dad who got knocked up and tosses a kid aside or, vice versa where he knocks someone else up and tosses a kid aside. He simply wasn’t aware of what Draxum was doing behind closed doors.

But aside from that, I think it’s nice that he got some experience in sex. He’s a big man, he can take part in carnal pleasures.

And about the person who said not to meet again… that was Leonardo. Lol. One night stand wasn’t as good as it could have been haha! On a side note, a lot of his one night stands were understandable agreements that no relation of any sort other than business was to be expected.

Anyways, again, Draxum deserves to feel pretty :) he got a face mask from April’s mom! He definitely wasn’t expecting any Hamato-related shenanigans, he just wanted a peaceful night to himself hahaha!

And Baby Lou so delighted to see Draxum? :(((( she’s such a cutie patootie :((((

And I like your theory! Totally understandable to think that! Now the real question is whether you’re right or not mwahahahaha! I wonder….

[thegeminisage]

ok, tng update time. i'm quite behind! monday we did "deja q," tuesday we did "a matter of perspective," and then wednesday was "yesterday's enterprise."

deja q: NOT as bad as i feared but still not great. turning q into a human was a fantastic idea because in general it helps facilitate empathy when you see a character suffer, which worked a little on me, and then also i greatly enjoyed seeing him suffer because he was so annoying before, lol. guinan and worf kicking him when he was down were the best <3

another smart choice was to have data be the only one who had any sympathy for him - precisely because data's "feelings" ""can't"" be hurt and he's less likely to hold grudges. also, because data is wonderful and it's easy to get behind his cause of reforming q into some kind of functional being

AND it was good that the first time q felt shame it was because data almost died for his ungrateful fucking ass...correct response

unfortunately i still have many problems. during that section right before data's sacrifice move, all of the goodwill q generated by being fun to laugh at kind of evaporated because he was being annoying

SECONDLY, i have realized the reason i dislike q is because his main two personality traits have aged horribly. firstly is the "randumb~ XD" humor (the mariachi band at the end of this ep, the random napoleon soldiers from the other ep, his various costumes...). i think the only person who could ever do that kind of humor well was robin williams and they didn't cast him as q and also he's dead now, so knock it off. his second personality trait is that he's smarter and more powerful than anybody else in the room which he (and the people writing him) seems to think is a license to be an asshole to them, as long as it is charming assholery. think t*ony st*rk, house, bbc sh*rlock. this of course is a deeply flawed premise to begin with, but he doesn't even do it WELL. nothing about his assholery is charming. specifically i am thinking of all the "worf is dumb because he's a big brutish klingon" jokes, which are for sure fantasy racism and border on ACTUAL racism, because they're derivative of horrible antiblack stereotypes. not that q is the only source of this kind of stuff aimed at worf, but it's really damning that it's ALWAYS the first thing out of his mouth and played for laughs and made his "but worf i'm a klingon at heart too!" bit extra unfunny

anyway, bringing in a SECOND q to praise him for his "selfless" act is eeehh considering one q is already one too many and the act wasn't even that selfless. it would've been better if he said the only reason he was doing it was for data, specifically, so he could stop feeling shame - that's more genuine than trying to get me to believe he'd give himself up for that ship of people even if really what he was mostly doing was committing suicide.

nonetheless i DID really enjoy getting to see data laugh at the end. GOOD for him <3 also lmao, the moon is falling, so true. JUST like majoras mask

a matter of perspective: the one thing i don't understand here is the bit where picard is a horrible painter and then data insults his art. like yes it was funny but i thought it would have something to do with the main plot. riker sees events this way and that lady sees them this way. not unlike in the art room where everyone interpreted the nude model in a different manner!

ALSO, WHY IS THERE A NUDE MODEL. does that woman not live and work on this starship. does she not have to command respect from her coworkers the rest of the time. they didn't even do this in the holodeck where that sort of thing would have made sense!! the one time you WANT the holodeck around...

anyway, i thought this episode veered dangerously close to dud territory. trial drama is fine, even though it begs the question of why no lie detector in tng. holodeck recreation also fine in this instance, as was the murder mystery

but why ON EARTH did they feel the need to show a fake version of riker attempting to rape this lady and then have deanna go well that's the way she remembers it because i sense no dishonesty from her :) this is just the true way each of you remembers it :)

LIKE THERE IS A CANYON OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIKER'S VERSION AND THAT LADY'S VERSION. it's not like they can both partially be true. in one instance she flung herself at him despite his clearly being uncomfortable and in the other he forced her despite her asking him to stop!!! like in this case what you do is believe the woman except because riker's our protagonist we know he didn't do it except they never CLARIFY that he didn't do it??? obviously i don't think for a minute that he did, but of all the fucking things to leave open...

anyway i hated it. i actually hated it more than catherine did which may be a first for tng

yesterday's enterprise: TASHA YAR?????????????????????????????

ok, the premise of this was kinda confusing at first, but i don't give a single fuck. TASHA YAR!!!!!!

i was so happy and confused to see her but the more scenes she had...man. like, ok, they did not HAVE to have her make out with this guy. even in death they will not stop doing this to her. but the whole thing where guinan was like your death was meaningless and empty in this timeline so she decides to go back and die in the past instead...GOOD for her

also, i'm a little confused on my canon - i think the battle that other enterprise went back to die in was the one that worf's parents were killed in? which is why he wasn't on the bridge because he fuckin DIED at age 6 or whatever? i guess they must have done enough good to save at least some people??

anyway, ABSOLUTELY adored this one. tasha yar redemption arc. that was the LAST thing i EVER expected to see on tng but here we are. they even made that other captain a woman although lmao in the end they refridged tasha nd this other captain. STILL. if shes gotta die let it be better than the death she got in canon. i'll miss you queen

my one gripe, aside from her boyfriend, is that she and data had a lil scene in the elevator and im mad we could not infer from it whether or not they had fucked in this timeline. rip :(

NEXT TIME: "the offspring" and "sins of the father," which is a normal title that does not at all match the title of a merlin episode i wrote a 130k coda about

[4town4lyfe]

So I have been in writers block 4 like a month but I had this very short one shot or whatever u call it scenario with some sibling angst between Robaire and Imani having some issues hehehehe

Okay here XD

A new album means a tour, a tour means dance practice many times a week. Dance practice means tension rises, and it’s usually between these two people.

In the midst of the poppy beats and the quiet stomps of high top sneakers, tension is brewing. Everyone can feel it, but they choose to ignore it, I mean, this happens a lot, but nothing really hurtful happens, so why intervene?

Sharing death glares and smirks almost continuously, Imani and Robaire are at the center of this tension, Robaire’s cocky and almost perfectionist way of thinking has Imani brewing. But Imani is beginning to falter with every quip and comment that Robaire says, and everyone can see.

“Imani, we’ve been practicing this for so long, you’d think you would be able to get it down.” Robaire comments with a smirk as they finish their routine, breaths heavy and hearts beating quick.

“Could you not criticize me for one second, Robaire?” Imani claps back, heading toward the boombox to cut the CD. But, Robaire isn’t one to just back down.

“I mean, it’s really not that big of an insult. Maybe if you could keep up instead of falling behind as usual, you wouldn’t be so upset…” Robaire says with a slight frown, muttering that last part, though Imani hears every word, and so do the others.

“What did you say?” Imani exclaims, whipping her head towards him, Aaron T immediately coming over to calm the situation, placing a caring hand on Imani’s shoulder.

“Hey, let’s just calm down and take a breather, okay? We’re a team, we shouldn’t get upset over little things.” Aaron T calmly speaks, giving Imani a temporary sense of comfort.

“Yo, let’s go for a walk, man.” Aaron Z speaks up, walking over to Robaire and gently grabbing his arm, as Jesse and Tae Young observe, Tae feels overwhelmed with these emotions, and Jesse is there to help him, watching everything go down.

Robaire, fueled with ego, shrugs Aaron Z off and walks over to Imani. “You’ve always been like this, Imani. You’ve always been so sensitive. Can’t take a little heat, eh? Welcome to the real world.” Robaire harshly says to Imani, going to ruffle up her hair before Imani grabs his wrist, not looking him in the eye.

“Dude. Don’t escalate this.” Aaron T tries but fails to dimish the problem, as Robaire continues.

“Oh, she’ll be fine. We always banter like this, she’s just too sensitive to take it, like she’s always been. Never able to get back at me. Never at my level.” Robaire continues with a smirk, both thinking that it’s all in good fun, but also knowing that he’s purposely making her upset.

Really upset.

With a swift movement, Imani’s hand slaps Robaire’s face, the sound echoing throughout the practice room. The pain in his face matching the shock in his eyes.

“I’ve never said anything back to you, I’ve let you walk over me. But this time, you crossed this line.” Imani angrily confronts, her voice shaky, pointing her finger in her face as Aaron T begins to pull her back and Aaron Z grabs Robaire yet again.

“Let’s go, Imani, this isn’t worth it.” Aaron T says as he pulls her toward the exit, his grip gentle but firm. Robaire, always with the last word, retorts with a low blow, one of her biggest insecurities.

“Maybe you’re just upset because you’ll always be in the shadow of your brother.”

Imani glares at him, her expression filled with hurt and anger, her tears beginning to fall as she quickly walks out, not wanting anyone to see her like this.

Aaron T and Tae Young quickly rush after her, and Aaron Z and Jesse quickly let Robaire know that was too far, and Robaire stands there, the weight of his words sinking in, realizing that his pride and ego may have costed his the flow of this hardworking band, and the relationship with his favorite person, whose been there through thick and thin, his very own sister.

YALL I TRIED LOL SORRY IF THIS IS OUT OF CHARACTER THIS WAS JUAT AN IDEA I GOT XD

[kigozula]

Gladiator 300th Chapter Celebration

Here are my answers and I have to admit, I realized how hard it was to answer some of them xD

FAVORITE…

1.OC: It has always been Rui Shi. But in general, I do like so many OC's. Tiang is one of them as well. As I say often, Seyary is the Queen of the best OC's!!

2. Guard: Since I chose Rui Shi as my favorite OC, I choose Fei Li here. Funny and cute

3. Gladiator: The Millenium Dragon is a nice person. The Blind Bandit maybe? Or wait, Haru? Honestly I don't really have a favorite Gladiator other than the Blue Wolf come to think of it

4. Sponsor: I'm going with Zhao

5. Pair/Couple (besides Sokkla): Songshi<3 These two are the cutest

6. Friendship: Azula and her childhood friends Mai and Ty Lee. I miss their friendship these days... Azula and Rui Shi, Azula-Sokka-Rui Shi-Song

7. Villain/Antagonist/Opponent: Yes he is evil, but Rhone brought action

8. Suitor for Azula: Kuan and Hahn. Here too, I liked the action it brought. And I enjoyed it how Hahn ended up. As for the characters I like as suitors Zhao and Chan. I believe Chan will be a good character in the future(?)

"Oh?" said Ozai. "And what sort of gift is that?"

"Why, no other than him, of course," said Kuan, pointing at the man he had brought with him.

"Why, your first engagement present to me is a man?" asked Azula, raising her eyebrows. "Your ideas for courting are quite unconventional, Governor Kuan." Chapter 69

Had to drop this here, since I am re-reading this arc currently. One of the funniest scenes xD

9. Place (any houses/island/cities…): Fire Nation Capital (the Palace, Sokka and Azula's house/garden, Ty Lee's, Ember Island, Shu Jing

10. Event (weddings/festivals…): Not sure but Azula‘s birthday and the Gladiator Fight afterwards. And the second Fire Nation Festival with the catastrophic ending

FAVORITE TOP THREE…:

Sokkla Kisses in Part 2 when they become finally a couple: I really like making things difficult don’t I? I might be missing some but at the moment: Their rejoining after the second Fire Nation Festivals, on the ship when Sokka rushed in Azula‘s room while Ty Lee is still in there, Shu Jing domestic life, aaannddd I think on the ship when Azula accidentally spills out the word love and is „angry“ afterwards, Oh and when she hurts her wrinkle and Sokka tends to it and kisses her *_*

Sokkla Love Making: The whole Festivals Arc, random moments, Northern Air Temple, Anniversary

THIS OR THAT:

1.Part 2, or Part 3 (so far): I really have no answer to this. Been reading since nine years, my absolute favorite arcs and moments aren't much more in one part than the other. So, I have to answer it this way ;) in no particular order:

Introduction arc Attack of the White Lotus arc Ember Island arc The Notorious Stingray arc Azula’s Birthday arc Fire Nation Festivals arc Giving in arc Northern Air Temple arc Kinslayer arc Toph finds out arc Fire Nation Festivals #2 arc  Sokka and Azula’s anniversary arc Gladiator Brawl arc Return to Shu Jing arc The Spirit Library arc Fire Lord for a Week arc Wedding arc

2. Zuki Family or Mai Jian Family: I'm honestly impressed by both. I never thought Zuko would be such a good family man. Mai Jian is a dream. I guess at the end Mai Jian outweighs Zuki even if juuuust little

3. Festivals Arc or Anniversary Arc: Again I guess I like making things difficult xD. Both are bomb... Again there is only the littlest difference and my choice goes with Festivals...

4. Captain Rui Shi or Captain Fei Li: Captain Rui Shi forever

5. Ozai or Zhao: Zhao. He made a 180 degree turn out of nothing these days. But I still like this man in part 2 as well as the beginning of part 3. He treated both Azula and Sokka well in my opinion. Before the whole pregnancy reveal, he's been a good man to his wife Azula. Zhao is one of the best characters in the whole story!!

Ozai... well, even if he our Diva Lord is a likable character, (I mean part 1 and part 2 were very funny with him), and even if I don't truly hate him as a character, I can never see him the way I did after all the things he did to my baby Azula

6. Gladiator Brawl, Sponsor Race, Pairs Tournament or Scavenger Hunt: All are very good. My final decision is Gladiator Brawl

7. Xin Long or Appa: I ike Appa. But Xin Long wins here!!

8. Azula’s Squad or Sokka’s Squad: I'm gonna go with Rui Shi's future Squad(?) xD

9. Ty Lee or Mai: Ty Lee I like more in part 1. Mai is always good. This woman and her sudden comments are humorous. Their absence is very noticeable

10. Shoji or Kino: Shoojiiiiii

11. Ruon Jian or Haru: We didn't see much of Ruon Jian, but I still like him. I like Haru more still. He was very funny around Azula at the beginning xD

OTHERS:

1.A Place you would like to visit or live: The Capital I would want to live in. And visiting, I would like to see every place. Esepcially Ember Island

2. If you could give Part 2 a title it would be: "A BOND UNBREAKABLE"

3. Something you look forward to: Chan. Rui Shi and the guards. *coughs* chapter 327/329. Azula visiting the South Pole. Reuniting and being happy together again forever*-*. Azula giving birth to more children with Sokka by her side

4. Favorite Sokkla Artwork from Part 2:

These two babies right here*-*:

GUESSING TIME:

Future Ships you think will happen: I thought about Reirei at then beginning (Rei and Renkai) but then I found out about the age difference. Honestly, I don't think there is going to be a big surprise

Azula and Zhao will divorce when/because of … I think Zhao might commit betrayal and lose the royal family's trust (the Spirit Oasis)

When Hakoda meets Azula and Hotaru for the first time …: One of the things I am very much looking forward to. Admiration on both sides and happiness. Maybe some tears?

When Ozai and Ursa see each other …: .................................................................................................................................................... Angry Ursa.... I think she will play a major role in Ozai's future downfall, emotionally(?). Everything aside, I would support some moments of affection and longing from both sides =D. Urzai is a good ship... HAD the potential of being one of the best...

I think Ozai's future looks like...: Since things can change in this story, I don't really have an opinion on that that I can be sure of. All I can say is: I think he will stay alive...

When Azula finally visits the South Pole, I hope/wish/think …: Igloo Sokkla. Fun family times. *wantstocry*. Admiration of the whole tribe for Azula, their new family member

First things Azula and Sokka will do after their reunion:

Be happy, cry, take in each other's scent, cuddle together with their baby daughter, then sharing their miserable journey with each other, Sokka finding out about the letters and her tears and trying to keep his anger in check and never ever letting her go for the rest of his life, no matter what happens.

@seyaryminamoto , congratulations on the release of the 300th chapter! As always, I feel happy-sad and can't believe Gladiator is a journey we've been on for a decade. You already know how much I love this story;). Your hard work and love for writing and making these beautiful artworks amaze me. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to host events for your masterpiece and I feel valued with your trust! Thank you! I've already started re-reading my favorite arcs. They give me joy!

I'll be posting the correct answers to the quiz on sunday evening.

[avionvadion]

Kai'mana has finally gotten some decent camp clothes! The drow clothing looks super good on her with her scales, honestly. Astarion got the armor, Kai'mana got the clothing, lol.

Mostly just screenshots of my Dark Urge Kai'mana being pretty, but there are ASTARION ROMANCE SPOILERS below.

This is my second playthrough (because I lack self-restraint) so there are mentions of things that are revealed in Act Two.

ASTARION, PLEASE. XD

BABY. FEATHER BABY.

PROTECC

SHE GETS TO CARRY HIM!???? I LOVE IT.

I guess Dragonborn do count as the "buff" body type...

I can't actually believe they had the Dragonborn smooch. With their snouts, I figured Dragonborn would kinda... nuzzle or bump noses??? Something really affectionate and cute. Anyways, that's my headcanon. Astarion can place kisses to her snout, but she'd nuzzle his hair or something.

I do wish there was a way to trigger the romance without having to sleep with him, though. Especially since he later clearly expresses in Act Two that he's sex-repulsed/demisexual.

It's so interesting romancing Astarion from the beginning again, because you can tell when he's being genuine and putting on an act. And it's so sad. I want to give him all the hugs.

SHE'S. SO. FREAKING. PRETTY. LOOK AT HER SCALES. GORGEOUS. I LOVE HER SO MUCH. AHHHHHHHHHHH. HAVE YOU SEEN A PRETTIER DRAGONBORN DRUID???

Just... another screenshot of Kai'mana being ridiculously gorgeous, don't mind me. Also, I like that Volo was nice enough to replace her eye with a matching pink one- even though it's not necessarily identical, since the sclera of the fake one is white whereas the iris of her real eye takes up the whole space.

Gods, you're really pretty too. Even though I know the truth. T_T

NEW ARMOR. DYED.

She looks so badass. :3

I thoroughly enjoy how different her scales look in the different lightings. Sometimes they're the usual, sometimes they look purple with blue accents, sometimes they're black with blue accents- it's so fun. Really adds to the mystique, me thinks, and the charm.

I love this silly man so much.

Imagining Kai'mana and Astra (my Tav) in the same playthrough is so fun. But also I feel like if they both existed Kai'mana would actually be paired with Gale, since I love Astra with Astarion too much. That said, Kai'mana would still have that little thing with Shadowheart in the beginning because of how much they just click and get along, before realizing they're better off as besties.

Astra is the brains, Kai'mana is the brawn- Astra knows better than to have people poking her eyeballs, Kai'mana is like, "Y'know what? Couldn't hurt to try" and can now see invisible, lol.

And Astra would make sure BARD BESTIE IS SAFE.

Anyways, this is Astra for those who don't know. :3

Yes, I'm obsessed with the color blue. T_T

Her full name is Astra Tav'aria Duskraalis! Tav'aria is the pseudonym she uses for her works, as she is a Sorcerer Bard, while Duskraalis is her Drow surname. Her mother was a Wood Elf, while her father was Seldarine Drow.

[dp-marvel94]

Meta for Face to Face Chapter 54

First off, thank to anyone who read this chapter and this long post. This chapter was one of the most self indulgant things I have ever written. XD So many concert memories went into it. I'll talk about some of them below. There are also links to the songs "performed in the chapter" as well as some videos of each band performing live. As I told my sister after I wrote the scenes at the beginning when the trio met Josh and Travis, writing dialogue for the real people felt like playing with dolls, but in the worst, most embarrassing possible way. (Don't worry, I actually got permission from everyone featured, but more about that at the end). So I watched a lot of videos and tried my best to make everything accurate and use actual quotes when I could.

Chaotic Resemblance- Travis and the rest of the guys are from Oklahoma if that helps with imagining his accent. It's not particularly unique but when I was writing him this chapter and trying to remember how he speaks, that twang is what my brain kept remembering. Travis and all the guys are super nice, awesome to talk to. And on the short list of irl people who know about my fic writing.

Two songs are mentioned in the chapter. First- "Virtual Reality"

And Second- "Riot Anthem". Live video here. The band played this song the first time I saw them and I remember that set vividly for how much fun this song was. It definitely pushed me to run back to the merch table and buy a cd.

Relent- The first song mentioned is "Ghost," of the famed T shirt which I have Danny buy and which I bought irl. XD

"Heavy" - (Video of this song at Uprise 2022). The words I have Miggy say before the song are based on his commentary on the lyric book for their album. "Rape. Sexual Manipulation. Sex Trafficking. The devasting emotions that come with it. This song is my wife’s story, and I'm honored to tell it. She’s been through so much. She has come out victorious, and now her story will help millions, breaking the silence around topics not talked about enough." Admittedly, much heavier (no pun intended) than the blurb in the fic. But when applying the song to Danny and his story, I needed to make some changes.

I have Heavy be a emotionally significant song for Danny in this chapter. When I was thinking about his reaction to each band and songs I wanted to feature, I realized that it made sense for that song to be the token "song you cry to". It just made sense, having previously said that he listened to the album a bunch of times and having him list Heavy as a favorite, that that song would have had an emotional impact. I really wish I had thought to put that fact in the text before now so that little character moment doesn't feel like it come from nowhere. But what are you gonna do? 🤷‍♀️

(A bit of religious discussion below)

Also, I have Danny talk to the band a little bit about what the song meant to him, something I've done and seen done with many bands before. The band offers to pray with him and though that has never happened personally with me with Relent (of the 4 bands here, they are actually the one I have seen the fewest times and know the least), I have had other Christian musicianaries (musicians who view their touring and performing as a ministry) offer to pray with me and I have accepted that offer. Not including that moment would have been a disservice, considering how much I love all these groups and respect what they stand for. But I decided to cut away from the actual scene to give a sense of privacy. It felt right for something often so tender.

And the last song, played when Danny first spots Johnny- "Last Days"

GFM- Cries in GFM broken up. 😭 Seriously though, this band consisted of three sisters, who went they started we all teens. I realized after writing the chapter that for the time I am imaging for the story (just before they disbanded last year), calling the oldest two teens would be inaccurate; CJ and Maggie are both in their early twenties. But I decided to keep it since them all being teens would make the group cooler in the Phantom trio's eyes. And I should mention, they're not entirely out of the scene though; the basest and screamer, Maggie, still tours and makes music under her name, Magdalene Rose.

As for the songs featured- The one during sound check is "Give me a Sign"

S.M.I.L.E- (Live video) The song where Jack gets in the circle pit. XD Inspired by my dad getting in circle pit at metal shows. He's 53 now and broke his leg last year, messing up his knee pretty badly, so his moshing days are over. But as recently as Warped tour 2017, he was still doing it. I'm over here too clumsy and short to even think about it; just head banging is good enough for me, thanks. 🤣

And the last song- "I don't need your fantasy" A Sam Manson song if I've ever heard one. Also, this is the song with the famed cupcakes. (Sadly, I couldn't find a video of this on YouTube to demo 😥) I really wanted to write about the ridiculous fanatical joy that comes with having icing and cake thrown at you during a metal show. 🤣 Words can't really capture the experience but I tried.

The Protest- In the chapter, the trio meets Josh at the merch tables before the show. This is very reminiscent of when I met him actually. This was in 2016. My sister and I drove about 2 hrs for the show; they were playing with another band we knew of and we'd heard a few songs by The Protest on a local radio station. We arrived super early and went to the door of the tiny church they were playing in to beg to use the restroom before the doors opened. Josh came right up to us before we even got to the restroom. He introduced himself as Josh, asked our names, shook our hands, and said he was excited we were here tonight. And the whole time, I was thinking about needing to use toilet and didn't even realize who he was until the show started. XD The band was significantly less popular then but I know from going to a dozen plus shows since then, he (and the rest of the guys in the band) are like that with everyone. So I am being absolutly serious in the chapter; Josh Bramlett is one of the kindest, most genuine people I know.

The first song is "Paper Tiger." The sound goes out because of Shadow, during this song and the guitarist stales for time. His name is Adam, nickname Sarge, but I couldn't figure out how to put that in the text. The joke that he tells in the one his real life counterpart suggested when I asked him in March. I also based rest of the what he said during technical malfunctions (the joke about being voted out of the band) during their set when I saw them last October with Disciple.

The next song- "Welcome to the Freakshow" This is my favorite song of theirs to hear live. It's so much fun to head-bang/dance to! Also, Maddie films her son instead of the band, as my mom likes to do to me and my sister. 😝

This message in between the songs- This is word for word part of what Josh said during their set at Kingdom Come Festival 2022; I looked up the video (Message starts at 31:40) and recorded what he said word-for-word to be accurate to Josh and the guy's conviction and the heart behind what they do. It was really important to me that I was authentic there, since I love these guys and what they stand for so much.

And the last song- "Valor." When I was trying to pick which song to end on, I wanted a very specific feeling. I told my sister I was trying to describe that rare moment when you're singing your heart out and you met someone else's eyes and they're singing the same words with the same passion. There's a moment of connection and you know you both believe every single word. I asked what Protest song it should be and she said "Valor." So I went with it.

Guardians of the Children- From their website.

Guardians of the Children is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization comprised of motorcycle enthusiasts  that use motorcycles as tools to help children who have overcome child abuse, ages 0-17, become strong, confident, and courageous again. Once a  child has made an outcry of abuse and the criteria for our support is met, that child is “adopted” into our family as a Little Guardian. Members of G.O.C will escort the child to court, attend school and social events at the child’s request, provide protection and support, and sponsor “Little Guardian” private events, yearly. The goal of these events is to provide a safe space where the Little Guardians can have fun,socialize with others that have experienced similar trauma, and forget for a moment about the fear, doubt, and insecurity that was forced upon them at such a young age. Every child has all the  power and strength within themselves, just like a motorcycle on the  open road, and the biker behind it, we just encourage them to unleash it  as we fight their demons together.

A few years I went to a show they hosted at a local park, featuring GFM and Chaotic Resemblance, hence the similarities to the concert here.

Gotta Rock ‘em all Tour - This is the name of the tour The Protest hosted in March this year, thought the line up was different from the one imagined here (In real life, Behold the Beloved, Relentless Flood, and The Protest). I was lucky enough to see them on this tour. And got to tell the guys about this chapter. 😳😅😊 Honestly, it was one of the most embarrassing thing's I've ever done but in good conscious, I couldn't not say anything, especially since I have talked to Josh about my writing before.

(Religious discussion to follow)

Their song "Greater" had been really important for me, to remind me about why I do what I do. And at KCF last year, I talked with him about that song and our shared conviction for a little bit. From the song:

"I don't do it for the money Don't do it for the fame As long as someone listens, I don't care who knows my name I don't do it for the glory Don't do it for the game I do it all to make them see this is all for something greater than me"

My goal isn't to write for the comments, hits, or bookmarks. Not being well known in the fandom or well liked by people. I write for a greater purse. And this greater thing is Jesus Christ and his kingdom. I love Jesus for who He is and what He's done for me, in and through me (and that is a whole long, complex story there). But a small part: I fervently believe writing these stories is one of the reasons God put me here and gave me the interests I do (yes, including DP) and the talent in writing I have. From the messages I sent to The Protest and the other bands in this chapter, asking if they wanted to take a look at the chapter.

"I write this story for fun and post because I love the characters and the community of other people who do too. But I also see it as a mission field, as a way to write about God's love and grace and show it to people who otherwise wouldn't hear. This chapter is also a love letter to the Christian Rock community as a whole. I love you guys, your music, and the community a lot. The Protest, other bands, and fellow fans have had a huge impact on my life: encouraging me, inspiring me, reminding me of Jesus's love and strengthening my conviction to serve Him. The Protest inspires me to write, ministering in the way I know I've been called."

The point is: I put a lot of heart into this story and all my others. I pray that God will guide my words and be glorified in them. I pray that the people who need to read them will, and they will be encouraged, strengthened and inspired. And most importantly- that God will speak to them, not me. That they will, that you will, see just a hint of His love and grace in what I write and in how I interact with people in this community. I pray that lives will be changed, even in small ways. That seeds will be planted, even if I never see them grow.

I love all of you.

[slightlycrunchy]

Maybe ♟: Patching up a wound

For Dad might and Izuku, please?

I gave myself leave to just go ham on this one. Also, I really like to headcanon that Blackwhip leaves marks or at least causes some pain, because my angst brain said so. We got like one glimpse of it hurting Izuku during the joint training session and then he was fine. Ugh, my angst riddled heart was so disappointed XD

Dadmight patches up a wound, feelings realization, accidental kid acquisition? Purposeful father acquisition 😉

The red lacerations across his skin burn, but not more than he can handle. Whip-like tendrils of sensitive flesh wrap around his forearms, like lightning bolts carved from inside of him. If he’s honest, using Blackwhip feels a bit like that; electrifying, jolting. Like too many volts running under his skin. The feeling has gotten better with Izuku’s mastery over it, as have the marks left over after he has gone a round with Banjo’s quirk, but today had been a long training day.

All Might looks like he regrets suggesting putting in this many hours.

“I thought you said it was getting better, my boy,” the man says, slathering a cooling cream over Izuku’s skin that they have found works wonders. His face is pinched in concern, and Izuku can’t say he’ll ever get used to his hero fretting over him. He does it often enough that Izuku thinks he should be used to it. He feels guilty that he gives the man so much reason to.

“It is! I promise! It’s just...well, maybe we’re being too optimistic that someday it won’t happen. Maybe it’ll always leave red marks behind… I wonder if Banjo had the same issue?”

For some reason this only makes All Might look more miserable.

“I’m sorry that I have no insight to give you, young Midoriya. I’m sorry that you’re mostly going into this blind,” he says, and Izuku knows exactly where this is going. They’ve had this conversation multiple times, all ending in a spiral of guilt for the both of them that doesn’t really end, just peters out when they get tired of going around and around.

All Might feels responsible for the weight that he unknowingly put on Izuku concerning both One for All and All for One, a weight he didn’t truly know the mass of, and Izuku feels the pressure of not living up to his mentor’s legacy, the time it takes him to master even one quirk--let alone more--disappointing and embarrassing. It’s a tunnel of self-loathing that both of them travel together and well…

Izuku isn’t in the mood for it today.

“All Might...it’s fine, really. This is worth it to me. I know it upsets you, you make that pretty obvious,” Izuku smiles sheepishly, eyes catching All Might’s as the man switches arms and begins applying cream to the other, “but it’s alright. A little pain is unimportant in the long run, right?”

Izuku can tell immediately that the man doesn’t follow that train of thought for a second, but with a heavy sigh, he resigns himself to Izuku’s point.

“I don’t think you deserve any pain, my boy, and I wish I could do something to alleviate every bit of it.” All Might shakes his head. Izuku smirks.

“You sound just like Mom. She worries about me too much.”

“I think she worries about you just the right amount, thank you. That’s what parents do, young Midoriya. We worry.”

Izuku’s breath freezes in his chest as he stares at All Might’s fingers that have gone still. Izuku’s voice sounds like a squeak when he asks, “We…?”

It takes another few seconds, during which Izuku wonders if the world has stopped turning, an unnatural silence overtaking the clearing they are in, before All Might takes up his task again. His voice sounds strained, a little unsteady, but confident when he speaks.

“You know I care about you, my boy. I know you have a father already and I would never encroach upon that but...well, after all the time we’ve spent together, watching you grow into the young man you are, with such determination and fortitude, such a strength of character I’ve never seen in one so young...is it any surprise that I could love you as a parent? I never had children of my own--”

The man doesn’t get to finish, because Izuku can’t hold himself back any longer from throwing his arms around his mentor, long limbs pinned in awkwardly by shorter, stockier ones as Izuku buries his face into a bony chest.

“I love you too, All Might!” Izuku can’t believe how easy it is to say the words he’s felt for so long, kept written in secret upon his heart, heavy and ready to burst out of him at all times. And now he gets to just say them--like any other set of words that fall from his mouth, and while in theory they should be heavy in their importance and meaning, Izuku has never felt lighter.

He loves All Might and All Might loves him. His smile is so wide it hurts his cheeks.

Above him, All Might chuckles and pats at the small of Izuku’s back, the only part he can reach from his awkward position.

“That makes me...very happy, my boy. Now, shall we finish up here? I think tonight calls for an extra special dinner,” All Might says, his accompanying smile obvious in his voice. Izuku nods, his cheek rubbing into his mentor’s white dress shirt.

Where before the man had looked upset as long fingers trailed over reddened skin, now there is a soft smile on All Might’s face. Izuku finds he likes the way it looks.

“So what’s for dinner...Dad?” He tests the word in his mouth. It feels good, right.

All Might coughs, a small splatter of blood coating his lip. When he recovers, he grins. “Whatever you want, son.”

Izuku has never felt so warm.

[kaypeace21]

The 3 monologues of Dustin, Mike, and Chrissy’s  (theory)

So in a lot of films said to inspire s4: they have at the beginning of the film  - a play, musical number, etc -that foreshadow future events of the film, or give us insight into the psyche of said film characters.  So I think that’s where the bts pic showing  monologue performances comes into play. if we do see monologues it may be a quick montage of the 3 monologues- with the most prevalent lines being shown.

1) Mike’s monologue-perhaps is Antonio’s monologue from ‘12th night” (shown on the bts monologue-poster )

Antonio is gay/in love with sebastian. His monologue is about being in love with Sebastian and going to a treacherous town to be with him, and feeling betrayed and wrongly assuming Sebastian doesn’t want to be friends anymore . 

Antonio's monologue referencing his love for Sebastian:

“His life I gave him and did thereto add my love- without retention or restraint. All in his dedication; for his sake , did I expose myself. Pure for his love, into the danger of this adverse town.”

cough Mike going to Cali to see Will, which ends up being dangerous.

Sebastian - also has a female twin (both of which are mistaken for each other due to their resemblance, cough Willel). Antonio is very forward with his feelings to Sebastian, but it almost always comedically goes over Sebastian's head.  Which after Mike initiated every byler moment- but then in s3 is like "i love el" "not my fault you don't like girls". I couldn’t blame Will for dismissing anything from Mike as him "over-reading ' the situation.Literally in one s4 movie this was a comedic-bit too. Sebastian also cries over missing Antonio (which he himself deems as “effeminate”) to do. Cough-Will’s “boys don’t cry “ poster- which is a gay anthem. 12th night is a very queer coded shakespeare play. We have Antonio loving Sebastian. But, we even have a plot point of a girl thinking she loves sebastian's female twin (dressed as a boy/pretending to be her brother sebastian). Cough like mike being into El when she looked like a boy/Will (sebastian)

Also, historically, quite a few people tried to "no-homo" Antonio as just loving sebastian as a friend... which... if that doesn't remind you of byler XD

I suppose they may go for the more cliche romeo & juliet- since s4 posted the “what is in a name “ quote where ( juliet describes how she loves Romeo despite his family drama- using a metaphor of a rose ). Which may work given the rose imagery of the creel's and their problematic family dynamics- paralleling the byers. But I like the former possibility more- especially cause most scholars agree romeo & juliet weren’t in love- but just young kids who foolishly thought they were in love after a few days (cough m*leven). And it's implied romeo was actually using Juliet as a rebound to Rosaline (juliet’s cousin, who rejected Romeo before hand and who physically resembled juliet).Not to mention how shakespeare didn't believe in "love at first sight" like r&j. Shakespeare in every play that had "love at first sight" always had the relationship end poorly. And shakespeare instead believed in the concept/ trope of - not realizing you've been in love with someone you've known for a long , until a great separation occurs. Cough byler.

2)Dustin’s possible monologue from -hounds of baskerville . The quote he says in the teaser is from ch 3 , where in said chapter -Holmes also gives an interesting monologue....

”The devil’s agents may be flesh and blood. There are 2 questions... whether any crime has been committed at all. The second- what is the crime and how was it committed. If we’re dealing with forces outside the laws of nature, there is an end to our investigation. But we are bound to exhaust all our hypotheses before falling back on this one.”

Essentially fits my theory that maybe - the real  “devil’s agents”/ bad guys are ‘flesh &blood ‘ humans (like some fathers in the show).  And the lines about whether a crime was committed or not could be foreshadowing of chrissy’s death being faked - and her ‘death’ fueling  the false satanic panic. Similar to in the novel, the (fake) hellhound death curse -being spread by real human villains, to cover up their horrible deeds. We may soon see the real devils are humans. Especially if Chrissy’s  disappearence was caused by her trying to fake her death to escape her ab*sers (and later ending up at penthurst).  The same goes for them investigating the supernatural happenings of the creels-  if it’s just supernatural nonsense, like Holmes said the “investigation is over”. But if not.... there’s more to this that the Hawkins crew need to investigate (aka what was the crime? And what’s the explanation for this rumored supernatural phenomena?) - aka maybe Will subconsciously creating the creels and others via his powers and tra*ma. Which may be revealed in s5.

Also Brenner’s actor’s post alludes to this concept of the real monsters being humans. Similar to Holmes quote.

*this book ref could just be a minor demodog eastergg, but i think it’s possible he is in theatre. Dustin wore a theatre shirt in s1, so it’s possible foreshadowing. Plus, in the rebel robin novel-robin was in theatre & went to a roller-rink. And we already see both set pieces for s4 (for different characters). And since Dustin was never shown to be into sherlock before- maybe the fact he's quoting him has to do with playing him in a monologue for drama club.

3) Chrissy’s monologue - Nina’s from “the seagull” (shown on the bts poster)

The monologue is of a girl describing her ab*ser, herself as a seagull , her mental health, & being a poor actress... the pain on stage would be Chrissy’s actual pain rather than simply acting. Chrissy and Nina are also nicknames for Christina.

In the st book rebel robin- robin during a play audition - relates too much to her character. And she's starts having an anxiety attack on stage (which everyone perceives as great acting /being in character). Then she passes out- i wonder if something similar happens?

 The context in the play: Konstantin shows up to give Nina a gull that he has shot. Nina is confused and horrified .Trigorin sees the gull that Konstantin has shot and muses to Nina on how he could use it as a subject for a short story:

"The plot for the short story: a young girl lives all her life on the shore of a lake. She loves the lake, like a gull, and she’s happy and free, like a gull. But a man arrives by chance, and when he sees her, he destroys her, out of sheer boredom. Like this gull."  

The seagull motif reminds me a lot of Jonathan’s rabbit-hunting story. It’s also a parallel to El - whose papa tried to make her k*ll a cat.  And reminds me of how Billy was free and happy like the seagulls at the beach-before his dad corrupted him.  In fact when El is in Billy’s positive memories - we see seagulls . And possibly a seagull painting next to Jonathan -when at Lonnie’s.The k*lling of an animal for Chrissy, El, and Jonathan is probably indicative /symbolic of paternal ab*sers destroying their childhood innocence.

[redrosesartcabin]

So yeah, I wrote the thing based on an anon message for @itsme-star

I made it a Barley x (female) reader (based on my self insert character) fanfic ‘cause I had to be a little self indulgent lmao

I hope you enjoy it! It turned out longer than I had planned xD

——————————————————

The double-decker couch

Barley x (female) reader fanfiction

———

Around three months ago:

Y/n’s boyfriend, Barley Lightfoot, had knocked on her window… with small stones… in the middle of the night:

At first her ear just twitched and the noise had mashed with the dream she was having, but the more the noise repeated, the more her consciousness felt pulled into the physical realm again, and with a groan, she had to face the reality that the noise would not stop until she got up (she already had a suspicion as to who was causing the noise).

With a heavy sigh, y/n forced herself from under her comfortable blanket, before ripping the window open.

‘Of course it’s him’, she thought, looking down at Barley as he waved his hands up at her, somehow wide awake.

‘How much energy can a person have?’, she asked herself, before she motioned with her hands, that she’d come outside.

“What in the world are you doing here?”, she asked as she arrived, whisper-yelling at him.

“Well you know how it is my lady: sometimes one just drives around at night after finishing a campaign of quests of yore and sees the poster of a double-decker bus and then one might think: ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if one could have a couch after that structure?’ After having had thought about a new couch for a while and ‘wouldn’t it be cool, if one might be able to build that with their girlfriend?’”

“I can’t say I relate, though I am impressed by one having the idea”, she said, deliberately accentuating the word ‘one’, as she couldn’t now but smile at her beautiful dork, “And I have to say I love the idea, though I still have to decide whether it was worth waking me up at three a.m… but for now I’ll just say yes, because I love you too much to be mad at you for this”

“I know: I’m irresistible”, he winked, pulling her closer to him and engaging her in a sickeningly romantic kiss.

“As nice as this is, I would still like to catch up on some sleep. We’ll write later and you tell when we should start building”

“I actually thought… you know… that maybe now-”

“Don’t push it”

“Right”

Now:

It hadn’t been easy. First they had to scavenge several junkyards for old couches (because let’s be real: They were both poor college students and buying material or new couches just was too expensive), who weren’t completely busted. Then they had to figure out how to build the thing.

After studying art for a while, where y/n had to do a bunch of installation projects, she had gotten significantly better at building things with woods and such, though she still wasn’t an expert. And whilst Barley also got crafty from time to time, he also wasn’t a master.

But somehow, after sweat, and even a couple of tears after y/n once got her hand stuck under one of the couches, they had finished it: The double decker couch.

“This-”, Barley said, pointing his finger at it, “This is beautiful”.

It was a yellow and a green couch, connected through metal poles and stabilized with old wood planks with two ladders placed on top of it and just enough space between the couches, so that one could sit up straight. It sort of looked like a bunk bed, but with couches.

“It is. It really is”, y/n agreed, looking at her bandaged hand, “totally worth busting my hand”

“Totally worth going through every junkyard in the city”, Barley added.

“Totally worth being awake once for 48 hours”, she added as well.

“This should be awarded some kind of price… maybe I’d also just be happy for some money for a wellness weekend ‘cause my back could really need a nice massage”, Barley groaned, touching the small of his back.

“Hard agree”

They stayed standing there for a while, looking at it, before y/n occurred a question that should’ve occurred to her much sooner.

“So-uhm-”, she started, “what do we actually do with it now?”, she asked

“Sit on it of course. You sit below and I above so I can feed you grapes like you’re a roman emperor”, Barley explained matter of factly.

“That sounds lovely darling but that’s not what I mean”

“What seems to be the issue then?”he asked, a little frustrated. What could she possibly have to say now? After so much hard work?

“I mean… where do we put it?”, she asked with a sincere expression which immediately washed away his annoyance, “because it certainly won’t stay in my parents basement”, she stated.

“It’s certainly more worthy than this old, dusty room with your family's junk. And also because this place is crawling with bugs that I will have to remove every time because you’ll just screech and run away until it magically disappears”

“Hey!”, y/n interjected

“It's true!”

“Ok yeah fair enough, though seriously- where? I also can bet’ya we can’t put it anywhere in our homes either. It probably barely fit under the ceiling”

“Yeah no”

A moment of contemplative silence spread across them.

After a while, Barleys thoughts wandered to the night where he had gotten the idea. He thought about his beloved car-

‘OH. MY. GOD. That’s it!’, he thought to himself.

“I got it!”, he then yelled excitedly, his face contorted into one of the most adorable expressions y/n had ever seen anyone wear. No matter what it would be: She couldn’t but say yes to that smile.

Still she asked, “What’ya got?”

“You know how I got my idea from a poster with a double-decker bus?”, he asked her, still smiling like he had won the lottery

“Yes?”

“And you know how I have a van, right?”

“No”, she answered sarcastically, “I know absolutely nothing about your most prized possession of a van that you called Guenivere the second after you sacrificed your first Guenivere when on a quest-”

“Ok I got the gist”, he chuckled, “but ok hear this: Since I have this wonderful van, this wonderful BIG van-”

“Wait a minute: You really want to put the couch in-”, she interrupted as she realized what he was saying, but got immediately interrupted back as he realized she had caught on

“Yes! I absolutely am”

“Dear lord… but ok I have no better idea, let’s do it”

“YES”

“Barley I am telling you, this is NOT working”, y/n huffed as she let her side of the construction gently land on the ground once again.

“Come on, just one more time!”, Barley pleaded.

“You’ve been saying ‘just one more time’ for an hour!”, she argued, “there is no way around: this just doesn’t fit inside the van. You underestimated Guenivere”

“Hey! There is no underestimating Guenivere! It’s not her fault”, he pouted.

“Ok ok ok... Sorry Gueni”, y/n said, giving the car a sincere pat on one of the back doors. She has gotten used to treating the car similar to a pet, “but seriously: We’ve been trying this at every angle, and as cool as Guenivere is, she can’t magically shapeshift”

“Magically shapeshift”, Barely repeated her last words, suddenly deep in thought, before an “ohhhh”, sound escaped him, “wait here my lady, I’ll be back in a sec”

“O...k”, she said, a little confused.

Five minutes later, she saw Ian storm out of his house, his hands clenched around his magic staff, with Barley closely behind him. “WHAT'S THE EMERGENCY?”Ian yelled as he came to a hold, which caused his brother to almost crash into him.

“I need you to make Guenivere big enough so that our self made double-decker couch fits into her”, Barely explained, breathing as though he had just run from death.

For a moment nobody said anything to that before Ian and y/n both shouted

“WHAT?”,at the same time.

“So much for an emergency”, Ian also mumbled, a little annoyed at his brother's antics.

“I mean: If she’s too small, then we can just make her bigger, right?”

“Technically yes but I think you didn’t consider a very small, tiny detail”, Ian commented.

“And what would that be?”, Barley asked irritated, not understanding what the issue was.

“You are aware as a supposed magic expert, that I can’t only enlarge the trunk, right? I would have to make the entire car big, and that would lead-”

“-to the entire street being filled with the car”, y/n finished the thought, apologetically laying her hand on Barleys shoulder, “I’m sorry my love. It was a nice thought”

“Dang it”, Barley breathed out, “I was looking forward to make my own uber-van-couch-double-decker-business”

“Hm”, y/n simply hummed. She had known from the beginning it would probably go south, but his enthusiasm had given her hope.

“Sorry Barley”, Ian said quietly, now feeling bad for having been so harsh beforehand , before slowly heading inside again.

Y/n and Barely sat down on the edge of Guenivere’s trunk, tired and disappointed that it all hadn’t turned out like they wanted as they looked at their creation.

Y/n leaned against Barley’s shoulder, lovingly rubbing her cheek against him like a cat (she loved doing that).

After a while Barley decided he had enough of sulking, standing up to go to the front to put on some good old metal (which luckily she enjoyed too).

As he however returned to the trunk, he noticed some ropes laying around.

He had used ropes last time to tie up some of the material he had bought for their project, so they wouldn’t move around- what if though…

“Ok I’ve had enough”, Barley decided, “I WILL have my double-decker-couch-van for more people to ride with me and my buddies and if its the last thing I’m gonna do!”

“Barley, what are you-”, y/n wanted to ask, but as she saw him pick up the ropes from the trunk floor, she understood, “- Are you sure this will work out?”

“Nope”, he answered truthfully, “but I will surely try!”

She was still skeptical, but at the same time she would try anything with him, and if it meant helping him tie a double-decker-couch to the roof of his van.

“If you believe it can be done, I will too”, she smiled, giving him a quick peck on his cheek, “let’s do this!”

It was eight p.m. The sun was almost behind the horizon and the streetlamps threw dodgy looking lights in the middle of the street and kept the corners dark.

But the elven couple, who stood in front of a yellow van with a double-decker couch tied to its roof, couldn't help but see what they had accomplished: Which was accomplishing what, at least the female elf, had thought was impossible… yet again.

“I can’t believe that worked”, Y/n mumbled.

“Told ya”, Barley hushed back.

“Should we drive around? See if anyone is crazy enough to go on a drive?”, she asked.

“You bet we are. And tomorrow… and whenever we can. I’ll be the driver and you the tourist guide.. or maybe some kinda sturdess, after all you’re good lookin’”

“Oh hush”, she giggled, visibly blushing

“And-”, he continued, though not without giving her a good wink after his compliment, “then we’re gonna show the dear people of this town another perspective to life”

“That we can promise”, she laughed, “that we sure can”

[x-reader-theater]

Hey first I want to tell you that I love your blog and writing so thank you for writing and sharing it with us!!!

And I was wondering maybe a Spencer x reader or a team x reader and the reader got a high emotional intelligence and it's help on cases but they realize to do so the reader had to put a little bit of themselves like if the case really rough they're more tired and just angst cause of that but a fluffy happy ending please?

Thank love you take care and drink water 💙

This reader is gender neutral since a gender was not specified. Also this is purely platonic but if you want some PolyBAU at some point in the future I am so down. I really hope I did this justice!

Warnings: Mentions vomiting.

@mystic-writes I love you. That's all. Also they edited this. XD

"So, how did you know Grant?" you ask the woman sitting in front of you. "He was my boyfriend. We've been dating for three years…" the woman says and you can see the sadness in her watery eyes. You feel your heart clench for her. "I can't believe he's dead…"

JJ looks at you, concerned when you don't tell her your follow up statement, so she says for you, "Grant was murdered by an unsub who's been proving these men are unfaithful."

"What? Grant would- he wouldn't- you don't mean…" the woman trails off, and she puts her head in her hands as she begins to sob.

You feel your chest tighten and you suddenly feel like you can't breathe. You shut your eyes before wrenching them open and getting out of your chair, beelining it out of the small room. You run through the precinct and out through the front doors into the cold, winter air of New York City. What you hoped would be less stuffy is actually worse, and you look around for a trashcan.

Seeing one, you bend over it and vomit up your breakfast. Or what little is left of it.

As your body heaves, you feel a comforting hand on your back and Emily says quietly, "Shhh, it's okay…"

You cough a couple times as your body tries to expel anything else, but nothing comes up. Eventually, you're just panting over and spitting into the trash can every few seconds. You pull away and sigh deeply, taking the handed napkin and wiping your mouth with it.

"Are you okay?" Emily asks and you nod.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm just not feeling very good," you say, and she nods, rubbing your back again.

"Let's get you back inside and I'll get you some tea…"

You wave her off. "I can go back in on my own."

She looks at you dubiously before nodding. "Alright. I get you one of those expensive Starbucks teas you like." You nod at her, thankful, and walk slowly back inside.

You make your way into the back where the team has been set up, and you sit in one of the uncomfortable chairs, putting your head in your arms. You hear the door open and looking up you expect it to be Emily, but you see Derek instead. You groan and put your head back in your arms.

"Woah, what's the matter with you?" He asks.

"Go away."

You hear the chair next to yours pull out and he says, "No, something's wrong. Are you okay?"

You look up at him and snap with a glare, "I'm *fine* Morgan. Leave me alone."

He frowns as well, though a lot less maliciously and says, "Okay, what we're not going to do is yell at each other."

You look over at Derek from your arms and mutter, "Sorry."

"So, what's wrong?" He places a hand on your shoulder and you sigh.

"I just don't feel very good. I think I had a panic attack…" you trail off, looking away from him. He squeezes your shoulder and you lean into the touch.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" You shake your head and he squeezes your shoulder again before letting go.

He goes to leave, but you call out, "Wait." He stops and looks back at you right as he's at the door. "Can you turn off the lights?"

He nods and smiles, doing as you ask, plunging you into near darkness. You're so incredibly thankful for the darkness. The headache that's pounding at your temples lessens slightly.

The door opens again and something is placed in front of you. Looking up, you see it's a hot Starbucks drink and you grab it, wrapping your fingers around it. It's too hot to drink, but it gives you some feeling in your fingers.

Emily quickly leaves the room, passing Hotch who enters next. He goes to flick on the lights, but at your very visible wince, doesn't. He walks over to the table and sits down in front of you.

"JJ said you ran out of your interview…" Hotch says calmly and you nod. "Is there a reason why?"

You pause at that, trying to pinpoint the exact thing that made you run out. But, it isn't just one thing. It's multiple.

"I just- she lost her boyfriend. They were probably going to get engaged, get married, and the whole time he was cheating on her. First she has to deal with the fact he's dead, and now that he's been cheating on her this whole time, and god! What if it isn't such a bad thing he's dead! I mean, what if he deserves it!" you exclaim.

"You don't mean that." Hotch says it as a statement, not a question, and it makes you pause.

You sigh. "No. I don't. I just- I feel her pain. And I'm just… overwhelmed I guess."

Hotch nods. "Go back to the hotel. We can handle the case. Take Reid with you. You're rooming together and he needs sleep as well."

You frown. "Are you sure? I'm able to help I-"

"I'm sure," Hotch cuts you off. "You need sleep. He does too."

And with that, Hotch gets up and leaves the room. You sigh and grab everything you need before leaving. You blink as the bright fluorescent lights of the station only help to aggravate your headache, but you walk over to Spencer and place a hand on his shoulder.

"We're supposed to go back to the hotel," you say.

He frowns. "I still have work to do. I'm in the middle of our geo-profile."

You shrug. "Hotch's orders. And besides. You only have two bodies. You'll need a third if that's ever going to be accurate. Come on. Get some sleep," you say, squeezing his shoulder and pulling him towards the door.

"Okay, okay. Let me get my stuff."

You nod and wait for him to put his files into his messages bag and slip it over his head, before walking over to you.

You leave the precinct and start the short walk to the hotel. Spencer bumps his shoulder with yours, his hands in his pockets, as he asks, "Everything alright?"

You nod and put your own hands in your pockets, the chill of the air biting into your skin. "Yeah. I just… this case is really difficult. And having to talk to the victim's families… I guess it's just too much this time," you explain. "I just feel too much and I don't want to. Usually I can tell what someone is thinking and empathize with them, even the unsubs, and it gets us out of plenty of scrapes, but today I just… don't care about the victim. Like, I feel like I don't care if they live or die. And… and that scares me."

You sigh as you pour your feelings out to Spencer, who reaches over and wraps an arm around you. He stops and pulls you into a hug, something he's only done once, and you wrap your arms around his middle.

"It's okay to be scared," he murmurs and you nod. He holds you for a few more moments before pulling away and smiling at you. "Let's get some dinner before we go to sleep. We could both eat, and we're not technically working right now…"

You smile and nod, squeezing his arm as he leads the way.