#I am proud of the fire clips

[personinthepalace]

Everybody (Backstreet's Back) - Mischief Movie Night is Back!

Mischief Movie Night is currently playing at the Other Palace Theatre until 1 September 2024!

[khiquii]

Ahhhh!!!! After months of planning and drawing, here’s the art I made for @bylerbigbang !!!! I was paired with the lovely @ratherbeyouthful as my fic author and I had the most fun creating this illustration for her fic, heaven help a fool who falls.

GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!! It’s so beautifully written and has some of the best lines I've had the pleasure to read in a fic.

[dbphantom]

As shitpost-y as my own YouTube videos are, the good ones are like cocomelon to me bc I just sat here for a solid 15 minutes watching a 30s clip over and over again because it's just the right level of stimulation for me to zone tf out

Unfortunately I had ice cream. Had... :(

edit: here you can zone tf out while watching it too we can hold hands in the astral plane [but also be careful flashing lights]

[sanguineterrain]

Hi again 😊 You suggested i could send another prompt, sooo… maybe you & Jason have been together awhile, and you’re kidnapped by (choose your villain) and Jason is worried and frantic but trying to not show it of course, and negotiating for your safety? Ends up rescuing you of course, in whichever way you prefer, and then they find comfort in each-other 💗

I haven’t had time or energy to work on my WIP lately so this is very lovely and gratifying 😂👌🏻💗

aghh that's the worst! wishing you luck on your wip!! i'm glad you like these <3 requests are open for jason, dick, and MAWS!clark kent btw!

this one is very batfam focused hehehe. ft dramatic ass jason and his surprise kidnapped fiancé lol.

jason todd x gn!reader. tw: violence, kidnapped reader, reader is pushed off a building for a moment but they're okay dw <3, batfam feels, jason being a protective bf, bruce being a GOOD DAD! c:

****

"Actually, if we're being honest, if anyone has the most trauma in this family, it's—"

Batman grunts. "Really, Spoiler, not now."

The comm line crackles as Stephanie sniffs. "Fine. Stay in denial."

"Bats."

Every bat and bird in Gotham goes still.

"Hood?" Barbara asks carefully, already tracking his comm link.

"Oracle," he says, clipped. "I'm gonna get right to it: I need a favor. Can you help? Yes or no."

"Little Wing, where have you been?" Dick asks. "We've all—"

"Shut up, Nightwing," Jason growls. "Either you help me or not. Which is it?"

"We'll help you, Hood," Bruce says, voice washing over Jason like a balm.

Jason takes a deep breath. It's okay. He'll find you. Batman always beats the bad guys.

He fiddles with his jacket zipper. Moments tick by. Dick remains crouched on a rooftop. Damian is similarly poised.

"My..." Jason swallows. "My... fiancé's been taken."

The comm explodes with noise. Jason winces and digs the bud out of his ear for several seconds.

"Fiancé?!"

"You're getting married—"

"When was this—"

"Who are—"

"Enough," Jason growls, finally shoving the bud back into his ear. "I don't have fucking time for this. Yes, I am engaged, and they've been taken. No more questions."

"Tt. You are engaged? Impossible. Batman, clearly someone has hacked the line pretending to be Hood," Damian says, folding his arms.

Jason rolls his eyes. "Believe it or not, demon bird, I found someone crazy enough to marry me."

"Little Wing, I—I'm really proud of—"

"Shut up!" Jason pinches the bridge of his nose. This was a bad idea. You're in trouble, and Jason intends to tear Gotham apart to find you, but involving his family? Has he really stooped so low...

Deep breath. His focus is you. You're the only person that matters.

"Look, I'm telling you because Oracle's tracking me anyway, and B would snoop until he figured out who I'm really looking for, so it's easier to just tell you. But make no mistake: you aren't my family, and you won't see us again after tonight."

Bruce's throat tightens. His cape flutters in the wind.

"Very well," he says after a couple beats. "Last known location?"

"I'm sending you the address now. I've retraced my steps a hundred times though, and I can't—" Jason grits his teeth. He can't tear up or break things, not again. "Fuck. I can't fucking find them, B. I... I don't know if-if maybe I'm too late—"

"You're not," Dick says automatically. "We'll find them, Little Wing. We'll bring them home."

****

Your head is on fire.

It feels like there's a thousand needles pelting your skull. Whatever you were drugged with, it's hard stuff, and it hasn't worn away yet.

You look up; you're gagged and tied to some kind of support beam. As your vision clears, you see that you're in one of the new high rise-in-progress. Only the skeleton of the building has been completed because if Bruce Wayne isn't involved, construction takes forever to complete.

Faintly, you recall Jason mentioning something about a construction company leaving half finished projects across the country and using them as havens for criminal activities.

Yeah. This is not good.

"Where the fuck is he?" The voice echoes across the concrete floor foundation.

"Mike, we sent—"

"I don't give a fuck what you did; obviously, you screwed up! He's not coming!"

You close your eyes, trying not to throw up on your gag. Your head spins when you open your eyes again.

Who's not coming? Your rescuer? Or somebody worse than your kidnappers?

You try to take a deep breath, but your chest tightens instead.

"Fine," Mike barks in the adjacent room. "If that hooded psychopath doesn't show up, we'll just dump this one. That'll send a message. Prepare the explosives."

A door swings open, and you flinch. You cower, shrinking from the figure.

"You better hope he shows," the guy growls, and cocks his gun. "Your boyfriend is the only reason you're still alive. It'll be such fun to watch him fall to his death, don't you think?"

You try not to show your swelling panic. How does he know about you and Jason? And you have to warn him. Explosives. Jason's walking straight into a trap, without backup, because you know he'll be alone. He always works alone.

Mike sneers and waves the gun around.

"Oh, yeah. I know your secrets. In bed with Gotham's biggest crime lord. You must be his favorite. I can see why."

"Mike!" someone shouts. "We got company!"

Mike's eyes blaze cruelly. "Showtime. You're coming with me."

You thrash as hard as you can because if there's one thing Jason taught you, it's to always fight back.

Mike backhands you hard enough to send you sprawling. Your hands are bound, so you can't catch yourself, and you hit your head on the concrete. Blood pools in your gums.

"Try that shit again, bitch," he snarls, and hefts you up.

He drags you up a flight of stairs. Your head throbs, and now your jaw aches. You're too dizzy to try to fight back again.

You end up on the roof, which is a miasma of beams and wooden lattices. Wind cuts through your face, and you close your eyes so they don't water.

"Hood!" Mike crows. "Wonderful of you to join us!"

"Wish I could say the same," Jason says, and your heart leaps at the sound of his voice.

You start to shout through your gag because you have to warn him. It's a trap, he'll kill you both—

Mike wraps his arm around your throat and squeezes. Air stops, and you choke on your cries.

"I'll kill you," Jason snarls, and you know he wants to say more, but he's trying to protect you. "Let them go and maybe I won't break every bone in your body."

"Oh, don't worry. You two will be reunited soon. What is it they say? Love blinds you?"

"Michael Cassidy," a new voice says, deep and deadly. "Let go of the hostage. We can talk this out."

You crack open your eyes. Is that... Batman? And Robin? And... Nightwing? What—

The arm around your throat tightens and you gasp for air as you start to choke for real. Oh God. Batman's going to die because of you.

"You involved Batman?" Mike snarls, now truly irate. You feel yourself being dragged backward, toward the edge. Your stomach rolls in warning.

"Take it easy," Batman says, palms up. "We can work this out."

"You can't play fair?" Mike shouts. "Then neither will I!"

The wood beneath your feet is gone. You're falling.

"No!"

But no sooner than you fall are you caught. Warm arms encircle your waist, and you're jerked to a stop before you can fall more than a few feet.

"I got you, baby, I got you."

Jason is connected to a grapple. At the roof edge is Batman, Nightwing, and Spoiler, all holding the grapple.

You shake your head, screaming against your gag. Bomb. Bomb!

"'S alright, 's alright, sweetheart, I won't drop you."

You scream urgently through your gag, butting your head against his helmet. Jason pulls your gag half free and you choke out the warning.

"B-bomb!"

His grip tightens. "Shit. B, get out of here! Place is rigged to blow!"

The first explosion goes off. Jason meets your gaze. He's terrified, you can tell, but he tries to mask it.

"Let go," he says.

"Wh—"

"He'll catch you," Jason promises. "I trust him."

And then he lets go.

Several more explosions go off. The building begins to crumble. Dust and heat sweep across your face and lodge in your already sore throat. You scream, in the air for a few more seconds.

Then you crash into gray body armor. A cowl, a cape.

"It's alright," Batman gruffly says. "Hold on tight."

Batman swings you both to safety on an adjacent rooftop. You watch him dive back into the flames. It isn't long before Jason swings out of the smoke, then the others. He pulls off his helmet and tosses it to the side, arms open.

You run and bury your face in Jason's neck, clinging to him. He hugs your tightly and rubs your back, saying over and over, I got you.

You sigh and slacken out of exhaustion.

"I've got you, baby," he says, though his voice is wet this time. "You're safe."

Jason checks over your wounds. You see the rage cross his face several times at every bruise and cut on you. He doesn't let go of you even after he's done. He's shaking too, perhaps more than you, as he cuts your binds and completely removes your gag.

The Bats land gracefully behind you. Jason stiffens as they do.

You kiss his jaw. His gaze returns to you.

"You saved me," you say.

"I always will," he says. "Always."

"Are either of you injured?"

Batman suddenly swishes to your side. You blink, startled.

"Nothing serious," you say. Jason grunts unhappily at that. You manage a smile. "Thank you. All of you. Thank you so much."

Jason nods stiffly. "Thanks, Bats."

Nightwing smiles, face soft with affection. "'Course, Hood. And, uh, Hood's fiancé. We're there any time you need us."

"That's right, chum," Batman says. The obvious care in his voice makes you ache.

Jason had called his family. His family with whom he has a plethora of problems. He'd called them for you.

"Jay," you say, voice thick with emotion. He seems to understand instantly.

"I'll always bring you home," he vows, cupping your face. "Whatever it takes."

He pulls you to him like he can't bear to be away from you any longer.

You squeeze his wrists. "I know. It's okay, Jay. I'm okay."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see that the Bats still have not dispersed. Spoiler looks like she's about to melt into a puddle. Nightwing is the same. Even Batman looks a little sentimental.

Robin is the only one scowling, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Hood, are you not going to introduce your fiance-we-just-learned-existed-tonight?" Robin asks, arms folded.

Jason huffs. "Not with those manners, demon brat."

You roll your eyes and extend your hand to Batman. You say your name, smiling.

"It's an honor to meet you, sir," you say.

Batman laughs, and it sounds a little fond. It's also kind of weird to hear Batman laugh. "No sir necessary. It's equally an honor to meet the person my son is marrying."

Jason makes a choked little noise. You beam.

"Well," Batman murmurs. "We'll let you two get home. We'll track down the rest of Michael's thugs—"

"Come to the wedding," Jason blurts.

Batman stills. "Me?" he asks carefully.

"Everybody," Jason says, tugging you into his side. "Uncle Clark, Aunt Diana, Selina, your ten thousand kids, everyone."

He turns to you. "I-I mean, as long as that's okay with you, baby."

"Oh, Jay. It's your family. Of course I want them to come." You lean in to whisper in his ear. "I'm proud of you."

"Little Wing, c'mere!"

Nightwing tackles Jason in a hug, then drags Robin, who protests loudly, in by his cape. Spoiler snaps a picture from the sideline.

"Now that's adorable," she says.

Batman looks at you. He removes his cowl, and you gasp quietly. He smiles, and it makes him look decades younger. You guess he hasn't smiled much since he lost Jason.

"Thank you," he says.

You tilt your head. "For what?"

"For bringing him back to us."

You duck your head. "Oh, Mr. Wayne, that wasn't me—"

"Bruce," he corrects gently. "And it was. You played a bigger part than you know. You saved him. Thank you."

[itsthestutterforme]

Terrible Liar (Jack Reacher Drabble)

Summary: You were sparing with a coworker when he got a little rough, leaving you with a bruised cheek. You avoided Reacher for as long as you could but it didn’t last very long.

Warnings/Notes: GIF is not mine, all mistakes are my own, protective Reacher, soft!Reacher, and a little sub!Reacher 👀, sexual themes (riding, p in v penetration), MINORS DNI

Prompt credit @writing-with-emy : “Are you sure I can’t punch him in the face?” “Yes,” “What if I just break his nose a little?”

“He’s wound up tight again. This is our second missed bust and he’s starting to get a little angsty.” Neagley explains to you over the phone.

“He’ll catch on if we keep doing this, Neagley.” You tell her.

“Or maybe he already knows and doesn’t mind seeing your pretty face.” She jests and you grimace, staring at your reflection through the glass in your cubicle

“What just happened?” She asks. “What are you talking about, Corporal?” You fire back.

“You just made a face,” “And the how did you- I’m not going to ask. I was sparring with Tiago the other day and his elbow clipped my cheek.”

“Shit,”

“Yeah,” you said with a sigh. You’re not proud of it, but you’ve been avoiding Reacher for this very reason.

It doesn’t matter if you said it was an accident or not. If it was a man who did it, he would hold him responsible. Everything was black and white with him.

Your relationship with Reacher teeters between friends and.. something else.

Neither of you or him decided to put a label on it. But two things are known to everyone with eyes.

You don’t mess with the special investigators.

And if you touch Y/N, you’ll end up with a broken jaw.

“Well if anyone can keep him relaxed, it’s you.” “Come on, please.” She adds when you hesitate and you let out a groan of frustration.

“Fine,”

**

No one could miss the way Reacher’s shoulders relaxed when he walked back to his desk to find you sitting in his chair sipping on your milkshake.

Neagley and David found it particularly fascinating to see the hard, mountain of a man turn to mush at the mere sight of you.

“Isn’t it my favorite mountain man,” you tease, sliding the to go box from his favorite soul joint across the desk.

You place a brown bag on top of the to go container and a smile threatens to spread on Reacher’s face.

“Are those..?” He starts.

“Of course,” you take another sip of your milkshake and he digs into the bag, popping a hush puppy in his mouth with a satisfied hum.

“Is this to distract me from the fact that you’ve been avoiding me?” He starts, reaching back into the bag.

“I have not been avoiding you, Reacher.” “No?” “No,”

He stares at you for a moment and when you realize what he was doing, you set your milkshake down. Standing from the chair, you crossed your arms as you neared him.

Neagley and David watch the entire interaction like it’s their favorite sitcom. Which it is.

“You’re not trying to intimidating me like I’m one of your soldiers, are you Reacher?”

“Not at all,” he examines your features, his gaze falling to your bruising cheek that you covered with make up this morning.

“Please tell me you’re a better liar than this when you’re on missions,” you retort.

“I’m a better liar than you. That’s for sure.” “Do you really want to talk about who’s better?”

He reached back into the bag but you snatched the hush puppy out of his hands and took a bite out of it. He was shocked but not entirely surprised at the betrayal.

“I’m going to take a wild guess and say that the reason why you’re avoiding me has something to do with the make up on your face. Am I right?”

You finished the hush puppy and reached for your milkshake. “It’s just a scratch,” he finally pried out of you.

“From?” “Sparring with a friend,”

As amazing as the food smelled, it was long forgotten at his point. “Which friend?”

“Reacher,” “Answer the question,” he crosses his arms. “It was an accident,”

“No, the person was irresponsible when they weren’t practicing self control. It’s sparring, not boxing.” He seethes.

“He didn’t mean to. He apologized.”

His face hardens when you mention a him, although he suspected it was a man.

“I don’t care. I bet it was his idea, wasn’t it? To spar with you.” “Yes, but-” “Because he found you attractive and wanted an excuse to touch you,” he said matter of factly.

You were about to object but then you pondered about the past interactions you’ve had with Tiago.

You guess you could say that he’s been testing the waters with lingering touches and you subtly created distance between you.

You didn’t see Tiago as anything else besides a coworker honestly.

“You think so?”

“One hundred percent. In their eyes, you’re attractive and single so you’re considered free game.” He clarifies, clenching his jaw.

“That would be their mistake, wouldn’t it?” You state, causing him to look at you. He didn’t miss how your eyes drifted to his lips before returning to his eyes.

**

“Fuck, keep doing that.” He groans, his grip tightening on your hips as you bounced on his cock. His body twitched when you clenched around him hard.

Throwing your head back when the tip of his cock thrums over a gspot deep inside of you. His hands slide from your hips and wraps his arms around your chest to hold you in place when he drills into you from below.

You bounced quicker on him and a breath gets caught in his throat when he cums into the condom.

Your legs started to tremble when you slow your movements and rest your hands on his thick chest as you both tried to control your breathing.

Leaning up, he cupped the back of your head and pressed a messy kiss on your lips.

You lift your hips a bit and he slides out of you, not breaking the kiss just yet. He finally pulls away from you and takes off the condom before tossing it in your trash can in the bathroom.

“Well that was..” “Long overdue?” You finish and he chuckled before adding, “Definitely over due,”

You rolled on your back when you felt a cold air blowing from the vents. You snuggled deeper into the sheets but goosebumps still littered your skin.

“Cold already?” He states when he comes back into the bedroom to see you shivering under the covers.

“Don’t patronize me, mountain man.” You retort and he shakes his head at your antics.

He slides under the covers and wraps an arm over your frame to effortlessly pull you into his side.

You sigh when he rubs his warm hands over your smooth, bronze skin all the way to your ass.

“You’re really good at that you know,” “Mm, I know.” You smiled, relishing the moment his eyes rolled back when you first sank onto him.

“You’re really pretty when you do it too,” he brushes his nose against yours against yours.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Reacher.” You say against his lips, not wanting to kiss him just yet.

“Give me ten minutes and I’ll gladly finish it.” He kisses you slow and passionately, his tongue smoothing over yours.

He cups your cheeks and you wince when his thumb grazes over the sensitive skin on your cheek.

“Sorry,” he apologizes when he pulls away from your face.

“It’s okay,” “No it’s not. Tell me who did this to you.”

“I’ll find out either way, Y/N.” He adds when you hesitate. “I’ll only tell you if you let me handle it first.”

“Fine,” “It was Tiago,” “That fucking prick,” he says lowly, gripping your thigh harshly.

“Are you sure I can’t punch him in the face?” He attempts to negotiate. “Yes,” “What if I just break his nose a little?”

“Reacher,” you scold.

[vintagegeekculture]

RIP Tracy Tormé, Creator of the "Holodeck Malfunction Episode" and Sliders

Tracy Tormé’s most enduring legacy in popular culture is that, while a writer on TNG’s tempestuous first and second seasons, he created the entire concept of the Holodeck Malfunction Episode.

Yes, even people who suggest you skip TNG’s first couple seasons say that “The Big Goodbye” is one you don’t want to miss. And there was a very nice tribute to Tracy Torme in an episode of Picard, which had him as the author and creator of Dixon Hill… which he is, and deserves credit for this.

I suppose I should mention I had a personal encounter with Tracy Tormé at a convention. The main thing I remember was that he looked absolutely terrified when someone asked him about what happened with “The Royale,” far and away TNG’s worst episode except the clip show, about the crew getting trapped on a hotel they can’t leave from a badly written book. To his great credit, he took responsibility for the episode not working and did not pass on the problems to the production crew.

The most extraordinary thing about Tracy Torme is that he had a Forrest Gump like ability to appear in the background of scifi culture’s greatest moments.

Not only was he inside the TNG writers’ room in 1987-88, he was around during the production of Terminator with James Cameron. Tormé was the one who, hearing about the production of the film, squealed on it to Harlan Ellison, telling Ellison that it was based on his old Outer Limits episodes, with a visual based on his script for “Demon With a Glass Hand.” In other words, he was the Gavrilo Princip who got that entire conflict started, where two of the most proud personalities in scifi butted heads, James Cameron vs. Ellison. Cameron, to this day, insists that the film company gave Ellison money and a credit because it was easier to pay him off than to go through litigation (which rings true, frankly, for risk averse production companies), and to this day Cameron insists, with his absolutely expected big dick swagger, that Ellison is a “parasite” who received money for nothing, and if it had been up to him, he wouldn’t have given him a dime.

It’s also worth mentioning that Torme also created the TV series Sliders.

Has anyone else noticed that Sliders is an incredibly right wing show? Seriously, watch it again if you haven’t seen it in years. If you haven’t watched this show since the 90s and you were a kid and all that went over your head, it’s kind of amazing how Limbaugh/Newt Gingrich era right-wing Sliders actually was. It made 24 look like Doonesbury. The targets of Sliders were 90s New Right satire: health care systems, infuriating hippies, the nanny state disallowing the public smoking of cigars, California weirdness, the drug culture, the USSR. Torme’s right wing views were less John Millius-style “blood alone moves the wheel of history” stuff, but more like that of a slobby regular joe in the 90s, Dennis Leary’s character in Demolition Man for instance, who mostly just wants to smoke cigars, ogle girls, and eat hamburgers without getting scolded by his wife. He was less “Passion of the Christ” and more “Animal House.”

I am not saying this as a negative, but merely a description. Contrary to popular belief, right wingers driven by bizarre sexual pathology and weird grudges produce amazing art, as Millius and John Swartzwelder show. A lot of Steven Universe fans love to say things like “all good art is about empathy and kindness” and I reject that notion. Good art can also be about reflecting things in the human experience like fear, trauma, cruelty, and paranoia.

For that reason, it doesn’t surprise me that Tracy Torme’s best movie script was a horror film about a traumatic experience, Fire in the Sky. An ominous movie about a vanished ranch hand who was the victim of alien abduction, in the earned finale the film’s tension builds toward, our hero remembers the true cause of his missing time: an abduction by aliens, who’s motives are emotionless and incomprehensible, and who subject him to horrific vivisection that we see in excruciating detail. Travis Walton is treated not with sadism or cruelty, but with icy detachment, by alien superintellects that view him as no different than cattle, and are to him as we are to cattle. The most terrifying detail of the film is that the classic “gray alien” look turns out to be spacesuits, revealing a far more frightening appearance underneath.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Mae West (She Done Him Wrong, I'm No Angel)— Legendary sex symbol. Like 500 vintage iconic quotes and double entendres. "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me? " "When I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad, I'm better" / "It's not the men in your life that count, it's the life in your men" / "I feel like a million tonight. But one at a time." , "Marriage is a fine institution, but I'm not ready for an institution. " / " How tall are you without your horse? Six foot, seven inches. Never mind the six feet. Let's talk about the seven inches! " Look the pictures don't do her justice just watch a compilation and tell me that voice doesn't do it for you

Flora Robson (Fire over England, Sarabande for Dead Lovers)— It's a testament to her power that despite an extensive film career, that a single role has cemented itself firmly in my mind as one of the best. That of Elizabeth I in Five over England

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut]

Mae West:

Her voice! Her body! She was thick as hell and SO confident.

Mae West is often called the queen of the sexual pun or innuendo, she was an early sex symbol and a comedy icon. She also has a quote saying "When I am good, I am very good. But when I am bad I am better!" which is possibly the peak of hot girl energy ever. (Including the clip here)

for an era that didn't have much wiggle room when it came to women that studios wanted in their films, it's refreshing that she was in her late 30s when she skyrocketed to movie fame. she was also curvy and witty and raunchy, an absolute icon!

She is an absolute icon, the OG sex symbol. Every word from her mouth was an innuendo and she was proud of it. I guess one could say she slayed. She got Cary Grant his first acting role, as well. How could you NOT vote for someone who says such iconic stuff as "I do all my writing in bed; everybody knows I do my best work there" or "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." SHE COINED THE PHRASE "IS THAT A GUN IN YOUR POCKET OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE ME?" I LOVE HER!!!

“I created myself and I never put up with sloppy work”-mae west

great short compilation of mae west mae westing:

She was a SEX GODDESS at a time when that was an extremely scandalous thing to be, and she worked it! She was sardonic, sarcastic, funny...and stacked! Favorite quote (from Night After Night, 1933): Random woman: Goodness! What beautiful diamonds! Mae West: Goodness had nothin' to do with it, dearie.

i personally love this silly production number from one of her lesser known movies

She was arrested for indecency and chose to serve 10 days in prison instead of paying the fine for the publicity, and she claimed that she refused to wear the ugly prison outfits so she wore her silk lingerie the entire time. Also one of the first historybound vintage fashion icons (although vintage for her was the Victorian era)

Flora Robson:

[andy-wm]

"I am Still - Jungkook"

The BangtanTV short:

Footage of JK performing, with voice-over: "Others should approve of it, that way I'd feel proud. I strive to be better too. I always say this, but ARMY always fires me up."

And then footage of him in a car.

"I just follow my own compass."

The clip ends with a close up of JK's hand, angled so his ring finger is closest to the camera.

It's pretty difficult not to focus on the JM tattooed on his finger...

"I just follow my own compass."

[quillyfied]

Alright, reacting messy and all over the place to this trailer, LET’S GO:

Okay, strong opening: hooded figures (one of whom is checking his watch, which is hilarious, but the skin of the hand also looks red, so probably demons?), red background (good argument for Pride), Blitzo getting IMP out of dodge and then IMMEDIATELY crashing the van, good for you bud I’m so proud (but not as proud as I am of Moxxie chewing Blitzo out without a single “sir” thrown in there). Couldn’t begin to guess when this takes place, but since the van is crunched up later during a bit that is, I am 99% sure, Ghostfuckers, then this is probably Apology Tour. Hooded figures might not have anything to do at all with the gang running for it.

FIZZ THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A SEX TOY THAT IS TOO BIG. I’m not sure if you’ve found it but it’s close :P Lots of fun little clips, though Moxxie dodging a blue fire explosion in Lust doesn’t look good.

DHORKS AND CHERUB WORKING TOGETHER I KNEW IT I HECKING KNEW IT I’M SO MAD I NEVER MADE A POST ABOUT IT BECAUSE I’VE BEEN SO CERTAIN OF IT FOR MONTHS NOW. AAAARGH. AND I CAN’T PROVE IT!! But look at Collin, he looks so unsure compared to the other two. Poor guy. Okay, Blitzo is leaving a card of some sort in front of Agent One, and he’s using the crystal, so this is very much giving me Mastermind vibes (or even Sinsmas, if it's after the conflict and this is just Blitzo messing with them now). Humans being able to open a portal to Hell…that ain’t good!

Something coming at the gang from…looks like their office? And it’s round and spiky…could be whatever it is that’s making them go on the run, whenever that is (Apology Tour is my current guess).

CLETUS IS IRON MAN NOW.

(Listen I’ve been having visions about Blitzo being on trial for stirring up so much crap in the human world that it’s started to have repercussions in Hell so the fact that there seems to be a meeting or trial of some sort later having to do with Stolas is making me think maybe I’m a prophet. I’ll maybe explain more later in a different post but dropping it here bc it’s part of my thought process right now.)

Blitzo why did you give your fake ID such a rack and then neglect it as part of your human disguise XD I’m disappointed in you, babe. I’m also wondering what in the unholy hell a demon wants with a haunted house on Earth (and if that’s Leviathan like many people have been speculating, what is A DEADLY SIN doing in a HAUNTED HOUSE on EARTH???). (Also that is the single most awkward angle of Blitzo of all time, why on earth is he wearing white leggings because if he was naked we would be seeing some pixelation here…unless imps can retract their junk, which I’m open to.)

Ooh, quick shot of Loona operating a machine gun in Lust! Nice! (Hey quick Q where’s Blitzo in all of this??)

Helloooooo, Vassago! Excited to meet you! Really looks like there’s some sort of trial or meeting in Pride and Stolas might be either the topic of discussion or literally on trial, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to have Andrealphus trying to get Stolas demoted or something similar without Stolas even being there. So Vassago actually wanting him present looks good on him for now. But this is a trailer, things can be misleading, but anyone who looks that fed up when dealing with Andrealphus can’t be all that bad :P Thinking this is also during Mastermind, or possibly Sinsmas.

Okay, first really significant shot I’m noticing of short-sleeve Blitzo makes me think it might be Full Moon, because he’s sort of off to the side while the focus is on Stolas talking about how this transactional thing between them isn’t right anymore. Though. Hmm. Stolas is in full regalia for this. And there’s a shot later of short-sleeve Blitzo trying to go for Stolas’ hand and winding up outside (portal? Didn’t seem like it) and Stolas is in his robe when that happens. Musical number with metaphorical sequences? I am jumping in here to correct myself bc I forgot that Stolas’ fancy cloak and romper are both red. Heck. Why does this show only have two colors XD

Sun/moon seems to be during Apology Tour, if that’s when Stolas and Verosika are on a stage together.

And short-sleeve Blitzo with a Dankee Candle, good on you man XD (that’s been one of the more compelling arguments for short-sleeve Blitzo being during Sinsmas, not Full Moon, because gift-giving, but the bits of deep conversation that keep happening with Blitzo in short sleeves sound very much like a conversation that needs to happen during Full Moon and I can’t imagine they’ll wait an entire season for it).

Now the heart-rending bit that’s definitely during a musical number with kiddo Stolitz and then grownup Stolitz, currently voiced over that heart-stabbing “you think you can toy with our feelings because we’re smaller and less important” monologe from Blitzo, it’s FINE I’M FINE (Though…looking really closely…I am not sure if that’s when that monologue occurs? The mouth movements ever so slightly don’t match up. But animation technically has some leeway when it comes to that kind of thing.)

OKAY CALLING IT NOW, TEEN BLITZO AND TILLA SCENE IS DURING GHOSTFUCKERS. I don’t even think it’s a flashback, I just think Blitzo’s brain is being fucked with and he’s seeing his mom and visually reverting back to a teenager. The carpet behind Blitzo and the lighting are mostly what I’m basing this on. Also how fucked up would it be if Blitzo sees a ghost of his mom only for it to reflect his internal monologue about how terrible he is back at him, amirite :P

Okay sassy short-robe Stolas is Apology Tour, calling it now; he and Blitzo have “we’re about to hatefuck” energy off the charts and Stolas in particular is being so bitchy and petty-looking. And angry. And kinda sad. Am I ready for their breakup era to be full of bickering? Yes. Yes I am. I’m also skeptical that the smile that’s on Blitzo’s face during Stolas’ sarcastic little bow is going to be the expression on his face when the episode comes out, but I’m ready to be surprised.

HELLOOOOOO NURSE! YES TODAY SATAN! (Deeply curious about who’s the disgrace, have a current bet going on whether it’s Ozzie or possibly even Stolas, but I could be pleasantly surprised and it’s Mammon :P) Pretty sure the trial/meeting is happening during Sinsmas, actually, it would be too funny to call an episode that when introducing a new Sin. Also short moment to appreciate that Mammon brings fidgets to meetings, of course he does. My guy. My dude. Also his reaction is what makes me think Satan is talking to Ozzie, because Mammon would have no reason to look that gleeful at anyone but Ozzie.

WHERE DID BLITZO GET THAT SWORD THO. (AND ALSO HOW BADLY IS IT ACTUALLY GONNA FUCK UP ANDREALPHUS’ WHOLE DAY BECAUSE THAT’S DEFINITELY ANDREALPHUS ABOUT TO COME DOWN ON THEM LIKE A SACK OF FROZEN HAMMERS) Blitzo trying to protect Stolas, kill me ;A; Stolas looks like he’s in regalia, though sans cloak or hat…why is he at Andrealphus’ place, and why is it looking like he can’t fight back? Stripped of his powers, maybe? Anyway this is Sinsmas, no doubt about it, it’s got season finale energy.

If the haunted house guy is actually Leviathan, I have SO MANY QUESTIONS.

Why is IMP in Lust getting attacked by CHERUB/DHORKS? I have more questions.

“Everyone’s shitty, we live in Hell!” Valid, but also, cop-out.

I’m very curious about what is making Blitzo make that face, because it’s not the cake; it looks like Verosika is cutting it but then she’s also sitting next to him on the railing where he’s sitting, so…? Anyway, it’s Apology Tour, and can I just say how EXCITED I am to get to know more about what happened with Blitzo and Verosika and maybe see some closure for them both on that front? Because YIKES their dynamic means there is a good, juicy story behind it. But also, Blitzo why are you wearing a bloodstained sheet?? (Presumably to sneak around but why did he choose THAT OBJECT, is really my question.)

Millie fighting possibly possessed Blitzo and what appears to be a flashback to Millie and Blitzo’s first fight (could be a time skip but it makes more sense for it to be a flashback given Millie’s hair and Blitzo’s fashion) (side note but dammit why are they both so hot) let me know something new about myself, and it’s how very, very much I want to see Millie and Blitzo kicking the crap out of each other XD Blitzo and Moxxie got to spill their guts in a drug-induced hallucination; I want Blitzo and Millie to fight each other bloody. They’re bonding and sharing deep intimate feelings, guys :P

And the Millie voiceover where she’s telling Blitzo how much he takes from others? Probably during whatever weird hallucination (PLEASE be a hallucination) involves Millie with tied wrists, a branch in her hair, and a ton of glass sticking out of her eye. Ghostfuckers, perhaps? Would make the most sense but how much stuff could that episode POSSIBLY have, oh my word.

(Short-sleeved Blitzo dropping a ton of paperwork on Moxxie also makes me think that’s his date outfit for Full Moon; can’t do this mountain of paperwork, sorry Mox, he has a daaaaate)

Panning to Verosika at the part when she gets to “and leave them worse than when you found them” holy HELL

“Do you feel any remorse for the things you do” yeah somehow I think that’s aimed at Blitzo, y’all. Just from what we’ve seen of Stolas in that particular robe and his general expressions and actions that whole time, and the fact that he seems to be talking to Blitzo (if not an imagining of Blitzo) the whole time. But it panning to Andrealphus about to go super Saiyan does make me laugh super hard actually (bc NO THAT BITCH DOES NOT).

ENTIRE MOMENT OF BREATHLESS SILENCE FOR OCTAVIA CALLING STOLAS OUT. It’s been so complexly beautiful to watch this show not shy away from how much self-hatred and low self-worth hurts loved ones too, and especially to watch that play out with how Octavia and Stolas’ relationship is changing and hurting from Stolas himself changing and hurting, but to have it called out so bluntly really makes me wonder what in the high holy heck is about to happen and when this conversation takes place. I have a horror that it’s during Mastermind or whenever the trial/meeting is, because perhaps Andrealphus and Stella manage to turn Via on Stolas and tell her that whatever is about to happen to Stolas is deserved or for the best, but. Uh. Hmm. Hmmmm. (Because all of Stolas’ power and possessions passing to Via doesn’t mean that Via is old enough or prepared for them and giving them to her would put all that power somewhere that is potentially much easier to manipulate/control, but I have a lot of thoughts about how Stella feels about Via and how that colors how Andrealphus treads around the subject of Via when talking to Stella about her and it’s not for this trailer reaction.)

(Apology Tour involving not just apologizing to Verosika, but to Stolas, too? I can only hope, though it’ll be far from simple; I don’t think Stolitz is going to sort out their issues and get together fully this season, but I’m hoping for some steps.)

(Also PLEASE can we get some Stella development that maybe sheds some dimension on her spoiled brat personality)

VIA SONG VIA SONG VIA SONG VIA SONG (maybe about her own magic and her life and how it all kinda fell apart so fast even as she’s growing up so fast poor girl)

Pretty sure the mirrors shattering thing is happening during the Stolas Apology Tour song, but we’ll see. Gosh there’s gonna be a lot of songs this half of the season.

Millie getting a short is such a good thing for her as a character, but I also love that she’s getting an episode with Blitzo, because out of everyone at IMP, I’ve been waiting for her to be the one that Blitzo has a major breakdown in front of; seems like Ghostfuckers is going to give me my wish! I don’t think she’s gonna coddle him or be overly sweet about it, but I do think she has a way of getting through to him and handling him in a way he wouldn’t let Moxxie do and couldn’t handle Loona doing either. Tough love but sweet? Idk man. Unless this is the moment he starts getting possessed. Who knows.

I am SO CURIOUS about who is going through the movie of Blitzo’s past traumas where he ruins the lives of everyone he loves; I’ve heard speculation that it’s haunted house dude, which would match up with Blitzo having a nervous breakdown in Ghostfuckers, but I dunno.

Oh that soft Blitzo look from under the bloodstained sheet. Oh that happy smiling Stolas that I’m now more convinced is taking place in the same general episode, if not sequentially after each other like that. Blitzo goes from looking so miserable to maybe looking more hopeful. Or perhaps yearning. I’m not sure how to interpret the expression, it’s just really heart-wrenching okay. And Stolas is wearing the same outfit as he is when he’s onstage with Verosika so what even IS this episode.

The very businesslike way Stolas says “Thank you, Blitzo” before he softens up makes me think THAT is what’s gonna finish up the Full Moon argument, but it does make me wonder what on earth Blitzo says that gets Stolas acting the way he does in potentially the very next episode.

Overall it’s a well-produced trailer that I’m sure we’re all going to be dissecting frame by frame for a long time! Whee!

[dawnslight-aegis]

kaede's house lore walkthrough

I feel ridiculously self-indulgent today so I am going to take y'all on a guided tour of kaede's ingame house (crystal, malboro, mist, ward 19 plot 44, come visit it's nicer in person) with commentary on the decorations and lore behind them.

First off, the exterior!

before we go any further I would like you all to kindly pretend that the housing lottery DOESN'T hate me, and imagine that this is actually in the firmament. good? good.

due to its location and also some unfortunate exterior choices by my neighbors, the garden is not strictly canon-compliant, but it's close. especially the hot spring and training yard.

Foyer

here we have a large open entryway because I ran out of housing slots, with kaede's "war table" where she does all her mission planning (complete with much needed caffeine supply) and her adventuring alcove, aka the place she drops all her gear the moment she steps through the door.

of particular note: the gemseeker's pack (she's a goldsmith) and the flame armoire (a relic from her earliest adventuring days).

Kitchen

kaede doesn't cook, so the kitchen is pretty small and barebones, with at least half of it given over to alcohol storage. don't worry about it, she's fine. probably.

also from a decorating perspective, the kitchen is built over the stairwell to the unused basement, which I'm very proud of. if we ever get a housing item increase, I'll relocate the kitchen and bathroom to the basement lmao

Dining Room/Bar

the dining room features the first of our Elezen Man Portraits that kaede has scattered around her home. louisoix saved her parents at carteneau, so she has an enormous respect for the man. and overlooking the bar, on a nice warm hearth, is her portrait of Haurchefant. she wanted him to be somewhere welcoming.

of particular note: the food on the table was chosen to be lore compliant for kaede's favorite dinner guests -- the gourmet supper for herself, the high house supper set (what was served during the dinner date in 3.4) for aymeric, the alpine supper set (specifically mentioned as being special occasion food for rural ishgardians) for estinien, and the oriental supper for her nagxian co-wol, marz.

the servants are lore-compliant but they're not usually there -- they just come in every now and again to check on the place when kaede's gone.

Workshop

on the other side of the house is her crafting workshop! half of it is dedicated to her primary vocation, goldsmithing, while the other half is for less delicate metalwork (blacksmith and armorer). she also prefers to make her tea in here rather than venturing into her kitchen.

of particular note: the crystals on the floor are meant to be crafting crystals, and are wind/ice/fire/earth to correspond with the crystals required for the three crafting classes featured. the portrait of estinien is of...dubious lore-compliance. if it's actually there, she definitely just did it to annoy him. or because marz bought it and needed somewhere to store it. mostly it's there because I personally love estinien.

Stairwell/2nd Floor Hall

you might recognize that stairwell from basically any low effort gpose I've ever taken. yes I like window walls. anyway. the second floor hall is basically a trophy room -- kaede recently started keeping mementos from difficult/important battles. hydaelyn's crystal is given particular honor, while emet-selch and zodiark are banished to the far side of the stairwell so she doesn't have to think about them. it also features her paladin armor collection.

the house borel wallpaper is a little on the nose but I know what I'm about okay

Bedroom

do you know how hard it is to get a nice blue bed in this game? it's so annoying. the headboard is the footboard of an oasis canopy bed clipped into the wall, in case you were curious. I also keep waiting for them to put in a properly blue rug. anyway. also included is her letter-writing desk, and her vanity.

of particular note: the aymeric portrait is canon, the armor on the stand is the house fortemps chainmail she was given for the grand melee, the music boxes are prototypes for the ones she made for her clients in the GSM 60 quests. also she has a house borel teaset on her vanity next to her absurd collection of makeup and lotions.

Sitting Room/Library

perhaps in the hallway you noticed that the hydaelyn trophy's wings were oddly missing. that's because they are being used to frame the portrait of minfilia, who kaede cared for very much. you might also note my use of curtains instead of doors -- that's honestly just because enclosing rooms in this game makes me terribly claustrophobic. I don't think kaede is actually anti-door.

Drawing Room

one of my very favorite parts of the whole house, this room is given over to kaede's artistic pursuits -- namely, her love of piano, and her attempt at branching out from sketching into paint. she feels a great responsibility to depict the landscapes from her travels that most people will never see, and all the paintings on the wall in here are her work.

the "no entry" door goes to her bathroom, which is actually built in my FC chambers, since I ran out of space in my house. I was going to include it here, but tumblr is rude and only allows 30 images per post, sooo... some other time, maybe.

if you made it to the end of this, bless you for caring about my lizard and her lore <3

[theycallmeratt]

Flowers

"Your collection features a disturbing lack of consistency," Lae'zel said, somehow both looming over Wyll's shoulder and holding herself at perfect attention.

"It's not about visual appeal," Wyll explained. "It's a letter."

She snorted. "A letter. In flowers. When you have a functional set of written characters."

"It is a custom here to place flowers on graves. This year I'm telling mother of the people I have met." Most of Wyll's childhood had been spent behind a blade, but he'd always loved his mother's dried bouquets and spent many evenings poring over her books and notes to learn everything about each one.

Lae'zel quietly watched him tie individual bundles of clippings and arrange them in the larger one. "Which is me?"

"This." He pointed to it. One long stalk of proud red plumes, several inverted stalks of compact buds, and a collection of delicate, star-shaped flowers. Lae'zel's assessment was correct; they only suited each other in meaning. 

Lae'zel's lip curled into a sneer. "Showy. I am not showy."

"That is a gladiolus. A noble flower. It symbolizes integrity, strength, victory and loyalty."

Her face softened. "Accurate. What of the rest?"

"Borage. For bluntness. Directness."

The sneer was definitely a smile now. "And the one that is upside down?"

"Lavender."

"It smells… acceptable."

"Lavender, inverted, means trust. And tied with the ribbon on this side, it signifies that this spray represents my feelings towards you."

"You feel you can trust me."

He nodded.

"You will tie it both ways, then," she harrumphed. "What of the rest?"

He showed her Gale, with nightshade for magic, lupine for fascination and imagination, gathered around hollyhock for ambition and prolific creativity. Wyll was in two minds about stripping the blooms from the hollyhock and leaving only the buds. Stripping the ambition and leaving only the creativity. Hopefully next year.

Karlach's part, with chrysanthemum for positivity during suffering, zephyrlily for expectation of something awful (one he hoped to invert next year) and Fleur-de-Luce for fire and flames. The bundle for Tav, dahlia for leadership, in red for energy and yellow for friendship, lily of the valley for determination and daisies for hope. 

Shadowheart, with night orchid for moments of openness in the dark, forget-me-not—really a romantic flower, but he thought the theme applied strongly to her and he really would rather her not forget their friendship—and snapdragon, one upright and one inverted. One for lies told and secrets kept; one for lies admitted and secrets shared. 

Last was Astarion, the one he was most nervous about, although Astarion (as a complicated person) would likely appreciate the complicated meanings. Larkspur for levity and capriciousness, cockscomb for foppery and because it was named cockscomb, and hydrangea, which meant aloofness, a lack of sympathy, but also a gratefulness in being understood.

All of it was wrapped in ivy for friendship and loyalty, and surrounded by his mother's favorites. He added a ribbon around the massive bundle, finishing it with rosemary and clover. Remembrance and a promise to think of her.

"Apt," was all Lae'zel said.

~*~

A perfect, sunny morning, the perfect day to deliver his flowers. Wyll made his way to his mother's grave in the gardens of the Lower City. Her gardens; mother thought everyone deserved beauty.

"Your wad of weeds is lacking. Would that you use this to complete it."

Lae'zel, surprisingly. She raised her eyebrows, shifting her weight in a way that suggested nervousness. She thrust a small bouquet towards him and said, "The shop built it at my suggestion. They claim edelweiss is bravery and devotion, iris for valor, faith and hope, and monkshood for a chivalrous knight. I insisted that they used one that meant a 'fool who always must be the center of attention'. They did not comply."

"Narcissus, in the future."

"I will remember that."

He took it. "Whose is it?"

Lae'zel rolled her eyes. "Yours."

"I don't need–"

She sucked her teeth. "If it is as you say, a 'letter', to a woman who perished in your journey to this realm, then she cares not for us. You are her mission. Yours will be the first news she gets."

"Thank you," he said, lowering the bouquet to the grave.

"And for your outbursts, I have prepared handkerchiefs."

"I'm not going to cry," he laughed. "There was a time I would, but that is past. Now I'm sharing my happiness, not my grief."

She snorted. "And what of these weeds on her grave? I will remove them."

Wyll glanced at the plants, still young, then looked closer. Perhaps he shouldn't have dismissed Lae'zel's offer of handkerchiefs. "No. Leave them. They're a letter."

"Then it is not my concern. I will leave you to read it."

Wyll knelt by the grave, running his fingers over the flowers.

Celandine, volkamenia, ragweed. On a bed of moss, for a mother's love.

Happiness is coming. May you enjoy it. 

I love you, too.

[ammonitetheseaserpent]

What is with these newer generations and having easily some of my favorite gym leaders?

First in Galar, we’ve got icons like Allister, Melony, Nessa and Opal. Then over in Paldea, we’ve got Kofu the jovial, spirited pirate guy; Katy the sweet chef lady; Brassius the scruffy-looking yet dedicated ~artisté~ who made my day with his Sunflora test (I love Sunflora it’s so cUTE HHHHH- 💝💖); Ryme (I did NOT except our Ghost-type gym leader to be a rapper in a small candle-lit town atop a snowy mountain who has a full scene where she rap battles someone but I am HERE FOR IT); and Iono the perky streamer gal whose design still kinda intimidates me - like, during her debut trailer, she was SHOVING her face into the camera to show off her bright magenta eyes and, uh… shark teeth, and she’s got that MASSIVE poncho w/ the sleeve tags that look like they could do some damage if you happened to be in her way while she’s doing a twirl, and those huge freaking Magnemite hair clips - oh, and also Larry, who’s comically unenthusiastic, and who I was pleasantly surprised to find out was part of the Elite Four.

Oh, speaking of the Elite Four, I LOVE THEM TOO HHHHH- I like that you meet them a few times on the Victory Road path, and get to know them a little before battling them. Rika’s really cool, Poppy I was NOT expecting, and I am thoroughly impressed by her existence, and Hassel- he’s this steely, stoic, professional dragon man with fire in his eyes… who bursts into big, blubbery tears when you defeat him because of how proud he is of how far you’ve come - which I find simultaneously a bit funny and like… genuinely heartwarming and wholesome.

[hannahssimblr]

Chapter Sixteen

We talk for hours and hours as the light creeps across the floorboards and the sky takes on a lavender hue. Jude makes me laugh so much that my face hurts from it, and I’m hesitant to move, to get up to use the bathroom or to grab a glass of water in case I shift the vibe and he starts thinking about leaving, because I could sit here forever more and have him talk to me. 

My stomach ruins it in the end, by growling loud and long, and I clamp my hands over it as he raises his eyebrows. “Hungry?”

“We never had lunch.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we should get going.”

“Back to Dublin?”

“Unless you feel like eating the stale rice cakes in the kitchen cupboard.”

I would, if it meant I could stay, but saying things like that would make me seem far more desperate than I’d like to appear. 

“So what do you think, do you want to hit the road, or…” He trails off, leaving me with the impression that he has another option in mind. I raise my eyebrows. “Or?”

“Well, I’m not sure.” he says, drumming his fingers idly on his knee. “It’s just that it’s five now, and even when we leave we won’t be home until seven, and by then I’ll be much hungrier than I am now…”

“Yes and we can’t have that.”

“Right! You know how I get. I mean, we could always stop on the way and get a sad, miserable bag of chips from some dive by the side of the road.”

“Oh, miserable.” I echo.

“Or, you know, if you’re at all up for it I was thinking we could go and get something now, and then go back to Dublin after that.”

I rest my head on my fist and grin at him. “Had you a place in mind?”

“There’s this seafood restaurant that I used to go to with my parents every Friday night during our summers here, it’s not too far, maybe a half hour drive…”

“It’s nice?”

“Oh my God, Evie, like, so nice. You have to try it. Have you eaten lobster before?”

“Is that a joke?”

“No.”

I feel like I should bat him upside the head, but I restrain myself. “Of course I haven’t eaten lobster before. Are you cracked? I’m from a council estate.”

A smile splits across his face as he shrugs. “Well then it’s even more reason to try it, isn’t it.” I open my mouth, but he already knows what I’m going to say. “My treat.” He says. “All of it. I’m the reason we’re here anyway, and we’re celebrating… this house not being flattened by the storm.”  

“Yes, what a good reason.” 

“So what do you think?”

I squint at him. “Is this a date? Are you asking me to go on a date with you?”

He pretends to be surprised. “Well I never thought about it like that. Is that something you’d ever want to do?”

“Do you know how goofy you are? Just ask me.”

“How about a date, Evie? Let me take you to dinner. Whaddia say?” 

I roll my eyes and whack him in the bicep. “Obviously, you dope.”

We park the car by a trinket shop that overlooks a small spit of a beach, strewn with ribbons of slimy seaweed. In this little fishing village of whitewashed walls and thatched roofs, we are butted up right up against the south coast, overlooking the stretch of green, choppy water where the Irish Sea kisses the Atlantic. The wind is salty and crisp, and whips my hair away across my face and into my mouth and eyes so ferociously that I have to battle it out of my face. Jude takes me by the hand to guide me across the road, and I pretend that I’m too preoccupied with the hair in my mouth to notice, because if I think about the fact that we’re holding hands too hard I might start freaking out about it.

The seafood restaurant is a solid old building with the air of something that’s stood proud on this quay for decades. We duck inside its wooden panelled walls and I’m enveloped in the warm glow of a fire that blazes in the corner. The walls are stuffed with fishing paraphernalia, and faded buoys old nets drape from the ceiling. The final dregs of the evening sun passes through the lobster tank as our hostess leads us right past it and to our seat in a cosy corner beneath a display of old black and white photographs, newspaper clippings of this very restaurant, looking the very same as it does now over fifty years ago.

“Don’t look at the prices.” Jude warns me as we open our menus. “They’re irrelevant.”

“Well even if I wanted to, there’s no price on the lobster.” I comment, and he tells me it’s because they charge you based on the weight, but I think that even a ballpark estimate would have been useful. How are you supposed to know? But then again, maybe people who eat things like lobster just instinctively know what it’s worth. 

In the end I don’t risk it, it’d feel unfair to Jude’s wallet, so I order crab instead. He, however, decides on lobster, and when they bring one out on a silver tray to see if he wants it, and when I realise it’s still moving, I feel like I could jump out of my skin. 

“It’s fucked up that they’re going to go back to the kitchen and boil him alive.” I hiss across the table once they’ve taken it away, and Jude pulls a face. “Usually they stab it before throwing it in.”

“Oh, God.”

“Don’t think about it in those terms. They killed your crabs too. It’s just the nature of preparing meat.”

“I’m not taking a bite.” I declare, which is a lie, because forty minutes later when they bring out our food the first thing Jude does is hold a generous forkful of it to me and it looks and smells so delicious that I don’t even hesitate. He watches my expression carefully as though his ego depends on my enjoyment of this particular crustacean. 

“It’s very nice.” I concede. “But not as nice as it should be, considering the way things had to end for him.”

“If they sold me for food at 30 euros a pound I probably wouldn’t be that mad about it, honestly.” He says. 

“Thirty euros a pound?” I echo in shock. “That’s what it costs?”

“I can’t tell if you expected it to be more or less than that.”

“Well I don’t know.” I splutter. “Either way it’s becoming clear to me that eating lobster is completely egregious.”

“Yeah totally.” He says, and lazily feeds me another forkful while his ankles brush against mine with intention beneath the table in a way that’s outrageously flirtatious. “How is your crab?”

“Very nice.” I say guiltily. “But I’m sure the crab hasn’t suffered like the lobster.”

“You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel any better. Would you like wine?”

“Are you going to to drink some?”

“A little.”

“I’m trying not to drink that much.” I say. “I think I have a really bad relationship with alcohol.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, sometimes when I drink I think about my father, and the slippery slope that leads to the point that he’s at. I don’t want that to be me.”

“It doesn’t have to be you, you’re not the same as him.”

I shrug. “I suppose that’s true, I just don’t think I’ve ever had a normal relationship with drinking.”

“How so?”

“You know how in Spain and Italy and stuff, they buy these little dinky glasses of beer and sit out drinking them with dinner, sipping away and enjoying them for an hour or so, never with the intention of getting drunk, but just to enjoy the flavour?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Well I can’t relate to that. In my head alcohol has one purpose, and it’s to make me stop thinking about the things in my life that are bad, the things I don’t want to think about anymore, just for a few hours. It’s never just one. It’s four. At least, and then probably more, and once I get to that point it’s like, if someone starts buying rounds, or shots I just can’t stop myself.”

“Hm.” He says, and pushes his food around with his fork. “I get what you mean. I think that’s common.”

“It’s common but it’s not normal.”

“Yeah, maybe it isn’t, but you’ve told me before about how you used to go drinking in fields with your friends as a young teenager. I wonder if those early experiences shape your relationship with alcohol, you know, if your introduction to it is in that environment, where you just want to get as drunk as possible because everyone says it’s fun, it can be hard to shake those patterns.”

“Yeah maybe.”

“That’s another thing you have to thank Kelly for, I suppose.”

I frown. “Kelly?”

“Yeah, I mean, isn’t she the one that pressured you into all of those things early on? You said she was always making you do things you didn’t want to, like, kissing those horrible boys at the discos or getting into pubs with fake IDs.”

“Oh. Yeah she was, but the alcohol thing was me.”

He looks genuinely surprised. “Yeah?”

“Sure I was the one with a house full of it. My dad had so much lying around that he wouldn’t even notice it going missing. I was the first one to try it, to bring it out and make everyone else have it too.”

“Oh. I didn’t think that.”

“It doesn’t seem that way, does it?”

“It really doesn’t.”

“I’m a complicated woman, Jude.” I wink. “There’s so much you don’t know.”

“Yet.” He says with emphasis. “I’ll crack that head open and get it all out of you eventually.”

I grin, and go back to my food, not really sure how much of myself, the insides of my head I’ll ever be ready to share with him or anybody else. 

We leave the restaurant with full bellies a couple of hours later, and it’s dark now, and so cold, but with Jude I feel as though I’m enveloped in a warm, orange glow. He takes my hand on the way back to the car, and he’s not nervous, so neither am I, and it feels normal and right and easy. I lean into his shoulder and hold my free hand over my stomach. 

“I think maybe dessert was a mistake.”

“It wasn’t.”

“For you maybe.”

“I’d probably never call cheesecake a mistake.”

“Oof.” I say, and I lean against the bonnet of the car as I wait for him to unlock it. “I’m really not looking forward to this journey home.”

“Yeah, well too bad. We have to go.” A pause. “We should go, right?”

I look over at him as he spins the keys indecisively around his finger and I can’t help but smile. “Yes, we probably should.”

“Unless…”

“I mean, we don’t have to if we don’t want to.”

He looks a bit relieved that I’ve said it. “No.” He admits. “Can I be honest about that? I don’t want to go home.”

“Then let’s not go.” 

“You don’t need to?”

“Actually not at all. It kind of feels like the rest of the world doesn’t exist when I’m out here, and I wouldn’t mind keeping it that way for a while.”

“Yeah, exactly. I kind of want to stay away from things for a while. We can go in a few hours, don’t you think?” 

“Well I don’t mind, as long as you don’t mind driving when it’s late.”

“Luckily I don’t.”

“Let’s get back to the beach anyway, things are closing up around here.” I peer around us at shuttered gift shops, the owner of the fruit and vegetable stall on the corner bringing his crates inside. “Maybe it’s more lively there.”

“Lively is never a word I’d use to describe that village, but I think I might know somewhere we can go for a while.”

“Sounds good.”

“Let’s keep this party going.” He grins, and when I’m settled into the passenger seat behind him and he has the heat blasting over our cold skin, I tap out a message to Claire. 

Not coming home for a few hours. Don’t wait up xx

Omg Evie! Stay safe, girly. I mean it literally. This is why I keep telling you to go on the pill. 

It’s not like that! Don’t worry. 

Even though it potentially is like that. I’m not fully sure, honestly, but I try not to worry about it as we leave behind the street lamps of the tiny fishing village and coast onto pitch dark country roads. Jude feels me staring at him, and the way that the dashboard tosses a soft blue glow over his face. His mouth ticks up at the corner. 

“What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing at all. Zero.”

“Fair enough.” He switches on the radio, I rest my head against the glass, and watch hedges and trees, grass and ditches light up and disappear under the headlights all the way back to the beach. 

Beginning // Prev // Next

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

The Road To October 7 - Education For Jihad And Martyrdom

#10742 | 40:14

This collection of clips exposes educational materials that encourage Palestinian and Muslim youth to wage jihad and to become martyrs, in the spirit of Islamic fundamentalism. These materials are taught at kindergartens, schools, and other educational settings, as well as by mothers and fathers at home, by religious scholars, in mosques, and by political leaders in various settings.

--

- Who taught you this poem, Muhammad? - Mama. - Mama. And who discovered your talent for poetry? - Mama. - Mama. May Allah grant long life to such a mother, Muhammad. Okay, Muhammad, let's hear the poem. - Oh Jerusalem, I shall redeem you with my soul and my blood. I shall liberate you from the Jews by means of the Al-Qassam Brigades, of course. I bring glad tidings to our prisoners: Salvation is near. - What do you want to be when you grow up, Muhammad? - (A member of) the Al-Qassam Brigades. - Of the Al-Qassam Brigades? Fine. And you Zakariya, what would you like to be? - An engineer. - An engineer? Why do you want to become an engineer? - So that I can blow up the Jews.

-

- Did you bring this small child here in order to deliver a message to Hamas that our children support them? - I brought him in order to teach him from infancy to love Hamas and the Al-Qassam Brigades. We bring our small children to teach them to love Hamas. No matter what the Jews or the Arab world do to Hamas, we will support it.

-

My message to every Palestinian mother is that she should urge her sons to wage Jihad. Jihad for the sake of Allah is our most lofty desire... Is this not Jihad? Is this not martyrdom? Death is inevitable, so why not die as martyrs? I salute every mother of a martyr who urged her children to wage Jihad.

-

Many women wish to be in the place of martyrdom-seekers, or together with them. Most kindergartens (in Gaza) belong to our sisters in Hamas. Children are raised from a young age on this culture - "Allah is our goal," "(Jihad) for the sake of Allah..." From infancy, children are nurtured to love Jihad, to want to meet Allah, and to love fighting the enemy.

-

- How are you, Abdallah? - Fine. - Will you complete the path of (your brother) Baraa? - Yes, I will. - Now that Baraa was martyred yesterday, what do you want to do for the sake of the prisoners and the homeland? - I will fight the Jihad and I will be martyred, just like him. - Inshallah. - Muhammad, what are you going to do after Baraa's martyrdom? Are you going to complete Baraa's path and follow in his footsteps on the same path? - Yes, I will do just that and I will be martyred, just like he was martyred, inshallah.

-

Martyrdom is a badge of honor for the family of the martyr in this world not to mention his status in the Hereafter. We consider (martyrdom) to be a badge of honor for his family in this world.

-

(I told my eldest son:) I always pray that I, your father, brothers, daughters, and sons... That all of you become martyrs for the sake of Allah, that when death comes for us, we will all be martyrs for the sake of Allah. I am proud of Muhammad, obviously. Allah be praised, all my sons are religious. They are all good. By Allah, if all my children and grandchildren are martyred for the sake of Allah, it will make me happy. Allah be praised, I love this path. I feel that this is the road for salvation.

-

- Allah be praised, all the young Muslims in Gaza love martyrdom, just as our enemies, the infidel Jewish dogs, love life. We continue on the same path and pray to meet him in Paradise. - This is the martyr's youngest boy. His name is Mash'al. We named him after the great leader Khaled Mash'al. Allah willing, little Mash'al will become like the big Mash'al. We are all moving forward for the sake of Allah. - I want to fire missiles at the Jews and be martyred like my father. - We all hope to become martyrs for the sake of Allah. Even if they kill us all, we will continue to fire missiles. We will not stop the Jihad. - I am following the path of Jihad and want to be martyred like my dad.

-

The blood of martyrs is what Allah loves most. Martyrs live in a place that is beautiful like no other. Martyrs are the first ones to enter Paradise. Martyrs will not faint when the trumpet is blown (on the Day of Judgment). Martyrs will see the black-eyed virgins even before their blood dries. The best of martyrs is the one whose blood was shed and whose horse was wounded. If we take into account all that I mentioned - Allah's rewards - then we can understand the secret behind the laughter and smiles of the martyrs' family at their funerals.

-

- Do not forget what the Prophet Muhammad said about martyrs. Allah has given martyrs seven rewards: They see their place in Paradise, their sins are forgiven with the first drop of their blood. - Another reward is that the martyr is spared the torments of the grave. He is also safe from the great horror on Judgment Day, as Allah said (in the Quran): "They will be safe from the terror of that day." Furthermore, he is married to black-eyed virgins, and he pleads on behalf of his family and relatives.

-

When he is martyred, he sees his seat in Paradise, and he is dressed in the clothes of faith. He is a unique and special person, different from the rest of the people, by the grace of Allah. In addition, he is married to 72 virgins of Paradise. This means that he is granted, in Paradise, some of the things he wished for in life, but they are magnified to a degree that the human mind cannot comprehend. Yes. How can anyone cling to this world after hearing all of these great rewards? You can see that our young people have renounced life in this world and hastened (to become martyrs).

-

Brother, do you love her? You will be given two wives as you enter Paradise. There will be no menstruation, no childbirth, no saliva, no mucus, no urine and no excrement. If a woman from the dwellers of Paradise were to merely look upon the people of the Earth, she would fill the Earth with light and with a wonderful scent. Therefore, you will be given in Paradise the sexual strength of a few (men). Allah's Messenger was asked: "Will we be able to endure this?" He said that (every man) will be given the strength of a hundred men. (The virgins of Paradise) will be jealous for you and they will sing for you. The Prophet Muhammad said that the virgins shall sing in Paradise.

-

The Prophet Muhammad informed us that a martyr killed by the People of the Book is equal to two martyrs. In other words, his reward is equal to that of two martyrs. This does not apply to martyrs killed fighting other infidels. The "People of the Book" are the Jews. In addition, Allah tells us that He cursed (the Jews), and that he was angry with them and turned them into apes and pigs.

-

Why do (the Palestinians) give birth to so many boys and girls? I heard a beautiful answer to this question: "We give birth to so many (children) so that we can push them to death, to martyrdom."

-

When a martyr is martyred... It is written in the Quran that martyrdom is sweet. (The martyr) doesn't feel anything, even when he blows himself up or even when he's shot at or anything. On the contrary, he feels very happy and wishes to return (to the world) in order to fight them (i.e. the enemy) because he wants to be martyred once more. If I'm asked (to be martyred), and there's no other choice, then why not? It is not a loss for my land or for Allah that I become a martyr. It's an honor for me of course. Not everyone attains martyrdom, I wish to become a martyr. I will die, and if I have to die, I'll die as a martyr. There's nothing sweeter than martyrdom.

-

We are promised eternal life in Paradise. Life with no death, life with honor and beauty.

-

We need to lie 40 nights and even more inside of a real grave in order to remove fear in order to be a Shaheed. Muhammad the prophet said a lot about Shaheeds. The grave has become a part of my life nowadays. The grave has become my friend, I visit every day and lie inside. I think of death all of the time, remembering the honorable who have dedicated themselves to Allah.

-

It is enough for me to be a Shaheed and stand up for 70 of my family members [all granted paradise], my children, my wife, my mother & father, my sisters & brothers, and my friends will all be with me [in paradise]. 70 people will go to paradise on my virtue, this is a huge honor for me. The moment I get the mission [to blow up] inside the Green Line, between [Israel] citizens, it doesn't matter if it's in a house, a home, in a room even with children inside it - I will blow myself up. I will not feel regret for any Israeli child, and no remorse even if it's a kindergarten full of kids.

-

In paradise all what you'll do is pick fruit from trees, penetrate virgins, and walk by the rivers and sit with Muhammad, the chosen prophet. With the help of Allah, when you press on the button of the explosive belt, your body will fly and your soul will fly to paradise. And all of the seven doors to paradise will open for you.

I swear by Allah, we will chase the Jews, remove them from Palestine and Jerusalem and if they don't convert to Islam, even if they go to the end of the world, we'll chase them and call them to Islam. And then also the Christians will need to convert to Islam. This is the only religion that really has compassion.

-

We are the generation of the upcoming victory! We will never recognize Israel!

-

We asked Hitler why he left some of you alive. He did so in order to show us how wicked you are. We will come to you from under the ground and hammer fear into your hearts, and above the ground we will tear your bodies apart with our rockets.

-

Let's return to Abd Al-Rahim Abu Ubeida. Please give us your message to the enemy, by reciting the poem: "I do not fear the gun." I do not fear the gun. I do not fear the gun. You are all nothing but herds of deluded idiots. Jerusalem is my land, Jerusalem is my honor, Jerusalem is my life and my dew-covered dreams. Oh you slayers of Allah's pious prophets, you who have been raised on the shedding of blood - humiliation and suffering have been decreed upon you. Oh sons of Zion, oh the most evil of creatures, oh barbaric apes, Jerusalem rejects you and vomits your filth.

-

Everyone needs to attack Jews until there will not be a single Jew on this land.

-

We need to run them [the Jews] over [with cars] and go on stabbing missions and use weaponry.

-

These missions of running over [Jews] and stabbing them brings honor to Palestine.

-

What can possibly taste better than martyrdom? What can be more beautiful than ending your life by dying for the sake of Allah? Oh Allah, bring annihilation upon the Jews. Oh Allah, bring annihilation upon the Jews. Paralyze them, destroy their entity, tear them apart, bring upon them a terrible punishment. Oh Allah, enable us to get to the necks of the Jews. Oh Allah, enable us to get to the necks of the Jews. Oh Allah, enable us to get to the necks of the Jews. Oh Allah, bring annihilation upon the infidels, atheists and polytheists. Count them, kill them one by one and do not leave a single one of them alive.

-

Those Jews are the vilest and most despicable nation in history. They never command good or forbid evil.

-

There is no race that people hate as much as the Jewish race. In the modern era, when Hitler emerged - even though he was a criminal and a tyrant - the people he hated the most were the Jews. Why did he hate the Jews? Because they are a people of treachery and betrayal. Therefore, we can never accept the Jews, even if it costs us our blood and souls. Anyone who accept the Jews should prepare for the Day of Gathering (Judgment Day).

==

Just think about this for a moment. There's sometimes some Xian crazy who claims they heard "god" tell them to do something awful, to kill and die for him. Islam asserts for itself that all two billion Muslims are commanded, not by voices in their own crazy heads but by the holy, divine, perfect scripture, to jihad and martyr themselves for their god.

And if anyone wants to pretend that "this isn't true Islam," hold my beer. This is the reality of what Islam is.

Once and for all, stop saying that Islam is "just like every religion."

You can't reason with insane fanatics. They want to die. The moth wants to burn up in the flame.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: "pro-Palestine" is just "pro-Hamas" which means "pro-terrorism" and "pro-jihad." Western idiots have no damn clue what they're supporting, what Islam is actually about, or that they're marching in the street for these murderous religious lunatics.

Fuck Hamas and Islam.

[Link recommended by, and thanks to, you know who.]

[saints-helen]

Hi hi hi! Back with another thing i see! Yes i am~

Anyway,

Oh Eurydice,

(that's our title for today! AND THERE'S NO ROMANTIC CONNOTATIONS ABOUT IT YOU FREAKS, DISGUSTING.)

(anyway, I've been meaning to post Oh Eurydice for a while now (as in like, literal Months) but it's only a few days ago that i actually got to transcribing from my gallery and editing it in my notes app.)

(i poured blood, sweat, and Helen's tears into this)

(i won't bore you for Too long though, so this is basically a prologue (?) to the Medieval Au thing so, enjoy!)

Queen Nim dies while her children are still babies, basically about 4 years old and they end up getting raised by her advisors.

They want to make Dream the ruler, eventually, since he's easier to manipulate, and end up pushing Nightmare to the side in favour of his brother and making snide comments about him.

And since it's normal to hit your children back then, they hurt him, a Lot, for the power trip of hurting a royal and Surviving.

Anyway so, cue Blue entering the picture as their new royal guard at some point, via order of the late queen Nim, and they do Not trust him, neither advisors nor princes.

Nightmare especially.

But eventually, the twins warm up to him, because he's just so damn Nice (unlike a Certain group of people).

He's not only tasked with guarding them, oh no, he's tasked with Specifically, word for word, "guarding and looking after them" and he uses that as his leeway, his loophole, to get away with doing things a knight normally wouldn't.

He gets in trouble on their behalfs, sneaks them treats from the kitchens and sneaks them outside every once in a while to play when they're supposed to be having lessons.

Always with that grin on his face and a finger against his mouth, "shh!", starry eyes in crescents.

He dances with them, plays and teaches them how to make flower crowns, sneaks into their rooms at night under the guise of being a "Diligent Knight" because of Course he wouldn't stand outside! what kind of person would he be if he did? Leaving them all vulnerable during the night? (he sneaks in to read them bedtime stories, silly voices and all, and to kiss them goodnight, telling them that "If the queen were still here, I'm sure she'd be very, Very proud of you both :)"

He bandages up Nightmare a lot, and tutting at his injuries, muttering insults about how "honestly, they're Advisors and they don't even know how to advise children? what sorts of people would even get a job and fail at it so spectaculaly that-" and he goes on and on and Nightmare's eyes Glow, because Blue could be Beheaded for this, beheaded for insulting the acting royalty, with their trigger thin tempers, but he does so anyway, Just to make it clear that they shouldn't be hurting him at All OR favouring Dream over him.

And Nightmare just nods, looking at him like he hung the moon and stars.

Not hurting kids is a very controversial opinion these days, and Nightmare tells him that straight up.

"You're very strange."

"Well!" Blue huffs, tying up the bandage "I'd rather be strange than lay a hand on a child!

"Better weird than cruel, no?"

"...

"i suppose.."

...

But... Then again..

There are eyes everywhere in the palace.

And where there are eyes, there are spies.

And where there are spies..

...

Siege is layed unto the castle, and the entire palace Burns.

Fire raging everywhere, beginning from the twins' rooms while Blue was away getting them a midnight snack, and the tray falls from his hands as he rushes inside, calling out to them and coughing and Calling-

"HERE!", and he Runs towards the voice, all hoarse and childlike and Terrified, getting them out of the fire and running out with them in his arms, and the entire castle is aflame, no rooms left unburned as he runs and runs aiming for the gardens, all wet with night dew and vapour from their ponds and lakes.

And he runs into other servants, skidding to a halt as everyone exchanges what clipped information they may have about what happened as they all run together, and an assassin suddenly attacks them, his helmet, bearing the crest of Nim and her guard knocked off by blue with a kick before he shoves the twins into the waiting arms of his colleagues, with a shout of "I'LL BE BACK BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, NOW GO!" before turning back to fight, a sharpened bone in each hand and smoke in his eyes.

And the servants escape with them while he and the assassin exchange blows, and eventually, Blue is found victorious as he pins the assassin down, forcing his hand into the man's mouth and ripping out a glass vial from between his teeth, glowy with the green poison inside it and throws it at the fires raging around them. It shatters against the wall with a crackle of flame as the man all but Growls with human teeth.

"Who sent you."

"I'm not telling-"

*CRACK* and he lets out scream before he bites his tongue.

"It'll be your other arm next now who Sent you."

*Grunt*

"Now who. Sent you!"

"I-.." he pants "I will Not-"

Another crack, this time of his pointer and middle fingers.

"I'll break every bone in your body stars help me if you don't Confess.

"I was in a good mood before all this happened and it is just now beginning to taper off now that my children are gone so tell me, while I'm feeling merciful, lest i grab your neck and break it who Sent you."

So he does, eventually, and despite the flames all around him, all Blue's body can feel is Cold.

An advisor. Of course. One who got anxious, too impatient, scared that Blue's influence would sway the twins in his favour but not wanting to just Kill him, lest he fall under suspicion by the others. "Competitors, the filthy lot of them." The assassin spits, that crazed grin on his bloodied face eerie as he explains.

Dream was never supposed to be in the room today, he was supposed to be studying how to rule, but Blue had snuck him out as he was tired due to the late hour. The assassin was to, originally, simply suffocate Nightmare in his sleep, alone in his room none would be the wiser. But unbeknownst to the advisor, the assassin he'd hired was a spy from a rival kingdom, the one they were at war with, the kingdom who sent for Nim to be Killed. And he had just given him the palace and it's princes on a silver Platter.

And if Nightmare were to die, Clear signs of foul play, Blue, as the one closest to him, would be the one suspected and subsequently sentenced to death. His close relation to the twins and his intimate knowledge of their schedules would be more than enough to convict him and Besides, doesn't he Always sneak into their rooms at night? Under the guise of his "knightly duties?", if not for his remarkable ability to guard, then his keen eye and ear would catch anyone daring to assassinate the dear prince, for all they know, he sung him a lullaby one moment and suffocated him with a pillow the next. Two birds with one stone, leaving Dream all the easier to control. With no guard or brother at his side, the advisor would be his Everything.

"And now, oh now my Darling Knight," the assassin said, "All eyes are on You."

He'd already spread word, having been watching him for months, that Blue could Not be trifled with, as he could fight like no other and would stop at near Nothing to guarantee the twins' safety.

He could be used against them, or, they could be used against Him. Every fellow spy and assassin that snuck in during the chaos had memorised his face, "Courtesy of their dearest Painter." he said, grinning. "Eeeeeeeveryone knows how Attached you are to this kingdom's beloved two poor, orphan, little Princies."

"You leave with them," he says, "Recognizable as allll your pretty little faces and figures are, you Die. All of you."

He grins, the curve of it Sickening.

"And your two princies and your cute little game of house will be no More."

.....

...A tear runs down Blue's face, his hands, gripping the man's arms to his back, Shake with the effort of keeping them still, clenched into fists as they creak his bone, the blood beneath them all dried out after their little talk.

The fire around them burns hotter, the flames dancing with mirth in the man's eyes as he sucks up Every Single Bit Of Blue's misery at having to make such a decision.

But.. alas.. the decision is made immediately.

It was scary, So scary, how easy it was, how easy he decided to-

"I'll take them." he glares "You think you can take them away from me? You think you can even Dare? Fine,"

He winds back his hand, trembling as his fingers Curl,

"I'd like to see you Try." he grits his teeth as he knocks the assassin out cold, dragging his limo body against the ashen floor and stuffing him into a charred room with nothing in it left to burn and closing the door, making sure Not to lock it as he Runs

His tears are vaporised near instantly, the steam burning his face but he doesn't care. As long as he doesn't take any damage he doesn't care, as long as he can get to them as long as he can make it he doesn't care, not at the burning on his face or the tightening of his throat or the Aching in his chest. He needs to go he needs to Run, turning corners and tripping on debris. He needs to get to them, before it's too late. He needs to see them.

He needs to hold them while he still Can.

He Bursts into the gardens, the air so much more Alive and Wet but he barely even notices, making secret twists and turns through the grassy maze, thanking the stars that the fire hasn't reached here yet and entering a hidden part of the garden, designed by Nim herself, Just in case something like this happened.

It hides a hidden archway, tunnels and chambers weaving and winding underground, connecting beneath the entire palace. Paths that curl like what the monkey's paw that heard him think "i want to save them." did.

He sees the servants there, one with platitudes Right on her tongue, kneeling with what she hopes is a reassuring expression as she tells the twins he'll be back before they know it.

When they see him, hear him come in, their heads whip around, and they jump away. Shouting and runnibg towards him and oh he's never been so desperate to catch them in his arms.

They're both crying, he hears, feels, Sees, and he only squeezes them tighter, the servants, previously having let out sighs of relief at the sight of him, now exchange nervous glances when they see he's also crying, his expression scrunched up behind the children's backs in deep pain and grief.

Something is Off.

He lets go of them, sniffing, and smiles, tells them he has to talk to the other servants for a moment. And in hushed whispers, he does, some faces shocked and some solemn, glancing at the twins and glancing away, hands clenched in fists and eyes widening in disbelief at the fact their math is Right. Shouting matches are whispered as he seals their fates.

The servants exchange looks, look at the twins, look at Him... And Nod.

One of them, a muffet, an old Friend who'd nag at him for always tearing his clothes, grabs some cloaks hidden there in the chamber and begins sewing, other servants go back to what they were doing, some coming back out from outside, panting, with vegetables from the gardens and some cracking open decades old spell bound crates that contain meats and milks and all manner of essentials, kept safe with the late queen's protective magic. They pack them up in bags, some stitching each others' injuries and packing supplies with grim, determined faces.

Blue breathes out, all soft and decidedly Not shaky, and goes to the twins, kneeling to them as Dream bawls in confusion and terror and Nightmare tries Stubbornly not to cry. He pulls them both to his chest, arms squeezing so Tight he fears their little bones may creak, and Nightmare finally gives in, hus body slumping into him and beginning to shake. Dream asks what's happening and Nightmare asks what will happen Now.

...

He takes a deep breath in, pulling back with a smile, their circlets tugged from their crowns in hand. "We're gonna change your clothes first, so no one knows who you are." He says.

They both nod their heads, all pliant and quiet, and trusting him to know better as he leads them away to a corner, the clothes the muffet was making being handed to him as she begins making something else.

He tries not to look at her as she does, he can't bear to do it, and she does the same.

He helps them change, the familiar routine now discarding the chatter as they all remain quiet. And throwing the old clothes to the muffet, he's comforting and reassuring them all the while

They step out of their little corner, the twins now looking much less like royalty and more like two regular skeleton children, the muffet turns to him sharply, panting, and after a terrifying beat... She nods.

He lets go of their hands and steps toward her, the other servants, now all packed up, calling out to him that they're ready to go now, whenever, and for Blue to hurry up.

She hands him what looks like two bundled up pieces of cloth, and he holds them a bit closer than he should, his eyes almost hazy.

...

Dolls.

She hands him hat used to be cloaks, two of them, tied up with the vague measurements of small children. Covered completely top to bottom with white spider string to colour them white, the twins' silken clothing sewed onto them.

He nods, hands her the circlets and steps back. And the she begins to sew those on, too. Fixing them in place with practiced ease.

In broad daylight, there'd be no mistaking them as strange, hand-made doppelgangers, but during a chase, in the dead of night, with only the light of the nearby moon to guide in the chaos of an ongoing assassination attempt...

It would have to be Enough.

... Nightmare is the one who asks first. Smart boy. And blue has no doubt he's figured it out from the way his voice is shaking.

"What.. what's that." He asks cautiously, "What.

are you doing. Why are our..." He looks between Blue and the dolls, and it Clicks, horror and utter Betrayal dawning on his face.

"No." he says, head shaking, and Blue steps forward and he steps back, smacking his hand away when it reaches for him "No no No! NO! NO YOU CAN'T!" he heaves out, choking on a sob when Blue pulls him closer, pulls them both closer, and they both Cling.

"This isn't a fairytale you can't- You Can't- .." Nightmare beats at his back, tiny fists barely even felt through the thickness of his armour.

"Blue.. what's- what's happening why- why is brother..." Dream's voice, always so trusting, trails off when Blue pulls back, face wet and devastated and Pained.

"I'm sorry sunshine, I'm.. I'm not gonna be escaping with you." he murmurs, and Nightmare only sobs harder, his voice caught in a scream as he Refuses to let go of him.

"....Wh... what?"

He shakes his head, "I'm sorry.. but- but i Can't"

"wh- WHY!"

He shakily breathes out "It's too-"

A Slam from the maze's entrance, so far away yet echoing down down until everyone here can hear it, and they all freeze. Shouting of "OI! SECRET ENTRANCE HERE!" and everyone suddenly Springs to action.

It's time.

Blue leans in and kisses them both with a choked apology and Nightmare starts to Beg "No! NO NO NO YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T! I ORDER YOU! I ORDER YOU TO- STOP!"

Blue grabs them both and shoves them towards the other servants, Nightmare's soft claws digging into him and refusing Refusing to let go as he's grabbed by them and pulled back.

"LET- GO OF ME YOU-! YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T LEAVE YOU CAN'T!"

His brother, now beginning to feel the panic as well, begins to squirm in their tight holds.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND, BLUE I DON'T UNDERSTAND! WHY-"

He finally manages to pry his fingers away, and Nightmare is yanked back with a soul crushing "*NO!*"

"No time to explain!" he yells, grabbing the dolls from muffet as everyone runs to the back door, save the ones holding the twins.

"I'll be Back." he presses his forehead to theirs, Nightmare's arms pinned to his sides by the servants so he doesn't reach for him again as he kicks and screams and Refuses. "YOU DON'T GET TO LEAVE! YOU DON'T GET TO I ORDER YOU TO STAY-"

"Sorry, moonlight, Sunlight, i-" he chokes back a sob "I won't be following your orders this time."

"NO! NO NO NO YOU DON'T GET TO-"

"BLUE- PLEASE DON'T-"

"I'll come Back, one day I'll come back Remember me-" he suddenly tears off chunks of his bandana off and shoves them to the one holding them, his tearful look saying more than he needs to.

Two last kisses, they both taste acidically Salty.

He steps back, the hesitance shoved into its prison inside his chest.

"I'll come back. i love you, i love you both so much."

And he turns, they both scream for him to "NO! NO COME BACK! COME BACK PLEASE, DON'T G-"

"NO! NO PA-" they're interrupted, of course, as fate would always have it thus that their parents could never hear them cry, their mouthes muffled by much bigger hands, both arms unpinned from their sides as he's too far away to reach now and yet they reach for him anyway. The servants running one way while he runs the other. He doesn't turn back, doesn't turn back to look at them, and the last they ever seen of him is him grabbing a cloak, shoving over himself and Running back out to the gardens.

Blue Runs outside, his heart a jackrabbit in his chest as his sudden dash from the bushes catches the attention of surveying eyes, all intentional, all so painfully Intentional as the wind pushes the hood of the cloak off of his face, the fabric swaying in the breeze as the glint of two hidden crowns glint beneath the reflected light of a sun that will not rise Yet, his only ally in that very moment, the single voyeur to his wicked plan. He lets it flap Just long enough for the circlets to be seenz to blind their power hungry eyes before he yanks it back on and keeps running.

Shouting follows, the shine of Gold in the moonlight being more than enough to draw the attackers' attention towards Him, and like crows the flank him, cawing orders to each other, theur beaks snapping in bows hastily drawn and loaded. Instead of on the fleeing servants downstairs, all eyes are on Him.

He'd made Sure to leave that assassin alive, made sure to keep the door unlocked, made sure to tell him he'd like to see him try make sure to be Cocky, just as is expected of a royal guard, and even though the man knew him, watched him, Had been watching him for months if not Years, Blue knew, that when you stick your hand in the water, that the sly catfish simply cannot help but Bite.

He'd be proud of it, really, in any other circumstance. The Magnificent Blue, strategic, careful, perceptive and amazing as always.

He would be, he really would be, if he could just get what Dream had just said, had Almost said, out of his head. Dream who always assumed you found him bothersome unless you wanted him for something. If he could only get Nightmare's sobbing out of his head, Nightmare who never cried when beaten or hurt or with a broken bone but Did, how've, cry when sung a soft lullaby to sleep. If he could only get that Screaming out of his Head.

He doubts it'll ever happen, doubts he'll ever be allowed to forget what he just did for them tonight, to save their lives, to ruin their lives to Break their little Souls. What he did To them could never be forgiven, he knew that, and yet he had to Try.

Dream had called him- had Almost called him- and what other word starts with "pa" that could Ever be said in relation to the one who dressed and bathed and sung and played and rocked and caved and loved and fed them? What other word could he use for "knight" that starts with the second easiest syllable for a baby to say?

If Dream viewed him that way, and he didn't even know if he Wanted him to right now, then it means that Nightmare probably also viewed him that way, and he shoves back the endearments of "Son" back into the recesses of his heart, refusing to allow it to get out. He'd called him he'd Almost called him, and Blue wonders if it was a mercy from the hand of their newest captor, a mercy to Him, that they'd stopped Dream before he could get the words out. And he knows that he will.most often wonder if, after tonight, he could Ever be deserving of such a mercy.

In exchange for that trust, that Dream almost gave, Blue has thanked him most cruelly; he had torn him away from his parent a second time. First Nim, dead before their pattering feet, and now, him.

How fitting it is, then, that it must all end in fire when she was greenery itself?

How fitting it Is, then, that a person who was supposed to protect them has failed? Abandoned them to the wiles of the wolves and left them to Die a most horrific "death"? Exactly as the advisors did? Looked them dead in the eyes as he stepped on what little trust they had in him and Crushed it beneath his heel. It nothing more than an irritating Pest, a counterfeit diamond in the marketplace, or a candy too sour when ut was supposed to be sweet. (and oh it wasn't little. it wasn't little at all and that is what Hurt.)

They won't catch up to him for a while. He keeps his pursuers on his tail, a doe with a white tail prancing through the woods as it reaches the edge of the treeline, her fawns safely tucked away where no poacher will find them. He has the stamina for it, the speed, too, and he could outrun them right now if only he didn't want their eyes on Him.

He clutches the two bundles of doll to his chest, squeezing his eyes shut, allowing himself a small luxury, a moment of imagined soft, sleeping warmth in his arms and then opens them again with new renewed Vigor.

He rcalls the games he'd play with Dream, hide and seek, begs in hus mind "hide hide hide and don't let Anyone find you."

Recalls the books he'd read with Nightmare, greek myths and norse and foreign, recalls one.

"Oh heroic Orpheus," Nightmare quietly read, "A heart of gold shattered, gates of void-black closing behind him, the key of his love not being enough to open them once more.

""Oh!"" cried Orpheus "Oh Gods above if only i had not looked back, if only i had not looked back at mine Eurydice!""

"Very good" blue had praised, impressed, and Nightmare had hidden his face in his book to hide his blush, as he did with every compliment, as Blue hides his face in these dolls to hide his tears.

New resolve, then, new determination. "I won't look back." He thinks. He believes. He Excucutes.

Not at his footsteps.

Not at the Fire.

Not at the cold bright moon.

"I won't look back." he thinks again, not at the arrows shooting.

Not at the words spoken.

Not at the assassins.

"I won't look Back." one more time, not at the garden.

Not at the rising Sun.

Not at his little Stars.

"I Won't look back." he repeats like a mantra in his head.

"I Don't look back.

"I don't look back at my Eurydices.

"I Don't look Back."

[thesevenwondersofawitch]

I watched the Picard series finale

Going into this, I have chills 👀

Holy shit Seven looks hot as hell

AHHHHHHHH

She's so bad ass

Raffi my beloved 😍

Seven and Raffi looked at each other👀

Seven looks so done while the poor cook dude is explaining how his mom got sick and his brother got a hernia

"You got this." Just gonna think of her saying this whenever I feel like I'm struggling

AHHHH SHE'S ALL CAPTAINY AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW RAFFI HASN'T JUMPED HER😂

Oh shit

Jack is consumed by the collective 👀

The little smile Beverly exchanged with Jean-Luc

Worf: "And I will make it a threesome."

Will Riker: "Do you even hear yourself?" Oh my god😂😂 I'm dead

That look between Deanna and Will😭

If anything happens to either of them I'm gonna cry

Aw, Beverly is gripping that computer so hard

"I can no longer be your captain. I have to be a father"

Oh no

Does that mean he's gonna take Jack's place and die😭

Picard: "Beverly. Lead me to our son."

I'm crying "You did everything right." Oh damn 😭

OH SHIT VOX

Jack looks kinda awesome as Vox

OH SHIT

BORG QUEEN

I got chills

I am so creeped out rn

AHHHHHHHH

Raffi is Seven's number one

I'm so happy

The looks they keep sharing

I'm screaming with how they're finishing each other's train of thought

That poor Cook 😭😂

OOOOOOO SEVEN IS GIVING A SPEECH

I will fight under her

Raffi called Seven captain

Picard to Borg Queen: "You are not his mother!" AWWWWWWWWWWWW HE WON'T LET BEVERLY BE FORGOTTEN

Damn, this queen is bitter

HOLY SHIT

Oh no

Worf. He got zapped

Hope he still lives

"I had no idea it was that heavy." 😂

"We can't do this forever." Feels like she could be talking about more than their ship fighting

But I could be reaching

The way that Beverly fought so well and ruthlessly, and everyone turned slowly to look at her 😂

Beverly: "A lots happened in the last 20 years"😂

"Swords are fun." They really are

"no computer not even my daughter could navigate us through this." Love how proud he(Geordi) is of his kid

YEAH DATA!

Data: *tells them to trust him*

Also Data, seconds later: "Here goes nothing."

Deanna: "Wait what do you mean here goes nothing." Oh I'd hold on if I were you Deanna

The way Deanna is confused about why she senses enjoyment, meanwhile Data is living the dream 😂

OH SHIT

The earth is undefended 👀

Oh. Shit.

THE TITAN IS EXPOSED 👀

Sisters that assimilate together stick together (the La Forge sisters moving around the ship)

Seven's look of defeat 😭

Aw, the look between Saffi

Oh hell😭

"destroy the cube we kill everyone on there." Shit, Deanna is gonna need so much therapy

Beverly looks so freaking heartbroken I want to hug her 😭

"Will, the moment we fire, you'll have a minute at most." The emotion in her voice 😭

OH MY GOD

Oh MY GOD

OH MY GOD

OH. MY. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

Damn, it hurts even more watching this knowing that if Will, Picard, Jack and Worf die, Deanna will feel it

Picard to his son: "If you won't leave, I'll stay with you till the end. You have changed my life. Forever." Oh damn😭

HOLY SHIT THE way Jack starts ripping out everything to save his dad

Will to Deanna: "I love you Imazati. We'll be waiting, me and our boy."😭

I'm sobbing

"I know where they are." oh thank God

I'm loving how Deanna goes to the console

Me at Jack: You're not alone, together we stand, I'll be by your side, and I'll take your hand. KEEEP HOOOOLDING OONNNNNNNN

OH MY GOD

Awwwww, Seven giving Sydney a hug😭

Pretty awesome looking armor jack is wearing 😂

Deanna and Will are adorable

Awww, three bros, chilling in spinny chairs

TO SAY I'M SCREAMING AT THE CLIP OF RAFFI, SEVEN, AND THE LA FORGE GIRLS IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT

I love how Worf is just snoozing away 😂

There's still like 22 minutes left, so plenty of time for something to go wrong, but I'm gonna bask in this brief moment of happiness

Oh my god

BEVERLY IS AN ADMIRAL

TUVOK MY BOY

AHHHHHHHH

Seven and Tuvok are talking

Acting Captain Seven of Nine: "I'm resigning from Starfleet." Aw😭

Aw, Shaw was a lil bit, kinda nice😭

Seven's crying 😭

My girl

AHHHHHHHH

Chills

Tuvok: "Resignation denied, Captain"

Raffi got to video chat with her grandbaby🥺

"Strangest thing. My son Gabe, wants me to meet my granddaughter." I'm sobbing😭

Worf leaked the info for her😭

Hell, I'm sobbing

So hard

AWWWWWWWWWWWW he's hugging her😭

Deanna is counseling Data😭

Wonder if he'll meet Daj

Deanna: "We've gone by our time over an hour. Again."😂😂😂

I love how Deanna is searching for beach vacation spots while Data is going on and on 😭😂

"Same time tomorrow?"

"Yes, yes. Can't wait." Oh she's dreading it a bit

"Still batshit?"

"Stop it." I love them 😂

I wonder if Picard is gonna join Laris wherever she is

"I miss that voice." So do I 😭

"Admiral Picard, Admiral Crusher" AHHHHHHHHH

Ah, Jack is joining Starfleet, I'm sure that'll be a wise and interesting decision

"This is all you son, I'm very proud." AHHHHH

I just slapped my leg so hard

"We know your aversion to fanfare."😂

OH MY GOD

She's beautiful (the ship)

"Out." 😂

"Thank you Number One."

"You're so very welcome, Captain." I. Am. So HAPPY

I AM SO HAPPY

SO HAPPY

Jack's the special counselor to the Captain 😂 this is great

Raffi: "Your first official act of command."

Jack: "Writing the opening line to your legacy, so then, what will it be?"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME

I WANT TO KNOW MORE

Beverly is so drunk😂

Worf has an adorable voice 😂

A different planet vs Orlando?😂 How random

Oh my god I'm screaming

They're gonna play poker!!!

*slams down on table* I fold OK?

So ... Is Laris just chilling in a restaurant, waiting on Picard? 🤔

Feels like they forgot about her

HOLY SHIT

HoLy ShIt

The way it's an old pic of Gates and Patrick 😂

I love that Q is still alive 👀

Oh, I'm screaming. Like so much

This was so good and idk what I'm gonna do with myself now.