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jiangwanyinscatmom · 4 years ago

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Once again, as a reminder, Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji are the text's literary mirrors to each other, in all adaptions. I am not a fan of the plot shift for CQL so this will mostly just be talking about the novel for this rant.

Lan Wangji is the positive pillar of maturity growth, while Jiang Cheng is the stagnant regressive one. They are the opposing points of moral conflict for Wei Wuxian to choose from and is the classic set up even with choosing the childhood friend (that nice false romantic lead reading) and the Love Interest that beat for beat follows the main character's subconscious yearnings and ideals of morality.

The most blatant tellings of this are the way Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji choose to deal with Wei Wuxian when he is faced with the backlash of the cultivation sect's anger.

“Wei WuXian, have you still not realized what the situation at hand is like? Do you really need me to say it out loud? If you insist on protecting them, then I won’t be able to protect you.”

Wei WuXian, “There’s no need to protect me. Just let go.”

Jiang Cheng’s face twisted.

Wei WuXian, “Just let go. Tell the world that I defected. From now on, no matter what Wei WuXian does, it’d have nothing to do with the YunmengJiang Sect.”

Jiang Cheng, “… All for the Wen Sect…? Wei WuXian, do you have a savior complex? Is it that you’ll die if you don’t stand up for someone and stir up some trouble?”

Wei WuXian stayed quiet. A while later, he answered, “So that’s why we should cut ties right now, in case anything I do affects the YunmengJiang Sect in the future.”

Or else, he really couldn’t make any guarantees on what he’d do in the future.

“…” Jiang Cheng murmured, “My mom said that you do nothing but bring our sect trouble. It’s true indeed.” He laughed coldly, talking to himself, “‘To attempt the impossible’? Fine. You understand the YunmengJiang Sect’s motto. Better than I do. Better than all of us do.”

He sheathed Sandu. The sword returned to its scabbard with a clang. Jiang Cheng’s tone was indifferent, “Then let’s arrange for a duel.”

Three days later, the leader of the YunmengJiang Sect, Jiang Cheng, arranged for a duel with Wei WuXian.

They fought quite a fight in Yiling. Negotiations failed. Both resorted to violence.

Under Wei WuXian’s command, the fierce corpse Wen Ning struck Jiang Cheng once, breaking one of his arms. Jiang Cheng stabbed Wei WuXian once. Both sides suffered losses. Each spat out a mouthful of blood and left cursing the other. They had finally fallen out with each other.

After the fight, Jiang Cheng told the outside that Wei WuXian defected from the sect and was an enemy to the entire cultivation world. The YunmengJiang Sect had already cast him out. From then on, no ties remained between them—a clear line was drawn. Henceforth, no matter what he did, they’d have nothing to do with the YunmengJiang Sect!

Jiang Cheng chooses to exasperate what Wei Wuxian had told him, he chooses to stage a fight in order to display the fact that he is not in connection with him. It is a staged fight but he does go in for a dramatic blow that wasn't needed as Wei Wuxian says later, covered in a jest to downplay Jiang Cheng's violence. Jiang Cheng only secretly visits Wei Wuxian once and with no other's knowledge as he is still committed to staying in favor with the other sect's for his own safety within the cultivation world.

Contrast that to Lan Wangji's stance at Koi Tower.

Suddenly, somebody came from behind him. It was Lan WangJi, who had followed him without speaking a word. Wei WuXian’s reputation had always been terrible, so it wasn’t his first time in such a situation. In this life, his mindset was different from how he was in his past. He could already face these situations calmly. He should get away first. There might be a chance of a counterattack in the days to come. He wouldn’t push it even if no such chance came. If he stayed, all that would come out of it were more than hundreds of slashes from the swords. Saying that he was actually innocent was even more of a joke. Everyone believed with utmost certainty that he’d return to seek revenge sometime in the future. Having destroyed countless sects, nobody would listen to his explanation, especially when Jin GuangYao would be there fanning the flames. Lan WangJi, though, was different from him. He wouldn’t even have to explain, and people would explain for him, such as how HanGuang-Jun had been deceived by the YiLing Laozu.

Wei WuXian, “HanGuang-Jun, you don’t have to follow me!”

Lan WangJi looked straight in front of him, saying nothing in reply. The two left behind them a crowd of cultivators shouting to kill. Amid the chaos, Wei WuXian spoke again, “You really want to go with me? Think carefully. After you walk out this door, your reputation will be destroyed!”

The two had already dashed down the steps of Koi Tower.

All of a sudden, a coldness passed through his stomach. As he looked down, Jin Ling had already pulled the white blade—now red with blood—out of him.

He didn’t expect that Jin Ling really would come at him.

The only thought that passed in Wei WuXian’s mind was, He could have been like anyone, yet he just so happened to have taken after his uncle Jiang Cheng. They even like to stab the same places.

He couldn’t quite clearly remember what had happened next. He felt that he tried to attack. Everything around them seemed frenzied. Not only had it been noisy, their escape seemed to bump and jolt as well. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but when he hazily opened his eyes again, Lan WangJi flew on Bichen, while he was carried on Lan WangJi’s back. Blood had spilled onto half of his snow colored cheeks.

In truth, the wound at his stomach didn’t hurt too much. But it was still a hole in his body, after all. In the beginning, he had managed for a while, as though nothing happened. It was likely, though, that this body hadn’t received many injuries before. As the wound bled, he couldn’t help but feel light-headed, and this wasn’t something that he could control.

Wei WuXian called out, “… Lan Zhan.”

Lan WangJi’s breathing wasn’t as placid as usual, feeling somewhat rushed. It was probably from carrying Wei WuXian while fending off attacks and being on the run for too long.

The way he replied though, was still the usual single syllable, as steady as ever, “Mnn.”

After the “mnn”, he added, “I am here.”

Hearing those words, made something that Wei WuXian had never felt before sprout within his heart. It was like sorrow. His chest hurt, but also felt a bit warm.

He could still remember how, back in Jiangling, Lan WangJi came all the way to assist him, yet he didn’t appreciate that kindness at all. With all kinds of disputes between, the two of them often parted with disapproval.

But what he hadn’t expected was that while everyone feared him or flattered him, Lan WangJi scolded him right to his face; when everyone spurned him and loathed him, Lan WangJi stood by his side.

It is an exact replica of the situation Jiang Cheng had faced with Wei Wuxian. But Lan Wangi neither condemns or speaks for what Wei Wuxian should do. He only wordlessly protects him and stays by his side in support that he does believe Wei Wuxian. His reputation is not worth the continued condemnations against Wei Wuxian and he very publicly solidifies his standing with Wei Wuxian where Jiang Cheng said he stood against him with that duel. Lan Wangji several times even when they had been young tried to stand with Wei Wuxian knowing his intentions were meant well, and Jiang Cheng further alienated Wei Wuxian placing further blame on Wei Wuxian and calling him self-serving with a savior complex.

Years later, Lan Wangji is able to take actions finally for Wei Wuxian that makes him understand that Lan Wangji is fully willing to stay with him and is a safety net. Jiang Cheng has cemented himself as an enemy without the deception for Wei Wuxian's complacency.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #lan wangji vs jiang cheng #don't mind me

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shinelikethunder · 5 years ago

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So what is with Hannibal. I mean, I know the basic concept of the series, but what is compelling about it. I ask you this as someone whose tastes are very similar to yours. I also ask you this as someone who has always been morbidly fascinated with cannibalism, but like... survival cannibalism, not "this dude is one sick fuck" cannibalism

Oh god. Uh. How do I even begin to explain what is with Hannibal. The closest analogy I can come up with is “in musical theater terms, take the id appeal of The Phantom of the Opera but make the execution even more Sweeney Todd than any production of Sweeney Todd that’s ever been staged.” That doesn’t do it justice though. It is so many things and all of them are ridiculous:

“Let’s take a series of iconic psychological-thriller novels and adapt them into... a 3-season-long pretentious art film that’s initially forced to masquerade as a network-TV crime procedural!” Which is ludicrous enough. But on top of that, halfway through first season, the “retelling” has already shown its hand as fanfiction: they don’t have the rights to all the source material? Fine, then they will mix, match, remix, embroider, recontextualize, and allude to whatever they want to--it’s a freeform improvisation that’s based in loving, respecting, wanting more of, and also fixing (and occasionally roasting) the canon.

The pretentious art film’s aesthetic goal, which it is utterly relentless about, is to take you on a ride that obliterates the boundaries between hungry, horrified, and horny. Everything is beautiful, especially things that shouldn’t be. Everything looks disturbingly appetizing, even things that aren’t food. Everything is weirdly sexy and alluring. All of this is accomplished without flinching from how horrific the subject matter is. And it’s all intercut with characters having Deep and Thematically Relevant Conversations that sound like a bunch of vampires smoking weed and talking about their feelings. It’s just... a hell of a headspace to get drawn into.

Highly stylized yet unexpectedly earnest and heartfelt meditations on mortality, trauma, and every human’s relationship with their own potential for darkness? The more any particular character looks purely like a victim and a poor wounded bird to others, the more complicated their actual relationship to their own agency and what they've done to survive. There’s a beautiful, thoughtful, heartbreaking subplot about a marriage between two strong and dignified people when one of them falls terminally ill--and it plays out in tandem with Grand Guignol bullshit about, like, an aging serial killer who commemorates his own life’s legacy by digging up all his corpses and hacking them together into a totem pole. It’s batshit. It shouldn’t work, and yet.

It’s so incredibly fucking funny. If you’re into humor of the pitch-black and/or gallows variety. The entire show is a comedy anchored in the dramatic irony of “none of these very serious characters know they’re on a show about Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ Lecter, Notorious Serial Killer Whose Dinner Parties You Should Avoid At All Costs.”

The central relationship is... I don’t even know how to put it. It’s operating in the same “gothic horror and/or romance” territory as, say, most vampire fiction--locating and exploring and ultimately wallowing in the part of the psyche that finds darkness alluring. But it’s very eclectic in what it pulls into that dreamscape, and it manages to sustain an incredible amount of ambivalence between allure and acknowledgement of how awful everything that’s going on really is--between giving in and trying to maintain control over your darkness. And it’s a show where “giving in” means not just acceptance but participation--it’s about falling in love with the monster, but also about people identifying with and potentially becoming monsters themselves.

And also, like, unexpected bonding between weird, fucked-up, lonely people who are used to being looked at but not used to being seen and understood and accepted. And constant power struggles between people who will never settle into a stable dynamic where either of them comes out on top. And weird relationships to vulnerability. And games of manipulation that leave room for, even celebrate, the inherent non-deterministic and unpredictable nature of even the people you know the best. And, you know, problematic murder queers who appreciate the intimacy of a good stab wound.

If you want to try it out: Watch the first 2 episodes for essential setup/context and to get a feel for how the show works. (And whether the way it does gore and horror is going to be too much. The case-of-the-week in episode 2 is... uh, it’s A Lot.) If you want to continue, awesome! If you want to keep sampling before you commit, here’s a few recs:

Peak dark-comedy romcom episode, minimal spoilers, minimal additional context needed: 1x08 Fromage, aka the human cello.

(Runner-up: 1x07 Sorbet, which is a bit structurally odd and less representative of how the show rolls, but still a fun time.)

Peak “that’s it that’s the show” episode, if you don’t mind spoilers through mid-s2 and are OK rolling with lack of context: 2x08 Su-zakana, aka the nightmare turducken.

Peak id-fic episode, spoilery as fuck and probably akin to an acid trip without context: 3x06 Dolce, in which everyone bleeds real pretty and marinates in Yearning up to their eyeballs, except the murder lesbians, who are the only ones sensible enough to just fuck already

(Runner-up: 2x10 Naka-choko, aka Relationship Status: Both “In Cahoots With” and “It’s A Trap”, aka peak inappropriately horny episode.)

#hannibal #meta #angualupin

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vivaciouslady · 3 years ago

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thank you to my dear @marilyn-monroes-jeans for tagging me in this ❤️

MUSIC

• favorite genre: this is so difficult because i listen a a lot of different things but probably 1930s-1950s standards, golden age musicals, or just whatever taylor swift is currently doing

• favorite artist(s): julie andrews, john denver, taylor swift, ginger rogers, soccer mommy, one direction (i yearn for the good old days), tchaikovsky, debussy

• favorite song: once again i have a TON but my favorite songs of all time is probably Farewell Andromeda by John Denver (the live version from An Evening With John Denver) and You’ll Be Reminded of Me (from Vivacious Lady) by Ginger Rogers

• most listened to song recently: either August by Taylor Swift or Old Cape Cod by Patti Page (both have the best end of summer in new england energy)

• song stuck in your head currently: the theme from Come September (1961)

• five favorite lyrics (not in any particular order):

- “Welcome to my evening, the closing of the day. You know I can try a million times never find a better way to tell you that I love you and all the songs I play are to thank you for allowing me inside your lovely day” Farewell Andromeda by John Denver

- “my house of stone, your ivy grows, and now i’m covered in you” Ivy by Taylor Swift

- “and when your heart is broken in two you’ll be reminded of me and i’ll be laughing… you’ll be reminded of me” You’ll Be Reminded of Me by Ginger Rogers

- “It's a bite of the apple, the touch of your lips. I'm stuck in the bathroom and sick over it” Scorpio Rising by Soccer Mommy

- “Birds love and bees love and whispering trees love, and that's what we both should do” He Loves and She Loves from Funny Face (1957), the original and the Julie Andrews Cover

BOOKS

• favorite genre: classics and fantasy

• favorite book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

• favorite author: Jane Austen

• favorite book series: Nancy Drew (but if you want an answer that’s more of an actual contained series i’d have to say Throne of Glass by Sara J. Maas)

• comfort book: The Complete Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem

• the perfect book to read on a rainy day: We We’re Liars by E. Lockhart, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, or Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

• favorite book characters: Anne Shirley, Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy, and Nancy Drew

• five quotes from your favorite book(s) that you know by heart:

- “That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. ‘My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child.’ I stopped.” Ella Enchanted

- “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” Pride and Prejudice

- “You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.” Pride and Prejudice

- “He loved me. He'd loved me as long as he he'd known me! I hadn't loved him as long perhaps, but now I loved him equally well, or better. I loved his laugh, his handwriting, his steady gaze, his honorableness, his freckles, his appreciation of my jokes, his hands, his determination that I should know the worst of him. And, most of all, shameful though it might be, I loved his love for me.” Ella Enchanted

- “There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.” Pride and Prejudice

TV & MOVIES

• favorite genre: for films it has to be rom-coms or just anything old hollywood in general (i know that’s not a genre) and for TV i like dramas and comedies

• favorite movie(s): Vivacious Lady (1938), The Sound of Music (1964), Stage Door (1937), and The Dream Lady (1918)

• comfort movie(s): (I have so many i’m sorry this isn’t even all of them) Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging (2008), Ever After (1998), BBC’s Pride and Prejudice (1995, yes I know this is a miniseries), Funny Face (1957), Summer Magic (1963), The Parent Trap (1961), The Philadelphia Story (1940), Curly Top (1935), The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), Come September (1961), Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), Cinderella (1997), Sense and Sensibility (1995), The Last Jedi (2017), and all my favs

• movies you watch every year: White Christmas (1954), Auntie Mame (1958), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), Legally Blonde (2001), and literally all of my comfort movies (if i’m being honest all of these are comfort movies as well i’m a mess)

• favorite tv shows: Derry Girls, Downton Abbey, New Girl, The Julie Andrews Hour, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl (original), The X-Files, Criminal Minds, Sex Education, M*A*S*H, and The Haunting of Bly Manor

• most rewatched tv show: I think Derry Girls and Gossip Girl are probably tied for this one

• ultimate otp: oh my god obviously jamie and dani 🥺 (but also mary/matthew and mulder/scully my loves) EDIT: HOW DID I FORGET JEAN MAITLAND AND TERRY RANDALL OH MY GOD I WAS ONLY THINKING ABOUR TV BUT THEY ARE MY OTP

• five favorite characters:

from tv shows - Mary Crawley, Dana Scully, Fox Mulder, James Maguire, Orla McCool

from movies - Francey Brent/Morgan, Danielle De Barbarac, Maria von Trapp, Mame Dennis, Mia Thermopolis

bonus: Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from the 1995 adaptation because it’s technically not a movie or tv show it’s a miniseries

oh wow okay that was so long!! i’m (no pressure) tagging: @retrodame @johnsonshildy @norashelley @chantalstacys @glamourofyesteryear @lickingyellowpaint <3 (sorry if you have already done this tag)

#i’d prefer long seasons if they didn’t have so much filler #rewatching/watching once depends on how much i liked the film/series lol #this was so fun #tag game #tagged

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zabrak-show · 4 years ago

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In the novel Clone Wars: Stories of the Light and Dark Obi-Wan's chapter retells the episode "The Lawless". While overall I found the book, while certainly not bad, missing a certain something and although some chapters really add to the corresponding episodes such as Rex' retelling of the Umbara arc, many are just very close retellings of the episodes. Now Kenobi's chapter was a mixed bag to me because some of it is really just an exact recount of the events of the episode, however, I found some additions made in regards to Maul interesting.

To no one's surprise there's a bit about Obi-Wan's almost hatred: "Hate was not the Jedi way. But for this man, Obi-Wan had grown weary of keeping it at bay."

Then we get confirmation that Maul is either just very perceptive, simply has Kenobi all figured out or is actually able to mindprobe even such thoroughly trained - albeit here clearly distraught - Jedi as Obi-Wan: "Maul seemed to sense his thoughts."

And of course we have Obi-Wan's reaction to Satine's death - which tbh made me all the more convinced that even though Obi-Wan might have crushed on her as a padawan, he is more fond of than in love sith her at this point -: "When Maul killed Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan was stricken with sorrow. Sorrow gripped him again. But there was something else, as well. Something dangerous. Something that scorched. Satine wasn't Maul's enemy. She was just a tool Maul had used to get something he wanted, the throne of Mandalore. And a tool to hurt Obi-Wan. Using a person that way was the worst form of cruelty. Satine had been a person, and her death wasn't just a loss for Obi-Wan. It was a loss for so many more. She'd been a child on this world. Like other children, she'd taken her first step, uttered her first word, laughed and chased flitters in the tall grass of the Mandalorian plains. She'd learned to read, made friends, suffered hurts, recovered and laughed again. And she'd become a leader. She should have lived to see her world thrive, to see her people find peace, to prosper, to make music and art. She should have grown old and been able to look back on all she'd achieved.

"But in a split second, Maul had ended all that. He'd extinguished a light in the universe and replaced it with shadow. Such an act was truly the definition of the dark side. And Obi-Wan burned with rage.

"With the rage came a vision: Eyes smoldering with hatred. Screams in the red glare of a lightsaber.

"Obi-Wan would cleave Maul in two. He would do much worse. There would be nothing left of him. Or the Dathomirian. Or the commandos, those Mandalorian traitors. He would kill them Almec. He would kill anyone who'd had a hand in overthrowing Satine, anyone who'd contributed to her death.

"And he would kill anyone who tried to stop him. Anyone who stood in his way, by word or by deed.

"Anyone.

"Maul laughed. "And now we see the true Obi-Wan Kenobi. The one he hides behind a mask of wit and charm. The one who yearns to be set free."

"And if Obi-Wan gave in to his desires, he'd be giving Maul exactly what he wanted."

So overall this just aligns with the episode. Although I do think Maul's additional taunt in this is so in character for him (and it'd be hilarious if it weren't for the entirety of the situation that Maul describes Obi-Wan as witty and charming). Although it's interesting just how close Obi-Wan came to falling. And ofc this passage really just hammers home the point that Maul wanted for Obi-Wan to fall to the dark side rather than wanting to kill him.

Anyways. The passage I've been dying to point out as an avid Obimaul shipper is the following:

"You can kill me, but you will never destroy me," Obi-Wan said, trying to keep his anger under control. "It takes strength to resist the dark side. Only the weak embrace it."

"It is more powerful than you know."

"And those who oppose it are more powerful than you'll ever be."

There was still a chance to turn this right. He could not overpower Maul, but maybe he could reach him. Maybe he could match Maul's fury, not with equal fury but with understanding. With sympathy. Maul had not always been this way. He'd had his future stolen from him. He'd been warped by the Force-wielders of Dathomir. He'd been groomed to become a creature of anger and vengeance who stood before Obi-Wan.

"I know where you're from," said Obi-Wan. "I've been to your village. I know the decision to join the dark side wasn't yours. I know the Nightsisters made it for you."

Obi-Wan cringed. The words had not come out as he'd intended. He'd wanted to extend a kindness that Maul perhaps never experienced. But he let his own anger and his own fear infect his words with venom."

And then the scene moves along as seen in the episode.

But phew. I feel like there is so much to unpack here. Obi-Wan trying to reach out for Maul is soooo good. I love that meeting anger with understanding and kindness is the Obimaul trope and this is pretty much that. It's interesting that Obi-Wan aknowledges that he couldn't strike the right tone.

Honestly all of this makes me yearn for the AU where he does reach Maul and maybe I'll even write it myself. Just Maul giving in and opening himself up to said kindness (although the staging might have to be different for that e.g. Maul visiting Obi-Wan in prison as an additional scene before he kills Satine).

This also made me reconsider the Siege of Mandalore. We all know, that Maul at that point of the story is not out to kill Kenobi. And honestly, considering that Maul is hyperaware of Kenobi's emotions in these scene and could possibly also have felt Obi-Wan's "kill 'em sith kindness" impulse, isn't it even more likely, that Maul wanted Kenobi to join him in robbing Sheev of his priced pupil Anakin but also killing Palpatine? I always thought Maul wanted to reveal Sidious to Kenobi and he only adapts his plan because it isn't Obi-Wan that arrives. But with this scene in mind, couldn't it possibly be, that Maul remembered that Obi-Wan once tried to reach out for him and wanted to extend the same gesture with the goal of overthrowing Palpatine? Whilst there is this short moment in "The Son of Dathomir" comic in which Maul and Dooku unite in fighting Kenobi, I feel like after Talzin was also killed by Palpatine Maul was kind of aimless - because in the comic he (unfortunately) has essentially moved from seeing himself as Sidious' tool to being Mother Talzin's tool (he even states the latter directly) - and nothing matters to him as much as overthrowing Sidious in that final arc, because he knows if not now then never. He has foreseen what Sidious and Vader will become and knows this is his last shot to truly hurt Palpatine in any way. And lastly Maul is certainly not that delusional that he'd think he can kill Kenobi and Skywalker alone (which is an interpretation I've seen and honestly just feels wrong at that point)

Essentially I am convinced that Maul wanted to form a sort of alliance with Obi-Wan to overthrow Sidious (The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that). Maul knows that Obi-Wan knows him better than anyone and I think at the very least he hoped he could convince Obi-Wan of the truth. Additionally Obi-Wan is the only being left in his life Maul has a connection to, who hasn't been killed by Sidious.

All I am saying is that I join the ranks of other anons and blogs as a huge Obimaul enabler.

Wow!! This was so informative and awesome. I don't have that book so I appreciate the run down A LOT! And will probably save this as reference point tbh.

I don't really have anything to add other than thank you for sharing with me, and that I think you absolutely should write an AU where Obi-Wan is able to reach Maul. How that would play out and what happens when they do is a delicious thought.

#obimaul #long post #thank you for sending all this in #i love reading fan theories and interpretations

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blu-joons · 4 years ago

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DATING SUPER JUNIOR HEADCANON A⇴Z ⇴ Kim Heechul

A ⇴ AFFECTION

He is very affectionate with you, no matter the situation. You knew from the moment you met him how flirty he was, and that often translates with how often he likes being as close to you as possible so he can tease you.

B ⇴ BEFORE DATING

You were very aware of how popular he was when you first met him, you brushed his behaviour aside as him just trying to be nice. It was only when he began to call you and ask you out for coffee you began to think that maybe there was something more to the two of you. Heechul tried to be subtle and play it cool, but everyone knew he was into you.

C ⇴ CONFESSION

Most of his previous relationships hadn’t worked out, so Heechul knew to confess to you with the confidence that he saw this one working out. He invited you out to dinner one night, a lot fancier than the places that the two of you usually met at. From the moment you sat down that night you had the feeling that was something was going on, only for it to be confirmed when Heechul began to tell you exactly how he felt.

D ⇴ DATES

He tried to protect you from the outside a lot, which meant plenty of dates ended up at his place. He’d usually order food in, to protect his kitchen getting messy, and find a good movie or sitcom for the two of you to watch. Dates in public always worried him as he didn’t know who was watching, he’d usually take you out on anniversaries or birthdays, or if you’d had a rough day. It never bothered you though where the two of you were, Heechul always made a date exciting regardless of where you both were.

E ⇴ EXPERIENCE

It’s no secret that he’s been on several dates and been in several relationships, but none of them tended to last. He’d never allowed it do discourage him as he always held out for the one, who he felt like he’d found with you. There was something between the two of you that felt different from all his previous relationships, you stood up to him and didn’t always give him what he wanted, which he loved. He loved how you pushed him to the limit and made him work for his relationship like no one ever had done before.

F ⇴ FIGHTING

At times it felt like Heechul was too busy for there even to be time for the two of you to argue. If you do, it’ll take time to get over it. He tries not to let them effect his work, but there’s been several times when he’s arrived at a broadcast and had to fake a smile. The whole journey home is clouded by thoughts of going home to you, and when he does, that’s when the two of you sort things out. Neither of you ever argue over anything massive, but you certainly have your moments, just like every other relationship does too. He’s hot tempered at times, but he works hard to always have control around you.

G ⇴ GETTING TO KNOW HIS FAMILY

The most important thing to Heechul is his family, he was more nervous than you to introduce you to them. If anything, it helped you bond with his family quicker as you joined in with their teasing and made sure he knew how stupid he was for ever fretting. He tried to convince you it was his plan all along, but you all knew better than that.

H ⇴ HOME

He’s very comfortable at home, things are done exactly the way he likes them. It would take him along time to build the bond that would invite you to move in with him, it was a very gradual process. Little steps were best for you both, slowly he began to move you in and get comfortable with the changes before eventually moving you in properly.

I ⇴ “I LOVE YOU”

Of course, he was the first to say, ‘I love you,’ he’s a bit of a romantic at heart. He’d come back after a long day to see you’d sorted everything out at the apartment, and his heart just swelled. His arms wrapped around you, twirling you around as he whispered those three words into your ear as just a small token of his appreciation for what you’d done.

J ⇴ JEALOUSY

He never really got jealous in your relationship, he enjoyed seeing you happy and getting on with all his friends. That was also something you tried hard to do, you knew it was in his character to be flirty and confident, but sometimes you wondered if he did cross the line. Heechul would always be able to tell when you were beginning to feel uncomfortable, which was where his affection came in, pulling you away from the group or the situation and giving you a huge reassuring hug.

K ⇴ KIDS

It was a subject that Heechul hadn’t given much thought to over the years as he was so focussed on his career. Only when you mentioned it one night did Heechul really begin to think about it. He’d been a dad to animals for years, but kids were a whole new challenge. But they were also a challenge he knew he wanted to embrace with you, he wasn’t getting any younger, and a family definitely was something he wanted to start thinking about.

L ⇴ LAUGHTER

It was impossible for you not to spend your days laughing away when Heechul had such a loud laugh. The sound of his cackle would often fill the house, bringing a smile to your face. He was prepared to do anything to make you smile, he never judged himself too seriously, no matter who was watching. His sarcastic and witty remarks would always take you by surprise when you least expected them, unable to stop yourself from laughing at him. He’d spend all day making you laugh if he could, it was his favourite thing to do.

M ⇴ MISSING

He’d spent enough years travelling to adapt to being away from home, but that all changed when he met you. He felt like he was making his debut again, with a heavy heart and fogged mind as always, his days were spent thinking of you. He’d try and make things easier by sending you plenty of videos on tour, but his schedule was always so busy it was hard to find the time. Even if he went away for a day or two because of filming he struggled, he’d become so used to having you around, that it felt strange not having you around. He never thought he’d go back to the stage of yearning for someone, but then he met you.

N ⇴ NICKNAMES

The two of you never really settled on nicknames for each other, Heechul will come up with anything to address you by. A lot of it depends on you, but he tends to switch between something romantic and something he knows he’ll end up paying for later.

O ⇴ OBSESSION

He’s obsessed with your hands, he’s always taken great care of his, but the feeling of being able to hold onto someone else’s is a whole new, exciting feeling for him.

P ⇴ PDA

Heechul never cares who’s watching, if he wants to hug you or kiss you, then he will. He’s a little more reserved in front of cameras, but day to day he doesn’t mind. He’s happy to have you nice and close to him and make sure you feel loved and supported. If anyone says anything, he’s not afraid to put them in their place.

Q ⇴ QUESTIONS

The question he asks the most is always, ‘what are you laughing at?’ He’s not even aware of what he does half the time to make you laugh, he’ll just look around and see you sniggering, trying to work out what you found so funny.

R ⇴ RANDOM FACTS

To most, it’s random, but not to Heechul. He’s very meticulous about his home, and yours and his things. It’s well known that he invites guests to write their initials on their water bottles, and he encourages you to do the same with most of your things around the house. Whilst he wants you to feel welcome, he has a bit of a habit to place all of your things on the left, and his on the right, so that he can never get confused.

S ⇴ SEX

Playful. That’s the best way to describe Heechul, nothing is ever serious with him, and sex is included. The two of you have shared many intimate moments when suddenly he’ll tickle your sides or poke your cheek to make you laugh. Don’t think that doesn’t make him attentive though, he’ll still sing your praises and make sure you know that he loves you, even if he does always end up doing it with a wide smile.

T ⇴ TEXTS

Texts are handy for him in amongst his busy schedules, so he’ll text you quite often throughout his day. Whenever you glance down at your phone it’s typical that you’ll see at least three or four texts from him.

U ⇴ UNIVERSE

You were his best friend, even if he were comfortable around most people, you were the one he could really be himself around. He could let go and not think about a thing when he was with you, the whole world just felt right.

V ⇴ VACATION

With Heechul’s schedule it would be a bit of a miracle for the two of you to find the time to go on vacation, so he liked to get creative. He loved setting up his house with different items to make it feel like the two of you were on holiday, even though it wasn’t the real thing, the amount of effort he went to always meant the world to you.

W ⇴ WHINING

If you didn’t pay him attention when he wanted it, he would definitely whine. His pout would grow and grow until you eventually paid attention to him.

X ⇴ XXXXX

He’s very affectionate, which mean kisses are often yours. He’ll love to sneak up on you and press a kiss to your cheek or kiss the top of your head when he hugs you to remind you that he’s taller. His kisses are a very telling way of letting you know how he feels, sometimes they’ll be quick, other times they’ll be longer, but you can always read them perfectly and gauge what’s going on in his mind.

Y ⇴ YOU

You were his number one supporter, no one knew Kim Heechul quite like you did.

Z ⇴ ZZZ

It took him a while to get comfortable with having another person in his bed, over time he’d eventually learn to cuddle you and hold you whilst still be able to sleep comfortably. Once he was comfortable, he never, ever, let you go.

---

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fullmetalscullyy · 4 years ago

Text

the way it was - chapter 36

summary: what if riza never went to war? riza hawkeye has just married the man she loves. six months into their marriage, an unexpected surprise stops her from following roy to the military. a canon divergence au that explores what might have happened had riza been unable to join the military. there will be plenty of family fluff, angst, and royai.

rated: m | warnings: no archive warning apply

read on ao3

1915

rise up and take the power back

it's time the fat cats had a heart attack

you know that their time is coming to an end

we have to unify and watch our flag ascend

Anxiety rumbled inside Riza’s stomach uncomfortably. It would not leave her alone at all, becoming more relentless and vicious as the day progressed.

It had started when the news dropped that morning the Fuhrer’s train had been derailed and attacked travelling back from the east. A few hours had passed since then, but her condition didn’t improve. There were reports on various radio stations, claiming Colonel Mustang was an enemy and was staging a coup to overthrow Fuhrer Bradley.

Gunshots were heard towards the centre of the city. The streets were silent, everyone locked up inside and too afraid to venture out. There were panicked warnings across stations too, telling everyone to remain indoors until the military had wrapped up whatever was happening in Central.

‘Wrapped up’ either meant Roy’s success or his doom.

Riza tried not to dwell on it too much despite hanging onto every word that came through on the news stations. It was a cruel form of torture, listening to it all and being unable to determine what was true or false. Was the military on Bradley’s side controlling the reports? Were they trying to paint Roy a criminal? Riza didn’t know. She knew his plan but plans change and are adapted in practice.

Hayate was as restless as she was. However he could sense her distress and recognised she needed some comfort.

Riza had been wringing her hands in her lap on the couch, eyes unseeing as she focussed her attention on the news programmes. He’d hopped up beside her, giving her a fright and making her jump. Hayate buried his muzzle into the gap between her forearm and leg, forcing himself gently into the space with a whine. Normally Riza would gently command him to get down off the furniture but today… It brought a smile to her face and she scooted him closer to her body, petting his fur as he sighed underneath her hands.

The ringing of the phone startled their quiet contemplation as they waited for any further news.

“Hello, Riza,” Gracia greeted on the other side of the line.

Her shoulders relaxed, feeling tension evade from them. Despite it not being who she’d prefer to hear from at that moment, Riza was still pleased to hear from her friend. It was a welcome break from her own mind.

“Hello, Gracia.”

“Hi, Aunt Riza!” an excited child’s voice called over her mother, making Riza smile.

“Elicia says hello too,” Gracia giggled.

“Hello, Elicia,” Riza replied fondly.

Riza’s stomach tightened, a deep yearning flooding her as she wished her children were at home with her too.

Mia was having a brilliant time in Xing. They’d visited two imperial palaces so far and Mia was brimming with excitement and knowledge on them, telling her parents all about it when she’d called on the phone. It just made Riza miss her more, wishing she was there with her and Maes to experience it with them.

“How are you doing?” Gracia’s question interrupted her thoughts.

“I’m fine,” she answered. It wasn’t a complete lie. Physically, she was. Mentally… Well, there wasn’t enough time for her to explain all of that and she didn’t want to unload it all onto her friend.

“Good,” Gracia replied. “I know things are… uncertain in Central Command at the moment,” Gracia added tactfully before clearing her throat, “so I just wanted to call for a chat and see how you were doing.”

A smile overtook Riza’s features at the thoughtful gesture. Gracia had probably heard the same news as her but was still willing to look out for Riza as a friend. At least Riza knew she could count on her regardless of what happened.

“That’s very kind of you. Thank you,” Riza replied gratefully.

“It’s no problem, Riza,” was Gracia’s warm reply.

The two of them chatted a while. Riza and Elicia got to talk for a little bit too. She asked Elicia about her day and what toys she was playing with. A tactical question because she’d need to get organised and buy Elicia’s birthday present sometime soon.

Just as they were wrapping up there was a knock at Riza’s door.

Gracia understood and offered a quick farewell, allowing Riza to answer her guest. Apprehension made her cautious as she approached, eyeing the shadow through the glass carefully before she opened the door. Riza wasn’t expecting anyone, so was alert and wary. Given the circumstances and her husband’s plans for the day, it was hard for her not to be.

“Riza.”

She blinked at Roy standing before her, completely baffled.

His smile was wide, all his teeth on show. His eyes, instead of meeting her gaze with the softness she loved, looked harsh, almost leering at her. It took her aback. The difference in his usual demeanour was startling.

“Roy.”

It was all she could manage to reply with. He… He shouldn’t even be here. He should be elsewhere –

“I’m here to take you to Central Command. I thought about it and I’d prefer it if you were there with me instead of at home.”

Something isn’t right, Riza thought immediately.

Roy’s smile wavered, falling just enough for him to look impatient despite giving her barely any time to reply.

This… This person wasn’t Roy. Riza didn’t know how or why that was possible, but it wasn’t him. Her gut was screaming at her not to trust him.

Roy’s impatience grew. His eyes tightened, but only slightly, a sign that whoever this was, they were annoyed by her lack of response and compliance.

One of the homunculi has skin made of carbon, Roy’s voice echoed in her head. Another, the one that stabbed Havoc and I, could make long knives out of their fingers. One can change shape while another will eat almost everything – and I mean, almost everything.

Someone… One of the homunculi had stolen Roy’s face and was using it in front of her, mocking Riza with his image.

“All right,” she agreed finally. “Sorry, I just didn’t expect to see you home so soon.”

Roy shrugged carelessly. “Plans changed and Central Command is where I want you to be.”

She tried not to frown. She really did. Whenever a plan was made, even his plans for today, her thoughts and wants were always considered. Riza was never ‘forced’ into anything based on what Roy desired.

He’d listened intently to her fears for the day, holding her close. He’d asked where she’d prefer to be - if she wanted to travel last minute to Xing with his mother or if she wanted to stay at home. Riza knew what Roy wanted her to do. He wanted her to leave so that she would be safe and out of harm’s way. But he didn’t voice it. It was her decision and he didn’t want to sway her. She couldn’t leave him though. They’d always agreed to look out for one another and Riza couldn’t turn her back on him when he needed it the most. Despite not being actively involved in his plans, she still wanted to be present. Whether the aftermath of today would be good or bad, she still wanted to stay to see it through.

Roy hadn’t promised that everything would be all right, because realistically he couldn’t, but he did promise he’d fight tooth and nail to come back to her. That he always would. It meant more to Riza to hear that than for him to spout off false promises in an effort to make her feel better in the short-term. It reminded Riza of how he would always gravitate back to her, and vice versa.

Two soldiers approached up the path to their home, tearing Riza’s attention away from her ‘husband’. Their faces were stony and unforgiving as they stared at her, waiting for her to start moving.

“Who are these people?”

“Two men from my team,” Roy dismissed, gesturing lazily over his shoulder. “They’re extra protection for you. Are you ready to leave?”

So, now she wasn’t even getting a chance to disagree.

Riza had never seen these men before either. If Roy really was sending someone on a protection detail, it would be someone she was familiar with, or at least someone she knew the name of.

These people were not here to protect her.

“I will be,” she nodded slowly. “I just need to lock up.”

She shouldn’t go with them. Every instinct screamed at her not to, however another part of her whispered in her mind that she clearly had no choice. The silent officers had their hands on their weapon holsters. It was a reminder. A threat.

“Lock up?” The imposter echoed her words back to her in irritated confusion.

She nodded. “I won’t be a moment,” she reassured. “I would bring you in, but I’ve been painting so there’s fresh paint everywhere. I wouldn’t want it to get all over your uniforms,” she smiled placidly, perfectly innocent as she closed the door on them without waiting for a reply.

One thing Riza was hoping for as she turned in a hurry, was that they’d respect the boundary she’d set by closing that door.

If they were here for her “protection” and she was to be used against Roy in some way, they wouldn’t hurt her. Well, not yet anyway. That would have no impact on Roy right now. If they wanted to use her to get to him, whoever this was would wait until Roy could see her. The thought made her ill, but she had no choice. She could fight it, she could run, but she couldn’t outrun bullets if they started firing. Plus, the homunculi had powers. There was no way for her to know what the one who’d stolen her husband’s face was capable of.

Riza dived for the phone, but hesitated. There was no one to call. Roy wasn’t in the office, neither was his team. Rebecca was out of office today. Gracia was just a civilian…

There was one person…

A piece of paper lay next to the phone with a name and phone number written on it. Roy had left it there the night before, explaining it was a direct line to one of his supporters in the East. They were high up in the military, he’d said, and would help if she needed anything today.

Riza shook her head as she stared at the name. She had no reason to believe her grandfather would help her. He’d known of her existence for years and had made no move to make contact. Still, it was an option… A way to possibly get through to Roy. A last ditch effort…

Riza felt she at least had to try.

“General Grumman,” an aged voice greeted through the phone.

“General,” Riza greeted, swallowing the extra saliva forming in her mouth. “General Grumman, my name is Riza Mustang. Née Hawkeye.”

There was silence on the other side of the line.

“I’m very sorry to disturb you today, sir, however I was left this number by my husband, Colonel Mustang, should I need any assistance.” There was still no reply from her grandfather. Taking a deep breath, she forged ahead, hoping he would offer her something. “I would like to ask one thing of you, if you wouldn’t mind? It’s for my husband’s sake and I wouldn’t bother you if it wasn’t important. I know you are close with him, sir.”

“What do you need?” His tone had changed completely, losing its professionalism, and reverting to a respectful but forlorn one.

Riza didn’t spend too long analysing the nuances of his reply. She couldn’t. There were far more important things for her to dwell on, especially when her grandfather had paid her no mind in the years she and Roy had been married. If Roy was a well-known “family man” around the office, then General Grumman was sure to have heard about her when he was Roy’s direct superior. Her grandfather must have made the connection and yet had done nothing. Other factors may have come into play there, but Riza had no time to consider them. Getting a message to Roy was her top priority, not her grandfather.

“I need you to get a message to Colonel Mustang.”

“What is it?” The General’s tone was brisk. He snapped his fingers, demanding someone get him a pen and some paper.

“Tell him I’m on my way into town,” she swallowed, looking back at her front door. “The escort has just arrived.”

“Understood.” There was movement on the other side of the line. She heard him bark an order but it was hard to make it out. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Mrs. Mustang? Anything you need?”

“That’s all. I would really appreciate you passing that message on, sir,” she added, stressing that fact and hoping he’d pick up on it.

There was an urgent knock at her front door. Riza’s head snapped towards it, feeling the imposter’s anger and annoyance as they banged on the door.

“Have a nice day, General,” she swallowed. Riza hung up the phone without waiting for him to reply.

While shrugging on her jacket she whistled for Hayate to come. He appeared in an instant by her side, looking up at her expectantly. She bent low, clipping his lead onto his collar. Taking the deepest breath, Riza stood and braced herself to dive head first into the lion’s den.

The imposter frowned once the door opened, affronted at having been kept waiting for so long, while the two soldiers stared at her, as stiff as statues. Paying them no heed, Riza pocketed her house key and looked at her ‘husband’ expectantly.

Hayate tugged on his lead, turning to growl loudly at Roy. He barked twice, taking up a defensive stance in front of her.

Her dog’s behaviour solidified it for Riza. That was not her husband.

“What’s wrong… boy?” Roy missed a beat, guessing the correct word to use when referring to Hayate, who just continued to bark.

Riza didn’t try to quieten him either.

“I’m not sure,” she replied innocently, glancing up at her ‘husband’. “He normally loves you, Roy.”

The imposter frowned down at the Shiba. He took one step forward and Hayate warned him to back right back up again with a snarl. Roy flinched, moving backwards. Riza almost smiled proudly at her dog.

“What’s gotten into the mutt today,” Roy muttered darkly underneath his breath.

Gripping the lead tightly and trying not to snap a reply, Riza gently hushed Hayate.

“Why does he have to come?” Roy’s voice was full of disgust.

“I can’t leave him alone all day,” Riza replied simply with a shrug. “That wouldn’t be very responsible pet ownership. You know that.”

Roy turned his nose up Hayate, then proceeded to skirt around him as Hayate continued to growl. Riza probably should’ve quietened him again but it was far too entertaining to watch. Hayate had always been very protective of her and her family so if his instincts were telling him not to trust Roy, then Riza would believe it too.

“Keep him on a tight lead,” Roy sniffed, storming over to the car without a backwards glance.

Riza glanced down at Hayate, noting how his stance was still protective, but his growling eased with the more distance Roy put between him and her.

“Yes, Sir,” Riza muttered to herself.

Beginning to walk, she signalled for Hayate to follow. There was a moment of pause and Riza wondered if he’d go anywhere near the imposter again but Hayate trotted along obediently. He moved closer to Riza and hurried to walk one step ahead of her, putting himself between her and the imposter.

She loved their little Shiba with all of her heart every day. However, after that show and how protective he was being, her adoration for their dog swelled in her chest that little bit more.

* * *

The car stopped at a blockade. Soldiers were holding up traffic, waving for other soldiers to pass by and ignoring the yelling of irate drivers. ‘Roy’ was in the passenger seat, muttering under his breath while the soldier driving remained still, staring straight ahead with no emotion as he waited for the disruption to clear.

Riza’s head turned at the sound of yells, confused but drawn to it, wondering what on earth the sudden commotion was for.

Then a gun went off. One single shot cracked through the angry shouting, silencing everyone.

That’s when the panicked cries started.

People ran past the car window as Riza ducked in the back seat on instinct. Another gunshot sounded, followed by loud cracks and sudden flashes of light. It reminded Riza of alchemy but she didn’t get a chance to dwell on that thought for too long. Hayate whined loudly in her ear. His legs were shaking and shifting restlessly on her lap as he pressed his muzzle against her neck in fear.

The sound of gunfire rattled within Riza’s chest, making her feel ill. It was such a shock that she was frozen for the briefest of seconds, stuck as she tried to comprehend what was happening.

Risking lifting her head, Riza spotted the look of fury on Roy’s face. One hand was braced on the dashboard, teeth clenched hard together as he cursed violently. The tips of his fingers changed in colour, taking on a hint of green as the imposter began to lose whatever control they had over Roy’s form.

“Envy!”

A voice called through the sudden appearance of smoke and dust outside, but from her ducked position, Riza could see no one. She couldn’t be sure, but they sounded young. Risking a further search, there was still nobody to be found. She couldn’t see anything through the sudden gloom.

“Come out!” the newcomer commanded harshly.

The imposter snarled and glared ahead of them.

“You,” they hissed, twisting her husband’s features into a look of disgust. Then, their hand turned green and transformed shape completely.

Riza listened to her screaming instincts and made her move.

The soldier to Riza’s left hadn’t expected her to shove open the door and dive out of the stationary vehicle. People were still yelling and running away from the sound of whatever battle was raging in the streets. Riza ducked into the crowd hurriedly with Hayate in her arms, sprinting through it and bashing into others who damned her for being so clumsy. She didn’t care. There was an out and Riza took it. The startling sound of Roy yelling at her with such ire almost froze her in fear, but Riza forged ahead.

That was not Roy.

Once through the throng of people, she slipped into an alleyway and stopped, panting heavily. Hands on knees, Riza’s lungs heaved as she struggled to get the breath she needed. Her limbs were shaking from adrenaline, fear, and anger.

How dare that… homunculus imitate Roy. They hadn’t even tried to appear sincere and like him. Riza had never been so insulted by that poor performance. They’d mocked her with his image -

Hayate quietly barked a warning. He took a step back, facing the thinning crowd of people she’d just ran through.

“Time to go, boy,” Riza breathed, still struggling to gulp down enough oxygen. She willed herself to calm down and focus on the here and now, and not what had transpired with the homunculus. She was free from them at the moment but if they caught her it would not end well for Riza.

Her months of limited exercise due to the pregnancy and having a demanding infant in the house was taking its toll. Her breaths slowly became easier, but her heart rate remained sky high. Adrenaline and anger were fuelling the furious pumping of her heart, making Riza’s first step unsteady.

Hayate remained tight to her side, scouting ahead with his nose. He never stopped or resisted the direction she was heading, so Riza took that as a good sign.

After escaping from the homunculus and the escort, Riza had no idea where to go. She knew of Roy and his team’s plan, knew where they were rendezvousing at, but it would be difficult to pinpoint where exactly they were at certain times –

Tires screeching on concrete made Riza jerk back from the road in fright. Momentary terror gripped her heart, squeezing it tightly. Was this someone else to ‘convince’ her to go with them? Had the homunculus found her?

This was not a car though. Riza paused and eyed the ice cream truck that had halted in front of her. Her muscles coiled with energy, getting ready to turn and run if need be.

“Riza?!”

The sound of Rebecca Catalina’s voice was not what Riza expected to hear that day, however it was the most welcome thing in the world after her flight from the car.

“Rebecca?”

“Get in!”

The door in the cab of the truck was thrown open. Riza didn’t hesitate.

“What are you doing out on the streets?” Rebecca’s tone was one of disbelief and worry as she pulled away, speeding down the street.

“What are you doing in Central? Shouldn’t you be on a mission out east?”

“This is my mission.” Her head jerked to the truck behind her.

Looking around, Riza blinked in surprise at the number of weapons that were loaded into the unsuspecting ice cream truck.

“Uh…”

There was a person in the back, too. A woman.

“Hi,” she grinned, offering Riza a wave. Dark hair was cut short to her head, while a distinctive mole was placed upon her cheek, just underneath her eye.

“Riza, Maria Ross,” Rebecca introduced hurriedly as she weaved through traffic. “Maria, Riza Mustang.”

“Oh!” Riza exclaimed, recognition dawning on her. “Maria Ross,” she repeated, seeing the woman nod in confirmation. “I’m glad you’re safe. How was Xerxes?”

“Hot,” she remarked dryly, “but a necessary journey. Xing was much more preferable though in temperature,” she quipped with a wink.

“You didn’t answer my question, Riza,” Rebecca admonished. “What were you doing out in the streets?”

Hayate swayed on her lap, looking out the window excitedly as the city sped by. With hands buried in his fur, she rubbed his sides as she told the story of her morning.

“Wait, a homunculus?” Rebecca’s mouth popped open in shock. “At your door?”

“I think so, because it wasn’t Roy.” Riza was adamant about that. “Hayate growled and barked at them enough though, didn’t you boy?”

Reacting to her proud tone, Hayate sat a little taller and panted happily.

“He’s a good boy,” Rebecca cooed. “You’re so lucky,” she added, pouting.

“How come?” Her laugh was light.

“You get a good man, cute kids, and the best dog in the world!”

“Yes, but I don’t get to run around the city, driving at top speed in an ice cream truck full of weapons,” Riza countered playfully.

“Do you want to?” Rebecca chuckled to herself. “I can only imagine the look on Mustang’s face when you show up as the driver.”

It would be entertaining but Riza’s stomach still tightened uncomfortably at the thought of having to explain what had happened that morning to him. She’d never hide it, but given his reaction to her meeting with Pride, it wouldn’t be ideal to do it when he was supposed to be level-headed and calm while leading a rebellion.

“I can picture it well,” Riza smirked, despite her discomfort.

They pulled up to the kerb suddenly.

“Quick, get into the back,” Rebecca ordered.

Given the urgency of her tone, Riza wasted no time and held Hayate tight to her chest as she manoeuvred her way into the back of the truck, picking her way through boxes of weapons.

“Colonel Mustang!”

Riza’s heart was in her throat as she waited to see him appear. Relief flooded each and every one of her limbs, thankful he was okay, and she could witness that confirmation with her own two eyes. Roy gawked up at Maria Ross, so did Breda, when she moved forward to reveal herself.

“I picked up a hitchhiker along the way as well,” Rebecca quipped.

Breda glanced behind Maria, eyes growing wide when Rebecca waved over her shoulder to further back in the truck. Roy just stared in confusion at Rebecca.

“Riza?” Breda’s half smirk was both of joy and surprise as he called over to her.

Roy’s head snapped around after Breda spoke. His eyes scanned the truck frantically to look for her. Once settling on her form, he took one look at her face, instantly alert. His spine straightened as Riza let out a long breath.

“What are you doing here?” Breda’s question was mirrored on all of their faces, joy quickly turning to alerted concern.

“Let’s hop out for a minute,” Rebecca suggested. “I could use a stretch of my legs.”

Everyone did so, moving further away as Riza stepped down onto the concrete. She felt Hayate stiffen in her arms but she placed him down on the ground so she could talk to Roy.

He’d stepped back, giving them all space to step out of the vehicle, but didn’t approach Riza. He remained put, studying her, trying to find a reason in his own mind why she would be in the truck with Rebecca and not at home.

“Can I talk to you?”

He nodded, stepping forward with an outstretched hand. Taking a deep breath, Riza approached with Hayate’s lead in her hand. She was halted, though, when her dog dug his paws into the ground, tugging her back from him. No growl left his throat, but Hayate wasn’t budging and was staring Roy down.

“Hayate?”

Riza held her breath, thinking of her last run in with ‘Roy’.

“Is it really you?” Her question, despite being quiet, carried across the distance between them.

“What?” His confusion was genuine. Shifting his stance to face her fully, Roy’s arm dropped to his side, hanging limp.

Out the corner of her eye, Riza saw Breda jerk his head at the other three soldiers, walking further out of earshot to give them some more privacy. It was much appreciated.

“Is it really you,” she repeated, gripping Hayate’s lead tighter.

The dog took a tentative step forward but still didn’t growl. His nostrils were moving, sniffing, and testing the air.

“I…” He didn’t know how to respond, which Riza thought was promising. Looking completely perplexed, Roy trailed off, unsure how to answer but wanting to be careful in his reply.

“What did you say to me?” She was desperate, the emotion clawing up her throat and forming a lump. She desperately wanted it to be him, but she wouldn’t put herself at risk. She had to check. “Before you left last night, what did you promise?”

“That I would always return to you and the kids,” was his instant reply. Roy didn’t even miss a beat. It made Riza’s heart soar and her muscles loosened with the reassurance. “You told me you’d hold me to that and to go off and save the world.” A tiny smile tugged at his lips, softening his expression.

It was him.

Riza moved forward into his open and waiting arms. Hayate didn’t put up any resistance either. A kiss was pressed to the top of her head as she squeezed him tightly.

“Thank you for answering my questions,” she whispered against his uniform.

Hayate sniffed at Roy’s legs and let out a quiet yip. His tail wagged happily before sitting down on the ground, satisfied that this was the real Roy.

“Can I ask what that was all about?” He was trying to remain casual, but she heard the strain in his voice.

Riza nodded and pulled away. “Hayate and I already had a run in with you today.”

His head cocked to the side, not understanding. His lips parted to speak but no noise left him. Instead, Roy’s mouth closed, still unable to comprehend her reply.

“It wasn’t you.”

“Well, I know that, but –” His face paled, mouth parted as realisation dawned on him. “Wait.”

“It was someone pretending to be you. They had your face and your voice.”

“Oh, shit.”

Riza almost snorted in amusement at his mumbled response.

“I’m… I didn’t… I didn’t anticipate something like that happening.”

“It’s not your fault.”

An appreciative smile was shot her way. “Are you okay, though?” Roy dipped his head, looking into both her eyes to try and discern if he could see anything in them to give away her true state of being.

“I’m fine,” she placated with a gentle hand on his forearm. “We’re fine. Hayate told me right away that it wasn’t you.”

Roy looked down at their pup. Seeing eyes on him, Hayate’s tongue lolled from his mouth and his tail thumped on the ground. Roy’s hands released Riza from his hold so he could lower to a crouch. Hayate stood, excitement on his face at the anticipation of getting attention from Roy.

“He’s a good dog,” Roy murmured, rubbing at Hayate’s head. “The best dog in the world, actually.”

“I’ve often thought that myself,” Riza replied dryly.

“Thank you for protecting our family, Hayate.” His tone was sincere as he gave Hayate another scratch behind the ear. The pup was pleased, his eyes closing appreciatively. “We all owe you a lot.”

Hayate barked at them both, eyes sparkling with elation.

“I’m glad you’re all right,” Roy repeated, moving to stand. “Who was it? Do you know?”

“I don’t,” Riza replied honestly. “It was definitely a homunculus though. You said there was one who could change shape. It was you, Roy, but they didn’t act like you.”

“Envy, then,” he muttered to himself.

Riza’s mind jolted, remembering how someone had called that name before she fled the car.

“Was there anyone else?”

“Two vacant looking soldiers. They didn’t speak,” Riza replied.

“What did Envy want?”

“Me to go with them to Central Command.”

Turning thoughtful, Roy considered her answer. “I didn’t anticipate a plan such as this.” His gaze turned away but Riza caught sight of his regret. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think they’d stoop so low and do something like try and kidnap you.”

Her stomach twisted at the phrase, but Roy was right.

“I thought you’d be safe at home,” he sighed. His eyes closed briefly. “But if that’s how they want to do things then I’m glad you’re here.” His expression softened, his tiny smile returning to tease the corner of his lips.

“I am too,” she admitted. Riza reached forward and gripped his hand tightly.

Once again, she found a place in his arms, safe and secure.

“So, what’s the plan, Colonel?” Riza pulled away from his embrace after kissing his cheek.

One of his eyebrows raised. “You already know the plan.”

“I did,” Riza agreed, “but now I’m involved. How can I help?”

“Well. I didn’t really want to get you involved but if you’re here we could use an extra set of hands.” Twisting, he extracted a pistol from a holster around his waist. “I wasn’t planning on using it but brought it just in case.”

“You’re giving me a gun?” Riza blinked at it.

“You were the deadliest shot I knew as a kid with that rifle of yours,” Roy quipped playfully. “I know it’s been a while though, so if you don’t want to –”

Riza gently plucked the gun from Roy’s open palm. It was examined carefully, and she weighed it in her grip. It nestled comfortably in her palm.

“Anything to help.” Her reply was firm and determined. “And it’s not been too long. Rebecca and I went shooting once before I found out I was pregnant with Maes.”

“Is it just like riding a bike, then?”

Riza smirked at his jest. “We’ll soon find out.”

She lifted the gun to eye level, squinting to aim, feeling everything come rushing back to her from her childhood. She was back in that forest, the breeze gentle and tugging at her fringe. The birds overhead were chirping, oblivious to the young girl below hunting for survival.

“I think you’ll be just fine,” Roy smirked, watching her proudly.

“Sir!” Fuery called from a distance away, interrupting their conversation.

They both turned, seeing him holding a phone receiver away from his ear.

“I’ve got a call here for you from General Grumman, sir.”

Riza’s heart rose into her throat in anticipation.

“He’s been trying to get through to us for a while. Apparently it’s very urgent. It’s regarding your family?” Fuery questioned that last part, looking over at Riza.

Roy shot her an alarmed look.

“I called him and asked to get a message to you,” she explained, “when Envy showed up.”

“Oh.”

“Take it,” she urged and nudged his arm gently. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

He shot her a smile before jogging over to Fuery to take the call.

So, her grandfather had come through for her after all. Riza let out a relieved breath, thankful he’d listened and done as she’d requested. Although she hadn’t anticipated ending up with Roy anyway and so soon, it was still a relief to know the General was willing to help her.

She’d make sure to thank him if they ever crossed paths in the future.

#royai #royai fic #royai fanfic #royai au #the way it was #emma writes #here we go my dudes 🤙#time for promised day shenanigans

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scotianostra · 4 years ago

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Happy 51st Birthday Gerard James Butler born 13 November 1969 in Paisley.

When he was 6 months old, his family relocated to Montreal, Canada, where his father tried a few business ventures but ultimately failed. A year and a half later, his parents divorced, and his mother moved Gerard and his two older siblings back to her hometown of Paisley.

After the move, Butler was raised by his mother, with no further contact with his father until he was 16 years old. (Gerard and his later father reconciled, and remained close until his father died of cancer when Butler was in his early 20s.) During his childhood, Butler was enthralled with movies and acting, and his mother took him to several auditions. He joined the Scottish Youth Theatre and in one of his first roles played a street urchin in its production of Oliver!, a role I have played myself, in a school production I was in Fagin's gang, but alas fame was not to come my way as it did for Gerard

Despite his love for theater and film, Butler was anxious to please his family and believed that acting was not a realistic career choice for him. "I was a 16-year-old kid on the other side of the world from where they made movies," he later said. "Scottish actors never really got play. There was Sean Connery, and that was it." Though he claims he is "not the most academic of guys," Butler graduated near the top of his high school class and enrolled in the University of Glasgow, where he studied to become a lawyer and solicitor.

During his time in university, Butler was also the president of the law society and graduated with honours. Like many other new graduates, Butler decided to take a year off to travel abroad, and his ventures soon landed him in Venice, California, where he indulged in the high life: "This is when things started to go a little crazy," he later said. "Something very compulsive and dark and lusty and pleasurable but damaging took over. It was suddenly knowing I could go out and have a life of traveling, craziness, adventure, partying, women, and all the other things that go with that—including a sense of abandonment."

After California, Butler returned to Scotland to begin a two-year traineeship at one of Edinburgh's top law firms,(while there he shared a flat with my pal Peter)but soon found that he despised the job more and more, and he started slacking off and letting his depression show. A week before he was due to finish his traineeship, he went to the Edinburgh Film Festival and saw a stage production of Trainspotting, an experience that crystallized his disappointment with the law and his yearning to be an actor: "The guy playing the lead role was phenomenal. It was such an incredible atmosphere. And I'm dying inside. This is the life I wanted to live. I can do this. I know I can do this. But it's past now. It's gone. I'm 25. I missed that opportunity. A week later, they fired me."

Humiliated but determined to finally pursue his dream of acting, Butler moved to London, England, the next day and worked odd jobs while trying to get his career off the ground. While working as a casting assistant for the play Coriolanus, he ran into the play's director, Steven Berkoff, in a coffee shop and begged for a chance to read for the lead role. He says of the experience: "I gave it everything. Afterward, the casting director came up to me almost in tears. She said, 'You're the best he saw in two days!' Walking home was probably the happiest moment of my life, when there's an energy in you that can't be put down. I'd gone from handing out pages to getting the lead role." After a successful run in Coriolanus, Butler landed the lead in the exact same stage rendition of Trainspotting that had inspired him to try acting again, and he was really on his way as an actor.

Making the transition from the stage to the screen, in 1997 Butler starred with Judi Dench and Billy Connolly in Mrs. Brown and also scored a small part in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. During the film's shooting, he was picnicking with his mother near a river and heard screaming from a boy who was in trouble. He immediately dove into the river and saved the youth from drowning, winning a Certificate of Bravery from the Royal Humane Society as an example of his courage and caring.

After acting in a series of largely forgettable films, in 2003, Butler finally got his break with the role of the Phantom in Joel Schumacher's on-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera. It was a demanding role that required the actor to sing most of his lines. Even though Butler had been the lead singer of a rock band during his time in law school, he was incredibly nervous about auditioning for the part: "I'd had maybe four singing lessons when I went to sing 'Music of the Night' for Andrew Lloyd Webber, which was perhaps the most nerve-wracking experience I ever went through. But I got the role.

Some people thought I did a great job, but others thought it was sacrilegious." Though Phantom did not hit blockbuster gold, it got Butler recognized in Hollywood, and four years later he landed the lead role, as King Leonidas, in 300, the testosterone-infused historical epic about a small legion of Spartan soldiers defeating the enormous Persian army. To look believable as a warrior king, Butler trained every day for four months in the most intense workout regimen of his life, giving him an incredible physique in time for the shoot: "You know that every bead of sweat falling off your head, every weight you've pumped—the history of that is all in your eyes," he said. "That was a great thing, to put on that cape and put on that helmet, and not have to think ...'I should have trained more.' Instead, I was standing there feeling like a lion."

Butler's role in 300 was a huge boost to his career profile. Since appearing in 300, the actor has starred in several romantic comedies such as P.S. I Love You with Hilary Swank and The Ugly Truth with Katherine Heigl, along with appearing on many "world's hottest men" lists. And his career isn't showing any signs of slowing down.

Despite all of his success, Gerard Butler still retains the breezy attitude of a guy who rolls with the punches and has a down-to-earth sense of humour. Looking back, he is still slightly stunned at the twists his life has taken and reflects on what could have been: "I wasn't going to be an actor. I was going to be a lawyer ... There was something else at work, something I didn't have control of. If I hadn't [messed] up that job, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I might be a very mediocre lawyer in some small town in the middle of Scotland."

I half expected a tweet on last nights Football from Gerard, but he has been quiet since the beginning of the month when he tweeted.

Devastated to hear that we lost one of the true greats today. He was such an enormous inspiration to me, and a big part of the reason I’m even here. He gave a little Scottish boy inspiration and hope that there was a place for us in this business.

On the movie front, Butler fans who like his "...has Fallen" films, will be pleased to know that Mike Banning will be back with a fourth instalment Mike Banning called Night Has Fallen, no more details about that as yet, but if it attracts stars like Nick Nolte and Morgan Freeman, who co-starred in Angel has Fallen, it is sure to be another hit.

#Scotland #scottish #actor #birthday

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themousefromfantasyland · 4 years ago

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Monsters of Halloween: Sweeney Todd

"Swing your razor wide, Sweeney, hold it to the skies!"

Kinda off-topic, but I refuse to use Deep's Sweeney to illustrate this post. Nothing against the Tim Burton film, but I think the stage version is way better. Do you know how hard it was to find anything Sweeney related that wasn't from the film!!!

Well, continuing with my Halloween posts analyzing horror monsters and iconic villains, here's Sweeney Todd, the iconic demon barber from Fleet Street.

The iconic character comes straight from penny dreadfuls, cheap and graphic serialized stories of crime and horror during the Victorian times. Basically the british version of pulp fictions. He appeared for the first time in the serial "The String of Pearls" where he horrified Victorian audiences with his brutal acts of violence. He was a serial killer that would kill his clients, and then use a trap door under his barber chair to send the corpses downstairs, where his partner in crime Mrs. Lovett would turn them into meat pies. He was basically an over-the-top criminal made to shocked and scared british audiences with his gory crimes. Funny enough, there was always speculation if he was or was inspired by a real person, and while almost all historians dismiss him as a urban legend, there's still people who defend his historicity.

Christopher Bond's play and its musical adaptation by genious Stephen Sondheim gave the character much more depth than he ever had. Originally called Benjamin Barker, he was sentenced for life by the corrupt Judge Turpin for a crime he didn't commit, being sent to an Australian penal colony. After 15 years he returns to London, only to found out his wife is "dead", the judge raped her and his baby daughter was taken by him. He firstly try to get revenge on the judge, but later decides that "they all deserved to die" and starts to kill all the unlucky souls that come to his barber shop.

I have to tell you that much of how I see the character comes from George Hearn's portrayal. I really can't see anyone else in the role, I always feel like there's something missing. His "Epiphany", his twisted Defying Gravity moment, is filled with so much rage, so much pain and pure sorrow. Johny Deep's Sweeney is a emotionless monster, George Hearn's is a broken man. Hearn brings so much raw emotion and intensity to the character that all the other ones lack. He humanizes the character. His Sweeney terrifies me, while simultaneously making me feel so sorry for him.

Sweeney Todd is man who was broke by the world, abused by a system that literally stepped in his face. He is a man who was hurt by the world and, in a way, his killings are his twisted way to hurt the world back. He loathes and despises the social inequalities that led to a man like Judge Turpin. He yearns for punishment to the upper classes that oppressed him. He tries to justify his acts as puting those above to serve those down below, which is very ironic.

He can't really kill the elites without anyone missing them, which makes me think he only killed the middle and lower classes. It's the only way I can see him taking so long to be catch. He basically killed those with no family and friends to miss them. He is basically venting all hatred of the londonian elites in the lower classes who cannot defend themselves.

I love the idea of him hurting the poor more than the rich, because it helps to illustrate the revenge motiff of the musical. He became worse than his opressors. When he tried to get revenge on Turpin, Sweeney became as bad, dare I say, even worse than the judge, punishing and abusing innocent people who never wronged him, stepping over them in his road to revenge.

Just to finish, the lyric "No one can help, nothing can hide you. Isn't that Sweeney there beside you?" makes me think Sweeney isn't really dead. That and him being "resurrected" during "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" by the London citizens makes me think that he became some sorta of vengeful spirit, and his soul physically lives in the urban legends people tell about him. This last one is just a crazy fan-theory/headcanon of mine.

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd! He served a dark and a hungry god! To seek revenge may lead to hell. But everyone does it, though seldom as well. As Sweeney, as Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet . . . Street!

#halloween #Monsters of Halloween #sweeney todd #stephen sondheim #george hearn #Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street #musical theater

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flipomatic · 4 years ago

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A New World Chapter 17: Goals (1/2)

Author Note: Hi, I’m still alive. I spent some time going for podium in D4DJ and things irl have been blowing up lately. I’m still dedicated to finishing this fic. This chapter has been split into two chapters. Thank you for your patience and continued support!

Please listen to the first two minutes of Kiseki at the right time during Rinko’s section. You’ll know when. (link if you need it https://youtu.be/BXsp6qALjr4)

Summary: The members of Roselia ponder what to do next.

First Chapter Previous Chapter

________________________________________________________

Rinko sat at her piano, eyes shut, hands poised in a familiar position over the keys. Her fingers began to move, pressing the keys softly the same way they had hundreds of times before. The tune of Black Shout drifted through the room.

It washed over her, bringing a much needed sense of calm.

Ever since the meeting earlier, Rinko’s heart had been in turmoil. Well, she’d been worried before then too, but she hoped the band would be able to come to a solution. Instead, she left with a new question and even more to dwell on.

In her mind Rinko could hear the other parts that went with hers, the blend of the band’s oldest song. She could hear how their performance used to sound, how they used to fit together.

Their performance last week had been different. Rinko tried to remember as she played, to imagine the new sound of her bandmates that they presented on stage, but she couldn’t. Their sound had changed so much, she could hardly recall it. Even Yukina’s singing had morphed into something new.

Rinko opened her eyes, hands stilling against the keys.

She had been sent to ponder a specific question, to set a goal for the band. When Rinko suggested that they take a week to think about it, it was because she couldn’t think of anything. That had never been her role.

No, Rinko’s role had always been to create. She wrote songs and created outfits, all parts of how the band presented itself. Though Rinko herself lacked presence, she contributed to the band through her work and her playing.

She supported the band, and in turn she found a place to belong. Over the last three years Roselia had come to feel like home.

It was a home that was always moving, always seeking the next step. Together, they tried to achieve something until they succeeded. Now they weren’t, and they were slowly drifting apart.

That was why Yukina thought they needed a new goal.

It wasn’t going to be enough.

Rinko’s thoughts had been trapped in this cycle, of being unable to come up with the next steps despite being desperate to do so. She’d hoped playing their music would help her think clearly, but it hadn’t worked.

Her view of the band felt more out of focus than ever, unable to even imagine how they now sounded together.

Without thinking, Rinko again began to play. It was a different song, once much slower and quieter than Black Shout before it.

The opening notes of Kiseki rang softly from the heart of the piano.

They didn’t perform this song often; it didn’t quite match their usual image. Regardless, Rinko loved it. She still remembered when Yukina had given her the lyrics for it, more subdued than usual.

She told Rinko it was a, “Thank you for everything,” with an uncharacteristic pink to her cheeks.

The accompanying tune flowed from Rinko’s soul. She matched the words carefully, with a soft melody that she hoped enhanced their meaning.

When she first played the song for the rest of the band, Yukina singing the lyrics along with her piano, they listened in stunned silence.

As the piece ended nobody said a word, but even in the quiet Rinko could feel the emotion in the room. She could feel how close the band had become, represented by the song she and Yukina had created together.

Rinko longed to return to that closeness.

Surely there was something she could do to help, to restore the band to how they used to be. She grimaced as she hit the chorus of the song, pressing her hands harder against the keys.

Perhaps that was the problem.

They had all changed so much, even over just a few months. It was impossible to go back.

The song hit its peak, unrelenting in its pace. Rinko continued to play, with her emotions laid bare through the piano.

As the members changed, Roselia could only go forward. Rinko too had changed and grown, through her playing and her compositions. Instead of growing apart, they needed to grow together.

That was easier said than done.

As the chorus ended, Rinko’s playing slowed to a halt. This was where the others would come in, bringing the whole band into the song. She could hear it in her mind. She wondered how it would sound if they played it now.

She needed to find out. Sitting here at her piano, yearning for the past, wasn’t doing her any favors.

Even if she couldn’t find a goal for the band, there were other things she could do.

Rinko’s hands moved again, deftly across the keys.

The melody that emerged was a new one, something she’d been working on near the start of the semester. If everything worked out, this would be Roselia’s next song.

No, that wasn’t the right way to think about it. Rinko was determined to make this Roselia’s next song. It still needed a lot of work and lyrics to go with it, but she was going to make sure it was a success. This was how she would support the band and bring them back together.

This song would carry them forward.

Rinko needed to spend more time listening to her bandmates from now on, adapting to the changes in their playing. Then she would be able to compose for the new Roselia.

If she tweaked it for her bandmates new sound, for the new sound of the band as a whole, that would help them find their path.

Rinko was sure of it.

____________________________________________________

Ako often found that playing video games provided a good distraction. Whether it be from school work or band troubles, they did the trick. Sayo had once specifically told her that video games provided escapist entertainment. They were playing NFO together at the time. Ako didn’t really understand that concept; she just enjoyed playing them.

As Ako directed her character across a field of burning lava, it was slightly easier to not think about the band meeting they held a couple days ago.

It felt like the only thing she’d done since the meeting was worry about it, so she really needed the break.

For while, it worked. Ako teamed up with a few other players to do some quests. They saved a local village from a volcano by redirecting the lava, then had their celebratory party crashed by the culprit who made the volcano erupt in the first place.

The twist made for a satisfying quest line, with a cool boss fight at the end. Ako would definitely run it with Rinko again, when her friend had time. After, Ako said goodbye to her party members.

As fun as playing had been, when the screen in front of Ako flicked to black nothing had really changed. Her own smudged reflection stared back at her, far more tired looking than she should’ve been after a gaming session.

Without the flashing lights on the screen, her thoughts returned to where they were still stuck, to her friends disappointed faces as they sat around the table at the family restaurant.

Lisa told Ako it wasn’t her fault, but she couldn’t help but feel that it was. If she’d done a better job, this wouldn’t have happened. The drums were supposed to keep the band together, and she couldn’t do it. Now, it felt like they were on the verge of collapse.

Ako wouldn’t let that happen. She hoped that the new goal they came up with would bring them all back together. She just needed to come up with something good. She wanted to keep playing with her friends, in the band that she loved.

Ako pushed her chair back from the computer, stretching her arms and back as she rose from it. She didn’t like to sit and wallow.

No, it was time for action. Perhaps she would brainstorm best if she moved her body. That would at least alleviate the tension in her back, which still remained even after stretching.

With that thought, Ako pushed in her chair and stepped away from the desk. She started walking across the room, turning to come back as she reached the end of it. One hand rested on her chin as she wracked her brain for any ideas.

It took a few laps before she thought of something.

Ako paused mid step as an idea popped into her mind, perhaps they could work to perform overseas? That would be a huge accomplishment, even bigger than playing in Future World FES. Ako perked up, before sagging her shoulders as she continued to think about it.

No, that wouldn’t work. She sighed as she started walking again. Her bandmates were all too busy with university to leave the country; they would never be able to get that kind of time off. Maybe during summer break, but that was too soon. There just wasn’t enough time.

It would have to be something close by then. Future World FES had always been Yukina’s dream, that the rest of them strived for with her. Ako wondered what Yukina was thinking now, what she thought about how far they’d fallen.

Though they’d accomplished their goal, they’d only grown apart since. They lost sight of what it meant to be Roselia.

Wasn’t it Ako’s job to remind them? Ako’s eyes widened in realization as she again stopped, almost stumbling forward. That was what she said, all those many months ago.

After spending so much time apart and heading down splitting roads, the band clearly needed a reminder. They needed to remember what brought them together, so they could move forward with an even stronger goal.

If Roselia got off track, Ako had committed to bringing back Louder to remind them of their path. It was time to follow through on that promise.

At their next practice, she’d be sure to.

_______________________________________________________

The park was quiet at this time of night. The local kids usually went home before sunset, leaving the swings and slides abandoned.

That suited Lisa well, as she sat on a swing near the edge of the lamppost’s light. She dug her shoe into the dirt, rocking the swing back and forth slightly.

She liked to come here to think, to get away from the bustle of her house and family. It was peaceful and calm, only slightly warm today since the sun had fully set. A few bugs chirped nearby.

The stillness of the night directly contrasted Lisa’s own tumultuous thoughts. She had seen the writing on the wall at their performance, which was only confirmed by the meeting last weekend; she knew the band was going downhill fast.

It was something she feared, something she dreaded. It was the reason she worked so hard to improve her skills, so she could help the band be the best. So that, even if things would never work out between them, she could stay by Yukina’s side.

Despite all of their efforts, or perhaps because of them, everything the band built was crumbling around them. But they weren’t giving up.

Yukina wanted to set a new goal.

Lisa believed in that, believed in her. Still, she was worried.

The problem wasn’t just that they didn’t have a goal. Ever since Future World FES they’d been looking in different directions, and their lack of focus was catching up to them.

Lisa should’ve realized it earlier, when she first heard hints of disunity during rehearsal. How foolish she’d been to just ignore it, to let things get this far. If only she’d realized and taken action, it wouldn’t have become this bad.

Now though, it was too late. They needed to come up with a new plan.

When Lisa thought about what the goal for the band should be, she only thought of Yukina. The woman she’d been following since she was a child, who she was finally able to walk side by side with in Roselia, dominated her mind. Yukina’s dreams had always lit the way for the band and propelled them forward. She was the guiding light that drove the band. Lisa filled more of a supporting role, helping Yukina and her bandmates as best she could.

This year Lisa had broken off to her own path, even more so than her bandmates. She was studying outside the realm of music, but still she longed to stay by Yukina’s side. She couldn’t bear it if the band were to fall apart.

Even though she was supposed to come up with a goal, Lisa was at a loss with what to do next. She suspected Sayo felt the same way, with the way her frown deepened over the course of the meeting.

Lisa knew that coming up with a goal wouldn’t be enough to solve their problems. They had already changed so much in a short period of time. It would take more to bring their sound back together. She sighed, dragging the toe of her shoe through the dirt.

Lisa thought back to Yukina, whose light had been on when she left the house. Yukina had probably already come up with their next goal, the next target for the band to hit. Even at the meeting, her eyes hadn’t wavered.

What could Lisa do to help?

Now she drew a pattern in the dirt, the outline of a rose. There had been so many times when she questioned her place in the band and her contribution to it. She’d learned from those experiences, about her role and what being in Roselia truly meant.

Cookies might be a good place to start. With their busy schedules, it had been a long time since the band had spent any quality time together. They really only met to practice, often without all their members.

Hanging out, even if it was just for long enough to eat cookies, could bring them closer once again. Lisa made a mental note to get some ingredients, so she could bake the finest batch of cookies she’d ever made.

No number of cookies would fix the bands problems of course; Lisa knew that. Getting the band together would only be the beginning. She needed to do more.

They only had a month until summer break, when everyone would be free. That sparked an idea in Lisa’s mind, something that would help for sure.

Lisa rose from the swing, a burst of energy surging through her. Her mouth was set in determination. She was careful not to step on her drawing as she walked away, headed back towards home with a spring in her step.

She needed to look at her calendar and start making some plans.

Next Chapter

#bang dream fanfiction #roselia #imai lisa #shirokane rinko #udagawa ako #bandori fanfic #flip writes #hello i know this chapter took a long time #here it is though please enjoy #and seriously listen to kiseki during that one part

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sparrowwritesforobeyme · 4 years ago

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NSFW Alphabet x Diavolos Dad

@fellulahh started a movement, which I fondly call “the devil daddy stan-squad”

It is very inspiring!

So to support this great developement...have some NSFW-Alphabet promts for Dias father.

(Since he is not an actual character in the game (yet!) none of this is remotely canon!I wish....hahah)

A-ftercare

This mass of a man is not used to real affection. He never took a real interest in anybody, neither did he have the time for that.

It actually takes him a while to open up, but even after he feels more comfortable with the relationship, his way of showing affection is more subtle.

For instance he will pull you into him in order to “straighten up the sheets” on your side of the bed. You can be sure that he will just not let you go again.

B-ody

Like his son, this man is huge.

The Demon King takes pride in his impressive height. He loves the way he tower over his lover wherever they go, but also in bed.

You could say that he has a decent size kink!

The thing he lovey about his lover would be their hips and butt.

I headcanon that he is a booty fan! Small booty, big booty, he approves!

You can be sure that his hands constantly leave prints on your deicate flesh from how hard he grabs you.

C-Cheesy

If you thinks that this man is all grim and moody...you are on the right path. He had an image to uphold!

But seriously...I believe that he has the ability to be Cheesy, at least with his lover.

Diavolo probably inherited it from his dad!

But his goofy side will not show during the act itself. Sometimes he´ll tease you during foreplay, but this man prefers passion over goofyness in bed.

D-irty Secret

Is this man the ruler of a whole realm? YES!

Does he enjoy to have his lover ride him once in a while? Hell Yes!

Please give this man the right to watch his lover be on top of him once in a while!

E-xperience

The demon lord is almost as old as time itself, to be fair, he spent a big amount of it in a slumber...but he gained experience.

Demons are just not able to resist temptations!

The Demon King puts his experience to use with his lover, he has a lot of great ways to make you loose control in the sheets (and probably every other surface of the palast)

F-avourite Position

finding positions during sex is quite difficult for the two of you.

while his height has many advantages....sex isn´t one of them

you actually tried quite a few ones, but many tries ended not as expected

Positions like 69 will simply not work out for the two of you

He actually went to the human work in secret and got a book for sex positions to find something that suits the two of you. He´´ll never admit it openly and you can´t deny that it did something to you when you caught him being engrossed in a book about “human mating” (it probably was a porno magazine..this man has no clue of human media), while sitting at his table, looking all serious.

If he feels more emotional, he´d want to spoon you during sex or sprawl you out on the bed in front of him. Looking at you during the deed is the epitum of intimacy to him!

after a while you found many position that work out for you.

His favourite ones include bending you over a piece of furniture or having you ride him.

G-oofy

The only time he´ll break his serious stance in the bedroom is during foreplay

He´ll tease you A LOT

“Hmmm...so wet for me already...quite desperate my love”

“cat got your tongue? How unfortunate...I came up with one or two ideas how you could use it!”

H-air

The demons King strikes me as a rough type of handsome, but that does not mean that he just let´s everything grow wildly!

He always makes sure to groom his royal area to perfection.

Also he read about humans facination of the happy-trail...he makes sure to adapt

I-ntimacy

being intimate with the devil in person is quite a challenge sometimes.

He is very busy, but when he finds you, he´ll make sure to make up for it in any way you can imagine

Sex with the Demon King (he needs a name srsly) can be either extremely passionate or extremely intimate, this man does not make compromises!

One thing is clear...you are his Queen/Partner and he will make sure that you are satisfied, even if it means that he has to man up and share his deepest desires with you

J-ealos Sex?

you´re in an entanglement with a King...he knows that there is no one better than him, at first sight at least.

He might have a hard time to admit it to himself, but sometimes he wonders whether he is really capable of making you fully content, since he has so little knowdledge of the human world and it´s culture.

This adorable mass of a man spents his free time listening to you or reading human-literature in order to fully grasp what humanity is about.

So if you actually went to the human world and there was a person that connected with you or talked about some human thing he is not able to understand just yet...he will get jealous.

How cam a peasant believe they can just walk up to the queen of devildome and pretent to be better than the King himself!

He absolutely will show you that he understands you and your body better than anybody else, when you get home,( or in a secluded area nearby)

K-ink

like already mentioned he loves the size difference. It does not matter whether you are tall or short, in comparision you are tiny, also you should not forget that he can influence his human form and he may or may not make sure that he hovers over you at all times.

Demons have their own way of showing affection to their chosen one, one these ways is marking their partner

The Demon King would proudly show off his partner plus lovebites he left on them.

If his partner is a female the next stage for him would be breeding. I can see him getting exited by the thought of seeing his woman swelling with his son growing inside of her, showing the world that she is his.

L-ocation

What use does a palace have if you can´t use it?

He´ll want to sleep with his partner in any place they can imagine, but his favourite places, would be either his throne (serious powerplay...just imagine you riding him, while he sits on his massive throne) or your shared bed (because he knows that you´re most comfortable this way)

M-otivation

Many things get the King going, but his absolutely biggest trigger is you being the Partner/Queen you are.

Seeing you tending to Devildomes Subjects with love and care will make him want to sweep you off of your feet and carry you to your shared bedroom.

Another thing that gets him going is praise. When you call him “my King”, “Your majesty” or simply “love”....you are in for a ride

N-O

What he absolutely would not do is having a threesome with anybody, especially not Diavolo!

Another thing he´d not even want to try is BDSM on him or you. He can get a bit rough with you, but he is scared to hurt you too much if you tried implementing pain in your sex life.

His sadism is dangerous sometimes.

O-ral

He just adores the sounds you make when he goes down on you ang god---- he is skilled!

He likes receiving just as much as giving.

Watching you go down on him, clearly having a hard time taking all his glory in, will make him painfully hard in your mouth.

P-ace

His pace depends on his mood and the situation that lead to sex.

If the two of you jokes around and indulged in a more playful kind of sex, he would be on the faster side, relishing in the lovely souns he can get out of you

If the two of you have a more passionate session, he would take his time and force every little bit of pleasure out of you.

Q-uicky

Due to the time issue Quickies are normal for the two of you, though he prefers to make you scream all night.

Usually Quickies re some sort of teaser to prepare you for whats going to happen this night.

Saying that it happened once or twice that a Quick Round activated his hunger, poor Diavolo( and Lucifer) had to take care of all the work, because the King himself had a meeting to attent

Of course they know his true intention and tbh it´s still hard for them to accept that their friend is now the partner of the Demon King himself, especially since they both showed an interest in you as well

R-efraction Period

a matter of minutes..demons have just more stamina than humans do.

But he will make sure to stop, when you can´t take it anymore!

S-ecret

He was aware of you way before he officially “awaked”

after a while he fell for you, only after that he decided to make a move and claim you as his

The Demon King was aware of his sons plans and watched it all unfold (not being happy at all) but you piqued his interest.

“A weak human making pacts with some of the strongest demons of Devildome?”

T-oys

The Demon is old-fashioned, he prefers to be the the thing giving his lover pleasure, not some damn piece of plastic

Also he is not advanced in technical knowledge, it was quite a shock to him to wake up to a modern devildome

U-nfair

BIG TEASE

it goes hand in hand with his powerplay-kink

the King just loves to see you loose your mind, almost begging for him. It does wonders for his ego!

V-olume

Entirely depends on the situation you guys are in

W-ild Card

Usually he just grunts or groans, but if you have a particularly passionate session, he´ll press orders to his theeth

“Shi- look at me! Don´t look away!”

“Tease me one more time and I´ll make sure you won´t walk for the rest of the week, lttle one”

He enjoys having you nearby at all times, even during work. Usually when he works you lay on a couch in his study and do shoolwork or read, etc

He´ll get moody if you can´t be there due to you having a life outside of the palace and friends.

He wouldn´t say it out loud, but he is slightly jealous that the demon brothers get to spent so much time with HIS Partner

X-Ray

Oh Boy...not saying numbers, but it takes some time to prepare you. This man does not only have big hands...

Y-earning

The Demon King can be needy behind closed doors

From the outside he appears cold....angry at best, but when you´re alone he yearns for his lovers affection.

He´s touch deprived, even if he´s had some...company in the past, it was never on a real intimate level.

This is completely new terrain for him, so he needs to learn how stop the intense craving for you

Z-zzz

He slept centuries...he needs no sleep

The King knows that you need your sleep and he makes sure you get enough, but as soon as you fall asleep after a rather long session of love-making, he impatiently waits for you to wake up, slowly falling asleep after pulling you close to him.

#obey me #obey me one master to rule them all #otome #obey me diavolo #obey me lucifer #obey diavolos dad

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honeylikewords · 4 years ago

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C, k, w. For whoever you wanna write for.

Thank you! I decided to experiment and go out on a limb with this one and try someone new, someone I’ve never written publicly for before: my version of Harvey Dent!

I’ve mentioned a few times before that Oscar is my ideal casting for Harvey (and many people seem to agree; there’s even talk that he was cast for the role in the upcoming Batman movie, but that the role had been cut from the final version of the script), and I just think it’d be fun to play around with the idea.

This version of Harvey that I’m experimenting with is inspired by the Harvey from Batman: The Animated Series and Oscar’s role as Basil Stitt in Lightningface, and is largely based on the understanding that Harvey is a fundamentally good person, and completely capable of healing, change, and growth (i.e. the occasional run in comics or other adaptations wherein Harvey is saved from himself and given proper care and support, allowing him to progress towards health).

Of course, I do want to mention that characters like Harvey are not accurate (nor entirely helpful) depictions of conditions like dissociative identity disorder, and the condition itself is complex and covers a rather broad spectrum of individual disorders and behaviors and experiences, with much dispute in medical and psychiatric communities about classification, origin, treatment, et cetera, and therefore is not something I feel qualified to weigh in on.

That said, Harvey is a character I love and care about, and therefore do feel comfortable writing about him with the intent of portraying respectful admiration and sowing the seeds of wishful thinking for a healthy recovery for him, a happy life with loved ones, and a prosperous future for his character. In that way, my Harvey will be written as having a well-developed support structure and beginning to lead a more healthy lifestyle.

Now, with all that out of the way, here is my first foray into writing out some of my (admittedly lighthearted and possibly OOC) concepts for my interpretation of Harvey!

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?):

Harvey Dent is in a strange, self-made bind about physical touch. On one hand, Harvey is desperately touch-starved, viciously craving even the most minuscule of intimacies, aching for something, anything, be it as light as a brush to his wayward curls or a hand on the small of his back; the mere idea of something like being held in a loving pair of arms, safe and steady, makes him fucking dizzy.

But, on the other, deeply marred hand, Harvey is petrified of himself and doubts his capacity for tenderness. He fears that some dark, malicious part of himself lies in wait, hoping to strike when he is most lulled into comfort; worse yet, Harvey is afraid that those he loves and trusts the most will, by some horrible twist of fate, turn against him and hurt him when he least expects it.

He tries to fight against those thoughts, and tries to reassure himself that he would never lay a hand on his loved ones, and especially never raise a hand to someone as precious to him as his sweetheart, but the niggling worm of his anxious thoughts still chews away at him from time to time, and he finds himself avoidant of touch, even if it’s something he yearns for passionately.

Harvey is naturally drawn to physical expressions of love, so telling himself “no” or shying away from something like being cuddled by his beloved feels both unnatural and cruel, and it exhausts him and his patience to try and uphold his self-enforced isolation. It’s like pulling teeth for poor Harvey; all the boy wants is to lay in bed with his sweet girl and feel the warm, solid weight of her against his skin, knowing she is his and he is hers, feeling that comforting press and release of their breaths falling into unison as they unwind together, and he just won’t let himself have it!

That said, as his relationship with his beloved strengthens with time and endurance, Harvey’s trust in her builds, too, and he grows more confident knowing that all sides of him, regardless of mood or memory, care about her, love her, and would never do anything to intentionally harm or frighten her, so their intimacy is able to flow more naturally.

Once they are at a comfortable place in their relationship, Harvey’s beloved goes out on a limb and curls up on the couch, patting the cushion next to herself. Harvey takes a seat and feels her put her hands on his shoulders and gently coax him into a laying position, his head resting squarely in her lap.

She asks if he’s feeling alright-- his solid cheek has turned a deep and detectable shade of warm tan, and his eyes skitter around her face, shyly flitting from feature to feature-- and when he nods his consent, she reaches out a hand and passes her fingers along his hairline, tracing the coast of his curls as they transition from deep brown-black to stark white. Harvey holds his breath, afraid that if he moves even a single muscle, the spell will be broken and she will change her mind, repulsed by his scars, his odd hair, his mismatched eyes, his... everything.

But she does not pull back. She merely runs her fingers across his face, brushing at the crests of his strong cheeks, down his angled jaw, along the lines of his lips. She gazes at him with dreamy eyes, smiling to herself, and she hums, as if distantly amused.

“You’re so handsome, Harvey,” she purrs, using the back of her hand to card softly across the ridges of his scars.

She’s lying, the familiar voice snarls. Lovely little liar, but a liar nonetheless.

Harvey ignores it and turns, burying his face in her belly, unwilling to let her see his flushed face and watery eyes. He takes a deep breath and puts his hands on her back, tugging her into himself, and him into her; he’s going to let himself have what he wants, for once.

From then on, Harvey finds it much easier to take the initiative to cuddle his beloved. When his Id takes greater control, Harvey will sometimes lift his sweet one up into his arms and confidently stride to the nearest cuddling spot-- be it the couch, his armchair, or the bed-- with her pressed to his chest, a cocky smile and waggling eyebrows meeting his beloved’s surprised expression. When he’s more reserved but still craving her touch, he’ll try to indicate his needs by nudging his head against her, hoping she takes the cue and fiddles with his hair, which relaxes him so deeply.

Both are, in their own ways, uniquely endearing to his partner, but she loves when he regains even a sliver of his former savoir-faire and confidence and sweeps her off her feet; it feels like there before her is Apollo Dent once more, proud of himself and proud of his love, and she is always happy to see him grow more comfortable in his skin and around her!

As for how they cuddle physically, Harvey has a few positions he enjoys: he is quite fond of the aforementioned couch position, with his head in her lap and her fingers brushing his hair until he grows drowsy; he likes when she sits on his lap in his tall-backed armchair, reading a book together, her arms looped around his neck; he dearly delights in spooning his darling, stretching his broad arms around her and pressing her tightly to his chest, their bodies adjusting to one another’s curves and planes so naturally.

But of all these, Harvey’s favorite would have to be laying in bed, on his back, with her laying half-on, half-off him, her head on his chest, her hands rubbing up and down his stomach and chest. Something about that combination of pressure and weightlessness, warmth and coolness, space and proximity, just feels ever so right to him, and often sends him into a deep and restful slumber. If he ever needs to melt into comfort, that’s his go-to.

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?):

Before his accident, Harvey was a big proponent of kissing. Big fan. Huge. He loves the contact, the intimacy, and the adrenaline rush; nothing made his heart race and his head spin quite as much as winning a massive case or getting a public event under his belt and tugging his girl to his side, planting a deep, excited kiss on her lips and dipping her into suspension in his strong arms. It made him feel powerful and proud, and the kiss sealed the deal every time.

However, in the aftermath of his burns, Harvey’s kisses have had to evolve.

The hunger for them is still there, as potent and all-consuming as ever, but for a long while, he felt that the texture and warping caused by his scars made him, frankly, unkissable, so he avoided the act entirely.

Still, much like cuddling, Harvey grew back into his intimacy and allowed his yearnings to come to fruition, and surprised all parties involved by being the first one to initiate a kiss in this new stage of their relationship.

It happened one day when Harvey was sitting at the kitchen table, poring over a copy of the Gotham Gazette (the Globe, Times, and Daily Planet sitting in a neat pile, waiting their turn to prophesy and portend), running his finger over the rim of his half-drunk coffee cup.

He looked up from an article about the upcoming local elections to see his girlfriend futzing with something on the kitchen counter, tugging out a frying pan and ducking into the fridge. Deciding to mind his own business, he turned his nose paperward once more and returned to scanning the article, though his vision slipped back to her every few sentences or so.

The sound of the stove starting alerted him to her cooking, and he soon heard the familiar shattering of a cracked eggshell, the sputtering of the white hitting the pan, and the scrape of a spatula. Somewhere else in the kitchen, the toaster popped, as did the lid of a jam jar.

By the time Harvey had finished the article and flipped over to the sports section (ever the avid follower of the hometown baseball team, Harvey wanted to check in on the Gotham Knights’ standings), he saw his beloved round the counter and join him at the kitchen table, sliding a plate behind his paper.

He folded the paper at the median and peered down: there, on the table, were the eggs (soft scrambled), the toast (mid-doneness, teetering on dark, spread with a dark red jam speckled with seeds, indicating to Harvey that it was, in fact, raspberry), a pair of small sausage links, and a glass of orange juice.

Blinking, Harvey looked up from the plate and over to his girlfriend, who was now back in the kitchen and preparing a second round of toast. He pointed down at the food, then cleared his throat.

“This yours?,” he rasped, voice still a little rusty from misuse.

“Nope. That’s yours,” she returned, working a butter knife into the furthest crevices of the jam jar. “I don’t like seeing you just having coffee for breakfast. Makes me worried about your blood sugar levels.”

Harvey paused.

Then he stood up from the table, likewise rounded the counter, put his hands on either side of his girlfriend’s hips, turned her away from the jam jar, and kissed her squarely on the mouth.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it was long enough for her to slip a hand onto his cheek and cup him close, and for Harvey to move his hands to the small of her back, rocking her body closer to his. He breathed in deep through his nose and broke the kiss after a beat, lips separating with a light ‘pop’, and pressed his forehead to hers, smiling to himself.

He could hear her breath stutter and shake in the aftermath, and when she regained a stable pattern, she made a small, re-centering noise, halfway between an “ahem” and a “whooh”, then put her hands on his chest.

“What was that about, hon?”

“Nothin’,” he managed through his puppyish smile. “Thank you.”

“It’s just eggs and toast,” she giggled dizzily. “I suppose I’ll have to see what happens when I make you dinner!”

At that, Harvey chuckled, nipping her bottom lip with his teeth.

“I suppose you will,” he reiterated.

Again, much like cuddling, after that, Harvey began to allow himself more kisses more often.

He’s a fan of taking his beloved’s chin between his thumb and forefinger and tugging her up for a deep one, but equally pleased by pressing a light kiss to her temple before she heads out the door. He adores kissing her, slow and hungry, while they relax and enjoy each other’s company, or quick and fervently in brief spare moments of privacy. Every kind of kiss delights him.

Still, when he gets sensitive about things like his face or lips, and the texture thereof, he’ll ask her to only kiss the unscarred side of his face or the unburnt corner of his lips, which she’ll, of course, agree to do, but all the while remind him that his scars are no affront to her nor a deterrent to her kisses.

“They’re perfect lips,” she reminds him, even as she acquiesces to kissing just the unmarred portion of his mouth, “both sides.”

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?)

Marriage was a concept Harvey found himself more intimidated by than comforted by throughout most of his life.

Harvey feared becoming someone like his father-- tyrannical, abusive, cruel and callous-- and trapping someone, inescapably, inside his own self-destructive world through the bonds of marriage, and often feared that if he grew too attached to his partner that she would, like so many before her, discover his flaws and abandon him, breaking his heart irreparably. He feared growing worse and worse with age, feared locking himself into something he couldn’t commit to, feared lashing out and hurting someone he had promised to protect and provide for; he feared what could happen to her if something went wrong in this terrible town, and if he did something that might set her up as a prime target through which to punish him.

Still, through all his fear, the idea of marriage floated in his mind, congealing and solidifying as a concept the longer he loved his sweet girl, the more he thought about her as a fixture of his life. It didn’t seem reasonable to ask her to stay, to bear all his burdens alongside him, to struggle with him in the dark places he fell into, but at the same time, some selfish, childish urge inside begged him to keep her and claim her, to make himself part of her life inextricably.

Harvey fretted back and forth over the matter, waffling between extremes; it didn’t help that his personality shift had allocated his loyalties so unusually. While his Id, manifesting as Harv, was designed to be self-preserving and independent, Harv also was possessive and uncompromisingly loyal to his beloved, unwilling to even contemplate the idea of not having her in his life: Harv, though categorically opposed to any social strictures, was as dedicated as a married partner already to his one and only, and utterly determined not to share her.

Harvey, the more balanced Ego, was a proponent of the idea of marriage but petrified of the consequences of his possible failure to perform in such a bond, and thus went back and forth on his potential spousal value, torn between the love he felt for his dear one and the anxiety he encountered at the idea of letting her down.

In summary: Harv believed marriage was a sham but he’d do anything to keep his girl his to love, and Harvey believed marriage was a sacred bond of love but feared he’d fail as a spouse as his father had failed his mother all those years ago, throwing the two halves into conflict and a restless oscillation of opinion on the topic.

Still, there was, thankfully, no rush for them to come to an immediate conclusion: Harvey’s girlfriend had no problem with their relationship as it stood, and was perfectly happy to just be by his side, loving him and caring for him as he loved and cared for her, while assisting in his recovery and reintegration into everyday society. There was no hurry for some big, life-altering change, nor any pressure to push towards “the next step”, as it were.

That, however, did not change Harvey’s internal struggle on the topic, which came to a head one day when the couple was on the couch, Harvey’s hair being finger-combed by his doting dear as she watched some home restoration show idly in the background.

Harvey gazed up at her face and listened to the couple on the screen talking about bay windows and a portico and something something crown molding and “our budget of blah blah thousand dollars”, and began to imagine the process of buying a house.

He imagined it was very, very stressful-- after all, even trying to nail down an apartment in Gotham, District Attorney’s position and salary to his credit, was difficult-- but likely very gratifying. Owning a home, a place to call one’s own, to share with someone you loved... it sounded nice, in a sort of saccharine way.

Somewhere inside, Harv made a retching sound, but internally agreed that it did sound rather nice. Owning things did always appeal to Harv.

Harvey’s mind wandered to the idea of moving in with her, somewhere quiet and old, a fixer-upper with rooms to paint and floors to re-carpet and sconce lights that made everything look eerie and Victorian but in that nice, warm way. He pictured her sitting in a room full of boxes and unspooling packing tape, wearing one of his old NYU hoodies and “practical shoes” for moving day, smiling at him over a package of plates. His heart soared.

“Hey,” he rumbled. She looked down, curious, fingers stilling in his hair. “Would you ever...”

He trailed off, wondering if there was a non-embarrassing way to ask what he was thinking.

“Would you ever... want to... if you... had the choice to, uh, would you want to... live with me for the rest of our lives?”

Harv and Harvey both cringed.

There was a pregnant pause as Harvey stared up at her, bated in his breath, as he waited for her to respond. He watched her face, still at first, slowly spread into a knowing smile, her eyes warm and glittering with promise, and observed her as she bent down and pressed a light kiss to his forehead. Sweeping her hand across his brow, pushing his hair back, she nodded and twirled a curl of his shock-white hair around her index finger, springing it loosely.

“Mhm,” she hummed. “I would be very happy living with you for the rest of our lives.”

Harvey nodded slowly, reaching a hand up to stroke the fullness of her cheek with his calloused, burned hand, admiring the softness of it that he could still feel, nerve damage be damned. He pinched it slightly, causing her to giggle and tug lightly on the curl still wrapped around her finger.

“It’d make me... very happy to see you every day,” Harvey stated. “Forever. You know.”

“I think I get the idea,” she laughed, bending down to rub her nose against his sweetly. “I would be very happy seeing you, too, Mister Dent.”

She hovered her lips above his, tantalizingly close, and Harvey slipped a hand up to the nape of her neck, brushing the sensitive hairs there.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

And with that, he tugged her down.

Though it was by no means a proposal, nor even the promise of one to come, it satiated both halves of Harvey for the time being and soothed something inside: he knew, inherently, that she meant it. She did want to be with him. And he hoped that his intention to live a life dedicated to her, ever-loving and ever-loyal, was somehow, even slightly, conveyed by what he’d said.

But, for now, in lieu of a proposal, this would do.

Thank you for asking!

#long post #messages #anonymous #oh my goddd i stayed up way too late on this BUT i told myself i needed to finish an actually long piece of some media somehow so. here we g #anyway now im tired and going to bed see y'all later #harvey dent #original #please dont show this to any actual diehard comics stans theyll eviscerate me

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