#I fear I was mistaken in my judgement

[wow-an-unfunny-joke]

Im on episode four, and Vanitas is surprisingly sinister- I was expecting him to be silly goofy and a little childish- but then he did that thing with Jeanne (or whatever her name is) and I’m just- dude?????? wtf???????

[lainsshop]

I’m Your Man ୨ৎ

Pairing: Alastor x Reader

Tags: angst(?), established relationship, out of character(?) n probably more..

Song: I’m Your Man - Mitski

A/N: i really don’t know about this one.. give me your thoughts tho!

Alastor is known as a huge narcissist, sure but you were the only one who got to see the “real” him, not only the real murderous side of him but also the soft spot he has for you. You made him feel.. weak?

Ever since you two got together, he view you as you were apart of him like an accessory but also much more than that, his lover. He absolutely adored you, you really accepted his flaw self even if he doesn’t admit he doesn’t have flaws.

He never wanted to admit to so many things cause he believes one second of him showing his weak self will make his enemies aware of that and it will put him and yourself in even more danger.

You were also the only one who got to see him in a vulnerable state, which is rare to be honest. Maybe he doesn’t wanna worry you, he really doesn’t but every time he’s in that state he would always come to you and you will listen to his words.

“You’re an angel, I’m a dog,” He started to slowly say as you two were in the hotels library. The door was locked, the sound of rain and fire cracking could be heard and a sweet slow tune next to you as you play with his hair and ears carefully.

“… or your dog and I’m your man.” There was times were he gets.. poetic in some way. Luckily, you knew what the meaning of his words meant.

He didn’t looked at you in the eyes. “You believe me like a God,” He continued. “I’ll destroy you like I am-” Oh, he could. He could easily hurt you in a second, he doesn’t tho. You being so near to him is like a risk to both of you cause he never hesitates to do anything. Like that night..

“I’m sorry I’m the one you love..” You see, you two met when you were alive, you were a lil bit younger than him by that time and he involved you into his weird habits like killing people, cannibalism, so much more and then your death..

Deep down, he blamed himself for that. That night, he took you into the woods to hide a body, usually it went well but then you guys got mistaken as a deer and the hunter got you first.. he looked at you dead body and then- he woke up in hell.

He couldn’t even process what happened in that exact moment so when he appeared in hell, he wasn’t surprised at all but then he remembered you. He genuinely thought you went to heaven but then again.. you helped him so he looked around.

“No one will ever love me like you again, my dear,” He finally looked at you as he grabbed you hand and gave it a small kiss. “So when you leave me, I should die.. I deserve it, don’t I?”

You froze a bit at that. You looked at him with a surprised, shocked and worried expression. “Al-” “I can feel it gettin’ near like flashlights comin’..” You wanted to tell him how much you meant you him, how even if he’s not the affectionate type or how much of a bad he is, you still loved him ever since the day you met but-

“One day, you’ll figure me out..” There was apart him that you really didn’t knew and he feared that. He feared that one day you’ll know more about him, more deeper about him and leave him. You knew his murderous way, yes but do you actually?

“I’ll meet judgement by the hounds,” A silent scratchy static could be heard as he said the last word. He was still smiling as he spoke.

“You always gave me love, you were never to blame after all, mon ange..” He looked at you with a bit of sad soft eyes as he cups your cheek and his thumb strokes your under eye.

The sudden sound of dogs start to appear outside in the rain. You two looked at each other as you had watery eyes trying not to get emotional or anything. There was silence between you two until-

“You believe me like a God-” A tear fell down your cheek. You suddenly hug him, not too tight, just enough to show him that you cared about him and you didn’t care how he really is.

He started to caress your hair. “I’ll betray you like a man.”

© LAINSSHOP 2024

[emmaofnormandy]

Imagine Aegon comes to comfort you.

Warnings: drama, angst because of reasons; fluffy though because we love writing fluffy Aegon. Long post.

***

What a strange bond you and the lord Aegon share. As the daughter of Ser Gwayne of House Hightower, you were raised as part of the Targaryen family since you could remember—but comparison, implicitly as it was, was always there.

You always aimed to please so what else could you do if not doing as told? You were raised to be like your royal aunt but your sweet nature prevented to emulate her flaws. Indeed your wit was as sharp as knife and your tongue could ricochet when provoked, but only your looks could tell what were you doing amidst an incestuous family.

Nevertheless, against all odds you did get well with them. How could it not be? You were raised with your cousins, but it was Aegon who climbed your walls and knocked them out.

Though he’s expected to marry his sister, it’s you whom he follows everywhere. There are whispers at court, but, as you told your aunt once, where there are tongues, words will be spoken.

Yet… now you are a young woman, in an age close to marry. You have no dragons to ride and all you can brag is about winning Aemond over poetry competition.

At times you are next to Helaena, but you feel outshone by your sweet cousin.

What is this, what is this that torments me so?

You have demons to fight underneath your mask of duty and you do not like when they crave their claws on your flesh. So today you withdraw, certain that no one is going to notice your absence.

When you do so, melancholy has you on its trap. You are swallowed by it, there staying whilst your footsteps automatically sway out of their view. You dissociate, rewinding the times you disappointed every one you know.

Perhaps what is worse is the day Princess Helaena and Prince Aegon’s betrothal is announced. You found yourself wishing to be in her shoes, the perfect Princess.

Disgusted by mundane sentiments you are suffocated when confronted by your imperfections. You need some air. Perhaps the gardens will offer some solution.

Barefoot, your Hightower curls are blown off your head the more you run into the labyrinth of green towers of leaves and pomades. Tears roll out, uninvited, as if the grip around them is now loose. Because at the center of this rarely visited labyrinth lies a cold stoned bench where you sit and burst into silent, painful tears.

*

Even a merry prince as himself needs some moment to himself. Regardless of how fearful he is of loneliness—which is usually mistaken as a moment of fragility—, Aegon feels in the air that not all is well as it should.

It takes no more than a few minutes to notice the lady Y/N Hightower’s escape of the court. He sighs. Thus the recollections begin as the silver haired Targaryen royal retraces your steps.

I remember well, my lady, when we bonded. It was odd that someone laughed at my sarcastic remarks; that a relative would appreciate my fierceness, or even compliment my efforts in reading messy words.

Whenever I was faulted for not being hard working like Aemond, or when envy consumed my poor soul for being overshadowed by Rhaenyra, you stood for me. You held my hand, dismissed my fragilities and reassured me I was as good as any of them. You encouraged me flying with Sunfyre when I was anguished before the Strong boys. You never failed to surprise me, a deed few—if any at all—accomplished.

But I was so selfish…. When you fell, where was I? When you wept, where was I? When your strength was shaken, I failed you. I blinded myself because I supposed you and Aemond were too bright to burn. I whored because the idea of you led me to believe I was unworthy—as my mother often remarked that she found our friendship rather unusual, uncommon, unmatched: you, the perfection; me, the broken man.

Indeed she has been correct in her judgement. But reason often tormented me because I am too weak to surpass myself. Where there are obstacles, I see an invitation to encourage my sins; where there are defiances, I convince myself I lack capacity to overcome them.

I am not brave. No, my precious lady. This errant prince is unworthy of your affection. Nonetheless… I will rescue you. You will see that I am capable of loving, even if this means to admit I cannot be loved.

The sight of you in complete distress makes him rush his steps. Part of him is relieved to see you haven’t done anything imprudent, but another prays anxiously for whatever deity that he is not the cause of your atonement.

“Goodness!”, you almost cry out when you see Aegon. You stand quickly, trying to recompose yourself. “A-Aegon! I mean, my lord cousin.”

You try desperately to omit your distress, to conceal your anxiety, but Aegon sees through you. The prince holds your wrists and pulls you against him.

“Don’t. Don’t do this, Y/N.”

Still holding a hand over your right wrist, he releases his free hand to gently brush away your eyes, after lifting your chin so he can read the pain in them.

“We’ve already surpassed this phase, haven’t we? It’s long gone since that day where… well, where we had mutual accusations of distrust”, says he, pleased to make you chuckle lightly.

“True. We are not children anymore”.

The distance is short. Shorter than what usually is. You can smell his scent, which only infuriates your racing heart.

“Then why are you running away?”

You sigh. Something about his long gaze at you, at the kindness behind his lilac irises, at the soft smile on his lips… is enough to disperse your insecurities.

“I am not running away.”

It’s a weak protest, a lie that Aegon knows what it really means. He once used it to shy away everyone who dares to approach him. For some reason, this old tactic never worked with you. It is only natural that it has no success with him as well.

“You are not well. What troubles you, my sweet? Always the dutiful daughter, always the merry one of us all, the prideful daughter of Old Town.” He strokes your cheek once more. “The stories we created, the past I was part of… cannot be just that.”

“We forged a very good bond, didn’t we?”

“Indeed.” Then a flash of hurt crosses his gaze for a moment. “Is it what it is, though? A good bond is what we have?”

And just like that you set yourself free of his touch. Where there was warmth, now there is cold.

“I cannot… Do not make me say what I may regret. Leave me to my pain, to be tormented by my delusions.”

“I may be many of the things I am accused of. However, to be careless is not one of them.” Aegon takes you by your arm, forcing you to turn at him. “Tell me I am only a memory, that we are nothing.”

“I was always yours, cousin. But you were never mine”, you burst out what’s been killing you. “I am not Helaena. Nor a Targaryen can I be considered! What am I? Who am I? Somewhere along the lines I became what is expected! But I lost myself in the process.”

“I will not sacrifice us for duty!” He holds you against him, your frame tied in between his arms. You find the same anguish in his eyes, the old desperation that equals yours, an entire ocean of profound sentiments that invite to an inevitable drowning.

Cupping your cheeks with his hands, he stares back at yours.

“It pains me that I am not able to take away your suffering. Miserable is the man who cannot uphold a sword to battle his damsel’s torments. For years I accepted that I failed before the world. But when it comes to you, Y/N, I am not afraid of the dark. I am not that fucking cunt. You never left me on my own. Unworthy as I am, hardly magnanimous as others might suggest to make me their jest, you remain.”

“I am a sinner, Aegon. Filth with…”

He covers your mouth, impeding words to come out of your disgraced soul any longer.

“For years we repressed it. Nay, Y/N. Do not make us miserable anymore. I shall make you mine at the cost of all.” And yet when battles seemingly obstinate at the cost of your breakdown, he holds you close. “Come here. Let us leave this world, uh? I know exactly what you deserve.”

You stay there for a moment, taking his words as what you need to hear. What you need to heal. Aegon is your balsam, and this is touching in many ways.

The rogue prince, rejected by all of those who, by blood, are moved by this familiar pretense of loving him, is someone else’s solace. You, often the strong one, so sensible and reasonable, rely on his feeble, meek prince whose divinity is nothing but a mask.

Thus you stay. And he loves you more than he can admit.

*

Sunfyre seems to smile at you when Aegon gleefully takes you to him.

“Come now. He won’t bite you!”, your rogue prince beams at you. He extends his hand at you. “Do you honestly think this is a privilege I give everyone I know?”

His golden scaled dragon seems to huff as if to say: “Indeed, my lady. Do you honestly think I would allow anyone to ride me besides Aegon?”

You giggle softly. Aegon sees you blushing, the idea of enjoying a privilege few would ever do makes you suddenly shy. Your face is adorably pink, a great sight to behold when adding to it your loose curly red hair.

“Well?”

“I do not mean to keep you waiting”, you take his hand, enjoying the warmth of your fingers locked. “Thank you for having me, Sunfyre.”

The winged creature looks at you pompously, a very adorable sight that makes you smile.

“How can one not smile before the most beautiful dragon there has ever been?”, says Aegon, resting his face against Sunfyre’s forehead. “Heavens know this is just… unmatched.”

“You have a very strong bond with this one”, you observe, smiling.

“He understands me like no other”, Aegon smiles as Sunfyre confirms him with its own way of showing tenderness. “We belong to each other.”

“Indeed. I am pleased he takes you as who you are. It is what it should have always been.”

“Come now. Let us fly!”

You take the hand offered even though you are not dressed for the occasion. As Sunfyre opens its wings and begins to fly, his hands around your waist ensure you that you are safe.

“You may be Targaryen in your own way, Y/Nickname”, Aegon whispers in your ear. “But I prefer you being Hightower. It has a better ring to it, hasn’t it? Lady Y/N Hightower.”

You giggle like a little girl. Oh, once upon a time you dreamed of this moment. It is unique, indescribable. He is so close to you, carefree and merry.

His arms around your waist as he leads the way when pulling the reins of Sunfyre, at the same time letting it be leaded by this beautiful golden winged creature.

Wind blows your hair, messing it all the way as you fly higher and maybe a choked sound comes out of your throat. Adrenaline runs in your veins and for a second you fear you are about to fall.

“Trust in me, my lady! You are safe with me!”, Aegon chuckles quietly.

You can only nod. Despite the fear, you trust your guts, and delegate all the power to him. Aegon’s face is close to yours so he can read your expressions, the subtle change in your countenance quite clear. And yet when you relax, when your shoulders are light again, he knows the value of your trust.

Taking the opportunity to surprise you, he is bold enough to press his lips against your cheek.

“Oh, Aegon!”, you blush, batting your eyelashes timidly.

“Are you enjoying this adventure?”, Aegon looks so content like he hasn’t been in years.

When your gazes meet, you forget that he is promised to another. You are led to believe he is delegating his heart to your possession. Against reason, you nurture hope.

“More than I deserve. Thank you for cheering me up.”

“Anything for my lady”, and even up in the skies he takes your hand and presses a kiss on it.

This time Sunfyre flies slowly, stable as it is up in the air. It is when Aegon takes his time to enjoy it with you.

“Aegon…”, you hesitate.

“Yes?”

He waits. When he does so, eyes are locked in a long gaze. He notices the color that paints your irises, the red that paints your curls, your long nose and heart-shaped face. Sweet features that mirror the kindness within. Your lips tremble and the prince is eager to hear those words.

Those three words that he too is eager to pronounce, tasting them for the first time in a lifetime of rage and frustration.

“I am scared to speak my mind.”

Aegon puts a hand over your chin, his callous hand moving higher to cup your cheek. To fight away the remaining shadows of your heart, right at the twilight, he knocks his pride down when choosing to be the one to say what must be said.

“Y/N Hightower, throughout these years my cold heart has been endeared to a new sentiment of a kind I never experimented before, often judged to never feel it because I was deemed unworthy of it. The root to my heart has been uneasy, I know, and yet you took it with the bravery of your gentleness.”

As the words come out so naturally, you blush deeper. You’d look away if he doesn’t make you stay and see the truth in his gaze.

“You, the very center of my heart, have grown more than a companion, a cousin, someone with whom I share blood. Nights grow cold without you, I sinned hopelessly because I thought…” Aegon sighs, impatient with himself. “All of this is to say that I love you.”

To his surprise, you cup his face with your hands and lock your lips with his. Right as the sun starts to go down, as the colors of twilight begin to paint the skies, every doubt is solved, every shadow dissipates.

It is a peaceful kiss, perfectly paired even if it starts sloppy. Sunfyre hums happily as if to put a soundtrack to this moment where Aegon Targaryen is genuinely happy for the first time in years.

“I love you, Aegon”, you rest your forehead against his. “Whatever it comes, never forget how endeared you are.”

He cannot argue when you say in such a sweet manner. You convince him that with patience and time, love flourishes.

And you stay like this for a while.

***

Aegon’s eyes are glued in you. Today you are dancing with Princess Helaena by her side at a feast that honours the king’s name day.

“Lady Y/N must be a witch”, muses Aemond out of the blue.

“What for?”, Aegon casts a frown at his younger brother. “Do not dessacralize her name like this, Aemond.”

“Oh. So you are far more smitten than I have assumed”, Aemond raises his eyebrows. “And here I was presuming you’d make her one of your mistresses…considering whom you are betrothed to.”

“Assume what you want. Lady Y/N is not a mistress, no.”

His brother cannot believe his ears. Is this an scandal in the making?

“You cannot be serious. Aegon…”

“What? All I can do is displease others as it seems. They are not content when I do as told. It is time to take my life with my own hands.”

“This will not end well.”

“We shall try and see.”

Aegon stands impatiently and moves to where you are. He knows all eyes are set on him: courtiers hold their breath when you come at his meeting. But what do they know when love is clear in the eyes of the Cupid’s victims?

Helaena, who knew from day one where this would go, smiles to you and excuses herself to Aemond’s side—which only served to leave Alicent astonished, but not entirely displeased since she likes you.

What indeed comes out as a shock is that Aegon has eyes to no other but you.

“We are making it obvious”, you murmur.

“Let it be so. I have no shame in showing my affection for you.”

“Aegon, but you are promised to another”, he sees the pain it comes when acknowledging this fact.

Hands are held and bodies dance when he says calmly:

“Betrothals are often brokered. It happens under uncertainties until marriages are certain.”

You cast him a long wide gaze.

“You cannot be serious..”

Aegon smiles at you in a way few have seen it. The dance comes to an end and he bows before you, lingering a kiss on your wrist without parting gazes.

“I am most serious in my intentions, lady Y/N.”

***

You are occupied with embroidery, lost in your thoughts by the time the queen comes to meet you.

“Y-Your Grace, my aunt”, you dip to a gracious curtsy, blushing as you do so, aware of the reason why she suddenly came to see you.

“No need formalities, child”, she gives you a small smile. “I came to talk to you. I believe you know why.”

As you mutter some answer, Queen Alicent is reminded of herself. You could have been her daughter had she been married off to a nobleman of a house like Tyrell. Not only that but some traits you possess makes her lament how she wasted her youth being a puppet to serve her father’s ambition.

Painful remembrances. And yet… you are tracing a better path than she ever did.

“I am not angry at you, dear child. I should have assumed any of this would result. To be honest, your grandsire was hoping to marry you to Aemond, seeing how similar you are.” Alicent smiles, clearly judging otherwise. “Well, Helaena was closer to Aemond than you in any case.”

“I have nothing to say against lord Aemond, my queen, but it is true that I am closer to lord Aegon.”

“I neglected to consider your sentiments in these matters much as mine were discarded by the time… Oh, never mind. It does little good to dwell in the past”, she now takes your hand. “Aegon surprised me for the first time. He is strongly decided to make you his wife.”

“Oh”, you cannot disguise your surprise. You have to put a hand on your heart as if to prevent you to pass out. “He actually means it!”

Queen Alicent chuckles at your reaction.

“I was shocked too myself, but the king and I are happy to see a change in his comportment. For which on behalf of the crown I thank you and officially welcome you to this disfunctional family, dearest Y/N.”

You laugh quietly. For the first time in a long time your demons are defeated and you taste a safe victory. This is not about comparisons anymore, nor to be gushed by insecurities. Aegon has helped you heal in many, many ways.

***

A few moons later…

“I thought I was not born for happiness”, you confide him right after you landed with Sunfyre.

Since the day Aegon and you were married, the king granted the newly weds a household so you could enjoy your privacy. Ever since this day, Springhall has been your home.

“Why would you say that, Y/Nickname?”, he holds your arm against him as you two walk side by side back inside. “Stealing from me the typical phrasing effect?”

You chuckle quietly.

“No, I mean every word I said. When circumstances forced me to acknowledge my feelings for you, Aegon, I never thought you’d correspond. I felt as if I loved a star too high to grasp.”

It is your way with words that move his heart. It is how these echo the sincerity with your devotion that bends a prideful man like him. Aegon stops the pace and turns you around.

“It pains me that you have gone through difficult months, withdrawn to a heavy pressure of expectations your mother and father laid on you. Even more that I disappointed you with my wayward manners”, he takes your fingers and kisses each for a long time.

Summer breeze blows his hair, and you seem to notice this day he is not dressing dark shade of green, but a light one instead, which matches yours.

“We tend to get lost in our way when we are not properly guided, I’m afraid. But I cannot excuse my past, when I was given the chance to write a better future. Your unending loyalty to me, Y/N… Gods. I could list to all of your virtues that charmed me… In fact, let me do it.”

He keeps his words. Your self esteem has never been higher. A man like him to praise yourself in this manner… Oh, how many skeptical persons would have mocked this possibility?

To be loved like a fair damsel in these stories you read is a reality you’ve thought impossible. You knew your dreams were prompted to be sacrificed by the duties to serve your family, but alas! The impossible is now possible!

“What a joy you give me to be your wife”, you say more tearful than you know.

“You are my heart’s queen, my heart’s gleam, light of my life, my sun and stars. I am devoted to you until the last breath of this body.”

You take his hands and plants a kiss on each, holding his fingers firmly as you look at him with a spark in your gaze.

“My best beloved, I could not find happiness elsewhere but with you. My soul rejoices when yours is close to mine, when day and night I can love you right. Oh, you light my life and lead the way to Seven Paradises!”

“My poetess!”

And saying so, he kisses you under sunlight.

***

• Epilogue.

Prince Aegon’s marriage has not only proven to be a great surprise to many and a true delight to all, but in many ways it was scandalous too.

Specially because he formally abdicated of his rights to the crown to spend his lifetime with you. By giving these to his younger brother, Aemond, well… Ser Otto Hightower might have to adjust his plans. And your sweet demeanor makes it difficult to be blamed for such a decision. Besides, you found in your father a good supporter at court so all is well that ends well.

Before the great series of events that are coming, you give Aegon a number of children to occupy yourselves to. These are:

1. Aegon, named after his father.

2. Rhaena, his twin.

3. Alysanne.

4. Daena.

5. Daeron.

6. Jaehaerys.

7. Maekar.

8. Daenys.

And two miscarriages. What is intriguing is that by the time King Viserys’ death, you and Aegon are found living your lives quietly in Essos.

So when war comes, Aemond starts to question himself.

Where is Aegon? Can he be counted on for this war? Or should he better be left in his domestic affairs?

But these speculations run out of this scope. Besides, it’s not as if Aegon and Y/N Targaryen would pose any danger to Aemond and Helaena’s inheritance… Right?

Whatever it is, some things are better left unsaid. And you and Aegon content yourselves with this very peaceful scenario…

[ewingstan]

So one of Ward's main themes has been asking what's needed to change as a person. Its the whole setup for Breakthrough: People who've done horrible things trying to become better. There's been lots of sub-themes within that—accountability, punishment and repentance, separating yourself from your past. There's been a constant counter to it, with most of the foils or antagonistic forces expressing the idea that you can't get better and might as well let yourself get worse. Lisa does this through her pessimism about things getting better. A lot of the minor career villains have represented it through their willingness to "be more brutal" rather than stick to the old rules we're pretending anyone followed. Cradle represented it through how he blamed Rain for not letting him stay good, and before that the rest of the cluster represented it through blaming Rain for their own bloodthirstiness via bleedthrough. "This isn't my fault, the world is making me bad" has repeatedly been positioned as the obstacle to "Regardless of why I did wrong before, I can put in work to get better."

I do think that "others are too quick to judge agents for reacting to bad circumstances imperfectly" is a bigger problem then "people are too willing to blame their circumstances for their behavior." Mostly because those unfair judgements of moral character has been the justification for uncountable cruel punishments throughout history, lead to untold people being paralyzed by the fear of Hell, lead to children being treated like they needed evil beaten out of them and convicts being treated like they're being disrespectful for daring to continue drawing breath. It can be hard for me to overcome my gut reaction towards anything that seems to be arguing for moral responsibility, because I genuinely think our ethical systems would be better without that concept being included.

But, that's not quite what Ward is doing, at least not when its at its best. "You need to take responsibility" in the sense of recognizing that you could act differently in the future is, strictly speaking, different from "you need to be held responsible" in the sense I find harmful. So as far as central themes go, its not bad. I have resistances to finding it astounding, but it's not an inherently terrible angle or anything.

That said, Ward has framed the opposing theme in counterproductive ways. While "the world wouldn't let me change" can work as a good beat, its not something that people are consciously thinking and being motivated by. We can talk about "they thought I was a monster, so they stripped me of all means to live honestly, so I had to live as a monster" or even "they thought I was a monster, so none would speak with me except others they considered monsters, and we made each other our worst selves," but in neither of those cases is the character's actions driven by their own belief that people wont let them be good—its driven by the actual external circumstances of how people treat them and restrict opportunities. So the way Cradle suddenly starts behaving horribly, not because others are treating him in ways that affect his material circumstances, but because of his reaction to the cluster bleedthrough—it just feels mistaken to even invoke "you made me a monster" as a trope. It doesn't work as a critique of pushing the blame for your actions onto others, because Cradle's reasoning for pushing the blame onto others feels written as an afterthought.

My problem with how this is treated in Amy are related, but not identical. A few chapter's ago, Amy complained about the world not letting her change. I don't think it made much sense for her, not only because her becoming someone who externalizes her issues feels like an unsatisfying direction for her after Worm, but more directly because it doesn't make sense in the context she's in. And sure, she's someone who makes poorly thought-out excuses for herself, so I'm not gonna ding the writing for that. It just feels like it makes more sense as just a parroting of what some commenters have said about Victoria and Amy, rather than something that Amy would herself think.

The same thing seems true for the above passages. A lot of things that readers have said about Amy are now being said, by Amy. Amy is of course voicing the rhetorically worst possible version of those claims, but I think the interesting thing is that the context Amy's saying it is the main thing making it reprehensible. Because as much as Amy is repeating the thin substance of what some readers have argued, fans arguing with other fans that "you shouldn't hate this character because X," is just substantially different than a rapist telling her victim "you shouldn't hate me because of X." Even if the strict words spoken were the same, they aren't at all the same claim, because one is what the audience should feel and the other is how Victoria should feel.

You could argue against this by saying "if its right for Victoria to hate Amy, its right for the audience to hate Amy, because hate is right when it reflects an accurate judgement of someone's moral character." I won't pretend that conception of justified hate isn't somewhat widespread, but I don't think it stands up to scrutiny. Especially not applied to fictional characters.

[mcverse]

✧ Paring: Lo’ak x Human! F! Reader

✧ Requested: Yes/No

✧ Type: One Shot

✧ Word count: 2.8K

✧ Warnings: It’s flufff, & slight angst obvi, anxious reader is relatable

✧ Side Bar: I stayed up all night because this couldn’t leave my head

please keep in mind that all characters in my stories are always 18+, and although I can't monitor who reads my work, if you are not 18+ I advise that you do not engage in my page or stories.

Pandora was the only place you'd ever called home, but it was a complex relationship. Despite being born on the planet, you didn't belong to its native people.

Instead, you were technically aligned with the Sky People—a group with a history of destroying hope and leaving chaos in their wake. For years, they'd traveled across space to set foot on this lush, alien world and decimate its resources.

You knew deep down that you didn't share their values or their vision for the future. You couldn't claim them as your own, not when you felt such a strong connection to the vibrant, interconnected ecosystem of Pandora.

But that didn't mean you were exempt from the judgement of others. In the eyes of many Na’vi, you were just another outsider—a demon, no less—who was profiting off the exploitation of their world.

As much as they may believe it, they couldn't be more mistaken. You may not possess the same physical form as the Na'vi, nor the ability to connect with the planet through Tsaheylu, but your heart beats in harmony with Pandora, and you feel a deep connection to its magnificent beauty and delicate balance like it was a part of you.

You understood why the Na'vi were hesitant to accept you. They had been betrayed by the sky people before, and their distrust of outsiders was understandable. It didn't make it any less difficult, however, to feel like you were constantly on the outside looking in.

You suspected that Spider shared your yearning for acceptance. He had changed his appearance, donning the blue paint and attire of the Na'vi, to look more like a native. But beneath the surface, he was still a human like you, with all the limitations and flaws that came with it.

It was difficult to keep up with him, your mind burdened by the fear of being scrutinized and evaluated by others. The weight of that anxiety was suffocating, making it hard for you to venture out and visit Hometree, the heart of the Omaticaya clan.

As a result, you only made the trip twice during your childhood, opting instead to spend most of your time with the Sully children and Spider in the surrounding forest.

Perhaps it was wrong of you to feel content with your current situation, quietly existing without the formal acceptance of the Na'vi. You didn't want to pressure them into welcoming you with open arms, but at the same time, you longed to be acknowledged and appreciated for who you are.

Spider's approach of hovering in between acceptance and rejection seemed tempting, but you knew it trying to follow in his pattern wouldn't be true to yourself. You wanted to be seen as you truly are, not as an imitation of someone else.

This makes you feel incredibly grateful for the Sully kids, as they have become like family to you. Though you don't believe that Eywa sees you, you know that the Sully kids see you for who you are and accept you as a part of their group. You feel a sense of belonging and comfort that you seek out in the world, and you know that they will always be by your side.

Spider, what’s not to love about him? Growing up, you came to know him as your brother not by blood. There were moments he was annoying, as brothers do but he can also be fiercely protective of you, sweet, and comforting when you need it most. You know that he always has your best interests at heart and will do anything for you.

Your sister from another species, Kiri, was literally your best friend. You did everything together, told each other everything. It was a little worrisome or scare to those from the outside, with how in sync you’re feelings are and the ability to when the others down and need some cheering to do. They just didn’t understand neither of you.

Little Tuk wasn’t so little anymore but she was still your very your own personal cheerleader. You remember learning the term after finding an old yearbook from someone left behind, and it seemed to fit her perfectly. She always roots for you at your accomplishments, and loves making things for you just because she felt like it. To you, she is the sweetest thing on the planet.

The mighty warrior, Neteyam, was a strict and protective man even with you. Though you may not be blood, he never gave you a reason to consider otherwise. You were extended family, who deserved just as much watchfulness and guidance as his own siblings and Spider.

But Lo’ak was a different case altogether. When growing up alongside him, you saw him like you did Spider and Neteyam, just a friendly face who you could count on to be there when you needed him. However, things changed once you hit puberty. Your feelings towards him began to shift, and you couldn't help but think of him constantly, wondering what he was up to and if he ever thought of you in the same way.

Your feelings for him were string, but you were always hesitant to act on them. You knew that the idea of two different species being together was frowned upon, and you feared the backlash that might come from confessing your love to him. Kiri may have found your feelings for Lo’ak cute, but you found them repulsive and frustrating, as they consumed your every thought.

Through your fears and doubts, you longed to tell Lo’ak how much he meant to you. You wanted him to know that you saw his hard work and effort when nobody else did, and that you loved everything about him, even his five fingers and eyebrow hair. Sometimes you couldn't help but wonder if he saw you in the same way, but you never dared to find out, fearing the worst.

When Lo’ak completed his final rite of passage, you realized that your chance to confess your feelings had come and gone. He was now old enough to find a mate, and even though he hadn't done so yet, you knew that it was only a matter of time.

You pushed your feelings aside, burying them deep within you in an attempt to move on and forget about what could have been—if only you weren’t so scared, filled to the brim with anxiety and self consciousness.

Nervously you fiddle with your fingers, trying to compose yourself as you watch Lo’ak playfully wrestle with Spider. Did he ever notice the way you looked at him, how your skin would heat up every time he touches you or how you couldn't stop smiling when he was next to you? You had been trying to move on from these feelings for months, but he had a hold on you that you couldn't shake off.

It felt like you were hooked, reeled in, and trapped by your feelings for him. The phrase "sink, line, and hooker" had become all too familiar to describe the pull he had on you. You had fallen for him hard, and it was frustrating because the only other human around your age was Spider. Moving on to him would just feel wrong, for so many reasons.

You’re so lost in thought when you feel a tap on your shoulder and turn to see Kiri kneeling there with a smile on her face. She rubs your shoulder gently and says, "Stay out of your head, everything will be okay." Her words provide a small comfort, but deep down, you know that this love for Lo'ak will continue to consume you until you find a way to move on.

You thank Kiri for her kind words, returning her smile before stealing another glance at the two boys. But you are caught off guard when you notice that they are already looking at you, and quickly avert their eyes when they realize you noticed.

You feel a pang of discomfort in your chest as you wonder what they found so amusing. Spider is snickering and pushing Lo'ak away from him, but their behavior only makes you feel worse.

You can't help but wonder if there is something on your face, or if they are laughing at something you said or did. Kiri doesn't say anything, leaving you to feel vulnerable and self-conscious.

You quickly turn away, blinking away a tear that has formed in your eye. You know that you are being overly sensitive, but the feeling of being laughed at and excluded by the two people closest to you hurts deeply. You feel like an outsider, like there is some secret joke about you that you are not in on. The feeling is overwhelming, and you can't shake it off.

You excuse yourself from Kiri and walk off deeper into the forest, heart pounding harder in your chest as you continue. The lush green surroundings no longer holds the calming effect they usually do.

Instead, your mind is consumed with thoughts of Lo’ak and how he must see you. Do you disgust him? Is he aware of the way you feel about him? The thought of being the laughing stock of your closest friends makes your stomach churn.

You try to shake the thought off, reminding yourself that Lo'ak has always been kind to you, and he's never given you any indication that he thinks less of you. Then the memory of Spider and Lo’ak’s laughter at your expense replay in your mind, making you feel even more self-conscious. The thought of being the subject of their amusement fills you with shame.

You hate that every time he glances your way or speaks to you, you overanalyze every word and gesture, trying to decipher if there's any hidden meaning behind them. Why couldn’t you be born in a normal world with people like you? Maybe then the heartbreak wouldn’t be so severe.

Your chest tightens and tears swell up in your eyes when you come to a stop and lean against a tree. You try closing your eyes and taking deep breaths in an effort to calm down. You try to remind yourself that these thoughts are just your insecurities talking, but it’s hard to shake the feeling of being inadequate and unlovable in a world where people can’t come to do the opposite of that.

You were so involved in your own thoughts that you failed to notice someone come up behind you until the sun no longer shined down on you, and instead, it was a shadow. Ironically, it was how you felt at the moment - overshadowed by your own emotions. You sniffled a few times, trying to gather your bearings before turning to see who it was. You were shocked to see that it was Lo’ak standing there.

You quickly composed yourself, trying to wipe your tears away, only to realize that your ecopack mask made that impossible. You turn away, feeling embarrassed and more self-conscious about being caught in such a vulnerable state.

“Are you okay?” Lo’ak asks softly, stepping closer to you.

You can feel his warmth radiating off of him, and the proximity makes your heart race. You try to push those thoughts aside, knowing that they only lead to more heartache. “I’m fine,” you say, your voice coming out weaker than you intended. You look away in cringe.

Lo'ak doesn’t seem convinced and reaches his hand out to gently grab your chin. His warm touch on your skin sends shivers down your spine, and you feel your heart rate pick up as he guides your gaze up to meet his. It's impossible to avoid the intensity of his gaze, and for a moment, you're lost in his eyes.

But the weight of your emotions is too much to bear, and you break eye contact, feeling a fresh wave of tears welling up behind your ecopack mask. You can't bring yourself to admit the truth to him, to lay bare your innermost thoughts and fears.

As if sensing your hesitation, Lo'ak's thumb begins to move in small, soothing circles on your skin. It's a small gesture, but it feels like a lifeline, a grounding force in the midst of your swirling emotions.

"It's nothing," you lie, your voice shaking slightly as you force the words out. You can't bear the thought of burdening Lo'ak with your problems, not when he has so much else to deal with.

But Lo'ak is persistent, and his eyes never leave yours as he speaks, his voice gentle and reassuring. "It doesn't look like nothing," he says, and you feel a pang of guilt at the concern etched on his face.

You take a deep breath, trying to calm your racing heart as you gather your thoughts. It feels like an eternity before you finally find the courage to speak up, your voice barely above a whisper.

"I... I don't know, Lo'ak," you say, feeling the tears spilling down your cheeks despite your best efforts to hold them back. "I feel so conflicted. I don't know what to do with these feelings."

Lo'ak's expression softens even more, and he takes your hand, leading you to a nearby log where he sits down beside you. You feel the warmth of his body beside you, and it's both comforting and unnerving at the same time.

"Tell me," he says, his voice still gentle, but now with a note of urgency, "Whatever it is, you can always tell me."

You look up at Lo'ak, you can feel the tears pooling in your eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment. You see the concern etched on his face and can't help but feel a surge of emotion at the intensity of the moment. You feel like you're standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to jump into the unknown, and you take a deep breath, trying to steady yourself.

You know you need to tell him what's been weighing on your mind, but you're afraid of how he'll react. Will he judge you? Will he think you're silly or overreacting? You push those doubts aside, knowing that you need to be honest with him.

"I feel like I’ve had to fight all my life," you say, gesturing with your hands to emphasize your point, "For a spot that will never be filled. The Na’vi," you pause, placing a hand over your heart as you feel the tears welling up again, "they will not accept me, they will never see me. I'm tired," you say, shaking your head in frustration, "Lo'ak, I'm tired."

As you speak, Lo'ak listens intently, never taking his eyes off of you. He doesn't interrupt you or try to make light of your feelings, but simply allows you to express yourself fully. It's a rare and beautiful thing, and in that moment, you feel seen and heard in a way that you never have before.

When you finish, Lo'ak doesn't say anything at first. He simply looks at you with a mixture of sadness and understanding, his eyes full of empathy. Finally, he scoots closer to you until your shoulders touch, and he speaks in a soft voice,

"They are too blind to see, and that is their loss," he says, his gaze shifting away briefly before returning to meet your own, "But you, [Name], you are gifted, smart, and kind," he says, his voice full of sincerity, "And beautiful," he adds, his words causing a flutter in your chest, "So what if they don't see you? I see you."

You feel your heart skip a beat at his words. You can hardly believe what you're hearing. The man you've been in love with for so long has feelings for you too. You're overjoyed, overstimulated, and disoriented all in one. You manage to gather your thoughts and respond with a shaky voice, "I see you, Lo'ak." You reach out and take his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

A look of relief washes over his face, and a smile slowly stretches across his features. He leans down until your foreheads are touching, "That makes me really happy, more than you know," he says, chuckling softly as he closes his eyes, savoring the feeling of your warmth and presence next to him.

Despite the intensity of the moment, a part of you couldn't help but wonder about the future. "What about..." you start to say, but he interrupts you, opening his eyes and flickering them over your face, trying to memorize every detail,

“I don't know what the future holds, but I like you enough to explore this...what this is. I want to see where we go, together," he says, his voice serious and intent.

You stare at him, your mouth slightly open in surprise at the side of him he was showing. He sounds more mature, more sensual, and more goal-oriented than you had ever known him to be. It was a side of him that you found yourself instantly drawn to, a side that you hadn't fully appreciated yet.

Feeling your cheeks flush, you lean in and peck the inner corner of his lips, letting them lingering for a moment before pulling back, "I can't wait to find out," you whisper, your eyes locked onto his, feeling as though you were seeing him in a whole new light.

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[bethanydelleman]

Darcy’s Reaction is SO REAL (and aspirational)

For those who write Jane Austen FF, any FF, or just write, or just read good stuff, one of the most skillful things that Jane Austen does, which we should all aspire to do, is give her characters legitimate reactions to criticism. 

For example, Darcy learning that Jane actually was in love with Bingley and that *gasp* his judgement might have been wrong or biased. His reaction is a perfect display of real human behaviour.

First, he denies wrongdoing: “I have no wish of denying that I did everything in my power to separate my friend from your sister, or that I rejoice in my success. Towards him I have been kinder than towards myself.” or in other words, “I did the right thing, I have nothing to be sorry for.”

Second, in the letter, he excuses/explains:

Your sister I also watched. Her look and manners were open, cheerful, and engaging as ever, but without any symptom of peculiar regard; and I remained convinced, from the evening’s scrutiny, that though she received his attentions with pleasure, she did not invite them by any participation of sentiment. If you have not been mistaken here, I must have been in an error. Your superior knowledge of your sister must make the latter probable. If it be so, if I have been misled by such error to inflict pain on her, your resentment has not been unreasonable. But I shall not scruple to assert, that the serenity of your sister’s countenance and air was such as might have given the most acute observer a conviction that, however amiable her temper, her heart was not likely to be easily touched. That I was desirous of believing her indifferent is certain; but I will venture to say that my investigations and decisions are not usually influenced by my hopes or fears. I did not believe her to be indifferent because I wished it; I believed it on impartial conviction, as truly as I wished it in reason. My objections to the marriage were not merely those which I last night... [explains how terrible her family is and what he did to separate them]... I cannot blame myself for having done thus much. There is but one part of my conduct, in the whole affair, on which I do not reflect with satisfaction; it is that I condescended to adopt the measures of art so far as to conceal from him your sister’s being in town. I knew it myself, as it was known to Miss Bingley; but her brother is even yet ignorant of it. That they might have met without ill consequence is, perhaps, probable; but his regard did not appear to me enough extinguished for him to see her without some danger. Perhaps this concealment, this disguise, was beneath me. It is done, however, and it was done for the best. On this subject I have nothing more to say, no other apology to offer. If I have wounded your sister’s feelings, it was unknowingly done; and though the motives which governed me may to you very naturally appear insufficient, I have not yet learnt to condemn them.

If you read this carefully, it’s not an apology. As much as he says he might have been wrong, but he doubts it and he’s not sorry. He still thinks it was the best thing to be done. Even after he admits that Elizabeth probably knows her sister best, he goes on and on about how Jane doesn’t appear to be in love. It is pretty clear, especially from the ending lines, that Darcy still thinks he is right.

Then Darcy sits on this information for several months, which is how long it took him to come around to the idea that he was in error. When Darcy and Elizabeth meet at Pemberley, Darcy begins the third step: making amends. Darcy must have told Bingley that Elizabeth was in Lambton and invited him to visit her. Darcy would have known that bringing together Bingley and Elizabeth would reawaken Bingley’s feelings about Jane.

Lastly and most importantly, Darcy doesn't stop being himself. He relies foremost on his own judgement. He does admit that he was wrong about Jane before, which means he accepted Elizabeth’s account, but he still investigates himself:

“...I told him, moreover, that I believed myself mistaken in supposing, as I had done, that your sister was indifferent to him; and as I could easily perceive that his attachment to her was unabated, I felt no doubt of their happiness together.”

“Did you speak from your own observation,” said she, “when you told him that my sister loved him, or merely from my information last spring?”

“From the former. I had narrowly observed her, during the two visits which I had lately made her here; and I was convinced of her affection.”

Darcy doesn’t change "in essentials", he just accepts that he might have been wrong and tries again from a new perspective. This is very true to human nature, we can adjust, but we can’t change the whole of who we are as people.

This is part of why Jane Austen’s novels feel so genuine and the characters feel so real. Many characters never get past denying they did anything wrong (John Dashwood, John Thorpe, Lydia Bennet), or wallowing in the excuse phase (Willoughby, Isabella Thorpe, Mr. Bennet). Very rarely does anyone, even in real life attempt a true, positive change in their general behaviour.

But when and if they do, it would look something like what Jane Austen wrote.

[cartoonfanaticmonsterrobotalien]

Solar Opposites: The Rise of The New Order Ch. 11/Epilogue (by @avaveevo)

A few weeks later…

Korvo and Terry are seen snuggling after having sex as they smile. Terry wakes up to check his phone and gasps

Terry: Oh shit! We're gonna be late for the wedding!

Korvo: On it!

Terry and Korvo gets ready for the wedding along with the Replicants and Pupa and AISHA and Teraformus and Jessica. Later, the family arrived at the wedding.

Korvo: I am so happy for these two.

Terry: Heh! I know.

Then, out came Moran and Xinna, who are wearing wedding clothes as they walk down the isle.

Xinna: *lovingly* Oh Moran…

Moran: Ready to spend the rest of your life with a handsome guy?

Xinna: *giggles* Yes. Yes I am.

Jesse then gets out the bible

Jesse: Do you Moran, promise to take care of Xinna to honor her in sickness and in heath, for as long as you both shall live?

Moran: Hell yeah I do!

Jesse: And Xinna, do you promise to love and take care of Moran to honor him and sickness and in health? For as long as you both shall live?

Xinna: I do.

Jesse: Now let’s hear those vows!

Moran: Xinna, from this day forward, I’m keep loving you throughout my whole life! You are one of the bravest Shlorpians I ever met! I love you!

Xinna: And Moran, you are othe most funniest Shlorpian I ever met! The way you try to hard to make people proud is amazing! That’s what I love about you! And I’m gonna keep loving you forever too!

Jessica cries with joy

Jesse; And by the power invested in me just for today, I know pronounce husband and wife. Okay go ahead and kiss! I wanna see this!

Xinna takes her crystal of her robe and she and Moran smashes it as they seal their vow with a kiss. Then, Korvo heads out for a bit as he realizes something as “My Life is Changing” starts playing.

I guess I was wrong

The people of Earth truly can be changed

Now Tortus is gone

I fear that I made the worst decision

I should’ve never allowed him to just

Go ahead with the New Order

Does it mean anything

To pass for divine judgement now

My life is changing

For better or worse

I must accept the truth that

My life is changing

All I’ve known is a lie

Can someone tell me why

The New Order are open to heathens

I don’t know where all this will take us

But my life is changing

So I need to change with it too

What was I thinking

The New Order Don’t Seem Very amazing at all

As the head rookie

How could I tell Kim-La she could fall

Redemption is impossible

For all the souls down on Earth

If I didn’t know better

I’d have mistaken this heathen as one of us

What other lies does the New Order hold?

Is this place worth its weight in gold

Are we no different to them?

Why is it we get to ascend?

Is the New Order misguided?

There must be something I can do

To the save heathens in hurting too

My life is changing for better or worse

I must accept the truth that

My life is changing

All I’ve known is a lie

Can someone tell me why

The New Order is open to heathen

I don’t know where all this will take us

But my life is changing

So I need to change with it too

Korvo sighs but then turns around and looks at his family as he smiles.

Terry: Korvy, are you okay?

Korvo: *giving Terry his hand* Care to dance, Terry?

Terry: Yeah. I would love to. Then after that, are you ready to head home?

Korvo: Of course.

Korvo and Terry kiss and then starts having a romantic slow dance as they smile. Then, the scene cuts to the Solars packing up their things with Kim-La and Karna joining them. Bee, Xinna, Gadget and Moran starts saying goodbyes to them.

Bee: Well, Kim-La, I guess this is it.

Xinna: I hate goodbyes. God damn it! We’re gonna miss you so damn much!

Moran: *crying hysterically* We’re so happy for you!

Gadget gives Kim-La a holographic communicator

Gadget: Here. You can call us through this. To keep in touch. Thank you for being part of The New Order.

Kim-La smiles

Kim-La: Thank you guys. *gets int a group hug with her friends as she smiles tearfully* Karna, it’s time. Come along. *to the rest of the New Order* Goodbye you guys. Thanks for everything.

Karna: Bye bye.

The rest of the New Order shout their goodbyes while Jessica and Teraformus comes up with suitcases as they happily approach the Solar Opposites, who smiled at them.

Jessica: Room for two more?

Korvo: Yes. There is.

Teraformus and Jessica join the hug. Korvo places a hand on Terry's face

Korvo: Ready to go home?

Terry: Yes. Yes I am. But I just need to do one more thing.

Korvo: Oh and what is that?

Terry: This.

Terry and Korvo embrace in a kiss as they moan lovingly. Then, AISHA starts the ship as it takes off after Kim-La, Karna, Jessica and Teraformus hop in the ship. The rest of the New Order and Shlorpians wave goodbye as the ship takes off. Then, a few weeks later, the Solars arrived home as they land on their house and heads outside as they smile.

Korvo: *sighs* It’s great to be home.

Kim-La: So this is Earth? It looks amazing!

Korvo: Well, to be honest I hated the place at first.

Then he smiles at his family.

Korvo: But I was wrong. It’s a wonderful home and it was worth it.

Terry smiles as the two husbands embrace. Then, the family along with Jessica, Karna, Kim-La and Teraformus looks at the sunset. A monologue from Korvo is heard *like the one from the Amphibia Series Finale*

Korvo: *monologuing* Change can be difficult, but it's how we grow. It can be the hardest thing to realize you can't hold on to something forever. Sometimes... you have to let it go. But of the things you let go... you'd be surprised... what makes its way... back to you.

Korvo then gets an idea how to celebrate his family’s return to Earth.

Korvo: Oh Terry? *seductively* You want to celebrate our way back home with sex?

Terry: Oh hell yeah! Let’s fucking go!

Cue Korvo and Terry kissing and moaning lovingly in their bedroom as sexy music plays

Korvo: This is the best sex of my life!

Terry: *laughs* I know, right?

The two husbands keep sending and moaning in ecstasy as the credits rolls, the songs in the credits are “Pompeii” from Bastille and “No Quite Paradise” form Bliss 66. Then comes the end credits scene.

3 months later…

Korvo is giving birth as he keeps pushing.

Korvo: FUUUUUUCK! OH GOOOOOOOOOD! TERRY. HOLD MY HAND!

Terry: Come Korvy! You can do it! Come on!

Korvo starts crying in pain. Terry holds Korvo’s hand as he keeps pushing. Then, Korvo gives one final push as he screams, then a baby’s crying was heard.

Doctor: Congratulations, it's a girl!

The doctor wraps the sproutling, who has Terry’s skin color, in a blanket as the doctor hands in the infant over to Korvo, who shed tears of joy along with Terry.

Terry: Hi sweetie. It’s us. Your daddies.

Korvo: She’s like a beautiful flower sprouted with hope. We shall name her… Lili.

Lili looks at Korvo and coos

Korvo: Welcome to the world Lili Solar-Opposites… we love you…

Lili falls asleep and sucks her thumb. The two alien husbands look as their baby and then embrace in a kiss as the screen fades to black.

[lady-wallace]

Abbacchio Week Day 5: The Story in Your Eyes

For today's @abbacchioweek2024 fic I'm playing with my 1930s AU which up to this point has mostly been headcanons and some various art I've done. I think this might be the first time I've written first person for a character that was not an OC but tried to replicate a noir style narration for Abbacchio here. This AU is set in New York City

~~~~~~~

New York, 1932

It was a quiet night. A bit surprising, honestly, what with all the growing tensions between various gangs—one of which I had, perhaps foolishly, gotten myself embroiled with.

I lit up a cigarette as I stepped out of the restaurant I had come to frequent as of late. The back room had become a little too familiar to me, filled with smoke and discussion, broken up only by the asinine arguments of the young rips my new ‘business partner’ seemed intent on surrounding himself with.

I’d asked him once why he took in a bunch of kids who were more likely to shoot themselves in the foot than enforce protection in his territory and he’d told me firmly that they were good kids. Good kids. Heh. None of us were very good, but that was just what Bucciarati was like, seeing the best in people. He’d tried to do the same to me and I had promptly told him that he was being an idiot. Not that it stopped him, but he’s stubborn like that.

Still, I guess he wasn’t wrong. They weren’t bad kids, they’d just been dealt bad hands—much like the rest of us. Except that new Giovanna prick. I’d thought Fugo was a smug little shit when I first met him but he doesn’t hold a candle to the new blond-haired bastard Bucciarati had picked up. I wasn’t usually in the habit of questioning his judgement, but I was coming close with this one.

I exhaled a cloud of smoke into the night air before tucking my hand into my pocket. I wished for a moment that I hadn’t started attempting to replace my nightcap with a smoke to varying effect. I could really use one tonight.

Bucciarati had a good heart despite his chosen profession, and I knew he wanted change as much as the rest of us did. But I just got the feeling in my soul that Giovanna and his grand ideas were going to cause trouble one of these days—with the certainty that I would somehow be dragged along with it.

I wasn’t entirely wrong, if not slightly mistaken in my original judgement. If anything, Giorno Giovanna was a harbinger with an angel’s countenance, heralding the devil close on our heels. Because it was that night, about a week after Giovanna joined Bucciarati’s team that she showed up.

She was waiting in my office when I got back after the meeting. I never locked the door in case a client needed to get inside—all my important paperwork was hidden in the back of my closet in my apartment and I had been grateful for my constant paranoia on more than one occassion.

She was young, that was the first thing I noticed, couldn’t be older than sixteen and her clothing was expensive and well put together; a gold and emerald necklace around her neck that I could tell even in the dim lighting wasn’t paste.

But it was her eyes that struck me most of all. As emerald as the stone around her neck holding a look of desperation and fear that would have caught the attention of Bucciarati a mile away. She was in some kind of trouble—the bad kind. She wasn’t one of my usual clients who came to me about stolen possessions or a cheating lover. She was terrified, running from something, and I thought for a moment that I should send her out the door before she could tell me what it was.

But she spoke up, voice firm, with a tremor that only one as trained in human mannerisms as I am could detect. “Are you…Mr. Abbacchio?”

“I am,” I replied, in a little bit of defeat. “What can I do for you, sweetheart?”

She shifted, uncomfortable, worrying her gloved hands in her lap. “Mr. Abbacchio, I hope I can trust you to be discreet?”

I pulled my overcoat off and sat down in my chair across the desk from her, tucking a new cigarette between my lips as I reached for my lighter. “I have no one to tell, miss. Not even a secretary to pry into your business.”

Her shoulders relaxed slightly but her hands still twisted in her lap. “Mr. Abbacchio…I believe that my father… is trying to kill me.”

I pause briefly in my movements, before I collect myself again and flick my lighter into life, inhaling deeply as the cigarette tip glows red. “That’s quite the accusation. Do you have any proof of that?”

“I have no physical proof but I…I heard him over the phone today, telling someone that…that he wanted me…taken care of.”

She was shaking. I got up slowly to pull the bottle of brandy out of my file cabinet. I poured some into a glass and headed around the desk to press it into her hands. “Are you sure that was the intent?”

She nodded firmly. “I’m positive. I believe the man on the other end of the line asked the same thing and my father said, ‘no, I want her dead. I want… to be sure.’” She was shaking so hard now she could barely hold the glass as she brought it to her lips, taking a bracing drink.

I leaned back on the desk, arms folded over my chest. “Who is your father?”

She looked down, still shaking. “You’re just a private detective, right?” she asked. “You’re not…affiliated with anyone?”

“I work for myself,” Abbacchio said, wondering if he could count Bucciarati as an ‘affiliation’ and decided that explanation would complicate things. At the end of the day Bucciarati and his gang were my clients, not my co-workers. “If I may ask, why exactly are you concerned about that?”

“Because,” she whispered. “My father…is a very powerful man.”

I nodded. “I gathered as much from your appearance.”

She looked down, hugging her coat closer to her. She had probably put on her least fancy dress to come here thinking she could hide. I felt another wave of pity for her, she was just a kid, after all. A terrified kid.

“What’s his name, sweetheart?”

She shook her head. “His name means nothing. You wouldn’t know him by that. No one does.”

I felt unease run through me as I bent to meet her eyes. “Who is he?”

She let out a half sob. “He—he’s the head of the mafia branch—Passione. The Boss. Don Diavolo. He named himself after the devil, Mr. Abbacchio. That’s the kind of man he is.”

I was still processing the information when her eyes finally snapped up to me with a new look of desperation. “His men are looking for me and they want to kill me. I don’t have anywhere to go, please, Mr. Abbacchio, please help me!”

The tears in her eyes had me pulling out a handkerchief, handing it over.

“I can’t,” I told her simply. I knew I was sealing my fate, whatever that may be, as she looked up at me in shock and hopelessness and I continued. “But…I know someone who can.”

[lavenrain]

Chapter 3 - The Shooter in Darkness

It's a little difficult pretending this is my first run through, so we'll be more honest with the wording from now.

and by that I just wanted to talk about how bangin' beautiful Kaori is.

Whom Ryo is.... less than warm to. You'd think the mere mention of his siter would have him drooling by now, but I guess it's because he doesn't know just how beautiful she is. Although, despite not knowing, wouldn't your partner's worry take precedent over work you're pretty much doing for free anyway?

Hm. Nothing to say about that image since that's obviously not Kaori, but Ryo's spotted her! Something I can really appreciate about this intro to her character is-

This. So, the girl is coming on Kaori who is mistaken for a boy, except... what exactly did Kaori show the woman for her not have the realization before the last page? Was the horny clouding her judgement? I guess with all those layers one truly can't tell the existence of booba. But Ryo clocked her as soon as he saw her face it seems?

And then there's the slap. I'd've made at least $300 for this manga to have a true authentic smackdown between these two. Like, I know the obvious winner, but it's funny to think about it sometimes. I also believe this might be the only time he's physically assaulted a woman.

Gohan??? Also, Ryo? Personal space.

Bankrupt that brute! The best aspect of this ship is their "they don't know I know" antics. I don't know why, but sometimes I read Kaori's slyness with Susan Egan's voice.

So, the shopkeeper for some reason also confuses Kaori as a boy, which at this point, it says more about Ryo in the end that he's fallen in love with this look eventually. Hojo-sensei is great at many things but selling me on her androgyny is not one of them, cause if Kaori's a butch, well. Anyway. Ryo turned Makimura down in the beginning to investigate another case, and it's pretty obvious he's using Kaori for it. Whether or not he planned this from the get-go in anyone's business because who the hell was he going to use as bait?

Yes, she is, now run along.

I unironically have a fear of changing rooms now because of this page. And Ryo, she could've died from that height what are you on about, you louse.

The anime (kind of) does this more justice in conveying how dark it is through color/lighting, but it's supposed to be pitch black.

Which is why this is so fucking cool.

But those hands do. I've grown quite accustomed to the last panel because of the scanlations team.

He ends up shooting the guy in the eye through the fancy high key monocle. Very brutal I might add.

This made me giggle.

Overall review.

Kaori best girl. The end. Seriously, once this review is done, I want to compile a master list of all the amazing feats she's accomplished and talk about her character progression and how 80's sexism and misogyny probably rob us of more, and her multiple love int4erests throughout the story are 10 times better than Ryo but also not really, and-

*shotgun*

Prev | Next

[kendrixtermina]

Hello.

I stumbled across your blog whilst trying to ease my mind about the whole Rammstein situation. I really have given up trying to reason with it by myself, so I'm not here for that. What I do want is to perhaps share some feelings as someone who was also inspired by Rammstein.

You suggested that you felt embarrassed for having advocated for their work, and I feel the same. I spoke at length at their amazing word choice, the well-considered framing, and just the storytelling in general, and now it all feels very hollow. I feel like I was an idiot. I tell myself the works still stand on their own. That there is too much evidence and consistency across their catalogue to suggest this wasn't done with forethought. You are not foolish. You read it correctly. They did not approve of these things.

I like to think one can find the truth of another's values by looking through their words, but now I wonder if that was the belief used to fool me.

This whole situation is a mess. I don't know what I really came here for other than to level with someone who I believe understands what I feel. I guess, what I am asking is: how do you feel?

Well, I wrote that initial thing when I was still in shock & very much trying to err on the side of caution cause it's serious stuff that you don't want to take lightly. I wanted to honestly consider that it might be true and what that would mean.

Having looked into it & read a bunch of accounts by ppl who were actually at the parties on reddit & just trying to dig up what information is there from newspaper interviews etc, I do not, at present, think that anything worse transpired than Till consensually boinking a bunch of groupies & some other people being uncomfortable with that & filtering everything they saw through Fear Brain.

The accounts consistently portray him as asking before doing anything, backing away when someone says no, and even the ppl who had genuinely shitty experiences say they agreed to everything & that there was continuous communication.

I think at very least the spiking stuff is definitely not true. There was a rule of opening drinks in front of the guests for the entire backstage area so exceptions would have been noticed (unless the crew & the other band members were all in on it - not impossible but unlikely.)

Apparently it's pretty common for ppl to fear they've been spiked when they just had too much booze but the symptoms are actually pretty different - from what I've heard of ppl who were actually spiked you would feel super groggy/sick within 30 minutes and be completely unconscious or nearly so soon after, out like a light. You aren't continuing to sit there let alone walking home on your own - the perps often offer to drive you home or have some nearby room ready to do the deed in.

Part of me wonders how much of this is Neo-Puritans getting up in arms over adult women wanting to screw a creative, intelligent & charismatic person of their own free will even though he's got a few wrinkles. (which is why I'm grateful that Schneider's statement adressed the paternalism issue) But of course some people having positive experiences doesn't mean that everyone did.

So another part of me is still reserving judgement in that if the prosecutors turn up something to the contrary of that, I want to be ready to accept that I was mistaken. Would be deluded to claim that it cannot be because my 1337 hipster art interpretation skills say otherwise or fancy myself some great detective when I'm just an internet rando who despite my best attempts probably cannot be unbiased.

If the spiking thing had been true or is proven to be true in the future, (or anything about people being unable to leave) that's Burn In Hell territory because of the sheer disregard for other human beings that such an act implies, but at present I just don't think the fact pattern suggests it to be true.

[jefarawol]

Word of the demonstration and its resolution outstripped you, Jefara. Every man, woman, and child of Ishgard has heard the tale.

I am hardly surprised. Gossip is something that Travels fast in this City I have come to learn.

Unfortunately so... 'Tis rumored that my youngest's lack of judgment was to blame. Of course...such stories are prone to exaggeration. What exactly came to pass?

It was his poor choice of words that were to blame, He called for a soldier to 'Do something', That soldier too that as the kill order. It was not his intention for her to be hurt.

I see. So that is the truth of it. Regardless of his intent, the result is undeniable. He has furthered the cause of these misguided few who cannot let go of the past. In an instant, the delicate peace we were poised to forge is once more beyond us.

To dwell so deeply on the war and the vengeance it begets, only for that too to be taken away─is it any wonder that they were left bereft? For what was this sacrifice? Have we naught to show for our suffering?

I thought peace a sufficient salve, but mayhap I was mistaken. We are warriors, Lord Edmont, and ours is a nation built on centuries of warfare. Right or wrong, this is who we are, and we deny it at our peril. To hold on to the past, without being beholden to it... Aye, we must needs find a way to honor the sacrifice of our forefathers without glorying in their excesses.

A difficult path, to be sure. We dare not deny the scars which mar our nation's soul, lest we spur other disillusioned souls to retrace them... But, as you say, we dare not revel in past glories either, for they are tainted all. A clear, unambiguous enemy, and an undeniably righteous cause... 'Tis a bitter reflection, but lies though they were, they did long serve to unite us.

No truth will ever serve as well, I fear. Yet...we are not without options. At our last meeting, a proposal was tabled by the other members of the Eorzean Alliance for joint military exercises─to strengthen the ties between our nations, and test our readiness to meet with a common threat. 

I had thought to delay these exercises until after the peace conference, but mayhap a grand melee would be just the thing to lift our beleaguered spirits. Better still, an occasion for the Temple Knights and the Watch to take the field as allies─a unified Ishgardian force filled with men and women from all walks of life, which would stand against a coalition of the allied nations' finest! 

Hosted by Ishgard, in the shadow of the Gates of Judgement! A victory under such circumstances would serve as a reaffirmation─nay, a declaration to all and sundry that we are as strong and united as ever!

Such a victory would do much to fan the flames of patriotism, it is true. But if we should be defeated...? Though...even to hold our own against the cream of three nations might be presented as a triumph... 

Very well. You may count on my support, for what little it is worth. However, I have a request: I would have my son Emmanellain take part in the grand melee. By his deeds has he brought shame upon Ishgard, and so by his deeds I would have him bring our nation honor.

As you wish, my lord. If that is his desire, then it shall be so. Now then, we have no time to lose. Jefara, would you be so kind as to deliver my instructions to Lucia? I shall write to the Alliance leaders at once and begin making arrangements for the grand melee.

I can do that... Thancred will you join me? Of course.

Should you chance to see my son, pray inform him of his duty. If he has not already returned, he will soon enough─making every effort to avoid me.

I will inform him when I see him.

[thehopelessauthor]

Takayuki Yagami

Voice actor (English): Greg Chun

Theme song (AU):

Best of quotes:

“My search for the truth doesn’t stop until I say it does.” Yagami being lawfully resolute about discovering who the Mole is in “Judgment”

“What a waste…” — Yagami after beating thugs

Basics:

Marital status: Single

<> Boyfriend (determinant/optional)

Sex: Male

Nationality: Japanese 🇯🇵

Height: 6'1ft

Year of Birth: 1983

Age(s):

• 15 years old (Judment; flashback)

• 35 years old (Judgment)

• 39 years old (Lost Judgement)

Occupation:

• Employee of Tender (formerly)

• Law school student (formerly)

* Criminal lawyer (formerly)

• Detective (standard)

* Director of Yagami Detective Agency

• Seiryro High School “faculty” (incognito)

<> Outside counsellor

<> Club advisor

• Food critic (friend event 😆)

• Bodyguard (determinant)

• Relationship counsellor (friend event)

• Locksmith (friend event)

Dislikes:

• Injustice

<> get-away murders

<> corrupted law system

• Needles

• People he cares about being endangered

• Being ripped off

• Being told what to do

• Criticism

• Overconfident thugs

<> Gets bored (rather than irritated) by their enthusiasm for their threats

• Thieves

• Accused of murder (especially without any proof)

• Interference with work

• Being blown off by Nanami (optional)

• Forced to fight Kaito

AU:

• Mitsu’s (OC) criminal activities

* Kuawana interfering with his relationship with paternal duties by “teaching” Mitsu a lesson

* His building being destroyed (😆)

* His daughter tarnishing his name and reputation

<> For the fear of his reputation as a detective/(ex) lawyer

Likes:

• Food

• Drinking alcohol

• Work

• Being self-employed

• Drones

• Law-abiding citizens (😂)

• Cats

• To "take it slow" in a (romantic) relationship

Flaws:

• Alcholic (high-functioning)

• Workaholic

• Playboy (determinant/optional)

• Smoker

<> Brand: Hope

• Autistic (undiagnosed)

<> Because really most current and former lawyers are on the spectrum 🤭

• Volatile

<> If it comes to criminal activity being justified or if someone that Yagami cares about is endanger

• Hypersensitive to rejection when it comes to dating

<> Seen when Nanami will keep blowing Yagami off

Romantic interests:

• Mufuyu (formerly)

Optional:

• Sana

• Amane

• Nanami (highly recommend 🤭)

• Tsukino

Family:

(adoptive) Father 2#: Ryuzo Genda

(adoptive) Father 1#: Mitsugu Matsugane (✝️)

(adoptive) Brother: Masahara Kaito

(adoptive) Brother: Tesso

AU:

Daughter: Mitsu (OC)

(surrogate) “Nephew”: Jun

Friends (allies):

• Kaito (brother figure & crime fighting partner)

• Tsukmo

• Sugiura

• Higshi

• Hoshino

• Saori (former coworker)

• Shintani (✝️) (former mentor)

• Kuwana (complicated ally)

Aliases:

• Tak (by very close friends and family only)

* Kaito

* Matsugane

• Yagami

• Tatsuro (mistaken drunk woman’s husband; side case)

• Cupid (by Miharu)

• Takayuki (by Nanami, optional)

• Detective (by various of people)

• Aniki (by Tesso)

AU:

Dad (by Mitsu)

Enemies:

Judgment:

• AD-9 project

<> Shono

<> Ichnose

<> Kuriowa (✝️)

<> Captain Hamura

• Street thugs

• Hattori (personally)

• Shintani (personally, on and off)

Lost Judgment:

• RK (Red Knife)

• Soma

• Kuwana (on and off)

Affiliations:

• Bar Tender

• Genda’s Law Office (formerly)

• Yagami Detective Agency

• Yokohama99

• Matsugane Family (formerly)

• Seiryro High School

AU:

Quickstarter App ( 🤭)

<> Rent

Abilities:

• Fighting styles

<> Crane

<> Tiger

<> Snake

<> Boxer

• Insight

• Powers of deduction

• Consultative

• Tailing (determinant 😂)

• Law codification

• Dancing (kung fu style)

• Agility

• String endurance

• Quick-reflexes (determinant)

* Seen when Yagami is chasing the perp/suspect and catches himself if you bump into someone, falls over or an object is thrown his way

• Drone racing (optional)

• Pick-locking

• Matchmaking

Appearance & Personality:

As a teenager:

• Relationship coaching

When Yagami first meets Matsugane, he wears a satin red and white zip up varsity jacket, medium wash blue jeans, and red and white skate shoes.

When finding his parents dead at their house, he wears a black cropped blazer, red t-shirt, black baggy slacks, and black oxfords.

Yagami has a slim and athletic build, which allows him to move with fluidity and grace while fighting. He has medium-length black hair in a messy middle part. As a teenager, his hair was dyed brown and slicked back.

As a (ex) lawyer:

While in court, he wears a gray tweed two-piece suit with a red and white regimental striped necktie, a pair of brown dress shoes, and his attorney pin on his lapel. In several flashbacks to 2015, his hair is shown to be slicked back in a much more conservative style. He dislikes how he looks when he wears a suit.

As a detective (standard):

Yagami's standard outfit is a black asymmetrical zip up leather moto jacket with snap-down lapels and epaulettes over a fitted white tee-shirt, a pair of blue medium wash washed out skinny jeans that are distressed around the knees, and a pair of white low-top sneakers. He also wears a wireless earpiece in his right ear. He has a chain on his jeans, which attaches to his wallet to prevent it from being stolen.

How would you describe Yagami’s personality?

Judgment (—) :

• Impatient

• Hostile

<> Particularly if crime becomes justified or if someone he cares about is endangered

• Disapproving

• Immature

• Antisocial

• Brotherly

<> Seen when Yagami & Kaito “argue”/banter) like actual brothers

• Lawful

• Relentless

• Authoritative

• Sensitive (defensive)

<> For example: every time Emei’s case was brought up (whether intentionally or unintentionally)

• Pessimistic

• Loya towards his clientele (determinant)

• Playboy or gentlemen (optional)

Lost Judgment (二):

• Apathetic

<> Especially after beating up cocksure street thugs 🤣

• Idealistic (fiercely)

• Enraged when it comes to justified crimes

• Calaculated

• Empathetic (determinant)

• Investigative

• Inconspicuous (disguises)

• Paternal

• Romantic (determinant/optional)

• Mature

• Socially awkward (🤭)

• Comedic (dry sarcasm)

• Persuasive

• Easily confused ( 😆)

• Cool-headed

• Stubborn

Relationships:

Matsugane (✝️):

Matsugane saw himself in Yagami and raised him as a son. Yagami would later be introduced to Ryuzo Genda, who paid for his education and supported him as he went through law school, and offered him a part-time job at the Genda Law Office. Yagami spent his first paycheck on buying a coffee maker for Matsugane.

Genda:

After graduation, Genda offered Yagami a full-time job as an attorney and later became something of a paternal figure to the latter

Kaito:

During his teenage years, Yagami would get into alleyway fights with Masaharu Kaito, a member of the Matsugane Family. Eventually, the fights would catch the attention of its patriarch Mitsugu Matsugane, who saw himself in Yagami and raised him as a son.

Mitsu (OC):

Yagami had no idea where Mitsu’s passion for criminal activities came from but the more he tried to talk her out of it (for example putting thugs away rather than becoming one). However, the more they started butting-heads and would often drive Mitsu to be even more rebellious and defiant

TBC

Jun (AU):

Yagami was out of town — for a divorce mediation — when Kaito took their client’s case and briefly met (presumably) Jun in the hospital begore Kaito came to

References:

[fxiled-fxithful]

Angela finds herself in a white void, unable to move or speak. Does she feel terror? Confusion? Hope? Loss? There is only seconds until the manifestation of The Wrathful One appears in a cloud of shadows. He stands there for a brief moment, looking over his 'Favorite' with large white eyes that, in this void, could be mistaken for holes.

"Angela." Finally he speaks. "You stand trial of the hypocrisy you have indulged in since landing here in this Cycle. Firstly, it was not enough for you to have the hand of Father himself but you had partaken in sins of the flesh with another here in this cycle. You attempted to play on the temptations of The Gardner in this Cycle that you had considered to be a seductress yourself in the effort to teach him a lesson. Your passion to be loved, to seek what the other form of myself cannot give corrupts your judgment wholly." With a wave of his hand a second shadow splits off from below the creator and soon, something else begins to form.

"My judgment has been decided and the sins that have been weighed shall be given rightful punishment." The new form begins to solidify into something recognizable to the Angel, a form that would strike fear into her heart. It stands tall above her and looks directly into her eyes with crimson orbs delighted to meet her once more.

"We meet again... How very good to see you."

As soon as Angela's eyes meet with the Demon, the choice is clear. Cut ties with her God and become a fallen Angel or stay and be devoured.

So, this was God's judgement upon her, was it? After her many years of service, he twists his words and points everything towards her to make it seem that she was always at fault.

She had to steel herself, her eyes forced to meet the crimson pair of eyes that saw to it that she perished in their home cycle. The eyes of a venomous demon whom she once thought she could teach to love, only to have it thrown back at her face.

Sebastian Michaelis.

Any attempts to fight off a fragment of his shadow, rendered her helpless. Here in this white void, there was none to come to her aid. Not her dear brother, who had turned his back on her in favor of being loyal to Mother, not Divine Lucifer, who was off facing his own issues, not even the Angel of Death - her beloved Philza, who was now facing Mother's trial.

It was only her, and her alone.

Her hands shook as she debated on what to do. She could not face Sebastian alone. He would kill her in an instant. Then again..he was a sadistic one.

Who know's what sort of sick mind game he would want to play with her.

As her mind raced in a panic, the soft click of the demon's heels echoed within the voided space around them. That low demonic chuckle of his, once inspiring a smile upon her lips, shook her to her core with electric shivers down her spine.

"What's the matter Angela? I thought you would be happy to see me. Not even a simple hello? My, rather unlady-like, don't you think? What are they teaching angels these days? Certianly not manners." he teased.

Taking a step or two backwards, she wasn't fast enough to escape when he reaches out for her. One arm wrapped around her waist, the other holding the back of her head, a tainted claw wrapped around her throat in a firm hold.

He hummed in thought, examining the angel in his arms.

"Now, why does this look so familiar? Ah, the chains are missing..but still, the Tower of London. You always seem so proud of your work back then. Why don't we flip things around, shall we?"

With a flash of his toothy grin, she found herself in similar shackles, hoisted against a brick wall - just as he was when she came to negotiate with him during his imprisonment by Scotland Yard. He gave a nod of approval as she struggled against her shackles.

"Do you still have faith in your God, Angela? Is he as forgiving of your Sins as you believe he is?"

Against her will, her attire changed to that of the outfit she wore when she was last in the Tower, exposing particular parts of her legs. But such flesh was not the target of the demon. She could feel his burning gaze through her chest, even more so now as he reached a claw out to her stomach and slowly trailed upward to her chest. She was far too frozen in fear to move, too paralyzed to utter a word. Even her hands shook as she watched the hungry demon toy with his meal.

He laughs out once more, "By the sound of your silence, I am going to guess you still have faith in him. Such blind faith will be your undoing, you know.~"

Angela closed her eyes, forcing herself to look away from the demon that now dared to move his claws along her sides and down her thighs, sparing no flesh to be marked. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes. Was she that terrible of a messenger this cycle that she was required to be punished like this? To think, God thought that she fucked up so terribly that she would have to pick between exile and her final death. . . She had seen many phases of God, understood his frustration, been there to lend an ear when he wished to vent his disapproval of a cycle or a behavior or two of his creations. She was even tasked with finding one to settle with, despite how impossible the task seemed.

At the time, her heart felt far too frozen to comprehend how much she was missing in her life. She had only been given less than the bare minimum among friends and God - even in his mortal form. She did not feel right pushing him out of his comfort zone. So when he asked her to find one whom she could spend her life with, one to settle, she was skeptical. But as time went on, she discovered that there was indeed someone here for her.

The mention of Adam made her blood boil, as she didn't have the words to utter how much he angered her. She had hoped that they had made amends, their grievances under the water, but it seemed that even so - done and forgotten deeds were still accounted and stacked against her, even if they were orders from God himself.

Was she just being used as a scapegoat?

It wasn't fair that she was the only one being held accountable for what has happened.

She was at least thankful that there was one soul looking out for her, one who left Heaven on his own. Though she taught him a lesson or two after their battle in the Greed Ring, she was surprised his Crows kept an eye on her. It was likely due to their spying that she even had a visitor when she was recovering. Between having her back take a part of the hit with the explosion with Adam to protect God and dealing with the Shadow of this demon, she was in rough shape.

There was only one who checked in with her, one who had a single thought to see if she was okay.

How she missed his comfort, his embrace, his understanding in her duty.

Crows..black wings..

"Philza..." she uttered her lover's name under her breath, gritting her teeth under any further pain that came forth from the demon before her. He paused, not quite hearing her speak, "Come again?"

Her hands started to give a bright glow, frost covering the shackles she wore," I know..who I have faith in and it isn't God.."

Pulling her arms free from the walls, she shakes off the shackles. She falls to her knees, breathing heavily, before clasping her hands together in prayer...one last time.

"Dear God, I know that I have sinned and I acknowledge that. However, I cannot see reason in your actions anymore. As your now, former messenger, I hereby retire from my position as your left hand. I shall accept my Fallen status. No longer shall I take the blame for orders you have given me. You've made it far too easy to shoot the messenger and she does not appreciate this treatment. Thus, I say farewell, Heaven. I wish thee luck in the future.."

She concentrates her energy between her hands, nerves still in shock from her declaration.

As her hands were slowly separated, a blade made of pure ice could be seen between her palms. The handle seen in her left hand, she raises it high above her head.

Her wings open from her back, stretching out over her shoulders. In a single swipe, her ice blade makes a quick and clean cut of both her wings, accepting that she would no longer be welcomed in Heaven.

Her back starts to bleed, but at least the shadow of Sebastian was starting to fade as the ground beneath her shook, before crumbling into pieces under her as she fell. She held no regrets for her actions.

For once, this was a choice she made of her own free will and one she did not regret. Perhaps wings weren't just the pride for an angel, but a heavy burden for them to carry. She felt light, though fallen, she felt..for the first time in her life. . . .

Free.

[afterthegreatunknown]

Hi!! Which unfortunate gen characters (who aren’t related) do you think have sibling energy? :)

hello @ven10!

ooh, those with sibling energy but aren't related...

in my post-canon headcanons, it has to be fiona and the quagmires, and sunny and bea ii (i mean they fit they bill).

regarding fiona and the quagmires, i personally headcanon fiona wanting younger siblings since she was little, maybe around five or six. fiona faintly recalled her older brother fernald, and at that particular stage of life, she wanted something to be close with. to play games with, like checkers, and to teach many things, like spitting.

fiona gets her unexpected chance at sixteen, and boy oh boy, it's nothing like she expected. she got keep an eye out on three identical chaotic messes who don't respect her half the time because to them "age doesn't give respect", two who want to (rightfully) beat up her older brother and she has to prevent this (or not; depends on her mood and if she feels the quags are in the right in that moment).

if i have to narrow down the one she has the strongest siblings energy with, it's probably quigley. but they're the siblings who actually like one another 99% percent of the time; they be planning things together and talk shit together of others. the 'sell for a corn chip' energy would be fiona and duncan (they talk and sometimes she wants to strangle him), while fiona and isadora are the weird 'we don't know each other well but we make sure we don't get into trouble' energy (really because they don't spend lot of time together; would trust when shit hits the fan though).

for sunny and bea ii, i feel because they're so close in age (sunny is what, only a year or year and a half older than bea ii), being the youngest of the unfortunate gen gets them into a sibling like dynamic. yes, sunny does her fair share of raising bea ii because sunny and her siblings are her adopted family, but it's more of a loving pain-in-the-neck older sister than adopted mother and father (which bea ii sees with violet and klaus).

they don't have the full picture of the unfortunate events (sunny definitely remembers events of tbb, tmm, tee, tss-tee completely while the the others only bits and parts; bea ii gets told of them but she knows something is omitted), and they bond over this detail. they being so close in age, tell each other things they don't tell violet and klaus (fear of judgement or disappointment). also: the baking disaster they get into! 100% sees sunny trying to stop bea ii from eating raw cookie dough (sunny is a risk taker, but she ain't getting anyone sick from a food-born illness on her watch), so sunny makes a batch for them to eat together (they don't share with violet or klaus).

and i like to think people when the baudelaires are back on mainland/the city, sunny and bea ARE mistaken for sisters and they go 'oh yeah we TOTALLY ARE' because it's fun to mess with strangers + they benefit from it (it takes awhile for the baudelaires reputation to be completely clear, so sunny and bea ii being sisters helps the bauds to go 'oh we're not them').

thank you for ask! this was fun to answer!

[aceandnancy]

I’m so mad at the writers for putting Ace AND Nancy with new slowburn love interests! Especially after the crap of the last two seasons. This is a mess and I fear by the time the show ends I won’t feel satisfied with Nace. They literally aren’t together yet and they’re going to be rushed now when the writers had 4 seasons to actually put them together. They just strung us along for hype and views to the detriment of Nace’s development and pacing. It truly feels like they waited too long 😕

Unfortunately, it was always going to be rushed. This may be a controversial opinion, but I don’t think the writers really value Nace as much as the fans do. They probably resent them for consuming so much attention and that’s why they like baiting us to watch knowing there's no follow through. Plus, they were never going to let them be in a relationship anyway because they need Nancy to be unhappy in order to drive the drama. They also use her love life in general as a plot device (every season her current man is tied to the current mystery plot). If she was happily dating Ace, they wouldn’t be able to use her misery and her love life as a main story engine anymore. 

Initially, when I first heard that TPTB were in discussions to end the show for months, I was thinking (against my better judgement), maybe there’s a chance they’ll end this ridiculous curse nonsense early and put Nancy and Ace together by 4x08 or 4x09 since it was the final season. However, then stuff started leaking that there’s probably more unnecessary randoms being thrown in the middle of their love story again and changed my mind. I would not be surprised if they’re doing this to dilute Nace, so fans will lose interest. I mean these are the same people who gave us the nonsensical mess known as 3x10 and who tried to gaslight the fans into thinking dull Park was on equal footing with soulmate Ace. I will never trust them again (and I sure as hell don’t trust any attempts at damage control. They were probably pretty peeved their “amazing” storyline was leaked months before it aired). 

Personally, I always thought nothing would happen until 4x12 anyway (because it was always going to dragged out)…but now I think it’s probably all in the series finale thanks to a last minute re-write…and I’m guessing it will only be one lousy kiss. I think they originally devised this curse not as a Nace storyline, but as a way to keep them apart, so they WOULDN’T have to do them until the last possible minute. It was essentially kicking the can down the road by cleverly disguising their disinterest as a “slowburn”. 

If the writers think I want to watch Nace dating other people for the third season in a row, then they are sadly mistaken. I would understand the concept of short-lived rebounds before Ace found out about the curse (even though they are NOT NEEDED), but these randoms seem to be a bigger deal (at least Nancy’s does...).  I have zero interest in watching that transpire when the time for romantic third parties is over. It’s incredibly tedious, uncreative, and insulting to the fans who stuck around this long and through an incredibly long hiatus. (Right now, my viewership is up in the air and if I do watch, it will be time-shifted with ALOT of fast-forwarding. It’ll be like the randoms don’t exist to me even at the expense of the main characters). 

When I started watching this show, I envisioned Nace would get together by Season 2 or 3 and would just be an awesome power couple solving mysteries together. I never pictured them with all of this ~drama. Now, the sad thing is…we’re never going to get the meaningful payoff other couples do when a slow burn finally plays out. We’re not going to see those domestic, loving, and quiet moments of them just being together in the context of the larger show. And it just breaks my heart because I feel like I wasted my time and energy on nothing. 

Long story short, they waited too long, and now the fans (and Nace's legacy) will ultimately pay the price. 

[charcoalstardust]

i just think they're neat (also i just realized at least two of those sketches look like they go together,,, they're two completely unrelated doodles but it's funny that they look related)

also bc i did it—two alts of the above image only just gold + silver i thought they looked cool

you can ignore the rambling below it's just me getting some thoughts out between a few smth smth's and a bulleted list

idk i'm still workshopping it also i'm REALLY anxious about it so i've been constantly unsure of EVERYTHING nothing has gotten done past writing idly

smth smth outlast 2 au smth smth whatever "prophecy" knoth got is different idk smth smth outsiders (blake & lynn) showing up in temple gate is seen as a sign smth smth

they still think lynn is sent by the devil

(insert whatever idea for blake here)

they're both running around temple gate and trying to find each other again & kinda meet up after blake gets away from the scalled?? lynn loses this man for however long and he comes back with holes in his hands (she's not happy)

they both also see things unique to them in terms of flashbacks (blake's the same i didn't touch that) and only share ones affecting the current events in front of them (literally have the entire lake scene in my head playing on repeat bc of one convo that i thought was funny)

lynn is constantly prepared to fight back IF she actually has to it's just the instinct to protect loved ones going tf off she's not gonna straight up fight people. she'd like to remain not full of pitchfork-caused holes

✨️ the walrider is out to destroy the radio towers bc fuck murkoff and it's dragging miles along for the ride (he's the host he has no say in the matter) ✨️

temple gate residents are so fucked up by the radio towers that they mistake the walrider+miles as some sorta death / judgement sent by god idk look at the walrider. then at walrider miles. they kinda look like they'd get mistaken for smth like that??? (ig look at my one concept for them where poor mental states + panic/fear can result in walrider+miles looking odd if you want idk i'm slightly anxious abt that one)

miles just wants to fucking lay down and sleep he's tired