#I just think he deserves a home as caleb

[jonsrightrib]

I just like to think about Caleb, in the future, living in a little townhouse in Rexentrum. Full of arcane trinkets, and spell components and the jacket Beau forgot when she came round for dinner. Walls plastered with Jester and Luc’s drawings, cat beds everywhere, traditional heavy Zemnian blankets from Astrid and spiralling crochet throws clearly from Xhorhas and cushions Kingsley found amusing in various markets on a squidgy leather sofa and mismatched armchairs. An extension into the garden with a little classroom in it, papers never quite contained to a study full of books and a coat rack in the hallway that’s constantly in use. A hundred different teas in the cupboard and recipes scribbled in different hands on the backs of all different stained pages. The little garden with planters of veg and pots of herbs and a sun-bleached wooden bench and forget-me-nots growing along the fence. A spare room that’s never vacant long enough to gather dust. Marks in the floor from Fjord repeatedly forgetting he wasn’t on a ship and the vase Yasha is always refilling. Thank you cards and gifts from students - carved cat figurines and mugs and silly little jokes. A feather of Kiri’s on a beaded chain she made. Books and books and books, bought by himself and others on every topic under the sun.

A house where he can finally be surrounded by and reminded of all the lives Caleb touched.

[nellasbookplanet]

I think it's funny that I keep seeing Liliana compared to Essek on the basis of 'beloved npc the cast wants to see redeemed', with a contingent of fandom claiming Liliana to be more 'deserving' of said redemption because they see her as a victim and Essek as a villain. To me, if we are going to compare her to a c2 npc, her role is much more similar to that of Astrid (and Eadwulf, though he's less central).

As in, she’s an antagonist who’s deeply emotionally and historically tied to one of the pc's, with said pc being unable to bring themself to give up on her despite her being unwilling to stop fighting for the bad guy (examples: Liliana casting timestop to get bells hells past the vanguard; Astrid allowing the nein to flee to the fire plane; both of them returning to working for their evil boss immediately afterwards).

Like Astrid, Liliana was manipulated into joining a cult-like supremacist organisation (though unlike Astrid she was an adult, giving her less leeway) for what they thought of as good, just reasons (Liliana to save her daughter and 'free' exandria from the gods; Astrid to protect her home nation). Like Astrid she is a victim, but she is also undeniably a villain. Both of them have the lives of countless innocents on their hands and could not, for the longest time, be trusted. The fact that they are sad little meow meows or whatever doesn't change this. Even at the end of c2, Astrid may have turned on her boss, but unlike Caleb she was unable to fully give up the organisation he was part of, becoming part of the assembly herself. Liliana may be out from under Ludinus' thumb, but she has shown little indication that she has moved away from his ideas of 'let's blame the gods for all the ills of the world and exterminate them for it'.

Essek, while arguably a much darker character who acted for wholly selfish reasons, nonetheless entered c2 as a perceived ally. By the time the nein found out about his involvement there was already a foundation of trust and friendship, and he had made the decision to sever ties with the assembly (though it took a bit longer before the guilt and regret caught up) while all but devoting himself to the nein after. Liliana and Astrid both struggled for most of the campaign to turn their backs on the evil organisation they worked for no matter the pleading of loved ones. All three are morally grey characters who at some point had the potential to be redeemed or go full antagonist (WHAT would have happened if Liliana found out Imogen really knew of the assassination attempt) but their journeys and the way they are presented to the audience as well as the players differ quite strongly.

If you are going to compare Essek and Liliana, admit to their strongest similarity: the fact that they both had the agency to choose their bad actions, and that neither were an innocent victim to the consequences that followed.

[mindmelter]

A Body Stealer Tale: Caleb

Caleb's sweaty shirt smells so fucking good! It has his strong musky smell on it, a smell that only a postworkout shirt would have.

I turned Caleb into my bodysuit at the gym's parking lot right when he was about to go home. I followed him, and when he was about to get inside his car, I injected him with the bodysuit serum. I knew I would wear Caleb as soon as I saw him at the gym, and when I see a man I like, I always get it. So I waited for him to deflate and then put his body on right inside his car.

Do you see what his pecs are doing? I'm not doing it, they're doing it on their own, I swear!

It happens sometimes when the bodysuit is too fresh, the muscles of the bodysuit will have spasms for a few hours. I knew bodysuit spasms were a thing, I've experienced it in many others before.

I have a theory for this: I think bodysuit spasms happen when there's a huge mass of muscles in the bodysuit. For example, when I turned a guy with a huge ass, the sparms happened in his ass, other time I turned a guy with a massive cock and the spasms happened in his cock, now, Caleb has some very big pecs, so it makes sense why his pecs are going crazy.

I just didn't know they could last this long, It's been what? almost one hour since I put Caleb on? Oh, It looks like the sparms are finally stopping.

I think I will be inside Caleb's body for a long time, but to be honest, I said the same thing to the previous bodysuit before Caleb. Caleb's life will change drastically from now on, first I need to end his relationship with his long-term girlfriend, and then I need to find a gay guy who will give these perfect pecs the worship they deserve.

[maybe-boys-do-love]

It's wild that the whole global trend of gay-focused happy ending romance shows and movies has only been going on for *looks at calendar* a measly ten years!

Just ten years ago. 2014. That's when you get the discovery of a market for queer romance series and films with happy endings. That year the OG Love Sick in Thailand came out. Brazil puts out The Way He Looks, which deserves so much more credit than it receives for influencing the aeshtetics of the genre. Looking premieres on HBO, and although it had low ratings, it's an important touchstone. And, despite Nickelodeon’s censorship and shifting the program from tv to its website, the Legend of Korra confirms Korrasami in its season finale.

The next year, in 2015, we get Love Sick season 2, and China, pre-censorship laws has a few options: Happy Together (not the Wong Kar Wai one lol), Mr. X and I, and Falling In Love with a Rival. Canada, premieres Schitt's Creek. In the US, Steven Universe reveals Garnet as a romantic fusion between two female characters, and will proceed to just be so sapphic. Norwegian web series Skam premieres and sets up a gay protagonist for its third season, which will drop in 2016 and entirely change the global media landscape.

Then, 2016! This is the MOMENT. That aforementioned Skam season happens. Japan puts out the film version of Ossan's Love and anime series Yuri!!! on Ice. China has the impactful Addicted Heroine, which directly leads to increased censorship. The US has Moonlight come out and take home the Oscar. In Thailand, GMMTV enters the BL game and Thai BL explodes: Puppy Honey, SOTUS, Water Boyy, Make It Right, plus, the Thai Gay OK Bangkok, which, like its influence, Looking, is more in the queer tradition but introduces two dramatically important directors to the Thai BL industry, Aof and Jojo.

By 2017, Taiwan enters the game with its History series. Korea’s BL industry actually kicks off with Method and Long Time No See. Thailand’s got too many BLs to mention. Call Me By Your Name, though not a happy ending, makes a big splash that will send ripples through the whole genre, and God's Own Country offers a gruff counter-argument to problematic age differences and twink obsessions. This is also the year of Netflix reboot of One Day At a Time bringing some wlw to the screen, and the Disney Channel has a main character come out as ‘gay’ on Andi Mack ( I’m am ready to throw fists with anyone who thinks the Disney Channel aesthetic isn’t a part of current queer culture). And I'd be remiss not to mention the influential cult-following of chaotic web-series The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo: "Sometimes things that are expensive...are worse."

All this happened, and we hadn’t even gotten to Love, Simon, Elite, or ITSAY, yet.

Prior to all this there are some major precursors some of which signaled and primed a receptive market, others influenced the people who'd go on to create the QLs. Japan has a sputtering start in the 2010s with a few BL films (Takumi-Kun, Boys Love, and Jujoun Pure Heart). Most significantly in the American context, you have Glee, and its ending really makes way for the new era that can center gay young people in a world where queerness, due to easy access to digital information, is less novel to the characters. And the QL book and graphic novel landscape was way ahead of the television and film industries, directly creating many of the stories that the latter industries used.

There's plenty of the traditional queer media content (tragic melodramas and independent camp comedies) going on prior to and alongside QL, and there are some outlying queer romance films with happy endings that precede the era but feel very much akin to QL genre tropes and goals, many with a focus on postcolonial and multicultural perspectives (Saving Face, The Wedding Banquet, Big Eden, Maurice, My Beautiful Launderette, and Weekend). I don't mean to suggest that everything I’ve listed ought to be categorized as QL.

Rather, I want to point out how all of these new-era queer romance works are in a big queer global conversation together, in the creation of a new contemporary genre, a genre that has more capacity and thematic interest to include digital technology and normalize cross-cultural relationships than other genres (there's a reason fansubs and web platforms are so easily accepted and integrated to the proliferation of these series).

You're not too late to be part of the conversation. Imagine being alive in the 1960s and 70s and participating in the blossoming of the sci-fi genre. That flowering is where gay romance sits now. Join the party.

[wutheringcaterpillar]

Jim from TDS gets so fuzzy brained and dumb when he’s pounding into Y/N, because he wanted her for so long and he finally has her. he feels he deserves to have what he wants, and also making sure everyone knows she belongs to him.

Y/N could be either Jim’s son’s gf/ex-gf, Jim’s daughter’s best friend, or Jim’s best friend 🫣

Btw you’re doing such a great job with your fics!!!

Warnings: Age gap (Jim is in his 40s, reader between 18-25), p in v, Jim’s a bad dad, unprotected sex, creampie, stalking social media, mentions of masturbating, taking inappropriate photos without consent, hickies

Thank you for the request I had a lot of fun with this! Hope you enjoy!❤️

Jim was reclined in his bed, his hand massaging his hardened member while he scrolled through social media photos of you. He was completely fucked ever since the day his son brought you home and may or may not have developed unhealthy coping mechanisms that his son had what he couldn’t.

Even in his dreams he could see your attractive silhouette, continuously replaying fake scenarios of you straddling him, on your knees batting those innocent lashes up at him begging for his cock.

You had him wrapped around your fucking finger without even knowing, you were completely and utterly hypnotizing.

“Fuck y/n..” He kept replaying a video on the beach, only thing covering you was a skimpy little bikini. Jim could just imagine what was underneath, reminiscing how even when he lay in the sun tanning chair, he couldn’t help but snag a few photos when you weren’t paying attention.

Position of you bent over picking up pebbles from the sand, when you came up for air from the water, specs of water droplets painting your chest, running down your cleavage.

He needed to have you, wanted to be entangled in the sheets with you, hearing you moan his name lustfully, screaming as he made you cum.

Your body was so young, hardly flawed, and had curves in all the right places. He hated to see you leave the house but loved to watch you walk away.

In the midst of coming to his high, the door slammed downstairs and he could hear yelling, what sounded to be you.

Curious, and for caution he pulled up his pants, huffing in irritation that he was interrupted from his intrusive, sexual imaginations.

“You are such an ass! Just because I enjoyed an evening with my friends doesn’t give you the right to go out with some random girls to some party and kiss them! You’re ridiculous, did you even think about me for a singular moment?!” This was the moment Jim had been waiting for, as awful as it may sound, he wanted you two to break up. He wanted the opportunity to arise for him to be there when you’re upset, knowing that there was a chance for you two to be together.

Jim wasn’t stupid, there were many times where you “accidentally” brushed past him inappropriately, there were plenty of stolen glances and obscene gestures whenever his son Caleb wasn’t around. You wanted him just as much, but due to your relationship with his son, you hadn’t gone any further. He’d constantly have to excuse himself to the restroom to deal with the repurcussions, seeking out a sweet release.

“You’re over reacting, besides I’ve been meaning to put an end to this dwindling flame. We were never going to work so figured, why not just end it the easy way.” Jim was in shock that Caleb would do such a thing to a girl, especially you. He had taught him better than that, granted he did cheat on his mother but that was besides the point.

Hearing footsteps run up the stairs followed by a door slam, Jim poked his head out hearing your sniffles from downstairs. What kind of man would he be to not check in and ensure you were okay?

“Y/N?” You were seated on the cushioned sofa, mascara flowing messly down your cheeks from weeping, but that voice…that masculine, caring, attractive voice had your glancing up from your emotional turmoil.

Jim was standing there in his pajama pants and black t-shirt, his reading glasses tucked in the hem of his shirt while his peppery hair was slightly disheveled.

“Oh I’m sorry, I was just going to head out. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“No, no. Stay please. My son’s an idiot and I can assure you I didn’t raise him to be that way.” He took a seat next to you, trying to act concerned when in reality his eyes kept glancing at your thighs, the way your skirt hardly covered anything. Keep it together Jim, jesus.

The close proximity and the smell of Jim’s cologne was raising the tension, and an idea popped into your head. If Caleb thought he had the right to hurt you, you would hurt him ten times worse.

Jim’s crystal blue, alluring eyes were locked on your in a transfixed state of mind, heart pumping with adrenaline when he settled his hand on your thigh in a way to “comfort” you.

He was radiant, smart, and overwhelmingly attractive for a man in his forties. When he touched you, goosebumps formed on your skin, breath hitching in your throat. Was this a bad idea, most likely, but temptation and profound desire had a hold of you both.

“I um- I always thought you were a nice girl Y/N, and beautiful, kind, sexy- fuck what the fuck am I saying.” He wanted to hit himself for his stammering of words, rolling off his tongue without even thinking, but you simply laughed, blushing from his clear embarassment. When he tried to pull away his hand, you moved it back further up just nearly underneath your skit.

“Jim, it doesn’t bother me. I’ve always thought you were quite sexy too, I mean fuck you’re a total dilf and I’ve always imagined what you looked like underneath those clothes. How fucked up is that? My own boyfriend- well ex’s dad.” You glanced down at the floor, eyes skimming the carpet trying to find a way to justify your feelings, that they weren’t morally wrong.

Brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, he slid his finger down the length of your warm neck, gaining your attention.

There was a momentous silence as you stared into one another eyes, an immense sense of crave and desire coursing through your veins.

Closing the distance, you smashed your lips against Jim’s, hands settled on his cheeks needing him desperately. At that moment the air in the room seemed to disappear, the oxygen slowly didsapating from Jim’s lungs. He was in disbelief that this was actually happening, he was kissing his son’s ex girlfriend who he’d been masturbating to all summer long.

Your lips were soft, smoothe, and you were surprisingly good at kissing for how young you were. Unable to resist, his tongue lapped inbetween your lips as he pulled you onto his lap, his hardened cock rutting against your dripping mound desperately needing you, forgetting Caleb was just upstairs.

He held you like a woman, his hands grasping at the chubby skin of your ass cheeks underneath your skirt, roaming and massaging the delicate skin roughly.

“Fuck Y/N… you don’t know how long I’ve waited for this moment…” Your lips roamed down to the crook of his neck, sucking and rotating your tongue, surely leaving a mark causing him to release a disgruntled groan.

Your hands fumbled with his belt, craving to be filled with his cock while your pussy throbbed in your panties, slick merely dripping from your cunt.

Shedding yourself of your shirt, Jim’s eyes widened from the sight of your well rounded, perfect tits, they were everything he had imagined them to be and more.

His hands grasped the jiggly skin, eyes nearly rolling to the back of his head in satisfaction. Hold it together Jim, what would she think if you busted just from the sight of her fucking tits, pathetic man.  

His brain seemed to turn to a puddle, any prior thoughts lost from your hypnotizing body. He had to have you right then and there.

“Well, are you going to fuck me or not, because I really…” You trailed off you sentence, running a singular finger down his lip, eyes focused on him with a lustful gaze as you grinded against his lap, needing more.

“Really, need you inside me, my pretty pussy aches for you Jim.” Within second he flipped you onto your back, shedding himself of his clothes and tearing down your skirt and panties down in a animalistic frenzy.

He had never seen such a perfect cunt in his life, so in tact, so beautiful, and dripping for him, god how his dick was felt like it was going to burst any minute. His size took you by surprise, Jim wasn’t small by any means, his cock a good eight maybe nine inches, this was going to be fun.

Your hand grazed the back of his neck, pulling him down just so your lips brushed against his ear.

“Hope your cock is better than your son’s, wouldn’t want to be dissapointed.” He took that as a challenge, one that he knew very well he was going to win.

“My son, doesn’t seem to know how to pleasure his woman and I’m going to make sure he and everyone else knows who fucked you right.” Your eyebrow quirked up in interest.

“Well go on then, fuck me like no other man could.” Jim had never been this nervous in his life to fuck a woman, but you- you he didn’t want to leave unsatisfied. 

He didn’t even need to glance down before pushing the head of his thick shaft deep inside of you, claiming you as his.

You gasped from the sudden intrusion, nail’s scraping against the muscles on Jim’s back. He smirked satisfyingly, leaning down to kiss you once more, shoving his tongue roughly into your mouth, desperately needing to explore every inch of you, craving more and more.

He pumped quickly into you, patience being non existent, the feel of your hot, indisputably tight walls clenching to his length. Your boobs bounced with each powerful thrust. His lips trailed down to the warmth of your neck, tenderly sucking lavender marks into your smoothe skin, needing people to know who you belonged to now.

“Oh Jim, more, more, please…” Oh the velvet, captivating sound of your strained moan had his horny brain whirling, eyes merely fluttering closed from the sweet descent of your exasperated tone.

Your pussy was throbbing from pleasure, being filled to the brim like no other man had fucked you before.

Your fingers intertwined in his hair, scrunching at his gray, partially wavy hair, pressing him against your body as he fucked you relentlessly. His free hand cusped at the cushiony skin of your boob, rolling the jelly like skin.

He needed to see you in another position, he need to see himself filling your cunt.

Standing up causing you to whine from the empty feeling, he picked you up with his strong arms effortlessly as if you weighed nothing before bending you over the sofa.

“Oh!” Jim slapped your ass and pulled your head back aggresively by the strands of your hair, plumetting his cock into your heated, tight walls simultaneously.

“Fuck! Fuck Jim! Ah!” He didn’t hold back, striking deep within your aching core over and over, his balls slapping against your skin with each powerful thrust. He had never seen an ass bounce back against him so poetically and perfectly, he was nearly salivating on the mouth looking down at you bent over on display for him and only him. Watching your pussy swallow his dick with each desperate rut, god you were stunning.

Hearing you man his name and take his cock so well was sending him over the edge, his dick pulsating in you before he even had the chance to think. 

As you pounded your ass back against him, your bottom lip was becoming increasingly swollen from how much your teeth had been biting at it from the immense pleasure.

“Jesus, you’re fucking amazing, fucking beautiful, taking my cock so fucking well. Tell me who you belong to.”

“You Jim. All yours, completely yours. I-I’m going to-Ah-“ He slapped your ass cheek fiercely once more, focusing on the way you moaned his name, the way your back arched as you came undone.

Your knuckes turning white from the grip they had on the cushioned surface, toes curling from your orgasm. The euphoric, alluring sensation taking over every part of your body.

That didn’t stop Jim from going to pound town. Slamming your hips down against him, rutting desperately and bottoming out deep within your dripping, aching cunt. He wad close.

“Gonna fucking cum- want me to fill you up love. Hm? Having my cum spilling out of you like a faucet for days.” You nodded desperately moaning for him to cum at the sound of his gruff voice

“Jim, Jim, please. I need your cum, need you to paint my fucking insides white, right now. Now.” At that moment you could feel his thick cock pulsate within your core, his cum shooting straight up into your cervix.

“Fuck, fuck y/n… I’m fucking cumming.” The sweat beaded at your forhead, his own dripping down from his hair onto your back.

He had never felt a high so unfathomably pleasurable, he finally felt like he had accomplished what he always wanted- needed to. You were finally his. 

Pulling out he stretched your cunt, pulling the sensitive, reddened skin apart with his large digits, seeing the art he had created with his milky white cum flowing freely out of your alluring pussy that was still twitching from your orgasm.

Caleb turned and twisted in his bed, the constant strange sounds keeping him up. Deciding to investigate, he grabbed the bat from his room before making his way downstairs only to be blindsided with his own dad intertwined with his now ex-girlfriend whom was covered with hickies on her neck

“What the fuck is this?! How did this-How could-“

“That’s how you treat a woman son. Maybe take notes because let me tell you, she’s a keeper this one.” You smirked on the couch, nuzzling your nose against his chest being fully happy with your decision to sleep with your ex’s father. He was already proving to be more of a man than Caleb ever was.

“Ready for bed love?” Jim held his hand out for you, wrapping his robe around your shoulders while Caleb stood there fuming at the actions of his own father and you, disbelief that you’d go this far, making him question if you ever really gave a shit about him or just dated him for his dad.

[group-dynamic]

Abbott Season 4 Episodes 7 & 8 Analysis Because I'm Losing It

These past two episodes were masterpieces, and I could talk about them all day, because I was deeply affected by them, but I'll pick one thing:

I love how these past two episodes skewered toxic amatonormativity and promoted the benefits of non-traditional, non-restrictive families and holidays.

Like, yes, there's a hilarious sitcom premise, but Barb making a mission of inclusion by reworking their holiday pageant to be a winter pageant so her student who is Muslim won't be excluded or Janine and Gregory making space for Ava with them, while the show allows Ava to deliberately choose who is family to her. Jacob and his brother becoming family again outside their parents. Melissa choosing not to invite the firefighter to dinner because she is valuable as an individual, unattached woman whether her family sees it or not.

But what I think really drove this home for me was the scene in the kitchen and the parallel set up between Jacob and Melissa. They are two roommates from different generations who have both failed to fulfill the heteronormative, amatonormative ideals their families wanted from them: Jacob--presumably--due to his queerness and Melissa through her divorce. (Though this reading is also very friendly to queer!Melissa interpretations, too.)

The moment this struck me the most is Melissa in that kitchen upset and stressed and occasionally teary while holding it together (because that's who she is and that's how she does this) trying to convince Jacob that they need to keep the uncle dying a secret because she's been working so hard to pull off this dinner for weeks and she needs to impress her family who do nothing but insult and diminish her and her individual value.

Like, keeping up appearances is genuinely more important in that moment than the death of a family member. Even if he is a bigoted prick, Melissa knows they'll be mad she "ruined their holiday" more than the familial death itself, suggesting that the very idea of the family is a sham. A performance.

And Jacob remains obstinate because this is a really Big Deal and stressful and he always dislikes the holidays anyway so he can't understand why they won't just call 911 and get the big deal over with, because that guy is dead on his bed. But then Melissa says, "They're going to blame me" and Jacob is aghast, "What, how?" because of course that's incomprehensible, why would Melissa ever think someone would do something that mean and illogical? Especially to a great person like her? And she answers, "You've seen my family. They'll find a way." And then we hear the insults and petty you're not good enough commentary from the other room. And slowly it sinks in.

Because Caleb, Jacob's younger brother, who last episode revealed he completely understood how toxic their family was for Jacob and how proud he is that he made it out-- this goofy, himbo-esque tiktok personal trainer just stares at his brother, until finally Jacob gets it and looks over. Because they've lived this. And, of course, Jacob couldn't see it in the same way, because to some extent, Jacob's desperation to be liked and accepted has always suggested that he maybe still believes that he deserved to be the least favorite. (He couldn't even imagine his brother looking up to him, or having anything nice to say about him , or wanting to see him just because he values him. His "I lift people's spirits!" is a performance we've seen him carry out for four seasons. (Worthy of note is that Caleb's job is also a performance. He's a personal trainer, but not one with any actual training. He couldn't find a pulse. He just acts as a trainer on tiktok.)

Now, of course, the plot has to roll on, so Jacob continues to secretly object, but he takes part in Melissa's performance, now, despite his objections, because while he doesn't agree with the charade, he gets why she's doing it. (And maybe, in some way, seeing how a great and likable person like Melissa can be targeted and bullied by her family, is some proof that he might not actually be a bad and unlikable person after all. Maybe he's not the problem.)

And then when Barbara shows up to that kitchen and the first words out of her mouth are "How can I help?" Like I'm sobbing!! Her IMMEDIATE concern is Melissa. First and genuinely, and that's even before she hears her uncle "died" and then Barb is instantly ready to support her with whatever she needs and her first instinct is to hug her and when Melissa says she needs something else (the bread) she goes and does what Melissa says she needs because THAT IS FAMILY!! aahhh.

Anyway: while there's defeat in Melissa's face when her firefighter shows up and her family behaves exactly as expected (Ooooh, you're good because a man has made you good. It all makes sense.) It's tempered by Barb and her husband coming up and reassuring and complimenting her, acting CLEARLY as better family to her than blood or her current fling.

I don't know if I have a conclusion to this. I just want to shout out that the show also says that you don't NEED to go full speed into found family, either, to combat the loneliness caused by the nuclear family model. Sometimes you can also go on the party bus or to the strip club and that's valid, too, haha.

[jess-the-vampire]

Philip's death didn't really work for me.

I see quite lot of people saying it's meant to be poetic, and its meant to be lackluster by taking him from high and mighty to pathetic and a mess.

But that's not what bothers me, what bothers me, is set up with no payoff.

And also confusing consistency.

Caleb got a decent focus these last two episodes, his story with philip is alluded to and slightly dived into, and with philip seeing him and having such heavy focus on his conflicting feelings towards his brother you'd kinda expect his ending to involve him to an extent?

Whether that be him going insane or being trapped with his worst memories for the rest of his life about caleb. It feels more thematic, more painful, to watch him suffer with what he did, that he killed his brother for nothing.

But caleb isn't even mentioned in this finale, he had nothing to do with Philip's death, he's not even shown at all.

And then on top of this, Philip supposibly is killed via rain and being stomped to death......but he survived being mega blasted into a wall by a God child via goo.

So he can survive that? But not being stomped? It's not as if there's no goo remains of him left, king even mentions him being between his toes.

Like I just can't buy this actually killing him when this didn't work the last time they tried it. If a God slamming him into a wall didn't work, how is a few normal people doing it better?

And somehow he turned into young Philip? Which, I don't know how he can do that, could he do that this whole time? ( his powers are really weird to me)

I dunno man, its not like he didn't get what was coming to him, but this doesn't fit with what the show was building towards, nor does it make sense?

The main reason most people thought trapping him forever was a good idea was because he'd suffer longer and because he could never come back or reform.

But like, not only was this more merciful then he deserved (even tho him begging for his life and trying to trick luz was interesting), but this ending doesn't really sound like something he couldn't recover from.

He's such a good villian that felt like he deserved a bigger climatic death that was an climax to all the bad deeds he did, like everything came to bite him since he hurt his brother.

But we just didn't get that, its like when we had so much interesting conversations about him wanting to go home to earth and his anxiety regarding it.......but then it never comes up when he's actually ON earth from him.

I dont even wanna be mean, cause I know what the crew faced, but this isn't something that I think can be entirely put on the cut either. At the end of the day, the team chose this to be how they took belos out.

And its just underwhelming.

Hes the villian. But he's a GOOD villian, with an interesting backstory, and I can't say this ending fits what we had set up for him.

If it works for you, great.

But not for me.

I was fine with him going out being pathetic and everything like a bug, its just that it feels like we were setting up something much more personal then we got, and the fact I don't buy that this would genuinely kill him is the cherry on top.

I'll have time to mull it over so maybe my thoughts could change, but right now, I'm getting strong Toffee flashbacks.

There is still great stuff in this finale, but I don't think his ending was one of them.

[sergeantsporks]

[Phillip voice] I used a nefarious manipulation tactic called a "pep talk."

Witch Switch Part 6.6

(First) (Previous)

(Masterpost)

Transcript under the cut

[Cut to Evelyn, outside. She’s cornered and not doing well. Red Fang has Kikimora by the scruff of her uniform]

Red Fang: You—are—going to pay.

[Evelyn flinches]

Disembodied voice]: No. You’re the one who’s going to pay.

[Cut to assembled, angry prisoners]

Centaur: We’re tired of being treated like monsters.

[The prisoners pile on Red Fang, taking him down. Evelyn watches in shock]

Evelyn: What the…?

[Phillip scoots by, nonchalant]

Phillip: So are we leaving, or…

E: What did you say?!

P: Oh, you know. Little of this, little of that, all the right things to get them to realize they deserve better. C’mon, I don’t trust them not to get a horrible guilt complex and march right back into their cells.

[Evelyn, Phillip, and Kiki fly away]

E: You know, Phillip, I’m proud of you.

P: [immediately] Your approval means nothing to me. [Curious] But, uh… how come?

E: You came back for me. You let those people out, even though you don’t trust witches, even though everyone told you they were dangerous, because you knew it was the right thing to do.

K: And because he knew it would save our sorry butts

E: Still. Look.

[Pan out to show wide shot of Evelyn, Phillip, and Kiki floating over the Isles]

P: Whoa.

E: Does it look so dangerous from up here?

[Back to Phillip, who looks like he’s trying to be unimpressed]

P: If I fall off it will be

E: [disembodied] You know what I mean.

P: What’s your point? Why are you showing me this?

E: Phillip, I didn’t want to lie. I know what you think of me, and I know what you think of witches, but believe me, I wanted to show Caleb the Isles. And I thought that maybe someday, together, we’d introduce you. I know it can be weird, or gross, or dangerous compared to home, but… I just want you to know it can be beautiful, too. It’s not what you’re used to, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing good here. Just…

[Back to wide shot]

E:[disembodied]… give us a chance

[Cut to Caleb, who looks at his phone. Phillip hasn’t responded to the message he sent. He sighs, and pushes the door open. The apartment is empty and dark]

Caleb: [disembodied] …Phillip?

[End Part 6]

[End of Episode 2]

[ejzah]

A/N: Well, after more than two years, this story is slowly coming to a close.

***

In Miss Blye’s Class, Part 37

The start of summer break meant more late nights and juggling of the different schedules. Deeks tried not to leave Caleb with his sitter too often, so he took him to the office whenever possible. When she wasn’t teaching college classes, Kensi also offered to stay with Caleb some of the time, insisting that it wouldnt be any trouble.

They spent the majority of their time outside of work together. More often than not, Kensi ended up at Deeks’ house, but she was getting a little more comfortable with letting him into her apartment, messiness aside.

Today, Deeks had a late meeting with a new client that kept him in the office until after six. He knew Caleb was fine and perfectly happy with Kensi, but he missed them both.

“Wow, you really are whipped, aren’t you?” Talia mused, when she found him hurriedly packing up his bag. As usual, she made herself at home, plopping in his desk chair.

“Yep. You jealous?”

“As if.” She scoffed at the suggestion, but Deeks noticed she shifted a little uncomfortably.

“That reminds me, how are things going with Sabatino? I heard he took you to that swanky little Japanese place,” Deeks said.

“Oh no, we are not talking about my love life.”

“Which implies that there’s a love life to talk about.”

“God, I hate lawyers,” she sighed. “So, what are you and the teacher doing tonight?”

“You could call her Kensi, you know,” Deeks reminded her without any heat.

“Eh, that’s no fun.”

“We’re going to a movie in the park. They’ve got some food trucks around and free popcorn. Caleb’s super excited.”

“How domestic,” Talia drawled.

“You’re welcome to come if you want,” Deeks offered. He imagined Talia sitting on a blanket in the grass and nearly snorted.

“Thanks, but I’m more of a IMAX kind of girl.” Tilting her head, she gave him a genuine smile. “You know, I don’t usually do the whole sappy, lovey-dovey thing—”

“Oh and here I thought the tongue girl thing was just an act,” he interrupted, and she flashed him a scowl, jabbing her finger at him.

“Hush. I’m being genuine here.” Without missing a beat, she continued, “I’m glad that you found someone who makes you this happy. You and Caleb deserve it.”

“Well, thanks, Talia.”

“Not to mention, I was getting really sick of your mopey, single father act.”

“As always, I feel so loved,” he said, slipping the strap of his bag over his head and settling it firmly on his shoulder. “See you later.”

***

The park was pretty full by the time Kensi, Deeks, and Caleb got themselves together, but they managed to find a nice square of grass to lay a blanket on and a couple chair. Predictably, Caleb has zero interest in staying put or the snacks Deeks had packed. He’d already eaten a taco, cheese sticks, and a snow cone and now was running back and forth at the back of the plot with a couple of other children.

He glanced over at Kensi, who sat cross-legged, her knee brushing against his, steadily working her way through a bag of trail mix. She dropped her head on his shoulder, tracking Caleb’s progress across the ground. He tumbled to the ground with an overly dramatic grunt and giggled when one of his new friends fell on top of him.

“You think he’ll make it to the movie?” she asked.

“Eh, I give it 50/50 odds. Especially if the sugar crash kicks in soon.”

“If he does fall asleep, then we can snuggle.”

“Nothing stopping us from snuggling now,” Deeks said. Wrapping his arms around Kensi’s waist, he fell back, taking her with him. Kensi went easily, tucking her legs through his and wriggling closer.

“Mm, this is nice,” she sighed. “I’m glad we don’t have to worry about someone seeing us and getting upset.”

“Yeah, you don’t want to mess with those PTO ladies,” he joked, and he felt Kensi snort against his cheek.

“Oh yeah, they’re terrifying.” She kissed the edge of his jaw. “You had those women eating out of your hands.” Deeks shrugged modestly at the assessment.

Moving around, Kensi made herself comfortable on his chest. Deeks closed his eyes, basking in the moment.

“How was class today?” he asked, eyes still closed. She’d just started a new section that would last eight weeks long, along with two other sections that ran for the majority of the summer.

“I have three students who could probably teach the class better than me, a bunch of athletic kids who have zero interest in learning Spanish during the summer, and then a handful who either seem genuinely engaged or at least want to pass,” Kensi answered.

He opened his eyes so he could look down at the top of Kensi’s head.

“Hey, don’t group all the athletic kids together. I played hockey and basketball in high school and I loved my foreign language class.”

Without lifting her head, Kensi added, “One of the football players fell asleep five minutes in and another tried to sneak in during the last five minutes just so he could take the quiz.”

“Ok, maybe they’re not the most dedicated of students,” Deeks allowed with a chuckle. “Are you still enjoying it at least?”

“Yes.” Kensi nodded into his shoulder. “Plus there’s the added benefit of getting paid.”

“Always nice.”

“How was the visitation yesterday? Caleb told me you were all going to a museum, but I didn’t get a chance to ask him about it today,” Kensi said.

Deeks sighed, his good mood slightly dampened by the mention of Monica.

According to their updated visitation contract, Monica had shown up at the library at the first week exactly at the time they’d agreed on beforehand. The entire visit, she’d been pleasant and engaged with Caleb, and he seemed to sincerely enjoy himself. However, Deeks had the sense she’d been trying to prove something as well. Or maybe that was just his bias and bitterness speaking. The next visit, she’d been 20 minutes late and the most recent one…

“She didn’t come.”

Kensi pushed up on his chest and gave him an incredulous look.

“I know,” he said, interpreting her expression. Even though he’d known it could be a possibility, he’d still be furious when they waited over an hour before she finally sent a short text saying she couldn’t make it.

“How was Caleb?”

“He seems to take it alright.” Deeks shrugged and shook his head, eyes flicking to Caleb playing. “I mean, he was disappointed at first, but after a little bit, he said he’d seen her another time. I did offer to let her come tomorrow instead, but she hasn’t responded yet.”

“I can’t believe it.” He heard the anger he felt in her voice. She snaked an arm up his chest to cup his cheek. “I’m sorry. Are you ok?”

“Yeah. I was furious in the moment. Now,” he shrugged. “I’m reigned to who Monica is. I can’t change that. I just hope Caleb doesn’t get too confused.”

“We’ll take it one day at a time,” Kensi said. He rolled her use of “we” around in his head, the thought of them working together as a unit, and smiled.

“I like the sound of that,” he murmured, kissing the side of Kensi’s head.

A few minutes later, the opening credits of the movie started, and Caleb made his way back to their blanket. He threw himself on top of them, wedging his little body between them.

“Oof, call your shots, kiddo!”

They rearranged themselves into a more comfortable configuration, settling down to watch the movie. With one arm behind Kensi’s back, and Caleb snuggled firmly between them, he knew this was true happiness.

[deathofpeaceofmiiind]

illicit affairs | twenty seven

*Ellie’s POV* “I can’t do this Matthew.”

Tears were blurring my vision as his words kept being repeated in my head. He was right, he did deserve to be happy, but it would never be with me. I got out of his grasp, not bothering to take another look at him before going back outside. I stumbled past the boys who were gathering around the table to play uno. I declined their offer for now so I could compose myself a little bit. I blinked my final tears away as I put my feet in the pool, trying to calm myself down. I’m so fucking mad at myself for this whole situation, I had no one to blame but myself.

“May I?” I was snapped back to reality as someone I didn’t recognize towered over me. He sat beside down me and my eyes studied him up and down, his eyes were dark, he had curly hair hidden under a hat, and of course he had a lot of tattoos. I ran down the roster of Noah’s friends but … nothing. I couldn’t put a name to his face.

“I’m really sorry but who are you?” “Caleb.” He replied, bringing his hand out to shake mine, “I play in invent animate.” “I should’ve known that. I’m sorry.” I blushed as my memory finally clued in that he was just on tour with the guys. “You guys sometimes all blur together.” “Ah, don’t worry about it.” He assured me before taking a sip of his beer. “I couldn’t help but notice you were tearing up over here. You know you’re not allowed to be sad at your housewarming party, right?”

“I was fine until ten minutes ago.” I replied, bringing my knees up to my chest. “I just talked to someone I haven’t seen in a while and we have a history…” “Matt?” My breath hitched, “how did you…” “We’re roommates in Dallas. I’ve heard a lot about you.” “Bad things I’m assuming.” I scoffed, feeling my blood begin to boil again. I’m sure Matt painted a terrible picture of me to all his friends. Then again, maybe I deserved it. “It was fifty-fifty” he assured me, “Matt has a hard time admitting when he’s wrong, so I don’t know how much he embellished when he told me what happened. All I know is that you broke his heart.” There it goes again, that god awful sinking feeling in my stomach, “what makes you say that?” “He told me about your agreement and I think he played along so he could keep you around.” My eyes narrowed, begging him to continue. “I hate to tell you this Ellie, but he was really in love with you.” Fuck. “When he got home, he realized he made a mistake and regretted leaving while you were sleeping.” He paused, taking a long sip of his beer, “I don’t know if I should tell you this but, he was about to call you until he saw Noah’s location was left on, showing that was here…so he never bothered.”

My mouth opened but nothing was coming out. Here I was thinking this whole time he just needed space but it was much deeper than that. I felt so fucking stupid. I excused myself and walked back inside to find him, my heart was beating deeply in my throat the entire time. I went into the kitchen and he was still in there, this time he was sitting with Davis. I cleared my throat and they both stopped mid conversation, staring at me bewildered. Davis took the hint to give us some privacy, as soon as he left I instantly regretted my decision to come in here.

“Caleb told me everything.” I finally said, “why didn’t you reach out to me?”

He shrugs, pulling the tab off his empty can of Celsius. “If Caleb told you everything, you’d know I wanted to until I saw Noah was here.” 

“You should’ve talked to me Matt. It doesn’t matter if Noah was here or not. You were my best friend and you had me believing you just needed space!” I sobbed as he stared at me emotionless. “How the fuck was I supposed to know you weren’t fine?”

“Even if I told you, would it have changed how you felt for Noah?” 

“No, because that wouldn’t have been fair to you.” I whispered as more tears poured out of me, “I don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have.”

“Fuck… Ellie this fucking sucks! You know what the worst part of all this is? Is that I have to be fucking fine with you being with one of my best friends that I see almost every day. Actually, that’s not the worst part. The worst part is that means I have to see you every day! You know how much that fucks me up?” He gets up and begins to pace back and forth, his voice echoing heavily against the walls the more it raised. “Seeing you again just reminds me of what I lost before it was even mine.”

“I’m so sorry Matthew, I really am.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, as he walked over to me. His frame towered over mine as my back hit the fridge. “I should’ve known that I was still in love with Noah…”

He looked down at me and sighed, “trying to start something with you was a gamble in the first place. I should’ve known better, I’m sorry.”

I took a brave step forward, gently touching his face as he avoided my gaze. His jaw unclenched as he began to relax under my touch. His somber eyes eventually locked with mine as I sent him a soft smile he couldn’t return. It was killing me that he was hurting this much and I was the reason. If I could go back in time I would’ve never crossed that line with him. It was so selfish and he didn’t deserve that.  

“I hope you know I’ll always love you, just not how you want me to.”

“I can accept that.“ He breathed, almost in relief, “I spent the last couple months trying so hard to hate you, but I couldn’t. No matter how badly I wanted to.”

“Wow and hating comes so naturally to you.” I softly laughed, removing my hand from his face and onto his chest. “I’m glad you don’t hate me because I miss my best friend.”

And for the first time in months, I saw him smile at me, “I miss mine too.”

I returned his smile and gently kissed his cheek before he pulled me into a hug. He wrapped his arms tight around me, showing no signs of letting go as we stood here in comfortable silence. 

“Also super rude of you to block my number.”

“I got a new number. I had a date turn into a stalker.” He replied still holding onto me, almost tighter as if he was giving me some kind of reassurance. “I’m sorry you thought I did that.”

“Am I interrupting something?”

I froze, feeling Matt let go of me so quickly as we realized Noah was standing there. His dark stare was burning a hole through me, making my eyes begin to well up with tears. 

“Noah, it’s nothing - “ “Upstairs. Now.”

He never gave me a second to respond, he was already gone and headed towards the stairs. I turned to Matt, almost terrified of what was next. He gave my arm another squeeze before I left the room, not knowing what I was about to walk into.

[the-cosmos-withinus]

Shadow Puppets AU - Philip’s curse

There was not much that Astrophel could do as Philip transformed and attacked the demons and witches on the lifeboat -frankly Astrophel thought they deserved it for daring to make demands and try to take the amulet. 

 The one part of the scene that really worried Astrophel was when the creature Philip had become started to devour of one the demons.

 "Now's not the time for a snack!" He scolded. 

 He could not say whether that had snapped Philip to his senses, the creature still seemed to be being driven by pure instinct to get into the lifeboat and start consuming the Palismen that remained. Much to Astrophel's dismay, seeing how they still needed to get away from the ship.

But if Astrophel's scolding had not worked, then clearly consuming the Palismen did the trick, as Philip was back to himself within minutes. "I have some questions." He said as the lifeboat finally took off.

Philip didn't mean to be hiding his condition from Astrophel, in fact he had been looking forward to finally confiding in someone what had become of him. He knew Astrophel wouldn't judge him, he'd already seen passed his monstrous appearance to see that he was still Philip underneath. He wanted so bad to tell him all about his misadventures before something like this happened but they'd kept getting interrupted. 

He managed to pull himself mostly back into his human shape. He still had his horns and one of his eyes was a small glowing orb in and otherwise empty socket, but Philip didn't care as long as he had the strength to row the paddles of the lifeboat back to shore. "I'm sure you do, but I'm afraid the answers really aren't pleasant." He replied. 

 One of his arms suddenly launched from his side on its own accord, snatching survivors from the other boats and throwing them into the sea, collecting Palismen from their now unguarded possessions. 

 Philip's eyes widened in horror and he cast a nervous glance at Astrophel, "I assure you, this is completely involuntary!"

Astrophel looked his friend over with a skeptical expression as his arm transformed and continued to knock survivors from the sea and gather the Palismen.

"Sure it is." He rolled his eye. Not that he really cared whether or not Philip's actions in the moment were voluntary or that the witches and demons that he was killing were likely innocent of any wrong doings.

The only one on the entire ship that the Collector cared about was Philip, and for the moment at least, the human was safe. 

Astrophel leaned over the side of the boat, noting of course that he had no reflection in the water.

 "Soooo... what's up with the gloopy-doopiness?" He asked.

"Well...It started when I was fifteen...I think."

 Philip went through the whole story, as best as he could remember it at least. How he had seen Caleb and Evelyn go through the portal and run to get the Witch Hunter General and his men. The group of six had supplies packed to last a few days, which they assumed was all it would take to find Caleb, capture the Witch and return home.

 None of them had been prepared to be gone for years. 

 He had been twelve when they had left, and by the time he was fifteen it was just him and General William, the rest of their party had died, either succumbing to the hellish elements of this world or eaten by it's monstrous inhabitants. He didn't remember what had started the fight, or even how most of it had gone, but at some point he had found himself transformed into that beast and slaughtered the General. The only thing that had helped him return to his human form was absorbing the magic inside the Palismen they'd collected from Witches they captured. 

Philip did his best to describe his curse, but he knew so little of it, "I don't know how I got cursed, it's like the world itself is trying to turn me into a monster." He said, reaching up and touching one of his horns, "It's kind of like being hungry...No, not even that. I feel like I'm being hollowed out. All my feelings, my personality, when this blasted curse acts up, its like it all gets scrapped out of me and I'm left as just a husk, pretending I'm alive...At least until I get hold of a Palisman. Once I consume them I start finding my way back to being me again."

 It wasn't just the Palismen, though, but Philip left this detail out for now. He wasn't ready to confront the reality that the Palismen weren't really what his inner monster was after- only what he'd been able to find when he first got his curse, and what he had desperately tried to use to keep the curse at bay all these years. 

Though from the way his arm flailed about on its own it seemed his monster may have grown a taste for them

[waltwhitmansbeard]

— keeping a guiding hand on the small of their back

keeping a guiding hand on the small of their back

Jester is talking, but Essek isn't hearing a word. He's distracted, his otherwise sharp, attentive mind, always on a swivel, always looking out, drawn to the hand pressed lightly into the small of his back. His entire, singular focus has been on that hand since Caleb put it there, a helpful guide through the cramped Lionett-Nyoordin home that does not have enough room for all of the Mighty Nein friends and family members currently crammed into it. Essek had come into this kitchen for something—food? drink? an attempt at quiet?—but any and all thought of it fled his mind like a leaf from an autumn tree the moment Caleb's fingers, wide, strong, coarse, spread out on him, pressed in just enough to maneuver him around whatever heated conversation Veth is having with one of Caduceus's siblings.

The hand is still there now, a bird alighted on a branch, and Essek has to wonder if Caleb's forgotten about it. Did he mean to leave it there, to draw Essek's attention away from what he is sure is one of Jester's most interesting stories, to send his mind swirling and crashing about in a maelstrom of heady want? Caleb laughs, at what he'll never know, and the fingers curl, just a fraction, and oh, it is a miracle Essek is still standing.

Jester has asked him a question. His only indication that this is true is the expectant look on her face, which quickly twists into confusion, because he's not answering her, because he didn't hear it. The thumb rubs a half-circle into his back—what has Essek done to deserve such torment?—and finally he hears Caleb murmur, "Is everything okay, Liebling?"

Is everything okay? He's going to shove Caleb into the counter, and right now it's a fifty-fifty shot whether he kills him or debauches him on the spot.

He nods. "Sorry, Jester, I just..." He has no excuse.

Jester pats his arm sympathetically. "Parties can be a lot for some people." She looks at Caleb. "Why don't you two go upstairs? I think the guest room is free." She waggles her eyebrows suggestively in what Essek knows to be a joke, but oh, if only she knew.

"Ja, good idea. Come, come." And the hand—oh that hand, that hand that could set the world ablaze, that hand that takes the smallest components and shakes the earth with them, that hand that Essek would let drag him straight into the Hells—the hand presses in, turns him toward the set of stairs that leads up into the little house's second floor. Jester was right in predicting that the glorified closet of a second bedroom would be empty, and the moment the door is closed, Essek has Caleb pressed against it, the hand slipping away. "Was zum Teufel...?"

"You." Essek lifts that infernal hand, brings it to his lips. There is satisfaction in watching the surprise in Caleb's eyes give way to something darker, something burning. He lets his fangs dance over the rough fingertips. "You really ought to watch where you put this."

Such a cocky smile this human man wears. Essek wants to bite it off. "Is that so?"

"Ja, it is."

"Well what are you going to do about it?"

"Let me show you."

[queeniecook]

January 29

Olivia had given herself a day to think about what she witnessed in Forgotten Hollow between Lilith and the male vampire. She had promised she wouldn't say anything about what happened for the sake of her life and she planned to keep that promise.

Mostly.

Olivia invited her little brother out to a bar with her and August agreed. He just isn't thrilled that the bar happens to be a vampire nightclub and that he's finding out that his sister caught Caleb's sister about to get it on with a male vampire that isn't Jackson.

"I just have to figure out how to get Jackson to catch those two in the act." Olivia conspires openly to August. August for his part feels a headache coming on and stares his older sister down.

"You do know that I know Lilith's brother, right? Caleb. He's married to Vera who has been my wife's best friend since high school." August reminds his sister. He should have stayed home with the twins and watched reruns of Barney with them. 

"August. I didn't create this situation. Lilith and that vampire guy did. Don't you think Jackson has a right to know about this?" Olivia asks him. She thinks she does. Jackson doesn't deserve to be kept in the dark about his girlfriend being off with another man. 

August sighs and nods. "But you can't say anything to him, remember? You were threatened by a very angry vampire." He reminds her "We just reconnected, I really don't want you to have to say goodbye to you again and for good this time."

"I'm not going to say anything to him or anyone else either. But you have to keep this quiet too." Olivia realizes she's put her baby brother in a tight spot and she feels a bit bad about it but she also had to talk to someone. He's the only one she feels she can trust. 

August narrows his eyes at her and lets out a long breath through his nose. "Fine. But you really need to stay out of this, Olivia. Jackson will find out eventually. You just need to be patient and stay out of it. No good can come from this situation."

Jackson isn't happy about agreeing to keep this to himself. He likes Caleb. They get along pretty well but family comes first. He can't risk his sister's life by saying anything.

[anistarrose]

Something about Luz and Belos being foils because Luz gives everyone a chance to change, and Belos doesn't. Something about Luz trying to sympathize with Philip even after he betrays her in the past ("I know you want to go home, but..."), versus something about Belos not even wanting to "redeem" the Isles, but eradicate them.

Something about how there's no way to change that will make you "acceptable" to fascists, no way to change enough to be happy in the Emperor's Coven, because it's a system built on wiping you out. Something about how it is possible to better yourself and find a place of belonging among the outcasts, something about spurning the covens and finding happiness in the home of a criminal.

Something about Amity, especially Lilith, and especially Hunter rejecting the system they once perpetuated because it wanted them dead anyway, something about them giving up on trying not to be "wild" or "savage." Finding a community by accepting forgiveness from Luz. By putting their heart into being better people and stopping the harmful cycles they once perpetuated.

Something about Belos — the root of all the bigotry and fascism in the Boiling Isles, albeit not the root in the human realm — never once taking an opportunity to change. Not the one given by Caleb, and surely not the one given by Luz in Elsewhere and Elsewhen, because of course he wouldn't — as a fascist, he doesn't believe in redemption. Of course he always stood for retribution, not restoration. He'll offer chances to Luz and Luz alone, every so often, but in the same breath, he'll also call her crazy and too far gone.

(Something about how Luz is always willing to entertain the possibility of people changing for the better, from Amity to Kikimora to the Collector. How by the end of the series, she gets almost a little too good at recognizing where she's hurt people, and driven to despair because of it; a little too dedicated to making up for her mistakes. How she's really nothing like Belos; how in fact, before she begins to heal, she's unlike him almost to a fault.)

We have something about how claiming that certain people with certain beliefs can never change, and in fact don't "deserve" to change, is equivalent to absolving them of any responsibility to change and be better. How that just isn't a good way to look at the world. How that thinking, at its extremes, can even seal your own fate, shutting down your own capacity to grow as a person.

Something about Puritan concepts of predestination, maybe even about seeing the timeloop Belos became obsessed with as a metaphor for his belief in predestination, standing for the cycle that lead to him needing to die. He wouldn't accept anything less than all witches dying, and in doing so, left the witches with no choice besides letting the rain melt him alive.

[12pt-times-new-roman]

I missed the first hour of combat but — C3E62, let's go!

"We built this for you!" oh honey.

Bor'dor has the lucky feat.

"In the aura of this oddly dunamantic energy emanating from Ashton—" Is this the first time Matt has confirmed that Ashton's abilities are dunamantic in nature? I know it's been obvious from our standpoint for a while now, and it was implied to the party by Caleb's mention of dunamis, but is that the first time it's been acknowledged in-game?

As Laudna starts to get flashes of memories eventually leading to Delilah, her ribcage cracks open to release a hound of ill omen modeled after the Briarwoods' undead hounds.

The dome above the temple begins to glow as a voice echoes from above. "Leave or be judged." A winged celestial being — a Dawnborn Angel — descends, with a flaming sword in one hand, to the middle of the chamber.

As far as I can tell, this is a home-brew. The Judicator seems to be modeled on a planetar (same AC and similar abilities, though likely a lower CR), but the "dawnborn angel" resembles nothing I can find.

Prism refers to herself at the Matron of Ravens' daughter. Now, her calling the Matron "mother" makes sense given the goddess' titles and namelessness; but being a shadar-kai and a wizard who has a "complicated relationship" with the Matron while calling herself the Matron's daughter is definitely cause for concern.

Deni$e has 3-4 rogue levels.

"The Judicator does not back down, it does not feel fear." It's also an "entity trained to hunt those of arcane persuasions." All I can think of are cybermen from Doctor Who.

The summons get the HDYWTDT on the Judicator!

A mid-combat break?? Is this gonna be a C2E86 situation where the entire episode is combat?

An angel, a demon, and an earth elemental walk into a bar...

Orym climbs the demon's back and sits on its shoulders like he's mounting a horse, which it begrudgingly allows.

Ashton speaks to the now-uncontrolled earth elemental in primordial. "We gotta get these people out of your home. Can you get me up there?" With its reaction (read: because Matt is giving the party some leeway here), the elemental grabs Ashton and attempts to huck them up to the angel with a nat20 (what the FUCK is the count on this? this pendulum has got to swing in this half, yeah?), because "the spirits of the forest have taken over where the arcana has failed."

The barlgura grapples the angel and brings it to the ground.

THERE'S the Chop Suey joke, finally. "When angels deserve to dieeee...."

Deni$e has a barbarian rage ability called "spirit of the mountain"? I can't find any barbarian subclass with this ability, and it's not a dwarf thing, so is this a home-brew barbarian subclass?

Bor'dor gets his second HDYWTDT on the angel with a 5th level inflict wounds. He holds its head, kisses its forehead, and says, "enough."

A second Judicator, the one that was patrolling the city, approaches the temple, but turns around and leaves at the sight.

It's so interesting to think about the way this battle would be interpreted in different campaigns. In C1, this would've been a heroic tale of villagers rising up against their oppressors and succeeding; in C2, it would've had underlying tones of national, material, Exandrian politics rather than theological ones, but still would've had that tinge of objective victory; and in C3, it is inundated by theological rhetoric and the politics of the gods, and mired by uncertain, subjective success.

The Judicators' masks are not worn, they are fused to the skull. (Again. Cybermen.)

Eventually, Abadeena's magic, alongside the spirits of the forest and the magic of the villagers, reduces the temple to rubble.

Orym is reconciling, trying to bring together conflicting goals, and Laudna clocks it with a pissed-off expression.

One by one, the remaining "captives" begin to follow the first into the forest, exiting the township and heading to the north, except for a single child. "I'm... I just wanted to feel like I belonged to something, you know, I—" And Abandeena responds, "Do you understand why this was wrong?" With that, they feel the final weight lifted, the hillside and village finally free.

Laudna approaches Abadeena. "Be careful not to become what you despise." She looks back with a genuine honesty. "Sometimes, you must do things you wish weren't yours to do for the betterment of your people. I'm not proud of everything I've done, but don't think your words are lost on me." "There's a thin line between being a savior and an oppressor." "Well. Thank you for being our saviors... we hear, of the Loam and the Leaf, thank you. For your deeds, whatever we can do, you have it." She casts some healing, and allows the Bells Hells to sleep in her house for the night because she can't cast scrying today.

Ashton asks for a private word with themself, Abadeena, and Prism. Nothing comes of it yet, as the village begins to gather toward the city center. They cook, swap stories, and sing.

For the first time in a long time, the village is free to give their thanks to the eidolons and to each other.

Bor'dor can't stop thinking of the face of the angel as they died, and he doesn't know whether he did the right thing. "Something is happening, and faith is shaken."

Prism is trying to view all of this with a skeptical, academic, objective mind, but she can't help but second-guess her subjective experience because everyone's happy and everyone's sad. She feels that this was a net good, but feels that compromises her objectivity.

Ashton believes that, leaving everything out of view out of consideration, this was a net good. They go with Prism and Abadeena behind a tree. ("It's time to get sexy now! It's our turn!" Talisein please)

There were tithes taken from the townsfolk. The temple was wealthy enough; these were not taken by the arbiters of the temple, according to Abadeena. She drags it to the city center, and Prolef begins to redistribute the wealth taken by the temple back to the townspeople.

While that exchange was happening, Orym finds Laudna. She remarks that the townspeople are ignorant of the greater evils in the world. They both agree that this ship is sinking, but this town doesn't know that; they agree that they are frustrated at their ignorance, their bliss, and lament that they have to get back to their people.

Laudna and Orym are so angry, but they can't articulate why — it feels to them like they just put themselves in great danger, when there's so much more at stake than there is in "this piss-ant town dealing with their piss-ant squabbles... I don't know why I'm so angry about it." "You've known more than your fair share of shit... I don't even think... I'm having trouble believing there's anything we can do. I just keep stepping forward because it's what I've always gone, but I don't know if there's anything we can do." "Ashton said something quite profound to me the other night, when were taking out watch around the campfire. Profound especially for them. Right now, if we try to change the world, it's just going to seem like an impossible task, it's just too much. But we can try and change that which we do have control over, our immediate surroundings. Save our friends." "I don't know how much time we have left on this planet — feels like it could all go soon, in a week. But I just wanna make do with the time that I have with the people that I care about, and I want to find them, I want to find them again." "Then let's find them. It's the only directive we have at the moment, the only thing we can control." Orym takes her hand. "I don't understand why you bounced down through history to be here with me right now, but I sure as hells am glad you are here." "I've seen a lot of shit, Orym. That's why we're still here." "And more coming." "We've shown we can take it. Let's just get the fuck out of this town."

Abadeena escorts them back to her cottage. She smiles, and reveals her first name: Joan. Whether the Bells Hells decide to kill her or trust her, she thanks them for trusting the village, agrees to help them on the path toward home, and offers them answers.

If the temple comes back, she does not believe this town is the only one rising up. They have a coalition binding together townships of the Loam and the Leaf, keeping them away from the influence of Vasselheim.

Prism asks if she's ever heard of Predathos or speculated on its nature, asks if Predathos is an elemental weapon against the divine during the Founding. Abadeena knows nothing about Predathos except for Ludinus' speech and the Bells Hells' knowledge, but she does recognize the confidence with which Ludinus spoke and the way his words influenced the people of her town. To them, the eidolons have a symbiotic relationship, as it has been for all those who lived on Exandria before the gods coopted it.

"The lands of Exandria hold to them innumerable eidolons that are tied to the forces of this world, of the titans that first shaped it. With the titans long-gone, they persist however they can, oftentimes among the rules of the gods who now rein. So they are echoes, shades, the remnants and the memory of the titans, of the great elemental queens and kinds of this world, the ones who originally sculpted it." Prism questions whether Predathos is more intelligent, more vengeant, than a simple "black hole."

Orym says to Prism that they don't know anything, and Prism retorts that she's trying to help by way of being really good at learning things. The only thing Orym has to go on is the track record of the people trying to release Predathos, which Prism agrees is "damning."

"Prism... I don't understand the gods, I don't know anything about the titans, I don't know eidolon from eyeliner. I believe that... I'm a widower because of the people who want to bring this about. So it's hard for me to wrangle with the other side." finally

Ah. So this encounter was not designed to pit the Bells Hells against the gods or against the titans, but it was designed to force them to reckon with the fact that they know nothing, nothing about what's happening around them, and further to force them to seek out information about the things they don't know.

AH. Abadeena does not wish to destroy the gods, but to return to a state of Exandria in which the gods and the Primordials lived in balance. Mortal races are an invasive species just as much as the gods are, but there was a point in history where they, the primordials, the eidolons, and the gods existed in conjunction with one another.

She also notes that the primordials, the eidolons, do not feel a threat from Predathos — and that the Matron of Ravens offers no warnings of Predathos, no insight, if she saw it coming at all.

Ashton and Laudna: Ashton doesn't think that the Hishari have anything to do with anything — that is something that they'll be asking of the Bells Hells "once everything quiets down." They are so angry right now, and Laudna notes that she and Orym feel the same. Ashton's worst nightmare was their very first divine intervention. "The gods saw me, a god saw me, I was not invisible. It was not hungry, it wasn't fearful, it wasn't — it was a messenger, it was sent, and it told me what I really didn't want to hear: that it doesn't fucking care, that I might as well be fucking gone, that I was a mistake."

Bor'dor goes out to look for Orym, but rolled a 4, so Orym — from his perch on a high tree — takes pity on him and (after Liam asks whether Bor'dor is a half-elf or not) reveals himself.

With a 19, Bor'dor impressively climbs the tree and joins Orym.

"Do you believe in god?" "I mean, it's beyond question. The gods have shaped the history of this world, they have dropped miracles from their seats on high and caused irreparable damage — and unmistakable good. I don't know that I care — I care about you and me, and I care about my family across the ocean." "My life is vert small. I wake up, I work, I go to sleep. My beliefs have been black and white. These people told just o go into a church and fight something that I can't fathom, and int he moment, where I felt victory, I didn't see a divinity or radiance or whatever the fuck you call it, I just felt sadness and compassion. Did you see the way it looked? There — why did we have to do that? Why is that what happened? And then I wonder, also, why — that woman, Abadeena, has no fucking clue what you people are talking about." [...] "I know, I think, barely more than you do, that people who are so determined to bust something out of our moon that it's worth killing a lot of people to get there. Do I believe in the gods? Yes. Have they had a ton of bearing in my life? No." "So you get to Ludinus, and then what? We just killed an angel, we saved a woman who has no clue about the fight that she's fighting. This village has no clue, they're fucked either way — what are we doing here? My life is very small. What are we doing here?" "I think that, um... Ashton, Laudna and I have friends that we were with, got pulled away from, and I think we've got a one in 2000 chance of stopping more people I care about from getting killed." "Okay. Let's do that, then."

Bonding over shit jokes and laxatives. Ah, the quintessential Critical Role experience.

But still, Bor'dor extends a hand. "I go where you go."

I'm just saying, my "multiple tables running at the same canon time concurrently, exactly like the way Pathfinder Society specials run" theory gains all the more merit.

Laudna stays up with Prism reading through books, and Marisha manifests Beau through Laudna. (Someone write an essay about how each of these players manifests specific aspects of a character throughout each campaign. Tag me when you do, if you do it before me.)

In the books, there are tithing ledgers, as well as deals and plans between the temple and the Silvercall Mill about buying out portions of the neighborhood. These plans were awaiting approval from others in the network — discussions about finding land for temples of the Wildmother and other deities hat wasn't already controlled. It's a lot of discussion about calculated expansion by Vasselheim and Othanzia.

With an arcana check, Prism identifies the runes on the Judicator as having an original draconic base, an arcana script that is divine and protective in nature but in some cases near anti-magic. It didn't present itself in battle, but the Judicator has the ability to dispel existing magic — its old magic, possibly related to the anti-magic cone displayed by the Mage Hunter golems that Ludinus employed.

Also in these papers is a discussion of Vasselheim sending forces to leyline nexuses. Prism notes that the leylines are stationary except for certain celestial events, of which the apogee solstice is the largest — nexuses stay where they are placed until the next apogee solstice moves that nexus, resulting in people gravitating to that area for the time between now and the next apogee solstice. It's about resources.

Prism has been away from her home for a decade. She believes that these past few days are validation for those ten years spent at the Cobalt Soul (or elsewhere), and stifles a personal smile.

In the morning, they are met with the smell of breakfast prepared by Abadeena. She offers to create a scroll for Prism so that she can copy the spell into her spellbook. (Again, because she's an Order of Scribes wizard, Prism can copy spells much more quickly than the average wizard.)

Ashton approaches Abadeena about the magic in their head. "It seems to bend the world... I have dreams, sometimes they're inhuman, sometimes I'm other people but I'm not... you ever seen anything like this?" "Like this? I have not at all... however, if you are to continue to travel, maybe speak with the spirits. Maybe things that are older than all of us combined have better insight than this frail form." ooooooo something something the Luxon is older than the world and so it makes sense that they might be some kind of primordial force. it makes sense that they might be a primordial titan that existed "before the gods" because the primordials also did.

Finishing breakfast, they enter the scrying chamber, and Orym enters unannounced — having taken a point of exhaustion from a sleepless night.

Again, Chetney giving each of the Bells Hells material gifts is a fucking genius move by Travis, because they all have scrying targets now. Whether intentional or not, it's genius, and it really goes reflect the themes of this campaign.

They see snow. Snow, falling, across a mountain range. They see Deanna first, with a prominent symbol of the Dawnfather — then they see FRIDA, a rosegold bipedal robot — then, the familiar image of Chetney, trekking behind with excitement and distance — then Imogen and Fearne, following behind, as FCG wheels up alongside them, all trekking through the snow. Prism and Orym recognize the smoky sight of Kravarad, and recognize that they are not far from Uthodurn. They see Imogen grasp her cloak and look back, as if she's making eye contact with the basin, with the scrying censor — Laudna shouts her name, but the image dissipates.

Regardless, they recognize that the other half of Bells Hells is on another continent, on the other side of the world.

Orym asks if there's anyone nearby who can transport them, and Abadeena notes that "those in Vasselheim could, if you had their favor." Yet she does know someone, about 5 days travel's away from Hearthdale, who could transport them: Hevestro, hierophant of the Emerald Tree, a powerful archdruid whom Abadeena once trained under.

So Team Issylra has two options: go to Vasselheim, a longer journey but with more people who could help, or go to Hevestro and count on the good will of a single archdruid.

Abadeena can scry two more times, and Prism can scry once, making for a total of 3 more scries. (Ahh, now I see why this episode is 5 hours long.)

Scry 1: Dariax. He's chewing on his nails with a dirty, scarred face, with a look of concern, sitting in a dark space they can't quite make out. He plays absentmindedly with the compass around his neck, thinking. A blue hand catches his holder, he gives a nod and stands with his spear — Dorian, also looking a bit worse for wear. "That's the bag of dicks—" "That's our bag of dicks!"

Scry 2: Bor'dor's Home / Brother. "Don't take your clothes off!" (Orym: "C'mon, let it happen.") "There, you see a vision of a homestead, modest but well-furnished, not quite the home of a farmer or a person who keeps cattle or sheep. It's an unfamiliar space to you (Bor'dor). You're uncertain whether this dagger is calling a connection to a place of import or a particular answer to your question, unfortunately."

Abadeena copies the scrying spell onto a scroll, which Prism copies into her spellbook.

Now, the Bells Hells must decide between two things: going to Vasselheim and trying to convince them to help, or taking their chances with the dangerous journey through a canyon to Hevestro's homestead. Orym's gut says the latter.

Matt confirms that no one in the party would know anything about the waters between western Issylra and eastern Wildemount, and that it would take a number of weeks to traverse it by ship. For the record, based on Exandrian timezones, geology, and cosmology, there could be an ocean the size of the Pacific in that space.

They decide to go toward the gorge where Hevestro lives, and Abadeena grants them a wind-based, cougar-shaped eidolon that will escort them. "If you meet others of the Valley Coalition, tell them of what has been done here, and let them know that we are ready to help them as well."

[babiebom]

Would I Give Them Head(dbd edition)

A/N:I did a Stardew valley version and thought that it would be cool/funny if i did it for all of the things I write for! Again this is only for the males! And it's just for fun! Both killers and survivors

Tw:sexual content,cursing

Genre:headcanons? Shitpost.

Wc: 2+ for each character!

The Mastermind/Albert Wesker

Only in a hate sex situation

I severely dislike this man

I do not care that he is blonde and British I HATE him:(

The Dredge

Absolutely not wtf

I don't wanna hear tortured screams thanks

The Blight/Talbot Grimes

No

I do not enjoy his drippy face

It's icky

The Ghostface/Danny "Jed Olsen" Johnson

Yes

I think we have already established that I'm a Ghostface girlie

Would give him the best sloppy toppy I could

Is allowed to kill me after I do not mind

The Doctor/ Herman Carter

Not unless I had to

His face scares me and I hate his laugh

I would also dislike him as a person

The Clown/ Jeffrey Hawk

No

And when I say thia I mean all the disrespect

But i hate this stupid clown

He makes me want to be violent

The Trapper/Evan Macmillan

I feel like he doesn't wash himself properly

So no

Probably is filthy

The Wraith/Phillip Ojomo

Not my favorite but due to his backstory I feel bad for him

So maybe a friendly handjob

The Hillbilly/Max Thompson Jr

I say this with NO disrespect

But he does not bathe

And while I love him I am not putting that anywhere near my mouth

Will give him a handjob tho

The Oni/Kazan Yamaoka

Yeah sure

He is large and in charge

Also has to be clean? I think he might be clean

The Nightmare/Freddy Kreuger

No

I would however like to punch the side of his head so hard it caves in

He deserves to have it cut off

The Twins/Victor Deshayes

No

This is a child

The Cenobite/Elliot Spencer

The chains are kinda kinky

So yeah

Also him tummy out and I think its cute

The Nemesis

No

Stinky dead man

His tentacle things make you sick he needs to stay away from me

The Executioner/Pyramid Head

YES

he is one that is allowed to be dirty

He is so attractive and he doesn't even have a face

He just walks around with that big ass sword knife thing and his hips amd im sold

I'm down bad

The Legion/Frank

Probably not

Isn't he like 18?

Too young for me

The Legion/Joey

Again too young for me

So no

Like im sorry but they're literally described as teens

The Cannibal/Bubba Sawyer

Like Maxie

Its not that i hate him its that he's stinky

So handjob it is

The Knight/Tarhos Kovács

For the following i think they're all stinky

BUT Tarhos is different

Simply because I do like the Knight x Princess trope and I would like to be the princess

So I guess yes

The Carnifex/Sander Rault

No

Hate him

Wanna smash a pallet on his bead

The Assassin/Durkos Malecek

No

Stupid man

Always is mean so NO

I will scream if he appears one more time

The Jailer/Alejandro Santiago

Maybe a handjob because I like his name

Its very cute

The Shape/Michael Myers

Unfortunately yes

Though I do hate the man because he literally instakills me

I cannot deny that I am attracted to him

The Deathslinger/Caleb Quinn

No

Peepaw does not get his Dick sucked by me sorry

He needs to be in a nursing home and have his shooting license revoked

The Trickster/Jiwoon Hak

Yes

Very attractive but also very annoying

The one killer I main

I would give him one the punch him immediately

The Demogorgon

This is bestiality

So no

Doggie does not get head from me

Does get head rubs tho

Maybe some belly rubs

The Singularity

I have no idea who this is where did it even come from

Is this a man or woman someone tell me

Also while I am a robot fucker I would have to say no

Jake Park

Yes

I had an immediate crush on him

He is also a loner type so yes

Absolute hawtie

Dwight Fairfield

Yes

Sweet sweet boy probably needs one

Would be so thankful that I HAVE to

Leon Kennedy

YES

is this even a question fr?

Sexy sexy man

Only cop I will get on my knees for

David Tapp

No

Reminds me of family members

William "Bill" Overbeck

Naur eema

Maybe a handjob because why not i like his get up one time free perk

David King

No

Gives off bestie vibes

Would give handjob tho

Steve Harrington

Okay don't kill me

But I have never watched the tinger strangs

Aren't they in middle or high school

Absolutely not

Carlos Oliveira

I like his name it makes him seem attractive

So yes

Ace Visconti

NO

Have a love hate relationship with this man

Will not have any part of me close to him in that way at all

Quentin Smith

An adult?

I think?

I have also never seen this movie I am so confused

Yes if adult no if younger than 21

Adam Francis

Ummmmm

Sure I guess

I think it would be okay?

Jeff Johansen

He looks stinky but idk

I would give him a handjob

He seems cool and mysterious

Ash Williams

NO

I do not find him attractive at all

I kinda dislike his face

Jonah Vasquez

No

He just seems stinky

Yoichi Asakawa

YES

I had a big crush on him when I first played the game

Will get on my KNEEES FOR HIM

WILL GET SACRIFICED FOR HIM

Felix Richter

Yuh

Gives off sugar daddy vibes

Vittorio Toscano

Yuhhhhh

Also gives off sugar daddy vibes

Why is be so attractive is it the hair?

Jonathan Byers

Again i have not watched the show

Are they not all teens?

I am so confused

No