#I’ll include the aftermath in a different post.

[beemochi-art]

Kilomegs week day 6: Surprise

Siri, show me a picture of someone who is absolutely cooked.

In Kilo’s defense, Prime’s arm was full of mud so he didn’t see the bright red finish. This is Kilotons first time seeing Megatron’s mortal enemy in person. The Prime is more Terrifying than he could have ever imagined.

[prefer-to-be-vilified]

Hi! What are your favorite Wenclair fics?👀

I’m so glad you asked and I’m about to be so extra.

This fandom is beyond talented and I have many favourites. So I might as well make this an official Prefer-to-be-vilified Wenclair Fic Rec Masterlist… post (name could use some work but you get the idea).

I’m going to try to remember/link all my favourites but I’ll probably (definitely) forget some. And also I obviously haven’t read every Wenclair fic out there, my ‘to-read’ list is intimidatingly long and personal preferences are going to play a part in the fics I have included. But if I’ve missed some hidden gems please let me know!

Under the cut because this got long…

One-Shots/Short Chapter Fics:

the Witch & the Wyld by ohHOLYmoves - Long one-shot, Wednesday’s a witch who lives in the woods, Enid’s a werewolf stuck in her wolf form, need I say more?

Reset by Eggplant_Crusader - The OG. Probably the first fic read by a good portion of this fandom. Short, sweet, what the miscommunication trope is supposed to be.

her heart is a bird on a spit in her chest by lensbian_dykely - Long one-shot, Wednesday tells her parents that her and Enid are together without informing Enid.

What does he have that I don’t? by kofeew_milkk - Jealous Enid meets Werewolf instincts.

hello there, it’s me, the bull in the china shop by bogteats - Established Wenclair, 5+1 fic leading up to their first time.

I Think I Love You by tawen - Enid gets dosed with truth serum, Enid’s in love with Wednesday…

I Can Hear Your Heartbeat by LesbihonestGuys - Wednesday is a simp coming to terms with being in love and she’s real mad about it.

sandbox love by hanjisgirlfriend - Childhood friends falling in love.

gifts from a cat by Rennajade - Wednesday being a weirdo.

She’s my mate, Yoko! by lovely_shadow_minx - Enid realises Wednesday’s her mate and freaks out about it.

i tend to handle things usually by myself and i can’t ever seem to try and ask for help by Charlie_Balle - Wednesday’s actually allergic to colour.

The Art of Courting by Athems - Wednesday tries to court Enid but Enid thinks she’s threatening her.

Please (Just This Once) by whitebeltwriter - Wednesday trying to prevent a vision and the very emotional aftermath.

Wednesday Finds a Puppy by whitebeltwriter - Wednesday finds a random puppy in the woods and thinks it’s Enid… it’s not Enid.

Are You Going To Claim Your Prize? by wintersdume - The furs make a bet over who can get Wednesday’s number, Enid gets jealous.

It’s the Uniform, Isn’t it? by wintersdume - Enid plays baseballs, Wednesday gay panics.

Mobile Etiquette by Axinite25 - Wednesday not understanding the nuisances of teenage dating/friendship.

fuel the pyre of your enemies by heliamphoria - Wenclair meet cute while committing crimes.

Scrapped Scenes by MomochiZoey - Enid’s nosy and discovers that Wednesday’s self insert Viper now has a blonde love interest.

Premonition’s Embrace by whitebeltwriter - Wednesday has a vision that forces her to admit her feelings for Enid.

if she grabs for your hand (she might want a kiss) by ipretendtobesane - Short love confession, adorable.

Stormy Weather by SspiltDecision - Wednesday’s scared of thunder, Enid helps her.

don’t talk to me or my scary goth gf ever again by Kybee1497 - Protective (slightly feral) Enid and Xavier not taking a hint.

Complete Long Fics:

Terms of Endearment by Calchexxis - AU future fic/they didn’t meet at Nevermore, Enid goes to the Addams family for help after being kicked out of her pack for not being able to wolf-out but Wednesday’s the only one home, Wednesday has visions every time they touch about different versions of them/their ancestors throughout history, SIMPING, the worlds gayest mystery, I’ve read it several times and it always hits.

Forged in Blood by RiseAboveTheAshes_203 - Post season 1, I don’t know how to describe it other than angsty devotion, if for some insane reason you haven’t read this fic do it now.

The San Francisco Incident by Apeoflight - AU future fic/they don’t meet at Nevermore, Omegaverse, Werewolf mates, falling in love, real smutty, what’s not to love?

the nature of idiosyncrasies by bogteats - One of the fics I managed to catch early on and I was OBSESSED, AU, future fic, they weren’t friends at Nevermore but Enid had a crush, Omegaverse, their dynamic in this is to die for, angsty, smutty, a real and honest portrayal of not only Wenclair but people and love in general, read it, that was a threat, if you already have read it again.

raven in the den, wolf in the nest by Barbara_Lazuli - Canon divergence, fake dating to annoy Esther Sinclair, full honesty I read this awhile ago so I’m not 100% certain what happens but I remember enjoying it, might need to do a re-read.

black marked sun by chasinghours - AU college/university, Wednesday’s Yoko and Bianca’s roommate and Enid becomes infatuated, very cute, a little angsty but nothing crazy, shy Wednesday??? if I remember correctly, gay pining, we love to see it.

Purgatory Would Be Beautiful With You by EmilyWritesStuff - In universe, WEREWOLF MATES (aka the best Wenclair trope), fun and easy read, each chapter is like a slice of their life as mates.

Dance With Wolves by wolfwars - Fake dating BUT Wednesday doesn’t realise that it’s fake (because Enid was vague af), Enid’s pining, Wednesday’s confused, great idea and really well executed.

You Are my Moon by Bee-nut - Fake dating except Wednesday commits to the bit so hard she ends up facing off against Enid’s family aka a pack of werewolves in various dangerous challenges in order to win Enid’s hand, great idea, loved every minute of it.

Old Wounds by Sharpen_your_hatchet - Wenclair reunite years after graduation, less falling in love more realising they were always in love and coming to terms with that, sweet and easy read.

So This Is Love by LoriLoud - Unhinged Murderous Wenclair… no further explanation needed.

La Petite Mort by Apeoflight AND Wednesday’s Pet by Apeoflight - Smut, they’re both smut fics, I cannot remember which was which plot wise, but same author, they’re both really good and with a good helping of falling in love, yearning, denial of feelings, miscommunication, angst… all the good stuff.

Vortex by ALotOfConfusion - Need a refresher but childhood friends to lovers, little Wednesday wants to study werewolves and I remember enjoying it.

Puppy Love by Vaniloqu3nce - Enid’s wolf starts talking to her after recognising Wednesday as their mate, havoc follows, great read.

yours, eurydice by hanjisgirlfriend - AU, future fic, they never met at Nevermore, Wednesday’s a writer, Enid’s an actress, they live across the hall from each other, they write each other love letters and fall in love, cute af, a little angsty but not too heavy, definitely a must read.

It’s hard to espresso my feelings for you by SquishiestRose - Coffee shop AU, Wednesday works at the Weathervane and she has it BAD, the platonic Wyler this world needs, a little angsty but nothing crazy, cute, fun read.

Spell It Out by forgot_my_art - A spell gone wrong leads to both a misunderstanding and an accidental proposal… I mean it’s Wenclair, of course it did, fun read.

A raven’s dream of wolf by tokyocorgi - AU future fic/they never met at Nevermore, Wednesday’s sex dreams are also prophecy’s of her future, we love to see it.

All That’s Best of Dark and Bright by Porcie - Wednesday runs from her feelings post season 1, they reunite years later, Wednesday has a vision that forces her to stay in Enid’s life and by extension forces her to confront her feelings, they’re in love the entire time while pretending they aren’t, almost soulmate-ish, a bit angsty, but a fun read.

On-Going Long Fics:

[friendly reminder to read in-progress fic as a way to encourage and support our talented writers]

I’d Eat the Sun Just to Feel Your Warmth in my Bones by MsMio - AU college/university, I still need to catch up but ANGST, childhood friends, a very interesting take on the Addams family curse, Wednesday suffers from chronic pain, a good sad read but a hopeful one.

our immeasurable ties that bind by bogteats - Fantasy type AU, some very interesting world building, Enid wakes up pregnant with no idea who she is, where she is, or how she got there, super excited to see where this goes.

Blood and Shadows by DarkVisitors - Historical AU, western vibes, angst, horny gay yearning, a vague line in the summary that alludes to them being forced to marry at gun point but it hasn’t happened yet, I am beyond invested.

A Kidnapping By Any Other Name by RavenMoon33 - Wednesday “kidnaps” Enid to spend the break with her at the Addams Estate, I’m still catching up but Wenclair antics meets Addams Family antics, Wednesday’s having visions, there’s a mystery afoot and it’s linked to Wednesday’s ancestors. I might try to squeeze in another chapter later today actually 👀 (I didn’t read the OG so no spoilers!)

Whatever This Is… by CautiouslyPessimistic - A NEW FAKE DATING AU! In universe, takes place at Nevermore, only 2 chapters so far, but well written and I’m excited to see more.

Well… That’s Knew by Chaos_of_the_valkyries - Post season 1, Enid presents as a werewolf alpha and your honour they’re mates, protective Enid, Wednesday going soft, apparently I’ve missed the last two updates??? A crime, I will be rectifying that asap.

The Bite that Binds, the Gift that Gives by TieDyeKing - Historical Fantasy-ish AU, Wenclair arranged marriage, immediate connection but they’re being cautious/don’t trust each other, beautiful imagery/world building, an intriguing plot, Esther Sinclair being Esther Sinclair (aka causing problems), only a few chapters but one of my favourites since forever ago, in love with this fic and you should be too.

Symbiotic Relationship by SquishiestRose - AU future fic/they don’t meet at Nevermore, Enid gets kicked out of her pack and ends up desperate enough that she accepts a job working as the live in servant of a woman she’s pretty sure is going to kill her (hint: it’s just Wednesday being her normal off putting self), I’m a sucker for future fics with a very isolated and lonely Wednesday learning to fall in love and this is that.

[starqueensthings]

A very Crosshair Character Analysis

I posted a poll the other day looking for some opinions, and the prompt was: does Crosshair ever truly miss a shot? Meaning, of all the shots we’ve seen him aim and fire, how many of the few that didn’t land, were intended not to land? Does Crosshair have the skill and ability to land every shot he takes, and what of the ones that go astray (because there are some!)? The overarching, collective opinion (77% of votes) is that the sniper only misses a shot when he intends to, but let me explain why I was asking— the "methods behind my madness," if you will… (Fasten your seatbelts, and keep all extremities— and pitchforks— inside the ride!)

If Crosshair “doesn’t miss”, then there are some things that demand consideration and possible explanation. Please accept this weird internet essay as a deep dive into Crosshair’s character based solely on how I perceived his actions throught season one and two, and opinions I formed while watching his character develop. And while this could not be a Tech-approved analysis without touching on both his perceived good qualities and “flaws”, please know this is not a hate-on-Crosshair post.

Before I get into specifics, I think it’s imperative that we establish a basic understanding of his personality before the chip’s activation. While there is, sadly, not much “footage” we can use to form a true characterization of him, there are some instances we can touch on. The Skako/Anaxes arc from TCW and the earliest few moments of “Aftermath”, Crosshair is shown to be quite sarcastic, uninterested in trivial conversation, measurably combative toward those with differing opinions to his (seemingly all regs, including but not limited to Kix and Jesse), moderately argumentative toward leadership outside of his own Sergeant (mainly Rex, as Crosshair seems to have no qualms following Anakin’s or Cody’s orders), comforting to those who need it (Echo), and an overall good tactical team player.

So, let’s start this analysis by dialling things way back to their mission on Kaller and the complications that arose once Order-66 had been dropped. More specifically, hunting Caleb down in the forest. One of the things I noticed upon first watching that scene and every re-watch since, is how often Crosshair toggles back and forth between blaster bolt and stun cartridge on his rifle, as if constantly battling the indecision of exactly how he wanted to detain the Jedi. Now, if you remember, Tech com’s in and basically says [paraphrased obviously]: “Shit is starting to his the fan, we better get our butts outta here,” to which Hunter responds: “Can’t. Haven’t found the kid yet.” Crosshair then chimes in with, what I have long-deemed to be his catch phrase: “Wrong,” and proceeds to shoot the branch that Caleb is perched on. Not Caleb, who, in Crosshair's mind, should be the rightful recipient of a kill shot… the branch. Hmmmm.

If every one of Crosshair’s shots is so masterfully aimed that its deemed an automatic hit, and thus every miss is intentional (a notion of which I also believe, less one particular shot which I’ll touch on a little later), then there would’ve had to have been a portion of Crosshair’s cognition overriding that Order-66 command to eradicate all Jedi, even if it was only enough to fleetingly switch his gun to stun.

Not long afterward, we see his beloved Firepuncher saber-whacked from his hands, and Crosshair opts to then continue his attack with his backup DC17. Missed shot, missed shot, missed shot, missed shot. Were these blown shots intentional as well? And if so, why does he continue to assail the Padawan? Is Crosshair only able to fight off the command to kill Caleb while his finger is on the trigger, possibly knowing that’s when the fight against his own mind becomes most crucial? Is he clinging to some autonomy in the moments where he’s not posing an imminent threat to those around him, like during the flight back to Kamino? Or can he only resist the chip’s influence when the urge to do something terrible is paramount?

Let’s skip ahead, shall we, to when the Batch is attempting to flee Kamino with Omega. Crosshair sashays onto the landing platform in his new gothboy armour, fresh out of an undescribed chip “augmentation” procedure (whatever that eludes to), and proceeds to have a small stand off with Hunter— both of whom have their weapons directed pointedly away from each other (interesting). During the succeeding fire fight, we see Crosshair line up several well aimed shots, many of which appear to be only inches away from landing on their “intended target”. He eventually succeeds in shooting Wrecker in the shoulder, and I’d like to point out that this shot lands almost exactly where Wrecker was hit by the training droid some hours/days previously. Was the placement of this shot intentional? Did Crosshair pick that particular target area knowing Wrecker would survive the damage?

The shot I find most intriguing is the one near-perfectly aimed at Hunter’s head (lol— brothers). You know, the one where Omega saves the day by unexpectedly blasting Crosshair’s rifle out of his hands. If the chip's activation was the reason he was now hunting them and claiming their treason, why had that moment seen him hesitate? Perhaps he needed a second to line up his shot, you might argue to which I would say argue: we’ve seen him use the active recoil from that same rifle to line up his next shot many times in quick succession with a zero margin of error (see the Skako/Anaxes arc in TCW and the first few minutes of Kaller), including when each shot was aimed at targets both more dynamic in action and further away than Hunter was.

Crosshair then takes several shots at the ramp of the Marauder as they take off, all of which are well aimed… and simultaneously redundant; the passengers are taking cover in the ship already, the Marauder has begun its take off, the ramp is closing, Crosshair running whilst knowing he can’t reach them. I personally attribute those last few shots as tokens of both anger and resentment for being left behind, not ones made with the intention of killing. I think that he expected his brothers to know him better than to believe these actions were of sound mind— he thought they’d be able to deduce that he was fighting a losing battle inside his own head, yet they were quick to believe he would actually entertain such sudden and aggressive hostilities toward them.

At this point, you might be itching to argue that maybe Crosshair's accuracy is largely diminished when he opts for a pistol instead of his rifle, and while I can't dispell this theory, I can provide some statistics. We see Crosshair use a pistol only four times in the entirety of the show so far: 1. against Caleb on Kaller (objective miss), 2. against the Batch Batch as their leaving Kamino (objective miss), 3. against a soldier while he and his new elite soldier squad infiltrate Saw's camp (direct hit), and 4. against Leiutenant Nolan when that asshole he gets on Crosshair's last nerve at the Outpost (direct hit). I will leave it up to you to decide if the theory of whether his skill level changes based on the weapon he's firing holds any merit, or is worth further discussion.

Moving on— the 99-clan is reunited on Bracca. Let’s turn our attention to the shot Crosshair takes at Tech whilst the latter was emerging from the ion engine, and I’m going to include pics this time to support my assertion.

Crosshair has an undeniably clear shot— his line of sight is not impeded, there are no environmental or atmospheric disturbances to disrupt his composure, he was ready and waiting for them to appear. The shot that he fires lands a good distance in front of Tech. Though the unexpectedness of it was enough to startle the genius into nearly falling out of the engine, I believe it was intentionally aimed this way (see below). A warning shot if you will. A “Hello, I outsmarted you and am waiting at your point of attempted escape. Stop trying, and get down here because I don’t want my new imperial cohorts to take aim for me and kill you” shot.

The next arc (Ryloth) quickly demonstrates that any neurological augmentations he’s been subject to (at this point, I believe we've been shown two, but have been led to believe there were several), have had no effect on Crosshair’s infamous sniper skills. First, he fires a perfectly aimed tracking beacon onto the moving target of Gobi’s ship. Then, upon the ship’s return, uses a single shot to disable one of the engines; a shot taken from, what appears to be, several kilometres away and having the immediate desired affect of disabling the ship. Finally, he makes the astoungingly precise shot (and I’m using astoundingly very heavily here) of blasting Senator Taa in the head. This shot, more than the previously mentioned two, are a sign of his impeccable marksmanship. Let me remind you, he was an undisclosed albeit very far distance away, on the opposite ridge of an enshadowed canyon, and is still able to shoot the senator in a place in which HE WOULD SURVIVE the attack. And not just survive, ��make a full recovery” as Rampart claims afterward. This is unrivalled accuracy, and while I do not support the assassination attempt in itself, I can not deny how much skill was required to have achieved it.

My next point is something I have always personally found quite compelling, and it occurs in an off-the-cuff, likely forgotten about piece of dialogue.

Brief context: Crosshair has scooped Hunter off of Daro, they’ve landed on Kamino, and the duo (and a third soldier) are on their way to the Command Center to await the rest of the squads arrival. One of Crosshair’s elite troopers waits until he departs the platform before approaching Rampart and saying: “I question the clone’s motives with his old squad. I don’t trust any of them.” I’m intrigued to know where such a potent mistrust began. Is it simply because he’s a clone? A person born and raised unnaturally in comparison to someone with a traditional gestation and upbringing? Or has this soldier previously identified possible cracks in Crosshair’s imperial facade? Has Crosshair failed to hide his distress in quiet moments where he possibly longs for the life he had with his brothers? What is it that triggers this soldier to suspect Crosshair has an ulterior motive in capturing his old squad, and one that they’re apparently worried would not coincide with Rampart’s ideals?

Ramparts reply, in my opinion, gives us a well disguised clue: “If his plan fails, none of them will be a problem any longer.” If his plan fails. Crosshair’s plan. Crosshair has a plan for mobilizing his old family into one place, and what is it? Is he concealing the hidden objective of a reunion with his brothers under the guise of squad assassination? Was it always his plan to eliminate his new elite squad members, hence the perfectly placed mirror pucks we see him utilize in the training room, to make room for his old squad?

Remember, Hunter asks him some time later: “So this was your grand plan? Bring us here and kill us?” Crosshair answers: “If I wanted you dead, you would be.” And this is a statement which I believe to be incontrovertibly true. He has never wanted his family dead, despite having both the resources and skill to ensure they would be if that’s what he desired, but no. He’s angry that he’d inherently felt more loyalty to them than they had shown to him; frustrated that their choices post-Kaller did not align with his expectations of their choices, disheartened that they hadn't initially recognized to his choices to be ones made outside his character, and Crosshair now eagerly rebuffs their every excuse. Reference the spoken: “They don’t leave their own behind… most of the time.” . . . “You tried to kill us, we didn’t have a choice.” . . . “And I did?”

And follows the: “We’re loyal to each other, not some empire.” . . . “You weren’t loyal to me. I was one of you. You may have forgotten, but I haven’t. And it’s why I’m going to give you what you never gave me: a chance���” conversation. (Just stab me in the heart and twist the knife around, Jennifer!!!! Ouch!!! I'm still not over this!)

Was this his plan? To lure his brothers back to their home, and indirectly beg them to join the empire? To offer them the chance to join the ranks of those who have relentlessly hunted them, in the hopes that there might be some semblance of safety in conformity? To reunite the elite squad that they were in the days of the Republic (the original elite squad of which Rampart is trying to replicate with tactically inferior recruited bodies), simply for the safety that joining the empire could potentially promise? Is this the first demonstration of Crosshair using hostility to shield those he cares about from the callous clutches of the empire that he’d become painfully familiar with?

Regardless of the still-unexplained motive, Crosshair’s plan fails. Hunter has either become, or has always been, as protective of his family as Crosshair is stubborn, and he would never willingly subject his brothers (and now sister) to a life of committing abhorrent war crimes in the name of an Emperor who rose, uninhibited, to extreme and unnatural levels of power whilst abolishing the Republic of which they'd previously served. That’s not what their squad was made to do, despite Crosshair trying to convince Hunter perhaps maybe it was.

Unsurprisingly, Crosshair’s pitch falls on deaf ears, even despite killing his elite squad as an offering of trust. Once the training droids have been taken care of and the fray had subsided, Crosshair stands to find Hunter now has a blaster pointed directly at him, as does Wrecker— (Echo and Tech, curiously, keep their weapons pointed away), and the tables have quickly turned. Hunter begins his own plea to his brother, and it leads to a very ambiguous admission. Hunter: “Crosshair, forget the empire. This isn’t you, it’s your inhibitor chip.” Crosshair: “Wrong. I had my chip removed a long time ago.”

What degree of this admission is true? All of it? Parts of it? None of it? Was Crosshair only told that his chip was removed during one of the apparently many augmentations he’d been subject to? Was it removed and replaced with an alternative? Or was it truly extracted, and his questionable actions have been entirely his own? If so, was it the fall of the Republic that spooked him enough to join the ranks of an unknown empire? Did the thought of disobeying orders bother him enough to sacrifice the family dynamic he’s always known, and replace it with a safe sense of conformity? And if this is the case, was missing all of the shots he’d aimed at his brothers, a veiled display of love?

Atop the water hours later, Tipoca City has fallen. Due to their imminent death, Crosshair and his squad have been forced to work together to survive. Tech makes a lingering comment about Crosshair’s unyielding personality being outside of his control, and it’s still ringing in our ears at this point because it implies that a lot of this misunderstanding may just be because of how strongly Crosshair forms opinions, and how only one of his brothers understands that about him. Omega is mid-drowning trying to save her droid friend, Hunter is .4 seconds away from leaping into Kamino’s frigid and turbulent waters to try and retrieve her… and we see Crosshair grab his rifle. This is a shot, of any, that I would expect him to miss— water both impedes and shifts the trajectory of a projectile and mathmatically accommodating for this would take some serious, well thought out calculation; the only usable light for aiming is from the burning remnants of their home, and the container in which Crosshair is perched heaves and tips with every wave.

But he doesn’t miss. He, again, demonstrates that he can make any and every shot he wants to. He lands his shot on AZI’s chest (not dissimilar to where he shot Wrecker, on an obviously smaller scale), and pulls Omega from the depths of the water. Upon turning to see his brothers poised and ready to shoot him if they deemed the need appropriate, I think Crosshair realizes how monumental the fracturing of their squad was. They have no trust left for him. His actions, powered by an inhibitor chip or not, quickly led them to believe he was not the person they knew him to be. As much as he desperately wanted to them understand how powerful the control of the chip was, they didn’t. And I think this moment robs Crosshair of some of his anger and resentment he harboured toward them, and reaffirms that his only option now is to follow the path he was first influenced to follow, regardless of if it’s what he wants now or not. He then chooses abandonment. He chooses to be left stranded on that platform, likely aware that the potential he’d perish there was high. His separation was now his choice.

Let’s move on to Season Two! Episode 3, appropriately named “the Solitary Clone”, indirectly shows us more about Crosshair than I believe any previous episode ever has. Crosshair’s marksmanship is, once again, on full display as he takes down an old separatist tank with one shot (I’m still reeling over it, ok? That shit made me horny). And I can’t move on from this episode without also mentioning how it ended— we know Crosshair has respect for Commander Cody, that was demonstrated by his willingness to follow Cody’s command while he rebuked others’ in the Skako/Anaxes arc. I think it’s also apparent by the return of his notorious sarcasm, that Crosshair is happy to see a familiar face, one of which he may have previously deemed a friend. Cody, in return, places tidbit of trust in Crosshair (I’m also going to link this post in case anyone is curious about my thoughts on Cody’s initial comments). Not only does the commander inch toward the precarious conversation about “going rogue” and the Order-66 debacle, but Cody lets Crosshair take the lead after their shuttle crashes on Desix. “Trust me,” Crosshair begs, and Cody accedes.

They gain access to the strong hold; Crosshair, Cody and Nova (RIP) struggle only mildly with the droid forces ("Droideka's."). Crosshair demonstrates more inhuman trigonometry abilities and immaculate skill by using those mirror pucks to shoot around corners. Cody saves Crosshair’s tushy when a Commando droid gets a little too close to the sniper. Crosshair lowers his weapon at Cody’s request while they negotiate with Tawny Ames, a motion he had otherwise refused earlier in the episode (the civillians they come across behind a closed door— Cody lowers his gun and reassures them, Crosshair does not.) And when the Empire shows its true colours by demanding that Cody renege on his promise of peace and assassinate the governor, Crosshair does not hesitate to answer the call.

Now superficially, this act would appear as nothing more than a repeat of his crimes on Onderon, or Crosshair simply “following orders” as he had previously developed into a sort of mantra. But I think it’s much more layered than that. I think Crosshair recognized that Cody would be subject punishment did he not comply, a notion reinforced by his extended time at Rampart’s elbow, where it was regularly displayed that clones were of little significane and use to this new military regime. What would happen to Cody as a result of his disobedience? Would he simply be demoted from Commander? Would he be court-martialed and questioned? Detained and imprisoned? Killed? Is this why Crosshair took action into his own hands, and “did what needed to be done”? To protect Cody from the repercussions of disobeying a direct order? Or, more harrowingly and something that I am more inclined to believe, was Crosshair protecting Cody from the poignant shame and self-hatred that he knew the Commander would feel if he DID comply? Was Crosshair unwilling to let the mind of another clone be tainted by the emotionless demands of the empire, so he took the action upon himself? Was his objectively unnecessary and cruel attack, an action of deep seated respect and appreciation? Is this why Cody's comment about living with the consequences of their decisions affects Crosshair so deeply as they separate at the end of the mission?

Let’s dial back to the debated intention of Crosshair’s shots— are his missed shots deliberately missed? Our next stop on this journey is The Outpost (my personal favourite, and not because of the dreamy, sardonic, bearded Commander Mayday), but because of the overt growth that we see Crosshair attain. (Here’s an analysis I posted a while back about some of the messages I think the writers were trying to convey via symbolism throughout Crosshair's episodes to this point). If you've read it and even partially subscribe to my theory, then we can agree Crosshair’s mentality has been shifting little by little since we saw him last, and his attachment to Mayday (and the adjacent benefit that Crosshair rediscovers in companionship and brotherhood) is proof of this. So here’s what happens— raiders make it inside the perimeter of the Outpost thanks to limited man-power and degrading equipment. Crosshair heads directly to where he knows he can play to his strengths: high ground. He’s taking quick and careful aim at the retreating insurgent when the nearby shuttle explodes, and something peculiar happens. Whether it be the blinding flash of the explosion magnified significantly by his riflescope that had caused him such immediate discomfort, or something more (chip alert? Maybe? Or residual effects of having it augmented so many times?), but Crosshair’s subsequent shot is not of his regular quality. He hits his target, so I am not deeming this as a shot missed, but Crosshair has a track record of “one-shots” or “kill shots” of which this is not.

I’m inclined to ramble on for centuries about this episode because there is simply so much development, growth, and symbolism that occurs in those 28 minutes— it’s truly a masterpiece in story telling, but I’ve deviated too far from the intention of this essay (novel) so let’s trek forward.

Let’s get to Tipping Point, and what I would deem to be his only failed shot (and the implications of what it might mean). Crosshair has been sedated, interrogated, injected, neglected, confused, and abused since arriving on Tantiss. (You guessed it, I also have an analysis of this episode, structured a little differently than my previous but still helps to break down what I deem to be the motives behind his actions). Hemlock first attempts to bribe Crosshair with his freedom in exchange for information on his brothers, and as such, divulges his true need for Omega. Crosshair, who has never really had the chance to bond with her like his brothers have, refuses to provide any information. And why? Having only a surface level relationship with Omega, and having rebuffed her advances for companionship several times, why would he protect her in the face of imminent chemical torture? Because it directly protects them, and they are no longer being hunted by a squad of recruited bodies lead by an angry brother... but by a twisted and cruel doctor who's methods were proven unorthodox and tortuous upon immediate introduction.

Upon awakening from another round of interrogation, Crosshair understands the time to act is diminishing quickly, as is his ability to refuse Hemlock the information he wants. Each interrogation leaves him physically and mentally weaker; the time is act is now. He shoots and kills the pair of troopers, as well as the interrogation droid, with no difficulty. He stuns Emerie the scientist (possibly recognizing her clone accent for what it is, thus opting not to kill her?), steals her access card, and stumbles from the room. His body is no where near recovered from whatever toxin that droid injected him with, and he staggers through the unknown halls. Quickly coming across a pair of troopers guarding a doorway, the next shot is the only one that I believe he truly missed, and understandably so. It lands on the wall between their heads, and Crosshair quickly realizing his failure, shoots them with the following two rounds.

While missing that shot is largely inconsequential to the overall story, I think it’s an important anecdote for his character growth. In that moment, Crosshair is both physically weakened and mentally desperate to get a message to his brothers, and it’s the combination of those that had his aim faulty. He’s found himself nothing more than a man broken�� stripped of the celebrated titles he’d once possessed and mentally mined until simply raising and aiming a blaster, a motion he’d once found more innate as breathing, was a motion difficult for him. He's forsaken his family, lost his purpose, been rendered nothing but an experiment and a tool.

So to summarize this egregiously long essay of Crosshair’s character, I’d like to reiterate that he is human. As we all do, he has faults. A lot of his reasoning is arguably flawed. He makes poor decisions, often in haste without considering the ripple effect it may have. He is extremely stubborn, and he does not communicate well. And there are things he’s done and decisions he’s made that I can not personally elucidate and would love to openly discuss with other Crosshair enthusiasts (example, trying to incinerate his brothers in an ion engine— did he assume Hunter would double back again, and this is Crosshair’s attempt at forcing them into the open? Or is this one of the moments when he cannot fight off the chips control?). You don’t have to like him. You don’t have to agree with him or anything he says. You don’t have to like me or agree with anything I say, but as we head into the third and final Act of this remarkable story, it is worth determining which of his actions are superficially misunderstood, and which have a deeper meaning that a casual viewer might simply overlook.

Thank you for attending the Ted Talk that no one asked for.

Holly ♥️

**forewent the taglist as this is not my typical content

[dead-enby-detective]

I love the Dead Boy Detectives show so I decided to watch the Doom Patrol episode: Dead Patrol which includes their version of the DBD Agency because I was curious about the different portrayals.

(This is a long post, I’m sorry, I have a lot of thoughts 💭)

First- gotta say, it’s wild that Ruth Connell plays both versions of the Night Nurse (when I heard her voice in the Doom Patrol episode I was like !!!) when they are SO gosh darn different.

In DBD she still feels like a person. We, as the audience, know she’s in the wrong about the boys but we can also see her point of view. If the show continues I’m excited to see where they take her character.

In Doom Patrol… she’s just creepy AF! I mean she’s a horror movie monster whose face splits apart and turns people into zombies by throwing up on them like WTH? I’m good with not seeing her again, no matter how well Ruth plays her lol.

Anyways props to Ruth fr because dang, she’s got RANGE.

Speaking of the Night Nurse-

It’s interesting to see the different reactions the boys have in the Doom Patrol episode to her compared to in the show.

Firstly, in Doom Patrol they already know her versus in DBD we see them meet her for the first time.

In Doom Patrol they’re kind of chill about it, like this is an enemy they have to deal with now and again, nbd versus in DBD it’s a new threat they don’t know how to handle. It feels like there’s far more weight in DBD to their interaction, in my opinion.

But I think the understanding versus uncertainty of her also impacts their overall reactions to the threat of her.

Both Charles’ react to one) protect Edwin and two) get the Night Nurse to get the heck away from them.

While trying to get the Night Nurse away DP Charles hits her with a bat and DBD Charles with the lullaby machine and then DP Charles throws a grenade and DBD Charles kicks her into a giant fish’s mouth.

Now obviously: different actors, writers, universe, 8 episodes versus 1 but it’s interesting to note that the Doom Patrol boys are much less reactive to their own/each other’s violence.

DP Edwin doesn’t react much to DP Charles hitting the Night Nurse and then throwing an explosive at her, DBD Edwin however is devastated by DBD Charles’s intense reaction to the Night Nurse trying to take them away/separate them:

DP Edwin doesn’t really say anything about it just kind of tells her off and DBD Edwin tells Charles his reaction was extreme.

Then in the aftermath DP Charles just walks (runs) away from the situation, seemingly fine with the whole thing while DBD Charles breaks down after the whole affair

Like DBD Charles is wreck by the whole thing.

Again I’m fully aware that having eight episodes dedicated to these characters stories compared to about half of one dedicated to them allows for very different stories but I think it’s neat how different their reactions to violence, their violence are.

Throughout the DBD show the phrase “a good detective does what they must to solve the case” but really, they have instances where they could have used violence to solve or speed up their case work and they actively chose not to, because they truly don’t want to. Charles does, even before this, have moments of violence but it’s clear it’s something that hurts him and it’s not usually his first reaction. They tend to try to avoid being violent if they can.

Compared to the DP dead boys, it feels almost like a means to an end for them. It doesn’t feel like they of out of their way to be violent but also like they’re less likely to avoid it overall. And it doesn’t impact them the same way.

I just think it’s neat how vastly different two portrayals of the same characters can be especially with such core traits.

They’re the same characters, different fonts and it’s so fun to compare and contrast.

—————

I have more thoughts but this post is getting pretty long so I think I’ll make another post/posts about em later.

[gacha-incels]

this article has been run thru mtl and edited. if there are any discrepancies please lmk and I’ll edit it asap. thanks everyone for your continued help and patience

Segye Ilbo Exclusive: "No Sexual Crime Charge Despite 'Humiliation Request'… The Perpetrator Aspires to Become a Teacher" By Jeong Ji-hye Published on September 8, 2024, 10:14 AM

"They posted my name, resident registration number, and address in a photo, asking, 'Please humiliate her,' and threatened to 'enslave me.' But since they didn’t explicitly ask for sexual harassment, it’s not considered a sexual crime."

A (18), a high school student from Seoul, met with Segye Ilbo on August 30 to discuss her experience of catching a perpetrator who attempted to commit a Deepfake sexual crime against her via Telegram last May. Although she was able to quickly identify the perpetrator and prevent further damage, the emotional aftermath continues to trouble her.

The incident began in mid-May when A received a message from someone claiming to be preparing to join the police force. The message said she was involved in a digital sex crime. At first, A thought it was a spam message, but after hearing from a friend about the rise of Deepfake crimes, she decided to follow up with the informant.

The materials A received were shocking. The captured conversations included her name, phone number, Instagram ID, home address, a photo of her ID, and various other documents like her USB contents, resume, and family relationship certificate. In a group chat, the perpetrator sought someone to "humiliate" A, and upon finding someone, they would move to a private chat to share more detailed information about her.

A, who described herself as generally quiet at school, was terrified to learn that someone held such deep animosity toward her. She suspected the perpetrator was a fellow student but couldn’t pinpoint who it might be. Eventually, the informant advised her to check her Instagram followers, as the perpetrator had just sent her a follow request on her private account.

It turned out to be someone she knew—a male student from her class, B. Shocked, A realized that the seemingly "normal" B was the one behind the crime. She matched his Telegram profile with the perpetrator’s and reported him to the police, who confirmed that they could identify the perpetrator. Within a week of receiving the first message, B was caught.

Because A was able to identify the perpetrator quickly, she avoided being victimized by Deepfake content. The perpetrator hadn’t yet obtained photos beyond her ID photo to create a Deepfake image. A expressed relief, saying, "I post a selfie on my public Instagram account about once a month, and it seems like the perpetrator couldn’t find any images after deciding to commit the crime. If I had posted a photo just a week later, the situation might have been different."

"I wasn't the only one affected. So many others have suffered. It made me realize we need to root this out completely."

A few months later, A learned that what she experienced was part of a much larger issue involving nationwide Deepfake pornography production. She realized this was a continuation of the infamous 2019 Telegram Nth Room sexual exploitation case. A suspected there could be overlap between the perpetrators, and since they hadn’t all been caught, they might continue committing similar crimes.

A decided to come forward for this interview, hoping to raise awareness of the need for appropriate punishment, even for attempted Deepfake production and "humiliation" requests. Although B specifically targeted A and made degrading comments about turning her into a slave, no charges were applied. Even posting her ID and personal information couldn’t be punished under current laws. In the end, B was only charged with theft for stealing her USB, avoiding criminal punishment and facing only juvenile court.

A representative from Nowon Police Station commented, "The case was processed under theft and the Personal Information Protection Act, and we referred the theft charge to the prosecutor's office." However, they explained that since B did not use A’s resident registration number for identity verification, it wasn’t punishable under the Resident Registration Act. The police also noted that since no digital manipulation occurred, they couldn’t classify it as a digital sex crime. There was no clear regulation for the "humiliation" request either.

While four individuals, including the informant, are suspected of discussing A’s "humiliation" with B in private chats, forensic analysis of B’s phone was not conducted. The police explained, "At the time, we determined that there was no one else holding A’s data."

The Nowon Police official further noted, "With the rise of new crimes like Deepfake, there is momentum for new laws to address even attempted crimes. Once laws are in place, we will be able to apply appropriate penalties."

"I'm a senior in high school, and going through this makes it hard to even dream about college life. As for the perpetrator? He wants to become a math teacher."

B, who was sent to juvenile court, faced a forced transfer under the School Violence Countermeasures Committee. Unlike expulsion, which leaves a permanent record, forced transfers are erased after four years. By the time B graduates from university and seeks employment, no trace of the incident will remain. The education office cited that "it was a one-time offense, and he showed signs of remorse," as the reason for the lenient punishment.

A said, "I never received an apology from B, and even though he was supposed to submit a handwritten apology to the school, nothing was delivered." She expressed frustration, believing that B was merely pretending to be remorseful during the committee hearing to avoid harsher consequences.

The aftermath of the incident severely impacted A’s academic performance and mental health. She couldn’t concentrate on her studies due to depression and panic attacks. Though B is no longer at the school, some of his friends remain, leaving A in constant fear of illegal filming or further harm. She is currently on medication and has taken academic leave, virtually giving up on this year’s college entrance exam.

Meanwhile, B is reportedly preparing for university entrance exams at his new school, aiming to become a math teacher. A noted that the fact that her daily life remains disrupted while B's proceeds almost unaffected is what infuriates her the most.

When asked if she had someone to confide in, A said, "Not really. Everyone wants to move on, so I don’t talk about it. I also don’t want to burden my family or friends with my emotions." She added, "It's hard to approach people now, and I fear that expressing my anxiety will make me seem weak. I constantly worry about being targeted again if I upset someone."

Jeong Ji-hye, Reporter wisdom@segye.com

[wayfayrr]

I’ll throw hands with anyone not being respectful. Take care of yourself Moss <3

On a different note, I’d love to know what other lil crumbs of lore you came up with for Tarnished <33 I already miss the baby boy <333

On another note, gonna say this here in case you don’t know cause I didn’t my first time around and struggled against Godrick a lot (died like over 40+ times, at least) but you can get to Liurnia before you beat him or even Morgott ✨ have fun exploring around more <3

~🍀 anon

/platonic

I promise you I'm taking care of myself!! <3

as for tarnished headcanons? I've been working on a few as I've been playing more (near 8hours, a corruption scare and I've beaten 3 bosses lmao) and I've even got another name for him now courtesy of a friend <3

✦ from appearance alone, the rest of the chain see him as a very serious and jaded person. however, he is not. he's jaded yes but he's actually an incredibly dorky guy with an awful sense of humour. (you know what the messages are like in that game if not well [here's an example] there are even more in the comments too)

✦ however he's the most aggressive fighter, opting to forgo using a shield and instead prioritizes hyper aggressive attacks and dodging rather than blocking. choosing to die and then reawaken at a sight of grace than being cautious. usually he swaps between dual swords or a fingerseal/staff due to having some level of aptitude in incantations and sorceries

✦ speaking of sites of grace - most of the chain (besides elden and rulie and I want to include wind too) can't see them. they just see tarnished sit down and stare into space, they also aren't aware of the fact that elden can come back from death using them. this isn't something that's fun for them to learn, as he does not tell them until the aftermath

✦ He's one of the 'weirder' links, being the most similar in personality to wild. Always ready to get into trouble and to mess about doing stuff for others.

✦ Surprisingly he's part of the church of dragon communion, having consumed his first heart before defeating margit (not before facing him for the first time though, he died a lot before doing that) and he ended up with glintstone breath!! he's well aware of the risks of becoming a wrym but he's planning a way to mitigate these, he knows he doesn't have to worry till he gets the dragon eyes though.

more mundane stuff? his spell use is mostly centred around healing and glintstone, he's practical above all else when it comes to equipment, he knows basic smithing to upgrade weapons, he's a surprisingly decent cook and he's very friendly to interact with despite his more general demeanor

but that's about it for what he's got right now! I've got the dragon and Margit fight recorded if you'd like <3 well If I can find a way to convert or post webm files that is lmao (why this post got a little delayed)

[serickswrites]

Lonely Place of Longing

Master post here (includes character bios, summary, and chapter links)

Warnings: restraints, blood, cut, wounds, hurt/aftermath, hurt/recovery, caretaker and whumpee, captivity of sorts

“Welcome to Scutus, Halle Corvus,” Samuel Rex, spokesman of Scutus, said, his hazel eyes crinkling at the corners.

“Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity,” Halle said enthusiastically. Halle had always wanted to make a difference with her life. She knew that Scutus—with their unprecedented efforts to keep the world safe—was the best way to do so. Though she had limited military training, and absolutely no background in technology management, somehow Halle had managed to get the job.

“Let me take you to your team. You’re going to be assigned to Alpha Team. They’re our most active. I’ll let Thomas Petri fill you in on your duties. He is your direct superior, team leader, and you are to report to him.”

“Understood. Thank you, Samuel.” Halle hurried along to follow Samuel. Though Samuel’s hair was grey and thinning, he was surprisingly spry for a man his age.

“There are several teams. But Alpha has the most unusual members. Ah, Thomas, there you are,” Samuel stopped in the hallway as he almost collided with a hulking figure. Thomas easily stood a head taller than Samuel. And a head and a half taller than Halle. He looked down at Halle with warm, dark eyes.

“You must be my new medic.”

Halle nodded vigorously. “Yes, sir! I won’t let you down.”

“I’ll introduce you to the rest of the team. They’re in our portion of Tectus. What has Samuel told you about our team?” Thomas walked quickly. Halle had to half jog to keep up.

“That you are very active as a team. And that you have…” Halle’s voice trailed off. How would Thomas take to having his team called unusual?

“We have a pretty big team. I’ll introduce you to them all in time. But I have to warn you. We have something assigned to our unit that makes us indispensable. Your job will be to manage and take care of that thing.”

“I won’t let you down. I promise,” Halle said eagerly.

“Do you know what a living weapon is, Halle?” Thomas asked, completely ignoring Halle’s promises.

Halle stopped walking. A living weapon. She had heard of them of course. But never in her wildest dreams did she think she would ever see one, let alone work with one. They were supposedly the most dangerous assets Scutus had at their disposal. Their enemies, of course, also had living weapons. A great number of them. Weapons were allegedly easily corruptible. Weapons were typically very, very evil. They had to be kept under lock and key at all times. Halle nodded. “They’re a human, well they were human to start with. And they’ve been imbued with…”

“With powers that make them more dangerous than an army of regular soldiers.”

Halle swallowed. So it was true. Living weapons really could level a city by themselves.

“We have one. He’s called Dylan. Your job is simple, Halle. Keep Dylan alive. Patch him up when we bring him back. And keep him in his quarters. He isn’t to be trusted with any freedom. No matter how much he asks, you can never let him out of our quarters unsupervised. Do I make myself clear?”

Halle nodded.

“And, Halle, please remember he is dangerous. He is deadlier than any gun, knife, or projectile you will ever see. Please remember that.”

Halle nodded again and continued to follow Thomas. She half heartedly listened to Thomas introduce her to Alpha Team. Over a dozen names and faces to memorize. But none of them were the weapon. And Halle’s mind kept drifting to the weapon. What was he like? What were his powers? Would he hurt Halle? Would he try to escape and hurt the rest of the team?

After what felt like hours of introductions, but Halle realized it may have only been half an hour, Thomas was leading her away from the rest of the team. “Dylan’s room is down this hall. I hope you don’t mind, it’s where we had to put your room.” Thomas looked a touch embarrassed. “No one wants to stay down here near him. I’ve put in a work order to repurpose our library into a living quarters. Once that’s nearly ready we can convert your room to the library and then you can move. I’m sorry.”

No one even wanted to sleep near the weapon. How evil was he? “It’s ok. I’m sure it won’t be that bad. Thank you.” Thomas knocked loud and hard on a door at the end of the hall.

“Dylan! Open up!” Thomas called gruffly. “You have a new keeper. Come meet her!”

The door swung open to reveal a small, spartan room. A bed was tucked into a corner, blanket neatly tucked in. A desk was not too far from there, a small stack of books and papers in the center. Halle could see a small balcony, opposite the door, that overlooked Tectus’s grounds. Halle swallowed as she realized the balcony was caged in. The other window had bars. There was no escaping this room.

Thomas strode into the center of the room and turned to face the door. “Dylan, meet Halle Corvus. Halle this is Dylan.”

Dylan leaned against the wall. His pale blonde hair curled softly at his collar and he watched Halle with icy blue eyes. He was tall and lean, though his build didn’t betray the power that lurked beneath. His clothes were plain—black shirt tucked into black pants, with black boots. The only thing adorning him were the silvery cuffs at his wrists—cuffs that Halle knew kept him from accessing his power.

“Nice to meet you, Halle,” Dylan said, his voice surprisingly soft. Halle fully expected his voice to be low, grating. She didn’t expect a soft, pleasant sounding voice.

Halle swallowed twice before replying. “Nice to meet you, too.”

“I’m going to leave you two to get acquainted. Dylan you are to give Halle a run down of your medical history and what she may need to know to be better than your last keeper. Actually, you can also let her patch up that cut from our mission this morning. It’s a small one, Halle. Won’t take you that long. I’ll check back in with you, Halle, in,” Thomas looked at his watch, “an hour. I have a briefing with Delta Team to get to.”

Before Halle could protest, Thomas left. Halle stood in the center of the room, her heart in her throat. Thomas left her alone. With a living weapon. A being so dangerous he was kept in a room that was essentially a cage. And he had his powers suppressed at all times.

“Are you afraid of me?” Dylan asked quietly. He hadn’t moved. Hadn’t attempted to get closer to Halle. Hadn’t tried to run out the door behind Thomas.

Halle licked her suddenly dry lips. “Yes.”

Dylan nodded. “Good. You should be.” He crossed the room and flopped onto his stomach on the bed. Halle could see a long, still bleeding cut, running the length of the weapon’s back from his left shoulder to his right hip.

The weapon propped his head up on his arms. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you unless Thomas tells me to.”

“Do you always do as Thomas asks?”

The weapon lay his cheek on his arm. “Yes. I am to always listen to Thomas.” The weapon sighed. “The last one didn’t last long. There’s no shame in quitting. I won’t blame you.”

“What?”

“My last keeper. He quit after three days. It’s ok if you are too scared. You can quit. Everyone does eventually.” The weapon seemed to say the last more to himself than Halle.

“Where’s your first aid kit?” If she got to work she could ignore the weapon and his ice cold eyes.

“In my med bay.”

“You have your own?” This unit was much fancier than Halle thought. Each member got their own private med bay. Just how large was this space?

The weapon closed his eyes as though he was suddenly very weary. “No one wanted to share with me.”

Halle was silent. What do you even say to that? She looked around for the door to the med bay.

“You don’t need to dress it, Halle. It will clot soon. Probably.”

“You’ll ruin your sheets.”

“Isn’t the first time. Won’t be the last time.”

Halle very much did not want to be alone in the room with the weapon any longer. But she had a job to do. So she crossed the room to a door that she thought might lead to another room. She was right. The med bay was well stocked. She grabbed some gauze and anti septic so she could dress the wound.

Halle worked in silence. And the weapon was silent. Halle expected him to fill Halle in on his medical history while she worked. Expected him to say anything. But the weapon merely lay there and let Halle clean and dress the wound. “I don’t think it needs stitches. But I could glue it if—“

“It’s fine, Halle.” The weapon pulled his shirt off and over his head. His back and chest were littered with scars, some older, some newer. “Here’s my medical history. I can’t get sick. I can’t remember if I did before…before I came here.”

Halle marveled at the scars. How was the weapon still alive? Some of them were serious, grievous wounds. “Anything else I should know?”

The weapon shook his head. He opened another door to reveal a small closet. He tossed the soiled shirt into a bin. He pulled another shirt from the drawer and put it on. “I am glad to meet you, Halle. No matter how long you stay here.”

Tags: @beomsstudio @mousepaw @keeper-of-all-the-random-things @eyehartart @corbytheking

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[words-writ-in-starlight]

Hello, I came across your Kencyrath rec post and I am tentatively intruiged. That said I wanted to ask about a trigger before I dive in. Suicide is pretty strong trigger for me. I can handle it if it's mentioned, but detailed descriptions of the act or a lot of time spent in a suicidal character's head/thoughts dealing with suicidal ideation would not be. Is this an issue in the Chronicles of Kencyrath, and if it is, do you have a different recommendation?

Okay SO.

The Kencyrath exist in a honor/shame society, in which going against the code of honor (lying, breaking your word, etc) is considered a sin that can only be forgiven through an honorable death. Sometimes this takes the form of going into battle without the intention to come back, generally without armor, but it also takes the form of ritualized suicide with a specific kind of knife. I would call it a very specific kind of suicidal ideation, in which it doesn’t come so much from a depressive headspace as it does from a kind of rigidly religious one. There isn’t a ton of time spent in the heads of characters actively pursuing ritual suicide, nor what I would call traditional depressive suicidality, but it IS a very present element of the society, including people freely making choices with the understanding that they will be expected to take their own life afterward, or people being forced to take their own life as an alternative to being dishonored. Think samurai rules or Imperial Chinese rules and you’ll be in the right ballpark. Ultimately I can’t know the inside of your brain, but if onscreen suicide discussion or aftermath is a concern, I might table this series until you feel more ready for it.

In terms of alternative recommendations, buckle up, I have a list based on what part of the Kencyrath pitch you were into. These recommendations are made with the assumption that all the OTHER content warnings for the Kencyrath are not a problem, but I’ll note any really major ones and include a broad rating according to AO3 rules. Anything with an asterisk by it heavily features the big Chivalric Devotion vibes of the main Kencyrath dynamics. I read a lot of that.

Sprawling politics:

The Unbroken* (drafted soldier impresses daughter of the empress, they try to stop a war, full of double-crossing schemes and gallant ladies, cw colonialism, M for violence, sex, and extremely real colonialism)

The Captive Prince* (dethroned prince is sold into slavery under his mortal enemy, definitional enemies-to-lovers content, cw sexual assault, E for a very sexually relaxed culture in a bad way)

A Taste of Gold and Iron* (unambitious prince gets tangled up in a currency fraud scheme and gets a shiny new bodyguard, E for a very sexually relaxed culture in a good way)

October Daye series (starts out classic urban fantasy, rapidly becomes Blood Magic and Politics The Series, for those committed to a long series, T for violence)

Pulp fantasy adventure vibes:

Hero and the Crown/The Blue Sword* (classic sword and sorcery fantasy, for DnD lovers and people who read Horse Girl Books as kids, General Audiences)

Silver Under Nightfall* (vampire couple teams up with vampire hunter to cure a magical plague, the polyamorous murder romance you need in your life, cw coercive assault and body horror, E for gore and numerous threesomes)

Heaven Official’s Blessing***** (translated Chinese novel, very old fallen god returns to Heaven and Does His Best, for those committed to a LONG book, currently on volume 8, T for violence)

Witch King (body hopping demon tries to solve his own murder with his found family in tow, perfect standalone book, T for violence)

Spicy magic systems:

The City We Became/The World We Made (sentient cities and extra dimensional invaders, for everyone who read a lot of Avengers In NYC fic back in 2012, cw racism and survival sex work, M for sex)

Gideon the Ninth/The Locked Tomb series***** (everyone knows about this series, it’s the one with the lesbian space necromancers, cw for just the craziest flavors of abuse, M for violence and cannibalism I guess, also fits the below category)

The Gilded Ones* (what if all the misogynists who said women were demons were absolutely correct, and it was fucking rad, cw for SO much sexism and also religious indoctrination, T for violence)

A Soul to Keep* et al (okay oKAY LOOK THIS IS MONSTERFUCKER CONTENT BUT I RECOMMEND IT, local cursed woman gets forced to marry a demon, they argue a lot and the sex scenes are REAL bizarre, cw kidnapping and the second book deals with a character coming out of a severe depression, HARD E for monsterfucking, obviously)

Interpersonal relationships that are just SO fucked up:

A Dowry of Blood (a letter from Dracula’s first wife to the man himself, cw domestic abuse, M for adult themes and sex)

Remnants of Filth/Yuwu* (translated Chinese novel, loyal general becomes the jailer for his traitorous ex-lover, cw slavery and discussion of sexual assault, E for sex)

The Salt Grows Heavy (homicidal Little Mermaid and plague doctor wander through an apocalypse together, actually read everything Cassandra Khaw has ever touched, the absolute pinnacle of horror, cw all her stuff for really creative violence and body horror, M for violence and gore)

Anyway if you have any other book recommendation questions and/or you read any of these and enjoy them, hit me up, recommending books to people is genuinely one of my great joys in life.

[letstalkwhump]

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here today to talk all things whumpy is the brilliant @whumpcereal!

It’s great to have you here! Let’s start with a fact or two about yourself  like your favorite color or favorite animal? 

My name is Kay, and I’m a high school teacher in my 30’s. Besides whumping unsuspecting gentlemen, my hobbies include reading a lot, belting out showtunes, cooking for people I love, hitting up new bars and restaurants with friends, and traveling. And since you asked–and as a teacher, I hate unanswered questions–I’ve recently realized that orange might be my favorite color, and I love gorillas. 

What does whump mean to you?

 It’s the sort of pressing-on-a-bruise feeling that is wrapped up in watching someone suffer and then be comforted. It’s the need for vulnerability and human connection. It’s watching Prince Philip get chained to a wall and not understanding why you find it so magnetic, but you do, haha! 

How did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I was writing for the Newsies fandom (I know) during the pandemic, and one of my favorite authors tagged her epic work with “whump.” I clicked the tag on tumblr, and I found @lonesome--hunter’s Ezra almost immediately; I fell down the rabbit hole and never came out. After Ezra, I spent a good long time with @ashintheairlikesnow’s Danny and then @galaxywhump’s Wren. I realized that a lot of what I was putting in my own writing could be classified as “whump,” but I wasn’t sure how to join in the fun. I lurked for a while and then beta-ed for @darkthingshappen before I got brave enough to post my own stuff. But part of what motivated me to start posting was just how supportive and welcoming the whole community is. On AO3, you can get tons of hits but almost no real engagement; with whump, that’s totally different. It makes my little dopamine receptors ping. 

The whump community is amazingly supportive! Do you think your view on or the way you consume whump changed since you joined? 

 I am definitely a hurt/comfort gal. I can’t do the hurt without the comfort, and I need my whump to be strongly oriented in the characters’ feelings, whether we’re talking whumpers or whumpees. I struggle when a character is just getting the shit kicked out of them endlessly; I want them to have some relief, even if the relief is bittersweet or painful in its own way. I also find it easier to whump an OC than I do a fandom character, just because if they’re mine, I can build the kind of backstory that makes the whump reasonable. 

And your favourite whump trope?

 I do like noncon. Whump is a genre where I’ve really been able to explore scary things that have happened to me, and when a whumpee has an honest (and not needlessly gratuitous) nonconsensual experience, I gravitate toward it, especially if they’re allowed to explore the aftermath and how it makes them feel. I also love a mute whumpee–probably because I watched The Little Mermaid too many times growing up. Something about the helplessness of being trapped in your own body and at the mercy of others–hey, whumperflies! Captivity whump too, especially anything in the BBU. The BBU was one of my favorite discoveries when I found the community. It provides such rich opportunities! 

Captivity whump is so good! Would you mind sharing a favourite piece you've written? (the following pieces may contain non-explicit nsfw references)

Ooooh. Well, I guess I’ll choose one from each of my series. For Jack, my first and forever whumpee in Behavior Modification, and his caretaker, my wish-fulfillment fake husband, Joe, it’s this piece with their little girl. It’s something that I wrote in basically a single stretch one afternoon last summer, and I’m proud of it because it shows both how far Jack has come in his recovery and how much everything he’s gone through is still affecting him. It also shows how fierce of a protector Joe is, even though Jack’s got strength of his own. Plus, Hallie, their little girl, was super fun to create. She’s a feisty little thing, and I liked the idea of looking at such a dark, violent system through a child’s eyes. 

For The Kennel, it’s this piece which immediately follows my boy Will after his best friend Tommy is forced to assault him. It’s got the aftermath of noncon, plus it includes a lot of world building for my scary whumper, Doc, and his particular set-up. It really sets up the horror of the situation in which Will and Tommy have found themselves and also emphasizes the stories of other whumpees whose stories I’d love to explore (Justin and Tony, I’m looking at you). Plus, it gives Annie–who’s technically the caretaker in this story, even though she’s been abused herself–a chance to think about how she’s been raised and the way her father treats people. My favorite moment is when Will just breaks down completely, because we haven’t seen him do that yet. It’s a human moment, and he’s feeling so much less than human that it’s almost cathartic. 

And then, honorable mention to this piece where I crossover my two stories and let Jack help Will as his post-rescue counselor. I had so much fun with that reveal! 

Oh wow, I love the Kennel piece! You’ve broken my heart with Justin and Will! Would you like to share your writing routine  with us?

 I’ve actually been riding a bit of a block lately, but typically, I am an evening writer. No drinks or snacks, but usually movie scores that match the mood of what I’m writing. On good nights, it’s big blocks; on others, it’s just a sentence here and there (that’s been where I’m at lately). I try to write a little every day, but again, it’s been rough lately. Being a teacher at the end of the year is just as hard as being a student, haha. 

I can only imagine! Are some things easier for you to write? Anything you struggle with writing?

 I have an easier time writing recovery than I do straight whump, which is sometimes a bummer, because the whump community doesn’t seem to like recovery quite as much. So, I’ll pour myself into a recovery piece I have big feelings about, and then it won’t get quite as much traffic and engagement as when I’m roughing up the boys. I am very careful about how I write noncon. I think I do a decent job, but I try to approach it from a place of sensitivity to the person who is suffering versus engaging through violence alone. That can take a lot of time and thought and big feelings. 

And is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

I do have a fantasy crossover miniseries with Jack, Joe, and Ivan and @oddsconverts’ Josh and Felix that I’ve had a really fun time working on. I need to write a little intro before I post it. I need to go back to Jack and his intimacy consultations at WRU, and AU AU Joe and his reaction to the Drip. Poor Will and Tommy are in desperate need of attention; I need to get Will sold away so all the drama can increase. Maybe during summer vacation? 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today? I am only funny on accident. Just ask my students. ;-) 

Do you have any writing advice you’d like to share?

I’m great at giving advice to others, but absolute shit at following that advice myself. For instance, write for you. Don’t write for hits, likes, reblogs, etc. Just write what you want to read. Write as often as you can. During the pandemic, what got me back into writing after years of thinking about it was trying to write a little every day. Find you some writing friends who will get excited with you when there’s something you can’t wait to write about. 

Finally, would you like to give a mention to some of the amazing people in the whump community?

I already mentioned some of my favorites, but shout outs to @hold-him-down (whom I was lucky enough to eat very expensive risotto with this spring and whose Leo is one of my very favorite whumpees), @peachy-panic (58 Days is one of my VERY favorites), @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump (whose Wyatt has my whole heart), and @squishablesunbeam (I mean, Jesse? Come on!). My first friends in the whump community were @darkthingshappen (creator of my Benny baby), @oddsconvert (whose series are all so beautifully written that I can’t choose a favorite–she even made me like vampire whump–and who is my wonder twin forever), and @sparrowsage (go check out his new stuff!). 

Thank you so much for joining us, @whumpcereal ! It was a pleasure to have you here! 

And to all you lovely folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[canonicallyobserving911]

Seven Several Sentences Sunday

Fanonwriter2023 on AO3

Where CANON and FANON collide!

This is an EPIC LOVE STORY!

Season 7 FANON Speculation: Buddie Multi-Chapter Fanfic - Hiatus Reading: “I’m still in love with you but... I needed to learn how to love myself too!”

Chapter 15 is available on AO3 & Chapter 16 will be posted soon.

Currently 15 chapters completed: 484.9K Words Rated: Mature

One chapter will be posted at a time.

I'm so excited to finish writing Chapter 16 because there are so many things happening for Buck and Eddie and the Diaz Family. For anyone who hasn't read Chapter 15, here's a brief overview: Buck and Eddie got engaged and they're in the process of planning the day their going to get married but it's different from the day they're planning to have an actual ceremony. They're getting married in December 2023 but the ceremony won't take place until May 2024 so they can invite their found family and Eddie's family to the ceremony. Buck told Eddie he wants to take his last name and they immediately started saying they're going to be Mr. & Mr. Diaz. Also, two more people discovered they're in a relationship but who was it and what did they see? Bobby already knows so who else saw something that caused them to believe they're already together?

___________

Here's some more romantic fluff between Buck and Eddie from Chapter 16.

___________

“Clipboard Buck” returns!

When Eddie enters the kitchen, the first thing he sees are the three lists Buck placed on the table along with his clipboard.  He quietly chuckles because he hasn’t seen it in months but if he’s honest with himself, he’ll admit he’s missed it.  Even though everyone else at the firehouse gets annoyed whenever they see his fiancé wielding his clipboard and ink pen, he doesn’t and he never has.  Actually, every time he saw Buck using it to check things off one of his lists, it always turned him on.

He absolutely adores “Clipboard Buck” and now that they’re getting married, he’ll get to reap the benefits of authoritative Buck for the rest of their lives.  He can’t wait until they start scheduling all the rest of their adventures so his husband will get all excited as he plans their itineraries.

Buck’s standing in front of the stove spraying the skillet with cooking spray, the Bluetooth speaker is playing and even with the kitchen door open, he hasn’t realized Eddie’s entered the room.

He walks over, stands behind his fiancé, with a big smile on his face, he wraps his arms around his waist and says, “Really my love?  You pulled out your clipboard?”

Buck turns his head to the side so he can look at him.  “Indeed I did because we have a lot to do and it’s how I keep everything organized.  I don’t just use it at the firehouse.”

Eddie leans closer and whispers into his ear, “I know but be sure to pack your clipboard for our trip to Italy and England so I can…”  He lowers his voice even more, says something naughty and when he finishes talking, he places a soft kiss underneath his earlobe.

“I’ll pack more than one so we can do that every night.”  Buck replies with his million-dollar smile that he saves just for Eddie.

What items does Buck have included on their three ‘To Do’ Lists? 👀

Also, will they have time to get everything done before they leave L.A. headed to Rome, Italy? 👀

___________

Fic Summary: Months after Buck and Eddie were hit by the same lightning strike; they’re still struggling with the aftermath of it.  But before they make their love confessions, they’ll spend time getting to know themselves as individuals first. Eddie learns to enjoy the simple things in life as he participates in activities on his own and with new friends while Buck learns the rest of the 31-year-old deep dark family secret about his conception and birth. Their journey to forever is still a work in progress but once they finally admit they’re in love with each other, everything that follows their love confessions will be cataclysmic.

__________

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 - Eddie makes a new friend while Buck receives devastating news regarding the sperm donation he made for Connor and Kameron.

Chapter 2 - Buck does a lot of research to learn more about the abnormalities found in his red blood cells and Eddie starts a new therapy journey that’s all about him and not the traumas he’s experienced.

Chapter 3 - After more than a month, Buck and Eddie finally spend time together outside of work but it doesn’t end well and they part with a lot of uncertainty regarding their places in each other’s lives.

Chapter 4 - Eddie has a few realizations about his life which causes him to consider moving back to El Paso, TX while Buck continues to be reminded of his past which causes him to take an impromptu road trip across America.

Chapter 5 - Both Buck and Eddie have difficult conversations with their parents and Buck finally learns the truth behind the reason why his mother despised him while Eddie finally tells his mother about the way she tries to control him.

Chapter 6 - More than two weeks after Buck pushed Eddie away after suggesting they needed a break; Eddie decides to try again. Eddie’s there for Buck when he’s at his worst just like Buck was there for him when he was at his worst and he won’t let Buck give up.

Chapter 7 - After Buck’s mental breakdown, Eddie has his back the same way Buck had his when he had his own breakdown more than a year ago.  They share several vulnerable and emotionally intimate moments with one another and they begin to realize their small, sweet and caring gestures matter just as much if not more than any grand gesture ever could because these are the foundations of a long-lasting love relationship.

Chapter 8 - Buck, Eddie and Chris all have their own therapists and during their sessions, they reflect on their pasts while they’re in the present so they can prepare for their future together as a family.

Chapter 9 - Buck and Eddie are there for each other when Buck has to testify as a witness during the trial.  But by the end of it, they’ll both realize their individual and shared traumas are going to keep resurfacing until they talk about them, deal with the fact that they’re in love with one another and face the fact that they can’t live without each other.

Chapter 10 - As Buck and Eddie finally begin to confront their past traumas, they realize how much they need each other to fill in the gaps of their memories.  Additionally, the universe screams at them for what appears to be the one hundredth time so Buck can realize he doesn’t have to ‘find it’ because he already ‘made it’ and Eddie’s reminded tomorrow isn’t promised and he doesn’t have to die alone if he doesn’t want to.

Chapter 11 - A “virga” or dry thunderstorm is in the forecast but once the rain starts, the thunderstorm happening outside won’t be able to match the storm brewing inside between Buck and Eddie.  It’s the universe’s final scream and when the tumultuous winds begin to blow, they’ll have one last chance to hold onto everything they’ve built over the last six years or they’ll lose it all forever.

Chapter 12 - Buck and Eddie have always shared a deep physical attraction and an emotional intimacy that’s unmatched but now that they’re in a relationship, they’re learning how to navigate the romantic intimacy they’ve been waiting for six years to explore. The love they have for each other is a once in a lifetime, soulmate, love of their lives type of love that transcends space and time.

Chapter 13 - While navigating the newness of their romantic relationship, Buck and Eddie take advantage of every moment they spend together. As their individual lives, people from their pasts, time constraints and the possibility of losing each other again make attempts to interrupt and interfere with their journey to forever, they love, care for, support and hold onto each other even tighter to withstand it all.

Chapter 14 - Buck and Eddie can see the lights at the end of the tunnels regarding the results of Buck’s Cancer Screening along with everything else they’re dealing with. But are the lights they see exits to the tunnels or are they headlights on different runaway trains that are speeding towards them in an effort to interrupt their forever?

Chapter 15 - Buck and Eddie have known they were exactly who the other one wanted in a partner since they met six years ago when they agreed to have each other’s backs. They’re in a romantic relationship, they’re both preparing to ask the other one to spend forever with them and by the end of the seventh week into their relationship, together they will plan their most important and greatest adventure for their future.

Chapter 16 - Will be posted soon.

__________

Read chapters 1-15 are available on AO3.

Continue reading on AO3

Chapter 16 will be posted soon.

[dreamstone28737]

For the Fanfiction Work-In-Progress Guessing Game: light.

You’re not going to believe this, but I’m just seeing this Ask for the very first time a whole month later. I’m so sorry I missed it!

(It’s been so long I’m trying to remember what the game was!! I think if you guess a word that’s in my WIP, I post the sentence it’s from??)

So, for you, I’ll dip into that long-untouched Poldark fic! It’s the same one as last time - the one in which Demelza and Ross divorced after his tryst with Elizabeth. (They end up getting back together!) I actually have two sections written that include the word “light.”

(And I never can keep things short, so it’s way more than one sentence each.)

Thank you so much for the ask, friend!

1. The first one is Demelza having a talk with Sam about how she’s doing in the immediate aftermath of the break up. It’s sad, because I was in a very sad place when I wrote it two years ago. (Actually, reading it again now, I don’t even really recognize my own writer’s voice in it!)

Sam had tried preaching to her for a while about the blessings of the Lord, but finally one day she'd blown up at him, told him to stop being a minister and just try being a friend, please.

Surprisingly, he'd gotten the message. They'd had a real talk.

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror, lately, sister? It's like-" he'd paused. Hesitated - "It's like the light's gone out of you."

"It feels like that," she'd said flatly, not meeting his eyes.

"D'you sing?" He'd persevered. "You always used to sing. D'you dance while you cook or clean? D'you even laugh?" She hadn't responded, and he went on. "I know ye've had your heart broken, sister. But there's still so much good in the world. There's no reason for you to walk around this earth half alive."

And this one is an upsetting bit of foreshadowing, when Ross and Demelza are together. He pulls Demelza close and she notices that he smells different. (Spoiler alert - she’s smelling Elizabeth’s perfume 😬)

"Just bein' silly," Demelza repeated, smiling, though she could feel that her brow was still knitted, as though her subconscious was still trying to work out the riddle. “You smell different, is all."

Ross drew back, meeting her eyes. "I what?"

"Yeah, like...some kind of flower maybe? I can't tell if it's the new laundry soap or something else." She shrugged, and said with a light laugh, "I don't know. I can't place it."

Was his glance suddenly far away? He had gone still against her, and she couldn't think why he'd be as bothered by it as she was. Perhaps, like her, he was just puzzling it out. Something in her wanted to change the mood, and she patted his chest lightly before pulling away.

"I'm thinkin' a roast for dinner. How's that sound to you?"

[outofangband]

@nelyoslegalteam from our conversation! Unsurprisingly I got a bit distracted thinking about medical related world building which I’ll probably have to make a second post to explore in more detail 

I cannot understate how profoundly effecting the sense of unprecedentedness and lack of understanding around Míriel’s death impacts the situation

Valinor is a place without death. It is not that the elves do not know death or loss. The elves of Valinor come from a world where the dark rider and his servants steal away their kin in the night. They were hunted by monsters and shivered in the darkness. Their sisters, fathers, children and friends were taken away and transformed.

Valinor is supposed to be a safe haven from this past. Finwë brought his people here to be safe. To grow and rule and learn and flourish.

Míriel’s death is not unprecedented as death but for its location, circumstances, and aftermath.

Fëanor grows up with the loss of a parent treated as, at best, an academic or philosophical debate about mortality and survival and at worst, a source of cruel rumors with some blaming Míriel or him for her refusal to return.

Even when they mean no cruelty, their frank curiosity is damaging. They ask and they want to know…why would someone choose this? What circumstances or people could make someone choose this?

The medical aspects of this seem poorly understood by the general population of Valinor even if there are those more learned, in Lórien and similar. Míriel’s death and more importantly her choice is treated as a mystery, an anomaly, a marring.

And maybe it is in their eyes! We don’t have records of pregnancy related healthcare and psychological research in Valinor. Perhaps this was truly the first known instance of postpartum depression, exhaustion and similar phenomena.

Perhaps Míriel truly was the first person to choose Mandos instead of returning to life

We do get a sense however that these subjects, especially as they relate to death, might not be completely unspoken (certainly people are speaking about them) but they are taboo. They are the realm of speculation and stigma.

Given the fact that so much of the suffering of the elves is noted to include grief which can be fatal, and the fact that the mind-body-soul connection is so repeatedly stressed, I don’t think the issue is a complete lack of understanding or acknowledgment of mental health.

I think there is absolutely a base understanding of emotional wellbeing and lack thereof. This does not mean that the understanding or mental health in Valinor is not incomplete or flawed.

I imagine that most healthcare would involve at least some aspect of psychological care for the elves given the profound link between their mind, body and soul. Even if it’s just an added emphasis on soothing distress or an increased understanding of how psychological hurt can exacerbate physical injury and the other way around.

And I imagine that absolutely includes care during pregnancy! What little information we do have (and to be fair some of it is from LaCE which is not strictly canon) seems to support both.

But when that isn’t enough? When those feelings of emptiness or exhaustion or despair endure long after the birth?

This I think is where at least some of the issues lie.

I also think about Lórien as a place of healing where it is both a genuine sanctuary and place of rest but also by nature allows many of the issues of health and wellness to be isolated and distant. People go there to heal or recover and then they return, healed and recovered*

Community health models are not successfully being utilized in Tirion (I do actually headcanon that they are utilized by the Teleri but that’s a different post)

*Lórien is not the only place where people go for healing but it is the primary one. I headcanon there are other smaller locations similar to it and then there are just healers who can address trivial and minor accidents and injuries

Fëanor does not properly grieve. How could he grieve? There is not sufficient societal understanding of how to mourn in such a situation.

As I said, there has been loss so there have been practices of mourning but when the expectation is that Míriel will recover or return, these practices, largely created to cope with sudden disappearances with no closure or violent deaths that took place before Valinor, do not bring Fëanor much comfort.

As he grows older, his thoughts about what he wants for Míriel and what he thinks he should want, become more complicated. His understanding of some of the discussions regarding her death and his birth do as well.

Morgoth corrupts all that he touches repeats again and again to him

(Medical stuff is one of my favorite areas to write about and I want to make more world building about healing and medicine!)

[bunny-the-bunny]

Quick update on the introduction post. I have completed the details for the main characters last night. And by last night I mean at 4 am today. Now all I have to do to make the art for them. Well actually I made art of Jaden already and another character. I’ve also drawn Haou too and I need to draw Jesse now.

Then the goal is to draw art of all of them together in color so a friend can help me with my vision for the introduction post.

The introduction post for Yu-Gi-Oh GX: the aftermath will include the following:

-A title card

-Plot info

-Theme song possibly

-Art of the main characters

-Differences between certain characters from Yu-Gi-Oh GX in character sheets maybe

-Relationships between each character

These are plans for the introduction post that I have but know that it might change. I don't want to spoil anything before I release the first chapter so it might just be the first four things in the intro post.

Bear with me here cause this might take me awhile to release. But I estimate that I’ll be done with the introduction post by the end of summer or maybe mid-summer.

I hope y’all can be more patient with me. I’m really passionate about this AU so I’m doing my best to get this ready while I’m balancing my first year of college.

Anyways I’ll be on the sidelines for now and I’ll take a back seat from talking about Yu-Gi-Oh GX: the aftermath until I put out the intro post.

I’ll still reblog stuff but just a heads up this is what’s to come. Keep an eye out for updates on the Yu-Gi-Oh GX: the aftermath hashtag.

Cya.

[bluenet13]

Whisking Away Your Pain (a 9-1-1 Lone Star post 4x04 fic)

Carlos is struggling to come to terms with his trauma from captivity, avoiding the kitchen and losing his love for cooking and baking, but TK is there to help him heal, one home-cooked meal at a time.

AO3

It had been a few months since Carlos had been kidnapped by the serial killer who had taken Iris. TK and Gabriel had managed to rescue him, and his physical injuries had healed, but the experience had left its mark on him. In the immediate aftermath, Carlos was assaulted by nightmares, more often than not waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, his fight or flight response activated as he trashed against the sheets until his brain processed TK's arms around him and he was able to relax. During the day things weren't much better, as any sudden movement made him jump and he found it hard not to fear the worst after every case. All in all, given the experience, Carlos had seemed relatively normal, if a little shaken up.

But as the weeks went by, TK started to notice that some things were different now.

They had finished their shifts and were on their way home after Carlos picked TK up from the station. As they drove through the city, TK couldn't help but notice that Carlos seemed distant, lost in thought.

"Hey, you okay?" TK asked, breaking the silence.

Carlos shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'm just tired."

TK didn't believe him, but he didn't want to push. They arrived home, and TK started to prepare some dinner. "Do you want to help me cook?" he wondered, but Carlos shook his head.

"I'm not really hungry," he said, settling himself on the couch with the book he always kept on the coffee table. "Maybe I'll order something later."

TK felt a pang of worry. Carlos had always loved cooking and seeing him avoid the kitchen was a sign that something was wrong. But maybe Carlos really was tired so he would give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

A few nights later, TK woke up in the middle of the night, and he realized that Carlos was gone. Turning around, he touched the sheets beside him, and they were still warm. His first thought was that Carlos had gone to the kitchen to bake something, as he often did when a case left him anxious, or life was too stressful. He began getting out of bed, reaching for his discarded hoodie from last night so he could go accompany him, but then he heard the front door open and close, quietly but not enough, and knew that Carlos had gone out for another run instead. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and turned to the clock on the bedside table. He got a sinking feeling when it read '4:04'. This was the third time this week he woke up to Carlos leaving the apartment or coming in sweaty and disheveled after a run.

TK didn't sleep much for the next hour that Carlos was gone. He tossed and turned in the bed, wishing there was something he could do to help, only managing to fall back asleep at around 5:30 after Carlos had returned and gotten a shower, before grabbing his keys and going out again. Even then he only slept for an additional half hour, finally getting out of bed with a tired grunt, showering and heading into work himself.

That night, TK decided to talk to Carlos about what was going on. He was all for giving him space and letting him work through problems on his own, but the day he had asked Carlos to marry him he had known they would become one after that, which included the fun times, but also the individual struggles and whatever else life threw at them.

"Carlos, can we talk?" He asked softly, coming to stand behind him. He lifted on his toes and set his chin on his shoulder, sighing when he saw Carlos perusing a takeout menu.

"Hmm," Carlos hummed in acknowledgement and tipped his head to his side, looking at TK out of the corner of his eye.

"You haven't been cooking as much as you used to," he said, rushing to add when he felt Carlos tense in his arms. "I'm all for takeout every once in a while, but I miss your cooking, baby."

Carlos still looked at him apprehensively, but he nodded with a smile that managed to look mostly real even if it didn't reach his eyes. "Sorry, things have been busy at work. I've been too tired to cook afterwards."

TK wished he could believe him, but he knew Carlos better than that. He usually loved cooking and baking as ways to relieve stress. It also kept them happy and fed, a welcomed plus in the 'Reyes family manual'. But lately he'd been avoiding the kitchen and it was all kinds of wrong.

"You've also been going for runs in the middle of the night. Are you okay?" TK pressed tentatively and rubbed his arm in an attempt to get him to open up.

Carlos hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I'm fine." He paused, and TK waited expectantly hoping he would decide to be honest instead, but Carlos put up his best cheerful facade and asked enthusiastically, "So, do you want pizza or burgers?"

"A burger is fine," TK said dejectedly. Carlos might think his words were convincing, but TK knew him better than he knew himself and he was sure he was lying. Still, he didn't want to push too hard and have him close off completely, so he let it go for now and decided to watch Carlos more closely from now on, hoping he could figure out what was really going on.

A few weeks later, TK came home from the gym to find Carlos sitting in their living room, staring blankly at the wall. He had baked some cookies earlier, and the sweet smell still filled the room.

"Hey, I made cookies," TK said, a soft and proud smile gracing his lips. "Did you try one?" He held out the plate with one hand and took a bite of a cookie with the other.

Carlos recoiled, his eyes wide with what could only be described as fear. "No," he said, his voice shaking. "No, I didn't."

TK frowned and put down the plate. He sat on the couch next to Carlos and turned to face him, grabbing his hands. "What's going on, babe?" he asked. "It's just a cookie?" He knew it was about more than that, but he needed Carlos to want to contradict him.

Carlos sighed and looked up at TK with tears in his eyes. "It's not that I don't want to. I can't." His voice cracked at the end and TK's heart broke alongside it.

"Okay, that's okay," he soothed, his thumb brushing back and forth over Carlos' hand. "Why?"

Carlos rested his head on TK's chest, whispering against his shirt as he explained, "It's the kitchen. I was held in the kitchen all day. And she baked cookies. She made me try one."

TK's heart sank as he understood what Carlos was saying. He had known Carlos was held in the house, but he had found him in the living room, and he had never mentioned the kitchen until now. He had wanted to read the full report of what happened, but Gabriel had kept it from him, promising it was for the best. Now he wished he had pushed harder.

"Why didn't you say something before?" he asked, moving his arms to Carlos' back pushing their bodies incredibly closer.

"Because I feel stupid," Carlos mumbled, laughing self-deprecatingly. "I'm a cop, I've seen worse. I shouldn't be traumatized by an old lady baking cookies."

"Carlos, look at me," TK pleaded. He pulled away and cupped Carlos's face. "You didn't see this happen, you lived through it. This is something that happened to you, not a case you worked. And you've every right to react to it any way your brain decides to. It's not stupid and it doesn't make you weak."

Carlos nodded, but TK could still see fear and shame mixed in his eyes. "I can't even smell cookies without feeling sick," Carlos admitted. "I can't cook, I can barely set foot in the kitchen for longer than a few minutes. Every time it's like I'm trapped there again."

TK put his arm around Carlos, holding him close. "It's okay. You don't have to do anything you're not ready for. We can keep ordering takeout and I can take the cookies to the station tomorrow when I go on shift. I'm sorry I baked them, I didn't know."

"No, no, TK. This isn't your fault. None of this is your fault," Carlos said, needing him to understand that.

TK opened his mouth to protest, but Carlos pushed up and silenced him with a kiss. "I'm alive because of you. You realized I was missing. You got my dad and APD involved. You made the connection to the pharmacy. Hell, you brought me back, TK."

"But I didn't realize any of that soon enough," TK whispered against his lips.

"I didn't make it easy on you. But you still got there in time and saved me." Carlos wasn't sure of many things right now, but he was sure he had brought it all on himself when he decided to lie to his fiancé and go investigate on his own. But luckily, he had chosen to give his heart to a man that always noticed the things he tried to keep hidden from the world. And it had been that connection and that loyalty that saved him. He had told TK those exact same words many times since he was released from the hospital, and he knew he would continue to repeat them every time self-doubt crept up on him.

TK nodded, pulling Carlos into a tender kiss before guiding him to sit between his legs and rest his head on his shoulder.

Carlos leaned into TK's embrace, his body silently shaking with sobs. He wanted to speak, say something to thank him, but the love and gratitude he felt for his fiancé and his gentle understanding overwhelmed him. All he could do was hold onto TK, and let his strength carry them both through the pain.

"It's okay. Let it out. We'll get through this," TK promised, a hint of sadness in his voice.

TK continued to hold Carlos until his tears ran out and his breath evened out. And that night there were no nightmares or midnight runs as Carlos found peace in the simple knowledge that he was loved deeply by the man next to him and that TK was loved as fiercely in return.

-x-x-x

A few days had passed since Carlos had opened up to him. TK had been keeping an eye on him, but otherwise, hadn't brought up the subject again. He knew from experience sometimes all you needed was time, and to know that you had someone willing to catch you when you fell.

One Friday night, TK was sitting on the couch, checking his phone, when Carlos came in from the grocery store with bags full of ingredients. TK looked up hopefully, curious and thrilled by the sight.

"What's all this for?" He asked, grabbing some of the bags and helping Carlos set everything on the counter.

Carlos looked up, a faint smile on his face. "I thought we could make my mom's chilaquiles," he proposed. "It's been a while since I cooked, and I think it would be nice to try."

TK could see the hesitation in Carlos' eyes, but there was also so much determination behind his brown gaze. He had always known Carlos was one of the strongest people he knew but seeing him work through his trauma like this caused a surge of pride deep in his chest.

"Sure, I'd love to help," he said, nodding enthusiastically, but also trying not to make a big deal of it. He was surprised but didn't want to question what felt like a gift. "What do you need me to do?"

Carlos' smile deepened, more at ease now, and he began walking TK through the instructions he remembered by heart. They chopped veggies, grated cheese, and boiled chicken, working side by side in the small kitchen, their shoulders brushing every once in a while, and their hands tangling momentarily, as they felt more normal than any other time in the last few months.

TK could see the tension in Carlos' shoulder start to ease as they worked. As TK's warmth and presence anchored him, his movements became more confident, his hands working deftly as he cut vegetables, shredded the kitchen and prepared the homemade sauce.

They finished preparing the chilaquiles in comfortable silence, the air thick with the aroma of spices and roasting peppers, but no longer heavy with unspoken words and hidden traumas.

When the dish was ready, they served it up and sat down to eat. TK's first bite felt like a revelation, not because he was surprised at the explosion of flavors, but because this dish was the physical representation of Carlos' fight against the demons of his abduction and the proof that he was healing and coming out the other side victorious.

Carlos savored the chilaquiles, and his eyes misted, a faint, grateful smile playing at the corners of his mouth. It was a small but genuine expression, and TK felt the pieces of their life begin to slide back into place. "Thanks for doing this with me," Carlos whispered between bites, rubbing TK's thigh with his socked foot under the table.

"Of course," TK replied simply. He knew that this statement applied to this moment and every other moment in their lives. He would gladly do anything for Carlos, even if it meant walking into the depths of hell to find him sooner and reduce his trauma even a little bit. "I'm proud of you for trying to cook again. And I'm glad we could do this together," he added, feeling his affection for the man sitting in front of him grow with each moment they spent together.

As they finished their meal, Carlos and TK basked in the peaceful stillness that had settled over the kitchen. Their minds and bodies connected by the intertwined fingers resting on the table and the unspoken acknowledgement of what this dinner meant to them and their recovery.

"Maybe next Friday we can try my mom's Hamantaschen Cookies?" TK tentatively suggested, as they carried the dishes to the sink.

"I'd like that," Carlos said softly. He wished he could express how much the offer meant to him, but that part of his captivity was still too raw to share. For now, he settled on TK knowing how much he's loved. "Want to watch a movie?" He tugged at TK's hand, leading him to the couch for a cozy evening together.

"Not washing dishes? Andrea would be appalled." TK teased, but Carlos kissed the grin right off his face.

"Cleaning can wait till tomorrow," Carlos said, his eyes soft and vulnerable. "Let's enjoy the moment. Tonight, I just want to be close to you."

TK's heart swelled with affection for Carlos, and he wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. They watched the movie in companionable silence, enjoying the simple pleasure of feeling safe and being close to the one they loved.

[heartfeltletters-written]

Hi !! I'm abi (she/her) and welcome to the chaos, we're deranged around here. My interests include The Beatles, Harry Potter, and The Empyrean series, alongside some other pop culture moments.

I currently write fics for both HP and The Empyrean, you can find me on ao3.

If your interest includes reading, I have a side blog where I post my reviews.

Below you can find my masterlist of fics. My inbox is always open if you have any type of question or you just want to ramble. I always love to hear your thoughts.

🌺Masterlist🌺

we never knew peace (M)

Violet/Xaden, A retelling of Iron Flame. > 50 000, currently posting

Revolution is happening, shaking the foundations of the world they know. As Xaden assumes his place as Fen Riorson's son, being the front man of the revolution, working to deceive Navarre's Command, the cadets return to Basgiath. With dragons poised for battle and Violet struggling to maintain control amidst the chaos, the stakes couldn't be higher. There are eyes everywhere, watching their every move. The continent teeters on the brink of falling into the hands of the dark wielders, threatening to reshape the very fabric of society. An Iron Flame retelling where the politics make sense, Brennan is not so easily forgiven and Xaden and Violet talk.

when the flames burned green the dragons danced (E)

Violet/Xaden, 1/3 chapters, > 10 000

“I want them dead,” Violet whispers, “I want whoever did this, I’ll burn them all myself, I want their heads decorating our walls.” She demands, her voice rising higher as the words spill from her mouth. Her husband nods, as she knew he would, she can sense the anger emanating from him. “I will avenge our boy my Queen.” he promises, “A son for a son,"

Xaden and Violet had finally found solace in Aretia, a happiness none of them had felt before with a family of their own, until a devastating tragedy fell over their lives

devotion (E)

Violet/Xaden, 2/5 chapters, > 20 000

Riorsons only married those who proved themselves worthy in their Gods' eyes. For that, one must go through four trials – one for the Queen, one for the King, two for them both.

She would surrender herself to pleasure, wholly, completely. Be as powerful as Amari. Surrender to her. Embrace the path of utter devotion. And rise high as she, at last, reached completion.

[or: the path to becoming Queen is through ritualistic sex]

here at your doorway (E)

Violet/Xaden, one shot, > 6 000

After returning from Basgiath, Xaden and Violet finally have time to talk.

--------------------------------------🌺-----------------------------------

the ghost scar (E)

Harry/Ginny, Harry after Sirius' death. > 50 000, currently posting

In the aftermath of Sirius's death, Harry finds himself burdened by grief and overwhelmed by the numerous expectations placed upon him by people who were supposed to protect him. Feeling isolated and unable to properly mourn, he becomes tired of the constant pressure and suffocated by the weight of his own life. Determined to regain control, Harry takes matters into his own hands, seeking to break free from the constraints of others and find his own path while batling the ever constant present of Voldemort in his life. A different take on Harry's story where politics play a significant role and the lines between good and evil are blurred as morals are questioned.

[gaybae1021]

This isn't meant as hate but genuinely wondering.

Why did you make Katelyn, the one with huge anger issues and who almost never wears skirts and stuff, the by far darkest skinned one of the main cast?

Doesn't that fall under some black stereotypes like the hyper-masculinization of black women by society and the angry black woman trope?

My main reasoning is that this is a proper rewrite, not some headcanon. Anything I didn’t like in the original I’m free to change, and that included Katelyn’s personality. If I had kept her exactly as she is in the series yeah my choice would be kinda yikes. But she’s quite different in my version.

First off, my Katelyn isn’t all that masculine, though honestly I never saw her as masculine in the og series either, more so athletic. True, Katelyn isn’t much for dresses in daily life in my version, but that’s because she’s a fighter, and she feels most comfortable in her armor or anything that will let her spring into action quickly. But when she needs to dress up, shes happy to put on a dress and makeup, and her face design is my go-to “draw pretty girl” face.

The reference I posted of Katelyn isn’t the best and is quite old, but the more recent parkour pic i think highlights the difference between Katelyn and someone like Nicole, who I intentionally characterize as butch.

Second point, Katelyn aggression has been a…topic of controversy to say the least, and I think it’s important to separate mystreet and mcd because her characterization is just so different. So I’ll stick with mcd.

Yep, my Katelyn still has a lot of emotional issues, issues that are explicitly linked to her trauma of being trapped in the jury. She’s got some serious PTSD and she struggles to admit when she’s not doing well. She’s constantly on edge and has trouble trusting new people (just to note she’s not the only one with a dark backstory). But this never manifests as aggression towards her friends. After realizing what the jury did to the Golden Heart she’s 100% devoted to protecting Aph and her people in hopes of redeeming her actions on the jury. This is a self-imposed goal, Aph forgave her the moment she learned Katelyn was doing it to protect her family.

Katelyn vents her emotions by training and fighting, which while maybe not the healthiest coping mechanisms are at least useful in a world where the characters are fighting bad guys regularly. Outside of combat, Katelyn is usually a quite soft character, especially around Aph and Travis. Not to say she doesn’t have some sass, I imagine she has some great dry wit, but I literally have no scenes of her being legitimately angry with her allies.

There’s really only two scenarios I have where Katelyn’s aggression is a problem. Her fight with Ivy, where Ivy is able to use her anger at the jury to goad her into the fight, and the aftermath of that fight, where Katelyn is physically unable to fight and thus has to learn other coping mechanisms. The lesson is not “wow you have anger issues maybe chill” it’s “wow you’ve been basing your self worth on how well you can take hits in a fight, maybe we should talk about that”

Instead of Katelyn being the token “angry black woman” she’s a strong and capable character who nonetheless still struggles with her trauma and expressing emotional vulnerability. She sometimes feels she’s not worthy of her friends sympathies, so bottles up her problems. She is acutely aware of her new team and would never take her feelings out on them, and overall the story is Katelyn learning to trust her teammates the same way they rely on her. Whoops I accidentally made Katelyn a Raph Kin

To summarize, in my rewrite Katelyn’s not the only character to reject traditional gender roles, and she’s not the only one with emotional struggles. Hell, Laurance is right there next to her for all of season 2. They aren’t the only key components of her character, she’s not the most extreme manifestation of those traits, and several other characters have related traits, so she’s not alone in her characterization, which is why I think her redesign works. Granted y’all don’t know any of that yet, so I see why her stand-alone redesign can come across that way.