#Lex lurks

[crisis-aversion]

Sequels ver

Prequels ver

[crisis-aversion]

Hehehe I did it

Voting starts on March 5th

Submit your propaganda, the challenge begins soon. The ask box will be open, submitting reasons to vote for your favorite is both allowed and encouraged.

Full list of brackets and sub-brackets under the cut

For kids 1 Mavis (Hotel Transylvania) 2 Draculaura (Monster High)

3 Count von Count (Sesame Street) 4 Count Sam Dracula/Grandpa (The Munsters)

Books/non-visual media 1 Geneviève Dieudonné (Drachenfels/Anno Dracula) 2 Carmilla/Mircalla Karnstein (Carmilla)

3 Lord Ruthven (The Vampyre) 4 Count Strahd (Curse Of Strahd)

More Adult 1 Laszlo Cravensworth (What We Do In The Shadows) 2 Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil)

3 David (Lost Boys) 4 Selene (Underworld)

Superhero/glamourized 1 Michael Morbius (Marvel Comics) 2 Blade (Marvel Comics)

3 Angel (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) 4 Lestat De Lioncourt (Interview With The Vampire)

Dracula got kicked out for being too popular, he’d ruin the fun for everyone else. Edward got kicked out because he’s sparkly.

There’s only one mod (Jack) so I apologize if replies are slow or confusing, I’m doing my best ^^

[spotlight-if]

Lights, Camera…Chaos.

[PLAY HERE] (October 23rd, 2024) Act 1, Chapter 1, 64.2k words.

For as long as you can remember, your dream has stayed the same—you want nothing more than to make it as an actor in Hollywood. After years as an overlooked, overworked talent, your big break comes from an unlikely source. And it’s one that changes everything, for better or worse.

Hollywood is its own character within this world—sometimes it loves you, sometimes it wants nothing more than to see you crash and burn. Navigating this ever changing landscape while balancing your own interpersonal relationships is only half the challenge. The other half is memorizing your lines.

Navigate the red carpet, bloodthirsty paparazzi, cut-throat tabloids and complicated relationship dynamics with A-list celebrities (who may or may not be completely insane.)

But, hey: isn’t this what you’ve always wanted?

Key Features:

- Customize your Actor: are you a classic Hollywood heartthrob? An eccentric and unconventional recluse? Are you kind and genuine despite the fame, or a cutthroat diva with undeniable talent?

- Navigate scandal, paparazzi, and stan culture: dodge or embrace the flashing lights. Interact with your fans, or distance yourself from them for your sanity. Wait—who are they shipping your character with?

-Build your legacy: choose between the stability of superhero blockbusters or turn into an indie darling. Or, maybe forgoe both to become a household name in the horror genre.

- Network and build relationships: whether they’re manufactured by your well-meaning publicist or spawned from real feelings, forge dynamic and ever changing relationships with other industry icons.

- Try to manage your mental health: the dark side of the industry lurks in every corner—the highs are high, but the lows are ever lower.

Characters:

Kendall Mays (gender selectable)—ever the loyal best friend, Kendall followed you into the throes of showbiz without hesitation. From fighting over toys on the playground to helping you run lines for a major motion picture, you can always count on them to have your back. That is, before they met Mason—their ever-present boyfriend who demands more and more of their time. You were never that great at sharing.

[Note: Kendall is not a romance option.]

Sutton Foster (he/him, she/her)—child star turned award winning powerhouse. Sutton Foster has everything an actor could want—well, minus the countless stays at rehab centers around the world. It’s undeniable that Sutton is a generational talent, but what’s even more notable is their messy personal life. You yourself have been caught in Sutton’s gravitational pull, once upon a time. The question lies in whether or not you’ll pull yourself away.

Wyn Grace (he/him, she/her)—on stage, Wyn is electric. The same cannot be said for Wyn off-stage. The lead singer of the up-and-coming Indie band is struggling with their meteoric rise to fame. As the awards pile up and the crowds get bigger, Wyn is unraveling at the seams. All they wanted to do was make music with their friends, but the fame makes them reconsider it all.

Lex Moreau (he/him)—an older, award-winning director with an…eccentric disposition. Yet despite his volatile nature and obsession with perfection, anyone who’s anyone would kill to work with him. Lex is always in search for a muse, a great beacon to pour all of his artistic vision into. And now, he thinks he’s found that in you. Lucky you?

[C is a conditional character, only appears based on choices you make.]

Carlo/Carmen Mencina (gender selectable)—C is harder to pin down than a stable acting gig in LA. When you’re together—it’s kismet. The problem lies in when you’re apart. C’s frequent disappearances abroad leave a bad taste in your mouth, and when a shocking truth comes to light, it’s not just your relationship in the spotlight—it’s your life, too.

Flings and other mini-romances will be available as well. But these I will let be revealed as the story progresses.

When writing this game, I knew what themes I wanted to focus on, and the care/detail needed to do so. Hence, this game is strictly 18+.

TW: death, substance abuse, suicide, bullying, explicit language, violence, and explicit (skippable) sexual content.

Thank you for reading my intro! Reblogs are welcome, and my ask box is open (:

And major thank you @thecutestgrotto for the gorgeous headers!

[incorrectbatfam]

If the batfam had tiktok what would they post? What would go the most viral?

Dick does duets where he remixes people who have bad takes. His most viewed one is turning Lex Luthor's corporate monologue into a dubstep track with beat drops every time Superman is mentioned. Equally popular is his mashup of Bruce's yawning with a Sam Smith song.

Jason makes cooking videos. The recipes are normal, but the voiceovers like, "today I'm making a realistic animal-themed vegan bento box 'cause I wanna torment my brother." His most popular video is of him shit-talking Batman while making a pot roast, but it gets deleted because he didn't say "unalive."

Tim does behind-the-scenes videos of his photoshoots where he makes it seem like a complex process with dimmed lights and glitter falling from a ceiling fan, then it cuts to a blurry iPhone pic of a pissed-off Jason with sparkly hair chasing him down a dark hallway.

Damian's is a mix of animal videos, art tutorials, Cheese Viking speedruns, and classical covers of anime intros. But his most popular one is recording his family's reaction to him saying the fuck-word for the first time. He also has a series where he asks people how babies are made to see whose response TikTok takes down first.

Duke posts subtle and wholesome pranks, like leaving Tooth Fairy money under the older batkids' pillows or gradually filling Kate's purse with Jolly Ranchers. His most popular series is when he slowly replaced Damian's furniture with increasingly smaller replicas until the 8th day when Damian finally notices.

Steph does a little bit of everything and often takes suggestions (re: dumb dares) from the comments. Her account started with her just sharing her favorite memes, but her most popular video is when she slept in a bathtub full of Mardi Gras necklaces after an audience poll.

Cass normally posts a mix of dance covers and sign language lessons, but occasionally there will be moments from her daily life that she captures at the right time. Her most viral video is at the grocery store when someone accidentally knocks a coconut onto the ground and she follows it as it rolls to the other end of the store.

Harper and Cullen do a lot of backyard science experiments where they take hypotheses from comments and test them out, like if they can cook steak with firecrackers or make a trampoline out of rubber bands. Their biggest project was turning an abandoned pool into a frog sanctuary.

Barbara keeps most of her daily videos private and her public ones are mainly book hauls, song recs, and computer tips. Her most popular video, even making news articles, is a video where she breaks down how planned obsolesce works and calling out big tech companies.

Bruce has a secret account that no one knows about. He doesn't post anything. He just lurks because he wants to be the first like and comment whenever his kids post.

[satoshy12]

Danny learned from the Ghost Writer that other worlds exist, even his favorite world. The Justice League!

However, Ghost Writer has always been hesitant to use his portals to explore other realms. This is due to the immense power and danger lurking on the other side.

Danny's curiosity gets the better of him, and he can't resist using Ghost Writer's portals to go into the DC universe.

Danny was here to have fun, so he decides to dress up as various DC villains, but with his young age, it has an adorable twist: he appears as a tiny child version of them.

To his surprise, Danny realizes that these costumes give him access to the powers of the villains. He seemed to mimic them, like he did in a few of his fights against his enemies attacks.

Like Ghostly wails with Dan or Cloning with Vlad.

And just seeing this would be much more fun! He started his playful journey to meet iconic heroes and villains.

The first one Danny met was the Flash family while dressed as Reverse Flash. He stumbles upon a face-off between Flash, Kid Flash, and the real Reverse Flash. With his childlike innocence, Danny manages to confuse all three speedsters, much to Kid Flash's chagrin. Danny began to tease Kid Flash about a prank he played on him. "It was me, Wally; I shoved the coffee table ever so slightly so that you would stub your toe right before you were sent off to school." "It was me who made your mother and father see your adult magazine!" Thawne laughed as he heard what the boy did. Leaving after Eobard was defeated, leaving very confused Speedsters behind.

Next, Danny decides to become Ares, the God of War. This leads to a comical confrontation with Wonder Woman. Ares is perplexed by how this young boy possesses his godly powers, and Diana is equally confused by the mysterious demigod child.

The one he had most fun was the Ra's al Ghul cosplay, complete with a sword. Danny found himself entangled in a battle between the League of Assassins and Green Arrow with his sidekick Speedy. Ra's was puzzled by this unexpected child version of himself, and Green Arrow can't help but be amused and confused by the whole situation. After the battle, Danny poured the ectoplasm from his bottle on the ground and jumped into it. Which made it look like Green Arrow and Ra's that Danny just jumped into Lazarus water and was swallowed by it.

Sinestro and Hal Jordan were bewildered by the appearance of a child wearing a Yellow Lantern ring. The notion of such a young Yellow Lantern throws them off balance during their battle. Sinestro and Hal Jordan are utterly baffled as to why a child could even wield the power of fear.

Dressed up as the Ocean Master, Danny intervenes in a conflict between Aquaman and Aqualad against the vengeful Ocean Master. Initially mistaking him for Orm's son, Arthur planned to talk with the boy, only for him to leave after the fight.

When Danny dons the Lex Luthor Warsuit, he finds himself in a confrontation with Superman, catching the attention of Lex Luthor. Lex is intrigued by the young boy's capabilities and is somehow proud of him, even though they aren't fighting on the same side. If Lex sees potential in him and contemplates offering some guidance, the boy would go far. The Suit was like his own.

At Last, The Mr. Freeze Costume, Danny intervenes in a showdown between Batman, Robin, and Mr. Freeze in Gotham City. The Caped Crusader is intrigued by this young "villain" and contemplates whether the boy can be taught to use his abilities responsibly. As Danny was just talking about Dr. Victor Fries inventions and theories, Victor saw that the boy had good ideas and theories.

Danny had his fun, and he tried to return home, only for the portal not to work.

He used it many times and had to wait a short time. Well, what are a few days here?

[man-down-in-hatchet-town]

Hatchetfield Theory: Becky Barnes Has The Gift

So I wrote yesterday about how we might be underestimating how important Becky is to the overall narrative of Hatchetfield. After all, she's the Warrior of Light in Black Friday, and now we know that the original Workin' Boys script was about Wilbur Cross trying to sacrifice specifically Becky at a black altar--when it wasn't her that died, the whole thing fell apart.

The more I dwell on it, the more I think that Becky might have had a touch of the Gift as a child. Or even a tad more than just a touch... (Full theory under the cut. In typical me form, it does gets a little wild at the end.)

Perhaps, like with Lex, her powers were strong enough that they never fully wasted away, even as she grew out of the correct age and forgot they ever existed in the first place. This could be what makes her the Warrior of the Light, and explain why Wiggly's hold on her was more tenuous than his grasp on any of the other adults. Think about it--unlike Tom or any of the others, she only ever seems to personally care much about the doll when she's face-to-face with it and its thrall is strongest. And whereas Tom required a whole scene and climatic song to throw off Wiggly's influence and see the truth, Becky went from attacking Hannah over the doll in one scene to shooting Linda and letting Lex burn the very same Wiggly in the next. Maybe, when she accidentally knocked herself out with the shot, the Gift lurking in her subconscious was able to take hold and completely free her from Wiggly's control.

So if Becky did have enough power that she still retains some of the Gift into adulthood, like a somewhat less powerful Lex, that could be what Wilbur needed for his Workin' Boys ritual. Hannah would have been too young and important, and Lex could have been unreachable or not usable for some other reason (I think a lot about how Wilbur and Lex seem to have the same power, but that's another post), so Becky it was. Since we now know that Wilbur, erm, crosses between timelines (geddit?), he could even have possibly chosen her because of what happened in Black Friday.

And then there's the tree. As @kmesons pointed out, the one thing we really know about Becky's childhood, outside of her high school cheerleading and relationship, is that at some point she rather famously climbed a tree and refused to come down for two days. So my question is, what if it was not a regular tree, but part of the Witchwood? After all, the "Becky Barnes Climbed A Tree" song implies that the tree in question was quite large, and we know that things grow fast and big in the Wood. Maybe, like the Fosters, the Barnes lived on the edge of the forest. If Becky had a strong touch of the Gift, could she have struck a bond with the gifted person planted inside of this particular tree, a-la Hannah in The Witch in the Web? The fact that Becky's tree climb is the namesake for a whole Nightmare Time story indicates that there's some supernatural element to the situation, and that could definitely be a start. And (told you we'd get a little wild) if she did befriend a planted kid, and climb their tree for reasons as of yet unknown, could that tree have given her something? Knowledge or some other powerful gift that the Lords don't want her to have, and yet makes her a warrior?

(And we can't forget Stanley, the abusive husband who chases her into the Witchwood in a brutal fight to the death. Who loses the fight and disappears, last seen lying bleeding out among the trees... perhaps trees just like the one she climbed as a child, trees grown from children that had been just like her. We've been focused on how the fight taking place in the Witchwood could easily mean that Stanley's still alive, or at least undead, but what if it's the other way around? What if the trees helped her?)



[arianna-creates]

Tim starts shoving pastries into his purse just rawdoggin it and Lex feels a disturbance in the force

He hates this stupid gnc nepo baby so goddamn bad that he's willing to abandod all of his carefully thought-out (shut up Mercy stop laughing) anti-superman schemes in order to spend his time coming up with ways to take. Tim. Down. Clark is extremely concerned over this development and Bruce is blocking his phone calls and please Clark can you just fucking talk to Lex yourself it is 8am who in their right mind wakes up at 8am on a suNDAY-

...Unfortunately, Kon decides this is the perfect opportunity to get attention from BOTH of his dads, starting with scheduled dates at the one spot at Wayne Manor that Paparazzi are known to lurk about

Based on @cr1mson5returns 's post:

Og post + alt pic^^

[pupsmailbox]

STARTING WITH L

MASCULINE︰ lachlan. laird. lake. lamar. lambert. lamont. lance. landen. landon. landry. landyn. lane. lanford. langston. lanny. larry. laurence. lavern. laverne. lawrence. lawson. layne. layton. laz. leandro. ledger. lee. legacy. legend. leighton. leith. leland. len. lenard. lennie. lennon. lennox. lenny. lenox. leo. leon. leonard. leonardo. leonel. leonidas. leopold. leroi. leroy. les. lesley. leslie. lester. letter. lev. levi. levon. lew. lewin. lewis. lex. leyton. liam. lincoln. linford. link. linton. linus. linwood. lionel. liu. lloyd. logan. london. loren. lorenzo. lorin. lorn. lorne. lorrin. lou. louie. louis. lovel. lovell. lowell. loyal. loyd. luca. lucas. lucca. lucian. luciano. lucius. lucky. luis. luka. lukas. luke. luther. lyall. lyle. lyndon. lynn. lynton. lynwood. lyric.

FEMININE︰ laila. lainey. lakelynn. lana. laney. lara. laura. laurel. lauren. layla. laylanni. leah. leandra. leanna. leena. legacy. leia. leighton. leila. leilani. lena. lennon. lennox. leona. leslie. letter. lexi. lexie. leya. leyla. lia. liana. libby. liberty. lila. lilah. lilian. liliana. lilianna. lilith. lillian. lilliana. lillie. lilly. lily. lina. lindsey. lisa. liv. logan. lola. london. londyn. lonnie. loralai. lorelai. lorelei. louisa. louise. lucia. luciana. lucille. lucy. luisa. luna. lyanna. lydia. lyla. lylah. lynnette. lyra. lyric.

NEUTRAL︰ labyrinth. lace. lacy. lai. laiken. laine. lake. laken. lali. lam. lamar. lamp. lance. landry. landyn. lane. lang. lark. larkin. latch. lau. laurel. laurence. laurent. lavan. lave. lavender. lavey. lawan. lawin. layken. layne. layton. lazarus. le. leaf. leather. ledger. lee. left. legaci. legacy. legend. lei. leigh. leighton. leis. leith. lek. lemar. len. leni. lennie. lennon. lennox. lenny. lenox. leo. leon. leone. lesley. leslie. less. letter. levi. levian. levy. lex. lexi. lexington. leyton. li. liam. lian. liann. liberty. lie. liel. life. lilac. lille. lilo. lily. limit. lin. linae. lind. linde. linden. lindi. ling. lingxi. link. linn. linux. lio. lione. lior. lithium. liyan. lo. lock. logan. logic. lois. lok. loki. lolan. london. lone. lonnie. loose. loren. lorin. lost. lotus. lou. loui. louie. louis. love. loyal. loyalty. luca. lucca. lucid. lucka. lucky. ludo. lue. lui. luka. lull. lumi. lumière. lunar. lune. lurch. lurk. luscious. lutfi. lux. ly. lykke. lyn. lyndon. lynn. lynx. lyre. lyric. lyrik. lý.

[thefrenchydude]

Murderous Lust - Chapter 1 : (Re-)Acquaintanced.

(Here is the first chapter of the new version of Murderous Lust written by @nocturneeros. I loved it, hope y'all do too.)

The stars are so pretty tonight. The air on this balcony is so fresh… And yet…

He still can’t help but feel as though something will go wrong at any moment. Or, more accurately, that something is missing from his life. Something that watches him, lurking in the dark, waiting for the chance to reveal itself and force him to acknowledge it. And only then will he begin to remember the tormentor provoking these feelings.

[Name] can’t find it in him to bring this situation up to his husband. How is he supposed to describe an invisible — potentially entirely unreal — danger? The nightmares he has of two creatures encompassed by shadow holding him prisoner. Two silhouettes that don’t stay in the shape of anything he can make out.

He would surely be treated as a madman.. There’s nobody he can say from his past that has given him this fear. Even with all of the things he’s done, everything that haunts him now…

That’s right. It’s more likely to be some sort of subconscious torment. He must be doing this to himself. But it’s not like he knows psychology well enough to put any words to what these nightmares might be coming from. That’s far beyond him.

It would make sense, though, given the other half of his nightmares. They’re all far more explicit in replaying the horrors of the life he left behind. The innocent faces he killed that blur in his memories, as though they’re still as inconsequential to him as he forced himself to believe while doling out their untimely demise. 

He can still feel the weight of a knife in his hand, the way the handle would start slipping once his victim was covered in blood. When he was more inexperienced, he would never know how to grasp it right. That left many a scar on his dominant hand, where the blade would cut him, allowing their blood to mix with his own.

If it wasn’t a knife, it was his hands around their neck. He’s glad he can’t remember any of their faces. Not how they looked when he was squeezing the life from them, cutting off their airflow. He’s grateful for the fact that he can’t remember the light leaving their eyes.

But he had to. He had to do it so that he could live to see another day. Even in that life, where he slept in the cold filth, body covered in bruises. He had to do what he could. Anything to survive. Death was not an option. Not a more favorable one, at least.

Lex was his way out. [Name] tried again and again to claw his way out of the pit he was unfortunate enough to be in. Every single attempt failed, sometimes sending him back further than where he had initially started.

[Name] can still remember meeting him when he was at his worst so many years ago. Lex was charming, well-dressed, and a rather influential man in Auroria. Still is. And he has given [Name] everything. A new chance at life, a huge house to live in, a comfortable bed to sleep in, strong arms to fall into. At some point, [Name] was able to see past his money and looks, falling for his husband’s compassion and tender behavior.

Those are traits he can’t remember seeing from many. Especially not the rich and elite.

Maybe they can change that, though.

If they can change others’ lives the same way Lex changed his…

It’s also because of that man, after all, that [Name] has managed to rise to the top of society. He’s met the city’s most influential people through his husband. What type of cretin would he be, with all of the damage he’s done, if he didn’t use this new chance for the benefit of his city? He has to fight the inequality and poverty he’s personally witnessed running rampant. He has to keep more young kids who would have otherwise had bright futures from falling into the same pits he did.

“[Name]? Are you up here?” Lex’s voice rings out from behind him, and [Name] turns, met with the sight of his lover’s concerned face.

“I am. Sorry. What’s wrong?” He stands, Lex’s small smile sending his heart fluttering. The relief in his eyes is flattering. He’s still not used to being fretted over. He’s not sure if he ever will be.

“Just looking for you. Wanted to see if you’re all set for the party?”

“Oh, I am. Don’t worry.” It was just going to be another stuffy party. One for celebration and schmoozing. [Name] shrugs, not really looking forward to rubbing elbows with the other rich folk, but he can make do if it’s for a better future.

Lex’s hand comes up to his cheek, and it seems as though he’s searching [Name]’s eyes for something. Trying to tell if he’s bluffing, perhaps? Whatever signs he’s seeking, however, he doesn’t find it, and sighs before kissing the other man on the forehead. “Good. Let’s go get dinner, yeah?” His voice is soft, soothing, and [Name] is quick to agree, eager to get any food in his stomach.

***

The evening of the party rolls around. The manor they’re hosting in has been decorated to the nines, all glammed up to celebrate the city’s 500th Anniversary.

Truthfully, [Name] can’t find it in himself to love this city. The bitterness of what he experienced living here weighs on him. Getting to this position didn’t cure him of the trauma wrought onto him, nor did it bring back the lives he took away just to survive.

But that’s what he’s trying to change. So even if he has to rub elbows with the prissy little aristocrats who are convinced there’s nothing that needs fixing…

Not ready to talk with the other influential members of society quite yet, [Name]’s eyes dart around the room, locking onto his husband. He is quick to make his way over to Lex, waiting until he finishes speaking before pulling him over to the side. Despite this, Lex is the first to speak, keeping his voice low. “Hey. How are you holding up?”

“I’m fine.” Debatable. [Name] has always hated these gatherings. He much prefers getting his hands dirty with busywork. All of this conversation is never good for him. It wears him out far too fast. “You?”

“You know I’m okay.” Very true. Lex was born into this. Accustomed to it. Way better at handling people than [Name] ever would be. “But why did you pull me over?” It was normal for [Name] to ask for Lex’s attention if he got overwhelmed (which he did quite frequently during these things). Or even to regroup and discuss something serious so that they knew how to tackle it — like convincing someone more influential than them to help push some plan or other. But given that the party has just started…

“Do you think they’ll come?”

“No. They never do.”

Right.

Still, though… [Name] can’t help the dark, wriggling sensation in his chest when he thinks about them. Perhaps it’s just the rumors, but he’s never been one to be this nervous about someone he’s not likely to ever meet. Even if they’re demons, the persistent anxiety is rather excessive and terribly draining on his psyche.

Lex is more sensible than he, however. He should probably trust his judgment on this.

“You’re right. I’ll go talk with some of the guests.”

Lex smiles at him, leaning over to brush a small kiss on his cheek before pulling back. “I’ll be upstairs, then. You cover down here.”

[Name] nods, watching his husband leave before turning to the crowd.

Steeling himself, he heads into the heart of the party, working his way through each group and their issues one by one.

The first is a huffy nobleman thoroughly upset by the rampant crime running through the city. A common take.

“We really need to do something about these criminals. They’re getting far too bold!”

[Name] purses his lips, mind flashing to a… specific group he really, really needs to get out of this city. He feels as though this guy just means the poor, though. “We do…” Test the limits. Vaguely agree. The typical way to get around these people without stepping on any toes and control his own temper. “What do you propose we do about them?”

Of course, this man uses that time to spout things [Name] knows is entirely unrealistic and can’t be proposed to anyone higher-up on a serious level. Not responsibly, at least. There’s so much that goes into these things… Funds, regulations, majority agreement. The idea of it all makes his head spin. Just taking it one step at a time feels overwhelming at times.

If it were that easy, this city would already be thriving. Lex and [Name] have their own ideas on how to get there, regardless of what these prissy little peacocks dressed as men say.

When he escapes that conversation, it’s right into the figurative arms of a noblewoman flooded with anxiety and fretting over the potential arrival of those esteemed guests.

“I heard they’re actually coming today. Is that true?”

[Name] has a good idea of who she’s talking about, yet he furrows his brow anyway and cocks his head, not wanting to assume. It’d be embarrassing to make a fool of himself around these people… And damage his reputation. Such are the flights of fancy of those higher up. “Who?”

“The founders.”

Ah. [Name] had thought there was a chance for them to arrive, too… This is the 500th year, after all. That’s a pretty big milestone… Truthfully, he thinks there can still be a chance, however small. “Perhaps. I guess we’ll see, huh?” He forces a smile he hopes feels cheeky and mysterious, his own mind wandering…

After listening to her vent out her fears, he’s met with something far less infuriating to deal with. Simple, boring, mundane chatter. But welcome simple, boring, mundane chatter.

“I’ve been thinking of expanding Mark’s Grove.”

“That little park off by the river?”

The noble [Name] speaks to nods emphatically, almost bursting at the seams to talk about this little passion project of theirs. “Yes! It’s so cute, isn’t it? But the kids around there complain about how little room there is to play. It’d definitely be perfect if it was larger. We could even add a playground and a sports field!”

That’s true… Right now, it just felt like the typical random park people went to for picnics. A nice spot to go to if you had some downtime for relaxing. Maybe even for a midnight stroll. But nothing quite that exciting. Especially not for kids.

“That sounds amazing. We really do need more places for kids to have fun. Keeps them out of trouble.”

The noble practically glows, grinning when [Name] agrees with them. “Right! My house is going to host a fundraising event for it next month. Will we see you there?”

“I’ll have to talk with my husband, but it’s very likely. It’s a wonderful venture. I’ll make sure to spread the word, at the very least, even if we can’t make it ourselves.”

“Oh, you’re so gracious!”

That noble lavishes him with praises that he quite enjoys, and then [Name] is off to the next. And the next. And the next… One after another…

After much verbal dancing around, [Name] manages to find the time to sit down. Close to being overwhelmed, he takes a glass of wine and sips from it, eyes roaming the crowd. And as he drinks, he thinks about those invited guests who aren’t likely to arrive despite being much anticipated.

Demons who stayed on everyone’s mind. Warlords who defeated another powerful demon that destroyed the village on which Auroria was built. Their beloved had been sacrificed in the process. Everyone knew the tragedy of their story.

It was worth the admiration. However, there were rumors that the demon had murdered the couples’ lover. And that the aforementioned lover had initially been abducted by the two, held captive. There was a chance that the demon monkeys had destroyed the town themselves in revenge for the fall of their lover.

Who knows? Only the ones who were alive 500 years ago. They were the ones who wrote this city’s history.

[Name] takes another sip of his wine just as something catches his eye…

It would seem as though Lex was wrong this time. They had come. Two silhouettes that feel… far more familiar than they should have, move through the party.

Liu’er Mihou, the Six-Eared Macaque. A tall simian with black fur and dark purple eyes. One would look at him and assume he was of the more stoic sort, and yet there was a furrow in his brow, a hand on his hip, and his tail curled around one of his legs. It would be wrong to say his attention was truthfully on the floor; it was more so that he appeared off in his own little world, pondering something [Name] figured he would never be able to fathom, seemingly completely disinterested in the party he had arrived at.

Alongside him stood his brother in arms, Sun Wukong, the more powerful of the two. This simian had orange fur that matched his eyes. This demon was far more standoffish and aware of his surroundings than his companion. His gaze cuts through the crowd, a small sneer on his face. For someone who founded and protected this city, he was awfully hostile to the partygoers at this celebration. That alone is enough to scare the majority of the crowd off from even attempting to speak with him.

Both of them are stunningly well-dressed. They wear corsets matching their colorful irises, the stylish pants covering their bottom halves helping bring attention to the way the tops accentuate their figures. With a bit of unease, [Name] notes the war paint they have not bothered to wash off their faces before arriving.

However, there’s a high chance he’s just overthinking it. The demons were sure to have customs separate from the ones humans upheld. He can’t fathom what their society must be like. The world they live in.

Unfortunately, the aristocrats also had to extend an invitation to the monkeys’ descendants. A common formality, regardless of the distress they caused and their ill reputations. It doesn’t help that in numbers, they make up a whole tribe.

Unlike their parents, they’re seen way too often for anyone’s liking. They bring with them nothing but chaos, tormenting and murdering citizens with lack of care for the lives of the weak mortals. [Name] has been doing his best to find a way to banish them from the city, but given their sheer numbers, power, and who they’re descended from…

It’s easier said than done.

Feeling a headache coming on just thinking about dealing with the rowdy crowd mixing with the prissy little aristocrats, [Name] watches the duo cross the room. Something about them sends a chill through him. The sensation is like ice entering his veins, filling him up with the distinct sense of dread and danger. The urge to flee.

And yet, when he hears the orange siminian’s voice… He can’t make out the words being muttered to the darker companion, and yet his heart still clenches with that heart-wrenching familiarity he can’t understand, no matter how much he thinks about it.

Reaching his breaking point for what he can handle without becoming overwhelmed, [Name] looks around, only to find Lex busy with a small group. Not wanting to distract his husband from something important with his petty little woes, he worries his lip before standing, leaving his unfinished wine on the table before disappearing upstairs, seeking out solace only some alone time in an unoccupied bathroom can give him before he returns to tending to the guests.

When he gets there, he locks the door behind him and sits on the closed toilet seat, burying his face in his hands. Now that he’s up here without any prying eyes, he can allow himself to fall apart.

The shaking in his hands. The racing of his heart. His whole body is trembling and it’s rather difficult to breathe. He squeezes his eyes shut, doing his best to feel it out. Let it happen. It’s always better than allowing it to become pent up. The breakdowns he has when he does so aren’t worth it. He’s hurt Lex during them. He can’t bear to do it again.

He has no idea how much time passes up here. But he stays there, unmoving, until the tremors fade. Still feeling shaky and disoriented, he rises, turning on the faucet and splashing some cold water into his face until he feels entirely cooled down.

Once he’s back to his senses, he pats his face dry, breathes in, and releases a heavy sigh. Count to 10.

You’ll be okay.

[Name] returns downstairs, making his way through the crowd, calming down some of the nobles who are more finicky and anxious about the arrival of the demons.

“I never knew they’d actually come…”

[Name] nods along, his agreement idle and kept purposefully vague, not wanting to cause any ire or stir up any drama that’d have long-lasting, potentially devastating consequences. “It is certainly a surprise. It looks as though they have dressed up for it, no? They may see our efforts and respect it.”

“They don’t look happy…”

“We know not their customs. Perhaps they are here on a formality.” The same reason their descendants were invited… “We asked them to come. It is important. We should not be so judgmental to the ones protecting us.” Of course, [Name] can’t help but feel rather apprehensive about them as well, but it’s his responsibility to make sure this doesn’t spiral into something terrible, right?

They shouldn’t anger them. That could undo so much progress — it could set them back and leave them worse off.

A noblewoman chimes in. “But the others…”

Ah. Yeah. It’s far more fair to be anxious about the arrival of the criminals. [Name] has to think on his response before speaking.

“We have to be courteous to those related to our founders, even if they aren’t of the best character themselves. It is important to carry yourself with-”

Before he can finish what he was saying, there’s a crash off to the right. The small group he’s in whips their heads around to see what’s going on.

There’s a human laying in the mess of a toppled table — likely thrown right into it. The offender is immediately clear. A monkey girl with a wine stain on her dress is glaring right at him. [Name] recognizes her as Da Xia; she’s one of the many constant troublemakers they deal with.

“Pardon me.” [Name] dips his head and departs from his group, quick to move between the two when he sees the girl heading over to the fallen human, likely about to beat him down even more (if not straight up kill him). He turns his attention to the simian, his hands raised palms-up to about the height of his chest. “I’m sorry for any offenses this man has done unto you.” He’s so happy he learned this fancy ass rich person speak from Lex. Helps him feel more confident about these things. “If there’s anything I can do to make it up to-”

“Get out of my way!”

[Name] swallows. Alright. Potentially saving someone’s life is a tad more difficult than he thought it would be. “I’m sure there’s something I can do to-”

Evidently, this only makes Da Xia far more annoyed, if the way she looks at him like a pathetic soon-to-be smear is any indicator. Or the way she curls her hand into a fist and raises it, her fury aimed at [Name] instead. “Get out of my way, or you’re gonna end up just like him!”

[Name] fumbles over his words, but is soon saved from having to talk his way out of this situation (which he was becoming increasingly sure would have failed) when he sees a larger, black-furred hand grab the raised arm by the wrist.

With the same level of disinterest on his face as when he arrived, Macaque keeps his daughter’s arm in place, not even looking at the scene taking place. He just sighs. “Leave them alone. You should know better than to indulge in these childish antics by now.”

“But he-!”

“You let your temper get the best of you. If you stay here, I’ll make you apologize.”

Da Xia looks absolutely appalled by the mere concept of apologizing to some lower life-form. When Macaque lets go of her wrist, she just scowls and storms off, cursing on her way out of the party. [Name] is sure if she wasn’t so furry, she’d be absolutely red in the face, though he’s not sure whether it’d be from embarrassment or rage.

Probably both.

[Name] takes that opportunity to check on the victim, helping him up. “Are you alright?”

“I believe I am… Terribly sore, so I’ll be heading on home.” That, and he’s currently drenched in food and drink. “Thank you for that. I won’t forget it. I’m indebted to you.”

The excessive praise makes [Name] flush. “Oh, no, really, anyone would have-”

“No, no. You saved my life. Thank you.”

… Well. [Name] believes that. The man struggles to even stand on his own right now, his legs weak and shaky. It takes him a few more moments before [Name] can let go of him, watching him meet up with his fretting wife before they leave the party together.

Reassured by the nobleman not being seriously injured, [Name] prepares to head back into the party, but is stopped by Macaque approaching him. The human tenses, eyes darting everywhere but the monkey in his uncertainty. Does he owe him? Is he indebted?

Before he can get anything out, the simian speaks first. “I apologize for Da Xia’s behavior tonight. She is still quite young. You know how kids are. Impulsive little things.”

That brings [Name]’s eyes up to his face. Relief floods his body when he realizes it’s just an apology. “Ah, yeah, haha…” In his struggle to remain cool under the circumstances, he slips up from his more formal speech, and this causes a whole new wave of dread to run through him when the simian meets his gaze.

Oh fuck, he totally knows I’m a fraud. He’s going to take back the formalities. What if he kills me for even deining to speak to him when I’m clearly not of anywhere near close to the same social standing?

However, Macaque’s eyes widen with… recognition? [Name] is only somewhat certain it’s that emotion when the monkey gasps, but he can’t be sure why. He’s never met him before, even if his own heart rings with that persistent, nagging feeling that tells him otherwise. Maybe it’s something else. He could be projecting his own feelings onto the demon.

Seeing as how Macaque doesn’t respond, [Name] clears his throat, giving a polite incline of his head before prodding the man. “Your Lordship, Liu’er Mihou?”

The dark-furred monkey blinks, then… smiles? It’s such a tender expression that it catches [Name] off-guard. He even thinks he sees wetness in those purple eyes of his, but Macaque dips his head too quickly for [Name] to confirm this. And without another word, he rejoins Wukong. They’re too far away for [Name] to hear the conversation.

Somewhat baffled by the encounter, [Name] decides it’s just amazing for him to get away with all of his extremities intact. He’s breathing and in no pain, so that’s a total win, as far as he’s concerned. And Sun Wukong even appears delighted by whatever the Six-Eared Macaque is telling him, given the wide grin on his face and the arch in his tail, so that’s a sign of no ill will coming their way (hopefully).

All was resolved peacefully. Maybe their relationship with the magnanimous protectors of the city has even gotten better? This could lead to so much development in the future. It might make many things easier.

Just as [Name] starts to think about how to use this potential boon to their advantage, Lex appears, wrapping [Name] in his arms and pressing a deep kiss to his lips. When the blonde pulls back, his eyes are full of concern. He cups [Name]’s cheek in a broad hand, his gaze searching. “You’re okay, love?”

The worry makes [Name]’s heart melt. He smiles, leaning into his husband’s touch. “I am. It went well.” He glances over to where he last saw the simians, thinking of all the good news to tell his husband about what he witnessed. However, the sight he’s greeted with sends a jolt of pure fear straight into his heart.

Wukong had started heading over to them, but his earlier grin was gone from his face, replaced by a scowl directed straight at [Name] and his husband. Those orange eyes were full of absolute bloodlust.

(Story re-written by @nocturneeros)

(AU inspired by @semisolidmind and @hcdragonwrites (hope you get back to writing soon, really loved your stories.))

[rockrosethistle]

Listen because the first time I watched Yellowjacket I knew that Ethan and Lex were gonna break up. And you probably did, too. The episode starts with a breakup song.

But it's so misleading. It set up the expectation that Ethan was going to betray her in some way, and when he didn't, I just disregarded the song.

But then Lex writes out that note, and its just like, oh yeah, that...

I think it's a prettier way to show that they were never going to make it out together. They were doomed from the beginning, and it's lurking in the background. From the very first minute, you know it's there, but after a while you forget about it. And when all the pieces fall into place, it hurts so bad. You knew the odds were stacked against them, but you thought they'd beat them. And when they dont, you are forced to remember that this was coming all along.

[crisis-aversion]

OG ver

Sequels ver

[simbugge]

!SUL SUL!

New simblr here!

My name is Alexis (lex) I go by she/her. I’m 22 and a mother of one and a half (another one in the oven lol) I’ve been playing the sims since the Sims 3 Supernatural first came out. I recently joined simblr a few years back just lurking, but I wanted to start posting my own things such as gameplay, sims to download, lookbooks, and getting more into this community as I don’t have many friends who share the same sim interest. I’m 99% maxis match!

Feel free to like and reblog so I can interact and meet mutuals. I appreciate it a ton. Looking forward to all of it 🥹❤️

[cinderfeather]

Short Story Writing Tips for Fanfic Authors

While Edgar Allen Poe has many pretentious things to say on the merits of the Short Story (‘a work of art should be able to achieve its effect in one sitting’), I want to talk about them from a fanfiction perspective.

As fic writers, we are doing this hobby for fun, and frequently find ourselves hopping between shiny new idea, to shiny new idea, to shiny new idea…

...which is totally fine. However: to reduce this, I want to impress this upon you:

Keep your fic short enough to write within the span of dopamine it generates.

So while it’s still easy to generate long plots, I usually like to keep my stories small and focused wherever possible, so I can feel proud about ✨finishing✨ it and then have more energy to work on the next idea. In addition, if I have an idea tha t I think is cool, but not something I can fathom spending an entire year writing a novel-length-fic about, I can still write the idea if I think carefully about how I can work it into a short story.

Often writers way things like: 'I have 30k words to write just to get to the fun bit 😭😭😭'

Just write the fun bit.

It might be one thing for me to say that, but learning a bit of craft about short stories can make this easier.

So: one of the hardest things in a story is the ending, and short stories (especially origific) can be very challenging to create a satisfying ending with so little to work with.

In short story craft, there is a lot of talk about things like Hemingway’s ‘Iceberg Theory’:

Hemingway said that only the tip of the iceberg showed in fiction—your reader will see only what is above the water—but the knowledge that you have about your character that never makes it into the story acts as the bulk of the iceberg. And that is what gives your story weight and gravitas. — Jenna Blum in The Author at Work, 2013 (Wikipedia Link)

Fanfic is great for this! You already have a ton of character and plot fleshed out, so you can already have your iceberg while putting very little effort in. Short stories are already much easier as fic because they already have the 'iceberg of canon' beneath them, so make the most of it!

The next trick is ✨Authors Notes✨!

You can just say the background info plainly to the reader, without having to worry about crafting it nicely for the reader.

However, if you feel that the background info might be served best by putting it into the story, then let me introduce you to the next trick: Telling!

Think about summary the you have in your AN, and expand it into slightly longer ‘pretty’ prose:

Months went by. Trees bloomed, and forsook their leaves. One day, Mina stepped outside again.

That covers a year of a character being stuck in their grief, without having to mire reader in being stuck like that too.

We’ve all had ‘Show, don’t tell’ beaten into us with a hammer. But if it’s not important or interesting for you or your story, then just Tell it, and move on to the next exciting thing! What you want to do is research ways to use prose to convey the passing of time, write summaries and transition sequences, and work out ways to cut down and remove ‘all that writing you have to do to get to the fun scene’.

So, let’s say you had an idea for an achingly beautiful Suparbat story that worked like a Shakespearean tragedy inspired by Othello. You start brainstorming and writing fragments of all these scenes where they meet, fall in love, then have all these gradual misunderstandings caused by Lex trying to meddle and break them apart.

They pile up super high, and then there is this devastating, heart-pounding finale where they fight, along with the tragic ending and denouement.

You take your notes and start trying to plan out what scenes you will need, and your face goes pale as you estimate the story will probably be about 80k words.

You can’t commit to that, and you sense another shiny idea might be lurking on the horizon soon (and besides, you have other fics to finish). You consider abandoning it, resigned to the beauty of the story haunting you forever.

Hold up.

The tragic fight scene. That’s the one that excites you the most. Start writing that.

Bam, bam bam.

Why are they fighting? The audience is now curious and hooked, sitting breathless on the edge of their seat.

Line of dialogue! Ultra specific accusation!

Now the reader is intellectually hooked. What event is this specific detail referring to?

Flashback to one of the scenes where they met and were tenderly in love, linked by the line of dialogue before.

Now the reader is emotionally hooked. What happened to make them hate each other so?

The fight scene continues! Dramatic moments of action interspersed with flashbacks of those snippets you wrote—

Now the reader has been enthralled by all this awesome action, and has a good grasp of emotional arc and events that brought them to this point, with the juxtaposition of the moments of love and hate creating a tremendous experience.

The fatal wound, juxtaposed by the fatal misunderstanding that set Batman on this path… Those painful words exchanged in the present, that have been stuck in your head for weeks: Why? I loved you! Lex (aka Iago) comes out, doing a slow clap, and revealing how he plotted and schemed to sow this discord between Batman and Superman, to make Batman kill Superman for him. The achingly haunting moment of looking into each others eyes and Superman forgiving and trying to absolve Batman of his guilt before he dies. Bruce swiftly disabling Lex’s failsafe (to stop him from taking revenge, but its useless because he’s Batman) and holding a batarang to Lex’s throat.

Now you’ve used 80% of your notes, and you have a decent first draft already!

So now, what will Batman do? Break his moral code about killing again (he already did with Superman) and kill Lex? Try to set Lex on a path of rehabilitation?

So then you get stuck. But Cinder, this doesn’t work for me! All I can think of is to end it the same way as Othello! Which I can’t bear to write.

Hold up.

Go back over your story and start tightening it up. The idea that Bruce is willing to kill someone is quite important. Go back and add flashbacks (or add context to the existing flashbacks) about Bruce developing, sticking to or explaining his no-kill rule.

Then you write an epilogue, where a reformed Lex starts making all kinds of structural changes in the world, alongside all the people who stepped up after being inspired by Superman’s life and determination to let everyone have a chance at forgiveness. After this, you realise that the last line Superman needs to say is to beg Bruce not to continue his murder-rampage and kill Lex.

Then you go back over your story again, fleshing out Lex’s character and some of the hints and lines of dialogue he drops to round out his arc as well. The story feels nice, but still a little off. The ending of Othello haunts you. Do you need to kill Batman after all?

You try writing the scene with the climax ending on: ‘Now, the only way: the Bat will die upon the light.’

Then, as you edit the last bit of the epilogue, you add at the end that Bruce is still alive, observing it all, having hung up his cape as Batman, (because how else could their love end after this but with ‘Batman’ dying with him?). With the transformation that happened for both Lex and Bruce when he honoured Clark’s last wish, this meant that world also grew into a place where Batman wasn’t needed anymore.

So there you have a beautiful short story about not just love and romance, but grief and betrayal and death and killing and absolution and forgiveness and a love that grows beyond a romantic entanglement into a love that changes the world— 🥰🥰🥰

And under 3000 words.

Now other people will be haunted by your story for the rest of their lives, instead of you.

You will have to edit harder if you try to write as concisely as this, but overall I think you’ll get more stories finished if you experiment with focusing on writing the exciting bits, then sprinkling just enough scene fragments to make it work.

I often write out an idea for a few thousand words, till I get stuck, then go back over it and start thinking about how I can reorder and tweak it to bring what I already have to a satisfying ending.

It requires fumbling and sitting and thinking and figuring it out as I’m revising (as you saw in the example) but if you keep focused on making things shorter you’ll be surprised at just how short you can make it.

And how many things you can finish!

[raemeh]

oh don’t threaten them with a good time

@lex-the-lesbiann Do you want more than just that one to reblog? I’ll make you more lmao, just give me some time I have dnd tomorrow.

[officialdailyplanet]

Not Human

Luthor Unleashes Bombshell: Bruce Wayne Replaced by Kryptonian Spy? by @official-clark-kent

In a sensational turn of events, Lex Luthor has ignited a firestorm of controversy with shocking claims regarding Gotham’s billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne. @official-lex-luthor asserts that Wayne was replaced by a Kryptonian spy during his mysterious absence from Gotham in his youth, raising alarming questions about the true identity of the man behind the Wayne Enterprises facade.

At a recent press conference, Luthor unleashed his accusations, stating, “When @officialbruciewayne left Gotham, something sinister happened. The real Bruce Wayne never returned; he was replaced by an imposter—a Kryptonian operative infiltrating our society under the guise of philanthropy.”

Luthor’s assertions are rooted in Wayne’s abrupt departure from Gotham during his formative years, a period shrouded in mystery. “What was he doing all that time? Training with ninjas? Or is it more likely that the real Wayne is dead in a ditch.” Luthor demanded, his tone dripping with contempt.

The controversial businessman cited Wayne’s uncanny changes to both personality and intelligence upon his return to Gotham as evidence of this alleged duplicity. “Bruce Wayne was by all accounts a quiet and gifted young man. He was going to be a doctor, for Chrissake! How then did he grow up to be a drunken sex-maniac moron,” Luthor questioned. "And whose word should we take? @butlerofthecave - a senile old man, too grief-stricken to question this changeling that came home."

Critics of Luthor’s claims have been quick to denounce his theories as unfounded and desperate. “This is nothing more than a ploy to divert attention from his own questionable practices,” said a spokesperson for Wayne Enterprises. “Bruce Wayne is a well-respected figure dedicated to philanthropy and community service. To suggest he is a Kryptonian spy is both ludicrous and insulting.”

Despite the backlash, Luthor doubled down, releasing what he claims are “incontrovertible facts” linking Wayne to Kryptonian interests. He pointed to Wayne’s cutting-edge technological advancements, his close relationship with Superman as indicators of a deeper conspiracy, Wayne's financial contributions to the Justice League and not to mention ongoing inconsistencies in his published schedule.

“Every time Wayne steps into the spotlight, he distracts us from the true threat—Kryptonian infiltration,” Luthor asserted. "Bruce Wayne is keeping secrets, and we should all be very worried about what those are.

The implications of Luthor’s accusations have sent shockwaves through both Metropolis and Gotham, with citizens left questioning the motives of one of their most prominent figures. Are they truly seeing the real Bruce Wayne, or is this billionaire a dangerous weapon in a larger, extraterrestrial game?

As the rivalry between Luthor and Wayne escalates, the future of both companies hangs in the balance. While Luthor’s accusations may seem outrageous, they serve as a reminder of the ever-present tension between humanity and the unknown, raising fundamental questions about identity, trust, and the potential for hidden threats lurking among us.

For now, the debate rages on, and the citizens of Metropolis and Gotham must grapple with the implications of Luthor’s bombshell claims. In a world filled with heroes and villains, who can we truly trust? Only time will tell.

[hunterssm00n]

Hello, From the Other Side

Lex reflects back on her experience under the ice in the Pyramid, and remembers the one reason she made it out alive. Set one year after the events that occurred on Bouvetoya Island. | Lex/Scar |

part 1 of 2

my Scar & Lex series on ao3: here

*cw psychological trauma*

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧‎♡‧₊˚

hunterssm00n © All rights reserved by me. I do not allow this work to be used or adapted in any way without my permission.

It was quiet.

Not the deadly kind of quiet that precedes an earth-shaking storm, nor the kind that you note in horror movies, where it always seems to be followed by the killer making his next bloody score. This was a peaceful quiet.

However serene this type of silence was, there was always that little voice in Lex's head now that whispered for her to be alert. Ever since the incident ("accident", as the news reports had deemed it) on Bouvetoya Island, this little voice had been constant. It spoke to her in the most un-assuming of times, always reminding her to watch herself. It was rather embaressing at times; especially in front of other people. Going all Amazon-warrior-lady, her eyes scanning every surface, her spine going rigid... It was definitely a way to leave an impression, though not necesarrily one that she would've preferred. She knew it wasn't schizophrenia; she didn't need a doctor to tell her that. Rather, it was a form of post-traumatic stress disorder - a constant survival instinct that, one year later, she still couldn't seem to shake. But then again, the news reports hadn't known the full extent of what had happened, hadn't seen the things she saw. What had occured on Bouvetoya Island was no mere accident.

Who could blame her for being paranoid? She had every right, as the therapist had told her, to feel the way she did. She didn't want this right. She wanted to feel normal again. Wanted to worry about paying her electric bill on time, about what she was going to wear on a date, about what she was going to have for dinner. Not about whether or not there would be a monster lurking around the corner in the hallway of her house, waiting to drag her off into the darkness.

Lex Woods crunched through the snow up the walkway of her little cubby in the forest. The heavy grocery bag in her right hand was nearly weighing her down, as her left hand searched for her house key in her coat pocket. Her fingers found the familiar ridges of a Pepsi-Cola bottlecap, and she knew the key would come out with the cap should she pull the string. She had turned the bottlecap necklace into a makeshift keychain, and it served its purpose as both a practical asset and a memoir.

She inserted the key into the lock on her front door, giving a small smile at the thought of her friend, Sebastian. In the few hours they'd been friends, they'd come to know each other better than she knew most of her female friends she'd been in the company of for years. In an instinctive, survival situation though, it was easy to get to know someone on a deeper level; whether they were a runner or a fighter, how well they did under pressure, how deeply they let their fear affect them.

Stepping inside her house, Lex stomped the snow off of her boots, and gently pushed the door shut. All of the main lights were on in her house, creating a bright, warm atmosphere. Since the incident, Lex had a hard time walking into a completely dark room. She'd taken to leaving lights on even when she wasn't home, just in case she came back after dark, so she wouldn't have to step into the shadows to try and find the lightswitch. She hadn't been kidding about wanting to worry about paying her electric bill - it was more often then not a little outrageous for someone who lived by themself.

Hanging up the bottle cap on the key hook next to her door, she took a moment to study the familiar logo etched on the surface of the cap. Remembering the sardonic way Sebastian had explained how he found it, she gave another small smile. That was a good sign. It had taken her a long time to think about him without crying.

Lex toed her boots off, nudging them with a sock-clad foot over onto the floor mat so they could dry. Heaving the bag of groceries up, she carried it over towards the brightly lit kitchen area while stripping off her winter skins with her free hand. She left her coat on the back of an armchair, along with her hat, scarf, and gloves. Before Bouvetoya, she never would have left it laying around. She was a meticulous person - especially about her space. She kept things very tidy and neat. While her home was still clean, even now, she had stopped caring about little things such as leaving her coat on a chair. Things like that didn't really phase her now, it seemed.

During the process of unloading her groceries, a sudden thundering on her roof nearly had her jumping out of her skin, and she gasped as the blood zapped through her veins like an electric shock. Dropping the bag of apples in her hand, the paper bag practically exploding on impact with the floor, the hand that had been holding them immediately clenched into a fist.

The rumbling seemed to roll down the slope of her roof before thumping to the ground with enough impact to rattle her kitchen window.

She was in front of the window before she even knew what she was doing, and tore back the curtain to reveal whatever was making the noise. An avalanche of snow was seen pouring off the roof onto the ground, then it slowed to a stop with the last pitter patters of the packing, wet substance hitting the ground. Snow. It had been snow. It hadn't been the first time snow had come rocketing down from one of the trees over her house, but she was shaking like it was nothing she'd ever experienced. No. Like it was something she had experienced, and never wanted to go through again.

To make doubly sure, she took a moment to listen for... She didn't know exactly what. For something, anything out of the ordinary. That same, peaceful silence met her ears, her fridge humming being the only other sound besides her pounding heart.

Satisfied that she wasn't in danger, she let the curtain drop to cover the window, and turned back to face the warm, light room. Leaning back against the counter, she tried to calm herself. Placing a hand over her heart, she knelt to sit on the floor, trying in vain to breathe steadily through her nose. The familiar signs of a panic attack flooded to the surface of her mind, and she was just grounded enough to roll her eyes. She was actually having an anxiety attack over snow.

She breathed in through her nose, letting it out through her mouth, leaning her head back against the cupboard to open her windpipe so she could suck in more oxygen. Staring at the cieling, she laid both hands flat on the floor, extending her legs out in front of her. You're fine, you're fine.

And then she thought of him.

He was always in the back of her mind, and who could blame her for keeping his memory alive? He had been her warrior partner through the crucial climactic point of their survival journey under (and later, above) the ice. She had saved his life, and he had saved hers. Back to back, together they had fought their way out of the maze of the Pyramid. He was a prescence in her mind, and at times like this, he pushed to the front of her brain like an emergency responder, trying to revive her. Physically, he was not there, but he lived on in her memory. During her "moments" like this, the thought of him always either made her feel better, or worse.

Better, because he had essentially saved her life. She liked to think she would have survived without him, but in reality, she knew she would not have. Her savior had protected her, helped her back onto her feet when she had been knocked down, had done the impossible and ensured her survival. And that was usually where the 'worse' feelings began - the fact that she had been the lone survivor.

It was a psychological thing, she knew. She longed for him to once again help her through her fear, to stand her up and brush her off. She ached for it, sometimes. He had been there, experienced this horror with her. He had made her feel safe - not in the lovey-dovey, soap opera, romance novel kind of way, but literally. She had felt the reassurance of safety, being with someone who could face those monsters, and was more than capable of destroying them. She'd seen him do it. The thought of him was the only thing that made her feel safe anymore. And he was gone.

During her panicked moments, she held onto the thought of him like a lifeline, and it made her ache to think that that was all he would every be; a thought. A distant memory of someone she had only known for a few hours, but had left more of an imprint on her mind than anyone she'd ever known. Sebastian had been a handsome, charming, wonderful person, and Lex could definitely have seen herself remaining his close friend, had he survived Bouvetoya.

But it was not Sebastian she thought of when she awoke from her nightmares.

Lex had one hand on her heart as it started to calm, and the other moved to cover her forehead as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. The way the mind worked under moments that relied only on instinct, the things people never realized about themselves until they were placed under that pressure... Lex had realized that she, like him, was a warrior. He wouldn't have marked her cheek with his barbaric, warrior symbol had she not been. But since they had been through such an intense situation together, and he had been the only one to make it to the surface with her, she now had a terrible time dealing with any thought of Bouvetoya without his memory. It was crazy, and silly, she knew. But she missed him. That was probably, she thought bitterly, another side-effect of her post-traumatic, whatever. Placing all of her emotions and distress onto him, putting all of her faith into him, trusting him to keep her safe, even now, when he wasn't here.

She didn't even know his real name (only her nickname for him, based on the mark he had given both of them once they reached the surface), but she knew his prescence. It was unforgettable. She pined for that prescence in her moments of fear.

A small noise escaped her throat, and she let out a shakey breath. "I'm sorry," she whispered, another whimper following her words, "I'm so, so sorry." Sorry that she hadn't been strong enough to protect him, as he had done for her.

After a few more minutes of steady breathing, Lex finally dried her eyes, and picked herself up off the ground.

"This can't be healthy, missing a dead alien from another freakin' galaxy," she muttered, trying to lighten her mood. "Not good for someone's health, at all."

Lex bent to pick up one of the many apples scattered across her kitchen floor, when another crashing noise came from her roof. She jumped, then shook her head, "Snow, you idiot, it's snow."

Then, what sounded like something crawling, on hands and feet, scaling the slope of her roof. Lex frowned. It was snow, right?

Holding her breath, she heard the steady thump, bump reach the edge of her roof, and then came to a THUD right outside the front of her house. She would've ran and hid, or even fainted in terror, had she not heard a familiar chittering, clicking noise coming from outside.

It can't be. She had heard that noise enough to know what it meant; it was something she could never forget. Lex walked slowly towards the door, one foot in front of the other, but she didn't even make it there before the damn thing was kicked open, slamming against the wall with enough force to rattle the windows, yet again.

She shrieked, jumping back a few feet, putting the kitchen island between her and whatever was about to come through the door. In no time at all, as though she was in danger and it was coming to her aid, a massive, hulking figure flew through the doorway, nearly smashing both walls down in it's haste. It was a blur, until it landed steadily on the floor a few feet away from the wide open entrance to her house. Then, only then, was she able to comfirm her suspicion.

It was a - well, whatever her companion had been. She noted the smooth, black dreadlocks that adorned it's head, as well as it's massive size, even crouched down, like it was now. Then the creature lifted it's head to look at her, and rose to it's full height. She gasped, unable to stop the noise even if she'd been in the right frame of mind to do so. Her heart pounded still, but in a completely different way, this time. Not out of fear, but out of disbelief; out of, dare she think it, excitement.

"Scar?"

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧‎♡‧₊˚

AN: I do not own the Alien vs Predator franchise or any of it's characters. I also do not own the song 'Hello' by Adele.

part two