#Rein Alvarez

[saytrrose]

Oc Doodle Dump

[bullet-prooflove]

Stockton!Series Part Six: Times Are Changing - Nestor Oceteva x Reader (feat: Bishop Losa & Marcus Alvarez)

Tagging: @anime-weeb-4-life @danzer8705 @drabbles-mc @alwaysachorusgirl @witches-unruly-heart @mysoulisasunflower @im-just-a-mississippi-girl @est1887 @mortal--soul @buddinglinguist @spookyboogyuniverse @thanossexual @lexondeck @weiwei0210 @trublu2u @justreblogginfics @oklahomapeach @keyweegirlie @crazy4chickennuggets @kmc1989 @withakindheartx @fanfic-n-tabulous @beardedbarba @adaydreamaway08 @librarian1002 @kishie8 @saltyunicorn079 @thebaileybugle @spaghettificationandpretzels @nu1freakshow @doggirlforever @beccabarba @legally-a-bastard @wnbweasley @skyesthebomb @msjava1972 @trublu2u @fleureeee @jp1019 @thiashazzywriting @jeybae @collegegirl83

Stockton!Series:

Part One: El Cuchillo - An incident in the clubhouse causes ramifcations for the entire club.

Part Two: Always - Nestor learns about what happened.

Part Three: In the Dark - You and Nestor wake up to find armed men in your house.

Part Four: Sierra - Marcus takes care of the men who tried to kill you.

Part Five: Maternal - Nestor and you take refuge at a familiar location.

It’s past midnight and Marcus sits alone in Templo. He’s taken the seat at the head of the table, his fingertips flicking through ‘The Good Book’, the one that Marcus had created when he founded the club all those years ago. Their history, their rules, their legacy, it’s all contained within these pages.

It’s been horrible couple of days, for him, for the MC, for his family, because that’s what you are to him, family. His daughter, born of fire and blood, the one that Ramos had tried to murder in her sleep, all over a grudge from something that happened when you were a child. Something you have no knowledge of, that’s he’s determined you’ll never have any knowledge of.

This book it plays a part in that.

As he reads it, he recognises the ramblings of the angry, violent man he used to be. The monster he calls it now, when he talks to Izzy.

He raises his head as Bishop enters through the stained-glass door. In each of his hands he holds a mug of coffee, the real stuff. Marcus would know that aromatic scent anywhere, it’s the same brand he keeps in his house. He sets one of the mugs in front of Marcus before he takes up residence in the V.P’s seat.

“Hell of a day.” Bishop says rubbing his hands over his weary features.

“Yea.” Marcus says as he picks up his coffee cup and takes a sip. “I’m just hoping they got the message otherwise things are about to get real fucked up.”

“Stockton was already fucked up. Things will change now Ramos is gone.” Bishop assures the other man. “Smokey’s tough, he’ll rein them in and the ones that don’t fall into line…I won’t shed any tears for them.”

Marcus shakes his head.

“I won’t either.”

There’s silence between the two of them for a moment, each man lost in his own thoughts. It shouldn’t have come down to this, they should have dealt with this problem long before Ramos had ever laid eyes on you.

“I haven’t seen that for a while.” Bishop utters, gesturing towards the book.

Marcus sighs heavily.

“Probably for good reason.” Marcus says before he turns the book towards Bishop.

The other man studies the words before shaking his head.

“It was a different time back then.” Bishop says, removing the cigarettes from inside of his kutte. He taps the box upon the table before removing one and placing it between his lips.

“We talk about women as if their property, something to be owned, to be traded when we get tired of them.” Marcus jabs his finger at the paper. “This book tells us their only good for sex or serving, it doesn’t talk about love or respect. Is it any wonder that charters like Stockton act the way they do when these are the values, we’ve instilled in them?”

Bishop lights up his cigarette, he takes a drag.

“The world is changing El Padrino. We have to adapt.” Bishop says as he taps the ash off the end of cigarette. “We care about our women here; we cherish them but other charters… It needs to be a message that goes out across the club. What happened the other day can’t be allowed to happen again, not to anyone. There needs to be repercussions for that type of shit.”

Marcus nods his agreement, his hands wrapping the mug.

“I’m proud of that you’ve done here primo, legitimising the MC, supporting the community.” He tells Bishop earnestly. “This charter’s become more than I could have dreamed of.”

“And all it took was for me to pull my head out of my ass.” Bishop remarks before he takes another drag on the cigarette as he watches Marcus withdraw an A6 notebook from the interior pocket of his kutte. He pushes it towards the other man with his fingertips.

“This is what I’ve put together, a revised edition of the by-laws.” Marcus tells Bishop before he drains the rest of his coffee.

Bishop reviews the changes before tapping his fingertip upon the paper and raising his eyes to meet Marcus’s.

“We need to talk about Taza.”

Marcus clasps his hands together, his lips pursing into a grim line.

“We have to lead by example El Padrino,” Bishop tells him, his voice gruff as he stubs out his cigarette. “He has suffered for so long under the weight of this secret, putting the club before himself over and over again. I can’t help but wonder how many other Tazas are out there, how many other brothers are struggling with something just like this and what happens to the ones that aren’t as strong as him.”

Marcus knows what he’s talking about, the suicides that leave no notes, the members that are quietly taken care of for an infraction that can’t be discussed.

“We have to do better.” Bishop tells him, picking up the cigarette box and tapping it upon the surface of the table.  “Every single one of us deserves to love who we love and not be punished for it.”

“You’re right.” Marcus says finally, picking up his pen and adding the amendment. “I’ll get this drawn up and sent out to the other charters.”

Marcus raises to his feet, tucking the notebook back into his kutte. His hand comes to rest upon Bishop’s shoulder, clasping it tightly.

“You’ve been leading the way for a while now, primo. It’s time for the other charters to get in line and follow.”

Love Nestor? Get added to his tag list!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[hollywoodoutbreak]

ter directing the original Alien, Ridley Scott watched as three other directors took over the film's first three sequels. Decades later, he revived the series with Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, but with the latest entry, Alien: Romulus, Scott has once again handed over the reins to a new director, Fede Alvarez. Scott, who is one of the producers of the new film, talked about why he decided to stay on the sidelines, and why he chose Alvarez for the job.

Alien: Romulus is now playing in theaters.

[beachesgetpeaches]

the one thing we croatians will have is most experts saying that the PK was clearly not a PK, and it came after corner kick for croatia was not given to us. that shit changes the game.

the entire wc VAR is being used for the smallest things (see: croatia losing a PK for supposed "offside" for example, among many others), but in world cup semi-finals the ref does not consult VAR before saying something is a PK even though he was near 20 m behind the situation? i'm sorry but that's laughable.

argentina scored two extra goals after that, but keep in mind that the first of the two (the second goal) came minutes after that entirely nerve wracking call by the ref - this game could have easily ended at 1:0 if not for the psychological impact of it. i mean just looking at the stats croatia "was better" (which means nothing if you don't score but bare with me).

croatia does what it does best, holds the reins to the game, keeps a cool head, and waits for an opportunity. we rely heavily on our defence and mid-field, and you can say what you want but croatia did not get to top 4 by "not playing football well" or "dragging it out to shootouts" (bitch, you try playing for 2 hours at a decent level).

in this game that cool head and control of the game was not there after that PK, if you rewatch the game you see that in the first half hour croatia holds it well.

anyway, gg argentina they still scored the two other goals and alvarez is fuckin speedy like man wow BUT I will remain very salty and sus over that ref call with no VAR involved at all.

[burstingdragons]

Dragon Rage - (17) Clipped Wings Teaser!

You've waited, I've written, and now it's time to deliver. The most action packed chapter yet. From this moment, everything changes!

RELEASE - September 1st @ Noon EST (This Sunday!) https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14175652/1/Dragon-Rage https://archiveofourown.org/works/43659199/chapters/109783339

Enjoy a preview of the chapter!

The ground trembled upon his landing inside the arena. That euphoric atmosphere—once almost suffocatingly arrogant courtesy of Zeref and his regime’s appearance—had drastically changed. Many spectators, perhaps prisoners themselves to Alvarez, observed the spectacle with a mix of shock and interest. Natsu assumed they likely were condemned to attend these hideous displays of entertainment. Another knife slowly twisted its way into his already bleeding heart. Everything was now clear to him. Zeref Dragneel wasn’t just an introverted lunatic. His older brother was an extroverted monster. 

Sand visibly lifted up as the dragon slayer’s anger spiraled dangerously close to what one might consider out of control. He could feel that looming presence in the back of his mind. A nefarious demon who once pulled all the strings in the background. A demon who now faced desperation to rein him back in. Anything to get his mind set right. Anything to get his mind off Lucy. 

He knew Zeref had something else up his sleeve. He was aware of the thousands of souls counting on him to rescue the Crown Princess and safely bring her back home. Through the prestigious emblem on his shoulder, he felt all his friends’ unwavering hope that their Guildmaster could still be saved. Despite the odds that faced them. But, whether he had come to terms with it yet or not, Nasu’s once blazing heart had grown dark. It no longer cared about any of that.

He stalked closer towards the pillars. Keen senses flared up as it warned him of nearby danger. Alvarez wasn’t the danger though. It was broad daylight and yet the real danger moved across the sand like a shadow. Ajeel, too engrossed with methodically sending miniature sand blades to frighten his captive, was unprepared to counter the slayer’s first shot. The danger wasn't Ajeel. No... it was Natsu.

[globalhappenings]

Between strong experience and pro-Brexit position, the arrival of Rishi Sunak divides the British

Between strong experience and pro-Brexit position, the arrival of Rishi Sunak divides the British

Anaïs Cordoba (in London), edited by Juliette Moreau Alvarez 07:19, October 25, 2022 New Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak takes over the reins of an economically and socially weakened territory. While some Britons have confidence in him and his skills, others are still cautious, particularly because of his pro-Brexit positions. Good things come to those who wait for. After being…

[codename-adler]

more of Jeremy B. Knox & Jean A. Moreau

I forgot to mention it in my previous post, but did you know that "Aurélien" was the name of a famous Roman emperor who officialized a new cult in the late Roman empire... in honor of the Sun God.

coincidence? I think not!

Jeremy will schedule French Movie Nights every Sunday night, to learn French and to connect with Jean, and so Jean can hear the language and not lose it, and eventually talk with Jeremy in French

it also gives Jeremy a subject of discussion with Jean

Jean doesn’t know any movies except a vague souvenir of Disney’s classics, Tintin, Spirou, and La vie est belle

little #Lailalvarez side note:

Maria Catalina Sara Marisol Alvarez is majoring in Psychology.

Laila Dermott is majoring in English.

They will adopt Jean as their own child just as they did with Jeremy. Shut up Jean we're your moms now.

Jean is very awkward towards women, the way he would be cautious with poisonous flowers: pretty but deadly.

the examples of Thea Muldani, Laila Dermot and Sara Catalina Alvarez are self-explanatory

it takes him a while (10 MONTHS JEAN WE COUNTED!) to warm up to Laila and Alvarez, although it takes them a few months too to see past his abrasive exterior

what seals the deal is when the two girls kidnap both Jean and Jeremy to bring them to a specialized kennel

to force them to adopt not one, but two therapy dogs

remember, Alvarez's a psych major and Laila is all about tough love

the toughest love

Alvarez: We're not leaving until we add two other members to the Trojans family and they better have four legs and the fluffiest fur.

Jeremy: But I don't-

Alvarez: Cállate Jeremy

Laila: Jeremy, sweetie... You got issues. Choose a damn dog.

of course the university's funding and Coach Rhemann approve

because while the Trojans are the best at sportsmanship and all that jazz, they are ridden with anxiety and imposter's syndrome and yaddiyaddiyadda (according to Alvarez)

and these 2 girls aren't dumb

they know exposing Jean like that with a service dog would backfire monstrously

they also know Jeremy has some unresolved trauma (we'll get into that... later) and so does the rest of their team

so while Jean's getting a real, trained and licensed therapy dog, the kennel also offers emotional support dogs that aren't really trained and can just be dedicated domestic companions

that way, the girls kill like, 2, 3, 4 birds with two dogs...

now, what are the dogs?

Jean gets free rein over the choice of his dog, and even though the trainers assure him that all their dogs have passed multiple tests to be qualified, he asks which is the least agressive breed, and which runs the fastest among those they have

they direct him towards a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever dog, a toller, if you will

it's got bright red fur, with a bit of white on the neck and nose, and it's got the most honest hazel eyes Jean has ever looked into (*ahem* except Jeremy's, but that's not the point)

and then Jean sits down, he sits down, on the dirty floor of the pen, to extand his hand towards the dog

and the dog rests his nose in it

so gently, so earnestly, it almost breaks Jean's heart

Laila and Alvarez watch from afar, proud mommies with misty eyes

Jeremy, for his part, keeps looking between Jean, the dog, and his two bestfriends, dumbfounded

that easy, huh

he also can't look at the scene for more than a few seconds or he'll genuinely cry

for the rest of their time at the kennel, Jean stays on the floor with his chosen companion

now, for Jeremy...

Jeremy does not get free rein

because he is Jeremy Knox

and his taste is not to be trusted

exhibit A: Jeremy asks the trainers for a French bulldog ("Laila, it's French! Don't you get it??")

exhitbit B: Jeremy asks the trainers for a poodle ("Al, it's fluffy! You said fluffly??")

also, this dog will be the Trojans' unofficial mascot, and it has to be a respectable one, even though Jeremy will be the one to mostly care for it

the girls have to say no to a Shih Tzu, a Bobtail, a Bulldog and, another French bulldog

they're not sure if Jeremy's messing with them or if he genuinely thinks these dogs could represent the Trojans with honor (they're hoping for the former)

(the girls also can't believe he hasn't chosen a Golden Retriever yet, as it is the literal personification of Jeremy Knox)

but that's because Jeremy is very methodic

he tries to take every member of his team into account in his decision

mostly Jean

not too big (Jean), but not too small (Trojans); not to mean-looking (Jean), but not too cute (Trojans); not too excited (Jean), but not too lazy (Trojans)...

Jeremy keeps going in circle, examining all the dogs many, many times

yet he keeps coming back to one pen, spending more time looking at it

it's not the prettiest dog, nor the most fierce-looking, and that's why he doesn't want to say anything

because he really likes it

he really, really does

there's just something about it... that thing you can't explain and that Jean probably found right away with his toller dog

Jeremy looks around, sees the girls talking with another trainer, and silently tries to get the lady trainer's attention

"This one... why does it look like that?" he asks

"Oh, it's a Shar Pei, a miniature one. All this extra skin and fat is specific to that breed. It'll always look like that, and even though it hasn't reached it's full size yet, it won't grow much bigger than that. They're very, very soft and loyal. And it's very therapeutic to pet them. There's something about their chubbiness..."

Jeremy doesn't have trouble believing her

he really, really likes that dog

maybe if he doesn't say anything, and lets Laila and Alvarez see how much he likes that dog... maybe they won't laugh

so Jeremy asks for permission to sit down and pet the dog, like Jean

they’re on complete opposite sides of the room, yet they mirror each other

when Jeremy looks up, he sees Jean already staring at him, absentmindedly petting his dog

Jeremy offers him a big and bright smile, hands occupied with is own dog

and Jean returns the smile, a small, shy one, but a genuine one

Laila and Alvarez see all of this unfold, and they smirk to each other

Mission accomplished

the four of them fill out the forms and the girls let the boys bring their dogs back to the car

the kennel had made sure to call their dogs "Boy" or "Girl" so their owners would be able to name them, and even though Laila and Alvarez secretely but totally approved of Jeremy's choice, they now feared his naming skils

as they should

Jeremy is very basic

the basic-est

he suggests Buddy, Max, Boy, Toto... yikes

Jean suggests Kevin, as a joke

(Kevin Day doesn't know how close it came to having a pile of fluffy fat named after him)

the girls throw in some ideas too, consulting the team on their groupchat

after discovering that everyone's favorite book series was PJO and HoO, they choose the best name

Grover Underwood

Jeremy is in love with his new best friend ( *cue the girls: Thanks, Jer. Really appreciate it.*)

Jean, for his part, is quite overwhelmed

he's never had that kind of responsibility before, never had that kind of freedom

how do you go about naming a dog?

he isn't bothered by the others to choose a name, they pretty much leave it to his discretion, however long it takes

after 2 days, he consults Jeremy, unable to do it alone anymore

Jeremy suggests naming his dog after things or people he likes, books he's read, movies he's seen, etc.

up til then, Jean had caught up a bit on pop culture and things he had missed while in the Nest, but it had been hard to really attach himself to these things

except music

music fills some of the void he was left with when he got away

Jeremy and the team made him listen to everything

from classicals to pop to R&B to musicals

(am I really gonna bring this up again?)

(yes. yes I am.)

Jean really enjoyed musicals

not so much the more comical ones, but the dramatic, sad ones...

yes, Les Misérables, that goes without saying

but also.

Hamilton.

(YES OKAY?)

long story short, Jean introduces his dog as Eliza to the rest of the Trojans, and he's feeling quite a bit proud of himself when they ask why and they all immediately approve

and that's the story of how Jean and Jeremy got dogs together, even though they still had a long way to go before being together

[city-of-ladies]

“Long before her official appointment, revolutionaries already referred to her as Henerala. Cavite General Santiago Alvarez recalls: “Astride a horse, she held a revolver in her right hand and the reins and dagger in the left.” She was charging against the enemy, many rallying to her despite mounting losses.

Another description changes her weapon of choice. “‘Henerala Agueda’ was found at the battlefront dressed in white, armed with a rifle, and brandishing a bolo.” It is agreed that “her man-like fighting prowess became legendary” as witnesses of the Battle of San Pablo saw Kahabagan “jumping over wide trenches and high fences, outdoing even the men.”

[eolewyn1010]

Gedanken um und zu Tatort

Leute, helft mir mal, ich hab hier vlt. jemanden an der Angel...

@curtaincage - lies hier gern mal rein, wenn du bisschen Zeit hast.

Also, wenn du dich für Tatort interessierst, solltest du darauf gefasst sein, dass die Qualität von Stadt zu Stadt, von Team zu Team und von Folge zu Folge stark schwanken kann. Manche Drehbuchschreiber kacken auch völlig auf etablierte Charakterisierung; dann schreiben Leute wie ich in einem Wutanfall Fanfics. Ich werd mal meine bevorzugten Teams anreißen, um ein paar Einblicke in meine Tatort-Erfahrung zu geben? Bin selber ja noch frisch in dem Fandom.

Stuttgart: Thorsten Lannert und Sebastian Bootz

Hach ja, mein verkommenes kleines Sorgenkind in der Pubertät... Ich liebe es und komme nicht davon los, aber man muss schon bisschen wissen, worauf man sich einlässt. Die frühen Fälle sind fast ausnahmslos wunderbar, v. a. in Hinsicht auf Sebastians und Thorstens Chemie vom ersten gemeinsamen Fall an (wo kämen wohl sonst die ganzen Slashfics her?), aber dann haben die Schreiber so um 2014/15 gemeint, Sebastian müsste ne Scheidung mit Trinken und Toxic Masculinity verkraften und sein Temperament zu Aggressionsproblemen auswachsen lassen - so kann man einen liebenswerten, süßen Dork auch ruinieren. Dann haben sie das Vertrauen zwischen ihm und Thorsten durch einen Fall vergiftet, wo sie sich beide einfach scheiße benommen haben, und seitdem sind sie eher kühl zueinander, obwohl die Fälle krimi-mäßig immer noch stark sein können. Ist ein bisschen swing and miss. “Der Welten Lohn” ist z. B. Mist. “Das ist unser Haus” ist ziemlich merkwürdig, macht aber Spaß, wenn man sich drauf einlassen kann, und da klingt zwischen den beiden Herren der Schöpfung auch was von ihrem alten bantering an, was mir Hoffnung macht. Zurzeit sind aber einige der älteren Folgen online(!), da ist auch das unterstützende Team noch vollständig - zwei meiner Lieblinge, Kriminaltechnikerin Nika und Staatsanwältin Emilia Alvarez, die irgendwann später leider ausscheiden. DEFINITIV Empfehlungen für “Scherbenhaufen” (persönliches Highlight: Sebastian rennt vor einem bewaffneten, schießwütigen Verbrecher davon und ruft dabei: “Aber ich bin wirklich Polizist!”) und “Die Unsichtbare”, bisher mein Favorit. Ich persönlich mag auch “Eine Frage des Gewissens” irgendwie; das dokumentiert zwar schon Sebastians Niedergang als Charakter, aber da ist zumindest das Verhältnis zu Thorsten noch heil und der Fall ist ziemlich spannend.

München: Franz Leitmayr und Ivo Batic

Ich LIEBE diese zwei. Bin zwar über das Bootz-Lannert-Team ins Fandom gekommen, aber die Münchner sind in meiner Wertung inzwischen gleichauf. Die arbeiten nun auch schon seit saftigen dreißig Jahren zusammen und sind in jeder Hinsicht wie ein altes Ehepaar - was sie irgendwie schon immer waren. Die Fälle haben’s in sich und arbeiten oft mit echt heftigen Thematiken, aber Franz und Ivo im Dialog sind super witzig. Sie streiten sich, sie lieben sich, sie snarken sich gegenseitig an. (“Was würdest du denn sagen, wenn du morgens so ’n Bild [Leichenfoto] von mir in der Zeitung siehst?” - “Ich würd sagen: Da schau her, der Ivo, jetzt hat er’s doch noch in die Zeitung geschafft.”) Der Handlungsstrang von “Die Wahrheit” / “Der Tod ist unser ganzes Leben” ist unfassbar schmerzhaft, wenn man die Charaktere und ihr Miteinander liebt. Ich hab hier tatsächlich noch keinen wirklich schwachen Fall erlebt und vlt. ein, zwei mittelmäßige; sonst wird hier mit schöner Regelmäßigkeit Qualität abgeliefert. Empfehle WÄRMSTENS “Außer Gefecht”; das ist echt stark, aber auch sonst findet man gerade ein paar hübsche Sachen in der ARD-Mediathek oder auf der Seite vom BR-Sender.

Dresden: Karin Gorniak und Henni Sieland / Leonie "Leo" Winkler

Henni Sieland ist mittlerweile ausgeschieden, was schade ist; ich mochte sie sehr und die Schauspielerin ist klasse, aber dass Leo auch ziemlich gut im Team funktioniert, tröstet. Ich hab vlt. ne persönliche Schwäche, weil ich aus dem Dresdner Raum komme, deswegen kriegen die von mir womöglich Nostalgie-Bonus, aber ich finde, die Mädels sind super. Nervig kann der Chef sein, der sehr... inkonsistent charakterisiert ist? Einmal ist er dieser grenzwertige Beinahe-Nazi, ein andermal dieser halt etwas konservative, aber väterliche Typ? Ich weiß nicht. Die Mädels müssen ihn ertragen und der Zuschauer eben auch. Die Fälle sind spannend geschrieben und die Schauspielerinnen liefern ordentliche Leistungen ab.

Saarbrücken: Leo Hölzer und Adam Schürk

Von dem Team gibt's bisher nur eine Folge (“Das fleißige Lieschen”) und wir müssen bis April auf die nächste warten! Dafür ist das aber ein echter Leckerbissen. Die Nebenfiguren, v. a. die Damenwelt, schwächeln etwas und ich hoffe, dass da noch dran gefeilt wird, aber dafür sind Leo und Adam als Charaktere erste Sahne. Jemand hat sie mir empfohlen mit: Tragische Hintergrundgeschichte, schmachtende Blicke und jede Menge bickering, und das ist nicht zu viel versprochen. Hat natürlich geholfen, dass deren erster Fall auch ziemlich stark geschrieben war. (Und Adam ist Minckwitz aus der ersten Staffel Charité. Das hat mich im ersten Moment stocken lassen; inzwischen pflanzt es mir böse Plotbunnies und Headcanons ein. Passt auch wie Arsch auf Eimer, denn so sehr ich Adam liebe, er ist schon irgendwie ne Bitch.)

Ludwigshafen: Lena Odenthal

Hat lange Zeit mit Mario Kopper zusammengearbeitet und war auch klasse mit dem, hat aber seit ein paar Jahren ne neue Partnerin, Johanna Stern, mit der es immer mal Reibereien gibt, aber gerade deswegen finde ich die Dynamik auch ziemlich spannend, auch wenn sie natürlich nicht dieses “seit Ewigkeiten eingespielte Team” sind. In jedem Fall LIEBE ich Lena Odenthal bzw. Ulrike Folkerts, die sie spielt, von ganzem Herzen. Die Frau ist AWESOME. (Kleine Warnung vor “Tod im All”, die Folge ist nicht unbedingt schlecht, aber echt schräg.) Man muss aber drauf klarkommen, dass sie ein relativ bitterer, einsamer Typ Mensch mit vielen scharfen Kanten ist, nicht unbedingt ne fluffige Person.

Sonst sind Thiel und Boerne (Münster) immer einen Blick wert. Das Team ist klasse und die Folgen fast immer sehr humorvoll, und hier mag ich auch die Unterstützung wieder sehr; Alberich und Nadeschda sind beide großartig!

Viele Leute schwören auf das Berliner Team Till Ritter und Felix Stark. Bei mir persönlich hat’s nicht geklickt, aber es kann auch sein, dass ich grad ne schwache Folge erwischt hab. Sie sind zweifellos eins der shipbarsten Teams, haben also ne 1A Chemie, also nur weil’s für mich nix ist, ist es wohl nicht schlecht.

Zudem habe ich ein paar Empfehlungen für Dortmund bekommen - selbes wie für Berlin. Ich kann Faber nicht ausstehen, und Martina, die ihn wohl ausbalancieren sollte, ist mir in den Auftritten, die ich von ihr gesehen habe, auch nicht sympathisch geworden. Der Rest des Teams wurde schon einmal ausgetauscht, kenne ich also nicht so als Kernelemente, aber auch hier gilt wieder Geschmackssache. Manche schwören drauf, nur ich halt nicht.

Geschmackssache ist eigentlich das Stichwort. Ich hab hier meine Lieblinge aufgezählt, aber andere können die für Grütz halten, und nur weil ich hier Teams nicht erwähnt hab, heißt das nicht, dass sie schlecht sind. In den meisten Fällen hilft: mal reingucken. Wenn mir ein Fall nach so 15-20 Minuten nicht spannend genug ist und die Teamchemie das auch nicht rausreißt, schenke ich mir die Folge...

[the-literata-letters]

reading list - (auto)biographical fiction

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☐  AGEE, James – A Death in the Family ☐  ALAIN-FOURNIER – Le Grand Meaulnes ☐  ALVAREZ, Julia – In the Time of the Butterflies ☐  BALDWIN, James – Go Tell it on the Mountain ☐  BALLARD, J. G. – Empire of the Sun ☐  BERNHARD, Thomas – Wittgensteins Neffe ☐  BUCK, Pearl S. – Imperial Woman ☐  BUTLER, Samuel – The Way of All Flesh ☐  CAMPOBELLO, Nellie – Cartucho ☐  CÉLINE, Louis-Ferdinand – Voyage au bout de la nuit ☐  DICKENS, Charles – David Copperfield ☐  DUMAS, Alexandre (père) – La Reine Margot ☐  FITZGERALD, F. Scott – Tender is the Night ☐  FOER, Jonathan Safran – Everything Is Illuminated ☐  GARCIA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel – El general en su laberinto ☐  GENET, Jean – Notre-Dame-des-Fleurs ☐  GEORGE, Margaret – The Memoirs of Cleopatra ☐  JENNINGS, Gary – The Journeyer ☐  JOYCE, James – A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ☐  KEHLMANN, Daniel – Die Vermessung der Welt ☐  KEROUAC, Jack – On the Road ☐  KERTÉSZ, Imre – Sorstalanság ☐  KINGSLEY, Charles – Hypatia ☐  KINGSLEY, Charles – Hereward the Wake ☐  LAWRENCE, D. H. – Sons and Lovers ☐  LAWRENCE, D. H. – The Rainbow ☐  LAWRENCE, D. H. – Women in Love ☐  MAALOUF, Armin – Léon, l'Africain ☐  MAUGHAM, W. Somerset – Of Human Bondage ☐  MILLER, Henry – Tropic of Cancer ☐  MILLER, Henry – The Rosy Crucifixion ☐  MIN, Anchee – Empress Orchid ☐  MIN, Anchee – The Last Empress ☐  MIN, Anchee – Becoming Madame Mao ☐  NAHAI, Gina B. – Cry of the Peacock ☐  O'HARA, John – BUtterfield 8 ☐  PLATH, Sylvia – The Bell Jar ☐  PRESSFIELD, Steven – The Virtues of War ☐  RENAULT, Mary – Fire from Heaven ☐  RENAULT, Mary – The Persian Boy ☐  RENAULT, Mary – Funeral Games ☐  RENAULT, Mary – Praise Singer ☐  RILKE, Rainer Maria – Die Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge ☐  SAINT-EXUPÉRY, Antoine de – Terre des hommes ☐  SHAN, Sa – Impératrice ☐  SHAN, Sa – Alexandre et Alestria ☐  TAGORE, Rabindranath – Ghôre Baire ☐  VONNEGUT, Kurt – Timequake ☐  WELLS, H. G. – Tono-Bungay ☐  WEST, Paul – Cheops ☐  WOLFE, Thomas – Look Homeward, Angel ☐  YOSHIKAWA, Eiji – Musashi ☐  YOURCENAR, Marguerite – Mémoires d'Hadrien

[sensoriella]

CANON DIVERGENCE: CRIME SORCIERE’S PARDON.

disclaimer: please note that this analysis does not necessarily reflect any personal out of character opinions. people who have murdered and committed violent crimes are obviously bad and deserve punishment. whether i think people like that can be redeemed in a realistic setting is a concept i don't even feel like fathoming in a casual roleplay setting. it’s simply incomprehensible to me because well, i don’t know any murders or criminals in real life. and if i did, i would probably pick the sensible answer and say no, or that it would take an immeasurably long time and probably lots of psychiatric council. ( much longer than the span of the fairy tail series ) BUT, i didn’t major in human psychology or criminal justice unfortunately, so i’m going to work with this pardon thing in a fictional sense the best i can.

it’s difficult to understand how exactly the justice system of fiore works. but given the amount of excused ‘crimes’ and disregarded acts that have occurred for other mages ( not in dark guilds ), the crime sorciere pardon isn’t that hard to believe. also please consider the fact that fiorian royalty isn’t exactly clean of non-violent acts themselves. i mean, they have a group of mage executioners than kill people ( maybe brutally, for all the royals know ) on their behalf! 

mind you, crime sorciere is not pardoned easily. per plotting with other crime sorciere muses, these former dark guild wizards participate in a series of ethic / criminal trials to answer for their sins and past crimes. their trials go on for weeks to months. after the alvarez war, they were held under strict probation ( via magic resistant trackers ) and were not allowed to leave the city of crocus during those trials. their pardon does not occur absent of conditions. so be aware that their freedom doesn’t come without a price, and their lives do not necessarily become easy nor more peaceful.

so how did this become possible ? why were ex-criminals and former fugitives allowed to walk free ?

firstly, why would crime sorciere wizards agree to the pre-trial terms at all? why would they all consent to magic trackers and even bother facing the trials ? they could’ve ran again, fled the country even, in the smoke of post-war chaos. yet it’s hard to believe that a guild who took arms against an enemy in support of fiore would abandon their home now. they could’ve just left the country ages ago, before the war got ugly at least. i personally theorize that they want their voices to be heard. they want to be forgiven in the eyes of the public in pursuit of a better future, because they do not enjoy the fugitive life! isn’t it the main purpose of crime sorciere to atone for their sins and find peace within themselves–––to be able to lead lives where they don’t have to feel shunned and hated by the world? one could argue that defeating zeref was the main purpose, but i truly can’t see that being a strong enough reason for them to risk their lives for years in service of fiore, when they can just leave and forget everything–––let the dark wizard be the light guilds’ problem! it’s always been about a bigger picture for them, whether it be survival, redemption, or just simply being able to live with themselves after all their lives hit rock bottom. it’s also possible that many, if not most, of them had no intention of returning to jail if things went sour. they are tired of running nonetheless. 

going into the trial period, they’re smart enough to know that their participation in the war helped the country immensely ( yes, i do believe they helped. even if most of what canon shows us is members being K.O.ed by august. ) every action, every collaboration, and their appearances at the war, some members making a bigger impact than others, made a difference in bringing down the common enemies. members of crime sorciere are smart enough to know that fiore can’t just ignore that.

so let’s go back to the beginning, to remember the extent of their past transgressions. jellal deceived fiorian leaders, abused his council authority, kept a slave operation afloat, murdered, and attempted to destroy many lives–––all under the influence of a higher manipulator. ultear did . . . most of the same, on top of her allegiance with grimoire heart who were involved in the destruction of various villages and mass killings. meredy was associated with grimoire heart, and it’s likely that she too took part in violent crimes. ( whether she personally killed mages or not ) the oracion seis also participated in the destruction of various guilds and mass killings. the oracion seis members, and this is canonly mentioned, killed for money or as a result of completing jobs. were those deaths warranted? does that make things better? not really, but it makes them slightly more manageable than the others, i’m sorry to say, with the proper conditions. the problem with the oracion seis, is they haven’t been freed from prison for very long, so they appear more unpredictable than jellal, meredy, and ultear. whereas, the original crime sorciere members proved that they are able live ‘peacefully’ in fiore for at least seven years. again they didn’t attack innocents only dark guilds, and they exclusively carried out their work in a non-public manner, for their own sake.

now, breaking convicts out of prison is definitely frowned upon. ultear and meredy participated in the prison break of jellal, freeing him well before the end of his sentence time. in regards to the oracion seis ‘prison break’, please note that one wasn’t even a prison break! the oracion seis was set free per official order of a man of the magic council. if anything, he should’ve been penalized for the same crime that ultear and meredy committed. but he wasn’t because justice is twisted in fiore. so these crimes are also hard to overlook, but with enough persuasion and the right ‘connections’, not impossible.

crime sorciere was always meant to be a stealth operation. they were quiet and lived under the radar. they didn’t disturb the innocent public, or interact with anyone else unless it was absolutely necessary. there main targets were always dark wizards and dark guilds, which provided more help than harm through the council’s eyes. meredy and ultear watched the grand magic games from a mountain, because they didn’t want to be within sniffing distance of the rune knights. it’s clear that they probably spent most of their crime sorciere years that way. while in crime sorciere, the oracion seis didn’t commit violent crimes under jellal’s rein. not just because of jellal watching their every move, but because they were smart enough to keep their heads down. given that fact, one of the platforms that they used to argue is that they have not truly committed any illegal acts after ‘disbanding’ from their original designated dark guild, under their original leader ( re: jellal participating in the gmg. since that act more so involved the grand magic games society, it’s not really within the jurisdiction, or concern, of the magic council. basically, cheating is bad, but it doesn’t warrant incarceration. ) this is assuming that it’s not necessarily an imprisonable offense to be an unofficial guild, so long as they don’t accept illegal jobs or disturb the innocents. which they hadn’t. i assume it’s not warranted to arrest to be in an independent guild, because crime soricere operated for seven years, while the council knew of their existence, without being caught. either the rune knights are terrible at their job ( probably ) or they didn’t care enough if said guild wasn’t bothering anyone innocent.

a huge argument that can be made in favor of their freedom, is their ‘community service’ to fiore that extended for up to 2 years. ( 7 years for some members ) yes, their actions were very ‘vigilante’ like, but their acts were more annoying, yet helpful, to the council than wicked. they also argued on how it would be unjust to criminalize them for being quiet and non-destructive as an independent guild, when some legal guilds are capable of demonstrating unethical and destructive results of their behavior, without receiving arrest. ( tips hat to fairy tail ) 

when it came to past transgressions, some could argue that they had received punishment. most of them were imprisoned for seven years. others were forced to live life in solitude, forcibly exiled from fiorian cities and towns. is that a suitable punishment? not really, but something is better than nothing. 

during their trials, individuals may have testified against or in favor of the pardon. it's safe to say an array of opinions came flooding in.

parents of children, whom which erik had saved from human trafficking, were in favor of the conditional pardon. human trafficking is a huge issue in fiore and often slips under the council’s nose. some found that this was an example of demonstrated acts of good will and capabilities of change. 

those affected by the nirvana incident, were not in favor. nirvana’s awakening specifically affected three official guilds. blue pegasus and lamia scale took the most damage at the hands of the oracion seis. unfortunately for them, some could say that having the original proprietor and mastermind of the nirvana plot, Master Brain, left behind bars was sufficient justice ( hey this headcanon where Brain was left alive came in handy! ) especially since many of the other oracion seis members were under the age of 18 during that crime. ( i’m not saying this is adequate justice nor does it excuse the oracion seis of their crimes. trust me, it’s a brutal situation and many people would’ve been rightfully angry. but it's a small detail that helped them down the road to granted redemption. )

some fairy tail members were also in favor of the pardon, due to personal / professional ties with certain members of the guild–––and due to lack of suffering by the guild. yes there’s biases were involved unfortunately! but this happens all the time in fiore canon, so why can’t it work here too? fairy tail may have fought all of these members at one point, but since they didn’t receive grave injuries ( and some even bonded with / forgave them after ) they simply didn’t feel the need the vote against a pardon. and unfortunately for some, fairy tail is a very powerful guild both physically and politically. fairy tail’s guild master has pulled enough strings in the past to make their voice exceptionally influential.

villagers, non-mages, mages, and anyone else who suffered as collateral damage at the hands of grimoire heart and the oracion seis would not have been in favor. it might not have been personal for the dark guilds, but it was personal to them. but given the amount of many years that have passed since their conflicts with those guilds ( both of which were disbanded, guild masters either dead or imprisoned ), and it’s difficult to place designated blame on ex-guild individuals. those witnesses may have to settle for probationary terms and certain pardon conditions. 

other guild members personally affected by some crime sorciere wizards like kagura, who have valid reason to hate jellal for the death of her brother, for example, may have also taken part in the trials. complicated opinions may have been made in favor or opposition of the pardon. ( i will not go into too much detail about this, as decisions of certain character opinions rests with those who write as them. ) 

unfortunately for anyone else who didn’t favor the pardon, most enemies of members of crime sorciere and the oracion seis were also dark guild wizards, or dead. so their input could not be presented before a judge as reliable input. yes, this is a loophole that really benefited crime sorciere the most. 

after the rigorous trials and ethnic screenings, crime sorciere was granted a conditional pardon. several terms had to be abided by for this to come to pass. the independent guild of crime sorciere, under the rule of jellal, was forced to disband. the council just couldn’t bring themselves to allow a guild, run by a man who betrayed the council in the past, to exist. per a idea thought of by jana and marcy, the crime sorciere members had to participate in a reintegration program. following disbandment, former crime sorciere members were made to enter this program if they wished to remain in fiore, otherwise leave the country in exile. the reintegration program was a means to encourage those ex-convicts to learn to live in the fiorian society as model citizens. members were not allowed to pursue jobs without supervision of approved s-class mages of legal guilds. the ex-cons of crime sorciere had to demonstrate ethical behavior and were forbidden to accept jobs without a ‘mentor’ consent. this probationary period may last between months to years, depending on the behavior of said member. crime sorciere ex-members were not allowed to pursue any independent jobs, until the probationary period was complete. of course, the mages of crime sorciere were not happy with this arrangement, but the outcome would far benefit the possibly of incarceration and, for some, banishment. crime sorciere ex-members were also held financially responsible for any transgressions they caused in the past ( ex: medical expenses of mages they harmed ). another condition would be that psychiatric / cognitive counsel ( aka. therapy!! ) is also a necessity in order for the ex-crime sorciere members to be confidently released independently back into society.

after the conditional period was completed successfully by all members, a new crime sorciere was eventually allowed to be legalized, providing a more trusting and suitable master ( in the eyes of the council ) would lead. meredy, a former crime sorciere / grimoire heart member with mostly misdemeanor crimes ( all of which occurred under the age of 13 ) was permitted to reform the guild under certain guidelines and close monitoring. meredy would present the idea before the council ( perhaps a year or so later ) and inform them of the benefits crime sorciere could have on the country. it was meredy’s goal, inspired by jellal and ultear, to rebuild the guild so that it would be recognized by the council to help reformed convicts and troubled mages to rehabilitate and integrate into society. most new members would most likely be those who recently served their debt to society, but were not trusted enough to be left alone. it would be the renewed crime sorciere’s aspiration to help future problematic mages become functional members of fiore. while other wizards may have been suitable for the role of acting master, meredy would demonstrate the most ethical improvement in character, the cleanest record ( of previous crime sorciere wizards ) and pose as a model mentor for mages who previously strayed from a moral path.

[saytrrose]

Apologies for the re-ask but I kind of f***** up because I forgot to spell check

Do you have any female characters or Character Show?

(so I can either simp or Draw them or both)

I have a large abundance of female characters, here’s just a couple because I don’t have a lot of art on hand atm

[ft-dads-au]

Once Upon a Nightmare - Chapter 4

Shadowlight Week 2020 Prompt: Coffee Pairing: Sting x Rogue

A Collaboration by @mdelpin​ and @oryu404​

AO3 | Prev: Ch 3 | Ch 4 | Next: Ch 5

Summary: When Sting finally returns home, he dreads having to tell Rogue why he's been out for so long. Not only does he have to confess he told his father everything, but he also needs to mention he has made an appointment with a therapist, a friend of his dad's, who he will be meeting at the coffee shop the next day.

Chapter 4: Coffee

The sound of the key twisting in the lock startled Rogue out of his sleep. He hadn't meant to doze off on the couch, but his nights were short, and the warmth of the sun rising on the side of their bedroom caused him to wake up early, so he should've known it was bound to happen the moment he'd sat down to watch tv as he waited for Sting to return from his run.

His phone must've been in his hand when he'd fallen asleep, as it was now laying right next to him on the couch with the messaging app still open, the text Sting had sent him as a reply displayed on the screen. Looking at the time, Rogue noticed that had been nearly two hours ago.

"Hey, sorry I was gone so long," Sting called from the hallway as he kicked off his running shoes, "I wanted to call you, but my battery died."

There was something off about his voice, it was missing its usual verve and sounded even less like him than it had over the past days. Rogue rubbed the blurriness of sleep out of his eyes and pulled himself off the couch, getting ready to ask why he'd been out for close to 4 hours, but as soon as he saw Sting trudging into the living room, the words got stuck in his throat. He looked exhausted, sweaty, his hair all messed up and sticking to his forehead, and he could flash him that sweet smile all he wanted, but Rogue could easily see that he had been crying.

Worry broke through Rogue's sleepy daze, quickly followed by the heaviness of guilt at the thought that Sting's tears were somehow a result of how dismally the last week had gone. Even though he'd been checked out for large parts of it, Rogue still knew that it was nothing like what they had excitedly planned over phone conversations.

Instead of visits to amusement parks and beaches, the furthest they had ventured out had been the coffee shop. Sitting together on their bench swing to read or watch the sunset was certainly pleasant enough, but it was a far cry from frolicking in the surf or going on fast paced rides, both of which were much more Sting's style.

To his credit, Sting had not complained once about their lack of activity, in fact, he'd been nothing but supportive, even managing to rein in his natural rambunctiousness so that Rogue could get rest. Had Rogue done anything for him in that time?

Try as he might, he couldn't think of a single thing, and that realization made him sad. He was well aware that in many ways, Sting was waiting on him, and it was frustrating that he couldn't seem to move in any direction. That stupid nightmare had destroyed all the progress he'd made in the last few months, hurtling him right back to those first days after the attack. He needed to do better before he managed to lose the one thing that had been holding him together.

Arming himself with courage, he forced himself to stay in the moment, to take care of Sting for once, regardless of how much he feared his response. "What happened?"

"I- uh…" Sting took a deep breath that only fed into Rogue's fear, his heart racing as he tried not to let his imagination run away with him while he waited for Sting to say something.

When a minute had passed, and Sting still hadn't said anything Rogue began to feel awkward and hoping to come up with something to break the silence he looked down at himself, trying to remember how many days he'd been wearing the same set of clothes. To his great embarrassment, he wasn't even sure. He certainly didn't smell pleasant. Not that Sting did either at that moment.

That gave him an idea, one that would hopefully relax Sting enough to be able to tell him whatever was bothering him. "Come on," Rogue beckoned Sting to follow, only stopping long enough to get two clean towels from the linen closet.

He entered his parents' bedroom, which he usually kept closed, leading Sting to their bathroom and the jacuzzi tub it contained. He rarely used it because it was such a pain in the ass to clean up after, and although he wasn't particularly looking forward to it now either, he was willing to put up with it so they could share a nice moment together. At least, he hoped so.

The change of scenery seemed to loosen Sting's tongue, "This is nice," he said as he looked around the large room that was decorated in the blues that both his parents loved. It was devoid of pictures at the moment as his parents had taken the frames with them to the house they were renting in Alvarez, but Rogue could remember the location of each and every one.

Refusing to let himself get caught up in more sad thoughts, he quickly entered the bathroom, knowing Sting would follow. He ran the tap, and as they waited for the tub to fill up, he dove into his mother's bathroom cabinet, picking some brightly colored bath bomb from all the fancy bath supplies she kept there and putting it on top of the laundry basket along with their towels.

"We should rinse off first," he pointed out, frowning in disgust at the staleness of his t-shirt when he pulled it over his head. He didn't know why, maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was because he felt now wasn't the time to be ogling Sting as he was undressing and needed an alternative, but once he'd taken his clothes off, his eyes were drawn to the mirror above the sink.

He didn't see what he'd feared to see, the flashback of his own reflection from right after the attack he'd sometimes see when facing a mirror, but the reality wasn't exactly a load off his mind either.

"You should've told me I looked like an escaped convict," he mumbled while staring at the combined result of his lack of sleep and personal care.

"I mean, I didn't fall for you just for your appearance," Sting retorted weakly.

It was a sweet thing for him to say, and Rogue knew that, but the bitter thought that whatever it was he did end up falling for was probably hard to find was stopping him from feeling touched by it. He quickly tore his gaze away from the mirror again before thoughts like these could get the chance to take root and grow, which would only cause him to turn in on himself even more.

Grabbing Sting's hand, he led them into the shower. "It's probably going to be cold, we're already using hot water for the bath, so…"

"It's fine, I'm all warm and sweaty anyway," Sting shrugged, but when Rogue turned on the water, he yelped and squirmed around, just as Rogue expected.

A soft chuckle escaped him, as he felt glad to see some of his boyfriend's usual silliness return. He grabbed one of the bottles of shampoo and quickly started lathering Sting's hair and body, offering a little bit of warmth.

"T-T-Thanks," Sting managed through clattering teeth before hesitantly returning the favor.

Under different circumstances, if they weren't hurrying to get out from under the cold stream as fast as they could, and if they hadn't both been agitated, it could've been romantic. A preface to something more intimate, the likes of which their relationship had lacked over the past week. That was another thing Rogue regretted, and yet, as much as he'd tried and wanted to, he couldn't break through the veil of numbness he was trapped in. He wished that it was different.

Much to Sting's relief, Rogue turned off the shower, deeming them clean enough to get into the now half full bath. He lowered himself into the water slowly, giving his body time to adjust to the change from cold to hot, unlike Sting, who all but dove right in.

"Go ahead and chuck it in," he said, giving Sting the bath bomb, hoping that fiddling with the packaging would de-stress him a bit as well. He took in Sting's expressions, the concentration on his face as he peeled away the plastic layer and aimed for the trash bin to throw it away.

Sting missed and apologized immediately, "Sorry, I'll go pick it up and throw it out-" he got up, but Rogue grabbed his hand and pulled him back down.

"Later," he told him softly. He could care less about leaving a mess right now. He just wanted them both to relax and enjoy the bath.

Sting gave him another weak smile and dropped the bath bomb into the water, watching absently as it fizzed and gave off a deep purple color and the scent of lavender.

"Please don't be mad at me," he mumbled, seemingly out of nowhere, causing Rogue to once again tense up with nerves as he wondered what he should be mad about. Not quite knowing how to filter his racing thoughts to form a response, he just reached out to grab Sting's hand under the water and waited for him to continue.

"I just-I don't know…I want to be there for you, but I don't know how and it's frustrating me. I guess I've been taking out those frustrations on my runs."

Rogue nodded, having noticed that Sting had been gone a bit longer and came back more tired from running than he usually did. He wished he'd taken that more seriously as a sign.

"It hasn't really helped, though," Sting sighed, "so today I ran, and I ran, and I ran...and I ended up near the studio. I'm not sure why I thought it was a good idea to go into that alley, but I did, and it really fucked me up."

Rogue flinched, just thinking back to that place, feeling the cold, rough bricks against the back of his head all over again. Smelling the rain and seeing a flash of a dirty wall with a work of artistic vandalism on it.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't want to talk about it, and I get that. I can't even begin to fathom how it must be for you if it's already having such a big effect on me, but that's just the problem. I can't ignore the effect it's having on me anymore."

Rogue could only keep nodding and feel terrible for how difficult he'd been making this. What would he have done if it had been the other way around? If Sting had been the one assaulted and he'd be the one experiencing the fallback of it?

Rogue wished he could say he'd know the right thing to do, what even was the right thing to do when it was all just so wrong?

"I-" Sting hesitated, taking a deep breath as he readied himself to go on, "I called my dad," he finally spilled, "and I told him everything."

Rogue let that sink in. The first reaction he had to it was a deep sense of shame, giving him the desire to shrink into himself. He liked Sting's parents a lot and hated to think about how this might change their opinion about him.

"What, uhm, what did he say?" Rogue stammered, not noticing he'd begun to shake until he felt Sting's arms surround him and heard the word Easy whispered in his ear until he stopped.

"Mostly, he just listened. He's upset that it happened, and uhm, maybe a bit worried about you," Sting cleared his throat nervously, "but he told me I had to let you deal with it in your own way, even if I didn't agree with how you're going about it."

Rogue had to admit he was surprised by that, he'd expected a doctor to demand he undergo some sort of treatment, and he was immensely grateful, even though that advice didn't help Sting's situation any.

"Still, he must think I'm pretty stupid for not doing anything," Rogue mumbled, wondering what his relationship with Sting's father would be like now that he knew about what had happened.

"He thinks no such thing, and you don't have to worry about my mom finding out, he promised to keep it between us," Sting sighed, "He just- he wants us both to get better."

Rogue felt Sting shift in the tub until he was gazing at him earnestly, "I want that too. I love you, none of this changes that. But-," Sting looked away for a moment before fixing him with a determined expression," I need to talk about it, to work through my own guilt and anger before it has the chance to tear us apart."

Rogue wanted to assure him that there was nothing for him to feel guilty about, but Sting wasn't finished, "I made an appointment to speak to a psychiatrist, I'm meeting him tomorrow."

Those words were enough to silence him. He wanted to protest because Sting shouldn't have to go that far just to be with him, but he was also filled with admiration for his boyfriend. He wasn't floundering in the shadows. It had taken him all of one week to go from there's a problem to actively trying to fix it, and it was a worldview that was so alien to Rogue.

How many times in his life had he just ignored problems until they either went away on their own or the decision was taken out of his hands? It was the only way he knew how to be, this was really the first time that approach hadn't really worked. They'd be spending their first time naked in a hot tub together a lot differently if it had, not to mention what should've been the summer of a lifetime.

But the summer wasn't over yet, and Rogue wanted to make the best of the time they had left before they were bogged down with school. If Sting was doing his best effort to improve their situation, then so should he. The idea of going to therapy still sent him into a panic, but the least he could do was take better care of himself. Shower and get dressed every day, even if he ended up staying at home. Stop skipping meals and eat more regularly. Maybe he could pick up his workouts again or try tagging along with Sting for morning runs if he could manage to fix his sleep schedule a bit.

It all sounded so simple, but he knew it wasn't going to be since he'd struggled with it all week. Still, he was determined to try. He'd have to start somewhere, and with that in mind, he vowed that the first thing he'd do once he was out of the bath was to shave off that awful stubble.

The water in the tub had finally risen past the jets, so Rogue turned it off while thinking about what he wanted to say. "I love you too," he responded simply, "and if talking to someone about what happened is what you need, then that's what you should do."

"Thanks," Sting offered him a small smile, already looking more untroubled than he had when he'd first arrived, making Rogue glad he'd offered his approval even if he understood Sting didn't need it.

They lay together in the warm water, just holding each other as the jets came to life, letting them massage their tired bodies into a state of relaxation, one that hopefully would stay with them for a while.

0-0

Even though Sting had talked to the man he was about to meet on the phone the previous day, he still felt nervous, unsure of what to expect. He'd never gone to a therapist before, although he'd never been against the idea. Ever since he was young, his father had drilled into him that healing the mind was just as critical as healing the body, and he accepted that as fact. It was one of the reasons he had so much trouble understanding Rogue's reluctance to getting help.

Despite the pain in his legs, Sting had decided to walk to Magnolia Bean, the coffee shop they'd agreed to meet at, in the hopes it would help him organize his thoughts so he didn't sound like a raving lunatic when they talked. There was so much he wanted to get out, and he knew, of course, that he wouldn't be able to get through it all in one meeting.

Arriving at the coffee shop sooner than he would have liked, he scanned the customers. Dr. Aileron had told him he'd know him the second he saw him, and Sting couldn't help but wonder if this was some kind of test. No one really drew his attention. It was the usual mix of weekend shoppers, couples, and friends hanging out. A few people were sitting with their laptops open, and he focused on these first, assuming the doctor would have been working.

It was only on his second scan that Sting noticed the man who was sitting in one of the coveted armchairs, seemingly scanning the room as he sipped his oversized mug. He was older, with a bald head which was nowhere as attention-grabbing as the clothes he was wearing, a pair of striped shorts in bright hues of pink and purple, topped by what could only be described as a magenta cami with wings peeking from either side of his rather broad shoulders. Somehow Sting knew he had found his man, and all his nerves vanished, figuring someone who dressed like that probably gave precisely zero fucks about what anyone thought. He sure as hell wasn't going to judge.

He walked straight up to him and, with a grin, introduced himself, "Dr. Aileron? I'm Sting Eucliffe."

"Call me Bob," the man replied instantly, returning his smile, "and of course you are, you're the spitting image of your father! How is old Weisslogia doing?"

"Pretty good, working hard as always, he's been volunteering long hours at the clinic," Sting responded, trying to decide whether he wanted coffee or not as he examined the long line.

"Ah yes, the clinic, I did some volunteering there myself some years ago," Bob peered at him with a smile, "Sit down, sit down!"

Sting sat in the chair across from the psychiatrist, not entirely sure how he was supposed to act." Do you often see patients here?"

Bob laughed, "Well, technically you're not a patient yet, you are my friend's son, but no, I have an office nearby. I like to hold patient interviews here, though. I find meeting in a familiar place is more relaxing, a lot of people feel anxious when faced with the office. They go in expecting to see the fabled couch."

"You don't have a couch?" Sting asked, puzzled. He had to admit that was what he'd envisioned too.

"I do, and a bean bag and a lot of other things, truth be told it's kind of a circus in there." Bob waved his hand at one of the baristas to get her attention, "Karen honey, can you make my friend here a..." he looked at Sting with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhm, coconut vanilla latte with extra sugar," Sting recited, surprised by Bob's amused snort.

"A coconut vanilla latte with extra sugar, hell, add some whipped cream while you're at it and put it on my tab, "Bob finished his request, "I might as well live vicariously through you, that much sugar would probably kill me."

The woman set to work on the order immediately, making Sting wonder just how often Bob was in here.

"So Sting, son of my dear friend, what is it that brings you to me?" Bob asked, calmly taking another sip from his coffee. "I know you told me Weisslogia recommended you talk to me, but I want to assure you that anything you tell me will remain confidential. I won't be calling him to give him any reports of our sessions."

"It's okay, he already knows everything," Sting explained," he felt you'd be able to help me."

Bob smiled at that, seemingly happy that Weisslogia held so much confidence in his abilities and waited for Sting to speak.

Sting tried to figure out how to phrase everything he wanted to say, fully conscious of Bob's observing eyes. The silence was only interrupted by the appearance of Karen delivering Sting's coffee. He waited for her to return to the counter before speaking.

"Well, you see, my boyfriend was sexually assaulted by his ex while I was back home and he refuses to deal with it, he's not sleeping and -"

"Let me stop you right there," Bob leaned forward, his expression turning serious, "I'm not here for your boyfriend, I'm here for you. Therapy isn't something that can be done through middlemen, and it certainly can't be forced. If he would like to get help I would be more than happy to find some time to see him, or even both of you if you wanted to do some couples therapy, but otherwise, I want to hear about you, or at the very least about how the situation is affecting you."

"I-," Sting was at a loss for words. Could he really do that? Just talk about his own feelings while Rogue continued to struggle...His father had said something similar, but it still felt selfish on his part to be talking to someone about how all of this made him feel, shouldn't he be finding Rogue help instead? He considered the idea of couples therapy briefly but immediately knew Rogue would never agree.

"We have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others," Bob interrupted his thoughts, "People tend to forget that."

"I just, I don't know what to do," Sting admitted, "I feel like I'm constantly walking on eggshells, afraid I'm going to make things worse."

"That sounds like a very stressful way to live," Bob affirmed, "But you have to understand sexual assault is a very tricky thing, especially in regards to men. Our society imposes so many unrealistic expectations and ideas on what it means to be a man. It makes it that much harder to admit or accept that such a thing can happen to them."

"I just want to help him, but the more I try, the more distant he gets," Sting clenched his fists in frustration, "and I feel so much anger on his behalf, and guilt and I can't help but wonder… would it have happened if I hadn't left? I worry all the time, what if this is the thing that breaks us?"

His eyes turned misty at the thought, "I left everything to be with him, Bob. He's my future. I don't want to lose that, but when I look in his eyes lately… it's like no one's home."

"I sometimes forget how urgent young love is, but there's no need to fret just yet," Bob smiled kindly. "I think you'll find talking to me about what's bothering you and finding different ways to work through your emotions without burdening him with them will already help your situation immensely. Remember, this happened to him, not you. You can't make him responsible for your reactions to it."

It was such a simple idea, and it made sense. Had he been trying to do that? Sting thought about why it was so important for him to talk to Rogue about what had happened.

He had to admit that while he obviously wanted his boyfriend to start moving forward, he also couldn't discount that among other things he was looking for some kind of absolution of guilt from Rogue, and he was ashamed.

"We're all only human, Sting," Bob pointed out, "There's always room for improvement. That said, I think we have a lot to work on. How do Tuesday afternoons sound?"

"That should be fine," Sting assured him, finally taking a sip from his coffee. Just knowing he was going to have a place where he could talk about his feelings was already making him feel less stressed.

"Wonderful," Bob mumbled, pulling out his phone and making some quick notes on it. He grabbed a business card from a hidden pocket in his case and handed it to Sting, his appointment already written on it in neat handwriting.

"What if Tuesdays hadn't worked for me?" Sting chuckled.

"Well, then I would have had to do some reshuffling," Bob grinned, "Thankfully, that wasn't the case. Now tell me," Bob gazed at him intently, "Does your mother still make that heavenly strawberry rhubarb pie?"

Sting laughed out loud at the unexpected question, "She does, treat me well, and I might just put in a good word for you."

Bob gave a high pitched giggle, "Oh, you! I think we're going to get along just fine."

They spent another twenty minutes chatting about his parents and Bob's time in Edolas until his time was up. Sting left after buying some treats for Rogue, enjoying the walk home and feeling more relaxed than he had since reading the journal. He looked forward to his appointment on Tuesday.

0-0

Rogue waited for Sting to come home after his first appointment, not really sure what to expect. He hated feeling like he'd driven Sting to therapy, and he couldn't quite understand why his boyfriend seemed so comfortable with the whole thing when the mere idea of sharing his most intimate thoughts with someone made his stomach clench in discomfort.

He certainly wasn't expecting Sting to return smiling and carting takeout from their favorite restaurant.

"Hey, Babe!" Sting greeted, placing the bags on the counter and offering Rogue a quick kiss before searching for plates and utensils.

"You're in a good mood," Rogue noted, "I take it your appointment went well."

"It did," Sting beamed as he grabbed some sodas from the fridge, "I really like him, he's very easy to talk to."

Rogue grabbed the styrofoam containers from the bags, dividing the contents onto two plates. He'd been about to put them on the dining room table when Sting surprised him once again by opening the dining room's sliding door and calling out, "It's a really nice day, let's eat out here!"

Rogue followed, relieved to see Sting acting more like his usual self. "Wow, this guy must be really good," he joked as he handed one of the plates over and sat on one of the oversized deck chairs.

"Yeah, he gave me a few things to think about before next Tuesday, but I actually had a lot of fun just talking to him. Turns out, he's known my parents for a long time and had some good stories."

Rogue couldn't help but wonder if that had been part of the reason Sting's father had suggested he see him. In all his excitement at having Sting arrive, he'd completely forgotten that his boyfriend had left a lot of things behind to be with him. The familiar guilt tried to exert its influence, but he fought it off, reminding himself that Sting had done so because he'd wanted to. Because they were miserable without the other.

"Do you miss home?"

"It's only been a few weeks, but I do miss Yukino, and my parents," Sting admitted, hurrying to add, "but I don't regret moving here, I'm right where I want to be."

Rogue smiled at Sting's words, "Thank you."

"For what?" Sting asked in between bites.

"I know it hasn't been like we'd planned, but I am so glad you're here."

"Of course, it's where I belong," Sting said matter-of-factly, stretching out his hand until he found Rogue's and then lacing their fingers together.

The words were so casually spoken, but Rogue understood the love and trust they implied nonetheless, and silently made a promise to himself that he’d do his damndest to be worthy of that. 

 “It is.” 

[jmsa1287]

'Homecoming' Season 2, Starring Janelle Monáe, is Solid but Can't Escape Season1's Shadow

The second season of Amazon's conspiracy thriller "Homecoming," which finds Janelle Monáe taking the reins from Julia Roberts, is solid but it should have been its own story rather than a continuation of what came before it.

At the end of the first season of "Homecoming," a psychological and conspiracy thriller series on Amazon starring Julia Roberts, Sam Esmail (creator of "Mr. Robot") left the door open enough so the show could continue for more. He expertly directed all 10 30-minute episodes, and purposefully didn't answer all questions that were asked throughout Season 1. Nearly two years later, "Homecoming," based on a popular podcast, returns for a second season, which hits Amazon Friday, with 7 half-hour episodes — except without its star and without its director. Taking the reins from Roberts is Janelle Monáe and filling in for Esmail is "The Stanford Prison Experiment" filmmaker Kyle Patrick Alvarez, who also has TV directing credits ("Tales of the City," "Counterpoint"). Season 2 starts in a daring way: Monáe's character wakes up in a small rowing boat in the middle of a lake. She's hurt and can't remember anything about her past or who she is. She sees a man in the distance run off and finds a military I.D. in her jacket pocket, suggesting her name is Jackie. Something's off and asking more questions only leads to more danger.

"Homecoming" Season 2 begins with a bang; almost like a writing prompt a teacher would ask their creative writing students... except it happens to star Monáe, who is excellent as always and it's nice to see her in a lead role instead of supporting. But as the show chugs forward, it enviably has to weave things from Season 1 with its new story, which feels awkward and lame at times. What could have been an interesting series, separate from Season 1, is poorly stitched together as a continuation of a complicated mystery. Alvarez is forced to connect the dots between the two seasons and he isn't always successful, especially as most of the cast does not return for Season 2. With Roberts (who played social worker Heidi) gone and Season 1 star Stephen James (who plays Walter, a young military vet with PTSD) only back in a small capacity, Alvarez has to rely on old Season 1 footage to move the story forward. But Hong Chau, who had a small role in Season 1 and has since given her incredible performance in "Watchmen" last year, is bumped up to a regular character in Season 2. Alverez smartly makes her an integral part of the story but that comes with a caveat: the more we learn about Chau's Audrey — an assistant-turned-exec at the Geist Group (a nefarious conglomerate that makes a number of different products) — the less interesting she becomes. As the season unfolds and lays out its mystery, much smaller this time around, "Homecoming" feels like a bad sequel, especially when we get to know the moralistic CEO of Geist, Leonard Geist (Chris Cooper), who appears to be a recluse and has no interest into the day-to-day operations of his company. (Joan Cusack also shows up as an official from the Department of Defense.) Without giving too much away, Jackie does find a connection to Geist but more specifically, Audrey. Nevertheless, audiences are smarter than ever before and Season 2 feels like a sequel of yesteryear — a cash grab of sorts completely missing its charm, its intelligence and the people — both in front of and behind the camera — that made it work to its fullest potential.

Despite that fumble, Alverez does keep many of the hallmarks Esmail injected into Season 1. There are still big winks and nods to Hitchcock; birds-eye-view shots of winding stairs and piercing string orchestra moments punctuate the most thrilling parts of Season 2. But even those overt homages feel stale and odd as Season 2 is less a conspiracy thriller and focuses on Monáe's Jackie; figuring out who she is and what's happened to her. At its best, "Homecoming" is an efficient story with a great cast. "Homecoming" podcast creators Micha Bloomberg and Eli Horowitz return to Season 2 as showrunners and also pen some of the episodes, which boosts the season. Alvarez does what he can with the tools he has and "Homecoming" ends up being an easy watch that is gripping enough, thanks to its short episode order and the half-hour runtime. Smartly, the season ends in a very interesting way that leaves room for a continuation but if there's no Season 3, fans will still be satisfied.

[satyrykal]

Departure Chapter 2 - Back from Hiatus!

Title: Departure

Author: Satyrykal

Pairing: Natsu x Lucy

Genre: Romance/Fantasy

Rating: M

Spoiler Warning: Not in the canon-verse, but pays homage to ideas in the Alvarez arc.

Summary: Natsu has been by her side for years - her faithful guard and the man she was never supposed to fall in love with. Lucy is bound by duty and custom, promised to another - yearning for freedom outside the confines of her grandfather’s court. So when the drums of war throw the kingdom into disarray, they make their move – consequences be damned.

Read the story here, or preview the excerpt below!

Running Chapter Timeline:

1 - 2nd July, X494: Lucy 23, Natsu 25

2 - 2nd July, X484: Lucy 13, Natsu 15

CHAPTER 2 Excerpt – The Beginning

"Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering." – Nicole Krauss, 2005

2nd July, X484

Once upon a time – not yours or mine – lived a girl spun from stars and sunshine.

This is her story.

The sun beat down from overhead as she raced across the field, wind pulling her hair free from its braid in strands of gold. Meadows of summer daisies and lupines passed by, shaded by the thick canopy above as the King's Wood gave way the high grass of the garden green. Her hands were tight and sweaty against the reins as she leaned forward, fingers digging into the fine leather as she urged the gray spotted mare onward.

"Come on Nikora, it's you and me now. Till the end." She whispered, her thighs straddling the horse, savoring the familiar burn in her quads as they galloped faster. She was answered by a thunder of hoofbeats as clots of dirt flew behind them as they tore through the tree line.

Lucy gave a whoop of laughter and charged past the crop of ancient oaks that hid the castle from view. Her eyes flashed amber as she took in the grand turrets, the palace's marbled façade imposing as it loomed ahead.

The gates grew closer as she sped through its arch, giggling at the calls of the sentries that greeted her as her pace slowed to a canter – still fast enough that some raised their voices in warning. Still, it wasn't until the stables were in sight that she reared the mare.

"Slow girl, gentle." She coaxed, lightening her hold until Nikora had geared to a trot, a gentle double beat as she wove her way past the other evening riders.

Smiling softly at the passersby, Lucy kissed her horse's mane – brushing the coarse white strands through her gloved fingers. She breathed deeply, taking in the earthen scent of grain feed and wood before wrinkling her nose at hint of manure that hit her last.

As they came up the walkway, a handler met her to lead her to the mount's stall.

"I've got it Igneel, I can get her ready and comb her down on my own." She told the older man, trying and failing to keep the reins away from him when he reached them.

Igneel cut a tall figure, with broad shoulders that stretched the leather of his jerkin. His hair was pulled sharply back, cascading down his back like liquid wildfire. Lucy had always thought the older man was handsome, though the long scar through his right eye and cheek below it gave him a menacing aura. It had taken some time for her to warm up to the former warrior.

She'd met him shortly after he'd taken over as the royal beastmaster half a decade ago, gaining his attention when the young royal continuously snuck out to the stables when she should have been minding her lessons. However, instead of returning her to her governess as was expected, he'd simply boom with laughter – allowing her to bob between the various stalls as she played hide-and-seek with some poor, harried palace guard on her protection detail.

He'd always had a soft spot for the princess, indulging her love for riding and the measure of freedom it afforded her.

When she continued to whine and fight his grip on the horse's lead, he just grinned shaking his head at her, a piece of hay anchored between his teeth.

"Off you go then Princess, not worth my time to convince you otherwise." He chuckled, patting her leg as he went back to his tack, wiping dirty hands on his stained smock. It wasn't his job to act as a common stable hand, but he'd always doted on the girl.

She beamed at his idle dismissal; teeth white and lips pulled wide as she dismounted – directing her horse back to the corner stall. Grabbing a bucket, she placed it by Nikora who dipped her muzzle into the water immediately, long tongue slurping as she drank greedily.

A few minutes later, Lucy heard a rattle on the path outside as another couple of mounts came into view.

In front was a young girl of about thirteen with a head of smooth blue locks, tied back neatly though a few wisps brushed her pale cheeks. Her legs were looped through the horn of her side saddle, covered by the folds of her sapphire skirts. The newcomer frowned, scanning the space until her gaze landed on a pair of guilty brown eyes peeking out above the corner booth.

"Lucy you promised you would stay with us this time!" The blunette called out, glaring at her friend.

The blonde smiled sheepishly when she was caught, gesturing to her mare.

"I meant to, but Nikora wanted to go faster, and I couldn't tell her no. She's wind-blown." Lucy answered, placing a sugar cube under the horse's mouth. The mare licked it up unhurriedly, tickling the girl's palm.

"Don't yell Juvia, we're already here." The third rider scolded as she too, came to a stop – expression exasperated.

The girls blushed slightly at reproach in the older woman's voice, her own aqua locks held back by a laurel braid that started at her temples, nostrils flared slightly as she peered down at her errant charges.

"Sorry Aquarius, I will keep that in mind." Juvia apologized bobbing her chin down once in respect before dismounting with a nearby page's help. Unlike her friend, she followed decorum as befit her station. She thanked the boy absently, not noticing his stuttered reply as she walked over to the young royal, lifting her skirts up so they did not drag across the mud.

"We saw you riding astride, you know your father would be upset if he found out." Juvia told the princess quietly when she reached her, resting her chin on the wooden divider of the stall as she watched her. Lucy shrugged, still brushing her horse down in broad strokes.

She found the action calming, loving the warmth radiating under her palms.

"Then don't tell him. Beside, I only ever do it on castle grounds – never when it really counts. I just love being able to fly over the hills. The whole world just blurs into colours." She breathed softly, dreamily. She fumbled with her gloves monetarily before yanking them off so she could feel Nikora's coat beneath her fingers.

Juvia nodded once, shoulders slumping.

She had expected as much. Like Igneel, she knew little changed the blonde's mind when it was set.

"You know I never do. I'm going to go back to my rooms to clean up. The representatives of the Mermaid Heel Corps will be arriving by supper. The king says we're to join them at the table." The blunette trailed off, hoping to entice the other girl to come with her.

Her words had the intended effect.

Lucy's ears perked up; her dark irises bright in the light streaming in through the rafters.

The Corps were warrior priestesses of the faith. They had guarded the Temple of Nirvana – deep within the Woodsea – for millennia. Though women were scarcely allowed to join in battle ranks within the borders of her own nation, sacred rights kept them outside the scope of the king's jurisdiction.

"I'll finish up quickly too then." Lucy promised, her cedar eyes shining as her hands indeed flew through Nikora's fur with renewed vigor.

Growing up, she adored hearing about the holy maidens – their exploits transcending fact to legend. They were named for the Nirvana of the Sea who had sent her daughters above on land, changeling sprites who created the first temple order.

Lady Aquarius, her governess, had grown up north of the great Eastern Forest in a township marking where the Clover River spilled into the ocean. When her village had been slaughtered in a raid, the priestesses had taken the older woman in until reinforcements arrived from the capital.

A childhood friend of the late duchess, the stoic blunette had shifted to the palace a decade prior, quickly settling into the role of guardian for the motherless princess. Sometimes when her charge begged, she would display some of the fighting forms she had learned whilst living in the Grand Temple for the little girl.

Lucy was torn from her musings when Juvia waved a manicured hand in front of her face, catching her attention. Eyes crinkling in laughter, the blunette twiddled her fingers in farewell before turning, petticoats still lifted carefully to keep them from the dirt. She sped up the hill to the main castle, Aquarius following at a more sedate pace.

Across the stable, some groomsmen were feeding their horses and putting away the ladies' gear – they movements practiced. Lucy preferred to do it herself, she liked the smell of the hay and the shine of her mare's coat when she was properly brushed down. She liked how this corner of the palace ground made it seem as if she were beyond its towering walls.

As she finished, she wiped her hands on a washcloth a squire had offered her, smoothing flyaways on her head the best she could – her appearance bedraggled. Still, she wasn't too worried, knowing she would be required to change her clothing once she returned to her chambers prior to dinner.

She was latching the mare's gate when she heard neighing coming from a stall near the exit.

Until recently it had been empty.

Curious, she patted Nikora's velvet nose before making her way to the noise. Inside was a tall, beautiful creature with a rick black hide, a single white stripe dabbed its nose and pooled at its feet. Sensing her, the stallion snorted jerking its muzzle in a circle.

Lucy paced back. She pressed her lips together, rocking on the soles of her boots before shifting closer step by step.

"What a gorgeous fellow you are." She breathed, stretching out her palm so he could sniff her. He whinnied loudly in response, as if unsure whether to trust the stranger in front of him. When he didn't bite however, the girl tried to reach further, stepping up on an old crate in order to lean over the railing.

His reaction was immediate.

The stallion reared its head and pawed the ground at her approach, gnashing its teeth. Startled, she lost her footing slightly, catching her riding gear on the lumber and throwing her balance. She grabbed for the side wall, only to miss, her palms grazing the splintering wood in vain.

For a moment, it was as if time stopped.

End of Excerpt

Read the rest at Fanfiction.net!

Chapter 1, 2

[echoise]

Evenfall is not Keith. Keith is weak. (m!sidestep (Keith!), character study thingy really.) 536 words

Evenfall’s hands don’t shake. The suit comes with stabilizers in the gloves: even without them, his hands are steady. When he pins things to the board, when he tweaks the suit, when he counts stolen money. Not like Keith, who spills his coffee on the regular if the cup is too full, who can’t work delicate circuitry without investing in a pair of expensive work gloves. Who can’t feel the difference between an ice cube and a boiling hot cup of coffee.

Evenfall’s vision doesn’t dim perching high up and surveying the world below. Doesn’t remember rushing wind and shards of glass. Thinks nothing of diving off the bridge and into the ocean below, braving a deadly fall and finishing it in a deep dive. Not like Keith, who gets light-headed when he walks up stairs that are too steep. Who hesitates going too close to windows, skin tingling, drowning in memories and cold sweat.

Evenfall doesn’t doubt his focus. Not when he pins Steel’s picture to the top of the board, jotting down a plan of attack against Mayor Alvarez. Not when he charts out a map of the Farm and their procedures from memory, hands steady but his mind on fire. Not like Keith, who takes one look at Ortega and feels like he’s falling four stories down again, the mustached smile the pavement waiting at the bottom. Who stares at Chen’s number in his phone and toys with the idea of calling him and telling him everything, consequences be damned.

Evenfall doesn’t hesitate. Not when he grabs Herald mid-air and hurls him into the car below, bending the frame and lighting up its alarms. Thinks nothing of going toe-to-toe with Argent’s silver claws, feeling alive in the heat of the fight. Not like Keith, who stares at his reflection after another sleepless night and hates the direction he’s headed. Who shines through the cracks when Ortega lies broken on the pavement, choosing to run rather than hurt him more.

Keith is weak. A weak man who doesn’t know what he wants, only what he needs; driven by impulses and emotions his mind desperately tries to rein in, but fails every time. A weak, stupid, desperate man who’s going to crash and burn and knows it, but he can’t stop.

Evenfall is not Keith. Evenfall is a mask, an idea, a conviction: an outlet for all the things that don’t fit into “Keith”. An attempt at putting right that which has gone wrong inside him, but twisting it further. The broken mirror distorting both the viewer and the wearer, showing plainly the warped mind hiding behind the helmet.

And when Evenfall soars, Keith retreats: shrinks back to the very far corner of his mind, to the place that used to be one of safety and strength before it was twisted by leaking tubes and a toothless smile. Into a reverse Pandora’s box, where all hope has fled and only nightmares remain. Boxing himself in to a prison of his own making, a slew of bad decisions all leading to dead ends.

Screaming for help inside his own head, but like the last time, like all the times after that, finding no one to listen.