#SAVED FROM MASS MURDER BY THE POWER OF CHANCE!!!!

[aseplant]

ok there's no way samin has anyone up high enough in the corps to actually purposefully arrange min & sayeon to be in the same team. WHAT WAS THEIR PLAN IF HE WASN'T PUT ON THE SAME TEAM AS HER. on the ground going bald from stress.

[noven-warsh]

Someone on twt said that Denji's a heartless asshole so I decided to cook up an entire thread showcasing the times he wasn't, which I'm gonna copy-paste over here (because I love wasting my time responding to useless stuff)

Introduction Arc:

♥ He tells Pochita that he can use his body to live a normal life ♥ He offers the little girl to run away with him and her devil because he empathizes with her

Bat Devil Arc:

♥ He empathizes with Power, even though she betrayed him and sacrificed him for the Bat Devil ♥ Tells this one random girl to flee, even though he doesn't have to ♥ He unnecessarily holds Power when he finds her in the midst of the devil's organs

Eternity Devil Arc:

There's a good chance he feels bad for Aki shielding him here (it might be a reach tho idk)

Katana Man Arc:

♥ He contemplates if he’s heartless for not crying for Himeno, even though it’s clear that he didn't because he wasn't that close to her ♥ He protects a girl from becoming collateral damage by Katana Man

Bomb Girl Arc:

♥ He starts crying at a scene of two guys simply hugging ♥ He straight up forgives Reze and even considers her offer of running away, despite her being a mass murderer and beating the shit out of him

International Assassins Arc:

♥ He starts running away from Santa's dolls because he recognizes them as innocent people and doesn't want to murder them ♥ This panel

Interlude: He rejects Makima's offer because he wanted to take care of Power

Gun Devil Arc: He constantly begs Aki to wake up and return to his senses, cries when he lands the finishing blow, and spends the days after that broken down from the fight

Control Devil Arc:

♥ He loses the will to live because Power and his newfound family won't be there with him anymore ♥ He chooses to eat Makima not as an attack but as an act of love ♥ He decides to raise Nayuta with love and care, despite her being the reincarnation of a someone who caused him great harm

PART TWO

Introduction Arc: He saves a cat from falling off a building

Asaden Date Arc:

♥ He offers Asa starfish (which means he listened to her entire lengthy talk about fish) when he finds her hungry and alone ♥ Admits that his obsession with money (recycling cigarettes, stealing money and selling hats) is so Nayuta could go to college

Falling Devil Arc: He shows empathy for Asa and tries to talk her out of letting herself succumb to falling

Chainsaw Man War Arc: -

♥ You can see him feeling sympathy for Fumiko's family ♥ He tries refusing Nayuta's offer (with lots of advantages) because he still likes Asa and wants their relationship to somehow work

♥ He constantly worries for Nayuta, from snapping out of his manic phase when he sees her hurt, to his waking thoughts being her, to straight up accepting anything as long as he finds her

[companion-showdown]

Who is the best TARDIS team?

12, Clara, Missy tied with 10, Donna, Martha, so now everybody has another chance to get into the quarterfinals

TOURNAMENT MASTERPOST

propaganda under the cut

8, Charley, C'rizz

The world's worst toxic trio! Each pair dynamic is pretty rough and then they combine like Power Rangers into one group only slightly more functional than the sum of its parts. The Doctor and C'rizz get along so well because any time something goes wrong they flip the metaphorical mass murder/suicide coin. C'rizz and Charley were both dragged from their homes by the Doctor in a way that did save them but nevertheless makes them dead people walking, sometimes literally. Charley and the Doctor kissed, once, so that their mouths would meld together and a sound creature couldn't use their voices. Who else is doing it like these three (@regicidal-defenestration)

i LOVE companions from non-modern times, alien companions, AND alternate universes, and charlie+c'rizz combine all of that. also being alongside charlie + 8 it would be easy for c'rizz to just be a third wheel but he complements BOTH of them in a really great way and actively enhances the team. also (sui cw) they meet because the doctor tries to kill himself by jumping into an alternate dimension + charley jumped right in alongside him + the very first thing c'rizz does upon meeting them is try to drown himself. theres something here and it's that they are all deeply unwell and perfect for each other. heart.

8, Anji, Fitz

Anji Kapoor is the most underappreciated companion and she was the essential ingredient that made her team work. She and Fitz had fabulous friendship chemistry, and then Fitz and the Doctor had their weirdness (affectionate), and Anji didn’t let any of the Doctor’s shit go unquestioned, and there was just this great crackling energy between all of them all the time. Like I love Fitz and Eight but I love them less when they're not paired with Anji, and i desperately wish Anji had gotten to meet another companion, but idk that anything could ever match the magic the three of them had going on

[linkemon]

Revenge (Dracula x Reader)

Friendly reminder that English is not my first language. You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here. Consider supporting me on Ko-fi. You can also check out my commissions if you’re interested.

Other oneshots can be found here.

"ꜱʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴡᴀꜱ ʀᴜꜱʜɪɴɢ ꜰᴀꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ʜɪᴍ. ꜱʜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ɪɴ ʟɪɴᴇ."

ᴀᴅᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: 1. ꜱᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ 2.

[Reader] looked around. The desert stretched as far as the eye could see. Dune after dune and nothing else. Not a single plant, even the smallest one. Heat was pouring from the sky. The air was dry. She reached for the sand, not believing what had happened. Yellow particles fell between her fingers.

The entire landscape seemed the opposite of where she was just a minute ago. The dark, cold, old chambers of Dracula's castle — that's where she should be standing now. She had a duty to defend the vampire. She took an oath.

And yet Vlad sent her away. For her supposed good. When he pushed her into the magic mirror, she wanted to scream. He didn't save her at all. She couldn't be his lover, so she wanted to at least be a faithful servant. She wanted to die by his side. She didn't even get that. Fate never gave her anything she wanted.

— Sir. — She bowed.

She saw him less and less. However, it still happened that he visited her not only to talk about matters related to the army.

It was one of the evenings when he asked strange questions. She knew it. She could tell by the way he sat in the big red chair. He then seemed to shrink in on himself. As if all the power he wielded was draining from him.

— Why are you still here with me, [Reader]? I want to murder your race. — The wine in the goblet shimmered in the light coming from the fireplace. — I also can't give you what you want.

He didn't look her in the eye.

— I've known this for a long time — she replied, unmoved.

She sat down on the floor, by the fire. She looked towards Dracula.

She saw how tired he was. The flame of life burned out in him long ago. He was no longer the same vampire, craving justice for his wife's death. He continued to finish what he started long ago. However, he did it mechanically. There was no passion in it. Mass murders no longer brought him relief. He left it to others. Generals, armies and other vampires. He knew there was no turning back, so he went with the flow. She couldn't comfort him. And even if she could, she knew he wouldn't want to. He drowned in his sadness too deep and did not want to surface at all.

— My love doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be reciprocal. I followed you and I will do what needs to be done. Humanity never cared about me or Isaac or Hector either. — She tightened her fingers on her weapon. — We don't care about people. The fact that we are people has nothing to do with it.

Sometimes she wondered what she was doing with her life. She could have left. Leaving a person who never looked at her the same way. And yet she stayed here. In a gloomy castle, commanding an army of vampires. Creating creatures that kill her kin. But if she stopped, what would she be left with?

She felt that if she refused to help him, she would regret it. In the end, she didn't care anyway. And he needed her. He chose her to help him avenge Lisa. It didn't matter that she should be looked at as a dead rival. No one and nothing would replace the emptiness left by her. Even she couldn't do it. So she stuck with it all. She joyfully rushed towards her own destruction. For him and herself.

She couldn't know that death was rushing faster to meet him. She wasn't first in line.

Isaac seemed less lost than she was in his new surroundings. He stood up and offered her his hand. Throughout their acquaintance, he showed virtually nothing about himself. Now, however, she saw uncertainty in the brown eyes — slight, but still. He was wondering the same thing as her. Is there a chance that the vampire they loved survived?

— He won't kill his son. Not Alucard. Her voice sounded strange in the great wilderness. — So he will die.

She was afraid to say it. This sentence seemed to make real the fact that he was going to die. It was as if by admitting the truth she was killing him herself.

She was answered by a nod of her head.

— There is still revenge. — The man pulled out a dagger, looking at his reflection in the blade.

He never said much but he didn't have to. She understood him enough.

The list was long: Hector, Carmilla, the traitorous army, Alucard, and millions of nameless people. They all had to die. They had no right to walk in this world if Vlad was no longer there.

— Revenge. — She nodded. — And then we'll join him.

She was angry. This wasn't how she imagined it. They should finish the job together with Dracula. She was supposed to leave before him. She felt that when she finally allowed herself to meet death, she would welcome it with joy. However, she had a long way to go before that happened. There was so much she still had to do before she could die in peace.

There was no time for tears or mourning. They had to make plans. For a moment she felt tired. However, she recovered and followed the Forgemaster. Step by step they marched through the wasteland. 

[kiriekonamistan]

I was debating with myself over wether I should post this or not, but y'know what I like thinking about Fairy Tail and I'm gonna post it. Just incase it makes someone else as happy as it makes me.

NOTE: the words I bolded below the cut are words/terms I believe the Heartfilia women associate with their personal idea of Zeref.

So: What do the different generations of Heartfilia women associate with Zeref?

-Anna met him in the woods one day without knowing his identity for quite some time. He was a mysterious hermit mage with unbelievably high levels of magic power, and to Anna he had a lot of potential. Eventually he shared his ideas with her, a gate to connect the past and present, she instantly envisioned its usefulness and how it could save future generations.

To Anna he was a muse, a scholar and the guiding light who brought miracles into reality. But he was also a murderer, even if not by his own will or intentions, he had begun experimenting with the creation and manipulation of souls long before she met him. Her friend and teacher was the Black Wizard Zeref, she knew of him centuries before the terms 'Black Wizard' or 'Dark Mage' were conceived.

(Personally, I think Anna would also associate him with the Morning Star. The last star seen as dawn bleeds into a new day. He's a relic of the past even as far as Anna would be concerned because he's the last surviving student, and teacher, of the Mildian academy of Magic. Plus, the morning star is very closely associated with Lucifer. Depending on which interpretation of demonology you believe Lucifer either is a prince of hell who serves under Satan, or is Satan himself and Lucifer is just another name for him. I dunno, I can see connections between the two.) Also, Zeref's name is derived from the word Seraph as in the Seraphim Angels.

-Layla grew up hearing about the despicable actions of cults who claim to be following Zeref's last will. She knew that many scary stories about the dark mage himself were made up by parents to frighten naughty children into behaving themselves. But Layla wasn't a foolish woman, she knew he existed once and may still exist somewhere in the world she grew up in. Her ancestors' journal regarding the Eclipse Gate likely spoke of a brilliant wizard, one who Layla probably wondered about.

Could a man like Zeref, with all of his infamy and supposedly impossible accomplishments even be human? Chances are Layla thought he might be a God or Demon, maybe even a Demon God. Zeref was credited with creating a unique species of demons after all, and humans can't just make life so carelessly or easily as myths and legends said Zeref had. Maybe he was a Celestial Spirit, one who did something awful and was banished for his misdeeds? One who's constellation was no longer visible? Whoever and, or whatever Zeref had been and still might be, Layla would always feel like his name is a Dark Omen especially after having her daughter Lucy.

-Lucy knew of the scary stories that used Zeref's name. She knew about the legend of Lullaby, a death flute he had poured dark magic into thus creating a weapon of mass murder. He was the author of Demon Books and his name alone carries an Omen of Death.

Lucy saw Lullaby in person and nearly witnessed first hand its terrifying cursed power. Then on Galluna Island there was Deliora, another demon crated by Zeref who ruined the lives of so many people, including her own guildmate Gray. During her first year with the Fairy Tail guild alone Lucy encountered multiple demons made by Zeref's hand and nearly half a dozen groups of people (mostly dark guilds and cults) who were connected to his image in some way.

To Lucy Heartfilia, even before the incidents on Tenrou Island, Zeref was a real person. A monster in human skin, perhaps, but he had been real once.

And then Tenrou Island happens. Zeref is real in more than just a lingering image or some remnants hanging on from the Dark Ages of Magic. He's an immortal, who the members of Grimoire Heart believe to have mastered One Magic, the origin and completed form of all magical power.

----------------

Now I want to go into some speculation of what Lucy's image of Zeref; as a person and legendary mage, could've been if they had ever gotten some one-on-one interactions!! (Seriously, Lucy and Zeref could've had some very interesting interaction at any point in the series. There is just too much to unpack here, though.)

If Zeref and Lucy had met face-to-face (no, I don't count his unconscious body being manhandled across Tenrou Island. He was unconscious, she couldn't have gotten a read on his personality while he was unconscious...) at any point after Tenrou Island I feel like her impression of him would be similar to mine.

He's like a porcelain doll, empty and cold with unnaturally smooth edges. He fakes his smiles so often that they look natural now, but he's very good at pretending and I feel like Lucy would recognize this due to the environment she grew up in. He's unstable and unpredictable. Zeref is like a black hole he takes in so many things from knowledge, magic power, people, and even the essence of life which is stolen by his curse. In Lucy's mind he is a void that cannot give anything but death and sorrow. His curse makes him a cosmic force compressed down into a human body barely restrained by his own ability to compartmentalize his emotions.

Natsu, on the other hand, is like the North Star to Lucy. Her own guiding light always leading her back home to Fairy Tail. Natsu is Lucy's Polaris. (I need someone to write a fic with some of this imagery, please I am begging on my hands and knees. The huge difference in how Lucy views Zeref as a terrifying cosmic force in human skin with a sort of uncanny-valley appearance v.s. how she sees Natsu as everything that embodied her idea of 'home'! The way these two are brothers who are both so alike in certain ways but vastly different in others-!!)

I think about the Dragneel boys a lot. They are my favorite shade of angst and literary symbolism, I think. (Oh also, @spot-of-tea I'd like this to be seen by them.)

[ckret2]

I love the fact that the axolotl is kind of a neutral entity.

Many headcanon it as a being that wants to do the righteous thing no matter what. But here it just seems to interfere when it's part of the deity job deal or out of curiosity.

And it's funny because bill thought as well that the Ax would be like a god of justice, and the way he reacted when he realized that was not the case it's so funny, but also made me wonder how they will interact with each other in the future!

Now bill knows the body isn't a punishment, is part of what he asked the ax for, to return, but he never said how he wanted to return, so I guess the ax it took the opportunity to temporarily? stop him. Maybe the ax isn't always trying to be righteous but i'm sure it does want to keep bill from destroying the universe.

I'm dying to know how this develops in the next chapters!

I saved this ask from last week's chapter since this week's goes even farther in making him a neutral entity, with Bill talking about stuff like how he handles "casual meet-and-greets."

I do think that the Axolotl very strongly believes in doing the righteous thing; but like... in the same way as a lawyer that takes pro bono cases for defendants who otherwise wouldn't stand a chance. (This is a No Lawyer Slander zone, this isn't a setup for "oh well if he's like an attorney then he's evil lol" joke.) A righteously-motivated lawyer can take cases all day that ensure a downtrodden defendant has his civil rights respected...

... but because of that, he's not taking the big flashy cases that go all the way to the Supreme Court and help nationally change civil rights. (But if he were taking the flashy cases, who would help THIS defendant?)

... and he might be the pro bono attorney of a mass murderer, in which case some people might think defending him AT ALL is contrary to their idea of justice. (But if he doesn't defend him, who will? Somebody's gotta defend that murderer.)

... and if he's in his office working and he sees a bird outside pecking at a bug, he might stop to watch.

... and when he commutes home after work, he might drive a car that burns gas and makes the environment just a little bit worse.

... and at home he'll probably watch TV rather than spend his precious downtime throwing himself into championing yet another social justice cause.

The Ax isn't a flawlessly Lawful Good Fantasy God, he's just some dude powerful enough you could call him a god if you believe in that kind of thing. And "some dude" can fight for justice without fighting for it EVERY SINGLE SECOND.

A pro bono attorney doesn't look like a figure of righteousness when he's commuting or watching TV or having lunch.

And it's probably hard to see what righteousness he's putting into the world at all if you're the bug getting pecked by the bird or splattering against his windshield. What does his "justice" mean to you? Today, Gravity Falls is the anthill.

And—in spite of the above metaphor—this isn't just some random shitty defendant. Bill Cipher is a big splashy Supreme Court change-the-divine-definition-of-justice court case.

[thenixkat]

also the president gave shoot on sight orders for the Joker. I dont think anyone would care if a superhero murdered the Joker who's orchestrating the mass death of thousands at this very moment, Nightwing. Get off yer fucking high horse

of course the Jokerization is randomly killing/dropping villains now. We can't have this ass pull have any real long term effects

faces

they got paid. so the doctor that diagnosed the Joker with a brain tumor was playing a prank on the Joker and didnt think it would go horribly wrong

folks making deals with that fuckin brainworm that i know is usually up to some shit

ok just spread the jokerness via tainted rain, sure, whatever

you were just fleeing from Joker the other issue why are you demanding being taken to him now? Fuck it, let Harley go to the Joker so he can rape and kill her, it's what she fucking wants right now. Let her get her dipshit ass killed.

also Dr. Langstrom is that Dr. Langstrom, the werebat. In this he turns when stressed.

there's a protocol in place for getting Dr. Langstron to calm his shit when he goes werebat. They shot him with some calming drugs

meanwhile, Harley is getting cavity searched for a 3rd time apparently by an overly gleeful lady soldier, cause sexual assault is funny when its lady on lady apparently.

Oracle calls in Huntress, a hero known for killing fuckers, to do whatever she feels necessary to save Robin and clear out some jokerized villains. Just dont tell Batman

jokerized, ugh, Killer Croc called dibs on some Robin wings

Nightwing you know better than trying to reason with the fucking Joker. Also staple gun

oh hey Batman put tracking devices in the costume upgrades he gave his allies. Gotta love that paranoid big brother bs. Someday folks are gonna get tired of that shit and beat Batman's ass

like that's rude as hell also fucking boob socks on the fucking bulletproof vest is a shitty art decision

i doubt Tim-Robin got eaten that quickly and Killer Croc is still fucking hungry. Tim's a decent-sized child, with plenty of meat

again, I don't think Tim-Robin is dead. An offscreen death in a miniseries that doesnt focus on him? I dont buy it

and even if he was he'd be back sooner rather than later

also since when does a superhero need to be sanctioned? I doubt Batman can keep every hero he doesnt like/wont bow to him out of Gotham

oh so now Nightwing is ok with killing Joker. It only took the Joker killing Jason, crippling Barbra, and killing Tim too. Damn, fuck you Nightwing

The Joker has to murder and maim multiple people that Dick is close to b4 dude would consider killing him. Man, I'd be pissed off at Nightwing if I lived in this world and had folks I knew murdered and maimed and the heroes only get serious when it gets personal

yeah, these heroes should have more enemies with the common people just for that alone. 'You had teh chance to stop a terrible fucker and chose not to. Repeatedly even tho the bodies kept pilling up' also the folks in charge with stopping the prison riot are …alive after getting sucked into a gravity well. B/c gravity wells transport fuckers to a pocket dimension instead of crushing the shit out of things in this world. They've been dodging the aquatic villains and murdering one villain who's power is he gets a new power every time he dies which is extremely unethical

Oracle switched positions and wants Batman to stop Nightwing from murdering the Joker.

let him kill the Joker and get him some therapy after, yall making this more of a problem than it needs to be

No shit Tim-Robin wasnt dead. They didnt even put a whole issue between the fake out and him being back

fucking bleeding hearted saps feeling bad about killing the Joker. Couldn't be me

Batman you should have let him die. Everyone the Joker kills after this is directly on your fucking head.

yall weak ass bitches. Everyone the Joker kills after this is on you all for reviving the fucker.

the put the Joker back in prison instead of just killing him. so he can escape again at some point for more adventures. Lex Luthor is the president, its not like he has fucking morals or that the global public doesnt want the Joker dead. Just kill him

and that's the end. There's no good reason for anyone involved to not just fucking kill the Joker

the villains dont like him, the heroes should kill him for the greater good and they'd actually be justified in this one case more than anything else, the world governments should want the Joker dead. No one benefits to the Joker continuing to be alive

[missacidburn928]

It's a year old but here's some holiday spice for you all while I wait in the urgent care with my autistic son.

I Really Do Believe In You....

Steve Rogers × Bucky Barnes x Thor Odinson × POC Singer!Reader "Honey"

Let’s see if you believe in me.

The Avengers Holiday party. You are both a guest and part of the musical entertainment. Will you end up on the naughty or nice list?

You spot them as they enter the main ballroom. Your three strapping men, color coordinated and cutting intimidating frames in their suit choices. Thank the goddess you had a good hold on the mic as you waited for your cue to join Sy in singing White Christmas, or you might have literally swooned in front of this mass of party goers.

You start your verse as you watch them make their way over to the bar where the team, plus one Sharon Carter, have gathered. Thankfully tonight’s event is Jane Foster free, so it should be a good night with you, Sy and the Chanti’s house band entertaining Tony’s rich friends and employees before enjoying some much needed time with your men.

You can't help but feel festive in your short red dress, studded red fishnets and nude pumps. You’ve kept your makeup simple with a nude lip and a smokey eye. Your hair down and in its natural state. Sy made a comment when picking you up that you looked like Santa’s little Siren. Seems appropriate if you do say so yourself.

Per usual you notice Sharon being a bit too chummy with your Captain. The woman just can’t help herself. You know all about the “kiss” when they were trying to save your beloved Bucky. But according to Steve the reason it never went further was because there was no spark when their lips touched. And he tried giving her a chance, chalking the lack of spark up to the stress of the situation, but she was way too into his status and power. So he ended things before it made it any further than a couple dates and a subpar makeout session.

What is it with these prude ass women that hang around these strong ass people? Sharon, like Jane, thinks your quad is ridiculous and you don't need that many men. Especially when you added Steve in. 

“He should be upholding traditional values as he’s America's golden boy. Not flaunting such an alternative lifestyle. Hell if he was gay it would be easier than this bullshit. Why on Earth would you want to willingly share a woman with two other men. Not to mention one of those men is a God and the other a murderer.”

Let's not forget what she also stated in that little rant of hers, when she was unaware you could hear her perfectly clear from your spot in the common room. “I just don’t understand what he sees in her. Who stays in a band with someone they used to be fuck buddies with? It’s just tacky and sad. A man that powerful should be with someone who is only devoted to him and can boost his image, not damage it. ” 

I’ll show her tacky. Lord knows I'm certainly not above being petty. I’ve been behaving for far too long. Time to put these Siren skills to use. What good are they to have if you can’t fuck with uppity bitches using them.

Continue

[dontforgetukraine]

A “little man” is the alpha and omega of the “great russian culture.” A little, despicable, cowardly, uncomplaining, gray, voiceless someone. Whatever and wherever they are, their ability to act is non-existent. A burly, deaf and mute Gerasim obediently drowns the only soul that loves him. Looking into his dog’s eyes, he wraps a rope around a brick, makes a loop, and ties it round his neck… He betrays his dog and kills him. He could have taken him somewhere, sold him or given him away. He could have tied the dog to a tree in the forest and visited him every day, feeding and loving him. But no. Gerasim is a little man. He is too weak to resist the circumstances. But he is strong enough to kill. A “trembling creature,” Raskolnikov decided to measure his largess and height with murder. A murder out of curiosity. He is a little man who believes that he has to kill another person to grow bigger. A little man is an unknown soldier, a nameless hero, a missing warrior. Their name is legion. And they don’t have a name, at the same time, being fused together into the body of a machine that either devours or kills. For many decades, the “great russian culture” has been trying to make the world choke on its tears over the destiny of people who trembled with fear, doubt, and helplessness and committed crimes, unable to resist them.   When the war broke out, my older children’s landlords called them and said, “Well, now that this happened, you can pay only for utilities, if you can afford it. It’s alright if you don’t pay the rent. We’re good people, after all.” I wouldn’t call them good people before the war. The landlords, a mother and daughter, were “half-Vatniks.” * Lots of people like them lived in Kyiv back in the day. Their opinion about what moscovia did in 2014 fit the pattern of “it’s not so straightforward,” “we’re brotherly nations, after all,” and “we have no power over anything.” I am not sure if their opinion has changed now that the “brotherly nation” is skinning people alive out of curiosity or helplessness. I hope it has. But even if it hasn’t. They called us to clarify what kind of people they were. Between the “little” (those who don’t decide anything) and the “good” (those capable of doing something), they chose the latter. Ever since the war started, I have been using the crime series — about riot squads, police departments, and private detectives — as my sleeping pills. They lull me into confidence that good really wins over evil. They drew my attention to the fact that even the most cruel maniacs put the guns down; the filthiest bastards willingly cooperate with the investigation; and the most corrupt police officers admit their treason and often shield their colleagues from bullets to remain — at least for a little bit — good people. “Are you a good person?” — this question, a key one in the negotiations with the criminals, creates a completely different mirror in which the civilization is looking. Not a nameless soldier, but Private Ryan who has to be saved, for he is his mother’s sole surviving son. “Am I a good person?” is a question that teenagers and seniors, the rich and the poor, men and women keep asking. What’s more, even zombies from apocalyptic movies say, “I’m a good person,” refusing to bite a child. This is the difference. The war between “the little” and “the good.” The ruthless, cruel, mindless, unscrupulous, filthy little people — and the good people. If the civilization shaped around the question “Am I a good person?” loses, Gerasim will consistently drown dogs, and Raskolnikov will methodically kill old people. A new Z-swastika, sanctified by the “great russian culture,” will leave no chance for anything human. Anywhere in the world. White Fang will never find its Weedon Scott, and Private Ryan will be buried, unrecognized, in a mass grave.

From the flash essay "Olena Stiazhkina: Kyiv. March 23" from the collection “Wars. Ukrainians. Humanity”.

Source: Oksana Stomina, Olena Stiazhkina, Taras Prokhasko, Valerii Pekar, Mychailo Wynnyckyj — March 22-26, 2022

[waltwhitmansbeard]

percy, ripley, and the myth of redemption

this post contains spoilers for all of s3 of tlovm, including the final three episodes.

now that the dust has settled and i have said my piece about how i feel about tlovm as a whole, it's time for me to start complaining. i'll start my offering my standard disclaimer that i neither want nor expect a show like tlovm to be a faithful one-to-one recreation of the events of critical role campaign 1, and just because something is different, doesn't mean it's bad. distilling hundreds of hours of ttrpg actual play into a handful of half-hour episodes is an impossible task, and i do not envy all of those who took that task on while making tlovm. i will not be comparing the events of s3 to the events of c1, because they are different stories, and to compare them is folly.

that being said. what the fuck was the glintshore arc?

let's start with the attack on whitestone. why? what got accomplished? ripley lured percy to glintshore? and there were simply no other ways that could happen? ripley is responsible for percy's torture as a teenager and contributed to the slaughter of his family and the oppression of his hometown. this is bad enough. then she sells that hometown out a second time, so...percy would want to go after her? he already wants to go after her. a second round of horror in whitestone only serves to make percy's desire to bring an end to her reign of terror even more justified, but it doesn't add anything new.

so he goes to glintshore, vox machina in tow. and he's kidnapped again. something something two nickels. he's shown that ripley is working with orthax to spread guns across exandria. he's shown that ripley believes, to her core, that spreading guns will save lives (hello gop, is that you?) and that she willingly teamed up with orthax to do this. add this to the pile of reasons she needs to be stopped, now.

fight breaks out, it's hot, ngl, and percy's got her at gunpoint. and then...he tries to reason with her??? for why????

there is a world where this makes sense to me. it's a world in which percy is not alone, and vox machina is by his side. the people who redeemed him. the people who saw him in the throes of orthax's control and knew he could be better, that he deserves the chance to be better. in this world, percy remembers vex's hand reaching out to him, remembers darling, take of the mask. and he falters. he doesn't want to disappoint her.

and then vex snipes ripley through the fucking neck.

because the different between percy and ripley, the difference that this show never actually highlighted, is that percy fought. he shot through his own hand and was moments from literally killing himself, all to stop orthax's control and influence. percy did terrible things because of orthax, but he fought.

ripley didn't fight, because ripley saw orthax's bloodthirty desire for vengeful murder as a feature, not a bug. ripley could not be redeemed like percy could, because ripley didn't want better. she wanted violence. she craved the misery, deluded herself into thinking it was power.

but in this world, where percy is not alone and vex's voice is in his ear, i could understand a hesitation. i could understand vex being the one to do what he could not, when he feared losing himself once again to the drug of vengeance. in this world, the redemption makes sense.

but that's not the world we got. we got percy, alone, being shown explicit, overwhelming evidence that ripley is not just a threat to him, to vox machina, to cass, to whitestone, but to quite literally all of exandria. percy has a job to do now, as a Hero of the Realm. killing ripley would probably feel satisfying, but even if it didn't, it not about vengeance anymore. it's about stopping a mass murderer before the mass murder. and ripley demonstrated that she was willing, happy to fight percy to the bitter end, to do whatever it took to see her vision come to fruition. the attempt at redemption, in this world, does not look like percy hesitation, like percy wanting to do the right thing. it looks like percy being a naive moron, which, hey, you can call percy a lot of things, but a naive moron is not one of them.

which is why, when he gets shot, all i could think was...yeah. that's what you get, dumbass. play stupid games, win stupid prizes. this wasn't ripley getting the better of him, this wasn't vox machina giving their all and just not being quite enough, this wasn't the power of orthax coming for him once again. this was batman claiming to be better than the villains he refuses to kill while those same villains escape arkham yet again to poison the water supply.

and this is why redemption stories in general are so tiresome to me. they come packaged with this idea that taking steps to stop bad people from doing bad things makes you a bad person too. and yeah, in the real world, cops obviously suck, and violence for the sake of stopping violence is usually not great. but in fictional narrative, in the kinds of stories where the stakes are literal hordes of dragons attacking your hometown, pretending that real-world morality applies is ridiculous. i'm supposed to suspend my disbelief about the smoke demon giving this bitch two extra arms but not about whether killing her is a good idea???

so percy dies, because he's dumb, and i feel nothing. it's not helped by the truly atrocious song that plays when the rest of vox machina finds his body, a song that someday someone will have to answer for. i don't actually hate the decision to have percy stay dead. first of all, he deserves it. second of all, it's a nice nod to taliesin's original desire to have percy die permanently after glintshore in c1, except for vex's nat 20. it also sets up the vaxleth get-together, which in c1 also happens after a friend's death, just a different friend. and then vox machina is fractured, and the twins go off to avenge percy alone.

i actually like this. not only was the boat fight sequence dope as hell, but it gets to what i believe should have happened at glintshore: percy's friends understanding the real threat that ripley faced and doing whatever it took to stop her. it also gives us the fact that percy's soul is trapped in ripley's gun, a fact teased by the fact that vax never saw the matron come for percy's soul.

and so we get the reclamation of percy. my thoughts on this ritual, and its ultimate effect on vax, are separate to this topic—perhaps that'll be another too-long essay someday. in this ritual, vax finds percy working endlessly at a forge, making a gun, utterly detached from who he is and who he loves. orthax tells vax that percy is where he belongs, that he deserves this eternal torment. of course, vax does not stop trying to reach out to him, and it is vex's final confession of love that connects with percy and brings him back to the land of the living. a second redemption.

but again, how am i supposed to feel about this in the wake of the failed ripley redemption? why am i meant to believe that vox machina defying a goddess to bring percy back is good (especially when it's pretty clear that it's going to lead to vax's eventual death), but percy never should have attempted to connect with ripley instead of killing her? i know why i feel that way, but i don't know why the show wants me to feel that way. if anything, this show has bent over backwards to draw parallels between ripley and percy; if anything, i should now feel bad for ripley, because maybe the only thing that was stopping her from seeing the light was a romantic love reaching out through the darkness.

of course, i don't believe that to be true. ripley was an existential threat to the world that needed to be eliminated. percy is a good person who has done bad things and who, when he dies, does not deserve to be trapped in a demon's hell gun. but because tlovm doesn't have any clear ideas or stances about right and wrong and morality, their redemption stories don't end up working.

(side note, but i think percy's resurrection ritual was the time to showcase the ritual mechanics from the campaign, which was arguably fine to skip for vex's resurrection in c1 because that was such a fast spell. but having only vex be the one to be able to bring percy back really does undermine the notion that vox machina is a family and that they are all invested in the wellbeing and happiness of each other.)

i don't know if any of this made sense. even though i actually did enjoy the way the stuck the landing with the percy situation in s3, i can't help but feel narratively let down by the glintshore of it all. it doesn't make sense for percy, it doesn't make sense for this story, and it makes me want to once again grab writers by the throat and remind them that redemption never, ever, ever happens in a single moment. it will always be a series of intentional actions that demonstrate the redeemed person's desire to do and be better. when you try to make redemption a Moment, you will always look dumb as hell.

[dr5amatic]

A DEADLY EDUCATION ,

a sentence starter prompts list comprised of quotes from a deadly education by naomi novik. please be advised that this list may involve topics including, but not limited to, murder, death, and violence. change verbiage as needed.

i love having an existential crises at bedtime, it's so restful.

i ran the fuck away.

i decided that you needed to die after the second time you saved my life.

was i starting to feel evil? yes.

i think that after a certain number of evil choices, it's reasonable shorthand to decide that someone's an evil person who oughtn't have the chance to make any more choices.

the more power someone has, the less slack they ought to be given.

you're nearly dead and you're still the rudest person i've ever met.

given that you're at least half responsible for this situation, i refuse to thank you.

i got an affinity for mass destruction.

my anger's a bad guest, my mother likes to say: comes without warning and stays a long time.

you have to ration sympathy and grief in here the way you ration school supplies.

there was only me to save me, because no one else cared.

oh, how i'd enjoyed all that sweet crisp righteous anger, my favorite drug: i'd nearly ridden the high straight into murder.

i am reasonably sure that my one tried-and-true method of being aggressively rude isn't actually how normal people make their friends.

hope is a good strong drink, especially when you can get someone else to buy it for you.

most people can get through lunch without urning it into an act of war.

do you think that everyone is always trying to sit with you for your amazing personality or something?

it always mattered a lot to me to keep a wall up round my dignity, even though dignity matters fuck-all when the monsters under your bed are real.

i don't have a very good idea of how people behave with their friends normally because i've never had one before.

i've got quite well-developed willpower when it comes to doing necessary work. i just have very little willpower when it comes to indulging petty resentment.

the only chance they're really giving us is the chance to be useful to them.

you don't actually want to date me, do you?

i'm delighted to report my repaired door slammed shut on his heels beautifully.

i'm trying not to get kicked out of your life.

my darling, i love you, have courage.

now i'm worried i'll be turned into the dark side by too much crochet.

just because it's a forty-sixth order derivative equation or something doesn't mean that i can't work out which side of that equation is the guilty one.

it's too easy to call people evil instead of their choices, and that lets people justify making evil choices, because they convince themselves that it's okay because they're still good people overall, inside their own heads.

we all get the illusion of a chance.

i was five, ice cream was my only motivation for wanting power.

i'm going to bash your head in with a brick!

only a boy would date somebody for two weeks and not mention it to them.

[gremoria411]

I do really like the whole mythic aspect that Iron-Blooded Orphans brought to the table. Not just in regards to the Gundams or mobile suits specifically (though those are wonderful), but just the world in general.

Tekkadan being enshrined as “The Devils of Mars”, and Gjallarhorn’s naming convention having so much influence from Nordic legends and mythology. It really sells the world as not only believable, but where these things have power.

Where a legend can make or break something.

And the mobile suits exemplify this.

I really like the Gundams being these forgotten, almost revered machines. The legendary warriors that ended a war over three centuries ago. The relics of a bygone age, taken up by modern peoples for their own, comparatively petty, causes. That mystic aspect works really well, since it is a setting built on myth, with Kudelia’s Maiden of Revolution and Julieta’s knight imagery.

Gjallarhorn as a whole has a lot of knightly imagery in its mobile suits and it’s aesthetics. Gjallarhorn is the organisation that saved the world from the calamity war after all, so they project that image with their dress and mobile suits. Even Lieutenant Crank and Ein are emblematic of a knight and squire, with Gaelio and Ein only furthering the comparison

Ein’s is a squire, who’s knight is slain by bandits. In desperation he pledges himself to another knight in hopes of avenging his lord, eventually giving up his life to protect his new knight, who gave him that chance. He rises again as a black-armoured murderer, who is lost to his vengeance, focusing only on that single goal, being slain by the very bandits he sought to avenge himself on. Years later, his “memory” is carried by the knight he saved, which is used to give him a chance against his foe.

It sounds like a classical story, and that’s just Ein. It only touches on Gaelio, but he undergoes his own arc, intertwined with Ein. There’s a bunch of imagery like that, particularly with Gjallarhorn. One example would be railguns.

They’re fairly common weaponry, but they’re wielded so much like lances. Iok seeks to use one to slay Hashmal, so even though they’re ranged weapons in a world defined by CQC, they don’t seem out of place, because they still seem like a comparatively simple weapon. Dainsleif’s looking like bows and being employed en mass a la archers would be another example. It even adds to the knightly theme, since one of the main downfalls of knights was the invention of the longbow, a bow capable of piercing armour.

So you have this setting built on all this, where even Tekkadan, who don’t even pay lip service to the idea are part of this grander mythology.

And then Rustal shows up and completely upends it.

It just all works really well.

[yakool-foolio]

Out of all of the Amaterasu employees that we see in the game, if you had to list them from most morally good to least, how would you list them?

Obviously, they are all terrible people in multiple ways, but I'm just curious

Hmm, interesting! I haven't even really considered how much they'd be weighed on a scale for their morality. I like contemplating new ways to 'rank' characters though, and the peacekeeper higher-ups, other than Yomi (and Hitman Zilch since they basically come in a package deal in my brain), do deserve some more attention from me, so I'll give it a go! I'll just stick with ranking the higher-ups since we have the most info on what we see of them in canon, so sorry Huesca, your judgement day will have to come another time (not to mention we don't have enough info on the specifics of how bad he really was other than him 'sacrificing others for his own research' and conspiring to kill Yakou's wife, but honestly that should be enough to send him into the murky depths of the river Styx). This list will go from least morally corrupt to most morally corrupt, but I think we can already tell who's at the top.

First off, it's our lil sickly guy Seth! Poor guy honestly did the least things wrong, probably couldn't even hurt a fly if he really tried. While he did threaten to sink the sub and arrest the detectives on scene, he did give them a time limit to investigate and find the culprit. It was a very restrictive time limit, but still a chance to save themselves nonetheless. He was just doing as he was ordered to by Yomi in regards to taking money from the church, who knows what would've happened to him if he disobeyed. Guess we'll never know, sorry Seth.

Next up is Martina. I've been debating on where to put her, but honestly compared to the others, she somehow manages to scrape by as the second least morally corrupt. Most of my reasoning is due to her actively realizing that Yomi was an awful influence and resigning as a peacekeeper. No peacekeeper other than Seth had that kind of hindsight of their actions being the cause of Yomi being Yomi. Martina's above Seth on the moral corruption list cause she still actively threatened to shoot two young detectives and definitely would've pulled the trigger had she not been stopped.

Swank takes a spot right smack dab in the middle on the Amaterasu morality scale. This dude is greedy af and worked alongside Hitman Zilch to frame Yuma for the massacre on the train. And he would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for that meddling chief! As soon as Yakou stepped into the scene, Swank's disposition took a surprising turn. He surrendered Yuma over to Yakou when he could've easily still arrested Yuma and moved on with his day. And yet, all it really took was for Yakou to say 'I'll tell WDO about your bad behavior and they'd be so mad at you >:T' and Swank took the hint and backed off. MAN DIDN'T EVEN GET BRIBED WITH MONEY! HE JUST TOOK THE L AND LEFT! That's the power of the charismatic blue father figure for ya. Honestly, Swank could've been ranked lower than Martina, but as far as we know, he never got that same sense of hindsight, so he could still be a money-grubbing, mass-murder framer to this day.

And now we move up to Guillaume and Dominic. These two are inseparable, so they shall be treated as such. I think its safe to say these guys like the thrill of hunting down Yuma and want to beat him and his allies to a pulp despite his pleas for mercy. They punch first and ask questions later. Not to mention they view all citizens as slaves, easily manipulated the power of Amaterasu. At least they gave up on harming Yuma when they were given the actual culprits, but Yuma would've easily been turned to paste if not for the detectives' intervention.

And finally, earning the top spot for most morally fucked by a landslide is Yomi! Do I even really need to go into the specifics about why this guy is so damn horrendous? Well, let's do a lightning round! Yomi hired a hitman to kill anyone who criticized or went against him (such as Yakou's wife), violently abused and almost had his 'girlfriend' killed, planned the Amaterasu Express Massacres, physically punished many of his coworkers, manipulated Yakou into killing Huesca, kicked down a dying Yakou, threatened to kill the detectives multiple times, and attempted to leak info about a militaristic experiment to create immortal soldiers to other facilities for some cash. Fuckin' bitch.

[adventure-showdown]

What is your favourite Doctor Who story?

ROUND 1 MASTERPOST

synopses and propaganda under the cut

Minuet in Hell

Synopsis

The twenty-first century has just begun, and Malebolgia is enjoying its status as the newest state in America. After his successful involvement with Scotland's devolution, Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart has been invited over to Malebolgia to offer some of his experiences and expertise.

There he encounters the charismatic Brigham Elisha Dashwood III, an evangelical statesman running for Governor who may not be quite as clean-cut and wholesome as he makes out. One of Dashwood's other roles in society is as patron of a new medical institute, concentrating on curing the ills of the human mind. One of the patients there interests the Brigadier — someone who claims he travels through space and time in something called a TARDIS.

Charley, however, has more than a few problems of her own. Amnesiac, she is working as a hostess at the local chapter of the Hell Fire Club, populated by local dignitaries who have summoned forth the demon Marchosias. And the leader of the Club? None other than Dashwood, who seems determined to achieve congressional power by the most malevolent means at his disposal...

Propaganda

this is objectively bad but i have also listened to it at least five times (october)

Loups-Garoux

Synopsis

Germany, 1589: the townspeople of Cologne, Germany pronounce a sentence of death on a mass-murderer who has stalked the countryside in the guise of a ferocious wolf.

Russia, 1812: retreating from Napoléon's invading forces, a merchant's daughter is rescued from bandits by a handsome partisan with a ravenous appetite.

Brazil, 2080: The Doctor and Turlough arrive for the Rio de Janeiro carnival.

Is wealthy heiress Ileana de Santos all that she seems? What sinister ailment afflicts her invalid son, tended by the mysterious Doctor Hayashi? And who exactly is Rosa, engaged on a secret quest to fulfil the destiny of her extinct tribe?

Time is running out for Rosa, Ileana and the Doctor, as the fearsome shadow of an ancient werewolf moves ever closer...

Propaganda

This story was in my notes with one sentence beside it, 'Turlough is proper jealous'. Take that as you will (anonymous)

The Chimes of Midnight

Synopsis

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring...

But something must be stirring. Something hidden in the shadows. Something which kills the servants of an old Edwardian mansion in the most brutal and macabre manner possible. Exactly on the chiming of the hour, every hour, as the grandfather clock ticks on towards midnight.

Trapped and afraid, the Doctor and Charley are forced to play detective to murders with no motive, where the victims don't stay dead. Time is running out.

And time itself might well be the killer...

Propaganda

It just wouldn't be Christmas without it (anonymous)

"Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without one of Mrs. Baddeley's plum puddings." And Christmastime wouldn't be Christmastime if I don't re-listen to this audio story at least once each year. (@youremyonlyhope )

Seasons of Fear

Synopsis

On New Year's Eve, 1930, the Eighth Doctor lets Charley keep her appointment at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. But his unease at what he's done to time by saving her life soon turns into fear. Sebastian Grayle: immortal, obsessed, ruthless, has come to the city to meet the Time Lord. To the Doctor, he's a complete stranger, but to Grayle, the Doctor is an old enemy.

An enemy that, many years ago, he finally succeeded in killing. And this is his only chance to gloat.

The Doctor and Charley desperately search human history for the secret of Grayle's power and immortality. Their quest takes in four different time periods, the Hellfire Club, the court of Edward the Confessor, and the Time Vortex itself. And when the monsters arrive, the stakes are raised from the life of one Time Lord to the existence of all humanity.

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

The Time of the Daleks

Synopsis

The Doctor has always admired the work of William Shakespeare. So he is a little surprised that Charley doesn't hold the galaxy's greatest playwright in the same esteem. In fact, she's never heard of him.

Which the Doctor thinks is quite improbable.

General Mariah Learman, ruling Britain after the Eurowars, is one of Shakespeare's greatest admirers, and is convinced her time machine will enable her to see the plays' original performances.

Which the Doctor believes is extremely unlikely.

The Daleks just want to help. They want Learman to get her time machine working. They want Charley to appreciate the first-ever performance of Julius Caesar. They believe that Shakespeare is the greatest playwright ever to have existed and venerate his memory.

Which the Doctor knows is utterly impossible.

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

[missacidburn928s-heathenhideaway]

I really do, believe in you...

Wordcount: 2,860

Thor x POC Singer!Reader “Honey” x Bucky. Thor x POC Singer!Reader “Honey” x Bucky x Steve.

Summary:

Let’s see if you believe in me. The Avengers Holiday party. You are both a guest and part of the musical entertainment. Will you end up on the naughty or nice list?

Warnings:

Smut, Teasing, Dom Steve Rogers, Christmas Party, Office Sex, Polyamory, Steve Rogers is a Tease, Possessive Behavior, Not Sharon Carter Friendly, Domestic Avengers, Petty Reader, Dancing and Singing, Protective Bucky Barnes, Thor is just enjoying his mead

Notes:

Just a fun little snapshot for the holiday season! This one is very Steve heavy, but that's just where these characters took me. Have no fear though, the next full installment is VERY Thor-centric and Bucky will have his own installment to shine as well. Happy Reading Heathens! *I will have a set list of the songs used at the end. As well as links to the songs throughout the story. Please give these artists a listen!

Banner by @cafekitsune Divider by @firefly-graphics

You spot them as they enter the main ballroom. Your three strapping men, color coordinated and cutting intimidating frames in their suit choices. Thank the goddess you had a good hold on the mic as you waited for your cue to join Sy in singing White Christmas, or you might have literally swooned in front of this mass of party goers.

You start your verse as you watch them make their way over to the bar where the team, plus one Sharon Carter, have gathered. Thankfully tonight’s event is Jane Foster free, so it should be a good night with you, Sy and the Chanti’s house band entertaining Tony’s rich friends and employees before enjoying some much needed time with your men.

You can't help but feel festive in your short red dress, studded red fishnets and nude pumps. You’ve kept your makeup simple with a nude lip and a smokey eye. Your hair down and in its natural state. Sy made a comment when picking you up that you looked like Santa’s little Siren. Seems appropriate if you do say so yourself.

Per usual you notice Sharon being a bit too chummy with your Captain. The woman just can’t help herself. You know all about the “kiss” when they were trying to save your beloved Bucky. But according to Steve the reason it never went further was because there was no spark when their lips touched. And he tried giving her a chance, chalking the lack of spark up to the stress of the situation, but she was way too into his status and power. So he ended things before it made it any further than a couple dates and a subpar makeout session.

What is it with these prude ass women that hang around these strong ass people? Sharon, like Jane, thinks your quad is ridiculous and you don't need that many men. Especially when you added Steve in.

“He should be upholding traditional values as he’s America's golden boy. Not flaunting such an alternative lifestyle. Hell if he was gay it would be easier than this bullshit. Why on Earth would you want to willingly share a woman with two other men. Not to mention one of those men is a God and the other a murderer.”

Let's not forget what she also stated in that little rant of hers, when she was unaware you could hear her perfectly clear from your spot in the common room. “I just don’t understand what he sees in her. Who stays in a band with someone they used to be fuck buddies with? It’s just tacky and sad. A man that powerful should be with someone who is only devoted to him and can boost his image, not damage it. ” 

I’ll show her tacky. Lord knows I'm certainly not above being petty. I’ve been behaving for far too long. Time to put these Siren skills to use. What good are they to have if you can’t fuck with uppity bitches using them.

You wrap the song with Sy and address the room. “Once again I’m Honey, he’s Sy and they are the Chanticleers house band. I hope you’ve enjoyed your evening so far. We plan on keeping things fun, flirty and just a tad bit naughty. Might even make ya feel some things tonight. Requests are accepted but are subject to refusal. For this next one I’m going to need a certain Widow and White Wolf to report to the dance floor to really get this crowd moving and grooving.”

They exchange a look with each other, shrug and make their way over to the now cleared dance floor. A tango melody begins, which sounds remarkably like Billie Eilish's Bad Guy . As your sultry voice fills the space, your eyes feast upon the natural elegance of Bucky leading Nat across the floor. It’s turning you on, if you’re being honest with yourself. Two people you know very intimately, pressed close together, seducing the crowd with their bodies, is panty dampening. If you were wearing any that is.

As Bucky dips Nat for the last time, he tosses you a wink as he swings her out and they both take a bow.

“Now that the temperature has certainly risen, let's get those hips moving. We are a big band after all, let’s give ya a taste of what we do three nights a week at Chanti’s.” Sy starts tickling the ivory, leading the band in a 1920s cover of Levitating. You shimmy and sway your hips to the beat as people fill the dance floor once again. 

The whole team is cutting a rug, trying to get tips from Bucky and Steve on how to dance best with a partner to this upbeat rhythm. It truly is such a sweet sight to see. Even Sharon, trying to use this to her advantage isn’t phasing you. He entertains her for a few measures as she tries desperately to keep up with his footwork. He eventually pawns her off on an agent nearby and makes his way to the side of the stage.

Just before the music break he sneaks up and grabs your hand, spinning you into him as you finish the chorus. A ‘woo’ escaping you as you collide with his chest. He leads you in a simple swing as the band plays on, placing you back in front of the mic with a kiss to the jaw and a squeeze of the hips just in time for you to get back to serenading the crowd. 

Smooth asshole. I’ll be getting you back for that one, Sir.

“Should we keep this high energy up?” The crowd responds with ‘yes’ accompanied by hoots and hollers. “Requests are open if anyone has a suggestion.”

From the middle of the dance floor you hear Sam shout “I2I. I’m trying to get my goof troop on.”

You can't help but crack up at his antics, trying to pull one over on you. “Fortunately for you Samuel, we are well versed in the magic that is Tevin Campbell. But since you think you're so funny why don’t you come show these people your best Max moves and maybe you just might find yourself a Roxanne.”

Sy’s fingers produce the familiar synth beat from the electric guitar in his large hands, before the band joins in and brings this funky jam of your childhood to life. You have fun with it, goofing around with your back up singers and really livening the place up. You truly do shine when you are on a stage.

“Steve, why are you over here? Come back out on the dance floor with us.” Sharon whines.

“I’m content here with my drink currently. I’m admiring the view too much.” His eyes haven't moved from your body the whole song. Not even to address Sharon.

“Don’t you want to continue to have fun?”

“I’m having plenty of fun, trust me.” He taps his head, a devious smile crossing his face, as filthy thoughts of you fill his mind.

Just as she is about to open her mouth in response, the song ends and the dance floor bursts out in applause.

“Hot damn was that fun!” You shout out, catching your breath. “I think we all deserve a cool down after that.”

The crowd agrees with head nods and murmurs of yes. “Sy would you be so kind as to set up a chair for Steven to come join us on stage?”

You wink at him as you curl your fingers in a come hither motion to get him moving. He places his drink down and like a sailor following a Sirens song into the sea, travels across the parting dance floor, keeping eye contact with you, until he sits in the chair provided for him in the middle of the stage.

You reach over and pluck the Santa hat covering the extra mic stand. You turn toward the soldier sitting proudly in the chair behind and to the right of you. You take two steps and bend over, placing the festive red hat on his head with a kiss to his bearded cheek.

“Now that we have our Santa, I have a few things I’d like to ask for.” The band starts to play Santa Baby to the crowds whoops and applause. 

You give the room your full attention at first. Pouty lips, swaying hips, coquettish smiles as your fingers play with the mic stand. Steve’s eyes are glued to your backside the entire time, pants growing uncomfortable.

You grab the mic and begin to move about the stage as you sing about all the fellas you haven't kissed, with a wink to Thor and Bucky for good measure. Hips moving to the beat as you parade around the stage, dutifully ignoring your Captain. That is until you place yourself on his thighs asking him to come and trim your Christmas tree. 

You words and attention are only for him. The sexual tension you two have been playing with all night is beginning to leak out. The want in your voice as you ask one final time for him to ‘Hurry, tonight.”, is his breaking point. Especially as you slip off his lap and immediately address the crowd.

“Let’s give a round of applause to our wonderful Santa everybody.” The inebriated crowd hoops and hollers, as Steve, having discreetly adjusted himself, stands and takes a bow. As he passes you by, he places a hand low on your hip, giving it a squeeze. All while laying a kiss behind your ear with a low growl and a whispered command of “My office in 5.”

A shiver runs down your spin as he makes his way off stage. Eyes tracking him as he stops to talk to Thor and Bucky. Both men turn to you up on stage, Thor raises his glass with a wink and smug smile, while Bucky mouths ‘Naughty girl.”

“Looks like it’s time for this Songstress to call it a night.” Someone boos in the crowd. “Have no fear, the night is far from over. The house band is more than capable of keeping the party going. You’ll forget about little ole me in no time. For now I bid you adieu. May your night continue on with laughter and joy.”

You give a bow as Sy walks up to the mic. You give his bicep a squeeze and whisper “Knock em dead.” before exiting the stage.

You’re spread out on Steve’s desk, dress hiked up around your waist and the crotch of your fishnets ripped open, back arched as the golden Adonis between your thighs wrenches another orgasm from you with his tongue.

“Just had to tease me, doll.” He plunges two fingers, knuckles deep into your dripping folds. “Don’t think I didn’t notice the little game you were playing with Sharon.”

He crooks his fingers just so, playing with your sweet spongy spot, making you whimper out. “I couldn’t help myself.”

“I know you couldn’t. My naughty naughty girl.” He removes his fingers, leaving you feeling empty. You start to whine until you notice him unbuckling his slacks and pulling out his thick cock.

Your mouth begins to water as you lean forward, licking your lips, wanting a taste. He grabs your throat, pulling your head up. “Uh, uh dollface. As much as I want those pouty lips wrapped around my cock I need to be inside you more. Gotta remind you I’m not going anywhere as my cum slowly leaks out of you the rest of the night.”

As you open your mouth to respond with some kind of sassy retort, he grips your thighs and pulls forward, impaling you to the hilt on his length. You both moan out simultaneously as you adjust to his girth for a moment. A moment is all he grants you.

With an intensity comparable to a feral Bucky, Steve sets a back breaking pace. His strokes are hard and deep, hitting all your sweet spots, turning your muscles to mush in his capable strong hands. He’s so lost in imprinting himself to your body that he doesn't hear the door to his office opening. 

With half lidded eyes you watch as Sharon’s face emerges from the opening, jaw going slack with shock at the act of passion happening in front of her. As Steve grinds his pelvis into your clit after a particularly deep thrust, you lock eyes with the unsolicited blonde voyeur, letting every ounce of pleasure your feeling spring forth from your throat.

He growls out, nipping your neck, still unaware of your visitor. “Fuck babygirl. Squeezing my dick so tight. I can feel you’re close. C’mon. Cum for me. Give your Captain everything so I can fill you up.”

You smirk at Sharon before gripping Steve’s hair and guiding his lips to yours. You ignore the pest still at the door and proceed to grind back against your Captain as you bite his lower lip. It does as you intended and he slams into you harder, desperate to have you coming all over his dick.

You stay lost in each other, as Sharon retreats, quietly shutting the door back. Paying no attention to her surroundings, she runs straight into Bucky.

“Find what you were looking for Sharon?” He asks. “I was trying to find you and let you know that I would get Steve as he would most likely be indisposed. But I guess I was too late. See something you weren't supposed to?”

She swallows and just nods her head.

“Serves you right.” He grits out. “I hope for your sake you’ve finally learned your lesson that Honey isn't going anywhere.” A cruel smile crosses his face. “Knowing you though, I doubt that it has. I’m going to enjoy watching her take you down as you continue to step out of line. Let’s see how long you last this time.”

“He’ll get sick of her soon enough and I’ll be here to give him what he truly needs. A powerful man needs a woman fully devoted to him and only him.” She spits out.

“Keep deluding yourself, agent. You just witnessed how devoted they are to each other.” He shakes his head. “Get the fuck out of here. You’re not worth the hell Honey would give me for ruining her time with her Captain to deal with you.”

She glares at him before walking off down the hall at a brisk pace.

Uncaring of being stealthy, Bucky opens the office door and enters. He is there but a minute, listening to you come undone, before Steve is losing himself inside of you as you cling to him like a koala. His dick instantly hardens wanting to come out and play.

“Is there something I can help you with Buck?” Steve pants out, unwilling to pull himself for your warmth.

“I was just popping in to let you know Tony is asking for you. It’s time for speeches or whatever.” He replies.

You run your fingers through Steve’s hair as his head lays on your chest. “You run into Sharon in the hall or was she long gone by the time you made it here?”

Steve pushes himself up. “Why would he run into Sharon?”

“Ah, so she didn’t go unnoticed afterall." Bucky chuckles. "I caught her trying to sneak back to the party. Literally ran right into me after she shut the door.”

“What’s going on?” Steve queries. 

“Sharon came looking for you and found you ravaging me instead. I’m surprised you didn't hear the door open with your Super Soldier hearing.” You answer.

He starts to laugh. “Good. I hope she enjoyed the show.”

You slap him on the back. “Scoundrel. What am I going to do with you? How would the world respond, knowing that their golden boy can be such a pervy asshole?”

“As long as I’m your pervy asshole, I don’t care.” He kisses your collarbone.

“Alright Stevie.” Bucky speaks up. “Get yourself cleaned up before Tony comes looking for you himself. Sooner we get this done with, the sooner I can get my dick wet.” He winks at you.

“Selfish Beast.” You tease him as Steve pulls out, He scoops any of his spend that’s leaked out onto his fingers and pushes them back inside you making you moan out.

“I’m gonna enjoy knowing I'm slowly leaking out of you the rest of the night.” He makes you lick his fingers clean. “Let’s see how long it takes before more is added shall we.”

“You go on ahead.” Buck calmly states. “I’m contributing my claim now. Hope you don't mind me using your office.”

“Just don't do anything stupid while I’m gone.” Steve responds as he opens the door and heads out into the hall.

“How can I, when you’re taking all the stupid with you?” Bucky shouts back, before locking the door behind him and making his way over to your still spread thighs.

“You are not nearly ruined enough for me to allow you out of here.” He circles your throat with his flesh hand. “Let me rectify that.”

[leolaroot]

One of the other aggravating things about Danny's character is that in Listen he's set up to be the 'soldier without a gun'/'soldier that doesn't kill' which is later revealed to mean jack fucking shit because. You know. He killed a brown kid in another country and likely more. That's what joining the murderous imperialist machine gets you. The one recurring character of colour and they made him this!!! And treated him like this!!!! (Also I liked Orson Pink a lot. And then Danny dies at the end of series eight which means Orson never exists and Listen as an episode just feels so. Empty. Kind of funny/sad they got Samuel Anderson to play both characters??? Like they really said ah they're both black and one's descended from the other. Just smack an afro on the descendant and people either won't notice or won't mind that they're played by the same guy??? Maybe this sort of thing happens more often than I think but I can't think. Of any other cases where this happens?) Also it's CLARA who retroactively influences him to become a soldier in the first place!! Fucked up!! Perhaps the Doctor should get more pissed at her for that!!! And the Doctor's whole anti soldier thing is like. I get it with imperialistic/colonial militaries. But in most cases in the show it's like. Soldiers fighting against universally genocidal forces like the Daleks. Which they wouldn't have to fight if the Doctor wasn't such a pussy with shit like "Do I have the right (to kill the alien hitler species before they were created to save LITERALLY TRILLIONS OF LIVES") and "Coward. Any day." Like I get that's the point of his character but damn... Talk about leaving a bad taste in the mouth... To me scenes like those are the British using the Doctor as a mouthpiece like "Ooo no please don't hate us or resent us or fight back against us you'd be just as bad as us even after we kill and oppress all of you!! Pacifism in the face of mass slaughter is the answer!!! :))))))" Like tell that to the victims of the British empire (or in the Doctor's case like. So many species who have suffered at the hands of the Daleks. Like do their lives matter so little you'd let the space nazis live??? All so you can go away assured you're still a good person? That you're not a murderer? Imagine how much better this show would be if it wasn't made by a colonial power/wasn't rank with liberalism and British apologism.

This was supposed to be about Danny it all got away from me I'm so sorry

i cannot stop thinking about that child. the show doesnt even name him btw. the fandom wiki calls him "Boy". i think he exists only to give danny Soldier Guilt. doesnt speak cant vocalize opinions. the show is like. and btw kids are killed by soldiers sometimes ! but doesnt bother expanding that Danny was shooting at SOMEONE. and that kid was just incidental. when danny enters the afterlife none of the Soldiers He Killed are there. just the one nameless familyless contextless innocent. never mind why danny pink was in afghanistan. never mind why danny pink felt justified carrying the gun. never mind why danny pink was shooting in a home. A Kid Died and NOW its Sad.

danny feels no guilt for any other killing. hes not held responsible for any of his other actions in the afterlife. just this one child. the ONLY innocent from the war. and we only see it from dannys perspective.

and even when danny grants him a second chance at life we just .... never see him again.... may as well still be dead. clara says "ill get him home" and then we the audience are free to stop caring or thinking about him ever again.