#Vincent hasn't stopped talking

[yan-lorkai]

Can I request a Mother!Reader x Ciel? Like the reader became a shinigami before the fire consumes her (she has knowledge about demons, angels and grim reapers) so that she can still see and protect her son alongside Sebastian.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ The occult fascinated you when you were younger and although this type of knowledge was highly frowned upon by the society you lived in, you were always the type of person who did what you wanted. You spent hours studying and reading everything you could about demons, their classifications and rankings, their names and positions, you also learned about Shinigami and angels. At that time all of this was just to satisfy your curiosity about the beings on the other side that all humans feared so much.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ During your life you have met many of these beings, some by coincidence, others through rituals or things like that. The occult followed you into adulthood, but you let it all go when you married Vincent. You didn't want supernatural beings to continue to follow and seek you when you intended to build a family with your husband, so no longer did you spend afternoons studying and talking with other occultists, living peacefully for several years until tragedy struck you and your little family.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ The passage of time for you became blurred as your soul was collected by the shinigami and, instead of being laid to rest as is done with all others, someone turned you into a shinigami. You couldn't say who specifically since you had no friends among them nor did you know why anyone would risk their reputation for you but you were grateful for being alive again.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ By all means, your "rebirth" is abnormal and strange and if the other shinigami realize what an anomaly you are then they will hunt you down and eliminate you, so for a while you are left wandering in isolated places, brooding in guilt and grief. You've just lost your entire family and your humanity, that's a lot of information to process at once, however, your world turns upside down again when you discover that your eldest son is alive.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ As any good mother would you return home, a bundle of nerves and anxiety as your fist slams against the door and you find yourself face to face with a supernatural being. You know Sebastian as soon as you see him, your heart pounding inside your chest as you swallow hard. It seems that like you, Ciel ventured into the occult more than he should have. You return home, but everything is so different, so sad and cold, the place where the family photo once stood is now empty - a painful reminder of everything that had happened.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Ciel's reactions when he sees you are diverse, every quiver of his lips, every erratic breath and the barely contained tears in his eyes, you can see everything. And even if he doesn't immediately hug you in front of his demon pet so as not to show weakness, you hold him in your arms. At least you still have each other. Each other until the contract is finalized, you remember with regret, knowing that there is nothing stopping Sebastian from getting what is owed to him in the end.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ However, you again find yourself with your books. Reading each one almost obsessively to learn how to break a contract or how to kill a demon - if Sebastian knows what you're doing, he hasn't done anything to stop you or told your son yet.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Whether you find a way to break the contract or not, you and Sebastian fiercely protect Ciel from any and all threats that may come his way. It's tiring having to predict assassination attempts, poisoning or kidnapping, but with the strength and knowledge you now have, everything is easier. Holding your death scythe feels so right in your hands, as if it were custom-made, capable of cutting through almost anything.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ There is still distrust in you about everyone around you, about any imminent danger and on nights when you find yourself tossing from one side to the other in bed, you stand at the door of Ciel's room, listening his breathing heavily and snoring. Hearing him being alive. On these nights it is common for Sebastian to find you and stay by your side, talking, exchanging experiences, although he doesn't really like reapers he seems to tolerate you if only because you are the mother of his contractor.

[aimedis]

redacted characters as things in my journal 🎀

relatively big tw - there's like vague to explicit mentions of su!cid3 and heavily implied mental self-esteem struggles in this one (i'm alright at the moment, promise) so if that's triggering to you, don't read. this is kinda heavy and maybe disturbing to read to some people i think.

i decided to do this because i though it was kinda fun and cool to like analyse my stuff and the characters a little bit. sorry if this offends anyone ig? idk 😭 i'll be back with the more lighthearted stuff in a couple days okay let's go ->

darlin: "my feelings aren't in my control most of the time. i don't know why i feel this way."

angel before they broke up with micheal: "i think is funny (but i also feel bad) that he's always talking about "getting married" and "forever" when i have a break up letter sitting in my notes."

freelancer: lyrics to "making the bed - olivia rodirgo"

darlin: "i don't wanna talk about him anymore."

damien: "i just want my mom. and i wish i could go up to her just bawling my fucking eyes out like i'm five-years-old without feeling like a fucking failure but i can't... i've survived long enough and i can do it some more."

darlin before sam: "and a part of me will always miss what once was or could have been. but i know they will never be long term, permanent, or reality. i wasn't created to have a happy ending... but i'm okay with this. it makes it easier to slip away and disappear."

cutie: i don't know what so say really. i just feel empty and alone often. i feel out of place. i feel like everything i do is humiliating or straight up wrong. i don't know what's wrong with me."

gavin: "try as i might, i still feel like i am not in my body. living vicariously... through myself?"

baabe: "i should know. my dad didn't want me enough to stay."

lasko: "man what a fucking baby. stop crying over shit that hasn't even happened."

damien before huxley: "i wish i was dead. do you think if [mom] knew she'd wish that too?" (knew that he was gay)

lovely: lyrics to "strangers - ethel cain"

darlin: "i hope it's not my fault when it's all over. i want one thing to not be my fault. but it probably will be."

angel: "why am i crying. again. over and over and over again. it's all i ever do. cry about this or cry about that."

milo post-inversion: "this hurts a lot more than i thought. the thought of feeling like this forever? it sucks."

freelancer: "fucking kill me. i can't breathe."

sam: "is it wrong to think i don't deserve this or that it's not my fault?"

lasko: "it feels like i'm always apologizing."

david: "it really hurts when i need to talk to [him] so bad but i can't."

huxley post-inversion/xavier's death: "is it just always going to feel like this? holy shit this hurts."

damien: "i'm sorry, mom, i'm sorry."

vincent: "the real me? i don't know who that is anymore."

angel: "one more or one less, nobody's worried. my tummy hurts."

darlin before sam: "i don't plan on feeling like this again. i don't plan on "being in love" ever again. as if i know what that feels like... it makes me feel like shit all the time."

cutie: "after this, i'll go back to being alone. like god intended."

asset: "it's kind of sad how i don't even feel like a person sometimes."

lovely: "every so often it hurts so much i think it's gonna rip me apart from the inside."

asher post-inversion: "and it's like, sometimes it straight up feels like i'm gonna die in that moment."

sweetheart: "my greatest sin to men was being a child."

damien: lyrics to "forwards beckon rebound - adrianne lenker"

[rosethevideomancer]

Okay so I wanna talk about this because I hate seeing this statement all over the internet about Doctor Who. We need to get one thing very straight with Doctor Who. Kids enjoy Doctor Who, Doctor who is no longer a kids show. Doctor who hasn't been a kids show since the ninth doctor hopped on screen and told a Dalek to kill itself at LEAST if not way earlier. You cling onto things like "Ratings" or "Original Show Bible" when the showrunners havent for YEARS. It has been a generalized comedy thriller now for longer than it was a family show. As a matter of fact enjoy this list of things I think are not kid friend from the revival era:

9 and Rose letting Cassandra explode into a bloody mess on screen

Jack groping that guys ass

The Satan Pit (the whole thing)

The ENTIRE Racnoss scene

Weeping Angels.

Midnight

Waters of Mars

Horny Amy Pond from S5 - E1-5 including the infamous Amy tries to force herself upon the doctor scene

What kid fully understands "Vincent and the Doctor"?

Amy's skirt and glass floors

River saying she was a screamer

The 11th doctor's naughty side

90% of the 12th doctors episodes

Jodie actually was kinda family friendly and ya'll hated her. So far all of 14 and 15 have been fairly kid friendly. Maybe it'll give them nightmares but fear is a superpower right?

Listen I get that it's actually masking homophobia or racism but people also say it to undermine newer episodes political subplots because they were dumb when they were younger and didn't realize it's always been there. and if you're one of the people who says "Doctor Who is a kids show" please stop. We as a fandom shouldn't have to suffer because you grew up and learned to stop enjoying things.

[purpledemonlilyposting]

Anyway back to Lily. She has helpfully given me another opportunity to give you a preview of what the Dragon Age stream will be like. Finish Inquisition and make your terrible 3rd video already Lily. I finished it in a month doing only 2 streams a week, including The Descent and Trespasser DLCs (and most of Hakkon, I never beat that dragon tho lol.)

[Lily's Post]

Dragon Age: Origins - Lily you played the City Elf origin. You got extra elf ghetto content. Did you miss the entire main story subplot of Loghain allowing Tevinter slavers to kidnap elves from Denerim's alienage under the guise of quarantining people due to a plague? Were you and your wife too busy talking about pointless bullshit over cutscenes to pay attention? Or did you just spacebar hammer your way through? Did you even finish the game?

Dragon Age 2 - Lily you managed to play almost the entire series without realizing the Templars are an arm of the Chantry. That they're a monastic-like order that people are typically recruited into as children. That the Chantry keeps control of them with the lyrium dust that also fuels their magic cancelling powers and will eventually addle their senses like mercury poisoning.

If you think Tranquility is "brainwashing" then... you REALLY weren't paying attention. Making mages that have passed their Harrowing into a Tranquil is actually against Chantry law. Kirkwall's Circle was doing it illegally because it's one of the worst Circles in one of the most violent cities and their Knight-Commander was going insane under the influence of red lyrium. That's not every Circle in the world. No matter what Anders says.

Speaking of Anders... you did finish the game right? You seem to be completely ignoring what was the inciting incident for the conflict boiling over at the end. Don't make me cheat and peek at your video ahead of time, I like reacting to videos blind.

Dragon Age: Inquisition - What the fuck are you even talking about? If you mean the Exalted March on Halamshiral that happened centuries ago in canon. In fact there's so many elves in Halamshiral its more like the entire city is an alienage and the humans wall themselves off.

Or else you're talking about devout Andrastians like Cassandra poking at a Dalish elf about believing in the Maker? Cause only the Dalish aren't Andrastian you know. Most City Elves are. Skill issue either way, my very fiercely Dalish Inquisitor made friends with her. My Quiz didn't even let her stupid egg boyfriend remove her vallaslin.

You haven't even finished the game yet. Of course that hasn't stopped you from writing your script as you go along. And you're clearly not paying attention to the plot if that's your only take away.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard - Yeah Lily every single critic and fan is complaining about the sanitization of the world in Veilguard because it was cobbled from a disastrous idea of making an MMO out of the series after they cancelled development of a fourth game twice already. It's a miracle we got fucking anything.

I won't pretend I didn't enjoy having every single one of my lore theories validated. And being surprised by a few lore reveals I didn't even see coming. I still enjoyed seeing cities in the north of Thedas we'd only ever heard of. I was very happy to see the Grand Necropolis. Also Emmrich is best girl, best new character in the entire series, 10/10 no complaints, I love Mr. Rogers Vincent Prince.

Dat combat system is still amazing though. Too bad it came at the expense of the writing this time.

[small-sinclair]

Take Me Instead

Hey, y'all! This is my first time writing for Bo Sinclair based off an AU idea from @ahmnom's dad!Bo. It'll be a bit angsty, so heads up.

Bo x Fem!y/n (about to give birth)

Tw: reader and baby almost die, Bo self destructing, mention of blood, religion mentions, sad stuff, very sad bo, not professionally prof read

Here’s a link topart 2. Enjoy!

Bo stared blankly at the hospital wall, holding one of the twin's in his arm, as Lester held the other, hushing the baby gently as they waited for someone, anyone, to tell them what was going on. The last person they talked to was a nurse, who had Bo sign papers to okay the emergency surgery for his wife.

Bo knew he was going to be in a long night when Y/N's water broke a week too early. Lester was an early baby, but only by a day or two.

He left Jasmine, his oldest daughter, with Vincent back at the house when he drove like a bat fresh out of hell. While the closest hospital was 30 minutes away, he did not obey a single speed limit sign or stop sign, and he could make it in 15 like this. His truck kicked up dust as y/n yelled at him to slow down, but he only snapped back.

"'M not slowin' till we get there!" He was trying not to have a shaky voice.

Y/n's face went from anger to wrinkling her nose to hold back a painful scream. "Just-just don't get us killed!"

"Yer' buckled, ain't ya--?"

"Bo!" Her voice was stricken with fear as she held up her hand.

"Fuck," he sighed as he looked down to see her holding a bloody hand. He looked forward at the road and gunned. To his surprise, flashing blue and red lights shined in the mirror, but he didn't slow down. He kept going until he was in the parking lot, swinging towards the front door. "Fuckin' hang on!"

Hurriedly, he nearly slides over the hood of the truck as two police officers followed out of the car. He flung open the door, finding y/n's eyes glazed and half awake. The passenger seat floor had a puddle of blood forming at her ankles, making Bo shiver and blood run cold. He takes a deep breath as he carried his wife bridal style out of the car. He felt the uncomfortable warmth of blood from her bright purple sundress, that he bought her days ago, soaking through the fabric like a sponge. The officer, on his left, felt his soul leave his body while the other covered her mouth as Bo went into the ER, his eyes searching the room wildly.

"Help!" He yells, getting two nurses attention. "My-my wife! She needs help! Please!" His voice was cracking as two nurses rushed over with a doctor following behind with a wheel chair. "She started bleedin' an'-and she hasn't stop--!"

Y/n let out a painful groan, her hand gripping Bo's shirt, as she was lowered into the wheel chair. "The baby! Bo, the baby!" Her hand nearly ripped off Bo's shirt as pain surged to her bottom half.

Bo followed quickly behind as he tried to see her as a nurse held him back. "I love you, y/n!"

"Love you--!" Y/n's voice was cut off by another scream of pain and the door closing shut.

Bo's hands were shaking as he looked at the closed door then back at the nurse and the sound of the officers coming behind him.

"Sir? Did you hear me?" The nurse asked again, her voice snapping him out of a spiral. She looked young with her black hair in brads and wearing a soft green uniform. "We need to wash your hands, okay?"

He swallowed a dry lump and nodded, following her to the a room off to the side.

She turned the water on for him to wash, and he watched his wife's blood run off his hands, making his stomach flip.

The male officer stood next to him. "Sir, I know this is a difficult time--"

"M' wife's is dyin'," Bo snapped, glaring at the man. "You wanna ticket me? Do it. Don't regret speedin'." He didn't mean to glare at him with deadly eyes. He went back to washing his hands, lathering his fingers with soap.

The female officer, she looks older than the male cop with her hair turn a soft grey, and had the man step back. "We'll leave you with a warning, okay?" She looks at Bo's still running truck then back at him. "Do you want me to park it for you, sir? I'll bring the keys."

"Ain't a problem?" Bo asked, his voice shaking as he kept washing his hands. Her blood's not coming off. Why ain't it coming off? He let out a shaky breath. "Thank ya, ma'am, that'll be nice."

The woman nodded then turn to leave, taking her partner with her. Bo kept scrubbing his hands, harder and harder, until fat tears burned his eyes. "They're not comin' off," he murmurs to himself a bit too loud, voice craking and shaking. "Why ain't it comin' off? Just come off, damnit! Get off--"

Wrinkled hands went between his and the water, turning off the sink. He snapped his head up to see an older lady, fear in his eyes, a nurse, who looked to be the same age his grandmother died, standing next to him. Her kind brown eyes looked at his with concern and understanding. "Do you need help, sugar?" Her voice was soothing to hear and oh-so soft to his heart.

He found himself nodding like a child who just fell off a bike. "Please, miss? Her-her blood ain't comin' off."

She looks down at his hands and clicked her tongue. "It's your blood, honey. Here," she turns the water back on, "let me wash them for you and we can sit down, okay? I have some coffee freshly made." She sounded so much like his grandmother that it almost made him cry more; he missed his grandma. "Must've scrubbed a bit too hard. Have to be careful, okay, sugar?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said, choking back tears. "I'll try to be." She washed his hands, dried them, and led him to the waiting area to sit. She leaves for a moment and comes back when the female officer comes back to give him his keys, turning to meet her partner in the squad car. "Here's a cup of water," then the nurse sat a phone next to his lap, "and you can use my phone to call anyone you need to." The nurse straightens herself. "I'll tell you what I hear the moment I know, okay, sugar? Sound like a deal?"

He bites his lower lip and nods. "Yes, ma'am... than you." Once he was alone, he downed his water and started to dial Lester's number. It rang twice before his brother picker up--

"Lester Sinclair speakin'."

"Les, it's-it's Bo."

"Bo? Why-why's yer voice shakin' like 'at?"

"We're at the hospital," Bo tried to control the shaking, but he couldn't. "Y/n's in surgary. She's bleedin' an' the baby--"

"Where ya at?" Bo could hear Lester fumbling with the keys. "Still hav' the twins. We're comin'--"

"Don't."

"Shut up. We're comin'. Ya can't be alone. So," Lester took a breath, "where ya at?"

Minutes later, his brother and twin sons were by his side, hugging Bo when he first saw his family. Family. Goodness, that's a funny word still to the Sinclair's.

They've been sitting for an hour, Bo tapping his leg uncontrollably. His eye never left the closed doors. Even when his son, Memphis, sat on his lap to play with his stuffed puppy, Bo didn't look down. Instead, he held Memphis close and kissed his head every now and then, his heartbeat racing. If Bo didn't quite smoking 15 months ago--

The old nurse came into view and walked towards him with a white clipboard in hand. Bo's heard perks up as he handed Memphis to Lester, who was reading "Lord of the Rings" to other twin, Dallas, and stood up.

"Mr. Sinclair?" She asked as she came closer. "Would you like to come with me?"

"My wife," Bo started, his hands shaking as he held his scarred wrist nervously. "'S she okay?"

"If you would come with me, please." He knew something was wrong with the way she held the clipboard tighter as if she was holding a secret between her and the papers. Her eyes held the same sadness like his grandmother's did when she had to sit him down to tell him his grandfather died.

Bo looked behind his shoulder, Lester nodding to go, then took steps forward to follow her. As they walked through the doors y/n went through, he whispers, "God, don't take her. Please, don't take her. Take me. Please, take me, God. Take me instead." He never stopped repeating the prayer as they came closer to the delivery rooms. "God, take my lungs. Take my breath. Don't take my girl. Don't take her."

She stood in front of the door to a room and turned. "now, the doctor is supposed to do this," she started, "but I just want to warn you, Mrs. Sinclair isn't doing so well." Then she looks into the room then back at him. "Are you ready to see them? Your wife and baby girl?"

Bo's knees became jello as he followed her into the room. He held his chest and covered his mouth as he looked at y/n's closed eyes, oxygen mask over his perfect lips and face. She was hooked up to too many wires and tubes, liquids and blood flowing through a needle to her arms. When his eyes feel to the right, however, he felt his world crumble and break all at once. He tried to hide his gasp as he looked away at the sight of his daughter, a little girl in a little cotton pink hat, hooked up to a breathing machine, her little chest rising and falling slowly.

"No," he whispered, cringing at his own voice. "God, no, no, no!" He felt his legs buckle and his knees hit the ground. He didn't realize that he was hugging the nurse as the doctor stepped in. Bo felt every fear and moment circling him like ravens over the dead. "Please, God, no! Don't-don't take my girls! Don't take 'em!" He sobbed in the fabric.

"Shh, shh, baby," the nurse whispers, burying his head into her neck. He started crying harder as he looked at the doctor, who was next to y/n, taking her temperature. "It'll be 'lright."

Anger snapped and boiled as soon as he saw the doctor touch y/n's arm, lifting it up to examine the tubes sticking out of her skin. He pushed himself off the floor and, within a beat, he pushed the doctor back. "Don't touch 'er like 'at!" He snapped, making the doctor step back farther. "Ain't you suppose to help 'em?" He held y/n's hand tightly, licking his dry lip, fat tears still falling from his blue eyes.

"Mr. Sinclair," the doctor started. "I'm Dr. Henrik. I'm only making sure your wife is getting enough fluids in her."

"The hell's wrong with my daughter?" Bo barked, his eyes wildly looking at his baby. "What's wrong with her?" Rage filled his blood. "What did ya do to 'em?" His words were like venom.

"There was some computations with both of them," Dr. Henrik said, taking the clipboard from the nurse. "We had to do an emergency caesarean section because your baby was wrapped around the umbilical cord. Mrs. Sinclair stopped breathing when your daughter was born--" Bo's eyes harden at the doctor, thoughts of murder ran over his mind like an overflowing sink "--but she pulled through. Y/n lost a lot of blood and has a badly torn abdomen. So, we had to put her under for her to rest."

Bo ran his hands over his pants nervously. "Will-will they live? Be okay?"

Dr. Henrik's eyes fell and he swallowed hard. "We'll see in the next hour, I'm afraid." Bo wanted to strangle him, force him to take back his words. Then the doctor's mood changed. "Nurse Macy will be here to take care of them," the old nurse smiled at him sadly from behind, "and I'll come back in thirty minutes with the labs and an update."

Bo wanted to punch all of Dr. Henrik's pearly white teeth in and bash his head through some glass. But his deadly thoughts left when he heard a small cry to his left, his daughter crying in the little bed. He looked between Nurse Macy, who gave him a reassuring nod, then back at his daughter. He stood over his daughter and lowered his hand to his cheek, cupping it gently, as he hushed her gently, restraining his tears from flowing down. His word was build back again as his daughter rested her head against his touch, a little hand reaching up. His other hand lower, and held out a finger for her to grab. Just like that, his shattered world was rebuilding once more.

He swallowed the rocked forming in his throat as he gave a shaky smile and laugh. "Hey-hey there, sweet pea," he cooed, brushing his hand over her soft, little brown hair. "It-it's okay. Daddy's here. Nothin' will hurt ya." He was too afraid to talk too loud around her. "Promise. No monster will gettcha." Then he closed his eyes as he started crying again, bitterness forming over his mind along with dreadful thoughts of losing his girls.

Watery eyes looked up to the ceiling, and he choked out, "God, don't take her. Don't take my girls? Take-take me instead." Then he looked down as his daughter went back to sleep again. "Take me instead."

[knight--error]

Alright, third rewatch of Collateral (2004) and I noticed something EPIC.

So there's writing on the window divider in the cab, right? Something about change. Actual text isn't important. What matters is COLOR and PLACEMENT.

The text behind Max on the right is pretty easy to see, green, big letters. The text in front of Vincent on the left is red and a little smaller.

Here's the thing. In EVERY shot from this direction, where we can see both characters, Vincent is ALWAYS talking from behind the red and Max is ALWAYS talking from in front of the green—except two.

Here, Vincent is coaching Max through telling off his boss. Vincent is pretending to be an attorney and defending Max from having to pay for damages to the cab out of pocket. Notice that Vincent is on the side of the green but not actually touching it; it's important to note that, while he is helping Max here, he's only doing it so the boss will stop poking at them and potentially try to bring them into the station early.

The second scene is far more telling, and, while I couldn't find any screencaps myself, I found gifs of it here on our very own Tumblr.com! Thanks to @illusivesoulgaming for making this one!

In the car on the way from El Rodeo to Fever, which is the penultimate hit and a hugely climactic scene, Vincent does something he hasn't done for the whole film: he sits directly behind Max. His face is partially obscured by those green letters. And he urges Max, in the most sincere and vulnerable fashion we've seen from him, to call Annie after this is all done.

Now, this is WHACK and unbelievably interesting in a lot of ways. First being that, if you've seen this movie before, you know that Annie is the final hit. And you know that Vincent knows this, because he saw her business card in Max's car. So it's pretty easy to interpret this as Vincent twisting the knife, enjoying some private, cruel irony, which will only come to fruition when the night is over.

But personally, I am convinced that this a brief, brief glimpse into Vincent's heart, and what he wants. He wants to lose. He wants to die that night. He wants Max to kill him so that Max can have a happy life. See, this scene comes right after Vincent forces Max to impersonate him in El Rodeo, a very critical moment of growth for Max. He comes out of the club a different man, a more capable man. And he does that by pretending he's Vincent, by stepping into Vincent's shoes. Right after that, just for a second, Vincent does the same thing. He switches to Max's side.

I am convinced that the letter placement and Vincent's position in the car is critical for understanding both scenes. Each time, Vincent is helping Max—the first time it's blatant, to set up the metaphor, but the second one is subtler. Without the first instance and a whole movie of Vincent talking only from behind the red lettering I don't think you can fully make the argument that he's actually wanting what's best for Max in the second scene, but with it, I think it's the best reading. And that's just... some brilliant set design, writing, and cinematography. Wow.

Go watch Collateral, folks. It's really good.

[alice-after-dark]

Late Night with the Radio Demon - The Summoning

Tagging @hiemaldesirae as requested :)

Did not expect to be posting about this again so soon, but here we are. This au owns my soul now and I'm not mad about it.

The whole demon summoning thing was actually a complete accident. Kind of. Technically he knew what was supposed to happen, he just didn't actually believe it would work.

Vincent hadn't gotten a proper look at the face of the man at the bar. His voice and hands told him the guy had to be old, but he'd kept his face hidden behind a scarf and the hood of his jacket. He'd been mumbling to himself when he'd handed over the small book, something about fulfilling his end of the bargain and "finally being free of that damned deer." Vincent had shrugged it all off as drunken nonsense. But the old man had insisted he take the book, so Vincent had accepted it and promptly forgotten about the entire encounter until days later when his show was threatened. He'd managed to keep his breakdown in check until he reached his tiny barren apartment. His ensuing tantrum had knocked over his coat rack, sending the book sailing across the floor, only to be noticed once Vincent had reduced himself to exhausted sobs.

Upon closer examination, it wasn't so much a book as it was a journal. Beat up and well-worn, it looked just as old as the individual who had pressed it into his hands that night. Opening it had sent a shiver over his skin, one that he chalked up to adrenaline. The interior was filled with mad ramblings and scribbles, sketches of antlers and eyes and deer skulls and something resembling a microphone...cane...thing? It takes some deciphering of the warped script for Vincent to finally realize what it's talking about...demon summoning.

The journal documents the summoning of a creature known only as the Radio Demon, describe as an eldritch being with extraordinary powers. The summoning that apparently started the journal took place back in 1902, but the stories date of the demon's existence go back as far as the medieval era. The old man got himself locked into a deal with the Radio Demon, though the details of said deal are lost in the madness of his writings. Eventually he stumbles across what appear to be...radio frequencies? Against his better judgement, he gets out his old radio.

He hasn't touched the thing in a while, but it's still in perfect working order. It's a prank, he tells himself, probably some joke channel some idiot got up and running. He'll play along, have a good laugh about it, and then...he should probably do something about the mess he made. He twists the dials to the frequencies outline in the journal, but all that greets him is static. Vincent is actually vaguely disappointed that there wasn't something more interesting on the other end of the broadcast. Just as he goes to turn it off though...

Something that sounds like distorted jazz starts playing, but not from the radio. It's coming from...everywhere. The lights begin to flicker wildly. The radio starts to glow with an eerie green light as the room around him grows darker, as though it's being consumed by the shadows itself. There's nothing but never ending darkness outside his window even though it was only mid-afternoon when he arrived home. Vincent staggers back away from the radio, tripping over his own feet and sending himself sprawling. This can't be real. There's no way this is real!

Then a hand emerges through the light coming from the radio, gripping the side of the device as another joins it, pulling and dragging until something wholly inhuman begins to slide free. It's jaw is too wide, eyes black with radio dials ticking away at the center, limbs jagged and warped, inky black antlers twisting up to the ceiling. The jazz is now screeching with static feedback and Vincent covers his ears in pain. He can't breathe. This can't be real!

And then, abruptly, it all stops and standing before him is a bizarre looking young man in a red suit.

"Greetings, my good man!"

---

(Later, when Vincent would discover who Alastor was in life, he'd ask how there could possibly be such old records of him if he only entered Hell in 1933. Apparently, time means nothing to Hell when it comes to demon summoning.)

[ashintheairlikesnow]

💊 Forced to swallow pills - Kauri

CW: Drug use, drunkenness/alcohol use, dubcon, Kauri's Poor Life Choices

-

No one even tells him what it is before there's a hand at his mouth and then a cup to his lips, liquid forcing something smooth and small down his throat as he reflexively swallows.

Kauri doesn't ask, either.

He doesn't even care.

He just coughs against the burn of the sickly-sweet liquor, apple-flavored vodka that tastes like those hard candies he sucks on sometimes when his panhandling isn't going well and he can't afford dinner.

The whole reason he came here is because they'd promised him free pizza, and they definitely kept that promise. He'd eaten plenty earlier, and then there's been some fooling around, and now there was some kind of movie night and potentially an orgy? He hasn't figured out if there's going to be an orgy yet.

In training, there had been some, sometimes. He remembers how it felt to have them all around him, some trainees like him, some demo pets to help them learn, handlers directing all the action, grabbing and jerking and slapping.

Kauri had aced the orgies.

At least, until Owen found out he was being trained for them and put a stop to it, because he wanted his little pet to only ever pine for him. Kauri had missed getting to see the other trainees, whisper to them, hear news or just talk to someone who felt as bad as he did.

But he doesn't feel bad right now.

He's already drunk, and he thinks a little high just from the smoke in the air in the small room, the press of bodies around him. No one's doing anything, really - just laying here for now, with a movie playing to no one in particular in the corner. Maybe some people are wearing less clothing than they should, but that's normal.

He keeps seeing Vincent fucking Shield on the screen, making serious faces while solving a mystery. Vincent fucking Shield, smiling brightly and kissing a woman with false passion, and Kauri wonders if he'd kissed Owen like that, ever.

Every time he feels himself getting angry about Vincent fucking Shield and his perfect fucking movie-star life, he takes another drink, or runs his hand up someone's thigh, or lets someone kiss him with their own vodka-soaked tongue sliding into his mouth.

Maybe there isn't an orgy.

Maybe Kauri is the orgy by himself.

He can handle that.

He's seated on the floor, between some stranger's spread legs, the denim of the guy's jeans bookending him, seams rubbing rough against his bare arms. Kauri's shirt is off - he has no fucking clue where it is. He might have left it in the one guy's bedroom, or in the bathroom. Or the kitchen.

Where did someone ask him for it first?

Can't remember.

Not important.

"Give that about half an hour," Someone says, half-shouting to be heard over the din, "And you're gonna fucking fly, gorgeous!"

For a second, Kauri has no clue what the asshole next to him is talking about. Then he remembers the pill, the something down his throat, and he laughs, bright and brittle as light shining off sugar cooked as thin and clear as glass.

"Hope so," He breathes. "What is it?"

"Don't worry about it!"

That should probably bother him to hear. It doesn't. He just giggles some more. The guy whose legs he's nestled between leans down and offers him a joint. He takes a hit, and wonders idly what Jake is doing right now. It's close to midnight, but Jake barely sleeps. Probably studying for some fucking test or writing an essay, the kind of shit you can't do when your brain has been made into malleable putty for someone like Owen to mold.

If Kauri called him now, he'd answer. Disappointed, and he'd tell him he shouldn't keep putting himself at risk like this. He'd get to hear Jake's soft voice chiding him for fucking his own life over after he just got to start it, and he's tempted.

Just to listen, because once Jake gets started on that lecture he'll talk forever, and all Kauri has to do is hum sometimes to show he hears it.

"Hey." The guy takes a joint back, blows smoke at him, giggles with an odd high-pitched tone that makes Kauri's teeth itch. "How many dicks you think you can suck before the movie ends?"

For one single solitary second, Kauri lets himself feel a well of loathing and shame that will shatter him to pieces the size of glitter flakes if he lets it. In a room full of strangers, they all know what he is as soon as he walks in the door.

Oh, they may not know why he covers his wrist in long sleeves and leather bracelets, but they know what he'll do, and that he won't say no.

They know Kauri Grant is always up for anything, or anybody, at any time.

For just that one breath, he thinks that if he has to keep going like this, he'll just turn himself in to WRU, because at least Owen doesn't pass him around. Owen wants his pretty little Vince-slut all to himself.

And fuck, wouldn't it be better than living like this?

Then he pushes it back down, reminds himself that if he goes back to Owen he won't get to talk to Jake or Nat or the little redhead that just showed up again. He tells himself to give it another few weeks, maybe it'll get better.

Just a few more weeks.

Kauri takes another long hit from the joint, sucking it from right between the guy's fingers, and when he exhales, he breathes, "Don't know, but why don't we find out?"

"Awesome! Kauri, you are the fucking best." The guy hands the joint off to someone else, and his fingers are on his zipper a minute later as he watches Kauri with heavy-lidded eyes. Kauri turns, shifting from seated to kneeling, pressing hands on the guy's knees to spread them even more, swallowing against the nausea threatening to boil back up his throat.

He can't. He can't throw up right now.

Not until that pill dissolves and he forgets to give a fuck about this anymore. Until he forgets that he hates these people, and the drugs, and the alcohol, and his entire fucking life that he has to live because Vincent fucking Shield didn't want to fuck Owen Grant.

He puts every ounce of training into it, and after the third guy his jaw hurts too much to think anyway, and the world has gone soft and glimmering around the edges. Everyone tastes like apples and sugar because of the liquor they keep feeding him, and everyone tells him how good he is, how sweet, how fucking pretty.

It feels good, or at least it feels less terrifyingly bad than he felt before, and that's pretty much the same thing when you're Kauri Grant.

The fourth guy's hands are in his hair and Kauri's sure he'll be done any second when the guy's eyes widen, staring down at him. Kauri sucks hard and he jerks his hips forwards and buries himself so deep that Kauri would gag... if he still could.

Nope.

They trained that out of him, just like they made sure he could never say no.

"Jesus," The guy groans, rolling his hips forwards, the others at the party crowding close and cheering him on or waiting for their own turns, "You're so fucking good at this. Mmmmn, baby, has anyone ever told you you look just like Vincent Shield?"

Kauri doesn't bite his dick off in reply.

But he thinks about it.

-

@autophagay @finder-of-rings @endless-whump @arlin-always-writing @newandfiguringitout @doveotions @pretty-face-breaker @gonna-feel-that-tomorrow @boxboysandotherwhump @oops-its-whump @whumpyourdamnpears@cubeswhump  @whump-tr0pes@whumptywhumpdump @whumpiary @orchidscript @outofangband @hackles-up @grizzlie70 @mylifeisonthebookshelf @keeper-of-all-the-random-things

[agenderpunked]

just finished lost. will not be recovering, ever, me thinks...

I'M GONNA RAMBLE BECAUSE WHAT WAS THAAAAT OUUUUUGH I DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER WAY FOR IT ALL TO END BUT THE FACT THAT IT *IS* WHAT THEY WENT WITH hURTS

I have so many thoughts and many of them are spoilers so if you haven't watched Lost (2004) stop reading this and go watch it instead.

- Jack dying in the same place he started. The cinematography and spiritual implications of making a trek back to the beginning and finally closing his eyes... DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON VINCENT LYING DOWN NEXT TO HIM I CRIIIIIIIIIIIED. THE DOG KNOWS "LIVE TOGETHER OR DIE ALONE" AND HE MAKES SURE JACK DOESN'T DIE ALONE IM IN SHAMBLESSSSS DONT TALK TO ME

- rose and bernard. i care you so bad. i want a bob ross energy survival show spin off that just follows them making their cabin and garden and traps and such and exploring the area around their cabin. Unproblematic favs, truly. THE FACT NO ONE BELIEVED ROSE WHEN SHE SAID SHE KNEW HER HUSBAND WAS ALIVE???? who visited you and told you that? are you just that faithful??? Did that hope, faith, and love protect both of you from dying on the island before you found each other??

BC ALSO. sorry but i view faith as energy, and when you focus and devote that energy to something it becomes concentrated, and what do our brains run on? electricity. what is everything about Lost about? electromagnetism. What can spirits fuck with? electromagnetic frequencies. That energy can be used to attract what you're searching for. Rose is such a necessary character ESPECIALLY for Jack's development because of how she displays such radical acceptance when she knows there are things she cannot change, ie. cancer, being trapped on the island, being surrounded by danger, and focuses instead on what she can, confirming her husband's status, creating an environment that feels safe, and enjoying the time she has left with the people she loves.

- Boone and Shannon getting into a bar fight at the end??? Boone walking up to Hurley and chatting??? Boone and Shannon are severely underrated characters in my opinion, and it's 100% from the emotionally incestuous aspects of them, which is a shame because I truly believe they are one of the most realistic depictions of relationships like that that I've seen in media. I didn't immediately like Boone. I thought he was an asshole because the show presents Shannon and Boone to you as they would an unhappy romantic relationship, but they never confirm it, even joke about it, to the point I nearly immediately realized 'They're not dating at all. They're siblings that were emotionally neglected by their parents and are codependent as all hell.'

Watching further, I was so scared to think I'd find Boone slander all up and down in the fandom while Shannon gets victimized and absolved of her fucked up actions, because of the way we immediately see Boone treat her without the context for understanding their relationship and that Boone was only on 815 to bail her out of another abusive relationship. But what I actually got from the fandom was NOTHING. ABOUT EITHER OF THEM!!!!

HOW ARE WE NOT TALKING ABOUT BOONE HALLUCINATING SHANNONS DEATH AND ADMITTING THAT HE WAS UTTERLY RELIEVED 😭😭😭 IM GONNA BLOW MYSELF UP ABOUT IT GOOD GOD.

The fact that Shannon also does find a potentially healthy relationship with Sayid, and that Sayid can allow himself to feel and care for someone and have gentle and tender moments in such a hostile environment while serving as the groups main mercenary, and make her feel safe, regardless of her clearly morally skewed history of dating. Sayid has morals, and he wants to stick to them, but he's been put in environments that do not allow him to adhere to that. He has restraint, and emotional intelligence. The glimpse we get into Shannon's life shows she hasn't been around men of those qualities, at least recently, save for Boone, who even then, doesn't compare next to Sayid. Imagining how Shannon would have felt about Sayid being brought back in the temple and seeing how extremely empty and different he is 😟

- Thinking about the general implications of what the island is, as well... Did they ever survive the initial crash? When they leave the island, were they alive? or was it merely an illusion of life? Is death on the island equivalent to someone accepting that they're dead and moving on for realsies? Is the island symbolizing purgatory? The themes of duality and shadows and light and twins are also not lost on me and rank this media even higher because these were not on my bingo card or prior knowledge of the show and they are damn near a critical criteria for intriguing me and getting me into a media.

Are the souls whispering in the forest of the island trapped there? Michael says they can't move on, but is it a personal choice grappling with what they did? Or is it related to actions done after death, while passing through purgatory, that decides whether you are bound to a place or able to move freely???

Oooooooough.....

[yanderepuck]

When will I stop torturing this boy

Welcome to Vincent angst time. I swear this is probably the most tame of them all

BUT ITS STILL ME WE ARE TALKING ABOUT so tw for suicide mention and some depression. BUT THAT'S IT! Tame right?

Stay safe out there~

~~~~~

"Do you think Sien is still alive?"

It was quiet before and it was quiet after. Vincent is staring up at the ceiling. It's a different ceiling. Theos ceiling.

Laying on his back, looking up, his hands folded and resting on his stomach. The room must have been too quiet. His thoughts started wondering.

Theo is at his desk and pauses what he's doing immediately. He knows exactly who he means. He sets his pen down and turns in his chair to face his brother.

Before he can say anything Vincent starts again.

"She told me she was going to kill herself. By drowning."

He brings this up so casually. As if killing yourself is such a normal conversation. Well to Vincent it sort of is. It's still taboo of course but he's with Theo. They can talk about anything.

Theo sits back in his chair, having a feeling this is going to be a painful talk. They haven't been dead for a decade. Under normal circumstances he would say: of course she is!

But if she wanted to kill herself just like his brother, then who knows.

Vincent hasn't taken his eyes off the ceiling. He hasn't moved an inch.

"Why are you thinking about her."

It wasn't a question. It's been way too long since he had heard her name and he was hoping he wouldn't have to again.

Vincent is quiet for a bit as if he is thinking. He didn't have an answer. He's just simply overthinking, and remembering.

"Her kids are at least alive. Willem should be an adult soon. Maria could have her own family."

He was talking like he was speaking about family. Theo couldn't be anymore confused.

"Broer.." all he could do was sigh. He didn't know what to say. He stands up, forcing himself to walk to the bed.

Even when he sits down Vincent doesn't move.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sien. Remember?" He finally moves his head, looking at his very concerned brother. "She lived with me for almost two years."

"Yes, the prostitute," he groaned.

Their whole family had been against the relationship. Even if it was the only woman who seemed to actually want to be with Vincent. One of the few women who didn't immediately reject him.

"She stopped that," his eyebrows furrowed, clearly getting upset about using that term.

"Former prostitute. Broer you need to stop thinking about her. She wasn't the one she wasn't meant to be."

Vincent looks back at the ceiling, not making a comment immediately. "I wanted to be like you and Johanna."

Theo blinks. "Huh?"

"I wanted..." His words fade away. What did he want? He must have been making a puzzled face because Theo takes his hands and holds one as if he's trying to get him to relax.

"I get what you wanted, but you weren't going to get that with her."

Quiet again. Theo doesn't know what to say. He can't even tell what Vincent is thinking.

"Vincent, I-"

"I love her," he looks upset again. "Love? Loved?" He's wondering if the emotions are in the past or if he still has them. He pouts, unable to tell. If he's thinking about her he must still love her.

"You dated and it didn't work out. It's normal. It happens to everyone," Theo didn't want him to think he was alone with these feelings. "I was with other women before Johanna, remember? Don't you remember Elisabeth's first break up?"

Theo chuckles remembering his older sister.

Vincent's face scrunches up trying to remember. Actually no. He's not hearing Theo at all. His mind is still on Sien. He wants to see her. Wants to know how she's doing.

"Do you think she was upset to find out I died?"

Theo sighs, realizing he isn't getting through to him. "Come here," he grips his hand better and pulls him up. Vincent's body moves like a ragdoll.

"I'm sure she was upset to hear the news," he pulls Vincent closer so that he's leaning against him. "But that doesn't mean you were-"

"I wanted to marry her."

Theo freezes. He knows this. It was talked about in their letters. But it wasn't a statement that he kept in the front of his mind.

"Maybe things would have been different. Maybe I would have been happier. Maybe I won't have-"

"That's enough 'maybe's," he runs his hand up and down Vincent's arm to keep reminding him that he's right there. "What's done is done and we can't change it now."

He looks at Theo again. His eyes look so dull. Not the bright blue he is so used to seeing. Now that he's closer he can tell. He's already fallen in a pit and nothing he could say would pull him out of it.

"Why didn't you like her?"

Theo had to be careful with this answer. The answer should be clear. She was a prostitute. Pregnant with her fourth kid when the two met. Each kid had a different father. Two of the kids passed. She had nowhere to go. He wouldn't be surprised if she was with him just to have a roof over her head.

Vincent is so kind he would have never turned her away. But the man next to him on his bed deserved so much better than that. Theo would never understand how he got rejected time and time again. Yes he wasn't the most mentally or financially stable, but he's kind, he's attractive, he would do anything to make sure his partner was happy.

Vincent just looked at Theo with his cold blue eyes waiting for a response.

"I-I didn't think she was right for you, broer. You were struggling at the time, how were you going to take care of the three of them?"

Vincent looks away, resting his head on Theo's shoulder without saying another word.

Now Theo is arguing with himself. Was that the right thing to say?

"She named Willem after me. Just like how you named your son after me. She must have really cared."

Theo decides to say nothing more and keeps rubbing his arm, trying to keep him in reality.

"I hope she didn't drown."

~~

Tag lis~

@kissmetwicekissmedeadly @fang-and-feather @xalxtusxiao @namine-somebodies-nobody @ana-thedaydreamer @evil-quartett @ameyoruakiikemenseries @yrenesposts @p1nkpandomium @tele86 @damekathearasi @lokis-laugh @candied-boys @breadmercury @aquagirl1978 @xenokiryu @nightghoul381 @vampiricpancake @lulu-the-smol-floof @azulashengrottospiano

Ik I really only use the tag list for smut but you'll be fine

[penncilkid]

Final installment of my Sam/Milo rambles (1st and 2nd installment), I have a written out dialogue-esque scene of their first meeting! Is this a fic? If you squint, kind of? (/lh). But I figured this would be enjoyed so here you are:

[Set-Up: First time Milo and Sam meet, on Solaire property. Context is shortly after Halloween 2020, aka Fred/Bright's turning] /// (Note: "her" is in reference to Maia, my Darlin OC)

Milo, crossing the grass to approach the entrance: *huffs, mumbling* A'ight this is the last lead for the night... Otherwise, I'm goin' home after this shit...

Sam, guarding the entrance of WonderWorld: *narrows eyes, whispering* Who the fuck is tryna come 'round here at this hour...?

S: *uses his speed to move, stopping inches in front of Milo* I can tell your empowered so I'll tell you once: Get lost

M: *scoffs* Yeah nah, that ain't happenin', cowboy

S: Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear 'nough the first time *steps closer, glaring* Get. *Lost.*

M: Look asshole, ya wanna tell me what to do? *Fuckin' trance me then.* Otherwise, I ain't goin' nowhere till I get answers to my fuckin' questions

S: *snarls* Who the fuck do you think you are, pipsqueak? Going 'round, demanding shit while you're on a vamp's territory—

M: If ya think a pair of fangs is gonna scare me, try a-fuckin'-gain. Now are you gonna give me some answers or are you gonna keep me wastin' my time? Cuz if that's the case, I’ll take this shit to William myself *sidesteps Sam*

S: *grabs Milo's arm, shoving him back* I'm sorry, in what backwards world would my king waste his time talking to some wannabe runt—

M: Call me that again and I'll tear your throat out. *jerks his arm free*

S: *laughs, smirking* Oh so that's your lil sore spot, huh? Mad bout what you see in the mirror? Newsflash, bitch: Puffing out that chest of yours doesn't make you the big bad wolf. I don't answer to you and neither does William, *so scram*

M: *runs his tongue along his teeth, letting out a low laugh* I swear to fuckin' God, if I find out you had a hand in her gettin' attacked, I'll rip the tongue out of that smartass mouth myself—

S: Aww, *is the puppy mad now?*

M: *growls, yanking Sam down by the front of his shirt* Listen here, you Southern style blood guzzling piece of shit. I don't have time for this bullshit, is this Quinn fucker somewhere around here *or not?*

S, eyes darkening at the mention of that name: Why the hell are you looking for him?

M: I'm asking the questions—

S: *shoves Milo back, standing with clenched fists* Don't make me ask again, *what do you want with him?*

M: Tch— *dusts his shirt off* Fucker hurt someone close to me, I'm lookin' to return the favor

S: *scoffs* He hasn't been back here in days— And if he had been, I would've ripped him a new one myself. So you're wasting your time.

M: Then tell me where to find him

S: *glares* I don't gotta tell you jack shit

M: What, you coverin' for him or some stupid shit? Why the fuck do you even care—

S: Because I'm still cleaning up the messes that bastard left behind and don't need you coming in and adding your mess into the fold

M: Wait... No fuckin' way— *starts laughing* Wow, so *you're* the dipshit who let two unempowereds get turned on your watch? God, William really knows how to pick 'em—

S: *Watch your fucking mouth—*

M: Make me, bitch. Or better yet, why don't ya move out of my fuckin' way already so I can talk to someone worth a damn

S: If you think I'm gonna be intimidated by some puppy barking at my goddamn feet—

M: Oh fuckin' barkin's gonna be the least of your concerns when I shove my foot up your—

—*Car door closes in the nearby distance*—

Vincent: *speeds over, stopping next to Sam* Hey, Sam. Is there a problem or...?

S: *gives Milo a once over* Nah, nothing’s up, Vin. In fact, our canine friend here *was just leaving.* Ain't that right?

M: *glares* Tch— Fuck you.

S: Aww, bet a bitch in heat would want that, huh?

M: *You little—*

V: *steps in between them, letting out a nervous laugh* Um— Perhaps you could come back another day if you still have business to handle here?

M: ... Fine. *turns on his heels*

S: Keep that tail tucked between your legs next time

M: Kiss my ass! *walks off towards his car*

S: *waits and watches him pull off* You know that guy, Vincent?

V: I don't think so...? Not personally at least.

S: Hm...

V: Do you think he's a threat to the clan?

S: Nah, s'not that... Just keep an eye on him if he shows his face again

V: Okay. I'm gonna check-in with Will now

S: Alright, I'll talk to you later *glances over his shoulder, watching Vincent for a moment before looking out at everything*

S, mumbling: Annoying fucking wolf...

[mushroompollution]

Chapter 60: Egg Shell

Previous Chapters: The Sablier Arc Masterpost (35-42) || 43 || 44 || 45 || 46 || 47 || 48 || [ Ceremony Arc: 49 || 50 || 51 || 52 || 52.5 || 53 || 54 || 55 || 56 || 57 || 57.5 || 58 ] Read the manga: imgur || mangaread (ad warning

On a beautiful morning three days after the incident at Isla Yura's mansion, a package is delivered to Duke Barma.

Meanwhile, Gilbert arrives at Pandora Headquarters. Sharon informs him that Break and Reim are recovering, but they're both still unconscious. It's uncomfortable for her to see Break laid up from an injury instead of overusing his Chain, Sharon says. As for Reim, it's surprising that none of his injuries were fatal. It's almost as if his enemy hadn't wanted to kill him...

Sharon invites Gilbert to discuss the matter better over tea.

Through a flashback, Gilbert recalls what had happened back in that mansion.

When the Humpty Dumpties they had been fighting in the main chamber had suddenly burst into shreds, he and Oz couldn't understand why. Some of the little Contractors died, but most lived, all depending on how far their Incuses had turned.

The basement had begun to crumble and collapse when a terrible scream had brought them running into that side chamber.

The Tragedy that Yura had planned was prevented. But in the process, the third Sealing Stone had been broken, and many people lost their lives.

It's revealed that Leo is currently being held by Pandora for questioning. After three days, he's finally started to open up and talk about the things he knows. About the Nightray family, Fianna's House, Humpty Dumpty, the Headhunter, Isla Yura, Elliot....

While Pandora is confused over how to handle the incident containing so many different pieces, some of them have gone missing. Including Vincent and Echo, and the Duke Nightray, who Pandora hasn't been able to contact since.

While Gilbert laments his brother's likely involvement with the Baskervilles, the scene changes.

Alice turns to bite his cheek, the silly way she's cheered him up in the past, based on her misinterpretation of Sharon explaining kissing a long time before.

There are so many things he knows he needs to do next. But he's too desperate trying to stop the awful feelings pouring out of the hole in his heart, that he can't even stand up.

But it doesn't make Oz any more energetic this time. He doesn't yell, or blush, or panic. He just calmly tells her, you can't do things like that.

Back at Pandora Headquarters, Duke Barma drops a stack of books and papers on Duchess Rainsworth's desk. The contents of a package from the late Isla Yura, prepared in advance to be sent in the event his ceremony failed.

It explains how Isla Yura had bought that estate after hearing rumors that it was haunted by the devil himself.

He set up a cult based on what he'd learned, using them to fund his research. Research that he presented to Duke Nightray. That family had been labeled as traitors who secretly worked with the Baskervilles before the Tragedy, and had failed to ever form a Contract with the black-winged Chain their Abyss Gate held. He knew they would be eager to find a way to even their power with the other three Dukedoms, especially after the first Headhunter attack had left the Duchess brokenhearted and emotionally vulnerable.

As Barma's exposition wraps up, a scream echoes through the room where Leo is being questioned.

[tigermousse]

Rewritten

genres: dating simulator, otome, comedy, romance

Did you ever wanted your favorite book character become alive? Of course, you did. So in this game MC has a chance to meet characters from books and even fall in love with one of them (or with every one of them). Because they came out of their books to help MC open her aunt's bookstore in time. You will have a lot of work, but also plenty of time to spend it with your bookish bachelors. You can talk to them, found a place in our world that they would like to visit for a date, and even read into their story - literally - and find more about them.

This game is pretty short, cute, funny and colorful. It is lighthearted and heartwarming, with a tiny bit of drama. The art style is unique, because it differs for every character.

Because a novel is so short, romance feels too rushed, of course. Characters confess love after two days knowing each other. Ok, let's call it love on the first sight.

(yeah, on the first day it is too soon, let's talk about love in two days)

The other problem is that each route alone lacks a conclusion. I think that a little scene in the end would be nice. But after all, if you finish all the routes, you will have a conclusion and some bonus pictures.

MC (Nameable)

MC got a degree in English literature, but now she has a writer's block and in the meanwhile decided to come and help her aunt with the bookstore-opening project and maybe gather some inspiration for writing in the future. Hopefully romance with a book character will help with it.

She is funny, sassy and independent, but kind. I would say that her personality more or less depends on the character she is pursuing

My rating 4/5

Love Interests (MILD SPOILERS AHEAD):

Klaus

Klaus is literally the strong silent type. He is the knight from a fantasy novel and he doesn't talk a lot, but when he does, it is appropriate and to the point. He's really so cute, especially after first date. How can you not love a man, who loves all the creatures, big and small? And also cooks! Definitely a keeper.

My rating 5/5

Dr. Vincent Asimov Nightshade

Nightshade is a [mad] biology scientist from a sci-fi novel. He has seven PhD in botany - and other kinds of fantastic botany. A typical tsundere, and I love tsunderes, scientists and men in glasses. He's a bit of a narcissist, he likes talking about himself. He's sassy, clever but in fact you will find it east to embarrass him, because deep in his soul he's bashful and afraid of his own feelings. So he's confused, but it is a good thing that he will have MC at his side to help him sort the thing out.

My rating 4,5/5

Rosamel

Rosamel is the opposite of Nightshade. He's a poet from a fairy tale and he's in love with love. Sweet-talking, tender and romantic. Prepare yourself for a full-time love bombarding from him.

He seems giddy and airy, but I really loved how bittersweet his backstory turned out. You'll find out why despite his appearance his favorite color is blue and not pink.

My rating 5/5

Amos

Amos is a PI from a mystery detective series that MC liked as a kid. He's working with a bright young detective girl and speaks very fondly of her. So he's the only one whom MC really knew before. He's funny, smart and has got a bubbly personality and a zest for life. There's so many things that will light his interest. And he won't stop talking about them.

For me his story and character were a bit bland, not my cup of tea, but he is a nice guy anyway.

My rating 4/5

Morgan MacAllister (Mac)

Mac is a sea captain from a classic adventure novel which MC has heard about, but hasn't read, because she was intimidated by the seriousness of it. Probably it is a reference to a Moby Dick, though the plot of Mac's book ші different.

He's looking pretty much intimidating and not very talkative. Definitely not a romantic. But if MC chooses to know him better, she'll find out that he has a kind heart and a crude sense of humor. In the past he was harsh to his crew and did thing that he regrets now. But nevertheless now he's caring about MC and tries hard to help her and make her feel comfortable.

My rating 3,5/5

Overall:

Visual: 5/5

Story: 4/5

Characters: 5/5

Romance: 3/5

Originality: 3/5

My Rating: 4/5

The game is free! You can get it on itch.io

[melliotwrites]

Hi! My brain has been going on and on and on about this musical and I’d love to know some lore about what happened to the Adamandi characters in freshman year! It’s hinted at and talked about a couple of times and I’m really curious.

Hi!! I'm really glad you're enjoying Adamandi! Thanks for the great question as well :)

Disclaimer that this is from a writing perspective, and also a snapshot of how we thought about the characters at the very beginning of the production process (when we wrote this draft of the script). Our actors, director, and designers for the Princeton production all came up with ideas about what happened to the characters, so if you're interpreting the choreography or costumes or acting choices or something, you might get a different takeaway (which is part of the magic of a collaborative art form like theater!)

(Stage directions and info about the characters is under the read more!)

The primary source of information in the script for what the characters are doing freshman year is A Word to the Wise; the characters enter as freshmen and then age up to seniors throughout the course of the song. This is the stage direction we wrote for the beginning:

The costume descriptions are meant to signify that when each of the characters begin their education at Address, they don't quite fit in. Quincy comes from an affluent family but is expecting to be met with prejudice by the rest of the student body, so they overcompensate by overdressing. Vincent is an international student from China, and they doesn't have the money or the knowledge of cultural norms in the United States to dress exactly like the other students yet, but they're trying their hardest. Ambrose hasn't found his niche with the sports extracurriculars and spends his time doing pottery instead; Beatrix doesn't care about fitting in yet, so she isn't consciously branding herself as a journalist (and hasn't yet changed her name to an Anglicized version). Portia isn't there because she is a Sophomore in the current day so she hasn't arrived at Ardess yet!

As the song progresses, their costumes change to signify their transformations into the jaded Seniors we know and love: Quincy dresses down to fit in, Vincent gets his long coat to show that he *isn't* trying to fit in, Ambrose and Beatrix get the signature clothing of their school clubs which are also their primary social groups, etc.

The first verse of A Word to the Wise (in theory) encompasses their freshman year, so the stage directions during the song show their social situations and relationships to other characters:

Vincent and Ambrose gravitate together, as roommates and fellow visual arts enjoyers (I also have adopted Tobias' headcanon that this is because Ambrose is trying to "teach" Vincent about being a guy and wants to bond with him over gender things, since he's never met another trans person before). Quincy and Vincent haven't met yet- Quincy, excluded by their year for both their intellectual airs and their race, hangs out mostly with older students who indoctrinate them into Ardess' toxic achievement culture.

Student 5 was played by the same actor as Adrian in the Princeton production, which fit this moment well; initially, Ambrose is trying to use his privilege to protect Vincent from the Marmorei's bullying, but it just means both of them are excluded. Beatrix gets invited but not socially accepted into the Newspaper club.

At the end of their freshman year, Ambrose gets drawn in by the Marmorius Society and slowly stops hanging out with Vincent, leaving Vincent alone.

The second verse of A Word to the Wise loosely covers their second year at Ardess. Beatrix joins the Ardess Daily, and Ambrose officially gets tapped for the Marmorius Society (they're specified here because of the lyric about secret societies- the Marmorius Society is intended to be one of those secret-but-not-secret societies at Ivy League universities that people join by invitation.)

At the end of their sophomore year and the start of their Junior year, Vincent is officially alone, as is Quincy, since both of their friends have more or less abandoned them. Beatrix is fighting for recognition in the Ardess daily, but she remains a Ghost Writer- unrecognized officially but used for her journalistic talent. Ambrose has decided to imitate the Marmorei as much as possible, and is carefully crafting his appearance to that aim- a harbinger of things to come.

The rest of the song covers Quincent meeting, the arrival of Portia, and Ambrose becoming the leader of the Marmorei, but I'll leave it there since you just asked about freshman year! The most significant things that happened Freshman year are Vincent and Ambrose being roommates and Beatrix getting headhunted for the Ardess Daily. Thanks for the question and I'm glad you're enjoying the show!

~Mel

[inkiest-silly]

I’m feeling silly and ima just- time to post about MY VER of “if Vincent survived the fire” or shortened to STF

STF vince has cut down on his smoking, he isn't addicted anymore due to having hospitalized for a while and unable to do any packs! He also wears layers over his body and hands so it's less uncomfortable Being his hands are burned - his hard to do things without it feeling weird He is working to upgrade his bistro, and im planning on like Adding a few other characters be he's gonna have a bigger waiting staff - bring its gonna be a bigger establishment His chefs still work for him

His chefs still work for him - cherrie is loyal as hell so definitely not leaving He never got over his love for rody,he feels resentment for what rody did to him- but he just couldn't let go of the man He hasn't seen him in ages- but he sometimes wonders what in the world he's doing now Thoughts lke "Is he happy with what he did to me? Does he think im dead and is happy with it?"

He wears his glasses all the time now- he is half blind so he just, does now. He can't afford to not see well,so he keeps them on They aren't used to Vince with glasses or-even the scars In the back, he wears long sleeved shirts instead and thick gloves-Vince stutters on his words and his voice is a little fucked up and raspy due to rody cutting his throat with a bottle

Talking for a long time hurts his throat, he is still trying to fix some things about himself He isn't as harsh on his employees Other than remmie. Remmie is remmie. He learned his lesson about keeping his house with his establishment He lives only a few minutes away from the new place He walks home Why?

Bc he thinks it's good for strengthening his mussles again And it is So he keeps doing it In the rain? Umbrella. But whenever he is out in the rain- he's reminded of the moment when he had to dry rody off and give him an umbrella-He enjoys the rain on his skin, it's cooling and nice He's taking care of himself only to try and get back to proper health to do more So he isn't as scrawny (He still hates eating but he forced himself to)

Vince involuntarily twitches out of random, his nerves are a little messed up and it's most likely the thing to happen 1 Like to believe rodys tie slipped off his neck during the struggle and Vince still had it even fit is a little burnt Complete opposites in healing omfg

Every Valentine's Day vince will mutter under his breath or think "happy birthday rody" and continue on with his day be he's a sad sorry ass He just wanted love man Hm.. How does rody feel that he killed a man over so hard that he needed to get hospitalized and almost died Bookie if anyone foudn that it was you you'd be put behind bars bookie i EVEN IF IT WAS YEARS AGO

Vince doesn't make an effort to style his hair much,he just doesn't care about his physical appearance anymore He knows he's already physically fucked up so he just, does the bare minimum He also sleeps a lot more,just - trying to stop himself from thinking about rody

-Vince keeps his head low when he's out, he doesn't like to be crowded- somehow- it works. And he's just glad he's short enough to walk without being spotted from a mile away. He still puts up a optimistic, really kind demeanor outside the bistro,but he drops it and just, he's kinder- but just- a little uptight He doesn't like getting into relationships still,he still has his heart for rody but is trying to push it back and away He mutters to himself something of the such when he starts thinking about him "he hurt you for a reason."

Vince has a mini heart attack when he sees male gingers - He wishes he could get another hug like he did once before Sooo He hugs himself to sleep He always has something in the background when he's trying to rest, usually a song

Baby I'd give you a hug

[theodoraflowerday]

young royals s3e5 episode reaction:

well I really hope the cliffhanger isn't horrifying bc this week is gonna be really fucking long

let's fuckin do this

"tired" and it's just him contending w the fact that erik might have been violently homophobic

i can excuse [rolls down a 6ft long papyrus] but I draw the line at being racist - august, probably

"family" LMFAO sure dumbass

seriously those girls are acting like sara and felice broke up (and I get it, friendship breakups are horrifying but damn)

"are you on something?" MY LITERAL FIRST QUESTION SKFISJFKSJFKDJF

I feel like micke is gonna die. idk.

his own letter? why?

oh. hello ludwig. i forgot what your voice sounded like.

"it's hard for her to show weakness" yeah well so it is for all of us. be a mother. show up for your son.

naaaaaaaaaaa volvete serio ludwig

wdym he was perfect. are you serious. do no adults in this show have the slightest bit of common sense?? you're talking to erik's spare my man. erik's little brother who now has to take on everything erik had to do. be the most fuckin for real rn

of fucking COURSE

"it'll be nice to celebrate you. and to meet simon too" ok that was sweet.

yeah wille being in the choir was starting to feel too weird skfjdkfjd

okay? calm your tits my man? simon hasn't said anything?

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON????? HE'S LITERALLY DEFENDING ERIK?????????

oooooookay kristina jr.

ohhhh it was sara's locker. ok.

oh micke is dead isn't he

FELICE DOING WILLE'S NAILS AAAAAA

HE'S PAINTING THEM PURPLE SOULMATISM

also is this the writers acknowledging the nonbinary wille headcanons bc.......

I can't believe wille likes doing his nails. that's so fuckin nonbinary of him.

god I wish micke had been dead. that is SO much worse.

pls don't get into a car crash sara

linda honey no. it doesn't fit him perfectly it's goddamn huge on him.

love shouldn't be this hard I agree linda

oh fuck me

oh her little face sara no

oh sara is breaking my goddamn heart

WILLE'S PURPLE NAILS

wilhelm, why do you have nail polish remover in your room

MI WILLE I'M GONNA FUCKING BLOW MY BRAINS OUT

omg malin was willing to be bribed. back to fanon malin we go (after the shit show that was season 2)

WHY IS HE WEARING THE PYJAMA PANTS AGAIN SIMON

okay this is killing me inside. this is too much.

BECAUSE THERE'S A RISK OF POISONING SJFKDJFKJFDKFJDKFKFKFKDLRK

simon's FACE im

SHE CURTSIED @ SIMON

I know he must have felt disgusting sjfkdjfk

after pretty much 3 years of a polar opposite fanon interpretation I cannot *believe* I'm witnessing kristina and ludwig being genuinely happy about meeting simon. this is so insane

august are you staring at sara's boobs

oh a rolex

OH IS IT BECAUSE OF ERIK

IT IS BECAUSE OF ERIK OG FUCKKKKK

I missed sara and felice I'm ngl. I love my tiny baby girls

oh kristina is about to throw up isn't she lmfao

ludwig is being weirdly nice. this is so strange.

ludwig and simon chatting away while kristina is about to choke and die

hold on. IS kristina gonna die?

even during wille's birthday they can't stop yapping about erik. my god do royals genuinely only care about their firstborn? god

NOT DILF HUNTER SJROSUFOSIDOD

class bad boy slfjdlgj I think they had to have done that on purpose. I mean vincent didn't wanna give him the satisfaction of giving him another award. I can assure you.

august is such a *sad* character oh my god

I WISH I HAD DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY WITH YOU NAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWW

oh of course she kissed him.

WHAT A SNITCH WTF

im

"please don't leave me alone with your parents like that again" honestly wille they could've eaten him alive

my god wilhelm you're being SO NASTY

OH HE'S GOING OFFF

oh ldkgldjgldjfldjffl

I can ASSURE YOU during my s2 liveblogging at one point I basically wrote "[points at ludwig] AND YOU" bc i was so fucking done with his bullshit skrjdlrkdlrkld

to hear wille going AND *YOU* is fucking sending me help

IT ISN'T EASY TO BE BOTH YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR BOSS OH FUCK OFF KRISTINA

I NOTICED BECAUSE YOU'RE SO USELESS AT BOTH HOLY FUCKING SWEET JESUS CHRIST

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

me rn:

my god this is the most cathartic shit I've seen in my life

OH AND SIMON IS WATCHING THE WHOLE THING

god

I knew the cliffhanger was gonna be that

but I didn't expect them to cry like that nor did I expect ME to cry like that

bro I'm sobbing I can't wait another week