#Why can't I stop writing

[kaaaaaaarf]

Trans masc Sirius and his dirty stoner boyfriend Remus who keeps giving him UTIs from fingering him after hand rolling his joints

[tealvenetianmask]

I was confused at first about why the writers chose "infester demon" as Rolando's identity, rather than something like "possessor" or . . . idk . . . anything else.

So let's see. An infestation takes over a place and often destroys it (think about termites in a house or an invasive species in a forest or a body of water).

Rolando's specialty is not just taking over his victims' bodies to use them. He moves in, explores all the dark crevices of their minds, and takes over all of it.

It starts small . . .

And quickly goes out of control.

Digging deeply into memories for ammunition, removing the host's connection with their present reality.

Rolando is portrayed as horrifically and physically invasive.

He goes right through Blitz, knocking him violently to the ground, and once in his mind, ties him up, licks his neck, holds his eyes open . . .

He brings forward the worst memories Blitz has and makes sure they consume him so that Blitz becomes completely engulfed and loses control of his mind and body. The possession is horrifying because Blitz's movement and fighting style change completely. The infester has moved in and completely overtaken the previous inhabitant.

Rolando infests his victims. And the way to get him out? Make the environment inhospitable to him (while thankfully the other inhabitant, Blitz, "can handle it."). Like putting down poison around the foundations of a house to get rid of termites.

It's an apt metaphor too: trauma can be like an infestation.

The adverse experiences come in and change neural pathways in our brains, intertwining themselves with our very ways of experiencing the world, with our senses of self.

We can fight trauma with all sorts of things, and it varies wildly person to person. In this situation for Blitz, a supportive friend who's able to tell him the reasons why he's so valuable to her, who's willing to physically beat the infester out of him. Who can help him build new, stronger connections in his brain, memories that strengthen him rather than break him down.

But while Rolando seems to be gone, Blitz's trauma isn't. Like many real infestations, it lurks in the shadows, weakened but ready to try again to take over when it gets another opportunity.

[pa-pa-plasma]

I know the concept of more supernatural/paranormal elements is cool but it will never stop being funny to me that in every series ever, when a ghost shows up the main characters have to do rituals & research the history of the haunted item or house or even whole town & use specific items like salt & incense & talisman to banish the ghost all dramatically & supernaturally, but in Danny Phantom this kid just shows up with nothing but his fists, a thermos, & pent up aggression. put em the fuck UP, you ectoplasmic son of a—

[tinybeetiny]

Aren't you embarrassed?: P.S

SMUT 18+ MDI

NonIdol!Toxic!Fratboy!SeonghwaxAfab!Reader

ugh, i have an exam tomorrow and i'm nervous so here's this I lazily finished because I started it 2 weeks ago. i might go back and edit it at some point. allssoo I really tried to find the douchiest pics of Hwa which was real hard but fuuuuckckckck he looks so good

If you would like to be a part of the taglist please fill out this form

SMUT

CW: ummm mean Seonghwa, a little bit of angst, lots and lots and lots of degration, fingering, unprotected sex (you better wrap it up), Oral (M receiving), rough sex, creampie, name-calling

Masterlist | Ateez Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Park Seonghwa. Co-President of Pi Theta Psi. Cocky, Arrogant, selfish, and the biggest asshole you know. But just like all the other girls on campus you felt drawn to him. He never fucked the same girl twice, never. That is until he met you, something about how desperate you were for him felt like an ego boost he didn't need. You gave him some entertainment in his boring routine life. He held no feelings for you, maybe a little pity... only a little. But the way you always ran to him in record time whenever he called and how eager you were to please him was something he just couldn't give up. Today was no different. He had called approximately 3 minutes ago and he can assume you're about 2 minutes from showing up. His assumptions were proved right when Yunho yelled for him "YO SEONGHWA, YOUR... FRIEND IS HERE" He smirked to himself, pride swelling.

"Look at you, record time huh" He smiled feigning sweetness. "She's like an obedient dog" Mingi cooed hauntingly "She's just so cute, I bet you dropped everything when he called didn't ya?" Wooyouung joined in. Your cheeks flushed a deep shade of red as you looked to Seonghwa for help but he only smirked back at you. "Well, I just uh I didn't want him to wait too long." You said quietly as your eyes cast down, their stares getting too much. "Aren't you embarrassed? even in the slightest?" Hongjoong asked laughing "All right all right, that's enough. Ya'll are gonna make her leave before I can get my dick wet" Seonghwa chuckled, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and leading up to his room.

Your back was pushed up against the door as soon as it closed feeling his hand shamelessly grope you "Ya know Joong has a point. Aren't you embarrassed with how quick I can get you over here? how quickly I can get you naked? How wet I can make you with just a look? Aren't you embarrassed at all? It's like you have no self-respect" His words words hurt but the feeling of his lips on your neck was too good to ignore. His hand traveled down to your flowy skirt "You wear these cutesy little outfits thinking I actually give a shit. My friends tell me about the way you look at me on campus, like a lost little puppy. Do you know how much we laugh at you? Aren't you embarrassed love?" You gasp when he pushes your panties to the side feeling your drenched lips "Fuck, how are you so wet? Does me being mean turn you on that much?" he laughs sliding a finger into your clenching hole. You let out a whine at the sudden intrusion and your hands find their way up his shirt. He pulls away taking off the thin piece of fabric "strip and get on knees" his gaze turning hard, turning mean.

Obediently you remove your cute little sweater revealing your pink sheer bra with pretty little flowers. You bite your lip nervously as you feel his eyes follow your every movement. You shimmy your way out of your skirt. Seonghwa's eyes darkened and he almost let out a groan when he saw you had the matching panties. You reach behind you to unhook your bra but he stops you "Wait! Leave those on" He says gesturing to your body loving the way the color complimented you. You nod before hesitantly stepping forward and dropping down to your knees in front of him. He reaches out to hook his fingers under your chin, tilting them just enough so that you're looking at him with big doe eyes. "Why don't you be a good girl and suck me off the way I know you can"

You made quick work with his jeans, unbuttoning them and dragging them down his long slender legs. The large bulge in his boxers stared back at you as you reached for the waistband and freed his cock. You've seen it many times before but it always amazed you with how pretty it was, the usual pink tip was reddened with how painfully hard he was. Seonghwa hissed feeling the cold air hit. You lean forward pressing a tiny kiss to his tip tasting the salty pre cum, sticking out your tongue to lap up the rest of it. You grab the base of his length and lick up the vein that so prominently sticks out. Throwing his head back Seonghwa lets out a low groan. His hand grabs a fistful of your hair when you take his tip between your lips “Come on now. I’m getting impatient” He growled giving your head a little push. Moving your head you take more of him in your mouth with him with his "assistant". His tip reaches the back of your throat as you gag around him "That's fucking right, choke on my dick" He moans. You start to bob your head using your hand to stroke whatever doesn't fit.

You love blowing Seonghwa, something about the way handles you, how rough he is. The look in his eyes tells you you're doing a great job even if he won't say it. His breaths come out as pants as you move your head faster knowing he's close. His eyes screw shut as he feels his release creeping up on him. He pulls your head back as you stare up at him with teary eyes and heavy breaths "Get on the bed" he says releasing your hair. You climb onto his soft bed laying on your back, propping yourself on your elbows. Seonghwa removes his pants and boxers from around his ankles. You bite your lip as you shameless stare at him "You gonna let me cum in you again?" He asks making his way to you, you nod vigorously wanting to please him. He places his hands on your knees pushing your legs open.

His hand grabs the back of your plush thighs and he pushes them so they’re flush against your chest, your glistening pussy on full display for him “Look at that, you’re so wet for me” he groans as he runs two fingers in your folds spreading your arousal around "Please Hwa, I need you" you pout as you whine at his teasing “Shh be patient” he grabs the base of cock rubbing the tip and spreading your slick around. He finally pushes into you watching as you stretch around him. He lets out a sigh feeling your walls sucking him in “You’re always so tight” he says through clenched teeth. Your pants turn to whiney moans as he starts to move, loving the way he fills you to the brim. His thrusts turn mean as he gets lost in your gummy walls and your moans fill the room loud enough that you're sure the boys can hear you downstairs but you don't care. All you cared about was the feeling of bliss as Seonghwa pounded into you. The sound of your wet arousal and skin slapping against each other seemed to encourage him more. The feeling of your bruised cervix was the last thing you were worried about, not with your release so near and he knew, he always did. From the way your moans go more high pitched, the way your hole clenched around him, the scratches you leave down his back. "H-Hwa M'gonna cum" you squeaked out "Already? Pft so desperate. Go ahead cum around my cock you slut" That alone was enough to send you into bliss and he was not far behind you. He let out a few grunts as he released inside you.

Seonghwa pulls out, his cum leaking and dripping down onto his bed. He stands breathlessly before reaching down to grab his clothes "Alright. You can leave now. I guess I'll call you or something" he says not sparing another glance while he steps into his bathroom and locks it behind. You lay in his bed for a moment before sitting up, feeling more cum drip out of you. You don't know what you were expecting, he never cleaned you up afterward, and he never walked you out, why would this time be different? After dressing yourself you step out of his room and make your way downstairs dreading the descent with each step. You knew his friends would be waiting to ridicule you once you stepped into view and you didn't think you could handle it this time. You feel your heart start to race when you hear their loud laughter coming from the living room knowing you're going to have to walk by them to leave.

You take a deep breath before stepping into the room trying to get to the door quickly before they can say anything to you but just your luck Wooyoung sees you before you can reach the door “OI (Y/N) leaving so soon? Seonghwa didn’t want to make you any food?” He asked snickering when you looked down at your feet “It’s really sad isn’t it? That you keep putting up with how he treats you.” Yeosang looked at you with the smallest bit of pity. You say nothing as your bottom lip starts to quiver ever so slightly. You grab the door handle and walk out of the frat house. Taking your phone out you hesitated before hitting his contact, the red block button was staring back at you. The memories of all the times he embarrassed you, insulted you, ran through your mind and quite frankly you were over it. Hitting the block button you walked back to your class to maybe catch the last 10 minutes.

Next Part

[fallenrain40]

"aroace people can still have relationships-" NOT ALL OF THEM CAN. YOU KNOW THAT RIGHT. WHY DO YOU WORD IT AS "aroaces can still be in relationships" AND NOT "some can have relationships, and others cannot."? WHY MUST YOU INSIST THAT WE STILL CAN LOVE IN SOME WAY. WHY DOES IT MATTER. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO LOVE. WHY, WHEN TALKING ABOUT AROACES, DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO IMPLY THAT IT'S OUR OTHER WAYS OF LOVING THAT MAKES US ACCEPTABLE? WHY CAN'T THE FACT WE DON'T LOVE MAKE US GOOD PEOPLE? WHY IS THERE ALWAYS AN EMPHASIS ON THE OTHER WAYS WE LOVE, OR THE AROACES THAT CAN STILL DATE, AND NOT ON OUR LACK OF LOVE? IT FEELS TO ME, LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TO PUSH ASIDE THAT ASPECT OF OUR IDENTITY, BECUASE IT'S TOO STRANGE TO YOU. YOU MAY NOT SAY IT OUTLOUD, BUT THERE'S STILL A STIGMA AROUND LOVELESSNESS. IN YOUR MIND, YOU STILL ARE VIEWING LOVELESS PEOPLE AS LESS MORAL OR GOOD, AREN'T YOU? OTHERWISE, YOU WOULD CELEBRATE OUR LOVELESSNESS, NOT SHOVE IT ASIDE BECUASE "THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO LOVE"

[eikichi-supremacy]

If nothing else Koenma is a Kuwabara stan and I'm right there with him o7 (I need to write the kuwameshi fic that goes with this fr)

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Y'know, it's unfortunate more people don't compare Louis and Violet in good faith.

Like, when I do see people compare them, it's usually through the lens of one is good, and the other bad. One is more canon than the other, and here's why. One is objectively better for Clementine, and the other is less impactful, worse written, didn't have chemistry with her, insert several insults here, etc.

I don't think it's inherently bad to express why you might not like one of them, or why you prefer one over the other. That's fine, that's a matter of opinion. It only gets to me when it becomes hostile, or passive aggressive... but even then, I've learned to just roll my eyes and move on. Some people make it very clear that they're not worth having a discussion with.

However, I wish I could read more nuanced comparisons of the two that didn't default to the "and that's why this one is better." At least some are kind enough to tack on a "for my Clementine" at the end.

You know how it goes: Louis is cute and he makes Clementine laugh, whereas Violet's boring, her love is shallow, she's still not over Minerva and she's using Clementine as a rebound. Violentine's a bad ship because Violet's actually a traitor, and they're practically the same person and that's bad.

Violet's loyal and reliable, whereas Louis is annoying, he never takes anything serious, he's a traitor for his vote, and he's nothing but a distraction. Clouis is a bad ship because how could any Clementine possibly like him after he voted her and AJ out? That's bad!

That's always the conclusion, right? One good, one bad.

This is incredibly limiting and it drives me nuts.

They're foils. They contrast one another, highlight each other's strengths and flaws, in such an interesting way that it makes Clementine's choice between them all the more meaningful.

One is not good and the other bad, they're different, and I think that's worth exploring.

Let's start with a common argument: Violet is the more impactful option due to her connection to Minerva.

Now, to be fair, I can understand why someone on Team Violet would believe this. Yes, it's true that the confrontation with Minerva is more impactful for a violentine shipper who has more investment in Violet as a character. Louis doesn't have as strong of a connection to her.

However, what they're failing to recognize is that Minerva isn't the only ghost to haunt this narrative. Violet may have Minerva, yes, but Louis has Marlon... and that doesn't just go away once Marlon's dead.

Violet's route has Minerva as her ex-girlfriend, and her bond with Tenn that all comes to a head on the bridge. Louis' route has Marlon's death and how that specifically impacts his relationship with AJ and Clementine, and the slow burn of forgiveness on all sides.

Marlon and Minerva are also reflective of Clementine's worst outcomes.

Clementine and Marlon were tied together through Brody's blood splattered on their hands and faces. They both killed a part of Brody, but only one of them lies about who killed her first.

After Marlon dies, Clementine gradually replaces him throughout the game; Rosie is her dog now, she uses his bow [which Louis gave her], she becomes the leader. Clementine gets them to fight back, and when three of her people are captured, she doesn't cut her losses. She does what Marlon couldn't; "we're getting them back."

When she chooses Louis, he does for her what he never did for Marlon: he steps up.

Clementine proves she won't become Marlon just as she proves she won't become Minerva.

After getting James to agree to help them, Clementine and AJ talk about what to do if she ever gets bit. AJ says he'd want her to bite him, too. He repeats this sentiment after she's actually bitten, telling her he wants to stay and they could turn together, peacefully.

When Minerva confronts them on the bridge, she's dying... and she wants Tenn to die with her. She doesn't care who she has to kill in the process. She's more monster than human at this point, and most times, she succeeds.

They're both bitten. Clementine could've become a monster like Minerva in the end. She could've killed AJ, and they could've become walkers together. But she didn't. Minerva wanted Tenn to die for her, and Clementine wanted AJ to live for her.

Also, I should mention she has Minerva's axe. She carries the key weapons associated with Marlon and Minerva throughout different points in the game, further solidifying these connections. She uses Marlon's bow to save her friends, and she uses Minerva's axe to save AJ, who in turn uses it to save her.

What's also so interesting about this is how Marlon's alive in episode one, and Minerva is thought to be dead. Louis has his best friend, and Violet's lost hers. But, at the end of the episode, Marlon's dead and Minerva's revealed to be alive.

Marlon becomes the ghost, and Minerva becomes the monster. Clementine becomes to Louis and Violet what Marlon and Minerva never could... how does that not drive anyone else insane?

So, no. One is not objectively better, or more impactful, because of a connection to Marlon or Minerva. They're different. It just depends on which storyline you personally find more compelling.

Actually, let's talk about that a little more.

In my opinion, the most intriguing point of comparison between Louis and Violet stems from their perceptions of survival, and how that impacts Clementine.

An argument I see made against violentine is that Violet's boring because she and Clementine are too similar. This usually comes from clouis shippers who prefer the "opposites attract" dynamic Clementine and Louis have.

On the flip side, there's the counter argument that Louis is reckless, that he doesn't take survival as seriously as he should and Clementine wouldn't want him because of that.

These are interesting to me because I get where they're coming from... but they ultimately miss the point.

The other day, I replayed TFS. Except this time, I did something a little bit differently. I played my usual clouis route, but then I had the violentine route pulled up on my laptop so that I could watch these scenes, comparing them side by side… and something occurred to me. 

Louis is about challenging Clementine's perception of survival, and Violet is about validating it.

Louis challenges Clementine from the very moment we meet him—he’s playing music. His initial philosophy on survival butts heads with Clementine’s. The fact that hunting with him and Aasim challenges your perception of “your choices have consequences.” These games have conditioned the player to think along the lines of, “Yeah, Louis is more fun… but if I don’t hunt with Aasim, we won’t have any food.”

Except that’s just it. I hate to say it, Aasim, but in the grand scheme of things… hunting with you doesn’t matter. It's actually less rewarding. You know why? Because in the next section, we get food from the train station. It would’ve been more beneficial to spend time with Louis over hunting, hence how he challenges you.  

This then primes you for the choice between choosing to follow Louis or follow Violet. I know people complain about how this is presented with Violet doing something productive [checking the walls] and Louis playing piano… but that’s the point. If you’re going through with Louis’ full route, you need to meet him at his level, and in turn, he will meet you at yours. You need to accept the challenge, the idea that Clementine isn’t entirely right about the way she’s gone about survival.

Oh, and do I even need to mention the vote? The debate over Louis’ vote is exhausting. Often times, people tell on themselves in how they talk about it. It’s not actually about the fact that he voted against them. If it was, these people would have a bigger bone with pick with Mitch, Willy, Ruby, and Omar… and yet Louis is the one who takes all the blame as if he’s the only one personally kicking them out. 

Louis is reacting to the death of his best friend, and the complicated feelings that come with it being caused by AJ. He wants accountability, even if he knows something's wrong. You can either agree with him that it was murder, and set AJ on the path of atonement… or, you can double down and tell him to fuck off, AJ was justified. 

But here’s the thing… the vote adds to the appeal of Louis’ route. To someone who hates him, or at the very least is critical of his vote, that sounds mad or delusional.

Except it’s really not.

Ever heard of a thing called tension? Because there’s a lot of it in ep2 between clouis + AJ and it’s fantastic.

Yes, Louis voting them out is problematic because we need a problem to solve. We need something to feed the tension between him and Clementine. He stepped in front of a gun held by his best friend in order to protect her, forever changing their relationship… only for that to seemingly be taken away from us the moment AJ shoots Marlon. 

Yes, Louis’ route is about being challenged, but it’s also about challenging him. That he’s able to forgive them, that he’s able to question his own survival philosophy and understand theirs, that he’s able to apologize and actually change for the better… that right there is what makes clouis so damn good. 

He becomes hardened whereas Clementine softens. By the end of the game, they’re on a similar level now without neglecting their differences, and they can move forward together. 

That’s what makes Louis’ route appealing… and it’s also what makes it unappealing to people who prefer Violet. 

By contrast, Violet’s already on Clementine’s level when it comes to this perception of survival. She validates that Clementine’s on the right path.

They have other similarities in the way that they’re both female, queer, they both have a kid they look after, they’re not always great with other people, etc. 

People who prefer Louis might consider this boring, but I think to Team Violet, it’s comforting. It’s comforting to have a partner who takes this as seriously as you do, who wants to get shit done. They’re playing Clementine with a similar attitude, and don’t believe it needs to be challenged. It’s comforting to feel validated on something you already firmly believe in. 

We also see this if we compare the hunting and fishing scenes. You have to make an effort to choose Louis by choosing to neglect hunting, but the game makes you fish with Violet no matter what.

Violet’s prioritizing fishing because they need food. That’s what they’ve set out to do, so let’s do it. The game is letting you know that’s the case, and if you value that, continue pursuing her. 

While fishing, they discuss why things are weird with her and Brody. Violet doesn’t take well to Clementine’s blunt, “Because you make it weird. Brody tries and you just make fun of her."

That’s understandable because I think she already kind of knows why and is looking to have her feelings validated. She prefers it when Clementine suggests that it’s because Brody never said sorry for what happened to the twins. 

There’s also comfort and validation in the way Violet sides with Clementine and AJ after Marlon’s death. She votes for them to stay, vocalizing how much she disapproves of the results. There’s this feeling that I recognize from a lot of the sapphic romance I read; “it’s you and me against the world, I’ll always have your back, even if you’re in the wrong, I’ll fight for you.”

In our case, it’s violentine + AJ against the rest of Ericson, save Tenn and Aasim. Violet validates that AJ was justified because Marlon was a liar and murderer, claiming that AJ and Clementine did nothing wrong. Violet fights to keep them. 

The tension between violentine in ep2 is different because instead of one pushing the other away, they’re being forced apart by the vote and there’s nothing they can do about it. That tension is somewhat released when Clementine comes back and they’re reunited, working out a plan to best defend the school. 

It’s also why Violet’s presented as doing something productive when you follow her instead of Louis, and why she asks if you want to hang out after checking the defenses. 

All that being said, allow me to reiterate that one is not good and the other bad, they're different. These concepts of challenge and change/validation and comfort exist on a neutral road as diverging paths. It’s up to the player to pick what path they prefer, but that doesn’t mean the other path isn’t worth acknowledging or analyzing. 

I should also mention that they’re not exclusive; there is overlap with validation being present in Louis’ route and challenges in Violet’s. They’re just more present in episodes 3 and 4 after we’ve made our decision. 

There are several more examples of how this all fits together, buuuuut–

Ya’ll wanna compare some allegories?

Those familiar with my content might already know where I’m going with this as I’ve made a post about Louis and the piano in the past. 

You see, I believe that there are allegories for Louis and Violet’s hearts present in their routes: Louis’ piano, and Violet’s pin. 

I already have a thorough, in-depth analysis of Louis and the piano that you can read, so all I’ll say about it is that on the night of the raid, he asked Clementine to carve a piece of herself into his heart so that no matter what, their initials will be immortalized together in its wood…

And that makes me fucking feral. 

But I'm also so normal about it.

As for Violet, her heart is the star gazing pin she gives to Clementine. She gives it to her so she’ll always remember that night… but she doesn’t give it to her until after Clementine’s saved her, and that fascinates me in the context of it being allegory. 

Louis asks Clementine to carve herself into his heart right before the raid, cementing that from that moment on, he is utterly devoted to her. I believe this is part of the reason why Louis is still happy to see her if he’s the one who’s captured. Yes, yes, he’s also incredibly traumatized from having his tongue cut out and he’d be happy to see anyone, yada yada… but listen, if you romance Louis and he’s captured, his heart remains with her—that piano with their intitals is on full display. When he sees her, he’s still so devoted to her that he refuses to accept that it’s at all her fault. Even when she says it is, he shakes his head... and he so easily accepts her when they’re together in the end. From the moment Clementine puts knife to wood, he’s hers. 

Now, look… you might think I’m going somewhere not great with this but hear me out. 

I think after Clementine’s gone star gazing with her, Violet is fully ready to give her heart to her. Y’know, give her the pin. But, think about what Violet said about how people have left, but Clementine came back. Plus, with the impending raid to think about, maybe Violet should keep the pin until the right moment. 

I believe a key difference between her and Louis is that Violet needs one last thing to solidify that Clementine’s the one. 

Louis gives her his heart prior to the raid because of everything that’s already gone down between them following Marlon’s death. Violet needs to know that Clementine’s willing to fight for her the way she fought before. When Clementine saves her from the raiders, it’s solidified. Even after she sees Minerva again, it changes nothing.

It’s also worth noting that the pin is something Clementine wears. Like the piano carving, it’s a piece on display for everyone to see, to let them know whose heart Clementine has.

Violet literally handed Clementine her heart as a means of saying, “I’m yours. I’m devoted to you.” 

This is why romanced/captured Violet is devastating, and is why she behaves the way she does in the cells. She was so ready to give her heart away and then nope, sorry, Vi! You get knocked unconscious by raiders instead! 

If anything, you kind of deserve to be told to fuck off if you romanced her and then let her get captured. Just sayin’. 

Look, I have a lot of complicated feelings about the captured violentine route, mostly with Violet being as forgiving as she is after her eyes are burned—yes, yes, I know, her eyes are burned and Minerva messed with her head so of course now she’s not hostile, yada, yada. 

But I think it’s rather telling that you don’t get the pin in this route. Sure, Violet’s willing to forgive and possibly pursue this romance in the future… but she’s not ready to hand over her heart, not truly. Not after everything that’s happened. 

And if you want to get extra angsty about it, imagine that Violet made the pin right after they parted ways, but before the raiders came. Meaning that if she’s captured, it’s possibly still sitting somewhere, abandoned. 

Mmhmmm, very normal about this. I feel normal. My normalness about this continues... normally. I'm not losing my shit thinking about that. Nope. Why would I? I wouldn't! So normal.

Okay just let me talk about their reactions to Tenn's death and then I'll shut up.

This makes me want to gnaw my own foot off, I can barely handle it.

AJ shoots Tenn on the bridge because Clementine trusted him to make the hard calls. This saves Louis or Violet's life.

When Louis jumps across, he's completely silent as he watches Tenn die... and then he's pissed; "What the fuck?! How could you just shoot him like that?!"

AJ explains himself, that he did it for him, and Louis is so upset that he forces AJ to look at what he's done, to watch the walkers eat Tenn; "Tenn's dead. He's dead! Do you realize that?! Look! [...] He's... he's gone, because of you. Just fucking gone."

If Clementine says AJ saved his life, Louis says, "So what, we just cut him loose? Gun him down like he was nothing?"

If Clementine says nothing, Louis says, "Tenn was just a little boy!"

The reason Louis responds this way is because in this moment, he just relived Marlon's death all over again, but worse. So, SO much worse!

When Violet jumps across, she breaks down, begging, "Oh, my God! Oh, my God! No, no! No, no, no..." as she watches Tenn die... and then says to AJ, "No! What the fuck?! How could you do that?!"

AJ explains himself, that he did it for her, and Violet is faaaar from okay; "For me? I can't... Tenn is gone! That soft little boy who liked to draw, he's gone, because of you!"

If Clementine says AJ saved her life, Violet says, "You think that's okay?! Just gunning down one of our own?!"

And there it is.

Louis is hardened in this situation because he already went through this... Violet hasn't, not with AJ. She softened up throughout her route due to her relationships to him and Clementine... but this is the moment where she realizes that maybe AJ wasn't as justified as she believed, and this is the consequence.

This leads us to the ending where AJ asks if they're still mad about him killing Tenn, and I just... I'm biting my foot right now because the script has flipped.

Louis is forgiving and understanding. He's soft, he's sympathetic, he shakes AJ's hand to let him know that all is forgiven and they're okay; "I... AJ, I guess it's like... You saw something I didn't. About the situation, I mean. Minnie and the walkers and Tenn, it's just all this chaos in my head when I think back on it. [...] Clem says you saved my life? Well, then, that's exactly what you did. And how can I stay mad at anyone for doing that?"

Or, alternatively, "He was your friend, AJ. I know you are hurting just as much as I am."

As for Violet? She's understanding, too... but she's not quite ready to forgive yet; "The thing you said on the bridge...that he was messing up all the time. It wasn't something new, you know. Tenn got himself or other people into trouble all the time, long before you guys got here. He was always so lost. He lived in a world that just...isn't there, you know? And that's why I tried to look after him. But when I was pulling him away from the walkers, and Minnie, I could also see...he just wasn't there anymore."

"So you're mad, but sad."

"Can I be that for a while?"

And it's completely understandable that she's hurting and struggling with how she feels about AJ moving forward! She wants to be okay, she wants to forgive him, she just needs time.

Now, because I'm forever bitter, but I'm gonna mention this as well: whenever I see someone point at Violet's scene and say, "See!? This is how LOUIS should've acted in ep2!" like... they're telling on themselves again. Not just that they don't understand Louis as a character or his route, but that they don't fully grasp Violet's part in this either. Or time frames, for that matter.

Let me put it to you in simple terms... they react the same.

After Marlon and Tenn die, they're upset. They're pissed. They blame AJ and yell at him. After they've had time to process what happened [Louis after the two week time skip, Violet after time passes between the bridge and the ending] they share the same, "I'm still upset about Marlon/Tenn. Can I be that for a while and still be your friend?" sentiment.

The difference is that Louis is treated poorly for it because of the vote, and because we feel it first hand for longer... Violet got to grieve off screen and come back after she's sorted herself out.

It's a disservice to both of their characters because it's rooted in that same mentality that I criticized at the beginning: "This is why one is better than the other."

Do I need to say it again? I'm gonna say it again.

One is not good and the other bad. They're different.

There are so many fun discussions that could come from putting Louis and Violet side by side, and examining them. I haven't even covered the different ways they're introduced, or compared their ep3 dates to see what it says about them and the overall narratives! What about the cell scenes!? How they react when Dorian's about the cut off their fingers! The way they approach James upon meeting him!

That last one in particular is especially funny! They're all under stress about blending in with a herd of walkers to infiltrate a boat to save their friends, and yet Louis easily saunters up to the guy wearing walker skins with a smile, and makes him laugh by saying, "Functional and fashionable. I'll take two."

Violet approaches James like he's an injured wild animal that's going to bite her, and bless her heart, she tries with, "I, uh… hey. Hey there, James. Sorry about Willy." Then James gives her this judgmental side-eye, like buddy? She's not the weirdo here.

There is so much potential to dissect here, and I want to see people do it... but I want them to do it fairly, in good faith.

I want to get away from the idea of comparing them to "prove" which is better because there is no objective better. There isn't! That's a waste of time!

I'm so done with The Debate™; it's unhelpful, it's annoying, and it's boring as shit. I've heard it all before, and you probably have, too.

I want to put Louis and Violet under a microscope and study them with the thought process of, "one does this and the other does that... what does it mean!? what does it say about the narrative!? Oh my god, they have the same opinion on this thing, WRITE THAT DOWN!"

So yeah, that's my ramble for the night.

I'm gonna go replay TFS for further research.

[joethehoeee]

My last prompt from Stricklake month was a little...Angsty. So now I will give you some fluff.

My sweet babys, I love them so much 😭🩷

For anyone who might ask "but Strickler technically can't walk under the sun- 🤓☝️"...SHUT-

Nooo. Valid Question...

Answere:

There is a small ring on his finger...a certain object that was magically changed to allow him to walk amongst Humans in the sun.

I made it so that Barbara and Walter are bound together, she get's a longer life/his aging while He gets her ability to walk throu the sun/eat more human stuff. I personally didn’t wanna make him have his human form because...

Come on...We all know Troll Walter is supermercy and absolutly more attractive than human Walt...right?

Anyways...this is MY happy ever after AU and YES you will get a writing and possible art for their Wedding as well...and maybe the Wedding night...👀

But for now, enjoy my Art and fanfiction for it.

Fanfiction Link

Other Versions + Closeup:

[necrotic-nephilim]

for the ask game (1)

au where bruce is attracted to his robins and batgirls. he tries not to think about it or act on it, but it's getting more difficult with every new member of his team he acquires. does anyone know? do the robins and batgirls notice his weird behavior? what do they do about it? do they ever find out the truth? who would think it's terrible and who would find it strangely hot/comforting/nice? does bruce ever act on his feelings?

for the ask game!

oh my GOD do i have thoughts for AUs like this, i love this shit so dearly, dirtybadwrong Bruce who's trying to keep a lid on it my beloved.

i think the fun of this AU is if characters would notice Bruce lusting for themselves vs would they notice Bruce lusting for a different Robin/Batgirl. like does Dick pick up on it when it's just him and Bruce? no, because it's just. him and Bruce. he and Bruce are weird and complicated and hold endless bounds of nuance. that's just How Bruce Is, and Dick is the "test run", in a sense. he knows Bruce is new to this whole sidekick/family thing and is giving Bruce grace for being rough around the edges. but when Bruce starts looking at Jason or Tim or Cass that way, that's when Dick starts to notice. it's never enough of a suspicion he feels justified to bring it up, but the thought lingers. he's hyperaware and grows less and less comfortable with leaving them alone with Bruce. it's a weird game of chicken, Dick and Bruce staring each other down when Bruce's touch lingers too long. each waiting for the other to say something first. if Bruce ever broke and actually acted on his feelings, Dick would be eaten alive by the guilt of knowing something was up, but never saying something until it was too late.

obviously, Cass would know. there's no world where Cass *doesn't* know, the nature of who and what she is would immediately clock it. but the issue is, Cass doesn't have a good framework of what family looks like. she doesn't really understand familial vs romantic love bc she has no firsthand experience of what a parent's love should even look like. so she never calls it out. she just watches. i'm a fan of Cass believing this is normal and believing she too can express and act on attraction that's vaguely incestuous. maybe it's with Babs, maybe it's with Dick or Tim or Bruce himself. but she recognizes this as Normal and Accepted within the Batfamily, so it severely fucks up her understanding of familial love and i just. man it's my favorite thing about Cass in Batcest honestly, is how you can play with her lack of experience with love, boundaries, and sexuality.

Tim is the fun one for me. because my favorite flavor of BruTim is when Tim knows, as he agrees to be Robin, that there's a non-zero chance that Bruce is going to be Weird and agrees anyway because he's decided it's an acceptable risk. so Tim knows from the get-go because he's expecting it. if Bruce acts on his attraction, i think it's either with Tim or Cass first, because they're the most likely to confront him about it in a way that isn't entirely negative. Tim has accepted it's a possibility and Cass just seeks being loved and touched so. it leads to the first time someone's ever confronted Bruce about it. and the thing is, Bruce really doesn't like confrontation about his flaws. the first time Tim tries to imply he's okay with it, Bruce would lash out at the idea, tell Tim how inappropriate that is and benches Tim for a week. it'd probably take a united front from Cass and Tim to get Bruce to even *admit* to the attraction. still Bruce wouldn't allow it to happen and he brushes them off until finally, the dam breaks. it's fun if there's a cause like sex pollen, but i think it's *more* fun if it's just. a random fucking Tuesday and finally Bruce is at his limit. he has no real reason, there's nothing particularly different about that day's routine. he just sees Tim or Cass striping armor and sighs and gives in.

i don't think Steph, Jason, or Babs would notice until anything substantial happened. not because they're not wicked smart, but just because none of them were looking for it. Jason put Bruce on a pedestal when he was alive, and when he came back from the dead he wasn't close enough to be noticing Bruce's interpersonal dynamics outside of his narrow scope. Steph has no real framework for what healthy fatherhood looks like, so if Bruce's touches linger, if he stares too long, she just shrugs and assumes it's how it is. and Babs was just never quite close enough to Bruce to notice. if and when she notices, is when actual sexual things start to happen between Cass and Bruce. because Cass would see no reason to hide it. Babs would be pissed, but it'd be tricky to navigate. Cass would be an adult, even if she's only 18/19, so technically, she's old enough to be consenting. if nothing else, Bruce is a careful man. even when he breaks and gives in to his desires, he covers his tracks well. he makes sure he has enthusiastic consent and there's no legal recourse that could be taken. age of consent and all that. there's not much Babs can *do* other than try to tell Cass (and/or Tim) that this isn't normal or okay. not that it gets her anywhere, but god would she try.

by the time Duke comes along (if we venture out of the pre-Flashpoint era) i think it's a sort of. open secret, in the Batfamily. talked about in nothing but hushed whispers and knowing glances. at some point, they've all had sex with Bruce, caving all for different reasons. some more than others. Tim sees it as a duty, Cass sees it as a way of seeking comfort, Steph sees it as getting Bruce's approval for once, etc. it's never forced on them, but eventually, they all come to Bruce sooner or later. and that's the fun irony of it, i think. they try to convince the others not to, but would go to Bruce on their own well. because complicated reasons they can't put into words. sometimes, Bruce is just a messy man who doesn't realize how prized his Attention to for the rest of the Batfamily. that weird duality of not liking him, but also wanting desperately for him to like you. all of them have dealt with it, at some point. so for Duke, it takes a while for him to understand this... whole dynamic. it's Cass who tries to explain it to him, and he's a little horrified, a lot confused. especially when Bruce starts staring at him a little too long as well. i think he'd only want to watch first but well. they all cave eventually.

also fun bonus if we venture into the Dark Knight Returns universe for my bestest girl Carrie Kelley: there's such a like, "i'm fucking around and i'm finding out" vibe to Carrie. like Tim, she's very proactive in just. deciding she's going to be Robin and she's ready for whatever that entails. (IMO canon Carrie is closer to fanon Tim than canon Tim is but *that* deserves its own post-) like she takes one look at the old man that is Batman and goes yup. he's never fucking getting rid of me now. if Bruce started having weird feelings about her, i think she'd have *fun* with it. she's decided she's in it for the long haul and for whatever being Robin means so. she's almost teasing about it, seeing how hard she can push before Bruce snaps. since it's an older, gruffer Bruce, i think he'd express open annoyance at it first, almost a sort of banter about how Carrie behave. but of course he caves and Carrie leans into it, because there's a fun in having all of Bruce's attention to herself. in the main timeline, Bruce is pretty split with so many Robins and Batgirls, but during their era, it's *just* her and him and she's very proud she's got him all to herself.

[imminent-danger-came]

I really do hate when people complain about a character trait/writing choice that isn't instantly gratifying (what they wanted) but contributed to the work's ideas and themes as a whole (what the writers wanted). Like idk get with the program man

[bean-spring]

Maizulee moodboards because these girls make me go completely insane!!!!! 🧡🤍🩷

MaiZuLee

MaiLee

MaiZula

TyZula

@the-mariachi-96 asked for more moodboards so... Here are the sapphics <3

[aithusarosekiller]

Every time I click 'next chapter' on a dorlene or Jegulus fic and see the words 'another super long wolfstar chapter bc we love them!' Or some shit like that, a gay person dies

It's true, scientifically proven and everything

[grayintogreen]

Respectfully, but a character can be and SHOULD BE allowed to be more than one thing without it being considered "contradictory", "retconning," or "negative character development."

[blluespirit]

the jet/zuko dynamic is so funny from zuko's perspective. you're approached by a strange man. you rob rich people together. He tries to get you to join their group that you've known for like. a day. the next time you see him, he (accurately) accuses you of being a firebender, to which the only solution naturally is to get into a public beat down with him and cause a copious amount of damage to public property and your workplace (which you hate) and then he's arrested..... the next time you hear about him is in this fucked up propaganda play about you and your friends lives and you find out he DIED not long after????? WHAT????????

[writingdevil]

Tongues and Teeth PT.9 (STP)

(There will be an Epilogue!So I will say all my final thoughts then!Also,I was thinking about accepting any STP prompts you might want to see-whether it be shipping or otherwise.I just want to write more for this fandom so feel free to send in any prompts! For now-enjoy,and I hope you've enjoyed the journey thus far!)

*

"OPPY!"

That was the last thing Opportunist heard before pain exploded all over his body,and he lost consciousness.

Losing consciousness in his own body was much different than when the Decider did.In His head, everything just felt like blinking-one minute you're being skewered by a princess with blades for arms, and the next-you're arguing with an Echo on a path again.

But right now,everything just felt-peaceful.It felt like he was having a deep,relaxing nap,and nothing could touch him anymore.None of the outside problems felt important anymore while in this state.There wasn't a need for performing,or lying or scheming.

All there was,was him and and this eternal slumber.

Was it bad to want to stay like this?

The more he thought about it,the clearer his brain became,until there was a throbbing pain in the back of his head.At first,he thought it was his body punishing him for thinking such things-until he realised that he was just waking up.

He bit down on the groan of pain threatening to expose his weakness and status,blinking blearily up at the pink sky.

He was lying down on the ground,not in the field anymore,so he could only assume he had been taken back to camp.He just kept staring at the blushing sky,wondering how long he had been out.

When he heard a mixture of light and heavy footsteps,he immediately closed his eyes again and feigned sleeping.The footsteps got closer,until he heard a sigh that was undeniably Broken.

He felt the sad,pitying eyes on him as Broken asked,"Do you think he'll wake up?"

Then a gruff voice that could only be Stubborn,let a huff of laughter out as he said,"Of course he will. He'd crawl out of hell if it meant getting his way with us.He'll be awake in no time."

A long pause.Then,Broken quietly pointed out,"It's been a whole day."

He heard Stubborn sigh,then said,"Yeah,but he'll pull through,I know it.C'mon,let's go."

He heard nothing else as they walked away,and Opportunist waited a whole five minutes before opening his eyes,sighing tiredly.

A whole day?He'd been out that long,and they hadn't thought to get rid of him?Maybe they just didn't want his dirty blood on their conscience.Yeah that made more sense for why they had kept him alive.

He was aware that his mind was-more messy than it usually was.Dark thoughts that Opportunist usually buried deep behind his fake smiles, were now freely bouncing around in his head,and he simply didn't have the mental energy to push them away right now,which was a problem.

It was a problem because it meant he couldn't successfully use his mask in this state.

He can't believe that he's in this position because he decided to protect Hero and Paranoid.Why did he think that would be a good idea?How would that give him an advantage?Sure,it made him look good,but he certainly didn't feel good right now.

The only thing he knew was that he remembered that monster slipping past them and rushing straight for the two of them.

All Opportunist knew in that moment was the cold horror that took over him,and his body moved before his mind realised what he was doing.All he knew was that he had to protect his flock.

He slowly sat up,quietly hissing to himself in pain. He could feel something on the back of his head, and his back ached as well.He had to take a few minutes to let the pain finish drumming through his body,before he was able to think coherently again.

Everything seemed relatively okay now,so that must meant that Hero and Paranoid were alive and well.Which was great!The whole flock's back together,just like how Paranoid wanted.The goal that the two of them had set out to do was completed. All the fragments had been put back together.

But now it was time for Opportunist to leave the picture.

The minuscule act of twisting his body around alone was enough to send waves of pain through him,but he kept going.

There's no-point in Opportunist sticking around anymore,and the others would see that soon enough.They would realise that Opportunist had no place in their lives anymore,and would be desperate to kick the backstabber out,so he might as well just show himself out while he still had some dignity left.

He tried standing up,but that proved to be too much right now,and he ended up clutching his head in dizzy pain.But the urge to leave only grew stronger,a desperate panic that was building up inside of him.

He needed to leave.He's done his job,and now they have no use for him anymore.What was the point of someone like him without a purpose?Back with Him,although the others may not have liked him, they could at least understand that he was needed in that situation,just a voice in someone's head.

But now they were free,with their own confusing bodies and feelings,so they could do whatever they wanted,whether that was stick together or go their separate ways.

The thing was,though-that Opportunist didn't belong in one of those options.There was no use for an opportunist when your life wasn't in danger,or when everyone's reunited and happy.Why would there be?All that you're left with is someone that you know will betray you if it meant that they got a better hand.

There wasn't a need for Opportunist when all the others want is a peaceful life,so he had no choice but to leave.His flock could finally be happy without him,because they could never trust a self-serving backstabber like him.

Getting to his feet was clearly too hard right now,so he settled for shifting to his knees,which still had his head banging,but he managed to go through with the action.

He sat there,waiting for his head to stop spinning, so he didn't hear the rustling of leaves,until he saw Hunted standing right in front of him,crouched to be face-to-face.

"You need to rest,"Hunted softly insisted,but Opportunist just waved him away and replied,"I'm fine,Hunted.Just give me a few minutes and I'll be up and ready to go."

Hunted shook his head,missing the true meaning in Opportunist's words,and said,"No,you need to rest. You have a concussion."

"Oh,is that what happened?"

"Yes.You were bleeding as well,but that's stopped now."

"How?"

Opportunist couldn't do anything to stop Hunted from gently reaching for the back of his head and softly touching it.Opportunist winced,and Hunted explained,"The forest has herbs that heal,that can be used as medicine.I found some,stopped the bleeding,used leaves to protect your skull."

So that was what he was feeling against his head. He scrunched his face up in discomfort as Hunted carefully peeled the leaves off his head,and he dreaded to think about the mess his feathers were in now.

Hunted studied him with a cautious eye."You should go back to sleep.I can watch over you." Opportunist grimaced and made a noise of complaint at the suggestion,missing the surprised look on Hunted.

He placed his palms firmly on the ground as he said,"Thanks,but no thanks.I won't take up much more of your time."He made another attempt at standing,but this one was stopped by Hunted gently grabbing his wrists."What are you doing?"

Opportunist just gave him a pointed look."I'm trying to leave."Instantly,Hunted's eyes went wide with panic,feathers puffing up in alarm not unlike Paranoid.He shook his head firmly."No.You need to stay. You're not well enough,and safer with us."

Opportunist rolled his eyes,which only worsened his pain,then quietly said,"It's fine,Hunty.I know when I'm not needed.I'll be out of all your feathers now."He managed to rip his hands out of Hunted's grasp,but that may have been due to the other bird's shock.

Everything was getting too honest for his liking,so without waiting another moment,he shot to his feet,groaning low as he swayed and struggled to keep his balance.Hunted made a sound of concerned surprise,standing up as well and reaching his arms out to catch him.

But Opportunist could stand on his own two feet. He's used to doing a lot of things by himself,and this time would be no different,no matter how much he appreciated Hunted fretting over him.It didn't matter.Hunted doesn't want somebody like him.

"Stop-sit down,"Hunted urged,but Opportunist didn't even give him a shining smile as he said, "Don't worry about it.You'll all be glad to get rid of me,I just know it."in a tired,empty voice.

Hunted valued survival.So did Opportunist.It's what made them great counterparts.But the only way for Hunted and the others to feel safe,was to get rid of the annoyance that nobody wanted anymore.

Opportunist could respect that,admire that even. He tried to show that to the other,that he was completely fine and put together and not falling apart.But when he looked at Hunted,his voice was quiet yet brimming with too raw emotions,and he found that he couldn't look Hunted in the eyes as he whispered,"I know you all hate me,so just let me leave in peace."

Hunted stared at him in shock.

That-That shouldn't of come out.

This fucking concussion was ruining everything.

He stared at Hunted,knowing that he should smile at him,should say or do something to show that he was confident and in control of everything-but he just wasn't right now.

Hunted continued to stare at him,and then he quietly said,"You need water.Stay here,"and then he ran off.

Yeah,like he was staying for that long.

He sighed,trying his hardest to keep his balance as he put one foot in front of the other.The pain beat against his skull without mercy,or even a break,and all Opportunist wanted was to lie down and never get back up again.

But what he really needed to do is leave,before the mask slipped off.

He took another shaky step forward,irritation in his veins at how easily his composure had broken,at how he was struggling to keep up his facade and keep his emotions hidden from everyone else.

It's usually a skill he prided himself on-being able to sense where the power was and latch onto it,his own feelings discarded.It never used to bother him, because he believed that the voices in power could protect Him,even when he knew the whole shitshow was a cycle.

It didn't matter to him how fucked up everything was.He'd play the game,and he'd win,and he would use every ruthless trick to get his way,and they had all been none the wiser.Even now,before his injury. Everyone kept trying go figure out his next trick.

Another step forward.

But all those accusations and suspicions would do them no good in this environment.This wasn't a game to win,this was just reality for them now.

He can't be useful to them anymore.They don't want him around anymore,even if the thought of him leaving them made him want to sob.But he knows better than anyone that you do what you have to do to survive,and Opportunist was no longer necessary to the flock,so it was time to go.

Say what you will about Opportunist,but he truly, deeply loved his flock,and he did everything he could to keep the Long Quiet safe.

Safety.He's only ever wanted to feel safe.Whether that be by deception,manipulation or sucking up to the one with the most power.All he ever wanted was to feel safe.

He's not,but at least they are,and that's good enough for him.

He tried to take another step forward-

"There he is."That was Hunted's voice,and he froze, slowly twisting to look over his shoulder,and any hope of clinging to a mask faded away,as Paranoid stood there,pure rage and grief on his face.

Their eyes locked,and Opportunist's knees buckled as Paranoid screamed,"Did you actually fucking think that we'd let you leave?!"

The sound went straight to his head,and turning to face them only made it worse,and it seemed like he merely blinked,and then Paranoid crashed into his arms,sending them to the ground as he hugged him with a deathly desperation.

Opportunist groaned in pain at the movement,but his body still betrayed him and melted into the hug, sagging in relief as he rested his head in the crook of Paranoid's neck.

Hunted silently came forward,only coming close enough to make sure that his head was okay,still giving the two of them space.

He immediately felt Paranoid breathing pick up,but before Opportunist could say anything to calm him down,he burst into tears,squeezing Opportunist tighter as if afraid he'd disappear.

"You fucking asshole,"Paranoid snapped at him, "Why are you trying to leave?"Opportunist tried to come up with any lie to tell him,but his brain had definitely turned to mush at this point,and he shrugged and said,"Thought it was best for you."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have to put up with me anymore.You don't need me anymore."He felt Paranoid's hands clutch him tighter,then he said in a low and soft voice,"You think we want you to leave?"

"Don't you?"He pressed his face closer to Paranoid's neck,his mind overwhelmed with too many different sensations,all demanding to be felt at the same time-pain,warmth,exhaustion, lonliness-they were all spinning around in his head.

"Thought you all didn't trust me,"he mumbled,and he felt the way Paranoid stiffened against him."It's fine if you don't-said so yourself,remember?"He giggled,as if he was the big joke here.He patted Paranoid's back."You got the flock back,Paranoid. You don't need a dirty liar like me anymore."

They sat in silence for what felt like hours to Opportunist's spinning head,but it was probably only a few minutes.He saw Hunted backing away, before he took off,leaving them truly alone now.

Paranoid sighed,and then gently leaned back to look him in the eyes.He was glaring at him,but for some reason,it didn't have its usual heat that Opportunist was so used to.

He narrowed his eyes at him,then said,"You told me that you liked being part of a flock.Was that just a lie?"Opportunist shook his head,then winced at the pain it brought him.He tried to ignore Paranoid's concerned face as he replied,"No-wasn't lying then. But let's face it,none of you trust me,and you don't need me anymore.I've done my job-I got us to our goal.Now I can leave you all alone."

He saw anger flicker in Paranoid's eyes."You think I care about how good of a job you do?You think I'd never want to see you again,after all we've done to find everyone,to trust each other?"

"Don't you?"he whispered,and Paranoid's feathers bristled as he went,"No,actually.Because there was this little birdie that said that we'd make a good team,and then I actually started to believe it,and I really liked you having my back,but then you got hit and I thought you were dead-"

Paranoid's rant was paused as he broke into quiet sobs that broke Opportunist's heart,at the fact that he was getting so worked up over him leaving.Why?Why would he care about him so much?

He never got an answer,because when Paranoid's crying turned to sniffling,was when Hero arrived, accompanied by Hunted.

He gave Opportunist a soft smile,and even though he could still see the sadness in Hero's eyes,the smile still sent a wave of warmth and relief through him,as if his body could finally accept that things could be okay now.

"Hunted said you were awake,"Hero said,then sat down next to them,his eyes only on Opportunist. "How are you feeling?"

"Feeling a lot,"he mumbled,and Hero chuckled.It was the truth,and it felt weird to be honest,to talk to their leader without a mask on.Hero glanced at Paranoid,who was silent,his head bowed low and staring at Opportunist's chest with an unreadable expression.

"I wanted to say thank you,"Hero's words brought him back to reality,and Opportunist looked back at Hero,going,"For what?Saving you?"he waved his hand in the air casually as he said,"Don't mention it,we all would've done it to save you-"

"No,I mean-thank you for bringing the flock back together."

Opportunist froze,and he felt Paranoid rub a hand up and down in arm in comfort.

Hero gave him a sad smile."Thank you for thinking about them and making sure everyone was safe." Hero chuckled,but it sounded hollow."Usually I'm the one taking care of all of you,but I...haven't been having the best time,if I'm honest."

For a split second,Hero's smile cracked,and Opportunist saw the pure heartbreak in his eyes, and then it was gone again,replaced with that kind smile.It hadn't occurred to Opportunist that their Hero would have a mask of his own.It made Opportunist focus a little bit more on him.

"I'm sorry-for what I tried to do."

"You don't have to apologise,"Paranoid softly said, as if they've had this conversation over and over again.Hero sighed,and his eyes shone with unshed tears.

"I know,I know.It's just-everything's kinda messed up,isn't it?"he said,and Opportunist could do nothing but nod."It's like-He's gone-"and Hero's voice cracked,"-and we're just left like this.We both got our freedom,but none of us know what to do with it.We all handled it in different ways."

They really did.Smitten and Skeptic wanted to get back to the Decider.Stubborn just wanted to fight something.Hero attempted to open a cabin for some unfathomable reason.

They were all just trying to fill the hole the Long Quiet left.

Hero reached forward and took his hand."It's hard," he whispered,"but I'm glad that you two found each other and found our flock.You made everyone feel a little less lost,and I don't think you understand how much everyone appreciated that."

Hero gave no warning as he leaned forward and pulled him into a soft hug,and Opportunist sighed at how safe he suddenly felt now.

"No one hates you,Oppy."He wanted to be surprised at his nickname being used,but he just said, "Really?"

"Yes.You were frustrating sometimes,but I could never hate you.Besides,I know it was all for Him.I know you loved Him in your own way,same that we all did."Hero gave him a light squeeze,and his breath hitched,and he felt Hero rub his back and Hunted preen the feathers on his head and it was all just too much love that he didn't deserve.

But then he locked eyes with Jitters and the other bird gave him a soft yet stern look."You were born into this flock.It's gonna take more than masks to get out of it."

Then,Opportunist smiled-a small,unsure smile,but one that Jitters relaxed at nonetheless.

"Hey,he's awake!"

Opportunist jumped in surprise,and Hero thankfully released him from the hug,giving him a comforting smile,as all the others walked up.

Skeptic crouched in front of them,giving Opportunist a critical once over,Smitten hovering behind his back."How's your head?"Skeptic asked, and Opportunist tiredly replied,"Sore,"and was honestly getting sick of the dizzy pain at this point.

Smitten gave him a sympathetic look."Maybe some food and water will ease your mind."

"Then rest,"Hunted insisted,and Opportunist nodded,as Jitters answered for him,"He will.I'll make sure of it."

Cheated stepped to the side and tried to look at the back of his head,to which Hunted blocked instantly. "I'm surprised you're even able to see straight.You were sent flying into that rock."

Opportunist shrugged,then said,"I'm just as surprised as you.I guess I'm just a lucky bird."and then he gave Cheated a pointed look.

Cheated's feathers puffed up in annoyance and he snapped,"Oh,fuck off."but he was still smiling.

From his left,Jitters let a noise of surprise out,and when he twisted around,he found Contrarian next to them,lying on the ground and resting his chin in his palms,kicking his feet up and down.

The look in his eyes meant nothing but trouble as he said,"Hey,guess what?"

"What?"

"I thought of more puns."

Immediately,Opportunist's wings raised as a barricade between him and Contrarian as he hissed,"Is that a fucking threat?"

Contrarian only grinned wider and said,"Maybe next time you should get something that con-cussion your fall."

Opportunist burst out laughing.

He tried to cover his mouth as he laughed in front of everyone with no mask,no facade-just him being Oppy.

But his hand froze as he heard both Hero and Jitters join in,and although his face burnt,he forced himself to be himself in front of everyone,and everyone was just smiling at them.

Still,he lowered his head,until he subtly took Jitters' hand,squeezing it once.As a thank you,as an apology,as pure gratitude,for just liking what he saw in Opportunist.

He saw the way Jitters' smile got that tiny bit more softer-because of him-and he knew that everything would be okay.

The Long Quiet may be gone,but they all have each other,and being around his flock that he loved so much, was the only choice that mattered to him now-and that was the one thing about him that had been real from the start.

[teddybeartoji]

i have discovered something god awful abt myself and i can't even talk about it because it's too embarrassing and it's making me feel way too vulnerableahsdhgsaghdags there are literally only two characters who could break me like that aaanddd i hateeee ittttjhashgdaghghasgda