#affordable signs and banners

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[banner123]

Personalised Kids Theme Party Welcome Sign.

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[jeyneofpoole]

acok dash simulator

🐺 winterscumming

i’m sorry but the lannisters licherally can’t expect us to just ignore what they did to our liege lord lmao???? sitting up there on that jank throne like i won’t answer the summons as soon as lord starks’ kid calls the banners goddddds the blonde hair makes those cunts stupid. also the incest probably. what is the north known for again??? forgetting??? that’s what i thought…….

🦁 gains-of-castamere

typical northern scum lmao. bring up the ‘incest’ allegations all you want but nobody’s ever allowed to mention stark’s actual bastard as if it’s just, like, fine????? we’ll see who’s laughing when king joffrey seizes your lands and holdfasts ig

🧜‍♂️ womanderly

cersei lannister isn’t gonna fuck you bro

⛓️ iron-pryce

you will never fucking guess what i saw lady asha and lord greyjoy’s other kid doing on the docks today ohhhhhhhh my god

🍑 rainbowhard

LORAS TYRELL BESTED BY A WENCH THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFEEEEE

🦄 renlybrocade

she should’ve killed him the realm can afford to lose one twink

❤️‍🔥 rhollor-wifee

the comet is a sign of his coming

🦊 flor-aunt-it

me and the comet are making out sloppy style

❤️‍🔥 rhollor-wifee

you will burn

⬛️ dontcallmecrow

not my ass going on the great ranging lmao i should’ve deserted 🙏😭

🐻 lordcommandr

Report to command tent. Immediately.

⬛️ dontcallmecrow

oh my god

🛶 c-bitch

they really expect me to follow this metrosexual into battle. ok. gold price looking nepo baby cunt he fucking shot todric and i’m just supposed to steal a castle with him. ok!!!!!! i miss asha……..

🩸 reek

heyyyyyyy i’m in the dungeon fornormal reasons does someone wannacome say hi?

🦑 princee-of-winterfell

ok lol

🐉 that-one-loyalist

i swear to fucking god i just saw daenerys targaryen burn down the house of the undying????? queen???? hello???

🐴 in-the-whoarde

likely place for her to be

⚓️ sonsshine

i love my dad i love boats this is great we’re going to blackwater next i’m sure our victory will be righteous in the eyes of our lord

⚓️ sonsshine

⛵️💥💥💥☠️🟩🟩🌊🌊⛓️🔥🔥🔥⛵️⛵️🟩🟩🌊⛵️🔥🔥🔥🔥💥💥⛓️⛓️⛓️👨‍👦‍👦☠️☠️ ⛵️💥💥💥☠️🟩🟩🌊🌊⛓️🔥🔥🔥⛵️⛵️🟩🟩🌊⛵️🔥🔥🔥🔥💥💥⛓️⛓️⛓️👨‍👦‍👦☠️☠️

[fatehbaz]

front page news for years now, "the homelessness crisis", newspaper printing letters to the editor from homeowners fretting about the "freeloaders" and how "dirty" homeless people are, the city progressively worsening their cracking down with ordinances. biggest issue in the city. apartments $675 in 2015 though unchanged go for $1500 in 2024. few months ago, significant new ordinance further criminalizing visible homelessness and banning people from parks and trails. multiple "community groups" now that hold events and pool money for advocacy, except they're not raising money to help poor people, they're raising money to pay for ads and banners and posters to say "keep them out of our neighborhood". imagine: in their free time, they go out of their way to attend potlucks, to get together, to talk about how much they don't like homeless people. it's that much of a priority in their lives. the place is reputed as by far "the most progressive city in the region". huge "enlightened (white) liberal" identity thing. many nonprofits.

this week, biking to work through middle class single-family neighborhood full of municipal employees. recoil and frown when i see the first yard sign: "no camping in parks! protect our children! protect our neighborhood!" but encounter more. many more. practically every other yard has the sign. these are administrators, plumbers, public school teachers, receptionists. people you interact with on a daily basis, who often have power over your well-being, who you hope would have your back, and these are the feelings and beliefs they are harboring.

very next morning. the big front page newspaper headline was the city announcing new contract, massive budget and payment to "private security force" to supervise several neighborhoods. giving them the power to issue warnings under city's new ordinances. (this is not the first year the city has paid mercenaries either. they've been doing it for about 5 years. they stand on street corners, tackle and remove "uncooperative" people from shelter vicinity, flaunting armor and weapons, glaring at passersby.) newspaper explains that someone on city council did try to add an amendment. they proposed that maybe the private security force (1) should not carry firearms, and (2) should at least wear body cameras if they were going to be a private company, interacting with the public, with the legal power to issue warnings. but nope. amendment rejected by 7 of the 9 councilors. the private contractors will carry guns and will not wear body cameras.

"most progressive city in the region" full of nonprofit careerists and liberal civil servant types cannot afford to put beds in shelters. cannot afford better social services. but they can apparently afford to pay massive sums to armed mercenaries. they will act with haste to introduce criminalizing ordinances. they will go out of their way even in their free time to rally and shout about keeping "dirty" people away from "our parks!"

[gigabyte-flare]

Hybrid

(A Gigabyte Flare One Shot)

Summary: The year is 2123. The latest craze to hit the market are Hybrids, humans genetically engineered to have animalistic traits, born and raised to be the perfect companion. Your mom convinces you to get one since you live alone in a big city, however you get way more than you bargained for

Word Count: 3.8k

Pairing: puppy!Leon Kennedy x fem!reader (afab)

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Actions depicted in this story are not condoned in real life. You are responsible for your own content consumption. If any of the following warnings trigger you, please read at your own risk. Minors do not interact, this story is 18+ only.

Warnings: Pet play, dubcon, oral (f receiving), somnophilia, sex [p in v], mommy kink, breeding kink

A/N: Finally hopping on the puppy!Leon band wagon! Huge shoutout to @nexysworld for creating the adorable puppy!Leon for this fic's banner and for her and @elfven-blog for enabling me to write a puppy!Leon fic. Also lightly inspired by the puppy!Leon POV series by Nekrophil/ABP0RNS on Twitter (go check them out, their artwork is *chef's kiss*) Enjoy!

“Hybrids, the latest craze in New Los Angeles for human companionship. Humans spliced with animal DNA and raised to be your best friend! Hybrids are the perfect addition to any household! Adopt your Hybrid today at your nearest--”

You abruptly change the channel, sitting in a living room with your mom at her condo.

“Those things freak me the fuck out…” you say, mindlessly scrolling through channels.

“Hybrids? Aw, really? I think they’re cute!”

You turn to your mom, giving her a disgusted look, “really? You don’t see anything wrong with those things?”

She shakes her head, “no worse than the cyber augmentations people get, sweetie”

You watch your mom ponder for a moment, her eyes suddenly widening, “you should get one!”

“What-- Mom, no!”

“You’re in that apartment all away across town all by yourself, it’ll be good for you!”

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

How you got dragged out to adopt a Hybrid is beyond you. Your mom somehow convinced you to at least go and look at what they have available for adoption. You lean your head against the passenger window and watch the sights of the city. You mindlessly listen to your mom rattle on about how excited she is to look at the Hybrids and you picking out one, which finally draws your attention.

“Whoa hold on, Mom, I never said I was buying one! I just said I would look, that’s all!” you draw your attention back out the passenger window, “besides, I can’t afford one, you know that. I’d never have enough credits in my lifetime for something like that.”

“Hun, I’m going to help you with that, don’t worry. This is for your wellbeing, after all!”

“Great…”

The large neon sign proclaiming that it was the location of a Hybrid adoption center made your stomach sink. Your mom pulls the car into the parking lot, getting out and practically dragging you out of the passenger’s side to go into the building. The reception area is a blinding white, a stark contrast to the neon grunge of the city outside. The woman behind the desk greets both of you both with a smile.

“Welcome to the Hybrid adoption center! How can I help you ladies today?”

Your mom grasps you by your shoulders, pushing you forward, “my daughter wants to see the Hybrids available for adoption today!”

“Oh that’s fantastic!” the receptionist says, her smile still plastered on her face, “what kind of Hybrid are you looking for?”

You look at the receptionist with a confused look, “what do you mean what kind?”

“Well, we have different kinds that are spliced with different animals! However, our dog and cat Hybrids are our most popular, would you like to start with one of those?”

You look at your mom for a moment before shifting your attention back to the receptionist, “um… I guess the dog ones…?”

“Great choice! Now then, I’ll notify our active adoption coordinator and have her come out to take you to see what we have for dog Hybrids, have a seat!”

You and your mom take a seat in the waiting area. You lean forward, fiddling with your fingers as you both wait. Your mom was more excited to see the Hybrids than anyone. You just wanted to please your Mom and move on. You had no intention of adopting a Hybrid. The sound of a door sliding open makes you jump as a woman with a clipboard comes out to you and your Mom.

“Are you the two ladies here to see our dog Hybrids?” she asks enthusiastically.

“Yes we are!” your mom immediately answers, practically jumping out of her seat. 

The woman motions for you both to follow her, you do so reluctantly. She leads you down a set of pure white corridors before coming upon another door that slides open. Both sides of the room were lined what you could only describe as cells and you see them, the Hybrids. You expected to hear barking for some reason, but that’s not the case here. They all are saying hello and grabbing the bars that keep them in their cells. 

“They can talk…?” I ask.

“Yes! Hybrids are perfectly capable of human speech! Did you have something in particular in mind for a dog Hybrid?”

“You should get a male--” Mom interjects.

“Mom!”

The coordinator just laughs, “we have plenty of males to choose from, let’s take a look!”

The first thing you notice is all of them are naked, making this whole situation even more awkward. Hybrids were quite literally people with animal parts grafted onto them; it was quite unsettling to you.

“How is this even ethical?” you whisper to your Mom.

“Stop it!” your Mom scolds you. 

Most of the Hybrids were much too… eager and hyper for you, making you a little uncomfortable. It wasn’t until you got to one of the last cells when a Hybrid actually caught your attention. He, of course, was nude like the rest, but he wasn’t jumping all over the place trying to get your attention. He was laying on his back, looking up at the ceiling. He had blonde hair and blue eyes and, admittedly, he was quite gorgeous; you were bummed he was a Hybrid and not a human. He finally notices you, rolling over and smiling as he grasps the bars on his cell.

His voice is gentle, “hi there! I’m Leon!” his matching blonde tail wagging back and forth. 

Something you hadn’t noticed before was that all the Hybrids had two sets of ears, their human ears and their animal ears, “do they all have two sets of ears?” you ask.

“So their animal ears aren’t actually ears, they’re simply appendages meant for cosmetics. Their human looking ears are their actual ears.” the coordinator replies, “this is Leon, he just turned 21; he’s a very calm boy, very loyal and friendly, but protective, too.”

“Oh sweetie he’s perfect for you! Look at him! He’s adorable!” your mom exclaims before speaking to the coordinator, “she lives in an apartment all by herself.”

“Oh! Leon would be perfect for you! What do you say?”

Your gaze shifts to Leon, his pretty blue eyes practically pleading at you, his tail still wagging. 

You let out a heavy sigh, you can’t believe you’re actually doing this, “I’ll take him.”

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

The next few days were a blur, consisting of filling out paperwork and buying things Leon would need for when he comes home. Thankfully Hybrids eat the same things humans do, so you just have to make sure you buy for two instead of just for yourself. The day came for Leon to come home to your apartment and your first order of business was getting clothes on him, having him naked all the time was just way too weird. That was proving harder than you anticipated. 

“No! It’s itchy!” Leon whines, kicking off the pants and underwear you had put on him for the fifth time before curling up on the floor.

At that point you conceded defeat, you were just going to have to deal with him being naked for now. You guessed it made sense, he’s probably been naked his entire life. You watch him as he plays with a rubber bone you had bought him, immediately noticing his canine teeth were much sharper than a normal human’s would be. You look over in the corner where you had a large crate set up, it was actually at the coordinators recommendation that you get a crate for him even though the idea of putting him in it made you really uncomfortable. You’d hope you wouldn’t have to use it.

Your attention returns to Leon, who’s still playing with his bone happily, sporting this new collar you got him. It was a blue leather collar to match his eyes and had a bone shaped tag that had his name on the front and your contact info on the back.

“Leon,” you suddenly call to him, holding your hand out, “wanna play fetch?”

Leon immediately perks up onto his haunches before crawling over to you with the toy in his mouth.

You tried your damned hardest not to focus on his very large dick, even flaccid it was quite large. Again, you curse that he’s not a human internally. He drops the toy from his mouth into your hand and you reach out, giving him a scratch behind one of his dog ears. His cheeks turn red, leaning his head into your touch. 

“Aren’t you a sweet boy…” you say before tossing the toy gently. 

Leon chases after the toy, picking it up in his mouth and bringing it back over to you for you to throw again. You do this a few more times before Leon decides he’s had enough, he climbs up onto the couch next to you, laying his head in your lap as he stretches out across the rest of the couch, his tail making a rhythmic thumping sound as he wags his tail. You run your fingers through his hair, looking down at him.

His blue eyes look up at you and he smiles, “I love you, Mommy!”

You feel your breath hitch at his words, but you quickly recover and smile back, “love you too, Leon.”

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

“Leon, get back here right now!” 

You never thought you’d be starting your day chasing Leon around the living room with a pair of boxers in your hands.

“Leon, come on! My best friend is coming over and I can’t have you running around naked, at least wear these boxers for god’s sake! I even cut a hole in the back for your tail, just get over here so I can put them on!”

“No! It itches!” Leon protests, somehow managing to stay one step ahead of you as he darts around the living room on all fours.

After a while, you manage to corner him on the couch, quickly slipping on the boxers, making sure to pull his tail through the makeshift hole you had made. He starts to pull them off when you scold him.

“Leon, no! Do you want to go in the crate?”

Leon stops, pulling the boxers back up and giving you the most pathetic puppy eyes, “no, Mommy…”

“Then they stay on at least until my best friend leaves, ok?”

Leon nods, climbing off the couch, grabbing his rubber bone before climbing back onto the couch to chew on it. 

“Thank you… good boy…” you say before you work on cleaning up your apartment for your best friend to arrive. 

About a half hour goes by when you hear your phone go off, a notification displaying that there is someone at the door. With a couple of taps on your phone, your best friend’s face appears on the screen.

“Hey there, I’m here!” she says, giving you a big smile.

“Hang on Hailey, I’ll be right there!”

You go up to your apartment door, push a few buttons on the key panel next to the door and the door slides open. Hailey, your best friend since you were kids, comes in and gives you a hug.

“It’s been too long! What is it that you wanted to show me?” Hailey asks. 

You motion for Hailey to follow you into the living room, where you find Leon still contently chewing on his bone, the boxers thankfully still on.

“Is… is that one of those Hybrids?!” the shock is evident in Hailey’s voice.

“Y-Yeah… mom convinced me to get him; his name is--”

“Hi there!” Leon sits up, his tail wagging in full circles as he looks to your friend, “I’m Leon!”

Hailey leans over to whisper into your ear, “are all Hybrids that hot?”

You elbow her, “shut up! It’s hard enough to deal with as it is without you mentioning it!”

Leon looks between the two of you, cocking his head in confusion, his tail still wagging, now hitting against the couch. 

“Listen, I’m pretty sure most people fuck their Hybrids, like, look at him, how could you not?”

“Hailey, no! That’s fucking weird.”

“You’re telling me that you haven’t at least thought about it?”

“We’re not talking about this, not in front of Leon.”

Leon, meanwhile, has returned his attention to his rubber bone, chewing it aggressively when he suddenly picks up an unusual scent, one he’s never smelled before. He stops chewing, flaring his nostrils as he sniffs the air. Whatever it was, it smells sweet, almost like a wildflower. He quickly realizes that it’s you that smells like this, even though it was so faint. He wanted to get up and stuff his nose into you to take in more of this sweet smell, however, he knew he’d get in trouble, especially with your friend being here. To his dismay, you and your friend went back into the kitchen to hang out, bringing that irresistible smell with you.

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

In the dead of night, Leon is restless, tossing and turning in his plush bed that sat at the foot of your bed. The smell from the other day has only become stronger over time and it was getting to Leon’s head. The smell was making his cock hard, something he hadn’t really experienced until now. It is almost painful; just him simply running his fingers along his cock made him flinch. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore, he sat up, carefully climbing onto your bed. You were laying on your back, sound asleep with your legs spread open.

Leon gently crawls his way between your legs, the intoxicating smell emanating from the spot between your legs; he notices a dark spot on your panties. Gently, he presses his nose against the wet spot, inhaling deeply as his tail wags back and forth.

That’s it… that’s where that smell is coming from…

He glances up at you, you’re still sound asleep. He gently hooks a finger on your underwear, pulling them aside to reveal your glistening cunt to him; it practically makes him salivate. He hesitantly runs his tongue over your slit, his eyes fluttering closed as he savors the taste of you. You suddenly stir, your hips shifting slightly as a soft moan comes out of you. Your eyes flutter open and you look down to find, to your horror, Leon between your legs, eating you out. 

You blink a few times before shouting, “LEON!”

Taking his mouth off of you, Leon’s eyes widen as he pushes himself off the bed, letting out a soft whimper as you sit up and cover yourself with your blanket. 

“In your crate!” you point to the bedroom door, your face beet red, “now!”

“Mommy… I’m sorry… I just--”

“GET. OUT!”

Leon’s puppy ears droop and his tail tucks itself between his legs as he crawls out into the living room. You follow behind him, making sure he puts himself in his crate before shutting the crate door behind him. Looking up and whining at you, his fingers grip the bars of the crate as he stares up at you, pleading to you with his blue eyes. Unfortunately, you simply shake your head at him and walk back into the bedroom, shutting the door behind you. Leon feels tears well up in his eyes as he grips the bars on the crate. 

What did he do wrong? He was only doing what his instincts told him to do, why was that bad? Releasing his grip on the crate bars, he makes himself as comfortable as he possibly can in his situation, crying himself to sleep, your sweet scent still lingering in the air.

 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

You didn’t sleep a wink the rest of the night, between the sounds of Leon’s cries echoing through your bedroom door to just the thought of waking up to Leon eating you out disturbed you to your core. You finally get yourself out of bed, throwing on your pajama bottoms before walking out of your bedroom. You find Leon awake in his crate, his eyes red and puffy from crying all night. Upon seeing you, he immediately sits up, gripping the crate bars, his tail wagging so hard it was a blonde blur. Against your better judgment, you walk up to the crate, unlocking it to let him out. 

As soon as you open the crate door, Leon bolts out, wrapping his arms around your legs, holding you tight. The fact that he buries his nose into you and deeply inhales doesn’t go unnoticed by you. 

“Thank you for letting me out, Mommy! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ll be a good boy, I swear!”

You pry his arms off you and push him away, “Just… just go play with your toys Leon…” you say before walking into the kitchen to make yourself coffee and breakfast. 

Once you have your coffee and breakfast, you practically collapse at the small dining table, rubbing your face with your hands. What are you going to do? You could start crating him at night, but something about that didn’t sit right with you. Suddenly, you feel something rest on your lap and the sound of something thumping against the floor. You move your hands away from your face to find Leon’s head resting in your lap, his tail wagging against the floor.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?” he asks, his blue eyes looking up at you, his puppy ears erect and alert. 

“Nothing, Leon…” you say with a sigh, “you must be hungry. I’ll make you something to eat…”

You get up from the table and over to the stove where you make him some eggs and bacon. Once finished, you put them on a plate and set it on the floor in front of him and watch as he scarfs it down. You sit back down at the table and slowly pick away at your breakfast and take sips out of your coffee mug. You feel Leon rest his head onto your lap again. You look back down, finding him looking up at you longingly, his tail wagging insistently. 

“What is it, Leon?” you ask, leaning back in your chair.

Leon doesn’t say a word, however, as he climbs up until he’s face to face with you, staring directly into your eyes, his tail still wagging. He lets out a soft whimper as he grinds his hips into the side of your thigh. You happen to glance down, greeted with his painfully hard member rubbing against you. Looking back up at him, Leon whimpers again, his hands softly caressing your arms.

“Leon… are you ok…?”

You watch as Leon swallows hard before he continues rutting himself against your thigh, his breath trembling.

“I need… to mate with you…” Leon finally replies, his grip on your arms tightening as he continues to grind into your thigh.

Your heart begins to race as very conflicting feelings begin to overtake you.

This is so wrong, you think to yourself.

That thought doesn’t stop you as you lean forward, giving Leon a gentle kiss on the lips, cupping his face in your hands. Leon deepens your kiss, his tongue dancing with yours before playfully biting your bottom lip. You stand up from the table, leading him back into the bedroom, shutting the door before you begin to undress. As soon as you're naked, Leon stands up on two feet, pushing you into the bed face first so that your backside is propped up. You feel yourself tremble in anticipation as you feel Leon climb onto the bed behind you. You flinch when you feel his cock caress your soaked slit, coating itself in your arousal before he pushes himself inside you. 

“Oh… Oh god--!” you cry out as Leon’s length fills you completely, pushing into your g-spot almost immediately, your fingers gripping your sheets. 

You hear Leon whimper as his hips begin to move into you. He starts out slow, but he quickly gains confidence and begins to thrust into you harder and faster, his hands gripping your hips so hard that you’re bound to have bruises later. 

“Yes… oh yes, Mommy… you feel so good…” Leon moans as he pounds into you harder, “am I a good boy…?”

“Yes…” you reply in a breathy moan as your eyes roll back into your head, “you’re such a good boy, Leon… you fuck Mommy so good…”

You feel his hands grip your hips even tighter as he pulls your body to him, thrusting into you even harder, his loud moans and whimpers filling the room along with the wet sounds of your needy cunt taking him. 

“Aaaaahhh… f-fill me up with your puppies Leon--!” you suddenly cry out, your pussy walls squeezing around his cock as he continues to thrust into you.

Leon growls in response, placing one of his hands onto your back to push you into the mattress as he fucks you relentlessly. His instincts are in overdrive, his thoughts completely overtaken by his burning desire to breed you. 

“Oh my god… you’re such a good boy, Leon!” you praise him, completely drunk off his cock, your legs trembling as you’re filled with complete ecstasy.

You suddenly feel his cock start to swell inside you and you quickly realize he is knotting. It feels surprisingly good, making you feel full. You sit up on your knees, pressing your back against his chest as he continues to thrust into you. You wrap your arms around the back of his neck, nuzzling your cheek against his as his hands find their way to the front of your body, caressing your breasts as his chin rests on your shoulder.

“I can’t wait…” Leon starts, his voice rough, “to see your belly full of my puppies.”

You repeatedly moan his name, the word fuck and good boy as he pounds his cock into you, your legs starting to feel weak as they violently tremble. Before they give way, a sudden warmth fills your pussy as he pushes himself inside you as hard and deep as he possibly can, his hands gripping both your breasts tightly as he bites into your shoulder. You let out an animalistic moan as you also cum on his cock, your greedy cunt milking his seed deep inside your womb. 

Both of you collapse onto the bed in exhaustion with his length still buried inside you, ensuring that not a single drop of his cum is wasted. His arms and legs wrap around you as his face nuzzles into the back of your neck. Your whole body is trembling, completely overwhelmed by how good Leon was for you. You reach back, running your hand through his hair and caressing one of his puppy ears, whispering softly to him that he is a good boy.

You’re going to get used to this.

[avelera]

So the two things that people point to the most as "evidence" of Jayce being egotistical don't read as egotistical to me and maybe that's because I'm egotistical??? I dunno, anyway, figured I'd offer my interpretation:

"You signed your notes, every page I might add. Eh, a little egotistical, don't you think?"

No, actually? So when I was in school, we were taught to sign our essays and homework on every page, along with numbering the pages. The reason was if they got mixed up or dropped by the teacher they could be put back in order.

I took Jayce signing his notes not as an ego response, but as an anxiety response. His research is his whole life. He was ready to kill himself if he lost his research. Signing every page isn't "Look at me, I'm so smart!" it's "If you find this, even if a single page gets torn out, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE return it to Jayce Talis!!"

Now, I do find it intriguing that Viktor thought it was egotistical, but I think that says more about Viktor finding Jayce's notes brilliant. Viktor thinks it's egotistical because he's so impressed he figures that Jayce must be signing them to show off. But Jayce never shared his research, it was a secret, so there'd be no one to show off to. It shows Viktor's infatuation with the work, not Jayce's actual ego.

Jayce's Big Progress Day Speech - I think the screenshots of Jayce that look the most damning from S1 is when he's cheering with the crowd at the end of his Progress Day speech where he fails to present their new research. This one baffles me a lot too.

I give tech speeches. A lot. Jayce gave a dorky-ass tech speech.

Like, don't get me wrong, he's a good speaker and he did a good job. But with nothing to present, he had to quickly pivot to platitudes. I felt that embarrassment in my bones. Him hyping up the crowd after was a good save, it wasn't egotistical. With nothing to present, what would Jayce have to be proud of? The reason he hypes the crowd is because he does believe what he's saying, that Piltover's future is bright. Time and again we see Jayce as Piltover's #1 fan, as a middle class boy with an education who was able to succeed in that city, he's a true believer in the city of progress, he unironically calls Piltover a city of "equality" lol. So to me that just read as him being hyped about the spirit of Progress Day and Piltover, not hyping up his own image.

Also, don't forget, the Talis hammer banner is up there with the Kiramman keys. Jayce has a sponsor. Jayce can't afford to do any of this himself. Even the box he shows the new Hexgems to Heimerdinger with has the Kiramman keys on it, because they paid for the research. Jayce isn't actually in charge here, he's just the charming, socially acceptable face of the enterprise that uses (ok, actually exploits) his and Viktor's work.

If there's other stuff people point to to say Jayce has a big ego, I'd love to see it! Because I've never gotten that impression from him and I'm curious where the image came from other that his League counterpart.

[writerblue275]

What to get each Heartsteel member for the holidays

Aphelios: 1. Stuff to decorate his studio with. 2. Moon-themed things. 3. Why do I feel like he’s similar to me and collects SOMETHING. For me it’s owl things (I fucking love owls.) and cool enamel pins! I could see Phel collecting really cool enamel pins or some sort of trinket. 4. To go with #3. A place to put said trinkets (for example a cork board/pin banner to hang pins on). [I should take a photo of my cork board that has all my pins and stuff on it so you can see what I mean!]

Ezreal: 1. Book discussing an ancient civilization he’s been interested in. 2. A book going over works of an artist/artistic period/movement he really likes. (I did that for my dad this year about an artist he likes and he almost started crying he was so excited. It was so fucking cute. I’ve been waiting to give him that book since JULY. 🥹)

Kayn: 1. Accessories for a guitar (like a custom embroidered guitar strap or picks). 2. I feel like he’d primarily play electric, but I definitely think he’d play/have an acoustic guitar. You can find some really cool wood-burned acoustic guitars for (relatively) cheap. (A good instrument is expensive (I know this from playing viola) but compared to electric guitars, acoustics are definitely more affordable.) 3. I have a fun embroidery hoop hanging on my wall and it’s all fancy and shit and it says “DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO” and I think something like that fits Kayn so perfectly. (I need to take a photo and post it for y’all. It’s one of my favorite things lmao.)

K’Sante: 1. A really fancy set of colored pencils and a really nice sketch pad that he can use for sketching out his designs. 2. A new sewing machine/sewing kit. 3. FABRIC. Get this man nice fabric so he can bring his designs to life! Especially if he’s shown you a design he really loves, or that you really love, get fabric for that specific design.

Sett: 1. Brand new fancy sewing kit he’s been talking about. (I absolutely love that he’s canonically a sewing expert. I fucking love it so much). 2. If not a full kit then a really nice seam ripper or specific tool he maybe needs an upgrade on. Could be customized to him. I think he’d love that! 3. Really nice set of pots/pans/kitchen utensils. (I’m thinking like the hex clad pans I keep hearing about.)

Sett Extra: You better get something for his mama!!! As someone who has a mother who is a knitting machine, I know exactly what to get. 1. Some really really lovely and fancy yarn. 2. Knitting pattern books that she doesn’t have. 3. A yarn bowl (it’s literally a bowl that the yarn sits in, and there’s a little hole or design that allows the end to come out so you don’t have to keep unwinding the yarn or anything. And it’s easy to keep your space neat while knitting. My mother LOVES HERS. My dad accidentally broke her first one and she was devastated! [A new/nicer one was her Christmas present from my dad last year.])

Yone: 1. Some god damn peace and quiet and sleep. This man needs a break lmao. 2. But actually, stuff to decorate his studio with (for example a funny little do not disturb sign that he can put on the door, some posters or something. 3. Maybe some small framed photos of the two of you that he can put on his desk. You’re his muse after all (and you help him not go insane during late nights.)

EXTRA-

Alune: She deserves some gifts toooooooo!! 1. This woman deserves a damn spa day. Do I even have to explain myself? Like she deserves some serious pampering. 2. Another one who I could see collecting something fun. Probably moon related lol.

[fairlyabookie]

“Death”

Author’s note: goodness me, I’m terribly late! I had no internet due to a pleasant hurricane impacting my area of town, so I did try to catch up! Enjoy!

Content warning: mention of suicidal ideation, implied deaths

To experience death was a boon Idia chased. An eternal sleep, where worries, desires and otherworldly attachments dissipate into the void.

Sleep was for the weak, unfortunately but “death” was a tempting notion. Idia saw what it could bring, a loss of one’s life, an unfathomable trauma. He never wanted to see someone die, but rather, he preferred if “death” came to him.

“What are you doing, Idia?”

A tight embrace halts Idia’s thoughts, a cheery voice belonging to one he could recognize right off the bat. The monitors before him depict a plethora of media from anime to gacha games featuring events he couldn’t afford to miss, the heavy eyebags a testament to his dedication for his medias.

“Just grinding as usual.”

He quips a little too quickly, earning a pout from [Reader].

“Ortho told me you haven't been eating properly. How long have you been grinding?”

Such a question stung Idia at his core. No way in his merch collections of his oishi did Ortho oust him like that. He had to beat the younger one in a battle royale game later.

“17 hours..”

He mutters sheepishly.

“Yep, we’re getting you to eat.”

“You’re not authorized to make me leave this seat.”

“And I have Ortho’s permission to peel you off the seat.”

That added insult to injury.

“Let me pull on this banner and my time is yours.”

The last minute negotiation seemingly worked for [Reader], a slight amused smile by their lips. Idia did a mental victory dance before consulting a monitor featuring his gacha game; in quiet ritual, he closes his eyes and clicks on the banner. A flash of light appears in the screen, following a rainbow of colors -

“I’m winning?!”

Idia hollers from the top of his lungs.

“You’re winning?!”

[Reader] gasps. The light manifests into a rainbow sheen. Idia clicks away, his anticipation piquing as his eyes flicker about for any sign of the super rarity card. A squeak escapes his lips upon a telltale sign of it.

“My luck has blessed me today.”

An elated Idia pumps a fist to the air. He takes a screenshot of his result and turns to [Reader], his arms extended in surrender.

“As promised, take me as you will.”

“Perfect.”

[Reader] grins, taking Idia by his arms, plucking out the student from his seat.

“You seriously love your games, don’t you Idia?”

“I treasure my games, thank you very much.”

[Reader] snorts.

“I’d rather die than be without them.”

Such an exaggeration brought a look from them; a comment said in jest but a bystander would be confused upon such a crass comment.

“Surely, you can balance your gaming and your social life, Mr. Shroud. Ortho and I can’t be the only ones extracting you from your gamer sessions.”

“And I assure you, that balance is bad for me. Believe me, I’m already doing it.”

[Reader] perks an eyebrow in amusement.

“You’re doing a good job with it though.. What, too much?”

“Please don’t tease me further; I can feel my mental going low.”

Idia gloomily quips, flinching upon the sunlight’s radiance.

“Why must you take me outside for this?”

Misery permeates his body, a heavy weight bearing down to his being. If he voiced his thoughts even further, [Reader] would get the gist and make Idia bear with it. Oh, how he preferred to be in his room.

“Idia, don’t be like that! If anything, you’re living life! I hope you don’t plan on being someone who stays in their room all day; you need to socialize!”

“And socializing is a hassle!”

[Reader] had to suppress the urge to retort.

“You don’t understand, [Reader]. The events don’t wait for no man and I must return to the grind.”

“The grind can wait, Idia.”

[Reader] quips gently. A warm hand lands on Idia’s cold one. Such a gentle one from [Reader] unsettled Idia. He certainly preferred if they didn’t concern themselves with him. Yet, there he was being coddled by [Reader] - perhaps this was from force of habit. In other words, Idia didn't particularly dislike it.

The pair head to the cafeteria, where they're joined by Ortho and the rest of the first years.

“Big brother! I’ve made sure to save you a meal; they also have sweets that will fulfill your nutritional carbohydrate intake!”

“You don't have to trouble yourself, Ortho.”

“I insist, Big Brother!”

A heavy weight pressed on Idia’s chest. A combination of a name calling and a look of pleading was a fatal blow to his dignity.

“Fine, I’ll eat.”

He gives in, caving in to his younger sibling’s demands. He eats his food, a fulfilling platter that, much to Ortho’s prediction, was delicious. The platter quickly emptied after a couple minutes.

“Did you enjoy the food, Big Bro?”

“It was nice, thank you..”

The older brother passes a smile to [Reader] and Ortho. A heartwarming scene unfolds before him, kind gazes directed to him, attention he didn’t mind at the moment. This profound bliss was enough for Idia, something he’d see from a dream.

A dream..

Idia’s smile lingers a little longer, almost regretful as a tear slips down his cheek.

“Sorry, you two..”

He closes his eyes, unveiling a dimly lit room. His eyes reflect off the multiple monitors showcasing screens of subjects under sedation. The youth had too much on his plate to pursue “death”, and so, he had a means to replicate it.

He averts his gaze to a slumbering [Reader] and Ortho, both in a comatose state in suspended coffins. His lips convey nothing save for a regretful smile as he returns to his work.

[melsie-sims]

Hey everyone! Okay so I'm really excited about this! ✨✨

I've been asked a few times how I make my banners, so I've decided to open up commissions in case anybody would like one in my style.

Donations only, which means there's no set price. Pay what you can afford or feel the work is worth. You can donate a dollar or ten, what I do will be the same.

All of the info you need is under the cut. I know it's a lot of info, but please read carefully before requesting! This is all very important so you know what you're signing up for!

COMMISSIONS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN! 💚💚💚

A few things to note:

This is for Sims 2 AND Sims 4 players! I don't play Sims 3 so I apologize, I won't be taking requests for that game. Let me know which game you need banners for in your Ko-Fi message so I know which set of icons to use (if you want icons).

I will try to finish the banner(s) within 3 days of your payment. I have absolutely no idea how many of you will be into this so depending on the demand, the time-frame may vary slightly. I will let you know if I need extra days!

I will be sending you png files only. You will not be getting access to the template, I hope you understand. If you don't like the end result, I'm open to making slight modifications upon request. If you ever need a different household name, a different year/rotation, color scheme, or anything like that, I will gladly do it for you free of charge, no matter how much time has gone by.

All donations should be sent to my Ko-Fi. Again, it doesn't matter if you donate a dollar or ten, I will give you a similar result! Please don't donate more expecting better!

Along with your donation, please give me a detailed message of what you need to be done, including Simblr account username, color scheme, general vibe (cottagecore, minimalistic, bright and colorful, etc), any text (and a few fonts you like), any Sims 2 or Sims 4 icons you'd like, etc. The more details you give me, the more I have to work with! If you run out of room in the Ko-Fi message just hit me up in Tumblr DM's with the rest.

Messages sent on Tumblr don't count! We can certainly discuss what you want to be done via DM on Tumblr beforehand, but I'm only going to work on the banners requested in the Ko-Fi donation message. Make sure you include your Simblr username so I know who you are!

I know a lot of my followers are also rotational players, so I will make you up to 10 banners for a single donation, that way you can have them for your multiple households! Let me know if you want different color schemes, different icons, etc.

I won't be putting any branding/watermark so it'll look nice and clean, don't worry. I would never do that to you. 💙

Now here are some examples of my work! You can reference the banner in your message if you'd like yours to look similar to that particular one. I won't be doing anything very different from these, so you know what to expect.

[affordablesignandgraphics]

Truck Sign Decals

Truck sign decals are a powerful way to connect with customers on the go. With affordable signs and graphics, you will experience simple, fast installations with excellent quality to ensure your decals last longer.

[banner123]

Customised your  Birthday Party welcome signs with Photos & custom Messages

Make your Birthday celebration unforgettable and creativity shine with our Birthday Party welcome signs. Banner house offer a great way to customize your welcome signs by adding an image, Photo, name, greeting, age, and custom text.   Our Birthday Party welcome signs are Available in a variety of designs, colors, and themes.

Banner House also makes other Birthday signs such as Welcome Signs, Kids' Party Welcome Signs,  Pull Up Banners, and Selfie Frames. Please click here for more editable Birthday Templates.

[scotianostra]

On 22nd March 1421, Scottish army. under the Earl of Buchan defeated English forces at Bauge in Anjou, France.

Not heard of it? That’s because the history we were taught in school was all anglicized, oh we did get a wee bit about the 100 year war, mainly Agincourt, because the English won that day, or possibly Crecy, another victory for them, Bauge and many other times the English were gubbed are ignored.

Ok you might be wondering why I say a Scottish army, historians all say that the majority of the troops were Scottish soldiers, aye there was a few Frenchmen fighting on “our” side, but this was very much a Scottish victory over an English army.

This all goes down as part of the Auld Alliance, which was signed in 1295 by King John Balliol and Philip IV of France. The Alliance was renewed periodically after that date and by the 1410s it was very much “in play” as Henry V of England initiated the third phase of the Hundred Years War, often known to historians as the Lancastrian War.

In 1418, it was the French Dauphin who called on his Scottish allies for assistance in his efforts to curtail Henry’s depredations after the great battle of Agincourt in 1415. It had to be the Dauphin, or Crown Prince, who sought help from Scotland because the French king, Charles VI, was already showing signs of the mental illness that would eventually see him nicknamed Charles the Mad.

The French aristocracy had split into two factions with many supporting the Duke of Burgundy in his aspirations to take the throne, while many others stayed loyal to the King and the House of Valois, known as the Armagnacs. Increasingly it was the teenaged Dauphin, the future Charles VII, who made all the major decisions for the Valois regime and, faced with the Burgundy alliance with Henry V and the surrender of many of his own forces, he sent for help from Scotland.

The complicating factor at the time was that King James I of Scotland was still a prisoner of the English, albeit that he was part of the royal household of Henry, whom he greatly admired, and he would actually fight with the English army against the French in France in 1420. In charge of Scotland was the Duke of Albany, Robert Stewart, who had become regent when James was first captured by the English in 1406 while en route to France.

There had been no large battles between the Scots and the English since the Battle of Homildon Hill, or Humbleton Hill, in 1402 won by the English, but with England preoccupied with France, Albany no doubt felt it safe to respond positively to Scotland’s oldest ally. By 1419, there was also peace of a sort along the border with England so the Scots could afford to send an army of around 6000 men including men at arms, spearman and archers to serve alongside the remaining French royal army.

Henry V’s of England’s brother, Thomas the Duke of Clarence led 10,000 men south towards the Loire. They set about besieging the castle at Bauge when the Scots were garrisoned, they made contact with them the day before Good Friday. A truce was reached, lasting until Monday, so that the combatants could properly observe the religious occasion of Easter.

The English lifted their siege and withdrew to nearby Beaufort, while the Scots camped at La Lude. However, early in the afternoon of Saturday Scottish scouts reported that the English had broken the truce and were advancing upon them hoping to take them by surprise. The Scots rallied hastily and battle was joined at a bridge which the Duke of Clarence, with banner unfurled for battle, sought to cross. A detachment of a few hundred men under Sir Robert Stewart of Ralston, reinforced by the retinue of Hugh Kennedy, held the bridge and prevented passage long enough for the Earl of Buchan to rally the rest of his army, whereupon they made a fighting retreat to the town where the English archers would be ineffective.

Both armies now joined in a bitter melee that lasted until nightfall. During this time Sir John Carmichael of Douglasdale broke his lance unhorsing the Duke of Clarence; since that day the Carmichael coat of arms displays an armoured hand holding aloft a broken lance in commemoration of the victory. Once on the ground, the Duke was killed by Sir Alexander Buchanan. The English dead included the Lord Roos, Sir John Grey and Gilbert de Umfraville, whose death directly led to the extinction of the male line of that illustrious family, well known to the Scots since the Wars of Independence. The Earl of Somerset and his brother were captured by Laurence Vernon (later elevated to the rank of knight for his conduct), the Earl of Huntingdon was captured by Sir John Sibbald, and Lord Fitz Walter was taken by Henry Cunningham.

On hearing of the Scottish victory, Pope Martin V passed comment by reiterating a common mediaeval saying, that the Scots are well-known as an antidote to the English.

[frostbitedoesart]

Gentle reminder that people soliciting in your ask box for money very well could be a scam and I recommend that each and every one of you actually MAKE SURE that the account is trustworthy before reblogging it or donating. These people put a lot of effort into trying to look real, and leech off of the good faith of the people on Tumblr in order to receive "donations."

For example, check to see how recently the account was made. This can be done by checking the dates of all their posts/reblogs. If it looks like the account was made extremely recently, and/or if all of their posts/reblogs were made in the same day, then it's probably a scam.

Most of these accounts are described as single minority parents who need insulin (Ex: "I'm a single Native American mother of two who can't afford my insulin...") and typically have a goal of a couple hundred dollars. They also always have a banner of what's SUPPOSED to look like a picture of them with their children. These accounts all follow a format, and again, it's all meant to make the account look real as possible so people don't get suspicious.

I beg of you guys, PLEASE get suspicious. PLEASE investigate these accounts and VERIFY that they're actually who they say they are, and not just TRYING to look real. There are specific signs and you guys NEED to look out for them, because these people rely on your blind trust and good intentions to share these posts around and donate to them. This is the internet, and there are truly some nasty lying bastards out there who will masquerade as ANYONE to get a quick buck.

I just really felt the need to make this post because I myself used to reblog these posts, but then I was made aware of the signs of a scam and now my heart sinks a little whenever I see someone innocently reblogging these posts thinking they're real. There's nothing wrong with wanting to believe these people, but PLEASE look for the signs so you don't get tricked. Please.

LIKES DON'T HELP, PLEASE REBLOG THIS POST

[mandosaur]

Loth Rat (Thrawn / Reader / Kallus)

Fandom: Star Wars Rebels

Pairing: Thrawn / Reader / Kallus

Summary: “Your life has changed again. The floor has fallen from under you. You are a traitor. An imperial collaborator in a planet recently freed from imperial control. The very people you were allied against now hold your life in their hands. The people of Lothal may call you a Loth cat, but you’d sooner call yourself a Loth rat.”

After having spent the last few years as a political prisoner, you are finally given a choice as to what will happen to you now that Lothal is freed.

Warnings: Dead dove; do not eat. Implied / referenced SA, Implied / referenced domestic violence, implied / referenced torture, implied / referenced imprisonment. There is nothing explicit in this work or graphic, it has all happened in the past, but be mindful.

Word Count: 7,277 Words

Estimated Reading Time: 26:28

Part one of the Loth Rat, Loth Cat, Loth Wolf series.

“Please let me in,” the plea leaves Hera’s lips quietly as she stands on your doorstep, “I need to speak to you.”

A huff leaves your lips despite yourself and you have an urge to slam the door on her face. Seeing her nose break would certainly make things better. Being able to give her just a shred of the pain she caused you would go a long way to healing the terrible injuries she and the others have inflicted on you.

However, you decide not to risk it. Hera is a rebellion general and the rebellion has won. Lothal has changed hands and the fate of you and your child are at stake. You can’t afford to anger those who wield the power.

“What are you doing here? Have you come to arrest me?” You cross your arms protectively in front of yourself and offer her your best glare. The way she looks away breaking eye contact is some solace. A small reassurance that you have some power still when the last two years have made you feel so weak.

Hera crosses inside your home and looks around. Her steps are hesitant and her eyes scan the area from place to place. You can see her cataloguing everything mentally. Running a tally of what she sees and archiving it all to memory.

You are sure a part of her is resentful at the splendor of your home. Your house is the biggest on Lothal. A wedding gift from your husband. Art from around the entire galaxy adorns the walls and a large imperial banner hangs at the entrance. It’s a far cry from the tiny little apartment you had in Alderaan when Hera met you for the first time.

“I didn’t come here to arrest you,” Hera softly calls your name, “I would never. You aren’t one of them.”

Them. An imperial.

You grit your teeth at the way she looks at you. There is pity in her eyes and a deep sinking regret. She feels bad for you. You have-had the world at your feet, yet she’s the one who feels pity.

A quiet rage forms and you scoff.

“But I am, General Syndulla,” you wave to the splendor and riches around you, “I switched sides. Don’t you remember?”

You wish you could see yourself from her eyes. Idly, you wonder what she sees when she compares who you were back then to who you are now.

When you first met Hera 4 years ago, you were a young girl from Alderaan. Your parents were friends with the Organas and you had been raised a noble. The life of nobility was stifling and your only escape came from art. Eventually Hera’s travels led her to your home planet and the two of you had struck a friendship. When she had offered to take you with her, you had agreed and joined her crew.

Eventually, when Hera had allied herself with the rebellion, you had too. Alderaan had never been too involved with the rebels openly and held some freedom in the empire-as much freedom as a tyrannical government could offer anyway, so the cause wasn’t something you had been dying to join when you signed up for her crew. Yet the suffering of the galaxy was something you wanted to change. You joined the rebellion anyway because it was the right thing to do.

You had joined her and the Ghost crew and had been a rebel. You weren’t a fighter like Zeb or Sabine, a Jedi like Kanan, or a pilot like Hera, but you had experience with politics and could negotiate. When the crew bartered for supplies or needed to make a deal, you were there to step in.

You had been a rebel back then. Had believed in the cause once upon a time. When a young Ezra Bridger had joined the crew a month or two before you were captured, it was you who had made him feel like he could make a difference. The young, compassionate girl from back then would not recognize you now.

You had changed a lot in 2 years. You were now dressed in imperial finery. The dress you wore was especially commissioned and was in a striking shade of red. The jewels at your neck were from imperial conquests and denoted your status. Everything about you was imperial.

You were no longer that little rebel from Alderaan. That girl had died during the several rounds of torture you had endured after the people you had once called friends had gotten you captured. In her place now stood an imperial collaborator, a mother, and a wife.

You wonder if Hera recognizes you now. If she could remember the girl you had once been. What did she see before her now? A friend? A regret? A traitor?

Her eyes lower to the ground and she says your name again. This time, her voice is soft.

“You aren’t one of them. I know you. I know what happened-“

“Shut up,” you hiss out. Her words have struck a deep ache in you. You don’t want her to try and apologize. Not now. Not ever.

You spin away from her and rub at your neck. Somewhere beneath all the jewels in your necklace is a thin ring of charred flesh from where the metal bars had held you steady as the empire tortured you. The one request you had always made to your husband when he bought you a gift was that he please buy you something that would cover up the memory. You always told yourself that if you couldn’t see the scar, it was like everything never happened. Yet now it burns and aches beneath the glittering gems. An ugly thing in the gilded life you have now.

Hera’s words are infuriating. They strike a spot that has never truly healed. A betrayal and an abandonment that runs so deep that you could faint if you spend too long dwelling on.

Your finger points at her face, “Don’t tell me you know what happened. No one knows.”

It’s the truth.

Everyone on Lothal has heard the story of what happened to you. You’re the conquest of the Admiral. The rebel captured and turned into the spoils of war. You’re a story mothers tell their daughters as a warning. There are even rumors of parents scarring their children to keep their beauty from leading them to your fate. You wish your mother had done that to you too. Maybe then you would have avoided this happening.

“I am-“

Hera cuts herself off. No doubt she is remembering all the terrible rumors she’s heard. Lothal has plenty.

“We tried to rescue you. I tried. I broke protocol to try and get you back, but it was impossible. They had you secured in a facility. By the time we had finally made a plan to move in, you had been moved because-“

You squeeze your eyes shut. Her words are painful reminders of those first few months in captivity.

You had been captured about 2 years ago. What should have been a routine supply drop had turned disastrous. You, Sabine, and Ezra had been left unable to flee as soldiers surrounded you. There had been no other option but for you to sacrifice yourself for them.

They were just kids. You had a few years on them. You thought you could endure a few rounds of torture and that your crew would eventually return for you and save you. You had been wrong.

What had followed for months was severe. Governor Pryce had overseen your torture herself. She had used every tool at her disposal to get you to crack. While she had succeeded in breaking you, she had failed in obtaining information. You had nothing to offer her in terms of plans or rebel troop information. In the end, she had labeled you a lost cause and suggested you be executed. Your death, she claimed, could be a deterrent to any other rebel faction on Lothal.

But you hadn’t died. Someone else had advocated in your behalf. Someone had decided you were worth sparing.

Another shiver runs down your spine.

At your silence, Hera continues.

“I know what he did,” her hand is gentle when she touches your shoulder, “We all know.”

You flinch away from her touch and bite your cheek. It is a nervous habit. The skin there is already raw from your time spent in the bunker awaiting news as to what was happening on the planet. It bleeds freely when you bite down again.

Hera thinks she knows what you went through, but she has no idea. No one does. After Pryce had been done with you, you had been broken. A month of repeated torture had left you destroyed. When she had told you about your execution, a part of you had been so relieved. Death would mean everything stopped and you could rest.

But then someone else had stepped in.

When you had been in Alderaan, you had studied arts and culture. Your parents had wanted you to be a good noble lady. They had spent money to have you learn everything they could about painting, music, dancing, and politics.

Those aspects of yourself had captured someone’s attention.

When you had been brought before the empire to be executed, Grand Admiral Thrawn himself had interceded. He had suggested that your background would prove useful in his studies of Lothal and Ryloth. Ever the art enthusiast, he had asked for you to be gifted to him.

Gifted.

Gifted.

Like you were a prize to be won or a thing to be given away.

He had gotten his way, of course. Pryce had handed you over to him. From then on, your true captivity had started.

Under Thrawn, you were made an imperial collaborator. He kept you at his side when he traveled and sought your council when he needed information. Broken and vulnerable as you were from the torture and imprisonment, his offer seemed like a small relief.

He didn’t lock you up in a tiny cell or beat you bloody. He didn’t starve you or drug you with a truth serum. Instead, he treated you like one of his crew. You weren’t trustworthy, had a guard nearby to keep you from fleeing, but he was civil. Polite. It was a change from Pryce and the other imperials.

You used your education to help him. Your background aided him in understanding the planet he was in. Over time, the two of you had grown rather close.

Having lost your crew and been left alone for so long in a tiny cell, his attention was a lifeline. He offered you the opportunity to feel like you had a purpose again-

Even if it came at a price.

Bile gathers in your throat but you push it down. A cruel laugh snakes its way past your lips. You shove her hand aside and perch yourself on the sofa. Your movements are refined, graceful, just the way he liked them.

“And what did he do to me? Hm?”

You want her to say it. Want to hear it from her mouth. You don’t think you can be the one to do it. If you say it, the words will get lodged in your throat.

Hera winces.

“I am so sorry,” she whispers. It’s all she can offer after a long silence. You look away.

Thrawn’s salvation came at a price. The Chiss soldier wasn’t altruistic. He sought the value of every person he met and didn’t like to waste his time. It wasn’t pity or selflessness that had made him speak on your behalf back then.

No. Not at all.

You had always been told you were beautiful. Your mother and father had often remarked that you could put a Twi’lek to shame with your beauty. It was something that had once made you blush and preen. Yet that feature had become a cage.

You supposed it made sense. Thrawn was an alien. He was not respected in imperial spaces. The empire freely took his successes but looked its nose down at him. For every compliment he received over his strategy, there were two more slurs thrown his way behind his back.

It made sense that a man like him would look for a status symbol. He would need something to show off. A way to elevate himself and attain more respect.

And who better than the beautiful noble turned rebel from Alderaan? A human girl he could use for his advancement. His marriage to a human would legitimize his status among human soldiers. It would make him seem like he truly belonged.

You were the perfect candidate. You were educated in the arts which so fascinated him and were versed in politics which puzzled him. You were also high born and could have made a good match for himself back on Csilla had you been a member of the Ascendancy. Plus, you were young and beautiful. A little doll he could dress in finery and show off to when needed.

You ticked every box and fit all his needs. When he had saved you all those years ago, his help had come at a price.

And you had paid it.

Maker, you had paid it.

Recently freed, you had given up on the Rebellion. Your friends had left you for dead in the empire’s clutches, so what loyalty did you owe them? You had shed away your guilt and joined Thrawn willingly.

At first he had frightened you. Those glowing red eyes found their way into your nightmares. You dreaded the day he decided you were useless and discarded you. You did everything you could to help his efforts with the empire.

Eventually you had liked it. Some time with him had been a relief. He was not violent or cruel. He didn’t laugh like Pryce when you were hurt or taunt you about what had happened to you.

No, he was amicable. You quickly learned that he would be polite if you were respectful. That he would treat you right if you obeyed and that he saw you as an equal when you worked together.

When a soldier had insulted you under his breath, Thrawn had defended you. When you had cut yourself on a relic and hissed in pain, he had gently taken your hand to examine the wound. When you had woken up screaming from a nightmare of a droid shocking you over and over again, he had stayed up speaking with you gently over a cup of tea.

His treatment compared to the empire’s had soothed the trauma of your earlier captivity. Eventually, you had willingly accepted your place at his side. You knew you were his prisoner, that he would kill you if you tried to escape, but you didn’t mind it. As long as you were obedient, he was kind and respectful. So you became obedient.

And when the time came that he began to pursue you, you offered yourself willingly. When he invited you to his personal quarters one night with a pretext for tea, you went with him knowing what he truly had in mind. It was the price you had to pay for his kindness.

Your hands shake in your lap and you press them against your legs. Hera notices, of course. Her voice turns gentle, soothing.

“I know what he did. It wasn’t your fault,” she whispers, “None of it.”

“No,” you agree slowly, “It was yours.”

It was her fault. Had she rescued you then, she could have spared you everything.

You take a little delight in her flinch and the guilt that clouds her features. It’s a small comfort against all of the pain she put you through.

With time, you had given yourself completely to Thrawn. Eventually, the rumors had spread that you were his conquest. He always displayed the relics he stole from the empire’s colonization on his walls. You were just another one of the treasures he could boast about.

He married you and kept you locked in a manor. You were the pretty little human who boosted his status. Lothal called you the little Loth Cat caught in the jaws of a Loth wolf.

It wasn’t so bad. Being married to him had its perks. You had riches, status, and respect. His men were loyal to him. They saw you as an extension of his will and respected you. Under his name, you were no longer a rebel traitor. Now, you were an imperial bride.

And eventually you fell for him too. He was kinder than the others and respectful. He valued your input and praised your art. He treated you well and never struck you if you didn’t disobey.

You came to love him, or that’s what you told yourself. And while he wasn’t very expressive emotionally, you thought he loved you too.

You twirl the wedding band around your finger as you think.

“I was happy, you know, before you came. Why couldn’t you just leave me alone?” You close your eyes wishing she’d disappear.

If she were gone, maybe Thrawn would return. You aren’t too sure what happened to him, but you know he’s gone. The men he left stationed with you evacuated during Order 13 and Rukh left you and your son behind. That would have never happened if Thrawn were here to stop them.

The citizens of Lothal have also been celebrating for days now. Their shouts and cheers are pinpricks against your heart. You aren’t sure the specifics, but you’re sure your husband is gone.

“That’s not what Kallus said,” Hera sits at your side, “He said you looked like a ghost.”

Kallus.

The name invokes some small emotion in you. You haven’t thought of him in a while. Not since your husband had told you he was a traitor.

Alexsandr Kallus had been a friend to you. During your time with Thrawn, he had been one of the few imperial soldiers that had spoken to you with some respect. At first, you suspected it was merely because your presence was unavoidable with how close Thrawn demanded you stay with him. However, eventually, you thought you truly found a friend.

You weren’t quite sure what had happened to Alex after he had returned with a broken leg, but he had treated you better since. He made it a point to ask you about how you were doing or how you were feeling. If he saw a mark on you from when you had displeased Thrawn and he had given you a bruise, he would bring you ice or something to help.

He was kind. A true friend. It had hurt when he had left. You didn’t blame him for betraying the empire. You just wished he hadn’t left you alone.

“And what did Alex say?” You keep your voice steady but you are genuinely curious. If Hera notices how gently you say his nickname, she doesn’t comment on it. Instead she stares down at her hands.

“He’s worried. The entire time we were working to free Lothal, he kept bringing you up. He made Mon Mothma promise you would receive immunity if we could free the planet. He said you needed our help the most.”

You taste blood from how tightly you are biting your cheek.

“He feels guilty,” Hera admits, “The night we picked him up on that escape pod, he practically wanted to take a ship to Lothal to rescue you. We all did. There was just no way we could get through the blockade.”

You hum quietly and look towards the stairs where Theon is sleeping.

“I wouldn’t have left if you had,” you calmly state, “I had Theon.”

Theon.

Mitth’eo’nuruodo.

Your first born son. A little Chiss-human hybrid with pale blue skin and your facial features. His pupils are your eye color while the sclera the same glowing red as his father.

He is perhaps the greatest gift you have ever received. Amidst the loneliness and torment of your time with the empire, your son is the one joy you have. You would have never have left him if Alex had arrived for you that day. Thrawn would have never have let you escape with him either.

Out of the corner of your eye, you think you see Hera touch her own womb. You aren’t quite sure what to make of that.

“I’m sorry,” she repeats, “For everything that happened to you.”

You want to tell her off for her apology, mock her guilt, and throw everything back in her face because her inaction is what doomed you to this, but you don’t. Instead, you rub at your arms in anxiety. You’re too tired to be angry.

“If you’re here, then Lothal is lost. Has the empire evacuated? Has Thrawn left?”

It pains you to ask that. You aren’t sure you are prepared for the answer. More than that, you aren’t sure which one you want.

You think you love Thrawn. You’ve been an obedient wife all this time and you share a son. He treats you well if you behave. Isn’t that what love is? Isn’t that all you can hope for as someone captured by the empire?

Hera nods once.

Your world shatters.

You close your eyes.

You knew he was gone. Thrawn would have returned for you and Theon right away if he hadn’t disappeared, but it still hurts. He’s been a constant in your life these past few years and now he’s gone. There’s an ache somewhere in your chest that pulses with grief.

“He and Ezra were on board a ship when it jumped into hyperspace. The windows were broken and Purrgil were leading it away. I don’t think the airlock was intact. I doubt anyone on board survived.”

She clenches her jaw. Ezra’s loss weighs on her. For the first time, you see how exhausted she is. There are dark circles under her eyes, her skin is a shade paler than normal, and her clothes are disheveled. She is grieving. Grieving Ezra and Kanan and the rebel fleet that died in a failed assault.

You feel the same way. The loss of Thrawn is painful. If he hadn’t taught you to maintain your composure and exhibit elegance, you think you’d scream and wail. Anything to release the emotions that swirl within you now.

Your chest feels heavy and you twirl the wedding ring around your finger. It is now the only memory you have of him besides Theon. You aren’t sure whether you want to keep it close or throw it away.

You let your head sag against the sofa instead. Staring up at the ceiling, you mull on your options.

If Lothal is gone, what remains? The empire has fled the planet. Perhaps they’ll return to reclaim it eventually, but does it matter? Their victory means nothing now that Thrawn is gone. Your one bargaining chip was your marriage. Married to a high ranking soldier, you and Theon could have been protected. Now, the empire has no incentive to keep you alive. Why waste the money sheltering you if there’s no one around to hold them accountable?

What then is left? You’re a traitor to the rebellion. A rebel turned imperial wife. You don’t think Lothal will welcome you with open arms. And Theon? Theon has the mark of Thrawn. One glance at his little body will give away that he’s a hybrid. On the entire planet, there’s only one alien with his particular species. It won’t be hard for the people of Lothal to guess his parentage. He wouldn’t be safe.

Plus, in your current condition, you don’t have a lot of options either.

“What’s going to happen to me?”

You hate how frightened you sound. You don’t like being afraid. Fear is paralyzing. Thrawn never liked you showing weakness.

Hera takes your hand. The touch is foreign but familiar. You haven’t been touched by someone who wasn’t capable of hurting you in years.

Your mind goes to all those years ago when she had offered you her hand in Alderaan. You had eagerly taken it then excited for the prospect of joining her crew. Now you aren’t sure if you would still make that choice. If you could go back in time to that moment knowing what you know now, maybe you wouldn’t have accepted her proposition.

“You have immunity. Mon Mothma agreed with Kallus. You are a victim. They don’t want to see you punished. Bail Organa also remembers you. You were friends with his daughter. He argued on your behalf. I did too. You have options,” she squeezes your hand in reassurance, “Organa has offered you asylum in Alderaan. Alderaan is an imperial ally and you were a noble there. It’s not unusual for them to offer you shelter as an imperial wife. You and your son would be safe. You could go back to Princess Leia and live there.”

Leia. You haven’t heard that name in a while. You aren’t sure you’d like her to see you now. Your old friend was a firebrand never giving up and never surrendering. If she could see you now, you’re not sure she’d forgive you for giving in.

“You could also stay in Lothal. The people of Lothal know you aren’t to blame. They feel terrible for what you endured. Your story convinced a lot of people to join the rebellion and fight against the empire. You and your son would be safe here,” Hera continues after a brief pause.

You remain quiet.

“Sabine offered Mandalore. Her family can offer you asylum. Your surrender saved her life. She can find you a safe place in Mandalore away from the civil war. Bo-Katan Kryse herself would grant you shelter if Sabine asked,” Hera suggests.

You dismiss the notion immediately. The last thing you want is to go to another planet torn by war. Theon deserves to grow somewhere safe.

Finally, Hera finishes.

“Kallus offered to take you with him. He and Zeb are going to Lira San. It’s the home planet of Lasats. What’s left of their species has returned home and is prospering there. It’s safe and away from the empire. Kallus can take you there to help you with Theon. He said you’re a friend.”

Lira San. You think you’ve heard of it briefly in your studies in Alderaan. Wasn’t it supposed to be a myth? The notion that it was found is intriguing, and Alex would keep you safe.

But you can’t go. Not in your condition. You pull your hand free from Hera and close your eyes.

“I can’t.”

It’s a quiet admission that confuses her. She doesn’t get it. She doesn’t realize how your world is slowly falling apart. How you’ve been a ghost flickering through life these past 2 years and how nothing really makes sense.

You’ve forgotten who you used to be. You aren’t sure who you are now. You don’t even know if you can be someone again. You’ve forgotten how to be human.

Your life has changed again. The floor has fallen from under you. You are a traitor. An imperial collaborator in a planet recently freed from imperial control. The very people you were allied against now hold your life in their hands. The people of Lothal may call you a Loth cat, but you’d sooner call yourself a Loth rat.

And your family? Little Theon is all you have left. You need to protect him. His father isn’t here to protect you both anymore. That means you are on your own now for the first time in 2 years.

You feel trapped. You aren’t sure you can stomach any of this anymore. Abruptly, you spring to your feet. Your hands are shaking.

“Please leave,” you beg, “Let me think.”

You don’t wait for an answer. Even as she calls your name in concern, you ignore her and climb up the stairs towards Theon’s room.

He’s all you have left.

———————————————

To your surprise, it isn’t Hera who sits in the living room when you emerge back downstairs hours later. Hera has long since left agreeing to give you space. In her place is now the one person you’ve missed more than your husband.

Alexsandr Kallus stands up to greet you. A look of immense relief spreads through his face when you appear. He meets you half way and throws his arms around you.

You bury yourself in his embrace. He looks different now. His hair is different and there’s less conflict within him. He looks at peace for the first time in months. You like it. Freedom suits him.

He breathes out your name quietly in your hair. You close your eyes as tears threaten to escape. It’s tempting to suppress them, but you decide to let go anyway. Thrawn hated you expressing emotion, but you don’t think Alex would mind.

He doesn’t seem to. He lets you cry and you think you feel him tremble too. You swear you hear his own stuttered breaths as he holds you tightly.

Alex was a constant in your life. The only one who treated you kindly without expecting anything in return. He often defended you from everyone else and was there for you when you felt you would break.

Even now it seems he is holding you up. You aren’t sure how long you stay in his embrace, but eventually you find the strength to withdraw. His fingers gently wipe the tears still left on your face. You note that his own eyes are red.

“I’m sorry,” he breathes out, “I should have done more. I should have stopped it. Stopped him.”

You shake your head.

You can still remember the day the rumors began that Thrawn was keeping you as a conquest. You were sure you had seen Alex flinch the day after you had emerged from Thrawn’s chambers covered in bruises and bites. You reckoned he felt guilty that he hadn’t done more to stop it.

But you don’t want him to feel guilty, and you tell him as much.

The two of you sit by the window where the moons of Lothal are shining brightly. The moons have always made you smile. They remind you of Alex. Isn’t that what his code phrase had been? ”By the light of Lothal’s moons.”

It’s fitting for Alex. He always seemed to be a light in the darkness for you. The only friend you had who never mistreated you in your time on Lothal.

“Hera said you don’t know what to do,” Alex murmurs briefly. He’s holding your hand above the table the way he always did when you needed comfort. It’s a touch you missed.

You sigh quietly to yourself. Your head feels a mess and the road ahead seems so confusing. That’s another thing you’d miss about Thrawn. Thrawn gave orders and expected you to follow. You were obedient and that was easier than being free. You aren’t quite sure now what to do. The ability to decide for yourself is a dizzying feeling you haven’t experienced in a long, long time.

You shake your head quietly.

You wonder briefly what the others think of you. Do they pity you and see you as broken? They’d be partly right. Do they hate you and see you as a traitor? They’d also be partly right. Or do they see you with frustration? Someone freed who should know what to do the moment the chains fall away yet can’t seem to enjoy the feeling of the leash releasing. You reckon those people would also be partly right.

Any other prisoner of war would have ran the moment the cell door clanged open. You haven’t. You don’t think you remember how to be anything other than a prisoner. Somewhere along the way, you’ve lost yourself. The empire took a lot of things from you, yet perhaps that loss was the greatest of all.

You wish you could verbalize it. Put it into words in a way that would make sense to Hera and Mon Mothma and Bail Organa. A way for them to realize why it is that you stand at the precipice of freedom but can’t quite seem to let go. Maybe words could help them understand you-

But you don’t think you need to with Alex.

He’s always known just what you mean with a glance. You’ve always suspected it was because he was like you. Once loyal to the empire when his heart lied with the rebellion. Thrawn said he had the heart of a rebel and he was right. He had meant it as an insult then, but you think it was perhaps the greatest compliment he could have given Alex. His rebel heart is a steady, strong pulse. You envy it.

“What do you want to do?” Alex asks.

That’s a question you haven’t heard in years. It takes your breath away momentarily.

The empire hadn’t asked it when you were captured. Thrawn hadn’t asked it when he claimed you. Hera hadn’t even asked it when she presented you your options. No one had asked it in a very long time.

You take your time puzzling the answer. It’s an important choice that will set the course of your life. It merits plenty of thinking and strategy. It’s a long time before you speak.

“I want to get away.”

It’s such a simple answer when you finally verbalize it. You’re almost embarrassed it took you so long to realize.

You hate this manor. It’s a cold empty shell with nothing but the beauty of its relics to make it seem important. It feels so cold and uninhabitable. You’ve hated it since the moment Thrawn brought you here. Every inch of it is a memory of what you’ve endured. If you had a match and some fuel, you think you’d love to set it ablaze and watch it all burn.

Alex doesn’t hesitate.

“Then let’s go. Anywhere.”

He means to go with you, you realize. It’s a relief to hear him say it. You’ll have him at your side wherever you choose. You don’t think you deserve him.

It’s so tempting to take his hand and run away, but then the rest of your worries rear their heads. You remember the condition you find yourself in and feel some panic. It crawls along your skin and chokes you worse than the damned collar Pryce tied you to in that cell ever did.

“I can’t.”

You close your eyes to avoid seeing Alex’s disappointed face. He hesitates.

“Why?” He asks it so gently that you break.

You take his hand and move it to your womb. His touch is soft. It takes him moments to register what you are saying.

You found out a few days after Thrawn had left to go see the emperor. It wasn’t planned. The prospect of it now is terrifying.

Whatever child you will have, you are not sure you are ready to raise it on your own. Maker, your children will be hybrids of a species you don’t understand. You know nothing about how to raise them. Thrawn named Theon. He gave him a Chiss name and had plans for his upbringing to preserve his culture. You have no clue how to name another child. You don’t speak Thrawn’s language. You are ill prepared to go at it alone. The fear of it all keeps you rooted to your spot unable to seek freedom.

“It’s going to be okay,” Alex reassures, “You’ll be okay.”

He keeps his hand over yours gently. His touch is what keeps you from spiraling further. You close your eyes.

“I don’t even know what to name it,” you breathe out, “Thrawn picked out the names.”

Thrawn picked out everything. He chose what you wore and what you ate. He managed everything down to the last detail. You don’t know if you’re still capable of all those things. Freedom feels like a noose.

Alex doesn’t give up. He’s always been the one to talk you down from the edge. You’ve always wondered how it is that he knows exactly what to do to calm you down.

“Well what do you want?”

There is that question again. You ponder on it.

You want to get away from Lothal. Perhaps one day you’ll return and work on its efforts to readjust after empire rule, but that won’t be today. You want to go see Lira San and experience the mythical planet for yourself. You want to stay with Alex as one of the few people in the world you can genuinely trust. You also want Theon and your future child to live free and safe. You want all those things and more.

“I want to keep them,” you murmur. He nods. “Then name them yourself. You don’t need him to do it for you. What name do you like?”

You ponder on that again.

You like Mikhal for a boy. It was your father’s name. He went by Miki sometimes. You think you could name them that. You also like Vanness for a girl. Your mother and father passed already honoring them seems like a fitting tribute. You could also use Alex as a gender neutral name. It’s a name with a lot of significance to you too although you’re too embarrassed to tell Alex that.

Thrawn would hate the names. They’re too core and not Chiss. He’d never let you use them, but he isn’t here now to stop you. The control he has on you is gone. For the first time in a long time, you’re finally allowed to decide on something for yourself.

So you tell him the names minus the last one. Explain their significance. He squeezes your hand and says he likes them too. It’s a relief to find someone who actually views you as an equal. You’ve been so used to being beneath someone that you forgot you were also a living being. You think you’ll like coming back to life after years of existing as a specter.

Finally Alex stands.

“You get to pick what happens now,” he looks serious, “Hera won’t force you into anything. I will support whatever you choose.”

You think of Theon and the child you’ll have now. They need a safe place to grow. That isn’t Lothal or Mandalore. Lothal is under threat of empire invasion to reclaim what was lost and Mandalore is under civil war. It’s not safe.

You think of Alderaan. Your parents are both gone, so there’s not much tying you down to it. You’ll also think it’ll hurt too much to live there with the memories of a girl you used to be who no longer exists. The little noble who left Alderaan to see the world never imagined the world could be so cruel. She forgot the most important lesson of all. She forgot that they hurt little girls everywhere-on every planet. Perhaps if she had remembered, she wouldn’t have ended up in someone’s cage. So you cross that name off your list with a feeling of loss, mourning the naive child that died so you could take her place.

That leaves one option. Lira San. Alex wants to go there. He’s told you about the guilt of what he did to the Lasats. If there truly is a world where the species is still thriving, he needs to see it for himself to assuage his guilt. You also want to see it too. It’ll be a fascinating study of culture and art. Despite everything that happened, Thrawn wasn’t able to rob you of that interest. That was the one thing he couldn’t take from you. It’ll also be a safe place for your children. The empire can’t reach it and the people are prospering.

There’s only one true option. It feels dizzying to be able to decide, but you think you can learn to like the feeling. It makes you feel alive.

So you stand with Alex and look out the window. You’ll miss the moons of Lothal. It’s perhaps the only thing you’ll miss on this planet.

“Lira San. It’s safer. Let’s go there,” you offer.

There isn’t an indication that you’ve made the right choice, you know. There seldom is in life. A lot of decisions aren’t followed by the sound of a buzzer or the sound of a bell, but you think you made the right one anyway. If for nothing else, it’s the right one for you. The first choice in a long time that you’ve been able to make for yourself. No one can rob you of that freedom now.

Alex smiles at you. It’s an innocent smile with no pain, malice, or manipulation behind it. You hope one day you can relearn to smile like that again.

“Then let’s go.”

The two of you pack quietly. You leave behind everything that has an imperial stamp or symbol. The suitcase isn’t very full by the time you close it, but that’s alright. You’d rather have few belongings than anything that reminds you of the empire.

Theon is with his nanny droid when you take him. Alex is the one to pick him up and it’s a surprise how easily Theon takes to him. Thrawn never held him, so he’s not used to a man picking him. Yet he leans into Alex like he can sense he’s someone safe to be around.

The nanny droid stares silently as you leave. Alex tells you the rebellion will check it to remove the tracker and the personality chip the empire no doubt implanted. That means that you’ll have to take Theon without it and wait some time to replace the droid. You don’t mind not having a nanny droid. You never really liked the old thing anyway. Thrawn had been the one to pick it out.

Finally the three of you abscond into the night. The manor door clangs shut behind you and you freeze. You half expect Rukh to fall out of the shadows and capture you, or perhaps some type of alarm to sound out. When nothing happens, you learn to breathe again.

It was all fear, you realize. All this time you were kept prisoner by the fear that had been planted in you by someone else. You make a vow then and there to never feel that way again.

The future is an uncertain haze. You should be nervous as Alex leads you to the speeder outside. It should be terrifying to face a world of possibilities where the path hasn’t been marked for you by someone else.

But it isn’t.

A strange feeling is slowly growing amidst the panic and pain. That little emotion marks the end of your captivity. It’s a tiny little bud now, but you think it could grow into something great some day.

It takes you a moment to place what that emotion is, but when you do, you feel a small sense of relief. That feeling is proof you haven’t been completely destroyed by what happened to you. That there’s still some humanity left in the empty shell you thought you had been reduced to.

Hope.

It’s hope, you realize, a powerful thing. It’s so strong that you understand now why the rebellion fought so hard to preserve it. That tiny little feeling is enough to restart your life again.

For the first time in a very long time, you finally feel hopeful, and that is enough to make you keep going.

[official-voxtek]

Welcome to the “Official VoxTek” Blog

Vox: Welcome, dear followers, to Official VoxTek, the only blog that matters. I’m Vox, your charming host and tech overlord, here to lay down some ground rules for this little corner of cyberspace. And if you’re lucky, the actual Devil—yes, Lucifer Morningstar—might drop in to spice things up. Oh, and before you ask: yes, we’re co-parenting a kid, no, we’re not a couple. Now, let’s get to it.

VoxTek Presents: "The Rules"

MINORS, GET OUT

This is an 18+ only zone, kids. If you’re a minor, I don’t care if you think you’re mature for your age. Lucifer and I don’t have time to parent two generations at once. Shoo!

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Tag Your Posts

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Lucifer’s retired from the soul trade, and my rates are… well, let’s just say you can’t afford them. So don’t even try.

Virgil’s Privacy = Sacred

If you think you can dig up info on him, good luck. He’s already better at encryption than most of you. And if you do try? Let’s just say I know a lot about firewalls—digital and literal.

Don’t Waste My Time

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Yes, you’re here to bask in my brilliance and maybe laugh along the way. But don’t push your luck. Remember whose blog this is.

Vox: *leans back, grinning* Follow the rules, and you might just enjoy your stay. Break them? Well, let’s just say you’ll wish I’d only blocked you. Until next time, this is VoxTek—signing off.

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