#aka weakling approved

[linazzetstarsline]

Lore sap(somewhere in the middle of the main plot)

- You are a human, and if not a human, then a monster- disgustingly whispers the mother's voice in the same disgusting human ear of Yato. The animalist (half-breed of a human and a beastman) exhales wearily and looks up at the "glassy" blue-violet eyes of the robo-wolf- Mint, I can't. I can't find it in myself

- Yato, Lina and Star taught me. Your demon of emotions is definitely there!- The android comes up and puts the robo-paw on his friend's chest, making him meow and blush, filling his soft gray cheeks with a blush-99.9 percent probability- Mint concludes

- Thank you. But I think you should leave

The wolf nods and leaves- if anything, we are all here

- Yeah.

***

It doesn't work. It doesn't work. You are a weakling. you are weakling

Yato is pulled out of his thoughts by the creaking of the door and Lina enters the room - sorry if we disturbed you, darling. Did it work?

The guy unzips his sweater and calls his beloved to him - come here, pebble

The mint-haired girl hesitates for a few seconds, but hugs Yato with her paws, laying her head on his chest, and one phrase sounds in her ears: I believe in you too, even though I'm not here right now..

———

And yes, the word we is not a mistake, there is another personality in Lina and that is why Lina sometimes uses they/them

Mint aka Myatris aka 679 is the most important heroine of the story, she is the robot of the future husband of Yato's mother (Elizabeth) Oliver

p.s.: I approve of jokes about Olivier salad:)

[smol-tired-binch-blog]

Opals and Moonstones

AKA Smol Once Again Uses Birthstones And Birth Flowers To Do Character Analysis. This time we have a twofer, as we'll be looking at Nishiki AND Kiryu! (with a bonus Yumi!) (this is gonna be another long one so please do check out under the cut)

Let's start with Nishikiyama.

His birth date is October 8th, 1968, leaving him with the birthstones opal and tourmaline (originally specifically pink tourmaline but now includes all types).

Now, apparently, tourmaline is the modern birthstone for October, and was made so in 1952 with the approval of the American Gem Society and the National Retail Jewellers Council. I will expand on this stone in another post, because it's the opals I really want to focus on (although it's worth noting that both stones are apparently good for emotional stabilisation, grounding, and healing. :) )

You see, the reason they threw in pink tourmaline as new birthstone is apparently because "In October’s case, the opal was seen by many to be too feminine in appearance and there were questions about its durability". Opals are a very delicate stone, with a water content of 5-10%, which leaves them very vulnerable to cracking under very dry conditions or sudden changes in temperatures. It can even cause them to shrink or expand, so they need a bit more care and maintenance (although you can apparently improve them by wetting them with a lil bit of water, which, idk, I find that fun because fish live in water, 'nishiki' is a koi, you get me?)

We all saw how Nishiki handled suddenly having most of his family and support network ripped from him plus the added pressure of running a new family full of people who very openly disrespect him and see him as some useless weakling they're all obligated to deal with. I'm not the only one who sees the opal parallels, right?

So, opals are a soft, feminine, easily damaged stone, but they also represent love, passion, luck, and healing, and associated with channelling strong emotions. In Roman times it was called the Cupid Stone, and was well-sought after, so overall has a lot of positive meanings and connotations...until a random-ass novel accidentally lead to them being considered bad luck. How dandy.

Now, Kiryu. And by extension, Yumi.

Kiryu's birth date is June 17th, 1968, and Yumi's is June 30th, 1971. (I find it very amusing that Kiryu forgot about Yumi's birthday when it's only a couple of weeks after his lmao)

This means that these lucky ducks actually get three birthstones: alexandrite, pearl, and moonstone.

Alexandrite apparently brings luck, intellect, and prosperity, somewhat similar to tourmaline (it can even be a similar colour to it). Pearls on the other hand symbolise wisdom, especially wisdom gained through experience, as well as calmness, integrity, and loyalty.

I think this is very fitting for our favourite dragon, isn't it? A man whose experiences help him grow from a naive kid into a man who stands by his principles and does whatever he can to help and protect his loved ones althoughitcanbearguedhowmuchhelearnsbutthatsapostforanotherday

But again, there's a particular stone I want to look at, which is of course the moonstone.

It's another stone associated with good luck and fortune, apparently considered sacred in India. It's also a stone of new beginnings and inner growth and strength. Again, fitting for Kiryu's return to Kamurocho after 10 years in the joi- behind bars. However, the reason it interests me is its connections and similarities with opals.

See, at first thought/glance, the two stones are very similar. They're (usually) a white colour but reflect an entire rainbow. And yet, they do so differently; moonstones has what's called 'adularescence', a faint glow akin to the moon shining on the ocean's surface, whereas opals are, naturally, 'opalescent', which is more glittering specks of colour.

Both stones are associated, of course, with the moon and the ocean (as are pearls). Both are considered good-luck charms, are meant to ground emotions, and are associated with femininity. Like, look at this:

Doesn't this sum them up? They're similar but different; Kiryu's calmer, grounding presence combined with Nishiki's more emotional, passionate nature. No wonder the two of them make such a great team!!!

And then I saw this:

:)))))))

It's just....if we keep up with the birthstone imagery/parallels, this means that the two people Nishiki loves the most are 'spiritually' incompatible. That, and the fact that opals are "softer and more easily damaged compared to moonstone" (see how Kiryu handles adversity vs Nishiki handling his struggles). Yknow despite this long-ass post I really don't know quite how to articulate what I'm trying to say, but I'm hoping you see what I mean?

The two men need each other and are stronger together however this strength is so amplified that when the two are separated Nishiki looks so much weaker in comparison, at least in others eyes. He cries, he gets overwhelmed, he lashes out and yells when he's angry, he makes his emotions known. He cares so much about image and how he presents himself to the world, but he has the bad luck of being next to a man with freakish levels of raw brute strength and a naturally stoic outward appearance that he just isn't as impressive in comparison, even though he's NOT unimpressive or incapable! I'm pretty sure that of the two, Nishiki actually knows what the fuck he's doing!

And that's the thing, people think Nishiki is nothing without Kiryu, himself included, but what is Kiryu without Nishiki? The man loves his brother, and I think he's the only one who seems to have an inkling of Nishiki's worth. The two banter and he's like "oh, like you know so much" about being a yakuza and how one should act, but I do think Kiryu trust Nishiki. He goes along with what he says for the most part because he 'knows' that Nishiki knows what he's talking about. He looks up to Nishiki. He sacrificed his freedom to protect him. After those 10 years he wanted to see his brother again.

Unfortunately, a lot changed in those 10 years. The opal cracked under the pressure. Its power and influence grew but its sense of self and stability shrank, leaving it both far too big and far, far too small for its setting. All it needed was a bit maintenance, a bit of care. But it didn't receive that. And instead, the moonstone ended up alone.

[allgremlinart]

Any angsty recommendations of superbat fanfic that crushed you so bad, that you had to check if you were still breathing? Hahahah thanks 🙏✨️

not sure if these actually suit your request because any and all angst I read usually has a happy ending or hurt/comfort in it lol :"3

but enjoy these angsty (tho not exactly soul wrenching) fics I've collected :3c

Perhaps Hopeless Isn't a Place by ShowMeAHero

Clark is stupid, self-sacrificing, selfish, selfless. He flies a kryptonite bomb into space like it doesn't mean anything, without a second thought. Bruce wants to give him a piece of his mind, wants to pull him out of the sky, wants to do something, anything, except he can't. He can't do shit except watch.

Heart Filled With Smoke by Catchclaw

“God, Bruce.” Kent’s eyes were wide suddenly and goddamn sad. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you they love you before?”

a smile from you that i can barely believe by fishfoods

Clark is used to hiding. It's one of the overarching motifs of his life, having to hide one part of his identity, no matter who he is. Clark Kent or Superman, he has to choose. In comparison, this doesn't even rate. But it still hurts, sometimes, a distant ache in his throat, to see Bruce flirt with someone else, even if he doesn't mean a word.

World's Finest: Giving Thanks by WingFeathers

Bruce quietly breaks down in the Kents' bathroom in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner, and Clark comes to talk.

Leaving Love by JustAJellyfish, nabawrites

Clark is done living like this, so he decides to leave the planet. Bruce shows up on his last night in Metropolis to try and convince him to stay.

What We Don't Say Hurts Us by Batsymomma11

“Love you too,” Bruce murmured the words, hung up the phone, then laid back into the cool embrace of the sheets numbly. His heart was slamming into his ribs, pressing hard on his lungs, making it difficult to breathe.  Clark had lied to him. Clark was lying to him.  Clark never lied to him.

[fluffypotatey]

God, watched "Sins of the Father" last night and I. Just. Love. How the writers were like, "Ah, yes, let's finish out this episode with the most violent upheaval of Arthur's relationship with Uther. There is no need to mention this again."

Like, yeah, I get it, Merlin lied and stopped Arthur from killing King Cunt, but STILL. It happened. Arthur and Uther have had disagreements before, but those were small potatoes. Arthur challenged his father, the King, to a fight to the death. He was actively trying to kill his father. And that....had no effect on him? Or Uther?

Arthur doesn't always agree with Uther, and he does disobey him when he has to, but I don't think he ever would imagine himself capable of hurting his father, let alone killing him.

And Uther, being the manipulative, abusive piece of shit he is, was probably 100% certain Arthur would never turn on him, the same way any abusive parent is confident in their power over their victim.

But it happened.

And that's just........not important?

bestie.....are you sure you want to open that can of worms with me

------

NO BECAUSE LISTEN I HAVE TOO MANY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT THIS

imma holler @nextstopparis because they have bombass posts and meta about exactly this

anyway

yes bestie so true, we have seen in s1 and s2 that arthur is capable of having a little rebellious streak but not enough to truly slight his father because (despite his shitty and abusive uther is) arthur still loves him. arthur has craved uther's approval since day one. all he gets from uther is stunted shoulder pats and "you're my son" kind of affection. which, you know, explains SO MUCH about why arthur is emotionally constipated, compensates his emotions into hyper-masculinity, and a grade A jock.

we know arthur seeks uther's approval and just wants uther to be proud of him. motherfucker (uther) literally in episode 2 of s1 "stops by Arthur on his way to the stands and speaks to him in a low voice" about he "trust [Arthur] will make [him] proud" like bitch???? way to stress out your child.

tips on how to emotionally abuse/keep your child wanting you love

always makes sure you pressure them into making you proud

place conditions on your love (trust = love = pride for son = no longer disappointed = no longer sees arthur as the cause of ygraine's death oop did i type that)

move them away and speak in a low threatening voice because self image matters and your child would never risk that

undermine your child's worth to exterior factors, aka things your child never had a say in (being a captain/high ranking knight at 15, being the son of your dead wife, telling them to grow up when they literally are acting their age)

enforcing patriarcal ideals such as only encouraging stoicism for arthur because feelings are for weaklings and dismissing morgana's opinions for 'outbursts'

howdy folks! welcome to the uther sucks club and why the hell did bbc just ignore arthur's very understandable anger towards uther in s2 ep8

we will not touch arthur's self loathing blame for his mother's death because i will derail from this post

what happened in s2 ep8???? i'm so glad you asked

it is revealed that uther pendragon's reason for committing genocide for over 20 years boils down to a highly dangerous spell that he forced the high priestess nimueh to cast on his wife (who wasn't aware of the spell in the first place) so she could become pregnant and grant him an heir.

uther, the caricature of the british empire himself, caused the death of his queen then turned around and blamed a whole community of innocent people because "magic is evil and shouldn't be trusted" and "when you know one sorcerer, you know them all"

arthur, daddy issues galore, is understandably pissed and enraged. why, you ask? because for years he believed it was his birth that led to his mother's death

ARTHUR I'm so sorry. YGRAINE You have nothing to be sorry for. ARTHUR It was my birth that caused you to die.

ok so we are actually gonna discuss this

FOR 20 YEARS THIS MAN BELIEVED HIS FATHER'S GRIEF WAS HIS FAULT

AND YOU KNOW WHAT

UTHER NEVER CORRECTED HIM! UTHER NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO CONTRADICT ARTHUR'S INTERNAL STRUGGLE!

WHY YOU ASK????

BECAUSE THEN ARTHUR WOULD STAY LOYAL TO HIM, BECAUSE THEN ARTHUR WOULD DO EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO PROVE THAT HE COULD 'right this old wrong' EVEN THO IT WAS NEVER HIS FAULT!

ahem

and then arthur learns the truth. arthur learns that ygraine's death was never his fault. ygraine's death was all because uther pendragon "was so desperate for an heir". that was all uther cared about.

ARTHUR This is what fuels your hatred for those who practice magic. Rather than blame yourself for what you did, you blame them.

ARTHUR How many hundreds have you condemned to death to ease your guilt?

ARTHUR You speak of honour and nobility! You're nothing but a hypocrite and a liar!

do you think....after arthur learned the truth, he remembered all of morgana's old arguments that went ignored by uther? he could hear her voice, filled with self-righteousness and selfless anger about how uther always placed the blame on others, projected fear and hatred to those who were innocent. do you wonder if arthur thought of morgana as he spewed those words to uther?

and then he is told that morgause lied to him. that the ygraine he saw was actually an illusion meant to divide camelot. arthur is told that the ygraine he saw who told him that holding him was "the most precious" moments of her life was nothing more than a lie.

so, what does mean for arthur? does that mean that it truly was his fault that ygraine died? does he go back to blaming himself?

or

is there still that doubt of his father's ruling that lays restless inside of him? does he watch his father more closely and how he reacts to magic crimes compared to non-magical? does he begin to confide in morgana more because she, too, understand this kind of anger he feels nestled inside of him?

but we don't get that

what we get after this is a week or maybe more of a time skip where gwen is kidnapped and the show tries to further the arwencelot love triangle (and i mean, i'm not against the love triangle, it's just...timing my dude)

it just goes ignored by the show like it wasn't a big deal that arthur was ready to commit regicide (unlike morgana), like it wasn't a big deal that merlin lied to arthur like that and didn't feel conflicted, like it wasn't a big deal that uther's Purge began because of misplaced anger.

no, instead, arthur is back as his snarky and uptight self who never again thinks back to what happened when some big plot is heading his way. and so the show never dives back into that. mentions of arthur's mother don't come back until s4 but that's with agravaine and i do not have the time for that man.

this episode really seemed like it was supposed to lead to a shift in arthur's character, and yet it didn't. it was just...never touched on again and i will never forgive them for that

[mrs-cavill-wife]

The Skirt and The Elevator. (One Shot)

Pairing: Captain Syverson x Female Reader (Angel)

Warning: Language. Angst? Some moments of tension but fluff. Plot twist?

Author's Note: Well well that's my first fanfiction ever. I'm sorry if it is too long, it's based on dream i had. I swear I'm hyperventilating but I'm excited, hope you guys enjoy it. Yes, I put my name on the character, hope you guys don't mind. Leave some feedback and reblog it if you really like, please and thank you!

Tag List: @lexyvaldez26 @thereisa8ella @natura1phenomenon @mrsavery @number1chonie @themanfromu @littlefreya @legendarywizarddetective @lovingbearherringhairdo @zealoushound @deangal-101 @everydaymultifandom @summersong69 @jgtfvhsg @tellingyouastory @sillyrabbit81 @nuggsmum @pussyverson @oh-for-fic-sake @foodieforthoughts @fanficlover91 @r-t-doll @its--fandom--darling @poledancingdinos @hlkwrites @rmtndew

Summary: Captain Syverson has a very attractive visit, but the rebellious girl knows how to attract danger and the Captain's heart can hardly stand it.

Cap. Syverson POV

These weaklings don't know how to flex, what the fuck are they doing here? Or rather, WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING HERE?

Well, I was one step away from a few holidays, a good break, with the best company in the world .. but the 1st. Lt Anthony contacted me, he needed a good soldier, a captain to train new recruits and well, without wanting to brag, my title is not just a title.. and here I am, with these soft asses, burning under the sun.. it could be California sun, with some.. What the fuck are these brats looking at?

"Hey your pieces of shit, focus.."

I looked to the side and saw that vision, an oasis in the shape of a woman. You can call it out a skirt but swear I can see up to half of that round booty that I would love to.. SHIT, SHUT UP BRAIN, She's Anthony's daughter..

Angel's POV

I got there, with my best smile, being the owner's daughter has its advantages but I know that my Daddy won't approve of my outfit and in fact, fuck it, he knows I don't give two shits about opinions, from nobody, at all and I'm not on the best mood, my beautiful vacation was ruined, and i already had some plans but my company went down to take care of other things but I have my ways to find some fun.

Just like now, I am loving sitting in front of these soldiers, reading my magazine as they try to see something under my tiny skirt as the Captain lets fire out of his eyes. Of course he noticed me as soon as I arrived, he always does and I love to test his patience.

Hearing that rough voice yelling at the boys is a lot of fun, I like to be admired, but knowing that the Captain is losing focus? Holy shit, is certainly the best part.

I crossed my legs a few times, some times letting it sightly open and that's it, the Captain was no longer pretending to ignore me, he was looking at me with disapproval, anger.. Oh Captain, you know it turn me on baby but yeah, that's my cue to leave and I did.

When I was waiting for the elevator, I was leaning against the wall, laughing to myself, my favorite hobby, I love playing with it. I heard long, steady steps, I didn't have to look to know who it was. I thought the elevator would take longer, I mean, t's about twenty-one floors here, but the doors opened just in time, I ran inside but I wasn't fast enough, those warm hands were already holding the door and the most beautiful blue eyes I've seen were staring at me.

"What's your freaking problem, woman? Are you hating me enough to make my job difficult or are you just testing my patience?"

He asked and I looked at him with my best ironic face and mischievous smile. I touched his hand, playing with his fingers, softly, just the way he likes and I saw saw his beastly posture being tamed.

"Huh I think both.. well, actually, the three?"

He looked at me confused arching one eyebrow and that's my chance again. I managed to move his hand, taking him by surprise and quickly pressed the button for the ground floor, causing the door to close, but before the elevator moved, I screamed when the door closed.

"Focus to find the thirty reason, Captain"

Cap. Syverson POV

And the elevator closed before I could say anything else. Third reason, is it? Ok lady..

I received a text, it was one of the recruits, saying that my daughter was here. I know, it's not the place for a five-month-old baby but well, it's a quiet day and I was just finishing the beginners' training, or almost training because it was ruined by beautiful legs and a skirt that I'm dying to tear up if I see again and I was planning going home after. Suddenly I heard a loud noise and a familiar scream, the elevator was creaking and the owner of the 'little mind-destroying skirt' was in panic. My phone rang and one of the soldiers told me it was for the elevator is undergoing maintenance, but for me not to worry, powders were already solving the problem.

"Not to worry? NOT TO WORRY?There's a woman who can die if the elevator goes down… What's wrong with you? Why didn't they tell you before the elevator was going to be under maintenance? I'm going there to the ground floor"

I hung up after yelling at the top of my lungs. I ran to the emergency stairs. Twenty-one floors.. OF STAIRS ... great, well, weren't you the one who was bragging, Syverson? Time to show your strength.

Angel's POV

I just went through the twenty minutes of pure agony of my whole life, in fact, in my head, it felt like hours. But at least, I was out of the elevator, one of the soldiers fanned me while I drank a glass of cold water and recovered my breath. I took out my cell phone and saw that it had an unread message. It was from the kindergarten. Oh shit, she was already here. I gave the glass to one of the soldiers and ran to the lobby and relieved myself with the view. After almost having a heart attack, seeing my daughter and her father, the loves of my life together.. everything I need.

He ran up to me with our princess on his lap and touched my right shoulder, looking at me with distress, nervous, shaking and cold hands.

"Baby, I had to get her first.. are you alright? Any wound? I'll kill those motherfuckers but first let's get a cab, I'll take you to the emergency.."

I giggled and touched his beard face, gave him a soft peck and hugged him tightly while our little princess looked at me and touched my cheek making me smile.

"Sy, it's over. I'm alright, baby"

I kissed our daughters hand then looked at him and my heart smashed seeing a single tear falling through his cheek.

"I.. I don't know what I would do without you. I need you two in my life.. shit, I shouldn't had accepted to come.. I ruined our vacation"

I interrupted him giving another soft peck in his lips.

"But you don't wanted to disappoint my dad aka your boss aka your father in law.. I know, love. It's all alright. We can have another vacation soon and we're together, it's all the matters, right?"

I saw he smiling softly at me then at our daughter while she played with his beard, then he hugged us tight as he could.

"Yes, that's all that matters, love."

After a few seconds, he separated us and smirked. I know this smirk..

"But I didn't forgot what you caused.. I will tear apart this skirt when we head home"

I giggled and kissed him softly ending the kiss with a light bite on his bottom lip.

"Mmm I'm counting on that, Cap"

[robininthelabyrinth]

Unfettered (aka NHS goes feral) - part 3 - previous parts: on ao3 or tumblr pt 1, pt 2

-

Lan Xichen had the strangest feeling that something was going to happen.

He wouldn’t pretend that he had a touch of foresight – life had shown him the hard way how completely he lacked any sorts of skill in that direction– and there was nothing altogether unusual about anything that had happened in the past few days of the war. Lan Xichen was helping with so much more now than he had during the Sunshot Campaign, when he’d been able to be a little above it all as a mere courtier or a single but powerful scouting force, thanks in large part to his sect’s then-existing weakness and Nie Mingjue’s utter brilliance. Nowadays he had to deal with the endless drudgery of war administration: the clean-up before and after battles, the mechanics of feeding and supplying all the cultivators in their front lines, planning their next move and the next after that…

Nie Huaisang had received a message and stormed out, looking annoyed, but that wasn’t new, either.

There were many demands on his time, after all. Nie Huaisang might not have much experience at war on a personal basis, having largely (and willingly) been sidelined during the Sunshot Campaign, but he was a sharp study and an excellent judge of people. He managed their generals – selected for merit without any attention to what sect they were from, if any – with an iron fist that rivaled his control over his own disciples, and on top of the war there was also his extensive network of spies, his constant scrutiny of their supply lines, his supervision of internecine disputes between the sects…

The divisions between us will be the first place Jin Guangshan strikes, he had said – snarled, rather – at the last meeting between sect leaders, taking to task men twice his age without so much as the blink of an eye. I want this petty bullshit between you resolved, now, and I don’t care how many generations you’ve been fighting over it. If you don’t fix it, I’ll fix it for you, and I assure you that neither of you want that.

They’d resolved it.

After all, Nie Huaisang was right: no one wanted him to step in.  

It was a little ironic, Lan Xichen thought. The entire war had started because of Jin Guangshan’s lust for power, his desire to be called Chief Cultivator – a term Nie Huaisang denounced, as Nie Mingjue had before him – and now it was Nie Huaisang to whom the cultivation world deferred without question.

People were afraid of him.

It still seemed a little ridiculous to Lan Xichen, as if at any moment someone would step in and say that it was all a joke that they’d all been taken in by. That Nie Huaisang was still the excitable little roly-poly puppy he’d always been, Lan Xichen’s good friend’s little brother: stubborn and cute and smarter than he pretended to be, interested in nothing but his art and his fans and his clothing, lazy and indolent and unabashedly happy in a way that had brightened Lan Xichen’s day to see, every time.

He wasn’t, though. And it was Lan Xichen that had helped make him into what he was now.

During his travels, he’d heard cultivators in the field referring to Nie Huaisang as the Pallbearer, obliquely calling him the virtuous mourner as if he were a death-god whose name should not be directly uttered lest it draw his attention – it wasn’t anything Nie Huaisang had accepted as a personal title, utterly inauspicious as it was, but if he didn’t take one soon, he’d be stuck with it. If he wasn’t already.

People were simply uncomfortable calling him Nie-er-gongzi the way they had before, and Lan Xichen didn’t blame them one bit – the Nie-er-gongzi of the past was unrecognizable in the man of today.

But neither could he blame Nie Huaisang for refusing the title of Sect Leader Nie as long as his brother still had a single spark of life in his body.

Nie Mingjue…

Lan Xichen missed him terribly.

He knew he didn’t have the right to – Nie Huaisang had made that clear enough – but he did. He missed his old friend, with his confidence and his kindness and his goodness. He missed having a confidant who esteemed him and who trusted him, who shared everything with him without a moment’s hesitation, who always tried his best and honored those who did the same.

He’d once, and only once, caught a brief glimpse of Nie Mingjue after everything had happened: he’d been in bed, pale as death, face quiet and slack and peaceful in a way it never was, with doctors surrounding him. At the time, they were working furiously to save his life as Nie Huaisang paced furiously outside the door, refusing food and only drinking enough water to replenish the tears that streamed endlessly down his face.

That had been early on, before they’d realized Nie Mingjue had lapsed into a deep coma from which there was no telling when or if he would awake and, even if he did, in what state he would be left in. That had been before Nie Huaisang had banned Lan Xichen from the Unclean Realm…banned everyone, really, hosting them anywhere else he could rather than allow them anywhere near his brother when he was vulnerable.

Before he’d slowly started giving up hope. Before they all had.

It’d been years, after all. Surely if Nie Mingjue’s indomitable strength could heal him, it would have done so by now?

Of course, even if Nie Mingjue did eventually wake up, it wasn’t as if Lan Xichen would get his friend back the way it had once been. Nie Mingjue had always been righteous to the point of rigidity, willing to make the hard choices to punish those who had done wrong no matter their identity, and Lan Xichen had failed him so thoroughly, so completely…

Guiltily, too, he knew that if Nie Mingjue woke up, he’d undoubtedly step up as general once more, coordinating everything the way he had during the Sunshot Campaign – and that meant they wouldn’t need to rely on Lan Xichen’s assistance anymore.

Nie Huaisang had made that clear, too.

Whoever had raised his ire by sending him that message that had pulled him away from their work together…well, they’d better have a very good excuse. Nie Huaisang hated to be interrupted, his temper as short as anyone in his family’s had ever been, and his tongue was more poisonous than Jiang Cheng’s.

Lan Xichen would know, being its most frequent target.

Nie Huaisang had never forgiven Lan Xichen in his part in preserving Jin Guangyao’s life, and lacking the actual assassin to rend to bits, he had grimly decided to make do with the accomplice. He needled Lan Xichen at every instance, taunting him with his failures and deficiencies, making nasty jibes and underhanded remarks that cut deep – and Lan Xichen deserved every single one of them.

Back then, it had been Lan Xichen who had hesitated, refusing to believe the truth. Refusing to believe that his then (and, perhaps, still) beloved A-Yao could ever do such terrible things of which he had been accused, either at his time in the Nightless City or the assassination of Nie Mingjue – he had pushed back, prevaricated, insisted on investigating more, finding out more…in the end the truth had come out in all its ugly wretched filthy glory and the only thing his foot-dragging and indecisiveness that he’d pretended was a devotion to justice had gotten him was Nie Huaisang’s endless disdain.

The worst of it, though, wasn’t the humiliation or the insults, nor his feelings of failure and guilt.

No, it was the way his foolish heart raced at how Nie Huaisang looked now, with all restraint a distant memory – the sharp Nie features on his delicate face turning from blurred to clear as the childhood fat on his cheeks melted away; the intelligence that flashed in his eyes, now unhidden by any pretense or indifference; the utter brilliance in the casual way he rattled off orders, effortlessly taking command without permitting any backtalk; the way he moved, a mixture of the martial general and a dancer’s grace; the way everything about him perfectly fit to Lan Xichen’s taste –

He really was a fool.

He had a crush on you for years, Lan Xichen reminded himself. Nie Mingjue even told you about it, he’d even approved of it back then if only you were interested, and yet you pretended you knew nothing. But now, now when he hates you, despises you, sees you as little better than a worm to crush beneath his heel, now is when you finally choose to see what’s always been there?

He hadn’t said anything to Nie Huaisang about it, of course. There wasn’t any point when Nie Huaisang already thought of him in the worst possible terms – weakling, willfully blind, murderer – and he could easily imagine how it might go, if he ever tried anything.

(“I heard some soldiers say that I resemble Jin Guangyao,” Nie Huaisang had mused one day, his hands locked behind his back as he looked down at their troops training in the field. His voice was cold as ice and sharp as a blade. “Though there’s some disagreement as to whether it’s my face or the devious turns of my mind that bring up the comparison. I thought I’d ask you, Zewu-jun, you being the expert and all – am I a good replacement? A suitable stand-in? If I smile at you enough times, will you do whatever I say without question, the way you did for him?”

I would already do anything for you, Lan Xichen had thought at the time, full of sorrow. In a way that goes well beyond what I felt for him. But even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me, would you?)

No, it was clear enough to Lan Xichen that his father’s blood ran strong in him, dooming him to only love where he was not loved in return, and to finally realize the strength of that love only when it was too late.  At least it seemed that Lan Wangji had escaped that fate with Wei Wuxian, their earlier misunderstandings aside.

A moment later, as if summoned by his thoughts, the man himself appeared.

“Oh, Zewu-jun, there you are! Have you seen Nie-xiong?” Wei Wuxian asked, popping his head in through the door. Lan Wangji was a few steps behind him, waiting patiently as he always did – he was always patient with Wei Wuxian, gentle in a manner that reminded Lan Xichen of the way he sometimes cared for the wild rabbits back at the Cloud Recesses.

They hadn’t spoken much, of late. Lan Wangji had understood Lan Xichen’s weakness and had not held it against him, but that didn’t mean Lan Xichen had forgiven himself, nor did it lessen the sting of shame he felt over events he felt must have lost him the respect of his younger brother, no matter how Lan Wangji denied it – it was easier to focus on matters of war.

“He was called away suddenly, I’m afraid,” Lan Xichen said. “He left a few shichen ago, but he said he’d be back in time for dinner.”

“Dinner has already passed,” Lan Wangji said, his voice neutral – an obvious reprimand for Lan Xichen for having not noticed, shaded with concern over the way Lan Xichen didn’t always eat the way he should. He wouldn’t be hurt by it, he practiced inedia the way they all did, of course, but that didn’t mean he should miss meals if he didn’t have to. “He has not yet returned?”

“Not that I’ve noticed. But if it’s that late, he should be back soon. Do you need him for something urgent?”

“As urgent as anything else in this war,” Wei Wuxian said with a shrug. “If you see him, let us know.”

“Why do you assume I’ll see him first?” Lan Xichen asked, a little amused, but Wei Wuxian blinked at him as if he’d said something foolish.

“He always comes to you first,” he said. “Hadn’t you noticed?”

Lan Xichen’s breath caught briefly – no, he hadn’t noticed, and his mind immediately started to race, his heart growing warm…but no. He only was being foolish again. As the army’s courier, its administrator, Lan Xichen was the obvious person for Nie Huaisang to contact if he wanted to get his plans spread out to everyone as soon as possible.

There didn’t have to be anything more to it than that.

“So when he arrives, if you could just tell him –”

“No need,” Lan Wangji interrupted. “He is approaching.”

A few moments later, and it was clear from the footsteps that Lan Wangji was right, as always – when Lan Wangji was younger, Lan Xichen used to tease him about having the ears of a bat, capable of detecting everything, and sometimes he really thought it might be true.

They waited, and the door opened, and Lan Xichen instinctively turned away as Nie Huaisang let himself in, not wanting to see those hard eyes turn even harder, the instinctive sneer that rose to Nie Huaisang’s lips at the sight of him that it always took him an extra moment to suppress.

“Nie-xiong?” Wei Wuxian asked, his voice rising a register in his shock. “What happened?”

Lan Xichen turned back at once, suddenly cold all over in terror. Had Nie Huaisang been injured? Some ambush, some attack, or worst of all a garrote made of guqin string the way he’d so foolishly taught A-Yao – but no, when he examined him with his eyes, Nie Huaisang looked hale as always, but for the redness and swelling around his eyes.

He looked for all the world as if he’d been –

Crying?

And yet Lan Xichen knew that Nie Huaisang hadn’t wept in years. One could probably accurately say that Nie Huaisang hadn’t had any expression in years, nothing that wasn’t a sneer or a grimace, maybe at best a smirk. What could have caused him to do so now…?

Nie Huaisang shook his head and unexpectedly – smiled.

A real true smile, his eyes curving into crescents and wrinkling at the corners, his cheeks glowing pink and his teeth flashing just like when he was younger and more innocent and smiled like that all the time. A smile of the sort that Lan Xichen hadn’t appreciated when he had it, the sort he’d thought was lost forever.

Lan Xichen’s heart stopped in his chest.

He wished he could stop this moment, too, to keep it with him for the rest of time.

“It’s da-ge,” Nie Huaisang said, beaming. “He woke up.”

Oh, Lan Xichen thought. Oh.

Oh no.

[the-firebird69]

If Trump clones the mutation in his brain transfers because that's what makes up for the whole DNA sequence and it's true too he's a wacko it has a nutcase he went after a son so many times to try and subdue him then everybody's got record of it practically everyone here and they've seen it like personally they don't get why it's so pissed off and going to and they start going after this prick he's a massive imp a huge prick he'll talk until you get mad and he wants you to mess up and stuff my son says is just shoot him in the legs in the arms and get him really pissed off and see what he says cuz he's going to keep doing it you know the shotgun some people are going to do that it's not worth losing your life this piece of garbage my son of that too, John arena Lord AKA Trump wants to bust in now we're going to see him in the public arena losing he's already lost a civil lawsuit and he has to pay a fine because he didn't turn in the documents and he lost the suit and it's for two or three million dollars which is a good amount in the public eye and really behind the scenes he's lost tons of money to the people who are suing as in no way us not us at all it's one of the mag claims and he's going after them now and they're ringing the bell and telling everybody about this prick he paid the court and the court sent a check and he's in deep doo doo it's a good thing he got money first but Trump's such an idiot that he kept blocking the money he's like some sort of idiot who can't control himself her son is laughing at him because his reaction is so vehement that he lost a lawsuit and he's going after this Matt cleanse so hard he sees it himself and is kind of chuckling that he's the dumb person in the way now stewie's coming out. We went through a phase of that too they're fighting each other so hard they couldn't do anything and changed and changed a lot it started writing everyone when they noticed and now they're fighting everybody and they think they're the greatest because they're mentally ill there's a feeling mentally ill by the way these people are like dangerous animals they're like sick primates it's the best example I've ever heard someone come up with a lot of people do they're really really sick need to be stopped Asperger's is a dangerous syndrome it's not Downs that got right on it and he knows what he means

Thor Freya

We take them down now these people are no joke they go around joking and our son suggests that they will and they will distract you it's very easy to undo you just start joking about them and then they start to insult you it's instantaneous I've seen it work every time they throw down immediately and I just shoot him it's wicked easy

Mac

They are so inflammatory about the themselves you just have to mention Chris's name and they go right off the handle because they can't do anything right compared to him as wicked stupid they can't steer the cart the way he does they can't select food the way he does he's having a wicked hard time to keep making fun of him and harassing him I thought today for sure just go in and shoot every one of them so I tried to get approval and I said no he said go over there and do it so over there shooting tons of them we moved over to another place we kept doing it a big army and start gathering and we killed all of them I'm going to do that until they're gone holy s*** they awful they're awful they won't shut up meanwhile we have this Tommy f guy he's probably making worse and probably did all the brain transplants we can't stop him from doing it to this weakling. Tommy f admits I won't stop pushing him I have to and now he's coming right at me so I have to go up and stop him I'll probably stop after I see him he's such an a****** to everyone... You need to taste it you made me so virulent no one can stand being near me I thought my pumpkin was funny even though he knows what he means went by and went no no veered off and that was it you came by straight everybody up and said he was going to try and roll it down the tunnel like you said the track Max and know what they're doing cuz that's what I plan to do then I thought you down below us he's laughing cuz he knows what's below us and he told us to nobody gives a s*** it's like the land of Lost I know I'm doing the right thing cuz I'm actually take the bombs and they take him apart and reassemble them

Trump says. Let me hear you Trump cuz you're a loser but you lit them all up and yourself now you're going to die you're coming top side momentarily to kill everybody except our son here in Florida

Thor Freya

[silverskulltula]

you know who would be the best character to establish the Old Friends Senior Pokemon Sanctuary? the one whose entire character arc is about learning to love and respect his Pokemon. the character who has to learn that a Pokemon’s worth doesn’t just lie in its strength. the one who goes from “I only care about strong Pokemon/I have no time for weaklings/just let sick Pokemon go” to “I should trust my Pokemon more.” The one whose life is tragically empty of any real love or companionship - aka the one who needs the unconditional love and healing that comes from fostering Pokemon/pets that others would abandon. The person who WAS abandoned and neglected by their father, who can learn to care and be cared for by other creatures who have suffered the same kind of abuse.

I can imagine Silver running the Sanctuary and caring for Pokemon because of the person he becomes by the end of Gen 2. Silver becomes a strong trainer but he is still very troubled in the end. I can’t see him becoming a gym leader or the Champion of Johto because I think his journey isn’t really about Pokemon at all. I think that Silver is obsessed with being the best in order to get the approval and validation of worthiness that he never received from Giovanni, and it just so happens that Pokemon is his father’s main focus, and also something that Giovanni never bothered to bond with his son over, as sort of a dual “Do you love me now/now I’m better than you ever were” subconscious motivation. Why else would Silver have to steal his first Pokemon if his father is the strongest Ground-type trainer in Kanto? Also, Silver tells Giovanni that he doesn’t want to be anything like this father, and that he’ll become strong without his help. Silver can still be strong without being the strongest trainer in the world. Strength through force isn’t the only kind of strength that exists. It also takes strength to be kind and to care for others who aren’t able to care for themselves. And Silver does become a great trainer and a better person, proven by his Golbat turning into Crobat and by apologizing to Professor Elm. But recovery and growth is neverending, and I think that fostering Pokemon that others would abandon for being disabled, or old, or just unwanted would be a sort of therapy that Silver surely needs.