#also great choice of words on cain

[shadystranger]

and then would come the murder you will never survive– your brother, sam

the profoundly rattled face dean makes right after cain tells him he'll kill sam. like someone just grotesquely ripped his arteries out. he looks shaken and filled with cowardice. his steadfast mask of unshakable fortitude shattered completely. It's almost as bad as a helpless child at the end of the world. absouletly terrifed. nothing brings him to his knees and breaks his soul quite like sam. It's like watching a proud king stripped of all his grandeur. It's so satisfying bc he does not make these expressions because of anyone else

[actuallyjustabiscuit]

Ok thoughts 👏thoughts👏Everyone gather around I have thoughts about this!

Episode 2 was clearly the Pomni episode. We got to see her character get a little more fleshed out and we also got a glimpse of what motivates her which is great.

With this tweet we have solid confirmation on who the upcoming episodes will center on (thanks for not making us guess, Goose) and this lineup is really interesting.

First fascinating thing is that Kinger and Zooble share a spotlight in ep 3. Why is that? Everyone else gets their own dedicated episodes so why are they unique in that regard? What connects them?

Well, I have one idea!

So we know since the pilot that Kinger has been the one to have lived in the Circus the longest out of all of them. We’re still not sure if he was in fact the 1st human to be trapped (maybe we’ll find out in the next episode) but he definitely has the most seniority, both in age and in length of entrapment.

We also know that Zooble was the most recent character to get stuck before Pomni (and considering their attitude, it may have even been quite a while beforehand) AND is the youngest character next to Jax (they even share the same age, which could be a coincidence but it feels too deliberate of a choice).

Which means ep 2 will simultaneously focus on the oldest and the youngest of the characters.

I’m actually curious as to what their dynamic will be because they haven’t really interacted much in the pilot (and like not at all in episode 2), if they end up interacting in ep 3 at all. But mostly I’m excited to see them more fleshed out with hopefully Pomni getting the chance to bond with them (either together or separately).

My guess is that the purpose for them to share focus on an episode is to get perspective from someone who’s been there the longest and has seen more people come and go than anyone else vs. someone who was just recently in Pomni’s shoes and had probably a much different first day experience (we know Zooble cared enough about Kaufmo to personally organize his funeral so they may have some…feelings about who’s essentially his replacement).

Ep3 is also supposedly Gooseworx’s most anticipated episode so I’m extra excited.

Next we have Gangle for episode 4. I honestly don’t have a lot to say about her or the significance in her episode placement outside of her being the closest in age to Pomni (being only a year older). The only hint we get about what her episode will possibly consist of will be on how reliant she is on her ComedyMask to feel happy, which will be very interesting and we might even get some confirmation on whether her avatar was programmed with that feature upon entering the Circus or if it was an add on of sorts by Caine to help keep her sane. A pretty shitty feature if it can’t last for very long but it does make for a nice metaphor about how fragile her facade is (girl is literally masking).

Actually I don’t think her and Pomni have actually exchanged words yet in the show. Wouldn’t it be funny if they don’t up until her episode. Like Pomni is so caught up in between whatever mess episode 3 has in store for Kinger and Zooble that the two of them never actually talk and it just keeps getting more awkward. Gangle wants to talk to her but is so self-conscious about her Tragedy self that she’ll only feel safe to have a conversation if she has her mask, but it just keeps breaking before she even gets the chance.

Again this is all just speculation, if they actually end up talking in episode 3 I’ll…make ship art of them.

Yeah

Anyway, episode 5. The one I’m personally waiting for because y’all should know what I’m about by now.

*Warning: Unhinged, borderline psychotic tangent incoming*

I swear to god if Pomni and Ragatha don’t have a fucking conversation before ep 5 I will launch myself into the sun. I’ll take anything, I just need them to get real for a second. I NEED to know the extent of this woman’s damage. It has to be explored, analyzed, and dissected and I will do so with gusto when the day comes. None of these characters will be safe from my scrutiny, but Ragatha oh ho ho, you have been living rent free in my head for too long, madame. You WILL pay your dues and I intend to collect in every episode until there is not corner of your unsound mind that I have not examined in great detail!

Ahem *Straightens tie* Ok back to business

So yeah, Ragatha.

It may be because we’ve only had 2 episodes but I can’t help but feel like we’re supposed to see Ragatha as a sort of deuteragonist since out of all of the supporting characters she’s so far been getting the most focus aside from Jax, and we’ll get to him in a minute (I promise that’s not just me being biased, or maybe it is, I don’t know, you tell me).

In just two episodes we’ve seen more of what makes her tick compared to anyone else. And of the main cast she’s been the ONLY one to make any kind of connection to the main character and have enough of a meaningful interaction with her to leave an impression.

But this is what really clinched her role as a deuteragonist for me, she’s so far been one of the few to have the narrative briefly shift to her perspective to give us significant character moments like these:

The show REALLY wants us to see just how NOT ok she is.

If she’s meant to be the heart of the group, her heart already can’t take much more damage. Her friendship (if you can call it that, it’s so painfully one sided right now) with Pomni clearly means a lot to her, so much so that her entire sense of self worth seems to be tied to it (and if you’ve been paying attention, she doesn’t have a lot of that as it is). It would be nice to see their connection gradually grow before her designated episode, where she might experience actual growth for herself.

And if episode 2 is any indication of how this show preserves friendships well…

Yeah, I don’t think she’s gonna make it.

In fact, I’m willing to bet actual money that she’s either gonna abstract in episode 5 or episode 6.

Which brings us to Jax’s episode! The other deuteragonist…tritagonist? He definitely shares some degree of significant narrative focus along with Pomni and Ragatha. He’s both an active antagonist force and one of the only characters to drive the plot forward every time he’s on screen (then there’s that weird thing where he keeps breaking the fourth wall).

He has so much significance in the story that Gooseworx gave him his own bullet point in her list of content warnings (this could also be a joke, but I mean it would be funny to see just how despicable they can make this character).

Gooseworx also described Jax and Pomni’s relationship in the show as “messy”. After episode 2, I don’t think she considers him as a candidate for any kind friendship like she did for the others, and who could blame her? In just two days the guy abandoned her to deal with an abstraction and chucked her out of a truck. He’s no one’s favorite person, and he relishes that. Bunnyboy definitely has some issues that Pomni would pick up on the more she’s forced to spend time with him. To the point where I can see her trying to eventually form some kind of bridge because, as her previously established character motivation implies, she’s not the kind of person to intentionally leave anyone high and dry. But unlike the rest of the crew, I don’t think Jax would be inclined to change for the better just because someone took pity on him. He seems like the kinda guy to dig his heels in and commit to his bad behavior out of spite.

And for his episode to come after Ragatha’s, why do I get the feeling the reason Gooseworx went so far as to preemptively apologize to bunnydoll shippers specifically is because he’s gonna cause something really really bad to happen to her (could be abstraction, could even be something much worse) that he would come to sorely regret.

And oh boy would that evoke some feelings in everyone!

I feel like if that is indeed the direction this show is going, the rest of the episodes will really be something.

I’m also certain Caine will get his own episode but right now he is very much an antagonist to these characters. I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a villain, but he’s certainly not someone Pomni is keen on sympathizing with, at least not currently.

Thanks again @lilyclawthorne for helpfully providing me with the tweet so I can give some context for my ramblings of the week!

[kiragecko]

Given Cass's dominance on the Batfam poll, do you have any comic recs centered on her? I mostly know her relationship with Tim from his Robin run, and I've been meaning to read Batgirls (2022) but wanted to see if you had other recs :)

Her Batgirl run (the series from 2000) is REALLY good. Very cartoony art, which not everyone might love, but you definitely learn quickly why Babs and Cass have done so well in this tournament. After issue 20, you also start learning why Steph and Cass are doing so well! (And there are several crossovers with Robin that start the delight that is Tim and Cass, too!)

Her first appearances, in No Man's Land, are also great. Get the collected volumes. It's a giant crossover and trying to read the individual series might drive you crazy. She shows up halfway through Volume 3, in Batman 567, which is the start of "Mark of Cain." It ... reads like you missed her first appearance, but you haven't. Other than crossover confusion, and a lot of stories that don't feature Cass, it's a really good intro to the character.

Even if you don't read the rest of No Man's Land, Batman 569, "I Cover The Waterfront", is ESSENTIAL Cass. So so good!

The audiobook of No Man's Land is available online, and has some things that never actually made it onto the comics page. (Like Babs figuring out Cass' name!) It was written by one of the crossover's writers. (Greg Rucka, who is great!) I can't listen to most audiobooks, but I've heard good things!

She's not in Red Robin a lot (only issues 17 and 25), but they ARE very good, as well.

Batman: Gotham Knights 35-36 and 45-49 are some WONDERFUL ensemble issues where you get to see a variety of Bat-characters hanging out together. Cass is there and VERY funny. (The first 50 issues of Gotham Knights are good, but it takes a while for it to realize that it wants to about characters interacting, rather than solo adventures. And Cass only shows up in some of them.)

I've heard good things about Batman: Gates Of Gotham's depiction of Cass. (This is right before the reboot, and has Cass and Damian's only preboot interaction. As well as her main non-Red Robin appearances as Black Bat.)

I can offer no help for the last dozen years of comics. I haven't read since the reboot ... actually, I HAVE looked at some of the most recent Birds of Prey series! The Cass there is well done, but she's not hanging out with her FAMILY. Still, if you want modern Cass, that's a solid choice.

-

Cass is a wonderful character who means a lot to me. I love her messy relationships with Babs and Bruce. I love the way she slowly learns that friendship is valuable. I love how she SLOOOOOWLY learns to value being a person, rather than a weapon.

I LOVE how the Batgirl writers actually depict her as disabled - her internal narration is one of the more unique ones I've seen. She's almost entirely in the moment, rarely thinks about the future or anything outside of her immediate context. Even in her head, her use of words is minimal. Her priorities are unique, and the ways she makes mistakes are FASCINATING. Just a brilliant and original character.

[fallingtowers]

the way buffy the vampire slayer uses guns is really interesting. it's very consistent, and might be divided into three different "tiers" depending on the wielder's role in the story, each of which signifies certain traits:

unnamed background characters, usually police officers, who carry guns as a matter of course. in and of itself i don't think this means much -- it's not much deeper than "cops have guns in the show because cops have guns in real life" -- but because of the way btvs depicts the police, we might call this part and parcel of a symbolic set which marks a character as a "civilian," unaware of the supernatural world and not equipped to deal with it. guns can't kill vampires, so the gun here ironically becomes a symbol of powerlessness.

antagonists. here, the gun signifies callousness, cynicism, and a disregard for life. we see this for example in cain ("phases"), the german commandos ("homecoming"), and patrice ("what's my line"). an interesting case is coach marin ("go fish"), who as far as i can remember never fires his gun but who possesses the traits associated with this tier regardless. note also that characters in this tier are almost universally driven by a desire for money, so that the gun here is also associated with selfishness and greed.

(mostly) major, (mostly) sympathetic characters. here, the gun signifies desperation and psychological anguish on the part of the wielder. the wielder is cracking under some great pressure, and the gun symbolizes a desperate and misguided attempt to reassert control. the standout example here is riley, who does this twice -- once in "goodbye, iowa" and again in "the yoko factor" -- but we might also mention james in "i only have eyes for you" and spike in "fool for love." note also that warren falls into this category, rather than tier 2 (hence why i specified "mostly sympathetic") -- his shooting buffy is a crime of passion, not a dispassionate, cynical act, and crucially he only resorts to using the gun after buffy has bested him at every turn for almost a full season: a last-ditch attempt to regain control. the gun again comes to symbolize helplessness, but here has an added layer in that its use will actively make one's situation worse. james and warren both pulled the trigger, and see where that got them. riley and spike didn't, so they were spared by the narrative.

again and again, we see the show go out of its way to avoid its characters using guns except in these very specific cases. buffy's projectile weapon of choice is a crossbow; the initiative rank-and-file almost exclusively use taser guns. even faith, after her heel turn, doesn't use guns, because her motives don't align with those of tier 2; instead, she uses a bow.

as an aside, it would be inaccurate to say that buffy never uses a gun -- in "i only have eyes for you," when james possesses her, she confronts angel at gunpoint. similarly, willow gets her hands on a gun in "the killer in me." these two cases share an interesting similarity -- in both examples, the character is being compelled to act uncharacteristically by forces outside her control, thus reinforcing the gun as a symbol of powerlessness.

(it's also worth noting that there's a pattern where the gun is associated with specifically gendered violence. the characters in tier 3 are almost universally male, and they almost universally shoot or threaten to shoot women. buffy and willow break the mold, but both of their cases are echoes of earlier events where a man shot a woman. something something phallic imagery.)

this all speaks to a very measured and clear-sighted moral stance. in the world of btvs, guns are bad. at best, if you use one, you are a clueless idiot way out of your depth; at worst, you're going to die badly. or, in buffy's own words (from "flooded"):

[dailycass-cain]

It's time at long last to delve into a certain secondary story in Detective Comics #1083 by Alex Paknadel and Robbi Rodriguez and my thoughts on it.

I SO did not expect to see a secondary Cass story as Ram V closes out his Tec run (but maybe I should've given he's let others give EVERYONE their due of his run).

And here ironically, a month before the character's 25th anniversary we get Cass.

I must confess reading the story drawn by Rodriguez along with Cass's appearance in #1082. It's got me reminiscing on Batgirls again.

It does make me truly miss that series. Even with the rewards that have been this run, Birds of Prey, and Spirit World.

However, unlike the prior two series, this one does a DEEP dive into the mindset of Cass and where she's at during this point of the run.

Some truly meaty stuff we get here character-wise.

The story continues where we left Cass in #1082, still roaming Gotham freely and making sure the city remembers the symbol of the bat.

I do adore any time a criminal mistakes her for Batman. Just another notch to add that she'd make a great successor to Bruce as Batman.

Likewise, I do enjoy HOW she's introduced. Going to town on the criminal lot and us the reader seeing her viewpoint on subduing them.

Yet, unlike the prior story, not everything is hunky-dory with Cass. With a few words of choice in the narration boxes, you can tell something is off with Cass.

And it's fascinating she sees relief in reuniting with probably one of the beings who can "understand" her-- Lady Shiva.

Probably the only downside I have with the story is this recurring cycle of Cass instantly mistrusting her, when really the last two stories with Shiva, her mom has been trying.

Still, they "talk" in the only way daughter/mother truly knows: fighting. Instantly, Shiva picks up what been clued to us the reader in the beginning: Cass is not well.

Though unlike the reader, Shiva lays out thickly what it is.

Since the Orgham have taken over Gotham they've been trying to wipe away the memory of the Bat via the. Yes, we know given a few issues ago Cass was immune to the Reality Engine wiping away the memory of the Bat.

Here we find out another reason why: she's fighting as Bruce.

Of course, being that this is an Orgham-controlled Gotham and Shiva has her own subplot in the issue. Their exchange is cut short by the arrival of Azmer demons.

Something I've been hoping for Cass to encounter since they showed up.

I do muse how bluntly Shiva starts this team-up to again say she's not up to any insidious shenanigans. Again, it's Shiva being blunt which I guess she has to do given Cass just always seems to untrust her.

And we get the "juiciest" portion next. Still fighting as Bruce, Cass is getting her butt handed to her by the Azmer when we get this memory:

Seven years it has been since we last saw you in a canon DC comic (fifteen years if we count this incarnation): welcome back David Cain you freaking bastard.

Again this goes back to what Cass said in her last story. She was built like Bruce, but differently, and here is how that came to be.

Which again is the core of Cassandra's character. She's always terrified of becoming what her father made her: this weapon of death. How she continues to go with this answer of NO and down this path of the bat.

That goes deeply into WHY the bat symbol means so much for Cass. It's not just a layer of justice, but redemption. That is her coda: "You can change. You CAN change."

Ironically, it's due to the Reality Engine that probably WHY Cass has this relapse. She's good, but we know from the "Outlaws" arc even she was being affected by the Reality Engine at an EXTREMELY close range.

And it's fun that Shiva is again the one to help Cass through this time. Because other than Bruce and Oynx (man I miss that friendship), she's probably the only one who can help her daughter.

Where once more, we get the recurring theme of Cass/Shiva finding mutual ground between one another, but also Shiva letting her daughter be what she wants to be. Which given all their history does feel like a new layer going with them (hopefully).

Again, this story ties so wonderfully with what Ram V has been doing with Cass. Showing again, how much the bat symbol means to her, and again reminding the reader that she's built like Bruce in sheer determination.

This was a REALLY good story that was built on prior with Cassandra. It gives Cass a sense of poetry at the end for her character. Her appearances here all tie together for this subplot of showing the any new reader WHO SHE IS, and why so damn enthralling as a character.

In a way, this really felt like a good unofficial celebration of the character. Though DC never fully said it, this does celebrate just means A LOT to so many.

The tale meant A LOT, giving us ANOTHER banger Cass story to boot.

Though I can't help but wonder? Even if there were rats in the story. My mind kept going here instead and Cass's "little friend" and nickname from Shadow of the Batgirl. I know it was probably unintentional.

If this is truly all we get in celebrating the anniversary of the character this TRULY was a story worthy for it. For that, I thank the creative team behind this and Ram V too for giving us this. Like you, Kelly, Michael, and Alyssa are just giving us all these bangers.🙏

[lilacwriter07]

Cain never liked being an Omega, he hates it in his very soul (his veins burning with an anger deeper then Satan) Ofcourse he found some comfort knowing Adam is one as well, his papa's scent so soft and sweet .

Cain felt like a pup again when Adam holds him .

Normally in his pre heats, his dad would stay with him . Comforting him, scenting him, helping with his nest before leaving Cain to give him some privacy .

But his dad is spending his own heat with that bastard waste of a sperm donor Lucifer (who also is an Omega) and Cain has to deal with this shit himself .

He is going to rip his own throat out if .. A knock on the door got his attention, he knows who it is . And that bitch will stay there until Cain opens up the door .

"What Abel !" Cain growls as he opens the door, Abel smiling all happy as he steps in ."Hey Cain ! Whatchu doing ? I didn't see you at breakfast or lunch ! Got you peaches !"

Cain wanted to snap at him, but his Omega side purrs at the mention of peaches ."Give me ."

"What's the magic word ?"

"Now before I fuck that head of yours into your arse ." Abel gave the basket ."You are such a flirt ." He teased Cain ignored him as he munches .

Then he heard Abel sniff ."Are you in heat ?"

"So fucking what ." Abel growls as he locked the door quickly ."You idiot ! What if some Alpha smelled you !" The thought of some random Alpha touching Cain made Abel's blood boil .

"If the angels saw what kind of Omega you became, they will all die from shame ." Cain smirks as Abel cursed up a storm, promising to bathe in those Alpha's blood ."They can suck it for all I care, with their pushing and their mind games ."

Cain hums for some reason having Abel here, made him feel calmer, his Omega side felt safe .

Maybe it's because Abel is an Omega as well ? Abel who always seemed to be in his shadow, ready to strike anyone if needed .

God that made him wet .

Cain was doing feasting as he went to his nest, purring a bit before laying down . He closed his eyes ignoring that Abel is there, but the other choice to whine .

Opening his eyes he looks at Abel whining, wanting to enter the nest as well . Great Cain thought he is entering his own heat ...

Knowing his dad would be pleased having these two bond, Cain moved slightly to the side ."Come before I .." Didn't even finish his sentence before clothes were off, and Abel was in the nest purring up a storm .

It gives flashbacks when they builded a nest together as pups, warm and safe ...

"I am happy Cain ." Abel whispers .

Cain hums softly as he fell asleep ."Yeah ..."

Me as well ..

(@cakerybakery 👉🏻👈🏻👀 decided to go for something soft, may write more plot later)

[seastarblue]

Proud Tag!

thanks for the tag @cain-e-brookman !✨✨

Rules are to post a piece of writing that you’re proud of, then tag some peeps!

Here’s mine (ft two different ocs that I have not made any world or cohesive story for)(and it’s not too long but still putting a cut just in case):

The war raged on for acres around the golem and the fortress, but he had his sights set on a tiny nest, with an even tinier dragon curled up inside. The dragonborn's chest rose and fell with even breaths, asleep, calm, and a complete contrast to the panic decending over the golem. His commands were to kill the dragon, wipe off any trace of it being there, and move on to fight with the organic soldiers. This was what he was made for. This was his duty. So why didn't he move? Why didn't he complete his tasks, why did his chest feel like it was being crushed by the mere thought of harming this creature?  A resounding BOOM jarred the golem from his thoughts as the dragonborn started to stir. The golem started to panic even more, and he heard footsteps pound through the halls. The golem needed to make a choice. He picked up his great axe, which was lying on the floor after the panic, and raised it above his head. ~~~ The war raged on, but the sounds of chaos and bloodshed grew quieter as the golem got further and further away. Soon, the only sounds were the winds gently blowing through the trees. The golem stopped, finally, and sat down, looking at his hand. There was a single word carved on the rough wood: 'Arbor'. He took that as a name, even though the creators didn't see a need for a killing machine to have one. It was a name for himself, the one thing he could control in a world where he had none. Well, he supposed now he would have much more freedom, considering he had defected. He also supposed he would need a new duty, but the mere thought of not finding one made his head spin and his chest constrict, so he kept his mind busy with other things. The sound of snow crunching beneath feet had Arbor lifting his hands to grab the great axe now strapped to his back, but he lowered them when he realized who made the sound. The dragonborn was finally awake, and had started tottering around, completely oblivious as to how its life had almost ended.

Teehee tagging time!! (No pressure as per usual)

@rumeysawrites @the-ellia-west @glbettwrites

@dearunreliablenarrator

and anyone else who wants to✨✨

[angelsanarchy]

What It Cost: Samuel Lafferty x Y/N Mini Series PRT 09

Tagging: @ithinkitstimetonap @kappasbbgirl @chainsawgvtsfvck @luzclarita57 @miniisunshine @madamemaximoff06 @romanroyapoligist @thirtyratsinasuit @ethical-cain-vinnel @blueberrypancakesworld @dumbbitchdelrey @loljustignoreth4t @tvgirlsbluehair @s0ulfulll @dukesofsp00ks @mommymilkers0526 @vomiting-blood @lustkillers @s-0lar @hisemoslut @ultrakissed

Y/n had not reached out to Samuel. She had not shown up around any of the Lafferty homes to aid in chores. She hadn't even shown up to church. Samuel had called repeatedly but she never answered. Samuel had dropped by a few times but the car was always gone so he knew she wasn't home.

When he finally spotted her car in the driveway, he stopped out front and went up to the door. When he knocked, she opened the door without hesitation but looked surprised to see him standing there.

"What are you doing here?" She asked without greeting him.

"Hello to you too." Samuel leaned forward and she turned her head for him to kiss her cheek.

"Can we please talk?" Samuel asked sweetly and Y/n sighed letting him into her home. He looked around and noticed she had moved the furnture.

"You redecorated. It looks nice." Samuel said looking around.

"Yeah well when you get bombarded in your own home and beaten, looking at the same surroundings is a bit triggering." She crossed her arms over her chest and he turned towards her.

"Have you healed?" He asks gently. She narrows her eyes at him.

"Physically? Yes. Mentally, I can't go in my own bedroom without crying. I also take cold showers now because I have skin sensitivity but sure, I'm doing great." She said seeing Samuel was running thin on patience.

"I'm sorry that you are hurting. That was in no way my intent but I am happy that I can finally bring you into my family without there being any issues." Samuel put his hand on her arms pulling her towards him.

"Samuel..." She breathed.

"We've come too far to go back now Y/n. We have made love. If we turn back now, I will be the one who has sinned. You wouldn't want me punished for loving you would you?" He stroked her face and she tried to think about what his punishment could possibly be.

"Sara is not-"

"Sara does not get a choice. Sara is my wife and she obeys what I say and if you want to be a good wife, you will do the same." Samuel's demeanor changed.

"But I am not your wife." She reminded and without warning, his hand wrapped around her throat and she ended up back into a wall.

"The moment you engaged in sexual relations with me, your forfeited the opportunity to back out of this. I fought for this. I created a discourse in my home, with my family for you. Does that mean nothing to you?" He asked whispering harshly in her ear. She brought her hands to his around her throat and frowned.

"I just...I don't want to hurt anyone." Y/n said, tears in her eyes. She remembered how angry and betrayed Sara looked when she caught them. She remembers the sting of her slap and her words as she called her a whore. She didn't want it to be this way.

"What about me? You're hurting me Y/n. I thought you loved me." Y/n could see hurt in Samuel's eyes as she tried to plead with him.

"I do. I do love you Samuel. I would never dream of hurting you." Y/n felt his grip loosen on her neck.

"Prove it." Samuel's tone had shifted. Lust had taken him over and he guided her hand to the front of his slacks where she could feel his bulge. She leaned forward and kissed his mouth, letting his tongue probe her mouth hungily before she dropped to her knees in front of him, freeing his cock from its cage and putting him in her mouth. His head fell back and he let out a breath she hadn't realized he was holding.

"There's my good girl. God you're so perfect." Samuel put his hand on the back of Y/n's head, pushing her mouth further onto his cock, not caring if she was choking on him or not. It had been a while since they had been together and the stress from everything was making Samuel act a bit out of sorts.

He had started taking a different approach to how he operated within his own home. He laid the law down to Sara and if she even for a second had a look of doubt, he would discipline her. It didn't happen often but she knew who was in charge. In his absence, he hadn't yet done that with Y/n yet so he was taking this time to do that.

Y/n had tried to keep herself from choking or throwing up as Samuel's hips thrusted harder, pulling on the roots of her hair aggressively until he was pumping cum into her throat earning a cough and a mild spit up on the floor next to his shoes. She brought her hand to her mouth and tried to catch her breath. She noticed Samuel holding his hand out for her and she took it carefully allowing him to haul her to her feet.

"I love you and you are mine forever. It is God's will." He held her cheek in his hand and she nodded, letting tears roll down her cheek.

"Tell me you love me and that you're mine, please." Samuel had softened. Y/n truly did love Samuel. This was the side of him that she loved. The soft, gentle side who showed his love with his soft touches and sweet kisses.

"I love you very much and I am yours, forever." She leaned into his touch and he smiled at her. He kissed her forehead and walked her back to her bedroom to lay in bed with her. He held her all night and Y/n silently prayed things would get better but something in the pit of her stomach kept telling her that this was not going to be a happy ending.

[0girlblog0]

Preacher’s Daughter: How Ethel Cain’s Cannibalistic Concept Album Changed My Relationship with Religion

I never experienced great Catholic guilt, or religious trauma, but my family’s Presbyterian beliefs wrapped around my limbs and I’ve had a hard time untangling myself. When I was younger, I was the perfect child of God: I went to church every Sunday and youth group every Wednesday, we played “Bible Jenga” every game night, and I had five copies of the bible before I could even read. My mother had been a preacher for over ten years by the time I was born, and it was her whole life. Scripture was as familiar to me as the alphabet, and I watched more VeggieTales than Disney movies, but I never really understood what it all was about. 

As I grew older, I discovered that the appeal didn’t lie in the scriptures or sanctuary, but within the people, the songs we sang, and the kindness around me. And as I grew older, I found that those things are everywhere, not just in the church. In middle school, while working through my sexuality and identity, I realized I never really liked going to church, and I didn’t feel fully accepted by the community. It felt more like an obligation than salvation, and sitting through an hour-long service, listening to people ramble on and on, made me feel like I needed to climb out of my skin and get out of there before I suffocated. In high school, my parents and I made an truce: I only had to go once a month. While this felt like necessary freedom, I’ve also realized it was slander against what my mother loved the most. She dedicated her whole life to the church because it was her home; I hated it because I felt like it wasn’t mine. 

That was around the time I ran into Ethel Cain, hitchhiking on the thoroughfare. She, too, was a preacher’s daughter, and while I can’t relate to most of her story - i.e. murdering a man, going on the run, getting kidnapped, murdered, and eaten - her story and music resonated with me. In “Sun Bleached Flies,” we find her dying in an attic. She reflects on her life, all the pain inflicted upon her by her father - the preacher - and her kidnapper, and she decides that all she wants is to be back in church. Even after all the torture she experienced, knowing that God did nothing to save her from it, she still finds comfort in His power. The song is almost ironic, but Cain sings with hope and faith in the idea that “if it’s meant to be, it will be.” She believes every word. This song shows how false religion can be, while also proving why we need it. Instead of regretting her life, she trusts in a higher power and dies believing that all the pain was for the better, even forgiving those who hurt her. 

This album gave me the confidence to live in the grey area between atheist and religious. Even if the Church is imperfect, even if God is imperfect, Christianity can still comfort me when I need it, give me hope, and take a weight off my shoulders when I leave things in His hands.  Still, I don’t see myself going to church by choice, or reading scripture anytime soon. The church can be a place of nostalgia and comfort, and it doesn’t need to be more. Even through my rocky relationship with Christianity, I have held onto the core beliefs it gave me: kindness, forgiveness, and humility like a lifeline, and I can be thankful for those lessons even if I don’t necessarily ‘believe.’ I’m grateful to Ethel for opening my eyes to the nuances of believing, and for making an album so intoxicating that I couldn’t stay away even when it discussed something I thought I hated.

[o-uncle-newt]

Cabin Pressure Advent Day 16: Paris

PAAAAAARRRRRRIIIISSSS!

There are not words for how much I love this episode, there really aren't. I actually listened to it early this morning because I was so excited, and then had to deal with a difficult personal situation and was like "oh dang I wish I hadn't listened to it yet so I could cheer up from it now!" But I had, so I listened to Hot Desk (from Double Acts) instead. Also very effective.

Anyway- I love everything about this episode, because I LOVE Golden Age mysteries! I'm not super well read on all the different authors, but I've had a lot of fun over the years reading Conan Doyle (and Poe and Wilkie Collins, if we're going that far back), Chesterton, Christie, and more recently Sayers, and even more recently have read a smattering as well of John Dickson Carr, Margery Allingham, Anthony Berkeley, and a bunch of others. To digress a little, I highly highly recommend Martin Edwards's excellent book The Golden Age of Murder and his wonderful short-story anthology compilations and reprints- it really got me on a kick of trying to read a bit more broadly in the genre after discovering how much I loved reading a few specific authors growing up. It's been really rewarding and I highly recommend it!

Now, the thing with Paris is that the popular backstory is "John Finnemore had Benedict Cumberbatch on the show, he became famous as Sherlock on Sherlock, Finnemore thought it would be funny to do a mystery themed one as a result, and so we have Marin Crieff as "Miss Marple." Which is apparently not UNtrue per se, but JF himself has said that he always planned to do a mystery episode. Which makes sense, as in the first link just now JF makes clear that Golden Age mysteries are his "trashy fiction of choice," about which I can only say amen!

Which is what makes the episode so great- because it's super clear what kind of love for the genre he put into the episode as a result. There's the Christie- obviously the Miss Marple references but also the "gathering everyone together in the parlor" thing (which she doesn't do ALL the time... but she does PRETTY often lol). There's obviously the Conan Doyle reference, which is "snappily put," as Douglas says. There's a fun reference to Raffles- who may not be a detective himself but is definitely a cousin to the whodunnit genre (or shall we say brother-in-law, as he was Conan Doyle's...), and there's "Crieff of the Yard," which is a phrase that I'm confident has a basis in detective writing but that I'm not able to pinpoint, which is annoying. Arthur's example of the monkey at the circus also evokes a few stories of MASSIVELY varying quality involving unlikely murderous animals, which is always fun. (And parenthetically, while there are no Sayers references that I can find, I will say that I continue to be confident that the dog-collar plotline in Here's What We Do from Double Acts is a reference to the dog-collar plotline in Gaudy Night. He has never confirmed it but like, how could it not be? Or at least so I tell myself.)

But all of that is window dressing- the episode itself is a beautifully written impossible crime mystery, and I love that about it. JF has mentioned that he likes John Dickson Carr, who was big for locked room mysteries/impossible crimes- though loads of writers wrote them (including, incidentally, AA Milne, who you likely know better from Winnie the Pooh, who wrote a fun early example of the genre that you can read here for free because of that magical phenomenon, copyright expiration). And this episode is just such a good example of one that it makes me wish that JF would get into the whodunnit-writing game more broadly (beyond his Cain's Jawbone sequel). If Richard Osman can do it...!

In one of the above-linked blogposts, JF mentions that it's "pleasing how naturally my main cast fitted into familiar roles from the detective fiction genre - the meticulous detective, his devoted assistant, his no nonsense boss… and his nemesis, the Napoleon of crime." Which is awesome, but I think there's even more there. I particularly love that it's an impossible crime mystery in a closed circle. While there's a genre of whodunnit where you have the corpse or whatever and have to cast a wide net to find witnesses and clues, writers there often either have to make the potential dead ends in the detective work REALLY interesting or rely a lot on coincidence. Closed circle crimes (like ones at a country house or within a workplace or somewhere with guards at all the doors or something like that) can help mystery writers focus in on the story without having to worry too much about the logistics of "why these people?" and it's why you get so many mysteries set on trains or ships or islands or whatever. And an airplane is one of the best closed circles there is, because unless you're DB Cooper you're not getting out. Agatha Christie did an early one in Death in the Clouds which is a lot of fun, and this episode is a great example.

The fun thing about closed circle whodunnits and impossible crime mysteries is that the whole point of them is that usually, the author is just straight up lying to you. There's a vent for a snake to go through, or a secret doorway to the outside, or the time when the door was locked or the circle was closed isn't actually when the crime took place, but a fake gunshot makes you think it was. And that's why I love this so much- because the author/liar of the mystery is Douglas. He's the genre savvy one. He's the one who's lying, he's the one who's turning it all into a whodunnit, and he's waiting to see if he can get away with it. He's the Napoleon of Crime- and a Columbo villain setting up the false trail that he hopes Columbo will fall for.

Because... and JF notes this in both blog posts... there's no mystery here! Obviously Douglas did it. The point here is that this episode is like if Columbo was as dumb as he seemed and the criminal managed to lead him down the garden path and got away with it. It's "what if Poirot were a moron but still had to solve the murder of Roger Ackroyd." Douglas is the one who creates an impossible crime scheme, anticipates that he'll still be suspected because, well, he's him, and manages to come up with alternative scenarios- including ones that open the seemingly closed circle of the crime- that are convincing enough to throw Martin off the scent. Without him, it would just be "so how did Douglas do it this time?"

Now, the impossible crime is still important, because while we all kind of know that Douglas did it, we still don't know how he did it. And from that perspective alone, JF's impossible crime puzzle is genius. The clues that he drops are really interesting (I'm not 100% sure I see the nail polish bottle as being fair play, but plenty of whodunnits aren't so I don't really care) and it's something that, even as we see Douglas writing a whole separate decoy mystery (reminiscent of his decoy apple juice?) on top of his own scheme, keeps us intrigued throughout even once it becomes pretty clear that Douglas has been snowing all of them. So all of that is fun- but it's far more fun with all the other tropes and schemes and false trails laid on top of it, giving it so many more dimensions.

And then, at the end, nobody solves it- the detective's reveal, after all the carefully left false trails, comes from the thief himself.

It's just... so beautiful. Ahhhh.

I feel like (and one of the blog posts mentions this) that there's a question of whether Douglas actually pulled it off, particularly in the context of whether Martin would really need to pay Carolyn at the end. My opinion is: practically, yes, Douglas stole the whiskey. If Birling hadn't offered them the cufflinks, he'd never have revealed his trick and he'd have had ample opportunity the rest of the trip to empty his decoy apple juice in the sink, replace it with whiskey, and fill up the bottle with cheap whiskey from the plane's bar or the Paris airport duty free. (Or whatever his plan was- but that seems plausible.) Carolyn would have never known once they returned. And the episode leaves open whether practically speaking Martin actually does have to pay Carolyn, but thematically... yes, of course he does, the whole question here is "is Douglas the organ grinder" and the answer is that he obviously is. The monkey's gotta pay up!

I love, incidentally, so many more things about this episode- the humor, Mr Birling, the ways in which everything is so true to character, basically everything about Arthur... but I've already gone on long enough.

[justme315]

Family 1/? (g/t parenting story)

Next part:

Warning:

Mention of Foster care, fear, curse words

--------

Summary:

Mark and James are 36 years olds. They've been together since they were teens and have been happyly married for a long time. They want to be parents, that's why they have been trying to adopt from the foster system for 5 years now, but for unspecified reasons their family case is on hold and there is no child/children they could adopt despite their excellent results on the course for a foster/adoptive family.

Cain is a 14-year-old borrower who takes care of his 8-year-old little sister - Lizzie - since their parents are gone. The kids have just moved into a new house, and not knowing human's schedule, Cain can't go borrowing yet, but Lizzie has an idea..

----------

James POV:

"I can't believe it!" shouts Mark "Why are they sending a refusal again?!"

"I don't know," I say in a shaky voice. So many years of trying to adopt yet nothing. We meet all the needs of a child, we have well-paid jobs, a large house, competences, great results after the adoption course, we have everything and yet they do not want to let us become parents. They don't want us to be happy. I start crying.

"Don't cry baby" Mark says softly. He sits on the floor across from me and looks me straight in the eyes "We're fine honey. We passed all the tests, we did the best we could. They're the assholes who don't want to give us a baby but remember we are going to be daddies. We're going to have a wonderful family and we will have our lovely baby at home with us and we will love them so much."

"You promise?" i sob.

"I promise"

-----

Cains POV:

"Lizzie, please be quieter!" I yell at my sister when she plays too loudly. We just moved and in a new house, we have to be extra careful. Not that we can normally be loud, the life of the borrower does not allow it. It's hard for me to rebuild a shelter in our new hideout, but I'll manage! I'm sure it will be okay. This place seems quiet and has a lot of space. I think that in two or three weeks we will be feeling at home. Not that we really should or could feel like that way somewhere, but it would be nice to stay somewhere a little longer.. I hope there are no children or pets in this house. That would cause a lot of worry. I only saw two adult men so far, but there are a lot of toys around the house so it looks like there is a child here, although with such peace and quietness I can doubt it.

"Cain, silly, stop worrying" I hear Lizzie say before tapping my head.

"Yeah, sorry" I sigh. "But in a new house we have to be ultra careful, okay? We can't be loud. We also have to be very good because there are new people here and we don't know their schedule. That's why I can't go borrowing for now and we have to bravely endure" I say in a nice tone to my little sister, who sits on my lap and hugs me. How are we going to survive without food? But risking going out in a new house is too dangerous..

"But we don't have any food left!" says Lizzie. God, raising a little girl alone is so hard. I wish dad and mom were here. They would know what to do. They would take care of us, I wouldn't have to be afraid or worry about food, they would take care of everything. I miss them. It's been almost 3 years since they were caught. It's been almost 3 years since we lost them. It's been almost 3 years since I have to take care of my sister and myself. I'm only 14, raising a child and borrowing is very difficult at that age! But I know no other borrowers would help us. Nobody helps orphans. We have no choice. We have to live like this. I have to do everything I can for the sake of Lizzie, my only family left. She needs me.

"I can't borrow today, I have to look at human's behavior first, but I'll bring food as soon as I can"

----------

Lizzies POV:

It's been 3 days without food. Cain is afraid to go borrowing. It's stupid, you can't live without food! I don't think he knows that. He told me that as far as he knew, there were only two adult humans in the house, which is probably a good thing. I don't understand why he won't go, he's good at borrowing, no human has ever seen him. And I think humans in general are stupid. They would never catch Cain or me. Because he's so afraid, I will be brave and fetch the food myself! He will see how big I am now and that he doesn't have to be so afraid for me and that he doesn't have to do everything alone. I take his hook and go. He's sleeping right now so it must be very late. We already have a tunnel to the kitchen, so getting food should be easy. I walk out of the tunnel onto the kitchen counter.

"Easy" I whisper to myself. Why was he so worried? It is very easy-pesy. It's my first time in a completely open space. Everything is so big, actually it's super cool! Why doesn't he ever take me with him?! It's so cool outside! The only problem is I can't see any food. That's bad. I need food. I look around and see a cupboard up. It's not that far. I just need to throw Cain's hook to get to stick and climb up. Relax. I throw and it really sticks. I knew I was talented! I start climbing and reach the very top. I peek inside and see chips. I'm so hungry. They look so appetizing as if they were begging me to eat them. I try to open the cupboard door, but it won't even move. "Why don't you open?!" I gets upset. I don't like that it's starting to get hard. I try to open harder. Still nothing. Finally, I pull with all my might. Oh no. The door opens and pushes me down. I'm attached to the hook's ld cord but I get tangled. I scream as I fall. I don't think it's loud though. That means I didn't get anyone's attention, which means humans are still asleep like stupid mice. But that also means I didn't scream loud enough to wake Cain. What will I do now?! I'm tangled up and can't to move at all. I'm a little scared. It's a silly lie. I'm very scared! I'm out in the open and there's absolutely nothing I can do. Doing anything without Cain was a bad idea. I start crying. I want to go back to our hideout, to my brother.. It must be a nightmare. I cry trying to break free. I need Cain! What if humans will wake up?! I'm so scared... Right now I'm hearing something. Sounds weird. Very unheard of on such a large scale. Almost like… footsteps?! Oh no. No no no!!

---------

James POV:

It's quite early, already around 5am, even though it's still rather dark outside. I should be getting ready for work now. I could have slept 15 more minutes but I got up because I was thirsty but now I have to go to the kitchen for another reason. I don't know what it was, but I heard a noise. It was weried, almost like a scream. But that's impossible, no one can scream that quiet. And there's no way anyone else was in our house, it didn't sound like a thief. As far as I know, bugs can't scream either - but I'm not sure, I slept in biology classes - and it's impossible for any of the talking toys we bought to activate on their own. I go into the kitchen and for a moment I don't see anything strange. It's really dark, so I can't tell if anything is out of the ordinary. I turn on the light and look around the room. I really don't see anything wrong, the room looks like any other day, no one else seems to be in it but me, everything is where it should be, even the toys seem untouched. Maybe it's just my imagination? I don't sleep very well because of all the stuff going on with the foster system and I think too much, so maybe I'm finally going crazy? Has my mind started playing tricks on me? Damn, am I really going insane? That would be a new killer for me and Mark, and then I can be sure they'll take away our licenses and we'll never be dads. Sweet Universe, I know it's hard to become parents, but we're wonderful people. Although my madness really wouldn't be good for our future baby. I need to drink water and maybe take some sedatives. I go to the cupboards to get a glass of water and that's when I hear it. A sob. Wait, what? I look around the cupboards. There is something unusual about one of them. There's a little string and.. a tiny child?!

[ourtalechara]

Hi hi hello again I'm going to be doing what I've been doing for the last two days and talking about TNPCTO. Specifically the names.

So, everyone who has seen this song or it's prologue has probably picked up on the way that all the characters have been named.

Christopher Kringle - Santa has a bunch of names, Kris Kringle being one of them. So they made that his name.

Ken D. Caine - a potentially real name that, when said aloud, sounds like "candy cane", a typically peppermint-flavored piece of candy associated with the wintertime

Elise Navidad - a reference to the Spanish phrase "Feliz Navidad," or "Happy Christmas". Likely specifically referencing the popular song, "Feliz Navidad ".

Special shout-out to E. Bunny, Saint Patrick, and Cupid. Also the Pancake Day HQ, but they don't have a mascot.

But there's one character who I want to talk about who I find particularly interesting for a few reasons. One of them being that I have so far talked to at least two people who did not know what his namesake was. So, I'll start with that.

In the Bleak Midwinter is a poem by Christina Rossetti about the birth of Jesus Christ. There are several musical arrangements for this piece, and if I had to choose one word to describe them both, I think it would have to be melancholy.

I think that this is such an interesting choice of namesake. For one, it doesn't quite feel like the others to me. One character is named after a christmasy type of candy, and another will likely remain you of a song which many consider an earworm. And that's great, I love them. But, in contrast, there's something so... well, bleak about Blake's name. Just the words "bleak midwinter" bring to mind gray, cold, perhaps lifeless. The most well known melodies are melancholy and the first verse is filled with this cold imagery.

In the bleak mid-winter

Frosty wind made moan

Earth stood hard as iron,

Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

Snow on snow,

In the bleak mid-winter

Long, long ago.

And yet... I don't know. There's something about this name, and about this song, that has always felt like a warm fuzzy blanket to me. Something heavy and relaxing. There's even something about the fact that his name isn't exactly Bleak Midwinter. Something about obfuscating the meaning behind the name and altering the word bleak. It doesn't feel as cold or harsh when the most lifeless word in the phrase is, softened, so to say. It feels more approachable.

The thing that makes me think that this might be somewhat intentional, rather than just a cool thing I found regardless of if anyone meant to put it there, is when Santa's nameplate changes. It goes from "Christopher Kringle", a name which, I think of as softer, and one associated with the jolly old Santa Claus, to "Blake Midwinter". It signifies that a change has officially been made, that the North Pole is now under new management, and it sort of hints at the kind of direction the company is going to be going. Christmas isn't going to be the same anymore. It's going to be more grey. More soulless. More... Bleak.

[rainbowsky]

Happy International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia

This has been a very distressing year of increased crackdowns on queer people and queer identities globally. Threats and protests at drag shows, queer events being shut down for safety reasons, another devastating mass shooting at a gay night club, transgender people being attacked, maligned and denied human rights and basic health care all over the place... it's incredibly depressing.

I already have a post here and another one here and yet another one here that are more political in nature. I hope you'll check those out and do what you can to spread the word and/or help out. But for this year's post, in the interests of lightening things up a bit from this relentless grief, I've decided to celebrate some of my favorite queer music artists who you might not have heard of before.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of my favorite queer artists. Just a few that I think don't get the recognition they deserve, and that I was able to come up with off the top of my head within the time I had available to make this post. There are so many great queer artists, and I will probably share more of them in the coming months and years.

Anohni

Truly one of the most beautiful voices on the planet. I've been a devoted fan of hers for many years, and she just keeps blowing me completely away and breaking my heart and holding it all together. I love her so damn much. She's a blessing to this world.

RVG

RVG (for Romy Vager Group, after the lead singer Romy Vager) from Australia are my current favorite new band. Romy has a spectacular voice and she knows how to use it. I can't wait for the new album to come out. Squid is my favorite new song so far, but Midnight Sun is a close second. I've shared it here because it has a video - more entertaining than staring at an album cover.

Ethel Cain

I've already talked about her a lot here on my blog. She's amazing, and her album Preacher's Daughter is one of my favorite releases from last year.

Oliver Sim

I've talked about him before on my blog. Some of you might recognize his voice from the XX, one of my favorite bands. He recently came out with a solo album that I also absolutely love. I know I've shared this video before, but it's such a favorite that I had no choice but to share it again.

Perfume Genius

Love him so much. He always manages to have a simultaneously nostalgic, moody, anthemic and totally 'of the moment' sound.

The Irrepressibles

Ugh. So good. Everything Jamie does is amazing - the aesthetic, the sound, the demeanour. Truly a massive, massive inspiration. His voice totally kills me. This particular song is so gutting and beautiful. If you look up the lyrics, you'll cry.

Chris Pureka

They are such a brilliant songwriter. Emotional, powerful songs, and such a unique, expressive voice. Their sound is deceptively simple but everything is memorable and sticks with me.

I'm aware of how painfully white this list is, but I saved a few for another list I'm working on. You'll see that one in a week or two.

[amtrak12]

Alrighty, let's go with "🍦 ⇢ name three good things about a character you hate" then, and also "🕯️ ⇢ on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? why is that?" because that was a really interesting ask! And, to round it out: 🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

YESSSSS these are good ones! Thank you so much!!

(from the Writers Truth & Dare Ask Game)

I have pictures for the good things about a character I hate, so I'm going to save the Show & Tell for the end. I don't want my other answers to get lost in the crowd :P

▪ On a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? Why is that?

I LOVE EDITING!!! These days at least. I never really hated it in the past... but I also rarely got far enough in the writing process to reach the editing stage 😬

Because see, I used to try and combine the drafting and editing processes into one. It's taken me FAR TOO LONG to finally grasp that writing is done through layers. You can't write third draft content and quality the first time around. You just can't! And understanding the layers and having a full year (plus) under my belt of witnessing the editing process in motion has really made me fall in love with it.

And on the flip side, it's also made me love drafting more! Or at the very least made it less stressful for me because I don't have to worry about missing information or wording or capturing the emotions accurately. I can just dump the information from my brain and spend the next two weeks cleaning it up. It's great! 10/10 big fan of editing! 😄

▪ Share a headcanon for one of your favorite ships or pairings

Hmmmm......... I'm trying desperately to think of headcanons for my past ships that Tumblr cares about, but it's only Lucifer in my head right now.

My Warehouse 13 opinions and feelings haven't changed in the last decade which means my headcanons haven't either. This is a problem if I was ever going to go back and write canon fix-its like I did with Doctor Who because I still don't know how to solve the puzzle of Helena. What do we do with her after the S3 finale? What's the long-term plan for her? I can see Regent for her, like many have suggested, but that's never been my favorite option. A field agent again? Maybe, but can she ever really heal still working for the warehouse in that capacity? I'm not sure. But we can't remove her from the warehouse altogether (at least if you're a Bering and Wells shipper) because Myka's not leaving ever. She's going to take over as head agent one day when Artie (very reluctantly but also a little proudly) becomes the first agent -- possibly ever! -- to retire from the warehouse alive.

So then what do we do with Helena????

I still don't have an answer to that. The best one I have is the same one I thought of ten years ago which is to make HG the resident inventor eccentric who only goes out into the field when she's absolutely needed. Think Claudia in S1, except staying in is by choice and not mandated by Artie for being too young and inexperienced.

But I also really like HG mentoring kids. As much as Instinct otherwise sucks, I did really, really love her with Adelaide so idk what future fits her best ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

.

AND NOW FOR THE SHOW AND TELL!!!!!! Which is 100% about the TV show Lucifer and I won't apologize for that because no other show has a character I hate more.

▪ Three Good Things about Cain from Lucifer (TV) Despite Me Hating His Guts

First of all, who is Cain from Lucifer (TV)?

IT'S THIS BITCH RIGHT HERE!!! And no I don't hate his guts because he's the villain of S3. I HATE HIM BECAUSE HE'S BORING AS THE VILLAIN! Like yeah yeah yeah, the guy invented murder. BUT HIS BIGGEST CRIME IS BEING BORING!!!!

He also canonically dated (and was even engaged to) Chloe for all of four episodes total (maybe?) and it was PURE TORTUROUS HELL, but I attribute that crime to the writers more than Cain. IDEK what the fuck they were trying to do with that storyline but I want to fight them in a Denny's parking lot over it. With knives.

And now that we've established why I hate him so much, here's some good things about Cain.

1. He has a rock collection

I am not being snarky in the slightest when I say that I absolutely ADORE that he canonically has a giant ass rock collection. And when I say giant ass rock collection, I do not mean that piddly sample you can see in the screencap above. I mean, every flat surface in his house is covered in rocks. You walk into his kitchen? His counters are probably rocks. They're everywhere! But they're also nicely displayed??? He has stands for some of them to better show them off! He probably has a whole system surrounding which rocks get grouped together. And given how much he moves around since he's a cursed immortal being, he has to pack all of these fucking rocks up, move to the new place, and then re-set them all up again. THAT'S HYSTERICAL TO ME! What a fucking fixation to give him! They should've fully committed and leaned into this bit instead of just barely slipping it into this one episode.

Also 1000% fact, the rock he used to kill his brother is in that collection somewhere. I don't know which one it is or where he keeps it. But it is DEFINITELY there!

Anyway Cain's rock collection: 12/10 A++ no criticism from me XD

2. This Caincore tumblr post

I just reblogged it yesterday too. LOOK! Does it have anything to do with the tv show Lucifer? Technically, no. Is it hilarious though? Absolutely yes! Also it says Cain's name so that makes it the second best thing about Cain 😜 😂

And finally....

3. He has the hottest mother in the history of humanity

EVE!!!!!!! 😍 My beloved!! 😍 Definitely hands down one of the best things I can say about Cain? HIS MOTHER IS GORGEOUS!! *swoons*

Her son can't do anything right, but Eve? Oh Eve can do no wrong 💜💜💜 (Yes, that includes dating Lucifer and then accidentally-definitely-on-purpose starting a demon mutiny when he dumps her. LET MY GIRL HAVE FEELINGS OKAY! Geez!)

And that's all three good things I can say about Cain in the TV show Lucifer. The only other thing I could possibly say is he's dead, but I'm not sure that's in the spirit of the question LOL

[maskedteaser]

Hello! Is it possible I could get a matchup for RDR2?

I'm very shy when I first meet people, but as soon as I get comfy I'm playful and love making jokes. I only have a few friends because it's hard for me to talk to people and get to know them, usually people have to tell me that I'm their friend otherwise I'm completely lost. I LOVE animals, completely love them. If I could, I would buy a barn just to have horses, goats, cows- anything. I also love nature but it's harder for me to go out in it often because I live in a dense city. My hobbies are drawing, reading, writing (not as much in recent years), and listening/creating small little music tunes. I struggle with feelings of jealousy and self-doubt a lot, which means I isolate myself when I feel like someone is upset at me after I apologize 20x times. I have a really bad guilt complex, which means I basically feel guilty for anything and everything I do to the point it makes me ill. I'm also extremely touchy with my partners/friends, I love spending quality time with them as well as giving 100 hugs if they allow me lol.

I hope this all works! ^^

I just noticed you sent another inbox message that you have a preference for man. Thx for that. If anyone else is reading it - please keep in mind to always put your preferances in requests !!

Let's get started!

firstly, let me just say why I didn't choose other characters!

❝ I LOVE animals, completely love them ❞

Well...Let's just say that...MICAH BELL hates animals. The way he treated Cain is my best proof. He probably wouldn't care about any animal and could kill any animal just because he'd feel it's fun...

❝ I struggle with feelings of jealousy and self-doubt a lot ❞

JOHN MARSTON wouldn't understand you, he wouldn't know how to calm you down, how to make you stop apologizing for everything. It would probably annoy him. John is not an empathetic person, well, not much at least, and you seem to need a really empathetic partner.

❝ I have a really bad guilt complex, which means I basically feel guilty for anything and everything I do to the point it makes me ill. ❞

And DUTCH VAN DER LINDE would probably make you feel even worse. Constantly trying to manipulate you, to make you feel like you're only worthy when you're with him, and when you're alone - you ruin everything. If you're into toxic relationships - sure, but I hope you'd run away from him and his gaslighting words AS FAST AS YOU CAN.

NOW FOR A BIG MOMENT...DUM DUM DUM...

ARTHUR MORGAN

I actually thought that I'd never match anyone with Arthur, since I wanted to not be too boring, like...Putting the main character seems like a really obvious, boring choice, but you really seem to make a good match for him!

He loves animals, just like you, do you even remember how he treats his horse? How broken he was when his horse got shot in the epilogue? (i hope you saw the epilogue and i'm not spoiling you anything............)

You both love drawing! That's a great place to start, right? You're both shy when meeting new people, but you could compliment each other's drawings, teach each other new things and draw portraits of each other. What a cute date idea!

There would never be a reason for you to be jealous, since when he falls in love, he falls HARD. Mary Linton? Who was that? Since he found you, he's not intrested in anyone else. He's a patient man, he'd always encourage you that you are not guilty of anything. But Arthur has the same problem as you, he also feels guilty for everything so you'd have to make sure he feels appreciated and loved. Please, make him feel loved :( You are touchy and I believe that he'd love to hold hands with you whenever he could...

thx for reading :) much love <3 signed TEASER 👽👽👽

[eternityservedcold]

this is a masterpost of all my homestuck!tboi designs. this wont be a rehash of info from my sketch posts from my main blog theres actual new info i prommy. ill reblog this with new ones when-if i make them ok ?

pronouns: any

name explanation: "azaela" is "azazel" with the letters lightly scrambled to homestuck-ify it. "lemato" is from "le mat", the french name of the fool tarot card

sign: pirius, sign of the storyteller

a pangram written in his quirk: ⛧ wiz⛧rds job is to vex chumps quickly in fog!

lusus: gl'bgolyb (<-- fuchsia moment)

trolltag: aspiringGreatness [AG]

strife specibus: 2x3dentkind (<-- fuchsia moment also)

very short classpect explanation: a mage knows their aspect or knows with their aspect. hope represents optimism, belief, truth, etc

shes honestly the tutorial level for the rest of this post

pronouns: they/them

name explanation: "lossat" is a corruption of "lost". "lalune" is from "la lune", "the moon" in french

sign: liblo, sign of the inescapable

pangram: Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow .

lusus: hawk

trolltag: graciousApotropaic [GA]

strife specibus: polearmkind

classpect explanation: a sylph heals their aspect or heals through their aspect. heart represents feelings, the soul, personality, etc

pronouns: he/him

name explanation: the "j" in "judas" was replaced with "y" to make it sound the way most languages pronounce judas' name, which also homestuck-ifies it a bit. i also added an e to make his name 6 letters. "akelda" is from "akeldama" which is where judas from the bible died, also a judas unlock

sign: aquaza, sign of the politic

pangram: W4ltz, b4d nymph, 4 quick jigs vex.

lusus: vampire squid

trolltag: annoyedCombatant [AC]

strife specibus: daggerkind

classpect explanation: an heir changes their aspect or through their aspect. mind represents choices, alternate realities, thought, etc

pronouns: he/him but doesnt actually care

name explanation: "kaenic" comes from "k'aeni", georgian for "cain", and "szeren" comes from "szerencse", hungarian for "luck"

sign: lepia, sign of the synthesizer

pangram: pack my box with five dozen 7iquor jugs

lusus: raccoon

trolltag: convictedAirhead [CA]

strife specibus: 2xknifekind

classpect explanation: a rogue steals their aspect or steals with their aspect, and gives it to others. light represents luck, knowledge, perception, etc

pronouns: he/they

name explanation: "samzun" is just homestuck-ified "samson". "agonis" is from "agonistes", which means "champion" or "combatant", and references samson agonistes. it also sounds like "adonis" which i think is fun

sign: sagicorn, sign of the wild

pangram: Tw⎋ dr↑ven j⎋cks help fax my b↑g qu↑z.

lusus: bear

trolltag: temperamentalGoverner [TG]

strife specibus: fistkind

classpect explanation: a knight exploits their aspect or exploits with their aspect. rage represents chaos, defiance, fear, etc

pronouns: he/him

name explanation: "elazar" is from "el azar", the origin of the name name "lazarus". "fordan" is a corruption of "four days", referencing lazarus' epithet "the four-days dead"

sign: argo, sign of the zenith

pangram: By Jove, my quick ⚕tudy of lexicography won a prize!

lusus: possum

trolltag: gunshyTherapist [GT]

strife specibus: garrotekind

classpect explanation: a page invites exploitation of or invites exploitation through their aspect. space represents creation, manipulation, patience, etc

pronouns: she/it

name explanation: "evevir" comes from "vivir", the spanish word for "to live", which hearkens to "hava", the hebrew name of eve, which means "living". "megali" means "great", a reference to babylon the great

sign: gemcen, sign of the entertainer

pangram: ☾ Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz ☆

lusus: coyote

trolltag: gothicCacodemon [GC]

strife specibus: clawkind

classpect explanation: a prince destroys their aspect or destroys with their aspect. blood represents relationships, stability, attachment, etc

pronouns: she/her

name explanation: look me in the eye and tell me you dont know where "maggie moriah" comes from.

sign: virsci, sign of the alchemist

pangram: My girl wove six dozen plaid jacke†s before she qui†!

lusus: cow

trolltag: charitableGourmet [CG]

strife specibus: spoonkind

classpect explanation: a witch manipulates their aspect or manipulates through their aspect. life represents healing, positivity, growth, etc

pronouns: he/she/it

name explanation: "bughaw" is from "bugháw", "blue" in tagalog. it also has "bug" in it. "chepri" is one of the transliterations of "khepri", the name of the egyptian scarab-faced god, who can represent rebirth/renewal

sign: scormini, sign of the martyr

alive!pangram: all questixns asked by five watched xperts amaze the judge

dead!pangram: while making deep xcavations we f0und s0me quaint br0nze jewelry

lusus: fly

trolltag: carrionsTransgression [CT]

strife specibus: hatchetkind

classpect explanation: a thief steals their aspect or steals with their aspect. doom represents death, negativity, rules, etc

pronouns: she/they

name explanation: "isscah" is from "iscah", a person mentioned briefly in the bible. okay i chose this name because its a female name starting with "is". "jusawi" means "dice" in korean, and the "sawi" part sounds sort of like "sorry"

sign: taurist, sign of the prosperous

pangram: doi really hvae to do this i m ean i think eevryone knows what crytyping is,

lusus: cat

trolltag: antagonizedTenderfoot [AT]

strife specibus: dicekind

classpect explanation: a seer invites knowledge of their aspect or invites knowledge with their aspect. time represents destruction, artificiality, impulsivity, etc

pronouns: any (with a slight preference for they/them)

name explanation: "edinnu" is the akkadian origin of the word "eden", meaning "plain" (as in a grassland). "bedelo" is from "beddelo", meaning "change"/"vary"/"modify" in somali

sign: capriun, sign of the cartographer

pangram: About sixty codfish eggs wi11 make a quarter pound of very fizzy je11y!

lusus: ferret

trolltag: tempestuousComedian [TC]

strife specibus: jokerkind

classpect explanation: a maid creates their aspect or creates with their aspect. breath represents freedom, independence, apathy, etc

pronouns: he/him

sign: serpens cauda

pangram: A lArge fAwn jumped quickly over white zinc boxes.

screen name: tergiversantArchangel [TA]

strife specibus: pistolkind

classpect explanation: a prince destroys their aspect or destroys with their aspect. breath represents freedom, independence, apathy, etc

pronouns: she/any

sign: serpens caput

pangram: GRUMPY WIZaRDS MaKE TOXIC BREW FOR THE EVIL QUEEN aND JaCK

screen name: unspokenUltimatum [UU]

strife specibus: chainkind

classpect explanation: a sylph heals their aspect or heals through their aspect. blood represents relationships, stability, attachment, etc

pronouns: she/they

symbol: well it says it right there wish bone

typing style: all lowercase. usually no punctuation except for when there are two sentences in the same line or being particularly blunt

chumhandle: godforsakenGrave [GG]

strife specibus: clubkind

classpect explanation: a bard invites destruction of their aspect or invites destruction with their aspect. space represents creation, manipulation, patience, etc

pronouns: she/they

classpect (if she played): maid of heart (a maid creates their aspect or creates with their aspect. heart represents feelings, the soul, personality, etc)

pronouns: he/they/it

symbol: spider

typing style: HAS A BROKEN CAPS LOCK KEY. SPORADIC PUNCTUATION AND DOESN'T USE COMMAS

chumhandle: cynicalCapitalist [CC]

strife specibus: bombkind

classpect explanation: a rogue steals their aspect or steals with their aspect, and gives it to others. time represents destruction, artificiality, impulsivity, etc

pronouns: he/him, dabbles in others

classpect: sylph of mind (a sylph heals their aspect or heals through their aspect. mind represents choices, alternate realities, thought, etc)

pronouns: she/any

symbol: star

typing style: Proper case and punctuation. Usually uses periods even if it's a question.

chumhandle: thoughtfulThaumaturge [TT]

strife specibus: bookkind

classpect explanation: a mage knows their aspect or knows with their aspect. light represents luck, knowledge, perception, etc

pronouns: he/him

classpect: not this one. the other one is a knight of breath though (a knight exploits their aspect or exploits with their aspect. breath represents freedom, independence, apathy, etc)

this is just some guy like dont even worry about it alright.

pronouns: they/it

symbol: black hole

typing style: just weird And does whatever. random caps and Punctuation and spacing.. . don't try to pin it down

chumhandle: apparentlyAnnihilative [AA]

strife specibus: scythekind

classpect explanation: an heir changes their aspect or through their aspect. void represents confusion, secrets, infinity, etc

pronouns: "What? I'm going to kill you."

classpect: not this one either. the other one is a witch of rage (a witch manipulates their aspect or manipulates through their aspect. rage represents chaos, defiance, fear, etc)