#and ALREADY in a vulnerable state she gets manipulated into turning dark side

[rexscanonwife]

I know I hit y'all with those angsty AU ideas all the time but like for context

Let Me Make You Proud from the Tangled series is SUCH an unbelievably 'Kepler' song and its on my playlist for him and if I had the wherewithal I'd make an animatic out of it for him 😤 but that ALSO got me thinking about the song Nothing Left to Lose also from Tangled and I thought 😳 Sith Lord AU...

[igotanidea]

Reveal: Damian Wayne x reader

part 6 of "Family rules" series.

Warning: dark themes, domestic violence.

***

One thing was sure.

She was avoiding him.

Taking it to such extreme that the second he was showing up at the other side of the corridor, ready to approach her and maybe have a talk, she was just spinning on her heel, moving exactly the opposite direction.

And Damian was starting to feel like a fool.

And if there was one thing that he didn’t like was being made a fool out of.

Under any other circumstances, he would just drop the whole thing, say some harsh, hurtful words and move on, being the same cold and seemingly emotionless person he used to, but –

There was no way she could hide the fact that her eyes were always searching for him.

In the class, when she thought he wasn’t looking.

At the recess, when she was reading a book in the corner, not really focusing on the lecture.

When they were leaving school after whole day of classes.

She was looking at him.

And though it may have been an illusion, there was something in those e/c orbs… Almost as if she was asking for help, perhaps?

This was suspicious and a little bit concerning.

And got even more concerning when he started noticing her showing up at school with bruises. Not just the I-fell-of-the-bike feigned ones, but tiny yet serious marks, that anyone who was not Robin, would probably miss.

And every day, there were new.

***

“Y/L/N” he sprang up in front of her completely out of nowhere, startling her and thus preventing her from escaping.

“Ah! Wayne!”

“What’s with the bruises?” Damian was not exactly known from his subtleness, cutting straight to the case.

“The what now?” she scoffed, playing off but instinctively fixing her hoodie so it would cover her better.

“The bruises. I saw some on your… um… midsection and –”

“Midsection?” Y/N repeated with a bit of shock in her voice and eyes “Wait.. How- How exactly did you notice them there? Shit, Wayne, have you been watching me?! Are you a creep now!?”

Damian could not help getting a little reddened at the accusation in her tone.

“No! I mean – come on, we have the same sports hall and we share PE classes! It’s really not too hard to notice when focused and –“

“You were focused on me!?”

This conversation was taking a turn Damian did not plan nor expect.

“Stop stalking me!”

“I am not stalking you! I just want to know what is going on!” he grabbed her forearm, causing her to hiss in pain. Clearly, she had another fresh injury there. “Apologies…”

“Save it, Wayne!” she yanked herself free. “Just leave me the hell alone! It would be better for everyone …” her voice faltered a little at the end and she gave him the same sad look that was chasing him everywhere for the past few weeks.

“Y/N…”

“I’m serious Damian…”

Neither of them realized that they switched into using each other’s names instead of last names.

“I just want to know where did that teasing smile I knew go…” he whispered, allowing himself a very rare moment of vulnerability, resorting to every measure to help him help her.

 “Things have changed… There’s not much you can do about it…” she responded in the same hushed tone, keeping those (scared?) eyes on him. Only for a second though, before putting her defenses up again. “Just – just stay the hell away from me!”

And with that words, leaving him stunned and confused she ran away again.

Only that this time, Damian knew something was wrong.

And he was about to find out what.

***

 “And she just called you a creep?!” Dick laughed quietly “Damn, I like her already.”

He and Damian, in their respective vigilantes versions were hidden on the tree outside Y/N’s house, observing carefully everything that was happening inside. And Damian hated every minute of the presence of his older brother. And partially feeling a hell lot of self-loathing due to the fact that Dick tricked him into joining the patrol. Using the moment of Damian’s distraction and a mix of emotions, skillfully dragging information about his state, manipulating the situation.

“Shut up, Nightwing you will blew our cover!”

“Who, me? Never. I’ve been doing this for way longer than you Robin, shall I remind you.”

“I’m gonna kick you off this tree, I swear—”

“I’m an acrobat, I will land perfectly.” Dick grinned, seriously getting on his brother’s nerves.

“Will you be quiet?” Damian hissed again “There she is!”

“You know there are so many other ways to tell a girl you like her—” Grayson teased again, but the joke died on his lips as soon as he watched the scene unfolding in front of his – or rather their- eyes.

“What the—“

“Oracle, do we have a sound from a wiretap?” the anger was clear in Damian’s voice, but for some  reason he kept calm, addressing Babs to gather every information he needed before moving to action. And it would be admirable if Dick didn’t know that his brother holding back emotions would backfire on everyone. Especially the man, they were observing.

And that was actually bad.

***

“Well? Did you do what I asked of you?”

Y/N’s father was sitting in the living room, slowly sipping some drink, smirking almost vengefully when she came inside the house, with a futile hope she wouldn’t be noticed.

“No.” her tone was harsh and full of defiance, but as much as she tried to put on a brave face, her eyes and paleness were revealing everything.

“Such a shame, honey. I offered you a simple deal—”

“I am not making any deals with you!”

“Shall I remind you then what happens if you are a bad girl?”

“Oh you remind me very well, all right?!” she yelled taking a step forward “for your information the people at school are starting to ask about my bruises, so I hope you are fucking proud of yourself!”

Y/N barely made it to the end of the sentence when a hard slap on her face cut her off.

“You little ungrateful brat!”

“I hate you!”

“You were just supposed to use that little Wayne to get information of his father’s company!”

“I won’t do that!”

“There’s really no use of you, is there?” her father twisted her wrist painfully.

“STOP IT!”

“I’m gonna give you one last chance.” The grip on her wrist tightened and Y/N’s father’s hateful hiss hit her ears “Tomorrow, you are going to charm that little son of Wayne and get me the info of their newest development. Otherwise – “

“You’re my father!” she cried out in the last attempt to calm him

“And that’s exactly why you are obligated to do what I tell you. Now, go to you room and don’t you dare leave. And if I find out you told anyone about it-“

She rushed off before he finished, holding back tears, that only flew in the safety of her room.

***

“Damian?” Dick started to get a little worried about his brother’s almost catatonic stare. “Damian, are you--?”

“I’m gonna kill him.”

“I’m pretty sure that is what Jason –”

“I am going to kill him!”

“Whoa!” in the last second Dick grabbed Damian’s cape holding him back, skillfully avoiding all the punches and kicks Robin tried to give to free himself. “Come on, we gotta be smart about it!”

“I don’t care about smart! She’s hurt and –”

“And if we just bust there, that beast of a man would think she had something to do with it. Come on, Damian, think.”

“I want to rip his heart out for ever hurting her! And why –” his voice became depressed. “because of me… Because she refused to use me for information. Now I get why she was avoiding me …”

“Seems to me like you do care about that girl, aren’t you, Damian?”

“This is none of your business!”

“Yeah, it’s not. But an innocent girl being treated like this is definitely Nightwing’s one. Now, if you could just calm down a little and listen to me – I got a plan.”

I know it's a bit short, I;m getting back to the swing after my hiatus XD

@6000-fandoms @beyond-your-stars @mikyapixie

@heartz4miz @crookedmakerfury @mariam12344 @celestair

@faimmm @hornyslasher @urdarlingali @emmalove1111 @crookedmakerfury @herondale-lightworm @itzjustj-1000 @ginger24880 @anonymousmuffinbear @adharawitch @jasons-little-princess @sharkybabydoll @cupids-diner @whydoyoucare866 @ladychibirae @crookedmakerfury @amber-content @atadoddinnit @mouse-face1 @m3ntally-unstable @jinviktor @idonthaveanameforthisacc @no-lessthan3 @simp-simp-no-mi

[marvelandimagine]

I think some people mad about the arm is not necessarily about the fact that Ayo disabling the arm itself, it's more of the fact that it was not necessary and the fact that Bucky had no idea they can do that. If I were to be honest, I think it was not that necessary because Ayo is well capable of taking him down without having to disarm him and she is definitely not threatened by him. I think what some people find upsetting about that scene is the fact that it kinda comes off as Ayo putting Bucky in a position where it would make him feel like he doesn't have full control of his own body after all. The Wakandans, especially Ayo, T'Challa and Shuri had every right to feel betrayed and upset but the point is they should have told Bucky about how the arm can easily be disabled like that, they didn't know Bucky was going to set Zemo free when they gave him the arm and regardless of the things they have done for him and if they were ones who gave him the arm, they should have at least told him about it, because it's connected to him, it's a part of HIS body. It doesn't matter if it was necessary to disarm him or not, the point is they should have told him about it because apart from the fact that it's his body and that it was a bit insensitive given his history, it's also a point of vulnerability, and the fact that she did it in front of Walker (and possibly Zemo) --- people who can easily turn on Bucky, could easily that to their advantage and attempt to disable it themselves. Just my thoughts on it.

Thank you for sharing your perspective, anon!

I’m going to use this long-ass reply to address this stuff with Ayo and also voice some thoughts I’ve had over the past few weeks seeing people paint Bucky into being this complete soft and harmless human that needs 25-7 protection which I don’t jive with — and this is me, a complete Bucky stan.

Many moons ago, I saw a post that compared 1940s Bucky moving with stealth and a loaded gun on the train to the Winter Soldier doing the same thing, essentially discussing the similarities and debating how much of non-brainwashed Bucky was in the Soldier. And I think the fandom forgets or chooses to neglect the following when painting him as this fragile, peace-loving guy:

Bucky was an incredibly skilled sniper in the United States Army. His job is to eliminate threats in the most efficient way possible, and he’s good at it. HYDRA gets their hands on him and + the serum, this gets magnified. It wasn’t like HYDRA turned him into someone with the ability and mental capacity to kill — that was already there. The brainwashing and torture just carved out the rest of him to leave those honed skills and an amplified ruthlessness with no moral issues, no sense of self to contend with. That ruthlessness is part of Bucky, whether people like it or not.

When Bucky is outside of HYDRA for the first time and hiding in Civil War and gets attacked, he’s so brutal in his actions that Steve Rogers, the man who literally was ready to die to save Bucky and free him when no one else believed in the good in him, intervenes because “Buck, you’re going to kill someone.” Bucky responds that he’s not going to kill anyone, but the fact remains: with or without HYDRA control, Bucky has a strong capacity for violence that hovers on brutality — again, what’s the most efficient way to eliminate or neutralize a threat? Like, I don’t want to kill you, but I’ll knock your ass out with cinder blocks to the chest.

Bucky has a good heart, he’s loyal, he’s smart, he’s caring, he’s the longest-standing POW in history and was turned into a slave for decades, put through unimaginable trauma and torture and horror with no escape. Bucky is also a strong and incredibly skilled super soldier who has a bionic arm, is a trained sniper, is unnervingly precise with knives, and self-describes himself as “semi-stable.” Zemo notes in the bar that “it didn’t take Bucky long to get back into form,” and he’s right because the ruthlessness and skill of the Winter Soldier is a part of him and always has been. We see it when he has his hand around Zemo’s neck and tells him he will kill him, when he rips the glass from his hand and throws it across the room.

And I’m sure the Wakandans know all this about Bucky, this light and his ability for hard-to-stop violence, whether from talking to Steve and Bucky or doing their own homework. And they still choose to help him out of the goodness of their hearts because he’s been put through hell and they believe they have the capacity to help him and it’s the right thing to do — they’re betting more on those positive attributes. And they put a failsafe on his arm, a literal weapon, and chose not to tell him. You know why I think that shows how much they did care about him? Because they could’ve blatantly come out and said “Hey, we don’t trust you,” and hurt him outright, but they didn’t because they’re betting on the light in Bucky to outweigh the dark or any future manipulation. That it’s a worst-case scenario function they hope to never have to use — so they’re prepared if shit hits the fan, and if it doesn’t, Bucky doesn’t have to be hurt feeling like he can’t be trusted. I see no issues here, they’re just being cautious.

Now coming to Ayo, my QUEEN Ayo. From that beautiful, beautiful opening scene, we get to see her support, her reassurance, her belief that Bucky will be able to work through this, even when he doesn’t believe it himself. She watches him fight and struggle and cry, and you can feel the hope in her and how moved she is when she gets to tell him it worked, he did it — he’s free. And she says it not once, but twice. And you can hear not just the comfort, but the PRIDE and warmth in her voice directed to him, who I’m sure she’s watched throughout the whole deprogramming process and gotten to know and is happy to see him work through the pain and come out on the other side.

And then she sees that same individual make a decision in freeing Zemo that she perceives as a “fuck you” not just to her country, but to her, someone who was charged with protecting her king. She could’ve just disarmed Bucky the second they met up, but she doesn’t. She takes the time to explain her side and her feelings, her guilt and her shame, and basically implies that she feels betrayed by Bucky because Wakanda helped him and now he’s doing something that’s hurting her country. And still, she doesn’t attack or just go get Zemo. She gives Bucky the benefit of the doubt and a whole 8-hour American workday to do what he has to do because again, she believes in the best of him. And then that time limit runs up, and he chooses to get in her way.

And that’s the final straw. She’s angry, she’s guilty, she’s frustrated, and she feels betrayed hurt by someone I think she did respect and care about, someone whom she worked with and helped and supported when he was his most vulnerable. Did she “need” to disarm the arm to fight Bucky? Probably not. But is she doing it in the heat of battle and adrenaline and a whole bucket ton of emotions, including what she sees as the White Wolf blatantly disrespecting her country and her as a person and even friend and she just says fuck it, I’m done? You hurt us and me, and I’m going to hurt you back? Oh yeah. And Bucky looks shocked, not because he’s a poor fragile baby and “oh no, my arm, how could you?? my TrAumA”, but in the dual realization of “oh shit, how’d you do that?!” and “oh shit, I think I crossed a line here.” And also, I don’t think a single person in that room would be able to recreate the disabling sequence other than Ayo — it’s way too targeted and specific for someone like Walker to pick it up in the whole three seconds it took.

People need to stop reducing characters to these black and white extremes of soft and hard, of good and bad. Doing so completely devalues and ignores the REALITY of the complexity of being human, and Bucky and Ayo are both great examples of that played by stellar actors who portray that range and depth extremely well. End of the day, my thought is that the failsafe in the arm was justified and people need to stop coming for Ayo based on this ridiculous narrative that Bucky is too traumatized and sensitive and too much of a fave to ever be challenged or he’ll explode into dust. Boy deserves a life of freedom and healing and mental health support, but he’s also still a formidable opponent with the capacity for violence and skillset to kill. People are more than one thing.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk!!

[apollobarnes]

at last, our love has come along: chapter one

chapter summary || you had been with them for weeks, no progress. steve and bucky were willing to do anything to get you to be their perfect little one, and by anything, they mean anything.

chapter warnings || angst, kidnapping, forced age regression, manipulation, daddy kink, dark!steve, dark!bucky, dark themes, manhandling, and more

word count || 1k words

18+ minors DNI

please dont forget to reblog!

masterlist

You’d been there for 3 weeks now and you’d have to say, it was torture. 

Being surrounded in pastel colors, being treated as if you were a child, it was becoming too much. All you wanted was to be able to go home but every time you tried to reason with them, they wouldn’t budge.

They would tell you that you were too little, to dumb to go off on your own.

Right now, you were trying again, trying to reason with Steve since he had been the kindest to you. If kidnapping you was kind.

---

“Steve, please, let me go. I won’t tell anyone, please. I just want to go home.” You were on your knees, begging, in the ridiculous pastel pink and purple outfit they had forced you in.

“What do you mean, this is your home. You’re home with daddy and papa.” He was trying to get you to regress, to give in because all he wanted was his little baby. 

“You’re not my daddy, please stop saying that.”

Steve was getting angry. Him and Bucky had been trying for so long, waiting for so long. They know they found the perfect little one but all she had to do was give in, be a good girl. He didn't know what they would do if you didn't give in.

“Princess, you don’t want me to be angry again so be a good girl for us and listen.” At that point you were trying to get away from him but he had his hand on your face, holding you close. 

“Leave her alone.” You heard a voice behind you but you already knew who it was. “She’s just not ready yet.”

“She should be, we’ve waited too long.” The look in his eye had you terrified for your life.

“I’ll be whatever you want me to be, please, just don’t hurt me.”

“We could never hurt you,” Bucky came up behind you, stroking your hair. He removed Steve’s hand, turning you to face him. “We love you too much to do that.”

You were feeling conflicted. You remember the Bucky and Steve before, the ones you’d fallen in love with but then there is the Bucky and Steve in front of you.

“Little one, papa and I love you but we just need you to be our good little girl.” You were disgusted at how they were acting. Bucky was acting as if it was normal, as if they hadn’t taken you away from your family and friends.

Your family. The thought of them gave you hope. You knew they would be worried and looking for you. “My sister, she’s looking for me. I know it.”

“Oh honey, no one is looking for you, we took care of that. You’re ours and ours only.”

Hearing that brought tears to your eyes. What did they mean by that? What could they have done to her? Was she dead?

“No no no, don’t cry little one.” Steve was now in front of you, wiping your tears away. He moved to give you a kiss but you moved your head away. Forcefully moving your head back to face him, he kissed you though you didn’t reciprocate.

Bucky just put his hand on Steve’s shoulder, motioning for them to leave the room. You just sat there, watching them leave, with tears in your eyes.

---

“She’s supposed to be ready by now, be our little girl.” Bucky was just as confused and angry as Steve. They had planned this for months.

“If she doesn't regress soon, we’ll have to go to plan B.”

“No no no, we promised it wouldn’t go there, that’s too far” It was only for emergencies or when it got to the point where they couldn’t handle you. 

“She’s being stubborn. It’s gonna get to that point soon.” They both knew the side effects of it and what could happen but if it would get them their little girl, they would be forced to use it.

---

You were sitting in the room, in the corner, holding one of the stuffed animals in the room. You had been crying since they had left the room, thinking over everything that happened.

Where did I go wrong? You thought. What did I do, what happened to them?

Hearing what they said about your sister broke you. She was the last family you had. Your parents were gone and you had no other family. Now your sister is gone too.

You didn’t realize it but you were holding the stuffed animal close to you as if it would comfort you.

Hearing the door open again, you lifted your head and saw Bucky walk in. He cooed, seeing you with the stuffie. Maybe there was hope, maybe you were closer to being their little girl than they thought.

You threw the stuffie away from you, seeing that he liked seeing you like that, seeing you in your most vulnerable state.

Seeing that you threw the stuffie, Bucky’s face hardened. “Go pick it up and put it where it goes.”

“No, leave me alone.” You were trying to stay away from him, stay in the corner.

He walked up to you, grabbing your face, holding it. "You will listen to your daddies because we know what's best for you or else you will be punished."

With tears running down your face, you clawed at his hand, trying to remove it. He let go of your face, slightly pushing you back causing you to almost hit your head.

"You listen to me and pick it up, now." You scrambled to pick it up, putting it back with the others. He started to come closer to you, causing you to flinch away from you. "Good girl. You know I love you right?"

You start quiet, still trying to get away from you. He sighs and walks out, allowing Steve to come in. “Sweet girl, what’s the matter, why are you crying?”

He started coming closer, seeing the marks on your face. He held your face softly, turning it from side to side.

"I'm sorry little one, he just gets angry like that sometimes but it's okay, I'm right here." Steve was wiping your tears away, trying to get you to calm down. 

Feeling vulnerable, you curled up into Steve's arms, sniffing.

Little did you know, Bucky was standing at the doorway, smiling at how vulnerable you were.

Maybe there was still hope, maybe you could still be their little pet.

[spectral-musette]

She touched his face, fingertips light along his temple, nails delicately scraping through the short beard on his cheeks, lingering on the cleft in his chin before resting on his mouth.

“I thought…” she began, but then choked on a soft sob as the tears began to run down her cheeks.

“I thought you would be angry,” he said instead, nuzzling his cheek against her hand and then kissing the palm.

“I am furious,” she assured him, tenderly. “I am incandescent with rage.” Her lips were against his, her breath uneven in his mouth.

Directly following the Deception arc (Clone Wars Season 4 episodes 15-18), Obi-Wan asks for Satine's forgiveness for letting her believe he was dead.

Just over 2000 words, M in AO3-style rating, probably part of a longer work if I can ever finish it and think of a title.

. . . . . . . . . .

Obi-Wan had not protested very much when Padme offered him the use of her family’s lakeside retreat in the aftermath of the attempted abduction of the Chancellor on Naboo. He had, however, expected a slightly more modest structure than the sprawling villa he’d found upon his arrival. Despite the droids on staff, the place seemed empty, hollow, as though it still echoed with the voices and laughter of a happy family. So fresh from his undercover work, he wasn’t sure isolation was the best remedy for his rumpled spirits after the ordeal, but arrangements had been made, and he supposed he could make the best of it for a few days.

In some ways, he was eager to leave Naboo. The memory of Qui-Gon’s death still cut like a keen-edged blade here. But perhaps that meant he should stay, to meditate on his old grief.

Painful as that prospect was, at least it sounded more surmountable than returning to a Temple that had been mourning him.

He’d have to, eventually. Anakin’s (justified) expression of betrayal and Ahsoka’s wounded demeanor still stung, and he didn’t look forward to repeating these painful scenes with other dear friends, with Luminara, or with Quinlan. But until the GAR red tape was untangled (at least a few days), he was still officially dead, and granted all the freedom of a wandering ghost.

He felt a little like the ghost of his old self after a quick swim as he climbed out of the lake onto the patio by the house. He sat heavily on the flagstones, still warm from the sun even as the stars were coming out. The constellations of Naboo seemed startlingly familiar considering the few times he’d seen them. The span of nearly 15 years felt short tonight. Perhaps it was the mere stubble of hair on his skull, shorter even than a padawan’s. Perhaps it was the ache of his old Master’s absence. He tried to ground himself in the present; as he toweled off his wet limbs, the ugly burn scars from his duel with Count Dooku shone pale in the moonlight, and his face still hurt from the dreadful biotech that had transformed him into the Mandalorian marksman.

It was always Mandalorians, wasn’t it? Proof that the Force possessed a sense of dramatic irony that the brethren of the woman to whom he’d lost his heart seemed to continually haunt him.

The guilt of it weighed like a stone on his chest. The mission had dragged on far too long for Satine not to have heard news of his apparent death. He had hoped it might all be resolved before… Well, it had been an unlikely hope, anyway. Padme almost certainly told her immediately.

There hadn’t been anything for it. To ask for permission to tell Satine the truth before the charade would’ve been tantamount to confessing his feelings for her. Had there only been the censure of the Council involved it might’ve been one thing, but any careless word to the Chancellor’s staff could’ve proven disastrous for Satine and the gossamer-fine line she walked to keep peace and authority on Mandalore. He’d been keeping her safe even as he wounded her.

Just like the old days, pulling her out of harm's way, or shielding her with his body.

Only this wasn’t an accidentally scraped knee or bruised arm. Perhaps it was vain of him to assume, but he knew how deeply she cared for him, how intense her feelings ran…

He’d tried composing a message to her so many times. Even still in the guise of Rako Hardeen, when he caught a moment’s rest, he’d gone over it in his mind, lulling himself into an uneasy sleep as he tried to find the words to ask her forgiveness.

In the end, a forthright Forgive me, was the best he could muster, hastily sent to her private channel as soon as he’d gotten access to a comm unit at the conclusion of the charade. If you’ll listen, I’ll try to explain, but nothing will excuse what I’ve put you through. Know that I am so very sorry.

She hadn’t replied. He checked the comm unit again as he pulled his undertunic over his head, the rough linen soaking up the last of the lake water on his back, seeing only his own message, stark and insufficient.

He didn’t blame her, truly.

He’d slept since sending it, through the afternoon, reveling a little in the luxury of resting when he felt tired, regardless of the local daytime cycles. And he dreamed in disjointed flashes, mostly of her… her grief, her melancholy, her ire… of the glint of tears on her dark gold eyelashes, the quaver of anger in her beloved voice.

He wasn’t sure if he ought to just sleep again, now that night was here. Weary as he was, he felt he could sleep for days.

He heard the door from the house to the patio open. He didn’t look immediately, as it seemed likely to be one of Padme’s droid caretakers, there to ask if he required food or clean linens. But there was no whirring of servos, and the footsteps on the flagstones sounded too soft. He caught a whiff of an achingly familiar floral scent just as he turned.

She must’ve been too much in his thoughts already, his mind too clouded with guilt and regret and weariness to clearly sense her presence.

But Satine stood, silhouetted by the dim illumination of the house, resplendent in the scarlet gown she’d worn the night they’d met in secret on Coruscant, though her hair was loose about her shoulders, pale and shimmering in the moonlight. For a moment she was utterly still, then she merely raised a hand to her mouth, stifling a soft gasp.

He scrambled to his feet, keenly aware that this was not the state in which he wished to appear before his lady. His trousers were still sopping, his undertunic open to the navel, and his hair had barely grown in longer than the stubble on his jaw. But her eyes were only on his, and shining with tears. She took a few steps towards him, then swayed a little. He lunged to catch her around the waist; the last thing she needed on top of all the rest of the suffering he’d caused her was bruised knees. She twined her arms around his neck, and his knees gave a slow surrender too, such that the pair of them sank to the flagstones, wrapped in each other’s arms.

She touched his face, fingertips light along his temple, nails delicately scraping through the short beard on his cheeks, lingering on the cleft in his chin before resting on his mouth.

“I thought…” she began, but then choked on a soft sob as the tears began to run down her cheeks.

“I thought you would be angry,” he said instead, nuzzling his cheek against her hand and then kissing the palm.

“I am furious,” she assured him, tenderly. “I am incandescent with rage.” Her lips were against his, her breath uneven in his mouth.

He tasted it in her kiss, a fleeting note of bitterness and sorrow amid the heady sweetness of her relief and joy, the fire of her desire.

“I am so very sorry,” he repeated, abject.

“Oh, I hope so,” she replied, breathless.

As usual, Satine had the last word, as neither of them could speak for some time after that.

. . . . . . . . . .

She lay on her side, half propped up on her elbow, her head against the pillow and her hair spread across it in a tangle of pale spun gold. The bedclothes were pooled around her waist, and he deeply felt the intimacy and vulnerability they shared in that moment. He thought this image of her would be vivid in his mind for the rest of his days, however long that might be: the pale morning light on her bare skin, her flushed cheeks, the glint of unshed tears in her eyes, the soft swell of her breasts with her sharp, uneven breaths as she tried not to cry again.

Finished with his abridged account of the awful ordeal, he reached out to run the backs of his fingers along her arm.

“Say something,” he begged.

She sat up a little more, her hair falling across her face as she wrapped her arms around herself and turned away from him.

“It might be… easier to accept, if you’d done it for the sake of someone … worthy of all this pain. To protect Anakin or Ahsoka or Padme or…”

“Satine, I can’t decline a mission to protect the Chancellor simply because I dislike the man.”

“It isn’t a matter of dislike. There’s something… so… wicked about him. Manipulative and scheming. Don’t say it’s because he tried to put troops on Mandalore, and don’t you dare say it’s because he’s a politician.” She turned back to him, her gaze challenging.

“No,” he agreed prudently. “I won’t say that. I don’t disagree with you. He’s been a mentor to Anakin and to Padme for as long as I’ve known him, but I can’t help thinking it’s always been somehow for his own benefit. He steered Padme to get himself elected in the first place, and his grip on the office has been white-knuckled since. I can’t very well blame him for the war, but despite his lipservice towards peaceful resolution, the GAR keeps swelling its ranks.”

“I’ll blame him. Unfortunately, there’s no evidence to confirm it aside from my gut feeling.”

He placed a hand on her waist, his thumb tracing around her navel. “I’ve learned to trust your gut feelings. But dislike him, distrust him or not, my duty is to the Republic.”

He started to pull his arm back, but she gripped it by the elbow. He slid his hand to the small of her back, pulling her closer.

“What of your duty to me?” Her voice was quiet, but not without a note of beskar.

“Is it duty?” he asked. “I thought it was love.”

“Perhaps it’s very Mandalorian of me,” she said, “that we hold our most sacred duties to be to those we love.”

“Satine, I cannot put my devotion to you above the will of the Council or the good of the Republic. Not while I serve the Jedi Order.”

He almost expected her to pull away in anger or distress, but she shifted closer, pressing her face against his shoulder. “I know that. I’ve always known that. But it hasn’t hurt like this before.”

“Not since I left?” he suggested, burying his face in her hair and holding her tightly.

“No. Not even then. It wasn’t losing you, it was letting you go. This was… like I had died too.”

The guilt of it made his stomach turn. “I am so sorry, Satine. If there had been time to find another way… to spare you this…”

“The worst of it is that you knew how it would hurt me,” she accused. “And you still did it.”

“I knew,” he confirmed, regretful. “The Chancellor insisted on knowing everyone who was privy to the plan, and I had no time to even find the opportunity to disobey. I thought… the risk of revealing that you should be told…”

She let out a breath, hot against his skin.

“I think I’d have much rather run that risk than think you were dead.”

“If I’d had time to think it through, perhaps I’d have decided differently. But everything was snap decisions, and my instinct was to protect you.”

“And I can’t even be angry at you for that.”

“Of course you can be angry,” he soothed.

“Oh, what good does it do?” she demanded, lifting her head, fair brow furrowed. “Just wasting time quarreling when we have so little time together anyway.”

“Then you forgive me?” he asked humbly, kissing her forehead.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly, stroking his cheek. “I know that I still want you, though.”

“Then I am yours,” he promised, kissing her fingertips.

“At least it’s not an offense that’s very likely to be repeated,” she reflected, shaking her head a little.

“Not very,” he agreed.

“I feel like I ought to extract some promise… some penance. But I expect you’ve punished yourself enough.”

He closed his eyes, leaning his head back. “The thing itself was terrible too. Not that I’m suggesting that what I went through can compare to-”

“Hush, darling,” she scolded. “It can be terrible on its own.”

“Sometimes I thought my death might end up not being a lie after all,” he said softly.

“Do you want to tell me?” she asked, her fingertips light across his brow.

He shook his head. No, he didn’t want to see how it would pain her, to think of him in danger, forced to behave as an utter villain. “Not now. Not more than I already have.”

She kissed him then, deep and ardent. “Then forget, for a while,” she said, breathless, her lips still brushing his. “Let me forget again. Make me forget.”

She hitched her leg around him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he shifted onto her, into the blissful oblivion where she was the center of the universe and the Force sang in resonance with their love.

[d3monslust]

𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 - 𝐀.𝐃.

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: Only setting up traps for them , Andy didn't see any of this coming

𝐖𝐂 : 3,151

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: pregnancy, mentions of miscarriage & abusive relationships , cheating , manipulation , violence

𝐀/𝐍 : tumblr deleted the original and I thought for couple of minutes I haven’t backed it up to the point I had a panic attack :) also I worked really hard for this , any kind of interaction is appreciated!!

////////////////June 7th 2020\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Every story has a happy ending , where the villain gets defeated and the heroes win , but in eden , no one could recognize the corruption and the decent. Everyone hid their darkest and filthiest desires deep down inside them , in their abyss of their souls . Andy knew that , from first hand . He was still getting to know the place , the idle juveniles laying in the sandy beaches , the laughs of the middle aged men echoing through the thickness of the trees’ leaves . A literal paradise ... with no God .

Dolan had promised his wife to keep her safe, and eventually after his decadence , he was more fazed than anything . Their inseparable form could be made out from kilometers ago, their vivid and full of life auras leaving hints of sunshine from time to time . Winning the couple of the year and being stunned was not in their plans but the did not dodge it . Until Dolan started venturing at inexcusable bars , reciprocal pink lipstick decorating one side of his neck while he reclined next to his bond , mumbling about his ambiguous accomplishments. He had her to the point , Mariah felt overwhelmed. The weight of his nifty assets , the gravitas of his clumsy , yet anticipated acts made her scream and wince .

But Mariah David Dolan , did not intend on giving up so easily , only because her husband was demonstrating his incompetent self . Haphazardly, or not , the female found herself at Sherlock’s , who fasty evaluated and corrupted all of her nasty problems . Taken the right measurements, Mariah decided to treat themselves to a dinner , the brunette averting his gaze back from his laptop to his wife. “Did something happen ?” Mariah never cooked , even at special , “crowded” occasions , she wouldn’t lay a finger at the metallic kitchenware . “No . I just though about all the work you’re recently hooked with. A nice dinner with your wife would help you blow off some steam” smirking at the fit of the last words, she left Dolan alone, drowning in his intellectually safe thoughts.

The capriciousness of the vexing atmosphere made the couple exchange some absurd looks. With Andy being the always tired one, sexual intercourse was lost long ago . “Something you would like to say ?” “No .” She went for a debate , any sort of the key for relationships , communication. If that clink unraveled , there would be no sweet salvation for the married couple . “Well , I want to say something.” Andy whispered a silent “go on” as one of their housekeepers wiped off him some of the pasta’s sauce . “I’m pregnant .” the brunette almost choked at the hear , she couldn’t be . “What ?” voice so small , the trait of vulnerability showing .

The fraction made his stomach toss and turn with anticipation, his dreams for the unknown slowly falling apart . “I’m pregnant on the 3rd month .” eyes infested with fury , the blue like sea color dissipated. “And when were you planning on telling me , hm ? When the waters would broke ? Or when the bump would start to show ? Or when you couldn’t fucking miscarriage?” his excessive, painful words ventured to withhold her insurmountable fury . Unceremoniously, his unbeatable character almost took back his sharp words , the marvel Mariah always waited for could intervene their scold and corrupt his grudge . Albeit she had cried and prayed for that baby to come , her husband didn’t yearn it .

“Did you talk to the gynecologist? Can you ?” he stated chastely , reclining his tensed back to the chair . Who could envision Andy Dolan with a child ? The reluctance became vexing , the tension had to be dwindled if she wanted to keep that inexcusable -for him- child . “Yes . We ... discussed and he said that I cannot ... get rid of it .” her unconvincingly words passed from the one ear to the other . He abruptly threw his crystal glass at the respective wall , agitating the woman to run to clean the mess . The hot , ambiguous tears wetting her cheeks . “Cant you just love me ?” she mumbled , her fasty movements elicited a cut from the sharp glass . She hissed at the pain , she wanted to resemble the perfect , sincere , housewife Andy pleased . To conquer the theme , so as to stand next to him with all her lucid pride while clutching his right hand .

And the things became even worse , chaos consuming the island , darkness drowning the residents . But the worst was Andy’s behavior shift . The unintelligible man faltered and his intriguing about his serene family faded , woefully leaving only his malice and possession . Fighting with his own demons , his rigid and virile facade came and ended up resented . The 24-hour absence of the paternal figure made the child cope with egregious insults and quarrels . Curling up in her little bed , her hands covering the ears as not to listen his beloved parents . Was her the reason they fought every night ? And as the family withered , Andy prepared to hit with sweet and sour vengeance .

“Please ...” the woman begged , the tears blocking her already blurry vision . Fatigue in her system degenerating, she tried to refrain this , but Dolan’s wrath could not be avoided . “Please what , hm ? You had a fucking debt ! Look after that damned child . And I swear to god Mariah ^ if something had happened to my daughter!” he scolded . “Oh come on ! Stop acting like you care ! You never did ... you never cared about your family .” His intimidating methods would usually work , and if not he would try for the vicious skin-to-skin contact . Slapping her and looking her terribly weak silhouette, squirming and crying under him . She remained frigid , not wanting to get that answer , Mariah ran to the basement , advancing around the marble halls like a lost puppy . Andy rubbed his stressed temple , waiting for his own kind of wonder to come and take him from this type of hell . The paradise where demons are hidden .

Andy never wanted to become one of them. That vicious, hungry, creatures . Demons . The olds said that if somebody approached the North river he would see a little red creature . A graceful , gorgeous demon . That was bullshit , demons didn't exist , his friend Michael had told him , that poor man - he had taken the subject of claiming to be the Antichrist of the end times too thick . He ended up at an asylum - good man , sick brain . “What are you thinking ?” . God , or whoever , heard him sent him his guardian angel . The nifty woman was everything he wished for . A real living angel . And that chaste, naive flirt shifted into this; whatever that was.

“Nothing to be honest . But let’s not talk about me , hmmm ?” the girl nodded heartily . Y/N had found her person , the one she could trust and never receive betrayal , the one she could cry at and talk about her insurmountable problems . Their meeting was casual - one , two drinks exchanged , some additional winks and the saccharine act of sex to help Y/N realize her feelings. When she was with him , the blithe and sybarite feeling would bloom inside her , becoming as beautiful as a sanguine rose . She chuckled at his works , could describe him as selfless ? No . But to her ... yes . Her despondent self hid his abusive and possessive persona . For her eyes and only , Andy Dolan was a god , innocent and perfect . “I wanted to ask about ... the divorce ? When are you two signing it ?” he had to be astute and answer handily . But they answer was always the same “Oh sweetheart, don’t worry . Mariah is a bit pertinacious but I’ll persuade her , okay ?” and she would fall at the trap , again .

“You’re always answering the same !” maybe today she would revolt and fortunately leave the poisonous love of Andy’s . His eyes shone dangerously, he didn’t want to do this . “Y/N’s not like Mariah” he would remind himself , but the poor girl was sticking her nose almost everywhere . “Aren’t you pleased , hm ? I took you from that fucking clinic , I helped you withdraw and this is your thank you ? I’m disappointed in you , Y/N .” his esoteric character on sight again . His cogent and invidious words caused the sentient girl spill the salty water . The male disdaining to help or comfort . “You deserve this anyway .” she stumbled back , her apprehension increasing whilst seeing him standing up from the bed . That absurdity had to stop , but he had saved her and it was her time now .

As Andy returned home , and the futile try to persuade his wife about the divorce exhausted him , he found himself at his daughter’s room . Observing her sincere and innocent moves . “Daddy ?” “Yes , Baby ?” his far-fetched sweet talk made the two smile in sync . The blonde’s smile making daddy crack . “Can I tell you something?” Andy nodded , hoping the child wouldn’t have read any of his recreational messages . “Mommy told me the reason she doesn’t want you two to break up !” his eyes lit up at her appendix . Perhaps it was the money or the child but anyway - Andy had to know . “What’s that ?” patting his lap for the girl to sit , Hera made herself comfortable at the warmth of his legs . “She said that she won’t let you fool around with every individual who has two holess.” “She said what ?!?!” “Yes , yes but what did she mean when she said “every individual with two holes .” ?” “Not now , Hera .” he quickly placed the kid down , as she sulked at her daddy’s extraordinary behavior.

By the time Andy stated the predicament , Mariah had ruminated on her terms . She should have said this , fuck she really shouldn’t . Her dull and attention-seeking words pushed her husband’s last buttons . “Are you fucking braindead ? What was that you said to my daughter ?!” she knew where that debate would end up . Condescendingly , she wrapped her arms around his neck . Her touch-starved grating amusing his carnal urges . Not wanting to dwell on the situation , Andy let it happen . Her amorous posture , the well-med hair , how didn’t he feel it coming ? Her hands traveling at his shirt’s buttons while Andy’s fingers went for her top . Discarded clothing were soon decorating the floor of their kitchen . His greed for more would eat him up one day . And he waited - patiently and calmly for that day . Her tenuous dominance caused waking up his boredom. But his prurient mind , thought otherwise.

She licked his upper lip , Andy letting her tongue slip into his mouth . The sloppy kiss turning into something more passionate, more loving . “I’ve missed this .” she mumbled in between breaths , making a smirk plaster on Dolan’s face . “I’ve missed you .” he hushed her by kissing her , the loving , lingering kiss making butterflies fly in her stomach . “Andy ?” he groaned at the call , not wanting to eye roll , he approved the question and motivated to go on . “Do you love me ?” “Yes. Only you . And no one else . I know things are hard right now but I’ll make it up to you.”

Bare bodies tangled . Two bodies in one . His hips snapped viciously at hers , hand grabbing a harmful fist of hair . Abruptly pulling it back , making Mariah hiss at the sudden contact of pain . The persona she would only see , not even Y/N , the sadistic one . Her head touching his sweaty torso , the tears in her eyes strengthening his stamina . The coil in her stomach tightened and as the loved noticed it - his hands traveled between her puffy lips , toying with her little bud . “I’m .... im-” her muffled cries interrupting her . “I know baby . Cum , cum with me .” and the coil in her belly broke synchronized with his . The addicting feeling of euphoria engulfing them both . “You did so well .” his sugary words causing her pride to rise , awaking her love for him . Just like the old times . “I love you , Mariah .” she perched at his tight embrace , inhaling his intoxicating scent . “Mhm me too .” she had to savor the moment . Mariah didn’t know what could possibly find her tomorrow .

////////////////

And as Andy distanced himself from Y/N, he kept his promise and made up the tangle. At least everything that could be fixed . The insuperable bond they created was ineffable. The somnolent love , almost dead , rose back from the dead . His pernicious and arcane self opened at his therapist . The Dolans couldn’t be happier . Apathy no longer lived between them . No invidious implication wafting around the tensed atmosphere. Just some more scarce , anticipated details and Dolan would finally fall into blithely.

Andy planted the usual good morning kiss on his wife . Excusing himself for his aimless absence on lunch and venturing to the car . The fraction of 2 to months without seeing Y/N, made him tacit. Where was the power Dolan’s hold ? He couldn’t falter, not now. He would withhold and keep things conservative. His conscience screamed no , but he shut it off , not wanting to trust his instincts . Choosing the obliviousness.

Approaching her modern like house , the cars of topical police confused his comprehension. Incompetent to walk inside , albeit he promised not to care - a part which was got circumvented - some of his worry remained to Y/N . “Officer , is she okay ?” the concern in his eyes made the blue - dressed man doubt his accusation . “Sir , are you Mr.Dolan ?” the man let his white scribbling block down , paying full attention to the brunette . “In the flesh .” two more patrols approaching, no feeling of timidity in their eyes . His envision had to be mendacious . A prosaic one , more realistic. “Andy Dolan you are arrested for the murder of Y/N Y/L/N” his conception blurred, everything changing into automatic. His eyes caught the figure of his wife talking to another police man - she wouldn’t? Would she ?

Everything happened so quickly, the metal handcuffs were clutched onto his hand, the ignominious state making him sentient. He would go to prison and there was no denial in that . At least he would leave Eden .

/////////////// Now \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

He had learnt the news . Mariah was in all this . She had been informed about Andy’s illegal affair , not only with women but with drugs , too . On the one side, she had managed to plan her husband’s perfect suicide but the contradiction she received made her tentative. Therefore she visited the professionals . Sherlock’s beneficial - for both Mariah and him- and handily trap got Dolan arrested . They had planned everything, even the littlest detail . The plan was easy , yet complicated.

He would wake up at 7:15 a.m. as always . Head to the kitchen to make his morning coffee , catch up with Mariah who would accidentally leave the house . His phone would remind him about his last meeting with Y/N , where she would end up thing with him . Or what Mariah had decided to do for her . Y/N had left the island months ago when Mrs.Dolan appeared in her house and threatened to kill her and her soon-to-be-born child. As Andy would drive his way , Sherlock would leave his fingerprint everywhere , placing them carefully at the edges of the gun . Next step would be Y/N’s doppelgänger, nice and murdered next to the white rug .

-

The unbearable route of the dull prison . The thousand of men behind the metal bars , hungry for every kind of fight and sexual intercourse nettled his every atom . Compelling himself not to communicate with anyone , Andy , who had received a life imprisonment lost and the last bit of faith . There was no salvation for him , it never existed . “You have a letter .” the word taking him out of his dwelling thoughts. His family never sent him letters , not that they were coming . Drugs were forbidden, or that was the law applied . “Sender ?” “Unknown .” Andy wasn’t in the mood for playing games . This almost one years in prison erased all of his lenient future. Additionally, alleviating his last mendacious fantasies about life .

Taking the rigid piece of paper , the handwriting of a woman caught his attention . Refraining himself from toring it apart and throwing it to the trash can , he want for abstinence. Cutting the edges with a small knife which used to hide right down his pillow , the form a photo fall on the floor . Inhaling a piece of pure reluctance , Andy took the shiny piece of paper between his hands . The silhouettes of two girls laughing at each other quirked his eye brow . But her ineffable and disheveled beauty stopped his breath . A baby adjoining her side , made him caught the implication . The transparent eligibility to join this family causing him to incandescent. That was his child and his Y/N .

Last thing , eyes traveling at the bottom of the photo

- SHOT WITH NIKON 456 | 6/4/2021 | 7:56 p.m.

And they were alive .

////////////////////////////////////////

Tag list ; @ferndolan @brooklinn13 @lavenderahs @mllxngdonswife @kitty4860

If anyone wants to be removed or added just say it lol

[iloveitwhen]

jasonette but like siblings but like angst- like that whole trope where they are blood related and got separated, or they didnt get separated idk thats cool too i just want some sibling jasonette😅

Wow. ok. uhmmmm. this is a lot i think?? I got a little jk a lot carried away and this past week was super busy so i’ll finish the second part later??

Again... a lot...

Jason is walking home after another night at the bar when he sees a small woman, teenager? Slip into a dark alleyway and two men follow in after her a few moments later. 

Jason curses and bolts across the street, what was this girl thinking? How stupid do you have to be to go into a dark alley where no one will hear you or care to help?

He jumps into the alley to find one man already slumped on himself on the floor and the other getting kicked in the teeth by army boots then falling limply. 

Jason curses again, impressed this time. He scans over the men noting that they probably had pretty good concussions judging from the dent in the garbage can the first man was laying next to and the way the second guy’s head smacked onto the concrete when he fell. He lands his eyes back on the woman, no, definitely a teenager, with a smile on his face that instantly falters. The girl is in a fighting stance and waiting for him to attack so he quickly raises his hands to placate her.

“I’m not here to fight you, I saw you get followed and I was coming to help.” 

“Nobody helps in Gotham,” she states, a dangerous edge to her voice that held a carefully hidden accent. 

“Not from around here, are you?” 

The girl narrows her eyes, “I was born and raised here, take a step further and you won’t be waking up tomorrow.” 

Jason pockets his hands and smirks. He likes her, she’s a fighter, she reminds him of himself when he was younger. 

“Ok. Just make sure you make it home safe. A girl’s going to get some unwanted attention at a time and place like this.” He turns around and crosses the street but as soon as he’s out of her sight he turns back and hides in the shadows to track her and make sure no one else tries to catch her alone. Just because she could handle herself the first time doesn’t mean she’s necessarily safe from the next attempt. 

The girl exits the alley and starts toward the direction of Jason’s apartment calmly as if she didn’t just get attacked. At least that means less walking for him. After a few minutes she slips into another dark alley, of course she does, and Jason crosses the street again going into his own empty alley before pulling his helmet on and scaling the building. As he peers over the side of the building his helmet scans the area giving him feedback he would normally miss due to the horrible lighting and telling him that the alley was empty. He figured she had somehow gotten into one of the buildings and decided to go home by rooftops since he was already up there. 

However, as he landed on the opposite rooftop his feet slipped from underneath him. Jason managed to roll out of it but before he could get his footing his hip was kicked into and he stumbled, tripped over a seemingly perfectly placed rock and smashed his head on the side of the stair house. Then, just as quickly as this all transpired, there was a body behind him, they hooked their fingers under his helmet and lifted it to expose his neck and press a knife with jagged points onto his neck. How did he know the knife had jagged points? Good question, it was, as previously mentioned, against his neck and piercing into his skin, drawing blood. 

“Why are you following me?” a girl’s voice filters through his mask and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His mask let him know through the constant visuals that the voice belonged to a female in their late teens, not that he didn’t already know that. 

“Making sure you got home safe,” he says carefully, weighing his options and trying to decide if he should let her feel like she got him or escape with a slight nick on his neck. 

Eh. Jason preferred to not have a bleeding neck no matter how small the cut. 

“Lies,” she hisses, digging the knife a bit deeper as a warning, maybe getting out sooner was a better idea. “What do you want?” 

“Knife off my throat first,” he manages without pushing his neck further onto the blade. 

A second later the girl releases him and jumps back with enough space between them to react if he ended up deciding to attack her. 

Jason gives her a quick glance as he stands up, a hand to his throat to check for blood. 

“I wasn’t lying-”

“You’re not fooling anyone you Red Hood wannabe,” she snaps. Jason just laughs in surprise, no one has ever accused him of being a Red Hood wannabe. He's the one who made the mantle into something to respect, something to fear. He stops laughing and levels a glare at the girl, his helmet telling him unhelpfully there was no match of facial recognition in any database. 

“I am Red Hood-” he started to growl out but she cut him off again. The audacity. 

“Red Hood wouldn’t have been caught by the person he was trailing, Red Hood wouldn’t have been caught off guard, Red Hood doesn’t have a stupid streak of white hair on his head. He may have been a theatre nerd but he wouldn’t do that.” 

Wait what. 

“What are you talking about?” But it was more of a demand than a question. 

“You’re not…” she trailed off waving her hand in the air trying to find a word, “slick. Same jacket, same shoes, same build, yeah. You’re not fooling anyone.” 

“Ok. Whatever, I’m going home.” He turns and starts jogging across the rooftop towards home. So much for helping out. 

“Where is he?” she calls out after him.

“Right here, princess,” he spat before jumping to the other rooftop. 

But as soon as his feet leave the building a big dark blue warbly hole appears and swallows him before he can react. Unfortunately for him the other side of that weird black hole was a face full of concrete. 

“Prove you’re him.” 

Oh this girl was something else. Jason shakes his disorientation away, he didn’t know how she did that, nor did he care but he was pissed. He swings his foot around and connects with her ankle, she falls as expected but easily bounces right back up and hops out of his range. 

“Do that again and I’ll have to break my no killing kids rule,” he growls out, staring her down for a moment. Her face was finally lit by the dim yellow street lamps and he could see the entirety of her face and all the raw emotions she was trying to hide. For a split second familiarity passed through him, like when you see someone at the library then at the store a few weeks later or you see an old school friend ten years later and can’t quite place them. Jason dismisses the feeling and turns to go. 

“Wait.” She says it so vulnerably that Jason gives her a chance, when he turns she pulls up her sleeve and shows off her forearm. 

In the center of her arm is a faded black tattoo that was a writing symbol, but because of its name and one of its uses it was used to brand child soldiers in Gotham from a particular gang that Red Hood obliterated as soon as his first order of business in Gotham. 

‡

It was the double dagger, or better known in Gotham as the death dagger. The children were expendable although highly trained and dangerous, they could give Damian a run for his money in the child assassin department. The tattoo was a reminder to the children and to the people they came across that they were soulless, emotionless, their lives and actions were not their own and they would give their lives willingly for the mission

Meaning who they were before was dead. No family, no connections, no one would notice if they went missing and no one would be able to identify their bodies if and when the time came. Sometimes poor families would sell one of their children and promise to forget them and to never contact them. 

Jason was led to assume that this was another child soldier looking to thank him, or kill him. It was 50/50 these days, some of those kids just never recovered. 

“So what is it that you want? You want my autograph across your head?” Jason asks dryly. 

The girl just huffs and pulls her sleeve back down. 

“I want to know if my brother is underneath that mask.”

I want to know if my brother is underneath that mask.

The words struck Jason deep in his chest but it only fueled his anger. He didn’t know why that hit so deep but he was not in the mood for this nor would he be at any time. 

“Just because I ended that gang doesn’t mean we’re family. Go find your other assassin siblings to play house with.” 

“Annette,” she calls after as he turns his back again. A strike of familiarity pulses through him and when he hesitates she continues, “that was my name before I was initiated. I was one of the first. Daddy’s little girl,” she was still talking louder than necessary since he hadn’t turned back around. “I’m the only one left from The 13.” 

Right. The 13. That’s what everyone called the first batch even as they were killed off, they were the most ruthless being the oldest and were also the most aggressive in proving their worth. It was common to find a number from 1-13 placed strategically behind at the crime scene, whoever had the most successful missions would be highly rewarded, or so he was told. 

“Do you remember?” 

“I remember destroying that gang and their stupid leader and having to kill some of your little friends and I also remember The 13 died within the first year and a half and were easily replaced by their younger friends.” 

“Do you remember me?”

“Look, kid,” he finally turns to look at her, “I don’t care, ok? Yay whoopdeedoo I saved you, get in line. It’s what I do, kill bad people and let the rest walk away. You’re not special.” 

“Annette Marie Todd,” she says hurriedly, like it’s a last resort. “Jason Peter Todd,” she continues, “just you. Me. And a blitzed out Mom.” 

Jason did not like this, he knew the Dagger Children were ruthless and expert manipulators but this was pushing it. He spun around to face her, ripping off his helmet, she already knew what he looked like and it was in the way of his death glare. 

“You don’t know who you are messing with. If you really were a Dagger you’d know that I am not one to be fucked with.” He slides his helmet back on and without a backward glance he runs off to the next roof and continues home. Thankfully not another portal thing opens up in front of him. 

———————————

Jason didn’t have a sister. He did not have a sister. He would remember having a sister. He would remember having a Dagger for a sister. But Annette was such a familiar name. And she had said her name was Annette Marie Todd. Todd. 

No that’s stupid. Impossible. She was just messing with him, for all he knew she could have been subtly showing her face in random places for him to react to the familiarity of her face and she could have said the name sometime in the last few months for him to vaguely recognize the sound of her name but not place it. 

But the Lazarus pit did alter his memories from childhood, it was like looking through a fog of red anger, or maybe it was always like that even before the pit, and it also completely wiped out other parts of his memory. But a sister? No. No way. 

Hours of this, circling around the possibilities and shifting around on his bed trying to get comfortable until he finally drifted off in a very restless sleep. 

Jason found himself in a familiar apartment, the one he lived in before his “mother” died. He looked around and it was more of the feeling of familiarity that convinced him where he was than anything else. He steps aside for a younger version of himself to run by him and turns to the window that led out to the fire escape and watches him climb out of it and close the window. Jason turns back around to see what Young Jason was hiding from. A man hands a thick envelope to his mother, Catherine Todd who had wrapped herself in a thin silk robe, her bony frame visible as well as her happy focus on the money inside that envelope. Jason couldn’t make out the man’s face but he turned around and grabbed the small hand of a little girl in pigtails. She turned her head and faced the window sending a smile but he couldn’t quite make out her face so he instead turned to himself sitting outside.

As he turned his surroundings changed but in his dreamstate he paid no mind to it. This time he was standing in an aisle of a store as a child. He looked around and found his mother dressed embarrassingly in a thin tank top and ragged jeans and flip flops. He feels a squeeze of his hand and looks down, his little sister is looking up at him and pointing to a rack of stuffed animals of Clifford the Big Red Dog that were suddenly there. He sends her a smile and looks up, intent on catching up with his mother and asking her to buy one but as he chases her his intent slips from his mind and instead he wants to taste the cupcakes he just saw. He opens a case and takes a bite but yelling makes him turn around and there is Batman towering over him. Instead of a tasty cupcake he is holding something thick and metal, a crowbar. He throws it at the man and turns to run away and jumps out of the parking garage and jumps into the air flying up. But he’s too slow, he tries kicking and swimming in the air to propel himself further away from Batman but a hand wraps around his foot. 

Jason jerks awake, breathing heavy and feeling uncomfortably hot. This was much more mild than his usual nightmares, if it could even be called a nightmare, but it was bad in a different way. It wasn’t unusual for Jason to be getting chased in his dreams by one thing or another and it always ended before whatever or whoever was chasing him got him but it was getting a little old honestly. 

His head was pounding so he slipped out of bed and poured himself a glass of water from the kitchen. As he takes a sip he recalls his dream and how he had looked down at his sister. But that couldn’t be right. 

A searing pain in his head forces him to tighten his grip on his cup before it goes away again. Stupid head. Stupid dream. Stupid girl trying to get in his head. 

As he lays back down a memory of clear grey eyes flashes across his mind’s eye. 

---

Throughout the next few days Jason tries to ignore the headaches and his dreams of the young black haired girl with grey eyes and of getting chased which was more frequent and more urgent than he remembered them being. It was just all a big waste of time. At least the Dagger girl wasn’t trying to find him anymore, he didn’t know how he would react if she showed up again. 

After another dream of getting chased, this time he was just so tired of it he got a few good punches in on the Bane/Joker demon that was chasing him when his phone buzzes, startling him awake. He ignores it in favor of a cup of coffee and checks the time on the oven that he never uses, it’s almost two o’clock. 

His phone buzzes again several more times in quick succession. He finally heads over and clicks his phone on to see five messages from Stephanie. 

Replacement’s replacement🤰

so u have a little sister and u never told me???

anyways shes at the big house and getting interrogated by bruce and i think hes ready to adopt her

hello

so rude

i mean it looks to me shes tellin the truth but like seems sus for obvious reasons and ur the only one that'll actually know so… hurry up??

Jason curses and rushes to grab his things before running outside and zooming to the Wayne Manor on his motorcycle. 

welp i’ll add with another part soon that i havent finished yet but anywho let me know if jason is too ooc or something😁😁

[myheroheacanons]

Chapter 23

- You thought you and your best friend were having an outing, but then you bump into your soulmate who broke your heart. Can he atone for what he did? 

Pairing: katsuki bakugou x reader

Word Count: 1.4k

a/n: ummmm I can’t apologize enough for what took so long. I am truly sorry that it took me this long to get myself together and finally finish it. Although I’m sad that enemy is finally over, I’m really excited to start working on my next smau! I hope you all are doing okay, and stay safe!

You wandered around the park, admiring the pretty sunset. Summer was great in the sense that the sunset was so late. It was 8:30 in the evening and the sky was filled with beautiful warm colors. You were walking towards the tree that Todoroki told you he’d meet you at. An odd location to meet if you were honest. A random tree of all places. You spotted the unique features Todoroki described in the text and walked to it. You also didn’t know why he wanted to meet in a park of all places. His explanation was that he was doing something in the city, but couldn’t you just meet in the shop? You decided to stop questioning your friend’s weird logic. You saw someone underneath sitting on a picnic blanket but thought you’d just stand near the tree and not bother them. Until you saw who it was.

Bakugou looked at her and a shocked expression came on his face. You stood there speechless.

“Y/n…” he nearly whispered, looking her over with a soft look in his eyes. He stood up and made his way to her. “Don't,” you said sternly. “What are you doing here?!” the expression on your face changed from confused to furious in seconds. He looked at you, eyes filled with regret and sadness. “I said, what the hell are you doing here?!” you clutched your purse and furrowed your brows. The hurt in your voice was painfully obvious and it stung Bakugou.  “I need to talk to it, but I wanted to do it in person,” Bakugou said, attempting to keep his composure. At that moment you were a ticking time bomb. All the emotions you have been suppressing and hiding now coming to the surface. And as you stared at him, tears began to spill out of your eyes. “Who do you think you are?!” you yelled at him, anger pulsating through your whole body. Bakugou’s eyes widened at your outburst. He watched you with caution and guilt. “Y-you can’t just do that!” you sobbed. Your knees were wobbling, you felt as if you were going to collapse any minute. “Do you know how angry I am at you?! You lead me on and gave me hope that someone truly loves me for once! Then you just rip it all away, and now you want to talk!” you continued. Bakugou heard the hurt in your voice and his guilt grew. It was hurting him too, to see you like that, knowing he caused it. “I know, and I understand if you hate me and never want to see me again,” he said sadly. His voice was unusually quiet. Almost no one ever heard Bakugou speak like that.  “But can you please hear me out…” he said so quietly. You looked at him, eyes filled with tears. In front of you wasn’t the Bakugou that yelled at everyone. The Bakugou that hid his emotions from everyone and everything. In front of you was a vulnerable boy, with all the hurt and sadness spilling out of his body. He was letting you see him in his worst state. He was letting you see him with his walls down. You continued to stare for a couple seconds. “I don’t hate you, dummy,” you said, dropping to sit on the grass. You were also in her most vulnerable state. All the anger and sadness also spills out your body like a waterfall. “Well you probably should,” he said, dropping down next to you.   “Yeah, I know,” you said, giving a weak smile. “But I could never hate you..” you finished with a sigh at the end. You both sat in silence for a couple of minutes, watching the sunset. Those beautiful colors that filled the sky reminded you of the boy sitting next to you. “I already said this, but I am so angry at you” you continued. “But I could never hate my soulmate” you muttered as you met Bakugou’s gaze. His eyes filled with surprise for a moment which instantly turned to soft happiness. “I don’t know how I can ever make it up to you. But can I please explain myself, surprisingly I'm not an asshole who did that just cause he was bored” he said as he looked at her with the tiniest bit of hope in his eyes. You snorted quietly reacting to his words. “I’m always willing to listen to you,” you said laying back into the grass, watching as the sky turned dark as the sun went away. “When I was dumb and naive, I met a girl” he started, laying back down to level with you. You turned your head to look at him. He had a sad smile on his face. “At the time, I thought that girl was my soulmate, but in reality, she was my enemy,” he said. You watched as different emotions played on his face. “She seemed like a dream. Beautiful and funny” as he said those words, you couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. “But then, she cheated on me. Multiple times. And would manipulate and gaslight me.” your eyes widened with surprise when he said that. “She seems like she's a great person,” you said sarcastically. “Yeah, and at the time I thought she was,” he said with sadness in his voice. “But we eventually broke up. And somehow she was an even bigger headache when we weren’t together” he said, continuing to stare at the sky. You leaned in continuing to listen. “She spread lies and rumors the moment we broke up,” he said with a sad look in his eye. “And when I met you, I didn’t….I didn’t want to believe such an angel really came to me” he said. You couldn’t help but have a blush spread across your face. His face was also turning red with embarrassment. Bakugou was never this honest with his feelings. Especially, in front of another person.  “I’m sorry that I hurt you. Believe me, I never meant to” he said giving you the most sincere look. You stared into each other's eyes for a while. His face for once was filled with vulnerability. His sadness and guilt shined through his eyes. “I forgive you, Katsuki,” you said, sitting up and he did the same. His expression was filled with hope. “You really do?” he said in almost a whisper. You saw the guilt and sadness in his eyes slowly melted away and instead became filled with happiness and love. “Yes, you dumb ass,” you gave a weak laugh when you said that.  “Who are you calling dumb ass” he snarled, his ego slowly returning to him. As you guys both looked at each other, eyes filled with pure love, you felt his hands on yours. Your heart fluttered as he leaned his face closer to yours. His eyes fluttered shut and so did yours as your lips connected. His lips were the softest things you ever felt. You put your hand in his hair and pulled it a little which made him kiss you even harder. All the emotions he’s been hiding and suppressing, were all being poured into this kiss. You and him broke apart for air. You looked over his face. You found all his features beautiful, you just loved him so much. “Y/n, I love you” Bakugou muttered out. At that moment, it’s like time stood still. Everything seemed so calm, so happy, and so...good. You were, you were truly happy at that moment. “I love you too, Katsuki,” you said as you leaned into his chest and closed your eyes. His face lit up in a cherry red when the embarrassment reached his brain. “Awww are you embarrassed?” you teased him, which made his face turn even redder. “S-shut up” he muttered covering his face with the back of his hand. You and him stayed like that and watched the stars. You saw people describe online how beautiful and happy they felt when they were finally with their soulmate. When you read those articles you couldn’t help but feel a little jealous, yet hopeful. Because maybe in the future, you would finally meet your soulmate. The person that is supposed to be by your side through thick and thin. The person that is meant to love you forever. And at this moment, you knew that you finally felt what you imagined all those years. You closed your eyes and inhaled his sweet scent. You finally found the place that you belong. With Bakugou by your side.

A/n: And now we just have the epilogue left! Let me know what you guys think! Thank you so much for reading and all the support! 

tag list:  @afuckingunicornn @tokoyamis-luv​@productivityprobably@handsoffmyfriends@renaxwrites@zyxys1@gilly-jilly@allywritesimagines@kaithehero@litteraltrassh@wisteriaa-js@nightwingbunny@alaromero@tenyaingenium@jibakuganjas@bnhabadass@insaneanddamnedgirl@justanothercrazyassfangirl@jojo-buttercup@bokutosbabe@redperson58@louddreamcopcookie@thegirlwhojustwantstounderstand @soft-rosewaters@wolfyflight@sionnsworld @nova-recs@ohnosiren @darkhumoreddork@wholesomey-artist@imontheblacklist@mydear-im-ageek@imconfusedanditsok@my-neighbor-todoro@liliesoftherainmain@bikinibrattoms@mrsreina@yellowthumb21@shoutobabyboy@villiantododekuchild@dabiupthispussy (some of these usernames LMAOO) @buckybearsblog @yeehawnana@sadsoulvirgo@raspiberry @chuni-san @the-broken-halo-writer@energizedvenus@beebug-beepboop@baby-jichu@sizzlingbarbarianglitter@sweetkiitty@salvatora-or-sally-jackson@irisallenm @lexy9716@pastel-prynce@jmook423@spicy-embryoo@dreamcatcher0410@illy213@shareyourfandomfaves@chiefinvestigatorheidi @todoplusultra@kyrex773@nyantodamax145 @cryingfairylights@atria-avior@jaehyunluvcult@babiebun@missalienqueen @1-rosewiththorns@minfani@ggclarissa@ochabby @selmeuuh@anything-and-everything-here69@vanderaliwaal @elithepeali@kayln97@meowkid1000@eternal-fangirling @floralpeachpearl@callie-bear15@ms-top-hat@deadlordsupreme @somthingay @13-09-01@mochibeandip@happywolves81 @dumbdoodleyt @im-the-galactic-starfish @the-resident-demon @black-bhabie-2000@mariahschoices@centerhabit @yeethee@whisperingwolfie@bakubatty@katsukispeaches @lovekookiie@softbxkugou@unhappyraspberry@kthhyj@hadesnewpersephone@cryingfairylights @shinsvu@harmonyclef@mephxles@nerdynstoned @bnhaismylife@lizziekins@eijihoee@saicatsuniverse @mysticanimevoltron@katsukisuwus@ddaeing@intoxicatedonlove @angxllicsz @whiite-crow@samanthaa-leanne@kasturoki @ifmehwasaperson @icythotsenpai@shinsou-lovin-hours-anon @thechaosoflonging @starlight-steven@ella112244 @kek-eek @fandomtrashkiddo @mainepeyton@animemomma96 @miadraws0 @earthinlatin15@fangilringwithleah @call-me-prodigy @kacchanscocopuffs @what-a-creative-username @maisyyx @danie-juniper @yeet-these-hoez @writingsofawonderer @ongodchief @whisperingwolfie @generousanimewritingsalad @thetrashyfangirlstuff @alovestruck-fool @last-three-braincells @cxmartitacx @devils-adversary @creamrolltodoroki @schrodingersships @curiouslilbeast@187skytree @xlghtsx @ptv-binnie @glitchxo21  @rhainintheattic@kthhyj @kc-korra @toiletboundizukustan @casterixe  @ieyasuswife @xxxko0kiexxx @ehiparkcarmi @luvelyjjk@pretty-settersquad@lightning-cos@naughtylittleweeb@pantasticalcat@transmantrash@indigohitoshi@thedamjokes@socialbaeby@curiouslilbeast@bikinibrattoms@italicization@clenchedfist@badboysdoitbetter2@royalmuffinsworld@sinclairsamess@sleepysuneater  @kinkenma@mintyfreshoreos@fangeekkk @big-baby-energy@seodonewithyou @opulentix @1-mrs-keisha-1@astrcls@groovydreamertrash@creepyviolet@thechaosoflonging@wittyperson04  @ficfanbug @heheheh2547 @trashy-mashy @nerdynuisance  @darlingely @kasandrafaye@kritiiiii@edensxgarden @young-metronome@jojored22 @hallothankmas@jooleuuh @ieyasuswife @gvthic-gvrl@boosyboo9206 @elaras-nightmare @lizziekins @sweetwake-up@hihiq @sincerelybubble @ricey-anjil @krxstynnn@akiiyukii@xlghtsx @todohitoshi @lov4kbg @plutoxxxworld@luckyfriess@coconutabs @icy-hot @nightowleli @emobandtrash@what-a-creative-username @ohnosiren @sleepysuneater@boosyboo9206 @harvestmymoon @shimy-deko @yuhsta@kukiisan @gliesewolff @ysabelunicorn @dawnsbaby @queen-ofthe-misfits @redhoodsdoll @fandom-imagines1 @connie-c2 @air-wreckaaa @spicy-therapist-mom @imbi-101 @adriloen @adoringtaehyunq @hamiltrash1411 @elmo-does-crimez @dimpley-boy @jinks-world @spicy-mango626 @soggy-taters @sweethyunjin17 @jaegersblogh @kumikocchi​ @regularbakugo @imaginedheroine​ @honeybee-jooheon​ @fangirlingbookworm1​ @snickerdoodleeee​ @sarbear-sweet​

[anonniemousefics]

The Nine Terrifying Moons | Chapter Three

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten

Fandom: The Folk of the Air | Jude + Cardan

Synopsis: Based on the response to this post. :) Jude’s not sure what she expected motherhood to be like, but it isn’t this.  

(SO MUCH FLUFF HERE. Really. Just. The fluffiest. I can’t help myself.)

Chapter Three: The Third

I think maybe I am meant to be a cautionary tale, not a happy ending.

I think that someone who has manipulated and lied and schemed as much as I have is destined only for tragedy.

And now it’s finally come for me.

I think this over and over again, like a spell I’m chanting to grant myself some measure of grim acceptance, while Cardan and I ride a ragwort horse all the way to the mortal realm. It’s the best course of action we can come up with in the moment of panic.

The moment I knew we were facing a potentially devastating complication, I wanted – no, needed – a human doctor.

Pregnancy is rare among the Folk, and I now find I’m not interested in trusting faerie midwives with a decidedly human condition. If there is something wrong with me, or with our baby, I want to know what it is, everything about it. I don’t trust anyone who might want to strike a deal for my child’s wellbeing or concoct some potion that, while saving the pregnancy, also gives our baby a third eye or snaggle-teeth or an appetite for blood. I’m also having flashbacks of a conversation long ago with Oriana, when she divulged details of Oak’s horrific birth. How there’d been complications that had cost Liriope her life. How Oriana herself had carved the baby out of her friend’s stomach.

I shudder hard at the recollection and press my cheek hard against Cardan’s back as we ride, my face between his shoulder blades. Hard pass. On every bit of that. Just – one massive hard pass. We are finding a real doctor.

Cardan didn’t even argue. Though he insisted it was time to tell The Court of Shadows, if only for safety reasons while we made an unannounced, unplanned emergency run to the mortal realm.

Nothing goes like either of us had hoped. There are no tears of joy. There are only tight, grim expressions and tense words while plans are made. How we will prevent our enemies from learning of the child and our absence. How we will remain protected while among mortals.

I have hardly a word of help to offer, and that alone is horrifying. I have always schemed and survived – it’s what I am. But there, instead, I can only sit with a hand at my flat stomach, my sole focus on willing this little rebel in me to hear her mother’s first command.

Don’t go. Please. I love you.

Please stay.

Please.

I’ve resented this for weeks, and now I’m begging for the nausea, the aches, the exhaustion to stay – all of it. Any reassurance that I’m not losing this newfound love before I’ve even really gotten to know it.

But I also wonder if I should just accept fate. I have always felt from the beginning that I did not deserve this. That I am stealing a happiness that I have not earned.

“How are you faring?” Cardan asks me over his shoulder, the whine of the wind in my ears. We’re somewhere over the sea, jostled by the roll of the ragwort horse’s gallop beneath us.

“The same,” I answer. Sick. Dizzy. Terrified of what comes next. Unconsciously, I grip his body to mine harder. He’s tense, every muscle on edge. This is unlike any journey we’ve made yet. There’s nothing to fight, and still everything to lose.

“Nearly there,” says Cardan, but it sounds like he’s saying it more for his own benefit. He hates the journey over the sea, the precariousness of ragwort horse travel. I’m not in any state to offer reassurances, or even tease him to lighten the mood.

Sure enough, the clouds part, and the city lights along the coast of Maine wink up at us. It’s evening, and dark beneath a heavy rain cloud, and as soon as we’re low enough, we’re being pelted with sheets of rain. By the time the ragwort horse alights its oaken-hooves on the pavement, Cardan and I are both soaked to the skin.

We dismount, invisible beneath a glamour, at the far end of a hospital parking lot. The sign at the entrance glows with a red cross and the name, Down East Community Hospital. It was the best I could think of to do at a moment’s notice: instruct the ragwort horse to find us an emergency room.

I wrap my arms around myself as Cardan holds out a hand to gather up the horse. The leaves of its mane and the bark-like coat of its body begin to curl in on itself, like a plant rolling in on itself for the night. A moment later, it’s only a few leafy twigs that Cardan can hide in his pocket.

We both look absurd, and I’m just now realizing it. We look like we’ve just run out of a community theatre dress rehearsal for a low-budget melodrama. Cardan’s tried to dress down, but he’s still Cardan, and he’s wearing tight black trousers and tall boots over his calves. He’s thrown one of the zip-up hoodies I keep in my wardrobe for trips to the mortal realm over a loose white shirt. He also must have been feeling particularly festive this morning after last night’s romp, and he’d gone and added a bit of kohl to his eyes before I’d woken up and shit hit the fan. And he’s still wearing gold rings all over his fingers and in his pointed ears. Combined with his soaked, inky hair, he looks a bit like a member of an 80’s rock cover band who’s recovering from being pushed into a pool.

It’s kind of nice. He rarely looks a mess. It makes me feel like we’re in this together, at least.

For my part, I didn’t let Tatterfell braid my auburn hair today, and now it’s just long and windblown, so I’ve tried to pull it all to one side to keep it managed. I’m wearing a simple pair of brown trousers with little silken flats that were my least flashy pair of shoes. I’ve got a shirt and olive-colored vest on beneath a hoodie similar to Cardan’s that was supposed to keep me warm, but now it’s sopping wet.

We both pulls the hoods on our sweatshirts up over our heads as we make a mad dash for the automatic sliding doors of the ER, racing against the onslaught of rain. Once we’re inside the vestibule between sliding doors, I stop a moment to grab Cardan’s arm and gather myself. He puts a bejeweled hand over mine, his expression tightened in concern.

“I’ve never done this before,” I confess, breathless. Hospitals, emergency rooms, doctors. It’s all foreign to me.

“I’ve done it even less.” Cardan’s looking more pale by the minute. The rising terror in both of us is palpable.

“I should call Vivi,” I spout, and Cardan’s nodding furiously in agreement, for once graciously not pointing out how he’s been saying this very thing for weeks.

But when I look around, there’s not a phone in sight. There’s only a poorly lit waiting room on the other side of the glass vestibule, and bored-looking nurses waiting at intake windows. Shit. Shit. How do mortals do this? How to they get treatments for mortal ailments and weaknesses and not fall to pieces fretting over their inherent, inevitable vulnerability in the process?

Suddenly, the surety of immortality is looking rather cowardly by comparison.

“Maybe one of the nurses will let me commandeer a phone,” I mutter, and I let my fingers slide from Cardan’s arm to his hand. My palm is starting to sweat when he laces our fingers together, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

The glass door to the waiting room slides with a hissing whisper, and inside there are people crowded in the cheap chairs lining the walls. Somewhere, a toddler is wailing out of sheer boredom while the evening news anchors jabber on a TV mounted in the far corner above a potted plant. Cardan’s already drawing stares with his ominous, messy appearance. He found a beanie in the pocket of the sweatshirt to cover the pointed tips of his ears, but there’s still kohl streaking his prominent cheekbones. I’m gonna need to clean him up at some point.

Right now, all I’m focused on is slipping into the first open intake seat and figuring out how in the hell I’m going to see a doctor for the first time in my mortal life. I am going to be brave. I have trained for nothing less.

“Hi, how can we help you today?” says a warm-looking middle-aged nurse behind the desk. She has short grey hair and floral scrubs, and a pair of readers perched on the bridge of her nose. Her badge says her name is Josie.

“Um.” My mouth feels dry, but I push on anyway. “I am—I am pregnant, and, um, I’m having some…” I draw in a shaking breath. Why is this so hard? “Some bleeding. I think I need to see a doctor right away.”

“Of course, honey,” Josie says, and peers over her readers. “Have you spoken with your OB?”

“I don’t have one,” I shake my head, my face starting to flush as Josie’s concern increases. I’ve never felt like I belonged in the mortal realm, and it’s never felt more apparent that I’m an outsider.

“Okaaay,” Josie says, slowly, adjusting her readers as she turns to her computer. “Let’s get you registered. Name?”

I hesitate again. I’ve never given my name in any sort of official capacity here among mortals. Especially not since I’d gotten married. What do I want to be called?

“Jude Duarte-Greenbriar,” I hear myself answer. From the chair beside me, Cardan titters a little amused laugh to himself and then bites it back when I shoot him a look. He likes the sound of it, too.

“Okaaay,” Josie says again, pecking at her keyboard. “I’m gonna need you to spell that for me, honey.”

I appall Josie further as the registration process yields the fact that I have neither a driver’s license nor an insurance card. With each of Josie’s judgmental sighs, I can sense Cardan stiffening with repressed irritation next to me, and it’s only stressing me out more. I should have had a talk with him first about promising not to curse anyone. I’m half-expecting Josie to sprout cat ears at any minute.

“While we can’t legally decline services based on insurance,” Josie says, doing little to suppress her concern, “I will need you to sign this agreement that says you understand that, since you are not presenting insurance today, you will be personally responsible for the entire cost of today’s visit.” And she shifts a clipboard toward me.

“Oh, look, love,” Cardan suddenly chimes in. He slides a wet leaf from his pocket across the registration desk as his voice takes on the heady, dangerous quality of magic. He’s conjuring a glamour. “I think you can see all of the insurance information you require here.”

“Oh, good, you found your card!” Josie exclaims, delighted, as she takes the leaf and begins happily clacking away at her keyboard.

“Do not get carried away,” I hiss at Cardan while Josie’s distracted. “That should be a one time thing.”

But Cardan just slits his kohl-lined eyes at me, looking like the smug bastard he’s always been, and leans an elbow on the registration desk, throwing Josie a coy smile. The glamour in his voice when he speaks again is just as sinfully seductive.

“And Josie, my sweet,” he says, “you’ll let my wife borrow your phone to speak with her sister, won’t you, dearest?”

“Of course, Mr. Greenbriar,” Josie replies, with the charmed-sweet smile of the glamoured. She shifts her desk phone to me, handing me the handset. “Just press nine for outgoing calls, honey,” she tells me.

I’m frowning at Cardan’s wicked smirk as I accept the phone.

“I don’t think that was entirely necessary,” I whisper to him while Josie types away. He grins at me. I don’t really want to admit that he’s just been pretty useful, and he knows it.

Regardless of how ill-gotten this privilege is, I do need Vivi. I dial her cell phone, one of two numbers I know, and wait while it rings.

And rings.

And rings.

“She might be screening her calls,” I say to Josie, sheepishly. “Her father is…” Oh, how to describe what Madoc is like these days. “…over-bearing and tricky.” And I hang up and try again. Josie gives a tight, uncomfortable smile, peering over her readers.

“You are not concerned about how unusual this is,” Cardan tells her, the glamour dripping off his voice, and I smack his arm to get him to stop. Josie settles again as the phone keeps ringing.

I have to hang up and dial two more times before Vivi finally picks up. She sounds irritated when she answers.

“Vivi, this is Jude,” I say, slumping in relief that she’s finally answered.

“Jude? Seriously? What?” The annoyance in her voice vanishes as she’s scrambling to understand. “You’re calling me? Where are you? Are you ok?”

“I’m at the Down East Community Hospital emergency room,” I say. “Can you come?”

“Oh, my God.” It sounds like Vivi’s suddenly frantically looking for her keys. “Yes, I’m coming. I’ll be there. Why are you there? What’s going on?”

“It’s a lot to explain over the phone,” I say, slowly, white-knuckling the handset. “I’m ok, and Cardan’s here, but I just really need you.” I hate it more than anything, but I can’t keep the frightened younger sister out of my voice now that I’m actually talking to Vivi about this. The first rush of relief hits me when Vivi replies without hesitation:

“Ok. It’s gonna be ok. I’m on my way.”

I let out a long breath as I hand the phone back to Josie.

“The nurse will call you back when they’re ready for you,” says Josie, and gestures to the crowded waiting room. “Have a seat.”

“Or--” Cardan starts, leaning forward, and I know he’s about to throw out another glamour to speed things along. In the blink of an eye, I clap a hand over his mouth before he can say another word.

“Thank you,” I tell Josie, through a gritted smile, and urge Cardan to move along.

“Your moral stance on glamours ought to have a loophole where our child is concerned,” Cardan gripes as we shuffle to the nearest available two chairs.

“You Folk are like addicts with glamours,” I snap back as we take a seat. “You don’t know when to stop.”

“I believe I’ve proven myself capable of great restraint,” Cardan says, looking miffed for a moment until a People magazine on a nearby table catches his eye and his curiosity of mortals gets the better of him.

He has the right idea, I think. Distraction would be the key to getting my mind off the blood and not falling apart right now. I’ve done everything I can at this point, and now we must wait.

I busy myself for a moment by wrapping the cuff of my sleeve over my fingers and wiping off the rain-splattered streaks of kohl off Cardan’s face, so that the father of my child looks less like the troubled D-list celebrities his People magazine is trashing. He’s not drawing any less attention, but there’s not much either of us can do about that. If you’re not accustomed to the allure of the Folk, it’s nigh impossible to not stare and stare and try to decipher what it is about them that’s so otherworldly. But at least now they’re staring for the right reasons and not at his ruined eyeliner.

With nothing more at arm’s length to distract me, I rest my head against the wallpaper behind me and let my vision go unfocused in the general direction of the TV in the corner. I don’t want to think about the whining toddler in the room, who’s mad at his mother for not bringing the right stuffed animal with them to the hospital. What would I do with a half-human child in Faerie who fell ill or wounded? What would we do? Would the land let Cardan heal him? Would we have to make this journey again? What if I forgot the right stuffed animal, too??

Amazing that I’m suddenly assuming this child is going to survive whatever’s happening now, I realize, and this worry spiral is helping no one.

Once upon a time, I’d been the girl determined to become a thing feared. What has happened inside me, that I’m now this terrified woman? I hate it. I hate it, and I don’t know how to stop it.

“You’re not afraid of that everything will change?” I remember asking Cardan, three moons ago. I had thrown out the last of my birth control that day. We’d snuck away from a revel to lie beneath the massive tree that grew out of the top of the palace of Elfhame, staring at the stars above and dreaming of what they could hold.

Cardan looked to me, his hands behind his head in the loam, his crown slightly askew. He smiled, and the moonlight made him almost too beautiful to bear.

“I cherish every change you’ve ever brought me, Jude,” he said, and he stretched out a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers softly lingering at its rounded edges. “I don’t see why this should be any different.”

“You’ve not always felt so gracious about the changes I’ve foisted upon you,” I pointed out. “And you don’t get to exile me now if my parenting pisses you off.”

I’m not sure what I thought he’d think of such a statement, but it was out in the night air anyway. His gold-rimmed eyes darkened as he pulled his hand back, folding it over his chest. I watched him as he stared up at the stars again, waiting for his response, and with each second, regret began to sink in.

“I consider myself fairly thick-skinned,” he said at last, “but that was uncalled for.”

“I was teasing--” I started, but he shot me a dark look.

“There was a measure of truth in your voice,” he countered. “You don’t lie as well as you think you do.”

“I don’t see what you’re so put out about,” I huffed, pulling back to glare at the night sky. “You weren’t the one living in exile.”

“Not this again,” Cardan groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. “Five years, Jude. It’s been five years,” he sighed into his palms.

“And now we’re discussing children, and it’s a very large and potentially aggravating change,” I said. “Maybe I am a little wary.”

“Of me?” The moment I saw the unguarded devastation on Cardan’s face, it was like I’d slapped him, and not in the fun way. I wanted to be swallowed down by the loam, covered in a grassy grave. Everything about this was awful. I wanted children with this man. Why was I dredging up ancient history?

But Cardan had been right. There’d been a measure of truth to it. It’s been a deliriously wonderful five years, but we are not entirely new people. We have a terrible past. And I feared what demons a significant change like this could summon.

When I didn’t answer right away, Cardan sat up so his back was to me, burying his head in his hands.

“Cardan…” I shifted so that I was propped up on my hands.

“What else can I give you to make this right?” he fretted to the ground in front of him. “I have given you everything. Every part of me, everything you see before you. It was wrong for both of us to take our games as far as we did, but I would have thought by now--”

“It was an off-handed comment made in poor taste.” I wanted to put a stop to everything that was happening. Rewind the whole evening.

Instead, he looked over his shoulder at me, visibly aching.

“I will not be like my father. I refuse it,” he retorted, and when I cocked my head to the side, not understanding, he went on. “Eldred collected consorts and sired children the way some people curate shoes: to suit his vanity. And I have that in spades already; there’s no need to spawn more. What I would want for a child, more than anything, is to not know what it is to grow up as an accessory. To not fear that his mother will be discarded. Jude, if you cannot trust so little of me, then this is poorly timed. Perhaps we need another five years. Or ten. Or however long you require.”

I sat up and scooted next to him, tucking my chin against his shoulder.

“I trust you,” I assured him in a whisper, and, as if he couldn’t help it, his eyes closed as he leaned his head towards mine. He smelled like oakwood and leather, like everything I’ve ever wanted. “I would not still be with you if I did not trust you.”

I wanted to push back the thick curls from his forehead, and so I did. And held my palm against his jaw as I leaned my forehead to his while the stars twinkled overhead.

Five years later, and sometimes we’re still finding little bits of armor that need to come off. For me, becoming a fearsome thing is not an option for handling motherhood, just as Cardan refuses to mirror his father’s vanity. But when I take off this bit of armor, this need to be feared and respected, it feels as if there is nothing underneath yet. Only vulnerability. Only terror.

I think of it now, in the ER waiting room of the Down East Community Hospital, while I snake my arm through his, looking at him while he’s ogling People magazine. He looks a mess, and there is no one I trust more. I’m still not convinced we’re shining examples of excellent would-be parents. But I’m afraid and vulnerable in the worst ways, and there’s no one I’d rather see me through it.

“Eldred would never have done something like this for any of his consorts,” I point out to him in a whisper, and he looks back at me with a pleased smirk.

“You are my wife,” he indicates, and gives my cold knuckles a swift kiss before turning back to whatever filth is engrossing him in People.

“Jude Duarte-Greenbriar?” There’s a nurse at the emergency room door calling my name. I draw in a breath. Here we go.

The nurse in blue scrubs takes my vitals and makes us somewhat comfortable in a makeshift space where we’re surrounded by taupe-colored curtains on three sides while I wait on a hospital bed. There’s a squeaky grey plastic chair for Cardan to sit on, and no more TV or People magazine – just the assurance that a doctor will see me soon. And then we’re left with our dread to stare at the taupe curtains around us, listening to the squeak of hurried shoe soles against linoleum and the occasional beeping of hospital pagers. The air is acrid, like someone’s tried to scrub it clean, and it’s making my stomach lurch. It must show on my face as I swallow hard against the rising bile, because Cardan swiftly hands me a blue plastic barf bag that the nurse has left him in charge of. He’s wary of my empty threats to aim for his shoes.

“Jude, are you decent?” calls a voice from the other side of the curtain. “You have visitors.”

The curtains scrape against their tracks on the ceiling, and I can’t hold back a relief grin at the sight of Vivi and Heather.

“Oh, my God. Oh, my God.” It’s all Vivi can say as she sweeps in to wrap me in a hug.

“Hey,” Heather graciously greets Cardan while the two are awkward to the side. She’s looking effortlessly cool, with her shoulder-length pink hair in soft waves. She has holes in her jeans in all the right places, and she’s wearing a breezy, colorful boho top that shows off her brown shoulders. I try to give her a wave while Vivi is squeezing the life out of me.

“What are you doing here?” Vivi demands when she pulls away, holding me by the shoulders. She’s given her golden hair a short, edgey chop that almost hides the pointed tips of her half-fae ears when it falls the right way. She tends to favor t-shirts and jeans, but today she’s in tight black pants and a grey v-neck under a jacket, and I’m hoping I haven’t interrupted a date.

“Well.” I shift a glance between the two of them, simultaneously gladdened that they’re here and nervous with how I now I have break the news. “This isn’t how I wanted you to find out…” And then Vivi gasps.

“Are you pregnant?!” she squeaks.

“Oh, my God, V,” Heather rolls her eyes. “You can’t ask people if they’re pregnant.”

“She’s right, though,” I interject. “I am.”

“Jude!” Vivi exclaims, fondly, and takes my face in her hands, and, for a brief moment, I realize this is all I’ve been wanting for weeks. I grin, sheepishly. Then Vivi narrows her cat-like eyes at Cardan.

“You knocked up my sister?” she jabs.

“Bold of you to assume it’s mine,” he quips back, and Vivi feigns a disgusted gasp as throw the empty barf bag at him.

“Force of habit,” Cardan tells Heather with a shrug.

“Congratulations, Cardan,” Heather replies, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

“But why are you here?” Vivi turns to me again. “Does Taryn know? Does Madoc?”

“No on both counts,” I shake my head. “It’s early. And we’re here because--” Ugh, I hate this. I hate this. “I started bleeding.”

“Oh, no.” Heather’s face is etched with genuine concern. It’s been a roller coaster of a few minutes.

“But why are you here?” Vivi tries again, and I see what she’s getting at. Why not be seen to by the royal midwives?

“I’m mortal,” I say, quietly. “This is a mortal thing. I felt like I needed a mortal doctor.”

And Vivi takes my face in her hands.

“I completely, one-hundred-percent agree,” she says, whole-heartedly, and there’s relief there, too. She’s always wanted me to spend more time in the mortal realm.

We crowd around the hospital bed for a while to catch up. Heather makes a run to the vending machine to bring back some snacks, and soon the tightness in my chest is releasing and unwinding. This was the distraction I needed. For a few minutes there, I could almost forget what had brought us to this weird, curtained-off corner to begin with.

But then the curtain scrape on the track again. There’s an orderly waiting there in blue scrubs, pushing a wheelchair.

“They’re ready for you in ultrasound now, Jude,” he tells me, and indicates that I’m supposed to ride in the chair. I bristle at the gesture. I’m not sure of the last time I’ve been asked to do something so vulnerable and humiliating. I am not ill. I don’t need this.

Vivi notices and puts a hand at my arm.

“It’s just standard hospital procedure, Jude,” she says, in her tone of voice she uses to convince Oak to eat vegetables.

So I comply. Heather and Vivi tell us they’ll wait for us to get back, and then we’re off. Cardan follows the orderly, and every once and awhile, I hear him having to jog to catch up – he’s easily distracted by what all the mortals are up to in this place.

I’m wheeled into a dark room with an exam table. Next to it is a bunch of strange equipment I’ve never seen before – screens and wands and all sort of buttons. A technician waits for us there, a woman in pink scrubs with a badge that says her name is Brenna. Her dark, curly hair is pulled back tight against her scalp, and she has kind brown eyes that smile when she tells me to make myself comfortable on the exam table.

“And is this Dad?” Brenna wants to know, cheerfully waving Cardan in to have a seat on a grey plastic chair next to me.

“Not my dad,” I say, not understanding the question at first. Then it dawns on me. “I mean, he’s the father, yes. Of the baby.” Oh, my God. This is off to a great start. Cardan’s trying very hard to not laugh outright at me and failing miserably. His laugh comes out like one long snort.

“Happens all the time,” Brenna says, with another cheerful wave, which makes me wonder why she’s still asking it, then.

“First baby?” Brenna now wants to know, making small talk while she’s queuing up her equipment.

“First everything,” I reply, hoping that will explain my nerves. “First baby, first ultrasound, first try.”

“Oh.” Brenna sounds impressed and looks to Cardan as she wheels around in her swivel chair. “Nice shootin’, Tex,” she tells him, with a wink.

“Thank you, Brenna,” Cardan accepts graciously, puffing out his chest a little. I roll my eyes.

“This may be the only time I’m ever complimented on my marksmanship,” he tells me. “Let me have this moment.”

“All right!” Brenna interrupts. “Let’s see what you’re cookin’ in there, mama.”

She rolls up my shirt and tucks in some scratchy paper into my leggings. Then squirts some cold gel across my abdomen. I watch in fascination while she rolls her device over my stomach, and then she turns her screen to us.

“And here’s your little guy,” she says. “Or gal. Can’t tell yet, obviously.”

For a moment, time stops.

Next to me, Cardan draws in a breath.

Something squirmy and alive curls and stretches in the grainy black and white pixels of Brenna’s screen. It doesn’t look quite human. Or fae. It looks kind of alien, if I’m being honest. But I can see its tiny limbs and the outline of its perfectly round head, and it’s moving. Like a manic little seahorse, our little shrimp is bobbing all over the place, alive and well.

“Looking good,” Brenna says, and Cardan barks out a surprised laugh. I’m smiling so hard my face might break.  

“Oh, I was sure I’d stabbed it,” Cardan sighs in relief, slumping in his seat, and it’s my turn to laugh.

“That’s not actually possible,” Brenna tells him, and maybe now he’ll believe it. “Let’s see if we can hear the heartbeat.”

She clicks and clacks at some buttons, then turns a knob. Pushes a little harder on my abdomen.

A fluttering, steady whooshing sound fills the speakers in the room. I don’t know when I grabbed Cardan’s hand, but I’m squeezing it hard now. I glance at him. He’s utterly transfixed on the screen, his dark eyes wide, his lips parted. He looks like how I feel when I’m in bearing witness to great and ancient magic.

This isn’t all vomit and exhaustion. This is happening. This is real.

We are making something new. Something entirely unique. Like magic.

“Ok, this might be your issue.” Brenna breaks the enchantment, zooming in on something dark on her screen. My heart, which moments before felt like it might burst, squeezes and contracts in panic now.

“This is a sub-chorionic hematoma,” she says, pointing to the screen and making some notes. “The doctor will explain all this to you.”

“What is it?” Cardan’s voice is tight, panic thinly-veiled. “Is it dangerous?”

“They’re pretty common,” says Brenna, not looking at us while she takes measurements and notes. Like she drops these kinds of bombs regularly. “It’s basically an accumulation of blood between the uterine wall and the fetal membrane. It can cause bleeding, especially as the baby gets bigger and jostles it around. They usually resolve without much issue.”

“Usually?” Cardan’s not assuaged.

“Well, again,” Brenna says, looking at him sidelong, “the doctor will read this and give his advice. But it can increase the risk of miscarriage in some cases. Not always, though. The doctor will tell you how he wants you to treat it, but it usually involves some bed rest or limited activity, nothing too strenuous or crazy. Don’t go horse-back riding!” And she laughs as if only a crazy person would get on a horse while pregnant.

I look to Cardan. He looks to me. It’s hit us at the same time.

The ragwort horse.

How the hell are we getting home?

“Huh.” I barely had time to digest my realization about the ragwort horse before Brenna was back with more. She swivels the device on my stomach around some more. Cocks her head to the side.

“Are either of you a twin?” she asks.

Cardan points at me like I’ve done something wrong he doesn’t want to be blamed for.

“Why?” I ask, slowly, cautiously.

“It does run in families,” Brenna says, and turns the screen to us again. “And I’m seeing two babies here.” She looks back at Cardan. “And on the first try, Tex,” she says, looking impressed again.

Now, nothing feels real. I think I might leave my body. There are two squirmy aliens in the black and white screen, the lazier of the two now floating into view. Brenna adjusts the knobs some more to bring the new heartbeat into focus, just as strong as the first.

“Jude.” I can’t decipher what Cardan’s feeling now. He looks unlike I’ve ever seen him before. Something between elation and sheer dread is warring between his wide eyes and furrowed brow. He grips at the beanie over his hair like he’s trying to keep his own head from flying off.

“Are you and your twin identical?” Brenna asks. I nod, stupidly.

“These, too,” she nods, and points at the screen. “See: they’re sharing a sac.” She draws in a deep breath. “This does elevate the risk more, with the hematoma. The doctor will go over all of this with you. But I’ll bet he’ll want you on some kind of bed rest. Weekly check-ups. That sort of thing.” And then she squints hard at the screen. “What is that?” she wonders aloud. “Is that a tail?”

“You don’t see a tail,” Cardan says, but he’s so flustered and shell-shocked, he’s forgotten to use the glamour.

“I think I might, though.” Brenna squints harder.

“You don’t see a tail,” Cardan says, louder and hurried, this time with the weight of magic heavy in his tone. “Everything you see looks normal to you.”

A glamoured smile flutters over Brenna’s pleasant features as she lifts the device from my belly and clicks off her equipment.

“Everything looks normal,” she hums, happily. “Congratulations, you two.”

“Everything but the hematoma, right?” I cock my head to the side as she rolls away her swivel chair. “The doctor will speak to us about that.”

“What hematoma?” Brenna’s still smiling as she stands with her clipboard. “Everything looks normal. I’m going to call an orderly, but pretty much you’re free to go. Congratulations!”

“Cardan,” I accuse under my breath as she leaves, leveling a glare at him.

“You are carrying twins.” He’s just agape at me, either unaware or unrattled by how the poor wording in his glamour just muddled everything.

“The doctor won’t know about the hematoma now!” I exclaim.

“We’ll scrounge up another one somewhere,” Cardan waves me off. “Jude. Twins.”

It’s not helping me feel any better, him saying it over and over again. I slump into my hands, weighted by disbelief and frustration. What am I going to do? This can’t possibly be real, can it?

“I am going to get so huge,” I moan into my palms in self-pity. I know it’s vain, but at the moment, it’s all I can think. In the land of willowy Folk, I already stick out like a sore thumb. Now I’m going to be a sore and massively swollen thumb.

Cardan’s shifted to stand in front of me on the exam table. And he runs his hands up and down my arms, almost reverent.

“You are magnificent,” he reassures me, softly, and presses a kiss against my head.

“Why are you not freaking out?” I ask, and pull him by the hoodie pockets so I can hug him again if I need it. I think I may need it. “This is two babies. We don’t even know Thing One about taking care of one baby, and now there will be two.”

“We may require a few more house cats,” Cardan jokes, and when I scowl, he asks, “That’s still not amusing? I shall persist. One of these days.”

“You know, I hear that’s a mortal fatherhood trait,” I point out. “Persisting over and over with the same unamusing joke to the embarrassment of everyone around you.” And I wrap my arms around his waist as I look up at him. He’s warm, and everything is a little more bearable when he’s close and smiling.

“I think you are implying that I’m excelling at fatherhood so far,” Cardan grins down at me, and I’m surprised to see it looks as if his gold-rimmed eyes are glistening.

“Are you all right?” I ask, softening at the sight. He blinks, furiously, as he buries his long fingers in the hair at the nape of my neck, holding me close as he looks over my face.

“I just--” His voice is hoarse when he starts, so he clears it and tries again. “This is more than I ever dared to consider,” he says. “I did not dream that this kind of life would ever be an option for me. Family that looked after each other, that loved each other – that always seemed to me to be a strictly mortal gift. As if the Folk had bargained for everlasting life long ago and forsook all hope of familial love in the process. I had accepted that it wasn’t mine to have. But you.”

He shifts his hands so that he holds my face, and I feel swallowed by the adoration in his admission. All I can do is close my eyes as he holds me. I can think of nothing else when his nose brushes my forehead.

“I am overcome by all you have given me,” he whispers, and I think I might cry. My hands twist in the fabric of the sweatshirt he wears.

“I love your words,” I whisper back, “but you give me too much credit.” I pull back to look at his mirthful, glistening eyes and say: “If it were left up to me, I would never have given you twins.”

He laughs outright, unguarded and thrilled.

“Lucky for me, then,” he says, and kisses me.

I have kissed him hundreds, maybe thousands of times. We have shared passionate, unbridled kisses and desperate, devouring kisses. We’ve kissed at quick partings, and we’ve kissed with soft, gentle comfort. I like everything about them all. But this is something entirely new, something that surprises me still. It’s filled with gratitude and promises and dreams of the future, and though it is intimate, I would not have felt ashamed if someone had walked in.

It’s the kiss of complete trust, and in that moment, I feel assured that, in Cardan, I have not made a mistake. There is much to figure out still. But this is right.

So, we will have twins. I will meet this challenge with resolve. For right now, anyway, the quantity of babies is the least of our concerns.

“How in the hell am I supposed to get home?” I ask, the moment we pull apart. Cardan rests his hands on my shoulders, screwing up his beautiful mouth in thought. The ragwort horse. The bed rest. The doctor we must scrounge up somewhere. There are a dozen new bullets swirling on a to-do list, and none of them lead us back to Faerie any time soon.

“I haven’t the foggiest,” he confesses. “Which further complicates matters, because there is absolutely no chance that I am leaving you here.”

“I was afraid you’d say that,” I say, and press back a smile. “And also glad,” I add.

Cardan meets my smile with a little wicked smirk of his own.

“Is it time we scheme together once again?” he asks.

We cannot get home until this is resolved, and we cannot leave Faerie ungoverned. I have no idea where to even start on this problem.

But that’s certainly never stopped us before.

There’s a knock at the door. The orderly has arrived with the wheelchair to take us back to Vivi and Heather. I give Cardan a secret, knowing smile.

“I suppose it is,” I agree.

-----------------------------

Tag list! Let me know if you’d like to be added: @yellowavocadopit, @dagypsygirl, @ireallyshouldsleeprn, @booklover-sleeplover, @mwejh, @courtofjurdan, @faeriequeenofwest, @sugawsites, @loveyourselfsolid, @owl0y0s, @feelinglikecleopatra, @akaloto, @charrise, @persephxnecoven, @raging-bisexual-alert, @rteme, @nahthanks, @emmabookworm08, @elorcanislife, @snusbandxknifewife, @poeticbrownmermaid, 

[rocorambles]

Taming A Cat

Pairing: Prostitute Kuroo x Mafia Boss Daichi 

Warnings: Yandere, Edging, Overstimulation, Dub-Con, Rape/Non-Con, Sex Toys, Bondage, Degradation, Mind Break, Violence, Torture, Pet Play, Manipulation

Summary: Medical student by day, prostitute by night, Kuroo thinks his luck has finally changed when he meets a wealthy businessman named Daichi who offers to financially support him in exchange for his body. He learns the hard way that it’s not always wise to seize opportunities that fall too easily in your lap. 

OR 

The prostitute Kuroo and mafia boss Daichi AU no one asked for.  

Kuroo stares at the ceiling, mentally urging the man pounding into him to finish quickly as he lets out fake moans that would make any pornstar proud. With a few clenches and some expertly woven flattery of how good he’s feeling, he has the man on top of him climaxing within seconds and he gives himself a few lazy strokes to reach his own peak. Kuroo winces at the feeling of a softening cock being dragged out of his used hole, but he plasters a coy smile as he gets up and flirtatiously caresses the older businessman. Only when the door closes behind his client does the smile fall from his face as he plops back down on the bed. He lies there, uncaring of his naked state and the drying cum on his stomach until a security guard opens the door to make sure he’s still alive and to let him know he’s free to go since his time is up. With a thankful sigh of relief, the messy haired man quickly wipes the sticky substance off his chest and slips on sweatpants and a t-shirt before limping back home, biting the inside of his cheek every time his abused hole is jostled too much by his movements. 

He takes a scalding hot shower as soon as he enters his small apartment (not that he feels any cleaner afterwards no matter how high he makes the temperature) and quickly transitions into his second role of Kuroo Tetsurou, medical school student, as he dutifully pores over textbooks and notes. And that pretty much sums his life. Studious medical student by day, a whore at night. He laughs bitterly at the thought, but his lifelong desire to be a doctor who helps others keeps him motivated. There’s no way he could afford medical school tuition without his night job. His single father is already stretched thin providing for his grandparents and he knows if he asked, his father would sacrifice that much more to help him out, but he can’t bear to bother him. Not when he sees the ever growing dark circles under his father’s eyes. Not when he sees his father’s thinning, graying hair. No, he’s going to get through this himself and when he becomes a successful doctor, he will finally be able to give back to his family who has already done so much for him. Determined, he continues clacking on his keyboard and highlighting text. 

Life continues on and he keeps up the double act, but one day as he enters the brothel he works at, he’s confused by the flurry of movements and excited energy in the air. He gently grasps the arm of one of his co-workers as she scurries past him and when he questions her, she merely says “important guests” before she’s running off. With a shrug, he enters his assigned room and prepares for another long night. Stretched out and bare, aside from a silk red robe, he patiently waits on his bed. He props himself on his side seductively as the door opens, but is momentarily shocked by the handsome figure who enters. He’s...different from his other clients. Dark brown eyes, not much older than himself (maybe early 30s), handsome face, and god...those thighs. Kuroo can feel himself salivate as he eyes the impressively thick muscular build of his client. “Hi, you can call me Kitty. I’m looking forward to playing with you tonight,” he purrs as the other man begins to undress. His heart rate increases when the now completely unclothed man joins him on the bed and gently, but firmly pushes Kuroo down until he’s flat on the mattress. “What a pretty kitty. You can call me master tonight then, sweetheart.” 

Kuroo shudders as the man begins to harshly suckle and nip his neck and he breathily warns him not to leave marks. With a grunt of acknowledgement, the man changes his pace and gently kisses his shoulders and collarbone instead as he deftly unties the robe hiding Kuroo’s figure. Kuroo’s back arches and he moans as a mouth begins to play with his already aroused nipples. “Kitty’s so sensitive. This is going to be a lot of fun.” A pang of annoyance flickers through Kuroo at the words and amused smirk on the man’s lips, but it’s quickly doused by arousal when the man intensifies his actions on the sensitive buds and Kuroo throws his head back as he whimpers. He’s been with countless men and women at this point, but everyone has always just used him as a warm sex doll to get off with. This is the first time someone has sought to give him pleasure and he sinks into the deliriously delicious feeling. 

He’s embarrassed by the petulant whine that leaves his mouth when the man ceases his actions, but he wails when his client grabs his fully erect cock and fondles his tip that’s already glistening with pre-cum. “Does kitty want master to make him feel good?” Kuroo whimpers and looks at the handsome stranger with pleading eyes, but the man just smirks before playfully slapping Kuroo’s throbbing length. “Good kitties purr when their masters ask them something.” And that’s all it takes before a litany of incoherent begging streams out of Kuroo’s mouth. “Master, please! Make kitty feel good. Please use kitty however you want. Please fill me. Please play with me.” Kuroo is shaking his hips desperately and the stranger groans at the wanton sight. He begins to finger the writhing man, but hisses when he realizes the hole is already stretched and prepped with lube. “Fuck, what a good kitty. He got all ready for master. Is kitty that desperate for cock? Can’t wait to be filled?” “Yes, yes, yes!” Kuroo nods frantically as he flips over onto his forearms and knees, arching his back and raising his hips in offering. 

Kuroo screams as heavy smacks hit his exposed ass and he feels so vulnerable as his weeping length bounces with every hit. “What an impatient kitty,” sneers the other man as he continues bringing down his palm, enjoying the growing red painting the once unmarred skin. Only when Kuroo has completely collapsed onto the bed sobbing with only his hips lifted by the man’s hold does he stop. But Kuroo only gets one shaky breath in before he’s clawing at the sheets and screaming again when his client enters him in one swift motion. There’s a pause as the man adjusts to the tight heat, but it’s not long before he starts a brutal pace grinning as the beauty beneath him practically mewls in pleasure at the stimulation. Pain and pleasure are tightly entangling Kuroo in their grasps and he can’t think as the thick shaft inside of him constantly rubs against his prostate. A particularly harsh thrust has his body move just enough for his bouncing cock to brush against the sheets beneath him and that’s all it takes for him to splatter white strings on the bedding and his stomach. His body goes completely limp as he lets the man treat him as a ragdoll as he chases his own end, but Kuroo yelps as his body is being turned over and he gasps as his client paints his torso with sticky strands before slumping down on the sheets besides the spent prostitute. They lay there for a few minutes relishing in the afterglow, but a knock at his door has them getting up as his client gets ready to leave. This time, Kuroo doesn’t have to fake the smile he sends to the departing man. 

The man becomes a regular client in Kuroo’s roster and although the sex is still mind-blowing, the sessions become more intimate as they cuddle in each other’s arms after some rounds and share about their lives. Well, Kuroo does most of the sharing while the other man (Daichi, he reveals in one of their later appointments) listens, but Kuroo figures Daichi’s just a quiet man and continues to ramble on as Daichi strokes gentle circles into Kuroo’s aching hips. Their arrangement continues smoothly until one night while Daichi is unrobing the tanned man beneath him, he freezes at the sight of mottled black, blue, and purple hickeys trailing down Kuroo’s neck. Jealousy rages through Daichi and he slams the startled hazel-eyed man down onto the bed. “Who the fuck did this? Who the fuck left marks on you?” seethes Daichi. Confusion quickly morphs into anger and Kuroo scathingly retorts, “Have you forgotten what I am Daichi? I’m a whore. I do have other clients besides you-” He’s about to say more when lips crash against his and he’s shocked into silence. Kissing is against his policies and he scrambles to push Daichi away, but the stockier man refuses to budge as he pulls away and stares intensely into his eyes. 

“What would it take for me to be your only client?” Kuroo stares wide-eyed and flounders to find words to reply with, but before he even has the chance to try saying anything, Daichi cuts in. “If you live with me and promise that I have exclusive rights to your body, I’ll cover all your living expenses, your tuition, and anything else you could possibly want. In return, you belong to me. Your body belongs to me. Whenever I call you, you come. Whatever I ask you to do, you do.” Kuroo stills. He wants to be angry, he really does. How dare some person come waltzing in asking to own him like he’s some pet? But when he looks back into brown eyes, his heart is tugged by the gentleness and affection he sees in them. He thinks of the nights they’ve spent together. Would it be so bad to be solely with one man he’s already feeling himself fall for? Wouldn’t it be better to devote himself to Daichi instead of being used by countless men every night? Sensing his hesitation, Daichi gently grabs Kuroo by the chin and places a tender kiss on his lips and that’s the last push that has Kuroo tumbling over a cliff as he accepts Daichi’s offer and enthusiastically returns the kiss. 

Stunned is an understatement for how Kuroo feels when Daichi arrives with a moving truck and an entire crew packs up all his things without him even needing to say a word or lift a hand to help. Brows furrowed, he embarrassedly tells Daichi they could have moved his stuff together and that he didn’t need to pay for all this, but Daichi just smiles at him as he grabs his hand and pulls him to his car. Kuroo doesn’t know much about automobiles, but he can smell and feel how expensive the sports car he climbs into is. The drive is comfortable and he enjoys the chance to converse with Daichi outside of sweat-soaked bed sheets, but his jaw drops when they reach Daichi’s residence. It’s a gated property and he stares bemused at the amount of security stationed around the perimeter and the size of the mansion they’re driving up to. “Alright, who are you and is this whole place really yours?” Daichi laughs at the confused kitten besides him and ruffles his messy bed hair. “I’m just a businessman who fell into some good fortune and yes, it’s just you and me here. I do have a lot of business partners and associates visiting and staying from time-to-time as well, hence the size, but make yourself at home.”   

And it really does begin to feel like home as months pass. Kuroo continues studying and attending classes during the day, but his nights and weekends are entirely Daichi’s. Not that he’s complaining when he’s overtaken by pleasure as Daichi worships and uses his body as he pleases. Living with the handsome man, sharing meals with him, and sleeping together in his bed has Kuroo constantly forgetting that this is technically an arrangement and aside from the hefty sum that’s added to Kuroo’s bank account on a weekly basis, it’s easy to fall into a domestic rhythm and to think of Daichi as his boyfriend. 

However, once in a while, doubt creeps into Kuroo’s mind about their situation when Daichi gives him strict orders to stay put in their shared bedroom and not to step foot outside for any reason. Daichi assures him it’s just because he has important business meetings being held in their home and although still a little suspicious, Kuroo accepts the reasoning. He figures Daichi wouldn’t know how to explain Kuroo’s presence if he did run into his business partners and prefers to keep their arrangement a secret. Today is one of those days and Daichi places a gentle kiss on his forehead before departing with a warning to stay inside their room. Kuroo sighs and lies back down on the plush mattress, preparing for another long boring night alone and cooped up. Luckily it is fairly late, so he decides to just go to sleep. Just when his eyelids start to become heavy and his breathing begins to even out, he’s startled awake by a loud bang. Groggily sitting in bed, Kuroo carefully listens and flinches as he hears more loud noises and was that a scream? He cautiously exits the bedroom and gingerly follows the sounds unsure why cold sweat is forming on his temples and why his hands feel so clammy. A part of him screams for him to just go back and pretend he didn’t hear anything, but his feet continue their trek. Curiosity killed the cat afterall. 

He peers through a slightly ajar door and he has to hold back the scream that threatens to claw out of his throat. There’s blood everywhere. Kuroo can smell the metallic scent permeating the room and he dry heaves at the sight of the wailing, mutilated figure chained up in the middle of what he had thought were just Daichi’s security guards. But he quietly whimpers when he sees the men he’s seen every day here at the mansion and become friends with taking turns stabbing and cutting the body in the center. “That’s enough. Now are you ready to talk or not?” Kuroo freezes at the all too familiar voice echoing throughout the chamber and as if he’s in a dream, he slowly turns his head unbelievingly until he spies a familiar sturdy figure seated in a chair in the corner of the room. The same figure who has caressed him every night. The same figure who lovingly kisses him without fail every morning. The same figure who now sits and stares apathetically as his men torture another human being right in front of his eyes.

Kuroo scrambles backwards and races back to the bedroom and falls to the floor in a trembling heap. All the money, the armed men, the secrecy...it all starts making sense and Kuroo cries at how stupid he is for believing that Daichi was just a normal wealthy businessman. Wiping his tears away with shaky hands, he promises himself that he’ll end things with Daichi tomorrow and leave this all behind him. With that last thought, he drifts off into a restless sleep, tossing and turning as horrifying images and screams fill his mind. 

A gentle voice in his ear stirs him and out of habit, he unconsciously buries himself in the warm embrace, but as he awakens, he tenses up as last night’s memories replay in his head. He allows Daichi to hold him in silence a little longer before tentatively removing the strong arms from his body. Confused, Daichi sits up to look at Kuroo. “Daichi, I think it’s better if we end this arrangement. Don’t you think it’s strange that we only see each other? I can’t even remember the last time I saw my friends or even went on a normal date with someone else. This isn’t healthy for either of us.” Kuroo continues weaving his false tale, but he falters when he sees the fury building in the brown eyes staring at him. “Bullshit, Tetsurou. Why are you really ending things? Because you sure as hell weren’t complaining when you were moaning like a whore just yesterday morning.” Kuroo winces at the harsh tone and words and is about to stutter out something when a hand roughly grabs him by the roots of his hair and begins dragging him out of the room, down a hallway, and...Kuroo panics. No, no, no. They’re moving in the same direction as the room where Kuroo witnessed things no eyes should ever have to see and Kuroo begins frantically tugging at the hand firmly entangled in his locks. “No, Daichi, please! I’m sorry. Please don’t torture me too.” 

The hold on him releases and he collapses to the floor and tries to crawl away, but he’s stopped by a grasp on his chin and his head is tilted until he’s staring into a face that once brought him so much joy. “Ahh, did a bad kitten leave his room last night and spy on master? Is that what this is about? Silly boy. Now I really can’t let you go...not that I ever planned on letting you go anyway.” With a humorless chuckle, Daichi flings Kuroo over his broad shoulder, ignoring the pounding fists against his back as he throws Kuroo in the same room that, just last night, someone died in. With the help of some of his men, it’s not long before Kuroo is chained to the table and Daichi kneels down until they’re face to face and tenderly strokes Kuroo’s tear streaked face. “You’re mine for forever, Tetsurou. I’m going to make sure you never forget that.” Kuroo feels a prick in his neck and his world goes dark.

Kuroo’s head throbs when he wakes up and he winces as he sits up. He shivers as he opens his eyes. Why is it so cold- He shrieks as his movement causes something to shift inside of him and hit his prostate and he collapses back onto the bed. Trying to stay as still as possible, he looks around and sighs in relief when he realizes he’s back in Daichi’s and his shared bedroom, but trepidation begins to eat at him when he realizes he’s completely bare. Feeling incredibly vulnerable, he gingerly moves his hands to feel what’s inside of him and humiliations hits him like a brick when he realizes it’s a plug with a plush black cat tail attached to it. If it weren’t for recent events, he might have been turned on by the object, but remembering everything that unfolded, Kuroo begins to remove the plug only to be interrupted by a painful electric shock around his neck. Kuroo sobs as his hands tug at the collar he hadn’t even realized was wrapped around his slender neck, but he halts as a voice fills the air.  “I wouldn’t try to unlock that collar, kitten. It’s set to electric shock you if the fastening is touched. Only I can remove it from you and that’s not happening anytime soon until I know you’ll behave for me.” 

Body wracking shivers overtake the lean male as he fills a weight dip in the bed beside him and he chokes on air as Daichi roughly thrusts the plug all the way inside of him once more. “You’re so beautiful like this. Just like a real kitty cat. You’re going to leave this plug inside of you unless you’re explicitly allowed to take it out, understand? I want you stretched and ready for me to use at all times.” Kuroo doesn’t answer, too busy sobbing into the sheets, but another electric shock has him rapidly nodding his head. “Use your words, kitten.” “Yes, I’m sorry for trying to remove it, master. I’ll leave it in.” Satisfied, Daichi takes his time to appraise the gorgeous lean figure of the man lying besides him. He rearranges Kuroo until he’s on his back, body folded in half so far that his knees are besides his ears. With firm hands holding the back of tanned thighs in place, Daichi begins to mouth and lick Kuroo’s flaccid cock. Kuroo desperately tries to fight off the pleasure, not wanting to give Daichi the satisfaction of making him feel good in any way, but after months of learning and studying every inch of his body, it takes an embarrassingly short time for Daichi to have Kuroo’s cock at full mast. Drool is beginning to leak out the sides of Kuroo’s gaping mouth and he rolls his hips in an attempt to move the plug against his prostate. He’s so close, just a little bit more...but suddenly strong hands hold him still and Daichi removes his mouth seconds before he can find any release and Kuroo wails at the painful denial. 

Daichi leans down and lovingly kisses him. “I’m going to keep on edging you, denying you, and torturing you until you come crawling to me, begging me for more. And when you do, I’m going to make you cum so many times and use your body over and over again until the only thing you’ll be able to think about is my cock and me. No matter how much you hate me, no matter how much you despise my line of work, you won’t be able to deny your body’s permanent tie to me. I’m going to train you until your body is completely dependent on me to be satisfied.” Anger fuels Kuroo and he musters all his remaining energy to spit on Daichi’s face, taking sick pleasure in the way it trickles down the handsome face. “I’ll never willingly go to you. I’ll never be yours, you sick fuck.” Daichi just cruelly smiles as he wipes the liquid off his face and smears his soiled hand on Kuroo’s chest. “We’ll see about that,” he says before leaning down to once more take Kuroo’s length into his mouth. 

Kuroo doesn’t know how much time has passed. It’s been at least a week, maybe more, but any train of thought he has is cut off as the plug inside of him vibrates against his abused prostate once again. He sobs, but there are no more tears left for him to shed, and he just lies there, body spasming at being stimulated over and over again, but never being allowed the relief of finishing. Daichi had spent the first few days with him, personally working over Kuroo’s body with skillful fingers, but duty called and he needed to attend to business. In his absence, he had replaced the cat tail plug with a vibrating prostate massager and added a vibrating cock ring, both of which he remotely controlled and used to continue the job. Chained in a spread eagle position, gagged, and blindfolded, Kuroo just lies there, slowly losing his mind to the unending cycle of frustration and desire. More days pass and Kuroo barely even twitches at the onslaught anymore. His brain feels like mush and all he wants is to cum, all he wants is Daichi to make him cum, all he wants is Daichi. 

Hazily he realizes the chains around his wrists and ankles are being unlocked and he blinks when the blindfold is finally removed from his eyes. When his eyes adjust to the lights, he recognizes a familiar face and throws himself into Daichi’s arms. Daichi smirks at the sight of Kuroo incoherently begging and babbling words of affection while shaking his hips and grinding his cock against Daichi in desperation. “Daichi, master, pl-please AH please make me feel good, please OH please make me cum. I missed you so much. I love you so much. Please take care of me.” Daichi leers at the depraved mess in his arms. “Was that so hard, kitten? All you had to do was ask nicely. Master will take good care of you now.” Daichi removes the toys from Kuroo and coldly laughs when Kuroo whines about being empty before slamming completely inside of him in one thrust. He groans at the wanton wails that fills the room as he rapidly pistons in and out of the warm hole. “AH, yes, master. I love your cock. I love being filled. Fuck me more! Harder!” 

Even when Kuroo releases thick spurts of white, he continues shaking his hips, begging for more. “Don’t pull out! I love you. Please keep on fucking me.” Daichi gives a hard smack to the lewdly jiggling buttcheeks presented before him. “God, I’ve turned you into such a good cock slut. You’re just a slutty kitten, aren’t you? Do you want to be my slutty kitten forever?” “Yes, yes, yes! I’ll be your slutty kitten forever, master! I love you so much. Please use me forever.” 

Daichi doesn’t stop his relentless assault on his mindbroken darling even after Kuroo’s reached his peak a fifth time and even when all Kuroo can do is pathetically dry orgasm. He doesn’t stop until Kuroo’s body goes limp and his eyes roll completely back as he faints from exhaustion and overstimulation. Only then does he gingerly wash the unconscious body and reinsert the cat tail plug before lying beside his lover in bed. As he cradles Kuroo’s prone form, Daichi smiles in anticipation of spending the rest of their lives together. 

Epilogue

Daichi fights back a groan that threatens to slip from his mouth as he holds his cellphone to his ear. He looks down and nearly cums from just the sight of Kuroo on his knees before him, eagerly sucking his cock like it’s the most delicious thing he’s ever had in his mouth. He reaches one hand down to stroke his messy hair and smiles as Kuroo purrs and leans into his touch. When Kuroo looks up at Daichi through half-lidded eyes full of nothing but love and adoration, Daichi can’t help the way his balls tighten and his hips buck as he paints the inside of Kuroo’s throat white. Panting, he motions for Kuroo to sit on his lap and without hesitation, Kuroo straddles his muscular thighs as he wraps his long arms around Daichi’s neck and affectionately kisses him. He’s so grateful to belong to a master he loves so much.  

[goosewhisker]

WHERES UR 500 WORD ESSAY ON HAWKFROST I WANT TO SEE IT

OKAY OKAY SO

first off, while some of this is my own headcanon, most of it’s based on what little we see in canon and vicky’s statement that his worst fear is abandonment, due to being left behind by sasha (and yes, i know, vicky’s a moron, but in this case it not only makes a lot of sense but is a pattern that’s repeated over and over in the books. more on that later).

his abandonment issues are, honestly, pretty obvious from the start. mothwing's secret is actually a interesting character study for them both in that it shows how desperately insecure hawkfrost is both towards his clan. throughout the book, he’s obsessed with the idea that riverclan is going to throw them out; everything he does is with the aim of making himself and mothwing indispensable to the clan. 

even his blackmailing and (frankly) abusive treatment of mothwing indicates, to me, an all-encompassing fear that she would leave him too. 

mothwing's secret was just a fantastic novella don't @ me 

okay now i’m going to make a quick side tangent regarding tigerstar. bear with me, this is still important.

so the way tigerstar works is he specifically targets cats who are in vulnerable states and thus can be easily taken advantage of. ivypool is targeted when she feels overshadowed by her sister; blossomfall is targeted when she feels overlooked by her mother; bramblestar is targeted when he’s been isolated from his friends, family, and clan. once he’s lured them in, he takes the fears they already have and molds them into resentment to turn his victims against their clans.

to get to hawkfrost, i imagine tigerstar would've started visiting him at an early age, before he could truly settle into the clan and develop a support structure. tigerstar would've encouraged his fear of abandonment, telling him that everyone in his life would leave him behind just like his mother. this leaves tigerstar as the sole support in his life, tying hawkfrost irreversibly to his father.

this would've worked partially; any budding relationships hawkfrost could have developed within riverclan would've been cut off, but tigerstar couldn't manage to severe his bond with mothwing. notice how in mothwing’s secret, hawkfrost really doesn't seem to have any friends besides mothwing - he's been convinced that everyone else will turn on him eventually, causing him to lean more and more heavily on mothwing for support. 

obviously this is unhealthy and unsustainable for them both, especially as tigerstar’s influence increases and hawkfrost becomes more and more controlling and toxic. he doesn't see it this way, so when mothwing fights back (intentionally undermining his 'sign' to kick out stormfur & brook, for example) hawkfrost treats it as a personal betrayal rather than mothwing hitting her moral line in the sand. the issue isn't with him for forcing her to do this, it's with her for betraying him and siding with the traitors - thus goes his reasoning. 

this repeats with brambleclaw when he refuses to kill firestar - brambleclaw is betraying hawkfrost personally and abandoning him like everyone else, just like tigerstar always said would happen. he's looking so hard for the inevitable betrayal in other people that he creates it himself (a self-fulfilling cycle).

tigerstar cultivates this (especially post-death) to ensure that he himself is hawkfrost’s only emotional support, while also starving him of affection to the point that hawkfrost will do literally anything for those breadcrumbs of affection that tigerstar deigns to give him. 

thus his dependence on tigerstar and the bone-deep, extremely personal rage when someone 'betrays' him after he's crossed a moral boundary.

and the sad thing is... honestly, between tigerstar’s manipulation and the fact that people really do have an unfortunate tendency to abandon him, i’m not sure he could’ve turned out any other way. like - sasha meant well, and she did have very good reasons to leave him behind, but she still left. feathertail, who almost had as much a hand in raising him as his own mother, abruptly shut him out and treated him coldly for (from his perspective) no reason at all. leopardstar and blackclaw encouraged and enabled his violent tendencies instead of curbing that behavior. while it was absolutely 100% his own fault, mothwing, bramblestar, and ivypool all ditched him eventually, reinforcing his abandonment complex.

i find it kind of morbidly hilarious that his life was just one massive comedy of mistakes that drove him inevitably towards tigerstar and the dark forest... pretty much everything that could’ve gone wrong did go wrong. he didn’t have a chance from the start.

tl;dr: I love hawkfrost and have thought about him to an unhealthy extent probably

[daikini-in-the-twilyhtmist]

Oracle of the White Rabbit

I was recently quite excited to learn about the newest Matrix movie, which was kind of weird for me, as I haven't been much into tv & movies for quite a while now. To my surprise, it was the soundtrack to the preview that immediately captured my attention - almost more then the preview itself... and then it got stuck in my head - for DAYS, on repeat. 

**Cue the Morpheus voiceover: "What you know you can't explain, but you feel it.... You don't know WHAT it is, but it's there - like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad."** Yeah, that song was dead set on getting my attention.

When I finally got rid of it, I started realizing a few days later that I understood it beyond the surface meaning; and basically, I decoded the story that it was telling - it turns out to be all about right NOW. Is it prophetic? Subconscious social engineering? Quantum entanglement between the life and the art, so that they mirror and reflect each other? Who knows...  

It appears to me to be a sort of trigger, or a reminder of what to do when the time comes, of what you NEED to do - and yes, I realize that this sounds very MK ultra secret agent-y; but it is what it is. I assumed it was probably just a message for me, but then I had 2 separate YouTuber's basically confirm the message in their own unique way, and then supplied additional info that is... quite compelling and pertinent to keep in mind, and utilize. So I'll link those two vids below the song decoding portion, but please watch them as they have some VERY helpful info in them - especially the 2nd half of Naughty Beav's vid, the Alba Weinman part. Anyways, here's the song with lyrics, and the decode I got for it:

https://youtu.be/YE3ZXm92CJ0

Preface: The story overall is describing the multidimensional aspects of the human being, and how certain "controllers" have manipulated the general population into thinking that we are only ONE SINGLE aspect (i.e. this linear 3D realm template of a human) of our various extended selves - and have waged war (and still are) to maintain that control over us to keep their positions power.

Song: White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane

ONE PILL MAKES YOU LARGER AND ONE PILL MAKES YOU SMALL These “pills” are alternate dimensional perspectives - the actual embodiment of them from a larger and smaller POV - Annunaki are generally around 10-16 feet tall, and the Fae are considered to be tiny little elemental beings; BOTH sizes make you visit WONDERLAND though! You can SEE & FEEL that there is MORE beyond just this vessel and life viewpoint, more to YOU that goes on to other places where this particular body-ego cannot. AND THE ONES (pills) THAT MOTHER GIVES YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING AT ALL The world perspectives and programs installed in our parents are for a different agenda, time and place - they've since expired and are therefore useless to us... those POV's just don't do anything, except stagnate you. GO ASK ALICE (<your inner child, direct connection to Source Creator) WHEN SHE'S 10 FEET TALL (<in her Annunaki 5th dimensional or above form) Oh yeah, I'd LOVE to see you try and argue those belief systems with THAT version of her/YOU, that'll be fun! Good luck with that, BwahahaaHaahaaa!!!

AND IF YOU GO CHASING RABBITS This "You" ISN'T YOU - it's a hypothetical scenario. As in: If YOU were part of a group of dark, nefarious beings, who CAN'T timeline jump to higher realms on their own, but wanted to... wouldn't YOU chase those 'rabbits', to sneak in after them, (or somehow piggyback on them) to go thru the (portals) tunnels that they naturally create? Well... wouldn't you?!!! AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO FALL These beings know their time is limited; as the energetic  frequencies of the earth raises - LITERALLY - we have to ELEVATE with Earth (or die, as it’s not compatible); but they can only FALL since they cannot follow us - their heavier energies & choices aligned with that vibe basically anchor them down. When the Earth sheds those lower energies, they appear to “fall’ - Earth rides a sine wave up and down in a continuous cycle; right now the rollercoaster is ascending. TELL 'EM A HOOKAH SMOKING CATERPILLER HAS GIVEN YOU THE CALL Say it with me: COVER STORY!!! So just tell them that you've contacted extraterrestrials, or "Ashtar Command" in a higher dimension, who relays "guidance" to you while you're in a channeling state of mind... exchange your religious/guru worship programming (it’s SO last year) for an unvetted channeled source to worship and obey blindly instead. Pick your poison, ‘cuz dying is fun (whether that be literal, spiritual or otherwise).FYI: I am anti-establishment regarding religions; your connection to Source Creator is meant to be direct & personal, always growing - those outside things are GUIDEPOSTS for consideration and participation when you deem it useful. Not necessary, though, and CERTAINLY not mandatory... they can be helpful though, nevertheless. CALL ALICE WHEN SHE WAS JUST SMALL No doubt they WOULD try to contact you while you were young and vulnerable (and they might have already) - train a child up in the way they should go, and all that. It applies whether it be physically done or in the astral/dream state - it's also prime alien abduction time, in both cases, too: it happens most often around the 3-10 years old timeframe, generally. **Alternatively, this could mean that YOU need to recall your inner child/younger self, when you were more pure - and RECONNECT to (the true you, prior to life’s enforced programming) yourself from there, as a means of counteracting and recognizing any false “messages of light”.**

WHEN THE MEN ON THE CHESSBOARD This is the Masonic, Illuminati and other controller group factions (alphabet agencies included) - The chessboard is primarily associated with the Masonic lodges, though, like the ladder - it's their way of bypassing the middle path (opening the 3rd eye, spiritually evolving through kundalini awakening and such), but still attempting to climb up to 'higher planes'... through magickal rituals and workings of one sort or another, I think. The Sun and Moon pillars are on either side, the battle of fire and Ice. THEY are the ones that "play the game" with humanity, as it were, and “set the stage” on the gameboard in many ways.

It’s like this in their art and iconography...

But it’s like THIS in the physical body structure, see:

Side Note: I learned this and wrote it down/drew it up by watching and following Lavette's channel on YouTube - her channel is under this (her real) name, so if you want to understand & decode the esoteric symbology and all that, check her out, she has a wealth of knowledge to share...  it's great stuff!!!

Anyways, moving on with the decode...

>> when the men on the chessboard << GET UP AND TELL YOU WHERE TO GO Or where you CAN'T go, or things you can’t go DO - lockdowns, anyone? AND YOU'VE JUST EATEN SOME KIND OF MUSHROOM Or taken some kind of drug, to check out (with alcohol, pharmaceuticals) as a means of coping; or perhaps just a medically coerced and/or forced untested injectable... that shall remain unnamed. (a la Voldemorte)  AND YOUR MIND IS MOVING LOW Because your consciousness and/or interdimensional capacities are capped, having been anchored down into lower frequencies due to your choices. ASK ALICE I THINK SHE'LL KNOW Ask your inner child/spiritual connection WHAT TO DO

WHEN LOGIC AND PROPORTION HAVE FALLEN SLOPPY DEAD That's RIGHT NOW, with the media, the actions of the government, corporations & the alphabet agencies - everything from them is WAY out of proportion, (they're self contradicting) and illogical...  it's “fallen sloppy dead” is about as literal of a description as you can get. AND THE WHITE KNIGHT IS TALKING BACKWARDS Is this Biden? Maybe Trump? Could be whomever you deem to be our hero, or fixate on as a knight "in shining armor" charging to our rescue, I suppose. AND THE RED QUEEN'S "OFF WITH HER (THEIR) HEAD!!!" The red queen is the sentient A.I. computer located under the airport in Colorado from what I understand... so this could be indicating the weather warfare or DEW, the internet consciousness battlefront, or a whole host of other things that could be directed by that (besides the jabs), which seeks to kill off a great swath of humanity. The Red Queen could also be a means to direct the jib-jabbed peoples like zombies when they're "turned on" like antennas, once the graphene in the injectables does its work. It would certainly explain all the “zombie apocalypse” protocols and policies that have been made by certain corporations and agencies - all of which was done in a serious manner... so here’s that.

So, now THIS is where it gets interesting (for me, anyways).

Every. Single. Time. That I hear this next verse, I hear it spoken a DIFFERENT way, like a glitch that simultaneously layers a different version on top of the other one, so that they are both communicated at once. This is the 'secret key', the ANSWER - remember, this part of the song says: When this & that happens, and when this person and that ‘person’ are acting THIS WAY - THEN:

REMEMBER WHAT THE DORMOUSE SAYS Dormouse - a tiny squirrel-like mouse, that is rather famous for being able to HIBERNATE for EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME - sometimes 6 months of the year, or more, if the temperatures stay cold enough. The lower the frequency, the cooler the temperature, usually. (The Sleeper MUST Awaken! ~ Dune) << This word - Dormouse - transforms into DHARMA. So the verse: "Remember what the Dormouse said" turns into "Remember what the DHARMA SAYS". For more on dharma, see here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma

The dormouse speaks of the head - waking up and remembering mentally; but when it morphs into dharma, it speaks of the heart waking up; and returning to it’s inherent wisdom, returning to the spirit-soul self. So that is the key message that keeps coming thru on this:

Remember what the dormouse/dharma Says: FEED YOUR HEAD-HEART CONNECTION (and stack your dharma)!!! Spiritual GAINS, baby!

The final verse is repeated twice; I believe this indicates that the areas to apply it to are your outward actions here in the outer world, and your inner realm locals: your thoughts and feelings. FEED the CONNECTION on each level, to be and do good, and to stand up in integrity and defend that sacred space on EACH LEVEL whenever it's needed. The mind-heart connection and coherence part is actually mentioned specifically in The Naughty Beaver video linked below, too... but there will undoubtedly be internal emotional and mental attacks that only you can recognize and shield against, or fight back against to maintain your inner calm and wholeness of spirit. The stronger the mind-heart coherence is, though, the higher you vibe naturally; so it grants you a certain level of protection automatically - I feel that's why they push the jab-berwocky so hard through social/economic pressure, and emotional guilt and gaslighting; to block that potential before you ever reach it, so you can still be "hacked", or locked down, energetically. 

Feed your head = higher mind = higher perspective. Maintain THAT, then ACT FROM THERE. (Faith without works is dead, yo) See the other two vids below, and thank you for reading thus far. You/We’ve got this - Be Excellent to (yourself and) Each Other... and Party On!

The “Naughty Beaver” confirmation, perspective & guidance on this: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHeDnhc8Jfg

The “YellowRoseforTexas” standpoint and confirmation:

https://youtu.be/tmYdSFj3WYE

As a final thought... look how unbelievably FREAKING CUTE dormice are IRL! ! ! ! KAWAII ! ! !

[i-okamie]

How Did I End Up Here ? Ch3

When things slip away it's not always that obvious. It all comes soflty. Sometime you don't realize that you're breaking down before you've lost the pieces.

Ch 1  //  Ch 2  //  Ao3

Maybe she has hit her head harder than she thought. Lena knows that concussions usually happen few hours after the shock and not two days later, but she wouldn’t put it past fate to play yet another trick on her. Or maybe it is a fifth dimension being messing with her. Hadn’t Kara talked about some man from this dimension being able to bend the universe to his will? Whatever it is, she cannot figure out why of all things Kara would say that.

It’s not logical.

“What?” the word leaves Lena’s lips before she can stop it. She doesn’t understand Kara’s reaction.

She knows she looks bad. Poor Jess dropped all the papers she was preparing for the meeting with the investor when she saw her boss walking in. Battered. That’s the word she used once the initial shock had passed. And she had kept a close eye on the young woman since then, regularly finding excuses to walk in office, using the intercom to ask for her approval, and so on. But Lena isn’t surprised by the older woman mother like comportment, after all they have many hours working together. Now that she thinks about it, she should really give Jess a raise for still working for her after all the assassination attempts, her brother’s manipulation, and the daxamite invasion.

“Lena.” Kara reaches for her hand but stop midway, as if thinking better of it. “What happened to you?”.

What happened? Lena bristles internally.

What about discovering that the whole new life she has built in National City was based on lies? Or all the people stealing glances whenever she goes outside, waiting to see if she will finally turn out evil like the rest of her family? That the friends she thought she had finally found were never hers, but Kara’s and that they simply tolerated her? What about her brother using her again, knowing the young woman was so desperate to be accepted that few scraps of attention from him would have be at his beck and call? And how could she explain the sleepless nights spent grieving all what could have been with her sweet Kara Danvers, her little walking sunshine, for it to be replaced by Supergirl’s distrust and schemes to go behind her back?

Instead of saying any of it, the brunette decides to take a deep breath. Nothing good will come out of it, and she doesn’t have the energy to fight with the reporter today.

“I fell. You know I work a lot and sleep very little. I got up to fast and got lightheaded. You can probably figure out the rest of it.” She offers half the truth. That’s the best way to get Kara off her back quickly, and there is really no other way to explain the state of her face.

“What about the cut on your palm? There is nothing in your office that could have caused it, and I don’t picture you cooking on the rare times you get back home these days” Kara counters, raising a dubious eyebrow.

“Well” Lena starts, then pause. These days?

How does Kara know she barely set foot in her apartment anymore, desperate to avoid memories of easier times? Sure, the blonde woman remembers all the times she almost literally dragged her out of office, saying something about needing sun and fresh air like all humans do. But there is no way that the she could know that now Lena dutifully avoids going back to her place. Being a young woman running a company such as L-corp, she has plenty of excuses at the ready to stay in her office at night. Thinking about her apartment brings once again memories of the incident two nights ago … then it all makes sense. Kara’s slip up, her lame excuse to come check on her, the glass shard she found once she woke up.

“You were here, weren’t you?” she says softly, as if she was talking to herself more than the woman sitting next to her.

“What? Lena, what are you talking about?” the reporter asks, eyes brows knit together with confusion.

“How could you know that I’ve barely been at my place lately?” the brunette asks coldly “you said yourself that I rarely get back home. And that is something one would expect a friend to know and worry about. But you’re not my friend Kara, and you’ve never been. Do I need to explain why again? Maybe this time you’ll finally understand”. Anger and weariness are finally getting the best of her. They have had this conversations times and times again, but the stubborn alien will not leave her alone. She will inevitably come back in her life, and every times Lena sees the blonde’s ponytail and glasses only to remember what it is supposed to hide, it reopens the wound all over again. The CEO can almost feel it throbbing in her chest. How could she have been so foolish, so blind to all of it?

“Friends do not lie to one another. They do not hide who and what they are. Because by doing that from the very beginning, Supergirl, you never gave me a real chance to choose if we should be more than professional acquaintances. While you knew everything from me and were able to weigh the pros and cons of spending time with a Luthor, all I could base my choice on was the image of Kara Danvers solely. A young woman coming from Midvale, a starting reporter at CatCo, and more importantly, an innocent human that could have got hurt because she was spending time with me.”

Kara looks at her with those big blue eyes she spent so much time looking at, tears starting to gather. And that’s all Lena need to fuel her anger. How dare she act like she didn’t know what she was doing from the very start?

“Can you imagine what it felt like for me to think that I was putting you in danger every minute we spent together? That by simply wanting to be friends, it would put a target on your back? I thought I’d get you killed. One day Alex would call me or knock on my door and tell me something terrible at happened: you’d be held hostage, you’d have a car accident, my brother’s minions would have put a bullet through your head, … And every time you would be dead because of me!” Just mentioning it is enough to bring images flashing through Lena’s mind and have her shaking with horror as well as rage. “But it was all for naught, wasn’t it? Because vulnerable human Kara Danvers does not exist. There is only Supergirl.”

She is now leaning toward the blonde. A scorpion gauging its prey. And ready to strike.

“And what a smart move it was on your side, I must admit that I am impressed. Having two personas was the perfect way to keep tabs on me, to see if what I would confide to Kara would concur with what I’d say to Supergirl. The smallest slip up, the tiniest difference, and you’d have all you ever needed to throw me in that dark place within the DEO that already has my name on it” Lena spits coldly “So please spare me the act of being worried about me now Ms. Danvers, and tell me what you need from me this time again.”

Kara is looking at her with a stricken expression. Anguish and confusion are battling on her face, showing in small flashes. Under any other circumstances Lena would bask in the fact she finally managed to get Kara utterly silent, but all Lena can taste is the bitterness of her own words.

The young reporter seems gather herself quickly after the initial shock and starts her usual rambling “Lena that’s not … why did you never tell me about all this, about imagining the worst scenarios? Rhao, I can’t imagine what it must have been like from your point of view.” The tears that had previously gathered in her eyes are now falling down freely along her cheeks and her voice is a bit strangled with emotion “I never thought about it that way, and I’m so sorry you had to deal with that on your own. I am terrible friend, I should have seen …”

“Were you at my place two nights ago?” Lena interrupts her.

“I wasn’t spying on you, I swear!” Kara’s gaze is flicking anxiously around the room “I wanted … I needed to know that you were fine. And I know that I’m nothing but a liar, a traitor to your eyes, I know that. But I need you to believe me when I say that I do care about you.”

She takes a steadying breath before explaining.

“Yes I was there, but not from the beginning. I was coming back from patrol when I passed nearby. I wasn’t spying but I used to focus on your place to know you were alright and uh … old habits die hard I guess?” Kara scratches the back of her head then mumbles something that Lena don’t quite catch about coming off wrong and sounding like a creep, then continues. “I heard breaking glass. I thought maybe it was someone breaking in and that you were in troubles so I came as fast as I could. When I reached your balcony you were standing up in front of the bookshelves. You were swaying so badly, and before I knew what was happening you were falling to the ground. I didn’t get time to catch you and when I got by your side, wouldn’t react when I called your name!”

She is now wringing her hands at the memory, seeing the scene unfold in her mind and feeling the fear constricting her chest all over again. Kara had imagined the worst while holding protectively in her arms the unresponsive woman. What had happened? Was Lena sick? Poisoned? Her breathing was fine, her heartrate perfectly normal and she couldn’t see any wound beside a nasty gash on her palm. But she isn’t a doctor and she won’t risk her friend’s life. Maybe she should bring her to the DEO to ask Alex to check what is going on? They surely would be able to help her.

The superhero then assessed her surroundings, looking for any clue she could give her sister to figure out what happened to Lena. She then realized the alcohol puddle in which the books were soaking along with glass shards. There was an empty glass on the kitchen island as well. Taking everything in account Kara has a better idea of the situation and feels immediate relief: no one attacked Lena. But it means she did all this to herself.

Knowing how angry Lena would be to know Kara has seen her in that state, the blonde decided that the best course of action is to limit the damages while pretending she never came in the first place. She picked up the books and placed them out of the puddle, she gathered most of the shards to make sure Lena wouldn’t hurt herself further, and finally she gently laid Lena on the floor. It tore at her heart to do so but there was no way Lena wouldn’t remember her fall and so expect to be on the ground. And after a last check on her, Kara left. Promising herself she would come check how Lena was doing soon but not the day right after to not raise any suspicion.

So much for that part of the plan.

Kara gets back to present when Lena snaps her finger, trying to catch the blonde’s attention.

“Yeah! Right! You were not answering but from what I could see no one had attacked you and you would be fine. I knew you’d be pissed to see me there so I decided to pretend I didn’t see.” A flash of guilt crosses the woman face before she adds softly “I lied to you again. I’m sorry Lena.”

Lena was expecting to feel enraged. She had been right! Kara was there, keeping an eye on her, and went as far as coming into her home knowing she wasn’t welcome there anymore. But the reporter’s apologies had somehow managed to ring true for once and Lena didn’t see the point into fighting over this. All she felt at the moment was exhaustion and the need for a drink. It was what had landed her in this situation but she couldn’t help it and she had more pressing matters to attend to.

“Kara, it was a one-time accident. You’re right, I don’t appreciate you coming in my apartment uninvited. Being a superhero doesn’t mean you’re above the law. However I will let it slide for this time because I’m the one who created this mess and I could have indeed needed medical attention. But don’t do it again. I’m not my brother but it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to keep a kryptonian at bay if need be.” She stands up, and watch the weigh of her strike her former friend, making her clench her fists in a white knuckles grip. Good.

She walks toward the door of her office and is pleased to hear ruffling sounds, indicating that Kara is standing as well, and that her message has been heard for once and her wish to be alone will be granted soon.

“Now if this all what you came for, I’d like you to leave. I have a company to run.”

Kara doesn’t say answer back. She doesn’t even look at Lena, her eyes trained to the floor. She simply walks out, somehow seeming smaller and defeated.

Then Lena clicks the door shut. She thought she would feel relief, even joy, at seeing Kara finally doing what she asked her to. But now, alone her empty office, she felt numb. Drained.

Maybe that’s what prompted her to open the bottom drawer of her desk and get the whiskey flask stored there. She downs a few gulps before putting it back in its place. At least now she feels the alcohol burn instead of emptiness.

[ms-rampage]

Eden’s Gate: Kidnapped Chapter 17 - The Last Of Us Part 2 (continue)

The final part of Eden’s Gate: Kidnapped.

The next series is gonna focus on John and Kate's relationship that occurred 2 years before all the events of Kidnapped.

Supernatural moment? Maybe!?!?!

Word count: 3k+

Warnings: Swearing, violence, death of some main characters, angst. 

A slight cliffhanger maybe?!?!?! I don’t know!!! A new follow up series?!? Maybe!!!.

************************************************************

Paige and Kenny go from room to room looking for their daughter.

“You find her?” she whispers.

“No” he whispers back.

From down the hall, Paige sees a dimly lit white light coming from one of the rooms.

She slowly walks towards it, “Where are you going?” Kenny whispers. He follows her down the hall.

They get to the door, it looks like it belongs to an office, she slowly pushes it open.

There’s no one in, a crib similar to the one from Paige’s bliss hallucination sits in the middle of the room. Soft cooing, and babbling come from it. 

She walks towards it and sees her daughter in.

She sighs loudly, and picks her up “Oh my god” she says with tears streaming down her face.

Kenny holds the both of them, and after a couple minutes a ring plays over the intercom followed by Jacob’s laugh and voice.

“Hey, only you could’ve made it this far”

“That son of a bitch” Paige says, quietly.

“There is no escape Winchester” he continues.

“Come on we’re leaving” Kenny says, guiding Paige out the room into the dark hallway. 

They walk down the dark hallway back to where they came from.

“Only You” plays faintly over the intercom. Panic runs through Paige, and she immediately stops dead in her tracks. 

“Take her!!” she tells Kenny, holding out Cristina. He looks at her in confusion.

”What?!?” he asks.

“Take her!!!!” she exclaims, he takes her from her, the music grows louder, and she groans in pain holding her head.

“Go, just keep going!!” she pants, trying to fight the urge to pass out. They continue down the dark hallway. 

“So, you’re not weak after all” Jacob’s voice says over the intercom as the music grows louder. As they’re going down the stairs, Paige trips on the last step.

“Paige come on!!, get up!!” Kenny says, trying to help her up.

“Go take her, and go!!” she exclaims.

“I’m not leaving you!!!!” he says, pulling her up.

Footsteps coming from behind them, Kenny looks up, and sees a silhouette approaching them.

He pulls out his pistol, while still holding Cristina and aims at the figure.

“What do you want?” he asks in an angry tone.

Jacob steps out of the shadows, staring at him.

Paige struggles to get up, but is able to get back on her feet, with her gun hand aiming at the elder Seed brother. “Haven’t you done enough already?!?!” she asks him, anger in her voice.

“Ooh honey it’s only just begun” he says, with a tease in his voice. 

He starts to circle them, like a shark in the ocean. 

She follows his movements not taking her eyes off of him. 

***********************************************************

Kate loads up some guns, putting them in her car. 

Wheaty approaches her, silently grabbing her waist from behind.

“Hey” he says. She looks at him. “Hey” she responds with a slight smile.

“Are you going by yourself?” he asks. She sighs “Most likely”.

“I can come with you, if you want” he says, “You sure?” she asks, looking up at him.

“Yeah, if killing John is, maybe a way for us to be together then yes”

She smiles at him “Okay”. 

She finishes loading up her gear, he kisses the side of her head.

“Hey Kate!” Eli calls out. She turns around. “Yeah!!” she yells out.

“You said Paige and Kenny are at St. Francis?!” he asks. 

“Yeah, they’re gonna kill Jacob!!” she yells back.

“I’ll go help them” he responds, “Is Wheaty gonna go with you?”.

“Yeah I am” he answers. 

“Alright, I’m gonna go to St. Francis” that being said he leaves to the Centre.

Kate and Wheaty leave to John’s ranch

They pull into the huge driveway. For some reason there aren’t any peggies on the property.

“This is weird” she says “There’s no one on the property”.

She parks the car, they both get out, grabbing their supplies from the trunk.

She’s able to pick the lock, they enter the huge house. Old dead memories come to mind.

“Where do you think he is?” Wheaty whispers to her,

“I don’t know” she responds. Without hesitation she calls out for him “Hey John!!!!!”.

Wheaty’s eyes widened when she does this. 

“What are you doing??” he whispers to her.

“Hey Johnny where are ya!!” she yells again. Wheaty regrets this but he wants to help and support her. She’s doing it the Winchester way, guns blazing. Sorta. 

The whole house goes silent, and then they hear from upstairs. 

“Katie?!?!!?”

Sending chills through her body, icing on the cake is his smug smile when he sees her, and his eyes move to Wheaty. 

“What is that?!?” he asks, pointing to Wheaty.

Kate looks back at him, then back at John.

“Someone who won’t manipulate me, who won’t torture my sister, won’t try to have my mom killed, and better yet someone who isn’t a sadist fuck like you”.

A smile appeared on Wheaty’s face as she said this.

John groans in disgust. Making Kate roll her eyes at him.

“We all know you won’t love him like you do with me” he says, walking down the stairs. 

She scoffs “That's what you think, and yeah I did love you. Not anymore”

He tilts his head to the side, and says “Really?. You seemed to love me last night when we did. Ya know?!” a smirk on his face. 

She clenches her teeth in annoyance “You got me in a vulnerable state, you got lucky, and it didn’t mean shit to me”.

He smirks at her “Are you sure sweetie?. Because I was looking down at you and it looked like you were enjoying every second of it”. 

Kate knows the game he’s playing, and Wheaty isn’t having any of it.

“Well you need to get over it. Because she doesn’t love you anymore, she’s with me”

John takes a few steps closer to them “Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?. Did you really think I wouldn’t know about you two? I saw your messages from last night, and the car crash you and Paige were in? Orchestrated by me. I saw the messages about you sending the Whitetails to Joseph and Jacob’s regions. That if they didn’t hear from you in 1 hour, to go to St. Francis or Joseph’s”. 

Kate is livid “You motherfucker!!. You could’ve fucking killed me and my sister!!!” Wheaty tries to hold her back. 

“I’m gonna be so fucking happy once I put a bullet in your fucking head” she yells again.

John looks at her in amusement, it pisses her off more. 

“I thought you were different from your sister, but of course, Wrath is indeed contagious. I knew deep down it was your sin, and of course Lust. Speaking of that. Did you get tested? Any morning sickness?”.

She looks at him confused “What the fuck are you talking about?!?!”.

He sighs and says “Well my dear. I’ll just cut to the chase. I cummed inside you, I never put on the condom. So you could be holding my child in the weeks to come” 

Her eyes widened, she yells again “You son of a bitch!!!!!. Now I’m gonna really fucking kill you!!!”. 

John clenches his jaw “No, you’re not darling you think covering your sins will make you forget that you’re marked?. No it won’t, covering them won’t cover your sins”.

“You’re the reason why I covered them. So I wouldn’t be reminded how the man I was in love with fucking tortured me, and refused to acknowledge it”. 

John knows damn well she’s talking about that demon possessing him, and forcing him to have her atone.

The sound and rumble of trucks grabs their attention, Kate, Wheaty look out the window, and see a bunch of Cultist trucks drive onto the property. 

They get distracted, and John slips out the back door. 

They turn around, and find John gone.

“Shit, that asshole got away” she yells. “Well time to kill some peggie fucks” she shrugs. 

They run upstairs to the front windows, and shoot at the peggies. 

Kate calls for backup from the Resistance, and they arrive within minutes after making the call. John takes off in his place, destroying and shooting at the Resistance’s reinforcements, Kate calls for Nick Rye. 

“Hey Nick, you think you can help me kill John Seed?”

“I’ll be there” he responds, enthusiasm in his voice. 

Another few minutes goes by, and she sees his yellow plane fly by. 

A Cultist grabs her from behind, she turns around and stabs him in the throat. She continues to kill every Cultist she sees, and Nick takes down John’s plane.

“Oh shit!!” she yells.

She runs out the house towards the crash site. Wheaty following behind her. 

Running across the airfield, she sees John’s bloodied up body, thinking he’s dead. 

She reaches for the key around his neck, ripping it off of him. 

Only for him to grab her wrist, and sit up like the fucking Undertaker. She was 100% he would be dead.

“Fuck!!” she yells out, getting jumpscared. “So this is how it ends?!” he wheezes out. 

”For you” she responds. He coughs out blood, some of it getting on her hand.

“We could’ve been happy together!. We were meant to be together!” he says, before coughing again. 

“If we were meant to be together. You would’ve never put pain on anyone. You would’ve changed for me, for us!!” she says with hate while trying to be strong.

“Look around you, look at everything that has happened. The world is on brink. Because of you. Everything we could’ve been. A happy family” he wheezes.

“Let him go, he may have treated you well. But he is no good” Paige’s words replying in her mind.

“I’m sorry John, but you and I are no more” she tells him. His grip tightens on her wrist. 

“You want this key because you think you're saving people, but they were already safe. We had a plan!.” Annoyance in her voice “No John, you’re weren’t saving anyone. I save people. My family. We help people, it's our job!. I’ve been doing this since I was 6 years old, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Also our “unborn child” they’ll be better off without you in the picture”

Anger in his eyes “After everything. After everything I did for you!. This is how you repay me?!. For our unborn child?!” raising his voice only to cough out blood again.

“You don’t understand. You don’t believe. You don’t care!!” he lets go of her wrist before saying “May God have mercy on your soul”. 

His last words to her before falling back on the ground, he stops breathing. She looks down at his lifeless body. A single tear falls from her left eye, she feels like a huge weight has been lifted from her shoulders, everything feels different. She’s still pregnant even though it's not 100% confirmed with his child. Even though it's still way too early to find out if it's true or not. She places her hand on her stomach, looking down at John. She keeps it to herself for now, clenching the key in her hand. Wheaty approaches her from behind, touching her shoulder 

“You okay?” he asks. She looks up towards the evening sun set “Yeah, I’ll be fine”.

********************************************************

Paige has not taken her eyes off of Jacob, “If you’re gonna do something. I wouldn’t if I were you” she tells him. He stops in front of them, backs up disappearing into the darkness.

“Where did he go?!” Kenny asks, looking around. 

“I don’t know, but I do not want to stick around” she says. They’re about to leave, and she collapses to the floor. “Only You” starts to play again.

She screams in agony, squeezing her head “Run!!! Go!!!! Get out of here!!!!!” she screams at Kenny. He runs towards the door but it won’t open, he pushes it but it still won’t budge. Paige is fighting the urge to not pass out, her vision goes red. She shakes it off. 

Is Jacob’s classical conditioning starting to not have any effect on her anymore?. She gets up, turns around to find Jacob. “Paige, where are you going??” Kenny calls out.

She walks down the hallway leading outside. This ends now, everything ends now, she made a promise to herself that she would kill Jacob. Nothing will stop her until she puts a bullet in his head. Kenny follows her, trying to stop her, calling out for her but she’s too focused on killing Jacob. She’s so focused that she doesn’t even see Eli walk past her.

“Paige?!?” Eli calls out.

“Eli?!?” Kenny says, “What are you doing here??” 

“I came to help, Kate said you two would be here” Eli says.

“Yeah, she’s looking for Jacob. Something snapped in her” Kenny says.

Paige makes it outside. Looking around for him.

“It's about time you came out” Jacob says.

“Yeah, well I didn’t want to keep you waiting” she says.

“Well ain’t that sweet of you Winchester” he says sarcastically.

Spotting him on top of a mountain with his obnoxiously bright red sniper.

“Why don’t you come closer, so I can see that pretty face of yours when I kill you” he says

“You’re such a flirt you know that?” she replies. He chuckles “I try”.

She looks back, sees Kenny and Eli exit the building. “You two stay back!!” she yells out. They stop dead in their tracks.

“I’m ending this right now!!” she says. “Kenny stay back with her, I don’t want her to be in the way” she adds. Kenny stays back, seeking shelter behind a tree away from everything. She moves forward, Eli taking the rear. They kill all the judges, and Jacob’s men.

After a gruesome, blood exchange of bullets. 

She’s able to corner a wounded Jacob on the mountain. 

She confronts him while he’s sitting on a rock, badly wounded and all bloody.

“My brother saw all this coming. I don’t know if he talks to God, that doesn’t matter. He was right. Humanity is once again in crisis" he says. 

"You had it coming Jacob" Paige says, aiming her gun at him. 

He continues “It doesn’t matter what we build or achieve. We will always find a way to break it down. Babylon, Rome. Empires rise, empires fall. America. We’re no different. We think we’re indestructible” he wheezes out, coughing. 

She speaks her final piece to him, just to put it out there because she knows his time is very limited at that very moment.  

"Just to put it out there, because I know your time is limited but you were indeed supposed to be my Godfather. My dad wrote you a letter back in September of 1994 when my mom was pregnant with me".

She pulls out the letter along with the photos, holding them out to him.

With his good hand, he reaches out to grab them. 

He reads the letter, and what felt like forever. 

His eyes start to get watery, as if he were having a change of heart but it's too late. 

He's already lost so much blood, they both know he's gonna die. 

Kenny, who is still holding Cristina, and Eli keep a distance from them.

He speaks his final words to her. 

Motioning her to come closer to him, she hesitates but takes a few steps closer to him. 

He grabs her arms, and says. 

“I completely underestimated you. You are too much like your father, you have too much pride in what you do. Just like Joel, he always had pride, he always pushed and pushed for it. No matter what”. He lets go of her, slightly pushing her back. 

“Oh boy Paige have you pushed us. And you had no fucking clue” he wheezes out before, taking his last breath. His body goes stiff, head looking down. Dying on the rock.

“Jacob?” she says. “Jacob?”. 

She quickly pokes his shoulder, he’s dead. She rips the key off from around his neck, walking away from his dead body.

She grabs Cristina from Kenny, and he puts his arm around her. 

They all go down the mountain, after a while they make it down.

Paige calls Kate while handing Cristina to Kenny. 

“Hey how did it go?” she asks.

Kate on the other line “It went pretty good. John’s dead, Nick Rye shot his plane down, and he died from his injuries”.

She nods her head “Cool, I just killed Jacob, and pretty much the same thing, he died from his injuries. Did you hear from mom?” 

Kate clears her throat “Yeah, she told me that her, Cody and Adrian went to Joseph’s compound. He wasn’t there”. 

Confused, Paige asks “What do you mean he wasn’t there?!!?”.

“Mom said he left a note for us. I’ll show it to you when you get here”

“Where are you??” she asks. 

“We’re by Angel’s Peak near Joseph’s statue in the Henbane River” she answers.

“Okay we’ll be there soon” she says, hanging up.

“Where are they?” Kenny asks. 

“Joseph’s statue in the Henbane River, also Joseph’s isn’t at his compound”

“Really? You think he fled?” Kenny asks. 

“Probably” she answers. She turns to Eli, saying 

“Thank you so much for your help Eli. We pretty much own you guys big time”

“I’m glad we can help. Now with the Seeds gone everything can be peaceful around here”

“Yeah” Paige says, looking off in the distance. “Well Faith is still alive, and she basically betrayed Joseph, we’re gonna go by the statute to see what the fuck is going on over there”. They go their separate ways, Kenny and Paige steal a truck, drive to Henbane River.

Driving up the road leading to the giant eyesore of a statue that's 1000x worse than John’s YES sign. 

They drive up the path, and see Mandy, Kate, Wheaty, Adrian, Cody, Nate, Mark, Martin and Faith at the base of the statue.

They get out, approaching them. “Is it done?” Mandy asks Paige. “It’s done” she replies.

She hands her the note Joseph left them. She reads it.

“To the Winchester family, I am deeply aware of what has happened to my family. My brothers are dead, my Faith has betrayed my word. I have forgiven for what Mandeline has done, I have forgiven for what Katella Evyanna has done, and I forgive Paige Hannah for what she has done. I have fled with my flock, and we will continue to prepare for the Collapse, to start our new world. You are indeed a very special family, and God has told me about you. 

I wanted you to be a part of Eden’s Gate.

The Mother for Mandeline

The Baptists Wife for Katella

The Soldierette for Paige.

What your family has done for several generations. We wanted you all to be a part of our family.

- The Father Joseph Seed

She hands the note to her mother. 

Her and Kate walk towards Kate’s car. 

They have a sorta heart to heart conversation. 

“So, how did it go?” Paige asks

Kate sighs, “It was tough but John’s dead. I feel relieved, like I don’t have this worry in me anymore”. 

Paige nods her head “That’s great to hear”. Kate nods her head, and turns to her 

“How did it go with you?”. Paige sighs “The same way. Jacob’s dead, and that’s all that matters”. They sit on the hood of the Monte Carlo staring off into the sunset, while the others are talking behind them. 

Paige looks back, watching Faith talk with the others. She can see she has more life in her. Like she’s not afraid anymore, but Paige doesn’t know if she can trust her yet. 

A gust of wind blows gently at them, making them feel at peace.

"I’m gonna have a hard time trusting her too" Kate says, looking over at Paige

“Yeah I know” she says. “She has changed a little bit” Kate adds. 

Their sisterly moment is ruined when Paige asks “So about my car, Baby?!?!”. 

Kate rolls her eyes “That was John’s doing, don’t worry it's not that bad. Even though she went tumbling through a field of cows and bulls, it's not that bad. It's fixable”. 

She scoffs “She better be, or I’m gonna bring John back to life, just to kill him myself”

Kate laughs. They get off the car, walk around to open the trunk.

"You know even with John, and Jacob dead. There are still some peggies out there" Kate says. "Yup" Paige says, while opening the trunk.

"Joseph is still out there somewhere with his flock of Cultists" Kate says, putting her stuff in the trunk. 

"Yep, he sure is and we have Faith, so I’m sure that hurts him" she replies. 

“From what he said in the note. Do you think we would last in the Cult?” Kate asks.

“Nope, because we would’ve killed them all” she answers.

They look down staring into the trunk. 

"And you know what that means right? Kate asks. "Yep. We got work to do" Paige says, she closes the trunk door.

THE END

[johannas-motivational-insults]

Glimmer’s Upcoming Villain Arc

So, I’m pretty sure Glimmer’s going to become one of the villains at some point in the final two arcs of SPOP. Not a Horde-aligned villain, obviously, but I think she’s going to have a villain arc and may even end up fighting against Adora. Sound crazy? Well, there’s actually precedent for all this in the Buffyverse, with the Dark Willow story arc. I will get more into those parallels below.

First, though, let’s look at Glimmer and her situation in isolation.

Glimmer is currently in a vulnerable position. She’s grieving the loss of her only remaining parent (so far as she knows) and she’s now going to be saddled with the responsibilities of ruling Bright Moon, all while lacking a parental/mentor figure to guide her. And who do we know who loves to guide and manipulate young people with magical powers? Shadow Weaver.

Some people saw Shadow Weaver allying with the Rebellion as the beginning of a redemption arc. However, it actually makes a hell of a lot more sense for the writers to have put her there to gain influence over Glimmer and kickstart her villain arc, starting with their unexpected connection in season 3. Though Glimmer clearly hadn’t forgiven Shadow Weaver for torturing her in season 1 or for emotionally abusing Adora throughout her childhood, she decided the Rebellion needed this evil woman’s help. It was a means to an end. But now that that mission to save Adora and disable the portal was a success, she probably won’t hesitate to ask for her help again.

Not only did Shadow Weaver gain a bit of Glimmer’s trust, Glimmer loved the boost in power she got from Shadow Weaver. She’s complained several times about how she thinks her powers aren’t that useful or strong, but Shadow Weaver fed her ego and gave her a chance to increase her powers. When she successfully teleported the Princess Alliance into the Fright Zone, she was ecstatic.

“We did it! I did it! That was amazing!”

Simply put, Glimmer is power hungry. Just look at her eyes when Shadow Weaver is talking about her potential to be a great sorcerer like her father.

This scene and the following scene in the tower gave me the creeps so bad, you could just feel Glimmer being pulled to the dark side by the promise of power. And now post-season 3, not only will she be craving that feeling of power again, there’s an inciting incident prompting her to use it.

With her mom trapped in an empty dimension forever, which is essentially hell (especially for an immortal person ffs), Glimmer will probably do everything she can to get her out. I’m guessing she’ll go to her Aunt Casta for help, but Casta will say there’s nothing to be done (at least not without resorting to dark magic), so Glimmer will go to Shadow Weaver out of desperation. Even if Shadow Weaver could come up with a way to bring Angella back, she’ll say she can’t, because she can use Glimmer’s grief for her own ends.

Shadow Weaver’s motive for defecting to the Rebellion was to take down Hordak and Catra, and at this point she could easily convince Glimmer to help her get revenge on Catra. In fact, there’s a chance Glimmer will go to Shadow Weaver herself looking to team up and get this revenge, though it’s more likely Shadow Weaver will plant the seed and manipulate her into thinking it was her own idea.

Inciting incidents aside, Glimmer has always been someone who had the potential to break bad. Like Catra, she’s power hungry and eager to prove herself, brash and impulsive, and quick to resort to violence. She’s easily blinded by emotion and can be quite heartless, both of which were illustrated in 1x01-02 by how she treated Adora because of what the Horde had done to her father.

She’s also morally gray, willing to go to extremes to achieve an outcome that she considers to be good or just. Her decision to free Shadow Weaver and use her to access the Fright Zone is a great example. Another notable instance was when she had Catra as a hostage in 2x02 and threatened to kill her to counter Catra’s threat against Entrapta. She was eventually talked down by Bow, but only while complaining about how having to take the moral high ground isn’t fair. She was clearly frustrated that entire episode by the constraints of being one of the good guys, and it culminated here.

Fighting for the rebellion, Glimmer is a force for good. But if she decides to chase her own agenda, her powers and personality could easily be used for evil. Especially when there’s someone there expertly guiding her down that slippery slope. 

Now, if the plot does indeed go this way, it will put Adora in a rather unfortunate position. If it comes down to a situation where Shadow Weaver and Glimmer have an opportunity to kill Catra, Adora will have to intervene on Catra’s behalf, for several reasons. 1) Catra is the most important person in her life, as we all know. 2) She cares for Glimmer’s soul. She knows that if Glimmer murders Catra it will haunt her and change her, and she doesn’t want that for her friend. 3) She feels the need to protect the helpless. Catra will probably be all alone in the world at this point, having pushed all her friends and allies away. So not only will she not have allies to fight with her, she’ll be in a poor state mentally, maybe even welcoming death. Even if she was in good shape, she wouldn’t stand a chance against Glimmer and Shadow Weaver’s combined magical powers. And since Adora can’t stand watching defenseless people get hurt, this will force her to step in and protect Catra despite all the negative feelings she has for her right now.

There are two people I could see pulling Glimmer out of this spiral, bringing her back to the light: Bow or Micah. Adora isn’t the best at sympathizing with someone’s dark impulses while fighting tham, as we’ve seen multiple times with Catra. Her job is to protect the world, and she will prioritize that over everything else, including her best friend (don’t we know it?). So that leaves Bow to talk Glimmer down, either by appealing to her morals (somewhat likely, but wouldn’t work at that point) or by reminding her of her innate good side, of the person she is deep down and the love he feels for her. The other way this could go down is Micah escaping from wherever he is trapped (he’s alive, yo) and convincing Glimmer to stand down with a dose of parental love and wisdom (and a big hug).

There are so many parallels to Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this potential situation, and here’s where we get into the Willow comparisons. SPOILERS for BtVS under the cut!

The comparison between Catra and the rogue slayer Faith has been made many times before, along with the relationships these two characters have with the respective heroes of their shows. But if Catradora is Fuffy, that leaves Glimmer in the Willow role. And there are actually a lot of similarities between the two characters, both being fiercely protective but tempermental magical sidekicks to the hero (who hate being called sidekicks, btw). Both have had trouble making friends in the past, and both have a dude they were best friends with for years before the hero came along and turned them into an inseperable trio.

And now, there are notable and worrisome plot parallels between Glimmer and Willow in seasons 5 and 6 of BtVS.

Buffy sacrifices herself to save the world at the end of season 5, and the “Scooby Gang” believes she was sucked into hell in the process, so they decide to try to bring her back via magic. There is some dissent among the ranks, but ultimately they defer to Willow (who leads in Buffy’s absence like Glimmer will be leading the Rebellion in Angella’s absence), and Willow is not afraid of dark magic. In fact, we already saw her use it in season 5 against Glory (that season’s big bad) after Glory temporarily stole the sanity of Willow’s girlfriend, Tara.

Willow’s attack on Glory was emotionally motivated - she went off on her own after the others thought they had talked her down, thinking an attack was unwise. It was clearly motivated by revenge rather than strategy, which was made exceptionally clear by what she said to Glory.

(This scene actually reminds me a bit of the aforementioned incident with Catra in 2x02, only more extreme. The situations were obviously different, but the vengeful overtones and the mages’ frustration with allies trying to constrain their powers were similar. Both of them were struggling with impulsiveness, morality, and vengeful desires.)

Willow is ultimately successful in bringing Buffy back, though it turns out to not be entirely a good thing. If Glimmer fails to bring Angella back, as I theorized above, she could easily skip ahead to the end of Willow’s season 6 arc, the next time Willow suffers a great loss.

(The middle of Willow’s season 6 arc is her getting addicted to magic and using it in morally dubious ways on Tara and her other friends, which causes Tara to leave her until after she stops using magic and recovers from the addiction. SPOP’s writers could include something like this, but I don’t think they will, for time’s sake. More likely they will just continue to show Glimmer being tempted and corrupted by power as she gets closer to Shadow Weaver, rather than using her powers on her friends.)

The end of Willow’s season 6 arc starts with the notorious shooting death of Tara Maclay. When Tara is hit by a stray bullet and dies in Willow’s arms, Willow attempts to use magic to bring her back, but is denied. This sends her into a spiral of rage and grief, and she spends the next two episodes attempting to kill the shooter and his hapless allies. She catches up to Warren and flays him alive, but the others escape with Buffy’s help. (In the finale she tries to end the world because she believes it is for the best, as life is too full of pain. SPOP definitely won’t pull this same plot point twice, but the revenge quest up to that point is absolutely something that would work for Glimmer.)

Speaking of Buffy stepping in, let’s look at parallels to the situation Adora will find herself in, if my theory is correct. 

Buffy tries to dissuade Willow from murdering Warren because she believes it’s wrong and she doesn’t want Willow to have to live with it after. When she finds Warren’s body she decides Willow has gone too far and stands against her when she tries to go after Warren’s allies. Willow is tired of Buffy’s lectures on morality, of living by the good guys’ rules. She wants revenge, and Buffy is standing in her way. She’s also tired of being treated like a sidekick and is eager to show Buffy who is more powerful. They end up having an epic fight scene before she decides to end the world.

With the way she gives in to her dark impulses, fights against Buffy and their friends, and tries to end the world, Dark Willow actually ends up being the big bad of season 6. Her best friend Xander is the one who ends up saving the world - not by fighting her, but by blocking her magic with his body, reminding her of who she has been all these years, and telling her repetitively that he loves her. He literally saves her (and the world) with the power of love and friendship, a recurring phrase on SPOP.

The perfect parallel here would be Bow stepping in and reminding Glimmer of the goodness inside her. Perhaps he’d face off with her while Adora is fending off Shadow Weaver. But yeah, for the reasons I outlined above, Bow would be the perfect candidate to call Glimmer back from the brink of becoming a murderer. He’s known her longer than Adora and is more empathetic. Xander is often referred to as “the heart” of the Scooby Gang, the one who lacks magical powers but makes up for it with his empathy, courage, and enthusiasm. Bow fills that same role in the Best Friend Squad and Princess Alliance, and he wears a literal heart on his chest. (Yes, Xander is problematic in some ways but damn it that’s so off-topic and I’m not getting into it.)

I don’t think Glimmer will actually succeed in her quest for vengeance, or at least it won’t culminate in Catra’s murder. SPOP deals with some dark themes but it's meant for a younger audience than BtVS, plus Noelle surely knows better than to kill a fan fave wlw. But Glimmer will probably have an opportunity to kill Catra and be dissuaded at the last second, then have to embark on a redemption arc of her own.

Again, this is all just a crazy theory, but the idea of Glimmer going dark is both scary and exciting. She’s most interesting as a character when she’s struggling with her darker urges, and I think SPOP has been hinting at and slowly setting this up over the first two arcs. Now with an inciting incident at play, she could easily give in to those urges in the wake of her grief, letting her vengeful streak bubble to the surface like it did for Willow. I can’t wait to see where the story takes her in arc 3.

[loekas]

struts onto the stage and grabs a microphone

Let’s imagine a Kingdom Hearts universe where Sora is never born. Kairi takes his place as the Keyblade wielder instead. How would that change things?

Disclaimer; I haven't played KH3 yet and don't know the meta in that one. But I've played most of the other games and know the story/meta of the ones I haven’t played. 

So, we start at the beginning, with Ven, Aqua and Terra. Kairi, as a newborn heart, is the one who helps Ven heal after Ventus’ heart gets split into two. This makes much more sense tbh, because Kairi is a Princess of Heart, and thus has special heart powers. Like help stabilise the light side of a heart torn into two.

Flash forward to when Ven and Vanitas have their epic heart battle, ending with the heart recombining and the Ven side being dominant, but also being on the verge of death. Again, Kairi is the one who offers Ventus refuge in her own heart. Then Malificent attacks Radiant Garden, and Kairi ends up on Destiny Islands with no memories left of her past. Kairi and Riku meet and become best friends. Terra still met with Riku on his journey as well, and still made him heir to his keyblade. 

Flash forward to the start of KH1. The relationship between Kairi and Riku is a little different than in canon, because they're both friends and rivals (instead of just friends like in canon, where the rival part is occupied by Sora) Kairi is the one Riku races on the beach, she’s the one who battles him with wooden swords.

Unlike Sora, Kairi is a-okay with Riku being better than her. Sure, she likes to win, but it isn’t necessary for her to have fun. Which is good, because it means there’s no friction between her and Riku. Riku’s competitive streak is satisfied by being more skilled than Kairi, and Kairi has fun with the games they play. 

Like in canon, the two of them are making a raft to go see different worlds. But lets add in one very important difference with canon.

Before leaving on their adventure, Riku and Kairi share a paopu fruit. Why? Because if you've shared one, then no matter where you go, you'll hearts will always be connect. You’ll always be able to find each other. (And this is true. Paopu fruits are genuinely magical. Share one and your destinies/hearts become intertwined) 

(Except this paopu fruit isn't shared by two hearts. It's shared by three. Ven is still within Kairi...) 

Ansem still tricks Riku into opening The Door of their world. The heartless still appear. 

Kairi is the one who finds Riku on the beach. Kairi is the one who begs him to leave (because this is wrong, she knows that with every fiber of her being. The knowledge isn’t conscious but she knows their world is being consumed by darkness. She knows because she’s a Princess of Heart) (She knows because she saw the same thing happen to Radiant Garden)

Kairi and Riku are consumed by darkness, and they lose hold of each other. Riku is brought to Hollow Bastion and Kairi is lost to darkness.

The darkness is broken by the Kingdom Key. By the Keyblade linked to the Realm of Light.

Who better to wield it than a Princess of Heart?

Kairi now has a weapon against the darkness. She has a weapon against the heartless swarming her.

She fights the heartless with skill she shouldn't have. She fights them with magic and acrobatic feats, she fights them as though she’s been doing so her entire life.

She fights them with the skill of Ven and Vanitas. Ventus’s heart is always there, but when Kairi holds a Keyblade, his heart surges to the foreground (but neither Kairi nor Ventus are aware of this. Kairi just knows her body moves on its own, and Ventus isn't consciously making her move like that. Ventus is still slumbering. He responds to Kairi’s surroundings and feelings, but all of it is done unconsciously) 

(Like Sora, Kairi doesn’t know that she holds Ventus’ heart. She was a newborn when they first met, there are no memories there. And when she offered Ventus’ heart refuge the second time, she did it on instinct. Princess of Heart powers are handy like that)

But while she’s ignorant of the heart within her, during that fight against the heartless on Destiny Islands, Kairi remembers her past. She remembers Radiant Garden being destroyed.

Like in canon, she ends up in Traverse Town after the destruction of her world. And the meeting with Leon and co is much more emotional because THEY KNOW EACH OTHER!!!! They come from the same home. 

Kairi realises she isn’t alone after all. She hasn’t lost everyone. Yuffie and the others are still alive.

So is Riku. Kairi knows that through knowledge born from the paopu fruit. She knows that Riku is alive in the same way she knows how to breathe.

She has to find him.

Kairi meets Donald and Goofy, and goes on a quest to find Riku. 

Meanwhile, Riku still ends up with Maleficent, and still ends up manipulated by her. Things proceed mostly like in canon. Maleficent feeds the darkness in Riku’s heart and makes him jealous of Donald and Goofy. 

Unlike canon, Riku only sees Kairi from a distance. He only sees her through scrying spells, through images shown by Maleficent (Maleficent claims she can only scry for Kairi, she can't determine her exact location. This is a lie)  (Unlike canon, having Riku meet with his best friend would be counterproductive to Maleficent’s plans. She can’t turn Riku against Kairi in the ways she could turn him against Sora in canon. She has no leverage in the form of a third best friend. So she takes a different route to getting Riku in the shape she needs him to be)

Kairi and Riku only meet after Riku has already become skilled at wielding darkness magic (and thus, has left his heart vulnerable to that darkness. That’s the only way to wield it after all). They only meet after Maleficent is confident it won’t ruin her plans.

By now, Maleficent has fed onto Riku’s OVERWHELMING guilt at opening the door his world, at letting the heartless in. One of the reasons she can shape Riku to her liking so completely is because Riku is struggling SO HARD with guilt and denial and horror because he DESTROYED his world! He killed everyone he ever knew and loved. 

Everyone but Kairi. Like Kairi, Riku knows that she’s alive in an instinctive manner. He clings to that knowledge even more than he would have if they’d just been seperated. He clings to the idea that if they just get back together, everything will be alright again.

But he's still drowning in guilt. Worse, he’s in complete isolation. Maleficent is the only one he has significant contact with. The deck is stacked against him here. Even if he avoided being manipulated in one way, he couldn’t avoid all the other ways.

The most insidious manipulation is this. Maleficent, who lied about Hollow Bastion, who claimed this to be a remant of her world, tells him; if we open Kingdom Hearts, all the worlds destroyed by the heartless will be restored. Your world will be restored... 

So when Kairi and Riku finally reunite, there are, first, a lot of hugs and tears (they've missed each other so much). But then the cracks in Riku start showing. He struggles with his jealousy towards Donald and Goofy (and Kairi doesn't understand that jealousy because she loves Donald and Goofy in a different way than Riku. And Riku is way more important to her than they are, he’s her best friend. So why be jealous?) but the real breaking point comes when he shares his plan to find Kingdom Hearts with Kairi. Riku tells her, and her immediate reaction is this.

The Kingdom of Hearts must never be opened.  

She says it without thought, she says it on pure instinct. But every part of her knows it's true. The Kingdom of Hearts must never be opened. (she knows this because she's a Princess of Heart. She's a remnant of the key that once opened the Kingdom of Hearts)  (She knows what will happen to the universe if the Kingdom of Hearts is ever opened again)

And Riku breaks because how can she say that? Doesn't she want their world back? Doesn’t she want their parents back, their friends? 

And Kairi doesn't know how to explain because yes she wants her home back, she wants her adopted parents and friends back, she wants it so much but the Kingdom of Hearts CANNOT be opened! Even if it means the loss of her home and family, even if it would mean losing Riku, the Kindom of Hearts cannot be opened. 

Eventually, they fight. Unlike canon, Riku doesn’t manage to call the Keyblade away from Kairi (because no matter how much better he was at things than her, Kairi has never felt inferior to him. Because she’s a Princess of Heart, and the Kingdom Key belongs to the Light as it belongs to no one else)

Kairi beats Riku. Riku might be incredibly talented, but he’s fifteen years old. He hasn’t been training with magic for years. 

He doesn’t have the experience Ventus does. And Kairi is fighting with the skill of Ven and Vanitas both.

Riku can't handle the loss. He was ALWAYS better than Kairi at stuff like this. Except he no longer is. She's leaving him behind, she's pulling away from him and she no longer needs him.

He can't handle that. Not after destroying his world, not after fixating so hard on the idea that everything would be alright again if he just found Kairi again, if he just found his best friend. But everything isn’t alright, she’s fighting him and she’s trying to stop him from restoring their world! He can’t deal with that.

And finally, Riku is in the state that Maleficent wanted him to be. He’s on the verge of being consumed by darkness, on the verge of becoming a heartless. But he isn’t one just yet.

That is exactly the state that Ansem needs Riku to be in.

When Ansem approaches him after the fight, Riku agrees to open himself to darkness. And Ansem possesses him.

This is where the real fun begins. See, I have elaborate headcanon on the Ansem we see in KH1. In later games, we learn that this Ansem is actually the heartless of Xehanort. But this Ansem came into existence after Xehanort had already taken over Terra's body. 

So, I headcanon that this heartless is actually a combination of Xehanort and Terra. His goals are still that of Xehanort (find Kingdom Hearts) but Terra's wants are there as well. Except they've been twisted because he's a heartless. The part of Ansem that used to be Terra still wants to find his friends, Aqua and Ven. But what he feels for them is no longer true love. It's possession, it's obsession. They're his and no one else's. 

And this desire is why Ansem is very interested in Kairi. While observing her on her journey, he recognised her fighting style. He recognised Ven’s and Vanitas’s moves. 

And now that Ansem FINALLY has a body back, now that he can finally use a Keyblade again (headcanon that the reason he needed a body is because he couldn't use a keyblade otherwise), he can act on his need to get Ven back.

(But because he used to be Xehanort as well, he first makes that special Keyblade that contains the hearts of the six Princesses he and Maleficent have already captured. Only after does he go after Kairi)

Ansem has deduced that Kairi holds Ven's heart, and he wants Ven back. So he fights with her, he taunts her. He uses Terra’s Keyblade against her (I know he didn’t use it in the game, but this is an exercise in having canon make sense. And seeing as Riku was the heir to Terra’s Keyblade, it makes sense for Ansem to be able to use that Keyblade after taking over his body) (Riku being Terra’s heir is the whole reason Ansem went after Riku in the first place...)

Ansem keeps taunting Kairi. Or rather, he taunts Ven. He calls him out, uses the names Ven and Vanitas (and Kairi hesitates because she knows those names. Somehow she knows them, somehow she knows what they mean) (She hesitates because Ventus does)

The hesitation is quickly shaken off and replaced by rage. Because this isn’t Riku, this is someone who took over his body. He’s controlling Riku and he will give Riku back! (He’ll give Terra back. Because Ventus recognises that fighting style in the same way Ansem recognised his. Ventus isn’t conscious, not truly, but he rages because he knows that keyblade, knows that magic, he knows the monster that stole his friend!) (The monster will give his friend back)

Kairi and Ventus are in synch as never before. 

It isn’t enough. Terra and Xehanort have always been stronger than Ven and Vanitus. 

Kairi and Ventus can’t beat him. 

After awhile, Ansem goes; well, this was fun, but it's time for you to come home, Ven. And he uses Terra's Keyblade to unlock Ven's heart. 

Except he fails. Because Kairi stops him. She does it on instinct, she does it in a way that shouldn’t be possible. Keyblades can't be stopped like this. 

Not without the power of a Princess of Heart. 

And Ansem realies. Kairi is the final Princess. The one they lost all those years ago, the one they've been searching for ever since. He gets it now, the reason Kairi was hidden from all scrying spells is because of Vanitas. Ventus' heart slumbers within her own, and Vanitas' darkness hid that Kairi possesses no darkness of her own. 

Ansem laughs. What a fortunate twist of fate. The final piece to his plan was right in front of his nose all this time. 

He attacks Kairi again. He uses his keyblade against her heart again. Except this time he uses the Keyblade created by the Princesses of Heart. 

This time, he aims at Kairi's heart instead of Ven's. 

Kairi’s heart is consumed.

And Riku is back control of his body. Because Kairi's power is no longer being contained by her body, because he has a direct link to that power by holding the Keyblade that holds her heart. Because they shared a paopu fruit and that created a magical bond. (And Ansem screams because Ven is lost! There was only a brief window in time to capture his heart as Kairi's was unleashed, and because of the switch in control, that window is gone! Ven is gone. Ansem rages) (Ansem is powerless as long as Riku keeps hold of that Keyblade) 

 And Riku, who was screaming inside Ansem the entire time he was fighting Kairi, goes no, no, no, this can't be happening. I can’t have killed Kair, can’t have killed my best friend.

I need to save her. 

In this world, Riku is the one who breaks the Keyblade and returns the Princesses their hearts. 

And Ansem is back in control. 

Things go mostly according to canon again, with Kairi going after Ansem (because he will give Riku back!)  (because the Kingdom of Hearts must never be opened) 

It ends with Riku and King Mickey closing The Door on one side, Kairi, Donald and Goofy closing The Door on the other side. But before closing it, Kairi makes Riku promise that he'll come back to her. He promises that he will (which is a good thing, because Riku is pretty suicidal right now and things would not end well without this promise) 

Kairi and Mickey close Kingdom Hearts. And Kairi returns to Radiant Garden (because that's her original world. That's where she was born). Donald and Goofy go to that world instead of their own as well, because Kairi instinctively uses Princess powers to keep their hearts with her. The final image is Kairi, flanked by Donald and Goofy, looking up at all the stars that are back. 

End act 1. Now, we get to the good stuff. Now, the butterfly effects really come into play. 

Kairi is a Princess of Heart. They are incapable of creating Nobody's. So when her heart was released from her body? Nothing happened.  

In this world, Naminé doesn't exist. 

Roxas does. 

Except he's not Kairi's Nobody. He's Ventus. He's a heart that exists without a body, something possible only because of the connection he has with a Princess of Heart. 

But without being inside Kairi’s heart, that connection isn't enough to protect him. Slowly, Ventus is turning into a heartless. 

The part of him that is Vanitas is TERRIFIED. That part of him remembers how hollow he always felt, how it always felt like something was missing. How that feeling only went away after merging with Ven. He doesn't want to go back to that. This desire is unconscious though, because Ventus/Roxas has lost his memory. 

Roxas is still found by Xehanort, Ansem's Nobody. Roxas still becomes the thirteenth member of Organisation XIII. 

But Kairi never goes to Castle of Oblivion. She never has her memories manipulated by Naminé. There’s no failed coup within the Organisation. So when Kairi finally does meet the Organisation? 

Things look very different indeed...

And that’s all I have on this. Thank you for coming to my TED talk! If anyone wants to speculate on what happens next, be my guest!