#and I would be a fool for not helping to include their partner in crime!

[catlover4536]

Coming here to say masc presenting Julie is one of my favorite Julie ideas out there and that, of course, I needed to make a femme presenting Frank to compliment @cyanwyrmy and their wonderful Julie!

[calliesmemes]

EVEN MORE ABSOLUTELY UNHINGED COMEDIC RELIEF

ASSORTED SENTENCE STARTERS FROM AROUND THE INTERNET, including quotes from Tumblr, Pinterest, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter), for when a muse wants to lighten up the situation at hand.

CHANGE gendered words and in-universe phrases as needed.

SPECIFY muse for multimuses.

“   It’s sea shanty time once again my fellow bastards of the ocean! ”

“   Partner, I reckon that I ain’t been feeling very yeehaw lately. ”

“   I don’t study; I consult the lore. ”

“   Yeah, I understand women — they all want daggers and swords. It’s all quite simple, really. ”

“   Lord forgive me but I may have to make a nonessential purchase. ”

“   Those are bold words for someone in stabbing range. ”

“   Yes I’m a gatekeeper and a hater. I’m also God’s most favorite princess and the most interesting girl in the world. ”

“   My primary motivations are fear, spite, and aesthetic longing. ”

“   Man — if I had a sword, I wouldn’t be worried about shit. ”

“   It’s not blood that runs through these veins but glitter gel pen ink. ”

“   If I was in a Jane Austen novel, I would be the one sent to the seaside for my health. ”

“   Half of me is a hopeless romantic, and the other half of me is … well … an asshole. ”

“   I am the nicest, sweetest, most rage-filled person I know. ”

“   I hope I give off the vibe to all animals that I am their ally and their friend. ”

“   I see you’re paying attention to someone who is not me. Why is that? ”

“   Normalize letting me talk without making any sense. ”

“   Don’t care, didn’t ask, plus my psychic visions have predicted the outcome of this encounter. ”

“   I could be so much worse. For example, I could start acting like my father. ”

“   Sorry for acting so strange and irregular; It will happen again. ”

“   i love sitting in my room.....alone....a girl in her cave....scheming and plotting and drinking tea. ”

“   These man made horrors are beyond YOUR comprehension. I get it though. ”

“   I’m a goth girl on the inside. On the outside? A father figure. ”

“   I don’t need to face reality; I’m not just that type of girl. ”

“   DO I LOOK LIKE I GIVE A frickle-frackle? ”

“   I’m about to cha cha real smooth off a fucking cliff. ”

“   Sorry I told you about my trauma. Do you still think I’m hot? ”

“   My priorities aren’t straight and neither am I. ”

“   I have felt permanently guilty for no reason since I was like eight years old. ”

“   Of course I have a lot of pent up rage, you fool! I’ve been the same height since I was twelve years old! ”

“   I was born for shock value. ”

“   Good morning! God has let me live another day and I’m about to make it everyone’s problem. ”

“   Oh, I slept miserably because I was tormented by terrible visions all night. I hope none of them were prophetic! ”

“   Be the surreal nonsense that you want to see in the world. ”

“   Being smart has never stopped me from being a complete fucking idiot. ”

“   My hobbies include knowing things and being right. ”

“   This is good advice, but don’t tell me what to do. ”

“   I hate the idea of authority. What the fuck is someone being superior to me? Bitch I’m gonna take your kneecaps. ”

“   Stop forgiving my crimes! I worked so hard on those! ”

“   My hobbies? Uhhhh, symbolism mostly. Metaphors and implications and the like. ”

“   I may not have any braincells, but I make up for it by having many heart cells. ”

“   I can’t mansplain manipulate manwhore my way out of this one guys! ”

“   Not all your life decisions have to be smart. Some can be purely for cinematic value. ”

“   Sometimes I wish I looked more fragile and feminine like a dainty flower, but I do enjoy looking like I hate everyone. ”

“   Any dream can be a prophetic dream if you’re willing to do some really weird shit. ”

“   girl help there is not enough enrichment in my enclosure. ”

“   BRO, you NEED to stop SUMMONING DEMONS in the FRAT HOUSE. ”

“   I just gave your address to some spiders! ”

“   I disappoint my father as a hobby now. ”

“   I think that the dark circles under my eyes add to my aesthetic actually. ”

“   Good news! I’ve successfully replaced all of my emotions with jokes! ”

“   I have half a braincell left and I’m very scared to use it! ”

“   Listen, son — in this world, it’s either yeet or be yeeted. ”

“   I appreciate the advice, but I think that I’m old enough to make my own bad decisions. ”

“   I’m disappointed in me too. Y’all aren’t special. ”

“   Running from your demons is the best exercise! ”

“   Sorry; I can’t commit any crimes with you. My mom says that I have to study. ”

“   Time flies when you don’t know what the fuck is going on. ”

“   If I run out of tacos, I can no longer maintain my human form. ”

“   Bestie, I don’t think that I can girlboss under these conditions. ”

“   Yeah I’ve had combat training; I can do anxiety attacks! ”

“   Swag is earned, not learned. ”

“   Contrary to popular belief, violence solves a lot. ”

“   I CANNOT STAND YOU ALL so I will SIT DOWN. ”

“   Please God no … I don’t need any more character development right now! ”

“   If you can’t beat ‘em, yeet ‘em. ”

“   Do not put me in a situation. I’m at my limit and I am very tired. ”

“   I may be depressed, but at least I’m not basic. ”

“   It’s MY LIFE and I’ll sabotage it myself, thank you. ”

“   Think twice? Bold of you to assume that I think once. ”

“   At the next inconvenience, I will start biting people. ”

“   Oops I think that I just experienced an emotion. ”

“   Did you know that rats spelled backwards is star? ”

“   One day, I’ll be reincarnated as a pigeon, and I’ll shit on your head. ”

“   On the outside, I’m a baddie — but on the inside, I’m a saddie. ”

“   My grandma bullies me through the Ouija board. ”

“   I’m a cool person if you can just look past my personality. ”

“   Beetles don’t have to do taxes, and I think that is a beautiful way to live. ”

“   I hope that you get your character development arc soon. ”

“   Those are some nice kneecaps … It’d be a shame if someone stole them … ”

“   I’ve wanted to be a trophy wife ever since I was a little boy. ”

“   I’m done being baby; I want POWER ”

“   Wait, “Just Standing There Ominously” doesn’t count as socializing? ”

“   Yes I am smart, and yes, I am stupid. It’s called being flexible. ”

“   I am NOT delusional!!!!! I am OPTIMISTIC! ”

“   I deserve compensation for not being the menace to society that i could be, like i'm skipping out on a lot of fun here. ”

“   Do not ask me if you should or shouldn't do something !!! Before I am a friend I am an enabler !!! ”

“   i am the WORLDS PRETTYIST PINK PRINCESS and im gonna KILL YOU WITH MY HUGE FUCKING HAMMER ”

[kyseya]

Will the farm brothers get annoyed if Reader has no experience working on the farm and is often clumsy even though he shows he wants to help them?

Do they have dogs on the farm?

No they wouldn’t be mad. They’ve both had and continues to live a life of labour- it’s all hard work. They know not many are used to the lifestyle they live: waking up early and carrying and moving stuff all day long whilst a bunch of crime stuck to your sweaty skin. The two of them also know not many are physically cut out for farm work either. Even if you’re muscular and strong yourself, Weston and Lucas will still be a lot bigger than you no matter your build.

I just love a strong man who treat their partner like a princess✨

I imagine them thinking a helpful but clumsy darling would be very endearing. So even if you mess up, it’s the thought behind it they care about the most. Besides, you don’t have to do much else other than sit there and be pretty for them. Perhaps also cook them something nice to fill their stomachs.

They might tease you about your clumsiness but they love you. If it had been anyone else, they would’ve been a goner the moment Weston or Lucas suspected they’d make a mistake. It’s different with you. You are their little darling. If you have trouble understanding any machine or how to milk the cows, they’ll be more than happy to show you in person. They actually enjoy it. Both of them know you’ve been checking them out and they absolutely relish in it. If they have a chance to show off and, I dare say, get to take off their shirts, it’s a win for them!

I didn’t initially imagine them having dogs, but it’s a good idea. Dogs would ward off any intruders coming close. They would use them both for protection, and also to know if there are any fools(potential victims) walking a little too close to home. The third use for dogs would be to make sure you’re not going anywhere you shouldn’t. Which includes leaving them and coming into any sort of contact with the barn.

[a-d-nox]

can you please make more synastry observations and asteroid ones too pleaseee? i miss you they were soo entertaining to read

working well together in synastry and composite

i'm going to work off of what i already have posted (no asteroids discussed after this post will be included or added after the fact). finally, i would like to state that NO TWO CHARTS ARE THE SAME. what i am about to list out does not mean you will for sure need these exact things (or all of these things) to be shy, nervous, and/or anxious around one another. if you don't understand my thought process, feel free to dm me with questions!

libra (7°, 19°) or aquarius (11°, 23°) venus/mars and/or 7h libra (7°, 19°) or aquarius (11°, 23°)

these two can be partners in crime and great colleagues; very little gets in the way of them accomplishing a task. they have a sort of dance they do when working together - they don't need to communicate to get the work done.

7h venus

this is great if you guys work together long term - it is like having a co-ownership at a business or partnership at the same firm. venus person loves 7h person and 7h person looks at venus person as if they are their true equal.

11h libra (7°, 19°) or aquarius (11°, 23°)

this is just very easy alliance and partnership. these two cooperate well with one another.

11h venus

these are allies - it is a ride-or-die connection that these two have it is very rare that either person will turn against each other. venus person will treat 11h person as their only friend, while 11h person will be extremely loyal and wishes to help the venus person to be the best version of themselves possible.

11h neptune

this is one of those unlikely alliances that just end up working well together. neptune person sees 11h person's vision and wants to help them come true, while 11h person sees the beauty in idealist and optimistic neptune person.

11h uranus

these people are unstoppable; they will do whatever it takes to make it happen. 11h person see eye to eye with innovative uranus person. uranus person likes that 11h person is great at having the connections it takes to move their projects forward.

armstrong (asteroid 6469) positively aspecting aldrin (asteroid 6470)

these two can go where no one has before - they are willing to do what people have never attempted before. armstrong person relies on aldrin person to be the brains of the operation, while aldrin person relies on the armstrong person to do the heavily lifting. together they are comfortable trying new and improbable things.

donar (2176) / thora (299) positively aspecting loke (4862)

these two will attempt to fool the world around them. donor/thora person is often talked into something silly/foolish by loke person. loke person is the mastermind of the project, while donor/thora person is the muscle power to make it happen.

prometheus (1809) positively aspecting athene (881) / pallas (2)

together these two can create something amazing. prometheus person creates the bare bones of their project, while athene/pallas person breaths life into it and gives it character.

vergilius (asteroid 2798) positively aspecting dante (asteroid 2999)

vergilius person will protect dante person at all costs. vergilius person is a sort of guide, confidant, and sage for dante person. dante person looks up to and greatly appreciates vergilius person. together they can traverse even the most difficult terrains.

like what you read? leave a tip and state what post it is for! please use my "suggest a post topic" button if you want to see a specific post or mythical asteroid next!

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click here for more composite & synastry observations regarding the luminary and planetary

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© a-d-nox 2024 all rights reserved

[maskednihilism]

[ msg -> Blue 🐦 ]: I want to ask something of you but promise not to laugh or take it personally ok

The lack of punctuation is unlike Jing Yuan. And the message is sent late at night, when Sampo is surely sleeping and wouldn't see the messages until morning.

Several minutes pass before the next one comes through.

[ msg -> Blue 🐦 ]: You won't leave me right? Too many times friends that I've had get a boyfriend or girlfriend or get married and then

[ msg -> Blue 🐦 ]: Get caught up I guess? And then I rarely, if ever see them again. Don't forget about me

Then, several hours later another message.

[ msg -> Blue 🐦 ]: I sincerely apologize for those previous messages, please ignore them. I had gone out and gotten a bit tipsy with the rest of my staff and lacked a filter when I sent them. I did not mean to impose or offend.

@shallliveoninsong || unprompted/lightly mentioned in prevs asks and dms! || From Jing Yuan || muses mentioned @aluckiicoin 's Aventurine!

Time is different on Jarilo-VI. When it was night there, it was still afternoon in the Xianzhou Luofu. So it does take Sampo a couple of hours to respond. The thief has gotten an odd job in the mines. Not too excruciating labor but fairly close. It was intense enough for the Fool to simply go home, eat dinner, shower (with some help given by Aventurine) before collapsing in bed from exhaustion.

So imagine his surprise to see multiple text messages from the General. All of them with a common denominator. Anxiety of losing a friend. Now, Sampo wasn't new to this. They've had this conversation. Both sober and drunk. And both those times, the Fool reassured him. Nothing would come between their friendship. Not even his romantic involvement with one Jalokivi.

It still doesn't seem to stick however. No matter how many times they speak on it, that anxiety brews in the Arbiter-General. It.. pains Sampo truth be told. It was not a light anxiety. But it shouldn't over take the General like this.

msg → [Lion Daddy]: hey I just woke up. It's like 7am here.

msg → [Lion Daddy]: Jing Yuan. You're my dearest friend. I wouldn't leave you, not even if the Abundance themselves promised me all the immortality in the universe.

voicemail from Blue 🐦

A groggy voice comes on. Listen I'm still sleepy. So I'll try to be quick before I hit the shower. But Jing you're my buddy. My pal. My main Lion Daddy. I'm not going to leave you for Ven or anyone else.

Family comes first and foremost. And that includes you, dummy. So try to sober up. I doubt Lady Fu Xuan would appreciate seeing you a mess. I'll speak to you after, okay? Love you, big guy.

The recording comes to an end after what sounds like Sampo trying to give a kiss. But given his sleepy demeanor, it sounded like a choked groan.

The words were still ringing with truth however. Jing Yuan was his partner in crime. His pal. And... his family. He would never turn his back on him.

Not for Ven, not for anyone. Family would stick together. For better or for worse.

[fullofsunsetwhispers]

I think the reason the monks turned into such jerks to Jack including Omi was because of Omi town I don't even like Omi and I wanted to beat Jack butt for it. Because it was such a slap in the face to. Omi who tried to help Jack so many times gave Jack the benefit of the doubt was kind to him and believe Jack could be good when no one else did or would have

I understand your frustration, anon. It can be classified as 'one of the most jerkish things Jack has ever done in the series'.

However, (looks at my imaginary list titled 'Jack Spicer did some things wrong but these jerkish acts are justified)

No, don't get me wrong, I am in Jack's protection squad but I am capable of seeing his flaws. Yes, that's a horrible thing to do to the only person that tried to help you (see mainly the Apprentice but more examples could be found throughout the series). Even for a little kid!me that was something unbelievable to happen but now I blame the poor writing of the 3rd season for it. (I gotta cope somehow ok)

I would like to move on to 'Let's justify Jack' part. Maybe 'justify' is a strong word. He took part in that manipulation so it should not be excused BUT I'd point out something that intrigues me a little bit.

In Omi Town after defeating Omi's Mother, monks realize she's in fact a robot. Omi makes a face and everyone rush at Spicer with anger evident on their own faces.

What's Jack's immediate reaction when he gets circled by dragons in training?

He curls up in fear and exclaims: 'THEY MADE ME DO IT!'

Then, he proceeds to tell everyone gathered how that village was made in the first place and we got a short flashback with HB making jackbots look like Omi's relatives of some sort.

Tbh It struck me HOW Jack delivered that story. Usually, (especially in s1 and mid-s2) Jack boasts about his evil plans. He makes sure his enemies KNOW what steps were made to fool them because Jack this way wants to show them how his mind is superior in comparison to theirs. He's proud of each evil deed committed throughout the process (presumably because it builds up his self-esteem which is already in shambles)

Anywho, mind that during his story about the origins of the 'Village of Omi's robotic clones', he's serious. No evil laugh, no belittling Omi for falling for that.

Does that look like a face of a proud evildoer to you? No. He's being honest, and frankly to say, even sad.

The last sentence he utters after the flashback makes me even more convinced about his honesty.

He bends down to be more on Omi's level. He looks straight into his eyes, his brows furrowed worryingly. It almost looks as if Jack felt sorry for the Cheeseball.

'We figured if we break up the dream team, we can take all the wu!'

for Jack it's simple logic, mind you. Additionally, no one among the Heylins even considered Omi might come back to the temple. Jack was more than certain Omi would stay with the fake parents. He never meant to hurt Omi directly. Who knows? Maybe after robbing the temple vault, he would re-program the parent bots to change their minds and let Omi be the monk again (but these are my speculations)

Let's settle on what the overall message sounded like.

'They made me do it'

'They made me build other robots'

'Hannibal bean then used Moby Morpher to make MY robots look like your relatives. If you had any.'

There is more accusation of Wuya and HB in Jack's voice. As I mentioned earlier Jack takes pride in whatever evil he's up to. He's building the brand, or whatever, so it is vital to him to give credit to himself (and optional partners in crime of course). Here we see/hear he DOESN'T WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PLAN. By constantly repeating 'not me. they made me do ---something-' he withdraws himself, which has never happened earlier in the series. (ok maybe that time with the evil snowman but whatever - you get my point)

Was he trying to save his own butt by putting the blame on Wuya and Roy? Oh, yes, he's a coward. But I dare to assume deep down he wasn't feeling ok with that scheme 100%. The way I see it, Jack went into 'survival mode', that is, he decided to act what other Heylins expect him to do so they won't hurt him in any other way. (Mind you he got a black eye at the beginning of the episode and got slammed against furniture by Wuya and HB and Wuya directly threatened him) Was he laughing with other baddies and taunting Omi during his showdown? Yes, but in a more ' I'm in a bad position so I can have a little fun with them' kinda way. Raiding the temple is one of jack's fav activities (lol) and he feels ok with it so his partners -Wuya and HB no longer were the same oppressors but more like a means that would help him get safely to the wu vault.

If we take into consideration the statement 'Jack from season 3 is a laughing stock and everyone seems to push him around' - this one applies here too. I'm of the opinion Jack was against Wuya and HB's intentions toward Omi but ultimately Jack yielded to their persuasions. Why? He was afraid. Out of fear, we tend to agree to things we would NOT normally agree to. Wuya even without her powers wrecked the boy good so she could've broken some of his bones as well. And with HB's help, they could do even far worse things to Jack. Let's not accuse Jack on the basis he wanted to protect himself - Wuya and HB are more to blame in this one.

Jack was simply USED in that scheme and robbed of resources (robots). More importantly, he built the whole village himself - I bet Wuya and HB didn't help him in these preparations. Jack was valuable to them in that very episode only because he was more like a useful tool rather than an ally, which is sad. (but tbh these little smiles Wuya and Jack exchanged were kinda cute)

To sum up, Jack is not entirely responsible for playing with Omi's feelings. He was the pawn, who in fact did the majority of the dirty work BECAUSE he was being threatened. That sort of manipulation Omi was the victim of was totally unfair especially if we consider that Jack-Omi bond from the series as a whole. However, in that very scene, we see glimpses of regret in Jack's mannerisms.

As a side note, I would like to point out, even if 'Omi Town' hurts me very much for Jack's betrayal of Omi's trust, I would like to see this being expanded on. For example, they should have a one-on-one talk in which they have a little quarrel, mentioning all the bad things they did to each other so they could just... talk this through and find some katharsis in their shared pain or sth.

[questioned-quetzalcoatl]

Here's a good one for you >:3

1930's con artist couple Au, with either Kainga x James or Owain. Go wild girl <3

I mean who doesn't love a good harem if you wanna include that tooooooo

'Fool's Gambit'

Rating: T

Pairings: New Zealand/Tonga (Hetalia) Wales/Tonga (IMPLIED MMH)

Variation: 1930s Con artist AU

AN: Curse you Willow and giving me such great ideas ;u;// Also I needed an excuse to have a more fem leaning Kai in a fic, it's a must, it's a need cause they can rock a sexy dress with sexy confidence to seduce their Kiwi dadd- I mean what. This was a joy to write <3

---

They're a delight to watch as ever, prettiest little flapper he ever did see, boyish in figure and yet James still finds himself watching their hips as the Tongan sauntered towards him. A gloved, slender hand sliding from his chest up his neck to around the back of his head would make any man with good taste drop their glass of over priced champagne when they approached.

As if close contact wasn't enough for either of them as James couldn't help slide his rough hands down their hips. The curve had almost been imprinted into his muscle memory, Kainga could feel it against their tight crimson satin dress, a color to match the lipstick they wore. Suspiciously the same color of the lipstick stains on James's collar.

He knew when to stop going lower down their thighs, feeling the hand gun nicked away under the helm of their lingerie and pantyhose. Kainga smirked seductively at him and took off his hand from their waist almost teasingly. "A Sir Owain Marc, will see you now, James."

It's not more than a whisper, a message, an invite. Felt like just for him in that sugared sweet voice that called to him.

Another party, another house brimming with rich foolish men who drank too much and another victim in their little game of conning anyone stupid enough to take part. Kainga will play dumb, act like they're an oblivious piece of eye candy to draw in those who wished to play, something to sweeten the deal if their customer was unsure. There weren’t many who couldn’t be swayed by a kiss from a pretty little lady now. 

James's sharp eyes shot from Kainga's red lips to a man standing across the room from them, through the dense crowd he spotted his victim like a predator through the shrub. Kainga's tender fingers slid down James's tie, slipping them from under his tie, an alluring look and they were leading him along to follow them back over to the unsuspecting Welshman. Their aura of seductive femininity, James almost couldn't wait until the night was over so he could have them all to himself. By this time, they'd been spotted.

"Evening Welshie, can I call you that?" James doesn't wait from an answer from the brunette Welshman, whiskily stealing another flute of champagne from a waiter just passing by. He gave him an imploring look before speaking again. “A man of your standing needs some extra security, does he not?”

At the nod, a shark like grin splits the New Zealander’s lips, a glint in his eyes that the gormless Welshman didn’t notice or lacked the ability to process. Even better, by James’s standing. 

“Me company offers a secure money holding office, with high security at all times. We’ve had reports of con artists in banks just fleeing people of their money and it just breaks my heart to see peoples hard earned cash stolen from them.”

“Well- when ya put it like that, I 'ave been worried that some of me finances have been taken without permission these past few months…”

They picked a good one this time, James leaning back and watching the flapper as the man opposite continued to babble on about some worries the Kiwi, frankly, cared nothing for. While his partner in crime slandered around the back of the Tycoon, brushing against him as anyone would to get through a tough ground. Owain didn't even recognize them from past affairs regarding going to the extremes for this kind of work. He also didn't seem to notice that his wallet had been smoothly plucked from the back of his suit pants pocket.

“How soon would I be able to transfer the money to you, Mr…?”

"Hunter. James Hunter." His mouth was already growing bored with this one, his eyes trailing off back to that red satin dress in the crowd. The wallet was in with the gun, flashing him a quick exposed thigh in lingerie before brushing their dress back and disappearing, leaving him with bedroom eyes to meet them back around. James's eyes shot back to Owain, which clearly unnerved the man a little. His smirk was too charming not to be untrustworthy however. “And whenever yer ready, I could even take some now if ya had it to hand.”

The Welsh Tycoon gives him a safe full of cash, a handshake shared and a quip about how business had been a pleasure, the Kiwi leaving with his tantalizing associate at the hip, which such a little fuss it was as if nobody had noticed them arrive or leave from the dinner party.

---

The lamp on their bedside table flickered before dousing the room in a warm, ravishing light against the darkness

His kisses upon their neck and shoulders are distracting as they count the seemingly endless wads of money, patience never being James’s strong point after another successful job, hands running up her thighs, puling her dress up and off in one smooth sweep. He grunted, allowing himself to enjoy them all to himself for the night once again, truly his favorite part other than laundering riches.

“How much richer are we, darlin’?” He reathes in Kainga’s ear, hands exploring their mostly bare, soft body, teasing them as they moved and slipped between their thighs and finally got to those undergarments they'd teased him with. They softly moaned, oh they were in trouble now.

Kainga barely has time to gasp out they’d conned Marc and Kirkland bros Industries out of near two thousand dollars before they're on their back, his lips on theirs and the sound of clothes before torn off.

They'd truly played off their Fool's Gambit.

[scrollsfromarebornrealm]

wayward (grand)daughter 9

U’ldah Fifteen years prior

-----------

“Anton…”  Camilla wheedled, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice.  “Anton, you know me.  I brought you good business back when you were running your game, working on impressing the Montarists!  I’m not asking for much, just a small favor-”

“Small favor my arse!” The lalafell exploded.  A wooden board was slammed onto the table in front of the Midlander. Plastered to it was a bounty poster.

“You fucking murdered the entire family of a Sharlayan Forum member, you psychopathic bitch!” Camilla swallowed, averting her eyes from the poster.  There was a photo of herself, and then yes, Roderick’s family—him, his first wife, and then one of a young Kari.  

Kari, who had ruined everything.  Who hadn’t been broken by the control spell.  Who just wouldn’t die until at the most inopportune moment.  She was the reason why Camilla had to flee, she was the reason why she was broke and penniless—again—

“It was an accident!”

“Accident my arse!” Anton roared.

“Anton please!”  Camilla let her gaze drop to the bounty limit-and felt her blood run cold.  That sum could only come from Roderick’s mother.  With a number that high every bounty hunter would be after her.  

She’ll kill me she’ll kill me she’llkillme—Camilla knew what would happen should she be caught.  She’d seen the mutilated corpse hanging over the harbor, she’d heard what happened to Gorold.  More fool her, she should have listened all those years ago when she’d been scoping out her marks—Astrid DeGlass had a history.

Pick someone else, she’d been warned.

Treat the daughter kindly, she’d been warned.

“Please, I just-I just need a place to stay—”

“Like hells!  There’s swiving bounty hunters swarming every city-state capital!”  Sharlayan may have turned tail and fled, but it was still a valuable trading partner. And with that much gil as a reward, Anton didn’t want to take any chances.  Especially if it was murder of an entire family, including the kid.

“Anton, I don’t have anyplace to go!”  Camilla blanched as her old business associate snapped his fingers.  The two hulking bodyguards that accompanied him started to move towards her.

“Anton!”

“You’re not getting any help from me!”  The lalafell decreed.  “And with your face and crimes all over Eorzea and sundry, you’re not going to find any help anywhere!  And anyone who does is only going to be in it for the money!”  Camilla shrieked and backed away as the bodyguards withdrew their weapons.

“You bastard!”

“Here’s some advice, you Garlean bitch.  Go back to your swiving sodding Empire!  That’s the only place that’ll take your murderous arse now, and pray that nobody finds out what you did here.”

----------

wayward (grand)daughter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

[beardedmrbean]

A man and woman in the U.K. have been sentenced to jail for defrauding 80 victims, mostly gay men, they met on dating apps over a 16-year period.

According to a report in MyLondon, Fredrick Diji, 37, received a prison sentence of eight years at Guildford Crown Court in South London on Friday, December 23, and his partner, probation officer Raquel Johnson, 43, was sentenced to three years and nine months. Diji had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud, concealing criminal property, and possession of an identity document for improper means. Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.

“Romance fraud is a horrendous crime and the cost to individual victims goes well beyond financial loss,” Jane Mitchell, a prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said after the hearing. “It is despicable that Diji targeted men either because of their sexuality, age, or poor health in order to defraud them.”

Related: Man Pleads Guilty to Threats to Expose Pics of “Grindr Slag” Neighbor

Diji used various dating apps like Gaydar and Match to prey on gay men, first luring them with promises of love and companionship, only to later claim financial hardship and ask the victims for money. He used various lies to fool his victims, including that he was being held by Dutch immigration authorities, that he needed money to visit and buy medicine for his ailing mother, and that he needed money to cover his mother’s funeral costs or obtain his inheritance among other scams. Diji reportedly defrauded one man out of more than $120,000 over a 14-year period. Johnson aided in the scam by laundering the money received through her bank accounts.

Fredrick Diji, 37, of Camberwell, south London, used fake online dating profiles to target his victims.

“Diji had his routine down to a tee, and assisted by Johnson, they would work together using a number of fake personas to target victims online, love-bomb them with promises of meeting in person and declarations of love, before fabricating reasons for desperately needing money, telling the victims that if they really loved them they would help them out,” Detective Constable Becky Mason, an investigating officer on the case, said after the hearing. “It was the ultimate manipulation which preyed on people’s emotions and good nature. I am incredibly grateful to each of the victims for supporting our investigation and I hope that today’s result gives them some sense of justice.”

The pair spent the money on gym memberships, takeout food, groceries, and dental care.

Related: California Mans Pleads Guilty to Assaulting, Robbing Grindr Hookups

Investigators eventually identified almost 180 victims. 80 individuals were victimized via romance fraud, 22 through investment fraud, and another 77 through identity theft.

A spokesperson for Match apologized to the victims and reminded users to always be on the lookout for folks using the site to victimize others.

“We are constantly reviewing our safety methods and proactively communicate safe dating advice to our members and within our platform,” the Match spokesperson said following the sentencing. “We encourage everyone to take the same precautions when meeting people online, as they would if they were meeting through friends or in a pub, bar, or public space.”

[ursulanoodles]

Who has a crush on your farmer? Is it obvious?

Shane and Harvey, and oh boy is it ever. They've both been stammering and blushing around her since the second she walked face-first into them (and guys I wish I was being cheesy when I wrote this story, but I literally walk face-first into people all the time and it's embarrassing AF).

Who does your farmer have a crush on? Is it also obvious?

Harvey, Shane, Haley, and Leah. Harvey and Shane are obvious, and I should hope that's the case since she's dated both of them (one of them TWICE lmao). And yes, she still finds Harvey attractive even though they're no longer involved. That's never going to go away. Her crush on Haley isn't obvious because they both feign to hate each other, though that's not quite the case for either of them. Haley is extremely jealous of Penelope, and Penelope is wary of Haley because she's a big-time people pleaser and fears rejection. She thinks Haley is beautiful and terrifying, and is scared to death of her. As for Leah, Penelope is in awe of her and is convinced she's some sort of 5'11" elf goddess, at the very least.

Who does your farmer date/have a fling with?

Harvey: They dated for a little less than five months, and Harvey was smitten with her straight away-- though Penelope took a smidge longer to fall for him. Harvey wasn't necessarily her type, but she thought he was cute and took a leap of faith, and he charmed her pants off (quite literally heh). Though they're no longer involved, he still means the world to her and she desperately wants to keep him in her life. He helped her heal from her past trauma (domestic violence/SA), and he made her learn and grow in ways she never would have if not for him.

Shane: Oh, Shane. Where do I begin? These two broken fools clicked straight away because they're so similar-- self-loathing, struggling, anxious, depressed, and desperately in need of love. They're each other's missing puzzle piece and they wind up together less than two weeks after Penelope shows up, though their relationship is short-lived. Shane falls hard for her but decides he's not good enough for her and that she deserves better. He's in a bad spot when they first meet, but she ultimately convinces him to get help-- even after he leaves her heartbroken on her doorstep. When he returns from rehab months later, they both realize they still have feelings for each other, and they try to fight it (which ends in disaster for both of them). They try to take a break from one another, but when Harvey breaks up with her and leaves her feeling the most lost she's ever felt, Shane quite literally bursts through her door and scoops her up off the floor. Penelope quickly realizes that, though she loved Harvey, it's been Shane along-- he's the person who makes her laugh and pulls her out of the darkness and into the light. They've been inseparable ever since.

Who do they end up with?

Shane, of course.

Platonic: (can include all characters 🥰)

Who is in the farmer’s inner circle? The closest people to them?

Marnie, Jas, and Emily. Marnie and Jas are like family to her even before she and Shane get back together, and Emily becomes a dear friend to her. Penelope grows to love Emily's bubbly and quirky personality, and they may or may not become partners in crime.

Who does the farmer have a neutral relationship with?

Literally everyone else. She has a hard time trusting people and closes herself off from pretty much everyone except for those closest to her.

Who HATES the farmer and does the farmer hate them back? Also, does your farmer hate anyone at all?

Lewis. They both detest each other and have since the week she moved in. Lewis was a friend of her grandfather and takes it upon himself to act like he knows what's best for her and tells her to stay away from Shane when they start to become close. Penelope being Penelope, she more or less tells him to get fucked, which he's unimpressed with, to say the least. He's undoubtedly very old-fashioned and thinks she's unladylike/uncouth.

Who has never met the farmer and likely never will?

Ras, the Dwarf, Krobus, the Witch, Mr. Qi, etc.

Bonus! Your farmer has become trapped in the mines with a group of townies! (Spin for 5 people)

Who are the townies? And is the situation anyone’s fault?

Sam, Abigail, Haley, Caroline, and Lewis. What a bunch... This is almost definitely both Sam and Penelope's fault somehow, they're both impulsive and insane. Pure chaos!

The farmer was elected the leader, but would anyone try to take over?

Lewis. Come on, the guy's a prick and he probably thinks he should be in charge just because he's the mayor. Pen would definitely put him in his place, I have no doubt about that.

Who the best person they could have asked to be trapped with? (Is it friendly? Romantic? Or skill driven?)

Abigail. In fact, it would be better if it were just the two of them who got stuck together. With Abby's self-assuredness and Penelope's out-of-the-box thinking, they'd be out in no time.

Who is the most unbearable person in the group and who the one holding everyone together?

Haley. Sorry, girl. She'd whine the whole fucking way and probably be an asshole to people even when they're just trying to help her.

Who is the most likely to die if left unattended by the farmer? And who would likely survive alone?

Caroline. The woman spends all day drinking hallucinogenic tea in her greenhouse, she's not cut out for the mines. Abigail would be just fine by herself, she's got a sick sword and knows how to use it.

Who is the one that loses their cool first?

Penelope. The woman is feral and will flip a switch as soon as someone does something she doesn't agree with.

Who is one that will get eaten first?

Eaten or murdered by Penelope? Either way, it's Lewis.

Howdy farmer friends I have a question for you!! So I was taking a shower and started thinking about the relationships the farmer has and how romance works and all that sweet stuff. So I gotta ask, what are your farmer’s relationships in town?

———

Romantic: (can include any existing adult characters! Obviously no Jas, Vincent, and Leo ��️)

Who has a crush on your farmer? Is it obvious?

Who does your farmer have a crush on? Is it also obvious?

Who does your farmer date/have a fling with?

Who do they end up with?

Platonic: (can include all characters 🥰)

Who is in the farmer’s inner circle? The closest people to them?

Who does the farmer have a neutral relationship with?

Who HATES the farmer and does the farmer hate them back? Also does your farmer hate anyone at all?

Who has never met the farmer and likely never will?

Bonus! Your farmer has become trapped in the mines with a group of townies! (Spin for 5 people)

Who are the townies? And is the situation anyone’s fault?

The farmer was elected the leader, but would anyone try to take over?

Who the best person they could have asked to be trapped with? (Is it friendly? Romantic? Or skill driven?)

Who is the most unbearable person in the group and who the one holding everyone together?

Who is the most likely to die if left unattended by the farmer? And who would likely survive alone?

Who is the one that loses their cool first?

Who is one that will get eaten first?

[berry-messy-scribbles]

Junkrat having a crush on you - headcanons

Pairing: Junkrat/Jamison Fawkes x GN!Reader

Summary: General headcanons of Jamison Fawkes aka Junkrat having a crush on reader.

Words: 1,500

Tags: SFW; gender-neutral reader; fluff

Warnings/triggers: minor curse words

A/N: "I absolutely adore Junkrat and his expanded characterization in overwatch 2, so I decided to write some headcanons for my favourite pyromaniac. I hope you will enjoy this piece as much as I enjoyed writing it!" - Mod Berry

Oh boy, you bet that there will be a lot of puns involved. You know those interactions, that they added in overwatch 2? From casual puns, they will evolve into cheesy pickup lines. Not to mention, if you show the slightest bit that you do enjoy them or lord forbid, you follow up with an even dorkier response - expect to be smothered in bad puns every time he sees you. Jamison will be more than happy to share with you his special chemistry pickup lines such as:

"Are you carbon monoxide? Cuz ya sure take my breath away!"

"Excuse me darl, but did ya lose an electron? Cuz you are positively attractive!"

"Damn I've never seen a bomb like you! And I make those every day 24/7!"

"Oh, how I wish you were like Avogadro cuz then I would already know your number!"

I imagine he tells them with a full happy grin plastered on his face followed by a wink ;)

Jamison would definitely try too hard to sweep you off your feet by bragging about his and Roadhog's heists or even about their casual shenanigans. Don't worry, Mako makes sure to add realism to those and embarrasses him from time to time, by telling exactly how they went. For example:

"Oi Roadie do you remember the time when I saved both of our asses in Numbani by MY magnificent and strategically thought out plan?"

"You mean that one time you accidentally lit your ass on fire just to confuse the guards and buy us some time to escape? Yeah, that sure was something Rat."

The big man then lets out a hearty chuckle.

*gasp* "Betrayed by my own crime partner!"

At first, it would embarrass the hell out of Jamie. He would desperately try to explain to Mako that his pride and chance at a relationship with you is at stake, but then he sees you laugh, and just like that all his worry instantly disappears. From that very moment, he would tell all the awkward details himself just so he could hear you laugh one more time.

This also includes Junkrat telling you a different story about how he lost his finger, since the first time you have ever asked him about it. You would call him out at any given chance though. However, you appreciated his effort in trying to brighten up your day even if it meant listening to the silliest of tales of Jamison's lost finger.

“Oh, this? This is a painful reminder of my tragic yet complicated past." he follows up with a very expressive pose like the drama queen he is.

"Dude you are literally missing an arm and a leg. How could the finger be the main focus?"

"Y/N I am flattered that you are so invested in my backstory but no spoilers! Even for you. Now, where was I? Ah yes! (...)"

Some of these stories included his supposed memories from the outback. Probably back when he wasn't featured on every wanted poster in Junker Queen's domain.

"I lost me finger to a bunch of fellow junkers in a truth or dare fight in a bar, and you wouldn’t believe that it was because of the truth part!” 

Other times it would be something so ridiculous that you can't help but snort at the simple prospect of that situation ever happening to Jamison.

“There was this one time when I had to wrestle a quokka for my lunch! Don't ever let them fool ya with those big ol' eyes and cutesy faces. I am tellin’ ya those things are bloodthirsty. I got my food back but the little rascal took my finger as revenge!"

"I am not blaming it though, sometimes even I wonder how I taste."

That last part earned him a well-deserved nudge, followed up by a sigh and being called a "dumbass" ( affectionate ) in response.

"Y/N you know that I am messing with you right? Or am I?"

But do not be fooled as this man is far from stupid as everyone likes to think. This man can be a menace to society and still be a genius. I had to include that in the note because I am sick and tired of people brushing it off. You have noticed that not only his craftmanship and his entire workshop reflect that statement but also his special interest, which is drumrolls please - philosophy! Specifically speaking, philosophy of mathematics. His newest interaction with Sigma shows that Jamie is aware of concepts such as Zeno's paradox. But why am I sharing this headcanon with you? That is because I am sure that if Jamison sees that you are interested in what he has to say, ( unless being ignored by like half of the other characters *cough* ) and therefore feel comfortable around you, he will be so excited to infodump you with all sorts of fun facts!

Whenever he sees you worry about his health, whether it would be because of his recklessness on the battlefield or an experiment in his workshop gone wrong Junkrat feels unusual. That is the best way to put it. Not many people care about his well-being. In fact, most of them wish something bad would happen to him or simply ignore his injuries ( I am looking at you Mercy ) so this blonde mess of a guy is used to not even notice the pain in the first place. Jamison tries harder to be more careful knowing that there is a special someone that cares about his safety. The thought of you caring about him that much fills his stomach with butterflies.

Having said that he is still the pyromaniac we know of and Jamison would most definitely use his explosives to create something entirely dedicated to you. That way he gets to demonstrate his engineering skills and show you that he is not an all talk no action kinda guy. There was this one time when he got too carried away though. He carefully prepared everything and showed you the results of his hard work but.. let’s just say... it gave you mixed signals? I mean, how could you possibly feel about bombs arranged in Y/N exploding at a rapid-fire rate just to leave nothing but ashes and flickering flames behind? Jamie was so eager to get any reaction from you but in your mind, you were so confused. Is this supposed to be a threat or a love confession? In Junkrat’s case, it could be both at the same time.

Junkrat gasping for air all proud of himself with what it seems like stars in his eyes after the explosion: “So what do you think? Am I good or what?”

Y/N standing there with wide eyes, while thinking to themself *chuckle* “I am in danger.” It would be rude to leave him with no response so you settled for “Great, it was sure something to see my initials get blown away. Truly a sight I won’t ever forget.”

“Aww Y/N you sure have a way with words.” 

Having said that if you are not the kind of person who likes grand gestures, don’t worry Jamison will understand and won’t bother you with any going forward. He might be one of the most wanted criminals but he still has class.

Speaking of another wanted criminal Jamison would so rant about you to Mako. It happens anywhere at any given moment no matter if it's fitting or not - from their daily hangouts to the dangers of their crime-filled life. I imagine that even when their lives are being threatened Jamie will still make sure to mention how gorgeous and cool you are to Roadhog because something they encountered reminded him of you.

"Oi look Roadie! That is just like the show Y/N was talking about that I need to watch. I wonder what they are up to right now. " while being tied up.

"Rat that is not the time to talk about Y/N we gotta scram."

This would also include Jamison daydreaming about you and losing his focus on the battlefield. Mako was once fed up with that behaviour and had to interfere.

"Look Jamison if you do that one more time there might not be another chance for you to see Y/N so be more careful god dammit."

The sole thought of not being able to see you again was Jamison's driving force to how he puts it "get his shit together" and focus more on his actions. Jamie cares about you a lot and not being able to see you one more time would be his worst nightmare. Your beautiful face, the way you laugh, talk about your special interests and listen to his, the way you sneeze or cup his hands when he is injured or hell even being called a dumbass by you all gone because of his carelessness? Nothing scares him more than the idea of losing you.

[certifiedwhore4slashers]

Scream 1996 Headcanons(SFW)

includes sidney, billy, tatum, stu, randy and dewey. reader's gender is not specified so gender neutral:)

pretty short headcanons. Mainly because I’m lazy

Warning: Slight NSFW mentions(not extreme) and obsession.

Sidney

-Would 100% be protective of you, due to past experiences of losing loved ones under "mysterious" circumstances, aka ghostface.

-She would be very soft to her s/o, so very much a cuddly type of girl.

-Jealousy rate is 3/10, she definitely trusts you, so i feel like she wouldn't get jealous. But of course, can get a tiny bit jealous if some flirts with you.

-Sidney might be slow with trusting you after Billy fooled her, but she would end up trusting her s/o, knowing you were different.

-This girl loves affection, but not entirely PDA, maybe hand-holding at the most?

-Sidney is pretty insecure, but not for reasons people might assume, so she would kinda assume sometimes you don't truly love her, but you assure her every single time you do.

-Sidney has intimacy issues so it would take her a while to be intimate with you but you’re pretty patient:)

-She tries to be there for you as much as possible and tries to keep you safe if a ghostface is in town. It really depends though if her s/o listens or not.

-in private she’s a pretty affection person and would rather spend her free time with you than anyone else:)

-Sidney would be in-between little spoon and big spoon, she would like cuddling but again she would have to be in a serious relationship for any of that, not a one-night stand type of girl.

-If her s/o is taller than her, she would like it because height doesn’t matter same thing if her s/o was short, height isn’t the biggest thing in a relationship.

-you two would probably have been very close best friends before dating, She doesn’t really date random people that she’s known for not that long.

Stu

-what can I say besides the fact that this man is completely fluffy? or is he really?

-in some situations, Stu can be manipulative towards you when he wants to be. For someone who Is always cheery he has a dark side.

-of course Stu stalks his s/o, mainly as ghostface so he won't get noticed.

-he’s a very cuddly person and also a big spoon, but sometimes he can be the little spoon, I really depends.

-Stu’s a very clingy person which is canon-? Idk for sure but it seems to be. His parents are never really home so having no parental figure he’s clingy and attentive.

-if you’re small, he loves it, sometimes teases you about it, but not all the time.

-if his s/o is taller, he also loves it, a tall partner is a win-win.

-as for your intimate life, he’s kind of on board with that and loves fucking, dom/sub it doesn’t matter to him:)

-Stu still is ghostface though so he does kill for you. Sometimes tries to scare you because he thinks it’s hot when you don’t enjoy it.

-I would say jealousy scale is a 7/10, you wouldn’t know that though by the looks of it but he is. Once again a very attentive and clingy person if anyone touches what is his then it’s over for them.

- he does get jealous of Billy occasionally, but he trusts his partner in crime.

-unlike Sidney I don’t think it matters to him if he’s known you his entire life or only a week, He could fall for you instantly.

Billy

-He’s a bit more complicated than Sidney and Stu just in the way he is a psycho but I’ll try.

-not really a big fan of affection, at least publicly and it depends on his mood. He’s got mommy issues so he does love affection if he’s in the mood.

-Jealousy scale is 100000/10, this man will not think twice about killing for you, at least as ghostface. He can contain his jealousy at like school or in public.

-tbh you were going to be his victim until he fell for you. He normally wouldn’t fall for someone so fast but you were different.

-so he kinda got obsessed with you, possessive as well. You’re his and his only, nobody else’s.

-sometimes Stu will help Billy kill people close to you or people who’ve wronged you in his eyes, delusional? Maybe.

-this might be Yandere? Idk, this is canon considering Billy’s a psycho. his possessiveness does bother you sometimes.

-despite falling for you fast he would have to have known you for a while, just like Sidney. He’s a hopeless romantic like Stu.

-Possessiveness is like 1000000000/10, He is a killer, after all.

-very manipulative, convincing you to date him in the first place.

-Like Stu, he would stalk you and get to know you before you became his s/o.

-guarantee that your life changes forever<3

Tatum

-she’s a cool and chill person, so She would convince her s/o to do crazy shit, like getting high or going to parties.

-very confident and tries to boost your self-confident a lot, if her s/o is self-conscious:)

-I don’t think Tatum is a very jealous person so her jealousy scale would be 1/10? That’s the lowest so she trusts you a lot. -being her s/o, you would join the friend group and maybe get along with everyone? it depends. if you're shy then maybe not.

-If her s/o is confident, then you would get along with her friends. You both would go well together<3

-Tatum would be intimate with you as soon as possible, with consent and would be soft with you.

-You would join her on her wild shit:)

-Being Tatum's s/o, you would get invited to the cool parties and sometimes get drunk with your gf<3

-She would be there for you in your darkest times and just in general, always supporting you and defending you.

Randy

-Randy is a huge softie, so guarantee he would be fluffy with you and cuddle you whenever possible<3

-You would watch a ton of horror movies, even though he could be very into them and go a little crazy.

-He is more protective than jealous? I could see that but i would give his jealousy a 3/10, i guess?

-If his s/o was a horror geek too, he would be pretty happy someone shared the same interest as him.

-Like Sidney, He would have had been close friends for a while before falling for you, just because he would know you pretty well, so dating you would be pretty easy.

-He would be very understanding and also your #1 supporter besides your parents if you had a good relationship with them.

-You sometimes visit him working at the movie star, kind of mess with him but not too often, you don't want to get him fired.

-Both of you are total dorks, but that is what makes you compatible:)

Dewey

-Like Randy, is a TOTAL Softie, but a bit insecure because he thinks you could do a lot better. But you assure him several times that he is good enough for you.

-Dewey is a bit shy so if his s/o was outgoing and an extrovert, he would be a bit overwhelmed but would love you anyways.

-sometimes, he is the big spoon, but could be the little spoon occasionally.

-Jealousy scale would be 5/10, but not extreme and is mainly due to insecurity and regret.

-He tries to protect you as much as possible because he couldn't save his little sister <3

-Very supportive and caring towards his s/o, comforting you whenever you need him.

-If Ghostface returns and you two are dating, he would try and keep you out of it, for your safety.

-So in general, Dewey is a pretty good bf:)

[americancowgirl19]

Tommy’s Little Girl

Summary: You’re the most precious thing to Thomas Shelby. So, when a guy comes into your life he isn’t the most supportive.

Warnings: fluff, angst, cursing

Reader: Female Reader

Pairings: Tommy Shelby x Daughter!Reader, Reader x Male Character (H/n = His name, he can be whoever you want)

Word Count: 5,261

A/n: This was a request by an anon - Please can I request that Tommy Shelby’s daughter becomes engaged to a man behind his back and he refuses to acknowledge the engagement while the rest of the family do. After six months, just before the wedding, Tommy finally comes around to the idea... So, I added a few things to this request, I hope you still like it! I was just going to do the scene that the anon requested but I personally love writing who stories and backgrounds and shit so you get to see an entire life at Tommy’s daughter with the request included! Oh, and John doesn’t die cause fuck that.

Masterlist

You were the ultimate daddy’s girl. From the moment you were born you and your father were inseparable. The only thing that tore you apart was the war. You were barely two years old when he went off to serve his country.

When he left he entrusted Polly to look after you. Of course she treated you as if you were her own. She protected you as fiercely as she protected your father, uncles and aunt. Especially when your Aunt Kitty, Kitty Jurossi, showed up demanding that you were to go with her.

Kitty is your mother’s sister. She never approved of Greta being with Tommy. While Tommy taking care of Greta in her final days and loving her as he did was honorable, Kitty knew what kind of man he is. She knew what kind of family he had, what kind of business he partook in. She didn’t want you around them.

Polly always thought it was amusing how Kitty waited until Tommy was out of country to try and collect you. Kitty wrongfully assumed that Polly would just hand you over. Your mother’s sister was lucky she was able to return to her home with her life, especially when she tried to forcefully take you.

You remembered that day very vaguely. You don’t remember what happened but you remembered the yelling, someone grabbing you painfully and how scared you were. Your father had just left you for the longest time in your life and now this woman was trying to take you from the person you considered your mother.

The years without your father were long and unmemorable. When he finally returned home you were five going on six. You waited on the train platform with Polly, Ada and Finn. Polly kept a tight hold on you as the soldiers came off the train and went to their families.

You tried to find him but you were far too short and all of them were wearing the same uniform and cap. You jumped in your spot just itching to run into his arms. It didn’t matter that you didn’t really remember specific details of him. You remembered the feeling you had with him. You remembered being safe and happy with him. You remembered being sad and lonely without him. You’d rather be safe and happy than the other part.

“There they are!” Ada shouts. Your head darts to where she was pointing. When you spotted him not even Polly was able to hold you back.

You remember him shoving his way through the others to get to you. When you were close he dropped to his knees and pulled you into his arms. You clung to him.

Then, just like before he left, the two of you were inseparable once again. The only time you weren’t together was when you were sleeping (although on rough nights you often found your way in his bed) or when he had dangerous Peaky business.

You were the Shelby princess. You were untouchable. You didn’t figure out how much you could get away with until you were older. You could murder his best friend - not that you ever killed anyone - and the longest he’d stay mad at you would be a few hours, a day at most.

Anything you wanted was yours. You were spoiled but you were also kind and generous. You had bratty streaks but who didn’t? You may have been the light of your father’s life but you were John’s partner in crime. Whenever his own kids got too much or he wanted to pick on his brother’s you were the one he came too.

As much as he did truly enjoy spending time with you, John also knew that with you by his side he wouldn’t get into as much trouble as he would without you. All you had to do was give your pretty little smile and bat those eyelashes and Tommy was wrapped around your finger.

Even when your siblings came into the world you were number one. You didn’t exactly like Charlie, not Grace, at first. They stole your father’s attention, something you weren’t used to sharing. Eventually you warmed up to them.

You were sad when Grace died but not nearly to the extreme as your father. His heart break broke your own heart. You felt as if nothing you did eased his pain. In reality, you were the one person keeping him from completely spiraling. He spiraled but just being with you managed to slowly bring him back.

You were a little more welcoming toward Lizzie and then Ruby. By the time Ruby came around you adored Charlie. Ruby quickly wiggled her way into your heart. You became fiercely protective of them. You helped Lizzie with them when Tommy got too busy. When you needed a break you joined your father to the office and he would continue explaining what he did.

To you, life was perfect. You had everything you needed and everything you wanted. Tommy kept you in the business just enough to satisfy you but not enough to put you directly in danger. You didn’t understand a lot of the politics and drama within the family but to you it didn’t matter. You had your family, you had your fun, and life was great.

Then, as you were creeping up on your mid-twenties, you met the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. You were in the market with Lizzie, Polly, and Ruby. You had wandered a bit from the others. There was some jewelry you were looking at when he came over. 

He was tall, muscular, and extremely handsome. He had a boyish smile and a flirtatious personality. It didn’t take you long to also figure out that he was clumsy and adorable. You were instantly hooked.

You two talked (flirted) for longer than you thought. Before you knew it Polly, Lizzie and Ruby were rejoining you. Polly was weary of him but it was obvious that he quickly won Lizzie over.

Much to your displeasure, once the three of them showed up you were quickly whisked away from him. Polly had said it was time to go and not many people were brave enough to argue with her. 

Even on the way home you thought about him. You hoped that you would see him again but you figured it was unlikely.

Word got around about you meeting Mr. Handsome at the market. Your uncles teased you and Ada interrogated you. Your father was oddly quiet on the other hand. He didn’t want to talk about it, so he didn’t. He just hoped that your paths wouldn’t cross again.

Tommy knew you were getting older but that didn’t mean he liked it. He wanted you to stay his little girl for a while longer. He wished you were still small enough to ride on his shoulders and small enough for him to engulf you in his arms. But you were growing into a beautiful young lady. Whether he liked it or not other men were bound to recognize your beauty and seek you out. He had been lucky, for the most part, about your disinterest in dating, but it wasn’t going to last.

Most of the women your age were already married with at least one child. You were content by yourself. You were gaining responsibilities with the business and being your father’s personal helper. Even though you were content you wanted more. You wanted your own family to come home to with your own kids.

Fortunately, for Tommy, you wouldn’t see the boy from the market for quite some time. It had been so long you had forgotten about him. Until suddenly he showed back up.

The Shelby’s were having a night at the fights. You were enjoying yourself. You didn’t get dolled up often but when you did you went all out. You felt beautiful thus making you feel confident. On top of that, everyone knew exactly who you were which meant heads turned in your direction everywhere you went. You felt important, untouchable. 

You sat with your aunt Ada, Aunt Polly, and step mother Lizzie. The three of you were talking amongst yourselves while the boys hollered at the match in front of them. When the fighters changed out you happened to look up and there he was.

Ada had been talking to you but you suddenly stopped listening. He was bigger, more muscular, than you remember. He didn’t seem as clumsy anymore yet he was just as handsome. 

“Y/n,” Ada shouts over the crowd.

“Oh, will you look at that,” Lizzie states looking at who you were staring at.

“Who’s he?” Ada questions. Lizzie reminds her about the guy from the market you had met over a year prior. You continued to ignore them.

Right before the match started his eyes connected with yours. He obviously recognized you. He sent you the same boyish smile he had in the market causing a light blush to come to your cheeks. He bravely sent you a wink before focusing on the fight.

Your eyes remained glued on him with Tommy’s eyes started at you. He had noticed the interaction and didn’t like it in the slightest.

When the match ended, with his unfortunate loss, you excused yourself to the loo. You weren’t fooling anybody. Everyone who paid attention knew where you were going and Tommy had half a mind to stop you when something grabbed his attention. The split second his attention was off of you gave you the time you needed to disappear into the crowd.

“H/n,” You say, standing in the doorway of the locker room. You were slightly nervous - a lot nervous - but you weren’t 100% sober so that helped. His head snapped up at the sound of your voice.

“Y/n,” He says, turning away from his locker and toward you. “Shelby,” He adds. You hadn’t told him who you were. It was obvious he hadn’t known back then and you wanted to keep it that way.

“In the flesh,” You gave him a twirl. “You fought well tonight,”

“I lost,” He deadpanned but didn’t look all that bothered by it..

“Caught me attention,” You told him.

“Guess it wasn’t a complete loss then, aye?” He smirks. “How about you make me a winner tonight and agree to a date?” You blushed.

“I can do that,” You agreed.

From there your relationship blossomed. The two of you fell for each other quickly. He started showing up around the family more. Your uncles hazed him, Ada and Polly constantly interrogated him, and your father silently judged him. No matter how hard you or H/n tried, your father never came around.

H/n didn’t care about Tommy’s disapproval of him. He loved you with all his heart and nobody was going to keep you from him. He may be funny, charismatic and handsome but he knew he was selfish with a side of possessive. In his mind, you were his and he wasn’t letting you go. He would do anything to keep you and to keep you happy.

It honestly was no surprise that less than a year later the two of you were engaged. He had taken you out on a picnic under the stars on a beach. You had dinner, went swimming and had a fire in the sand. While stargazing he proposed with a beautiful ring. You didn’t hesitate to say yes.

The next day, as you two were makin breakfast, you asked how your father handled him asking for permission when H/n told you he never asked. It shocked you that H/n didn’t talk to Tommy first. You knew when it came to your father H/n was a little rebellious but this was different. Honestly, you were a bit upset he didn’t speak with Tommy first. 

It hadn’t even been twenty four hours since your engagement and the two of you were thrown into a fight. A minor one but a fight nonetheless. He didn’t see why it mattered seeing as the two of you were getting married with or without his permission. You argued that it wasn’t his permission you were looking for but your blessing. H/n didn’t understand just how close you and Tommy are but you wished he would at least respect it.

Eventually, he apologized when he finally noticed just how important Tommy’s approval meant to you. You promised H/n that you would marry him no matter what but keeping it from your father was not an option. H/n promised to talk to him.

A few days passed and then a week. H/n still didn’t talk to Tommy. You were fed up and decided to do it yourself. When you arrived at the Arrow House all you found were Lizzie and Ruby. 

Ruby instantly spotted the ring. You desperately wanted to talk to Tommy first but since you weren’t getting passed you sister not Lizzie you conceded.

“So, when did he pop the question?” Ruby asked.

“About two weeks ago,” You answered, a large smile on your face. “He asked me on the beach under the stars,” Ruby swooned but Lizzie didn’t seem to be paying attention anymore. You looked at her. You tensed noticing her looking behind you. Slowly, you turned around and saw your father standing there.

His eyes stare into your eyes and for the first time in your life you can’t figure out what he was thinking. He seemed emotionless but you couldn’t tell if the look in his eyes was anger or disappointment. His eyes glanced down at your hand, at your ring.

“Dad, I-” You didn’t get a chance to explain. He turned around and walked out of the house. You were shocked. He never did that to you. He always let you speak no matter what he was feeling. When you snapped out of it you quickly went after him but he was already in the car driving down the road. “Dad! Wait, please!” But he just keeps driving.

“He’ll come around,” Ruby tries to comfort but her words just go in one ear and right out the other.

For weeks your father avoided you like the plague. You walked into a room, he walked out. You tried to talk, he talked over you. You tried to get his attention, he ignored you. You tried for over a month before deciding to give him some space and focus on planning your wedding.

With the help of Ada, Ruby, Polly, and Esme you planned the wedding. Every day you got a step closer to the date. Every day you got more excited. Yet one thing continued to dampen your mood.

“Y/n, come in,” Esme greets, stepping aside to let you into her home.

“Is John here? I want to talk to him,” You say, fiddling with your fingers nervously. Esme smiles kindly and nods.

“Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll fetch him,” She suggests before disappearing into the house. You walk into the parlor. You smile and play with your cousins for a bit before John finally joins you.

“I wanted to ask you something,” You say after he shoos the kids away. He gives you his attention. You take in a deep breath as tears mist over your eyes. He looks more concerned by the second. “I was wondering if you... would walk me down the aisle,” John frowns his eyebrows.

“You want me?” He asks, shocked. “What about Tom-”

“He hasn’t spoken to me for months,” You snap, struggling to keep your tears from falling. “He can hardly look at me or stand to be in the same room. I think it’s safe to say he’s not coming,” You try to sound angry but curse silently when your voice grows more shaky. John sighs.

“Come here, sweetheart,” He opens his arms and you quickly close the distance between the two of you. He holds you tightly as you cry in his chest. “Tommy’s being a right arse at the moment, everyone knows that,” He mutters. “But nothing in the world is going to stop him from walking you down that aisle,”

“H/n being at the end of it might,” You mutter. John laughs quietly.

“Love, if Tommy really hated H/n, he would be dead by now,” John says truthfully. You see the logic in his statement but it hardly lifts your spirits. 

“The wedding is in two weeks,” You whisper. “He hasn’t budged yet,”

“I want you to do something for me,” John says, pulling back just enough to look at your face and wipe your tears. “I want you to think through your entire life and tell me a time where you didn’t get your way with Tommy,” John challenges. “I’m not even going to wait because it never bloody happened,” You smile a bit. “Now, this has been the longest you’ve had to wait for him to come around but trust me, he is incapable of not doing what you want,”

“Will you still be on standby?” You ask him. He smirks and kisses your forehead.

“Of course,” He whispers. “Bloody hell, has anyone said no to you before?” He asks, smirking as he steps away from you.

“What can I say? I’m everyone’s sweetheart,” You smile. John rolls his eyes and offers for you to stay for dinner, which you accept.

When you returned home you noticed H/n was home as well. You had moved out of Arrow house before the engagement, something your father strongly disagreed with.

When you walked inside, H/n was waiting up for you. You hadn’t meant to be home so late. It’s just when you’re with John and his kids they just make the time fly by. Luckily, H/n didn’t seem upset just tired.

“Come here,” He mutters, opening his arms. You smile and settle in his lap enjoying the feeling of his thick arms wrapped around your body. “Were you at Arrow House?” He asks.

“No, I went to see Uncle John,” You tell him. He hums curiously. “I wanted to ask if he’d walk me down the aisle,” You whisper. H/n holds you tighter.

“I’m sorry, Y/n,” He whispers to you. “I shouldn’t have proposed without asking for his blessing or at least mentioning it to him,”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” You grumbled before sighing. “But this is much more than that. Something else is bothering him,”

“You’re his precious girl, he’ll talk eventually,” He reassures you. You don’t respond, you simply cuddle deeper into his embrace.

A week passed. You had five days until your wedding. You woke up excited as you daydreamed about the day. However, your happiness didn’t last.

BRITIAN     AT    WAR    WITH    GERMANY

Your father and uncles had fought in the first war. The supposed ‘war to end all wars’. Now, only a short few years later there was another war. A war the next generation would fight. A war your H/n volunteered to join.

You were in the kitchen cleaning up. You were doing everything you could to keep buys. Britain was officially at war and you were terrified. You knew everything was going to change. Deep down you knew it would happen but it didn’t register until he was right in front of you.

“When do you leave?” You whisper, desperately trying to stay together as you look at H/n. He was in his uniform with papers in his hand.

“Thursday,” H/n hesitantly whispers. You close your eyes and hang your head. Not only was your soon-to-be husband going off to fight this war but he was leaving before your wedding. On top of that, you only had two more days with him.

“Why do you have to leave?” You whimpered. He doesn’t answer. He just closes the gap between the two of you and pulls you into a tight hug. He hugged you as if he could single handedly keep you from falling apart.

“I will come back to you, Y/n Shelby,” He states firmly. “Heaven nor hell will keep me from you, you have me word,”

“I love you,” You whisper, clinging to him. He pulls back just enough to tilt your head up to his lips. He doesn’t verbally respond but he tries to pour all his love and determination to return to you in the breathtaking kiss.

You cling to him for as long as you can but eventually have to let him go. While he didn’t leave until Thursday he had much to get done before then. He promised he would be back in a few hours but you didn’t want to be alone.

The first thing you did was go to Polly. You froze when you saw her drying her cheeks. Finn had volunteered as well. Together you both cried. 

Finn might have technically been your uncle but he was more of a brother. There was only a few years difference between the two of you. Polly had raised you both. You hated that you could possibly not only lose H/n but Finn as well.

Luckily Charlie was still too young to join but only for another year. You had no doubt that he would join up the first chance he got. He’s Tommy’s son. Neither of them were good at backing down.

When you left Polly you went to Arrow House. You were done. You were done with your father’s stubbornness. You were done with his silence and his judgmental stares. He could be mad about the wedding all he wanted but you needed him to come back to you.

“Did H/n..?” Lizzie’s voice dissipates. She didn’t want to finish the question and she didn’t have too. You just nod and accept her comforting hug. You’ve cried the majority of the day and knew you weren’t done yet. You knew the second you went face to face with Tommy you’d fall apart all over again.

“Where is he?” You ask.

“In his office,” Lizzie says knowing exactly who you were wanting. “Most likely on his second bottle by now,” You sighed, rubbing your face tiredly. “I’ll make some tea,” You send her a smile and a nod.

You don’t even bother to knock, you rarely did. There wasn’t a room you knew about that you weren’t welcome into. Inside you found your father slouched in his chair with a full glass in his hands. He doesn’t bother to look at you. You don’t even know if he registers your presence. 

“I don’t know what you’re so mad at me about,” You began. Your voice sounded strong and you hoped it stayed that way. “Yes, H/n asked me to marry him. No, I didn’t know at the time that he didn’t talk to you but get over it. You haven’t made his time in this family easy, no wonder he doesn’t want to talk to you. 

“When you found out you found out too soon. I was there to talk to you about it but Ruby and Lizzie saw me first. This wasn’t something I wanted to keep from you, I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry,” You whisper. Hope fills you a bit when he glances at you in the corner of his eye. “I know something else is bothering you but I don’t know what it is and I need you to work it out some how because I need you, dad,” You whimper. 

He finally looks at you. 

“These last few months have been so hard without you and now H/n is going off to war, I’m not sure if I’m even going to get married, and you still won’t fucking talk to me!” You shouted but the tears in your eyes betrays your anger. “I’m scared out of my mind I’m going to lose H/n, that I’m going to lose Finn... That I already lost you,” A few tears fall down your face. “I’m sorry for whatever I did, please forgive me because I need you so fucking back,”

By the end you were close to sobbing and falling to you knees. You sobbed but you never fell. Tommy was out of his seat and was wrapping his arms around you before your knees could give away.

He leads you to the couch and sits down. You curl into his chest like you used to do when you were younger. He hums quietly and rocks you.

“You didn’t lose me, darling girl,” He whispers to you. “I’m so sorry for the way I’ve acted. I should have never treated you like I have. No, I don’t like H/n but not because of who he is but because he’s taking my little girl from me,” You tilt your head to look at him. “For nearly 26 years you have been the center of my world,” He whispers quietly. “Through everything, you have been the most important constant in my life. There were many times you were my only source of happiness, my only will to live,” He admits. “I’m terrified of what I’ll do without you,”

“You’ll never be without me,” You whisper to him. “I live ten minutes away and you’ll still see me daily whether H/n likes it or not,” Tommy smiles a bit. “And maybe when the war is over you’ll have more mini me’s running around,” Tommy scowls at the thought of the process of making children rather than the thought of the actual kids.

“You’re happy with him?” You nod. “You love him and he loves you?” You nod again. “Has he hurt you?” You shake your head. He sighs, slightly frustrated with the lack of reason to murder H/n. Not that he really needed a reason but he knew if he did he would hurt you. He’s already hurt you enough as it is. “Then you have my blessing,” You smile at him.

“He leaves before the wedding,” You whisper. He shrugs.

“So, move the wedding up,” He says nonchalantly. 

“How are we going to set everything up before Thursday?” You ask. He smirks.

“You don’t worry about a thing,” He kisses your forehead. “Let me call Ada, Pol, and Esme. They’ll help you get ready and I’ll worry about the rest,”

“You avoided this wedding the entire time, now you’re going to plan in within a few hours?” You ask.

“I’m Thomas Shelby,” He said as if it were the cure to all diseases. “Up you get,” He gently pushes you out of his lap. “No worrying,” He points at you before kissing your forehead again.

“Who’s going to want to celebrate at a time like this?” You ask before he leaves. He turns toward you and smiles softly.

“Right now is the perfect time to celebrate a moment like this,” Tommy tells you. You can see the honesty in his eyes and can tell he’s briefly reliving the past. You hate that his past is always haunting him and you pray that you’ll be able to help H/s if... when he comes back to you. “Relax, get ready, and I’ll see you in a few hours.”

It didn’t take long for Ada, Polly and Esme to show up. Polly had your dress and Ada had your accessories. The three of them with Lizzie and Ruby helped you get ready for the wedding.

As you got ready, Tommy went to your home where he found H/n just returning. It was obvious that he was surprised to see Tommy but he invited his future in-law inside nonetheless.

“I was a few years younger than you when I was shipped off to France,” Tommy explained to him. “When I returned I wasn’t the same. Nobody who goes through what we went through, what you will go through, returns the same,” Tommy warns. “Y/n was five or six when I got back. She helped give me a reason to keep waking up, to keep moving. When you come back, you’ll need someone that will be able to anchor you into the present. Don’t push people away, especially Y/n... She won’t let you,” Tommy advises with a soft smile as he thinks about you.

“I won’t,” H/s vows.

“You say that now but I promise it’ll be very tempting when you return,” Tommy says. Casually, Tommy walks closer. “Everyone that returns deals with the past differently. I won’t judge you for the drinks you’ll have or even the drugs you may take,” Tommy shrugs. “But if you come back and you turn violent again Y/n at any point. If you so much as hurt her one time, I will personally dig your grave and put you in it,” Tommy promises. “You will come back, you’ll deal with it however you can, and you’ll take care of Y/n and the family you’ll have. If you can’t do that, don’t marry her and walk away now.”

“I love you daughter. I want her happy and I’ll give my life to keep her safe,” H/s vows.

“Good,” Tommy nods. “That’s my little girl. Her happiness is everything to me. You give me one reason to kill you and I promise you and whatever god is out there that I will take that chance,”

“Understood,” H/n slowly nods.

“Good,” Tommy nods again. “Well, let’s get going, you’re getting married in a few hours,” Tommy says walking toward the door. He pulls out a cigarette and begins to light it.

“I am?” H/n calls out confused. Tommy just keeps walking and H/n jogs to catch up.

A few hours later, John and Arthur show up to collect the women.

“Your chariot awaits madam,” Arthur announces loudly. You couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear as he leads you to the car. John winks at you playfully.

“Told you he’d come around,” John teased.

“Should have cried in front of him sooner, that usually does the trick,” You joke back. John grins wider and kisses your head.

“Alright! Let’s get a move on, we’ve got a wedding to get too!” Arthur hollers. When you arrive where the rest of the gypsies and Peaky Blinders are, they cheer for your arrival.

Tommy greets you at the car looking handsome as ever.

“I hope I’m still allowed to walk you down,” He mutters helping you out of the car.

“Of course,” You smile leaning into him. He kisses your head and leads you toward the aisle. At the end you find H/s standing there looking breathtaking. “I’m scared,” You whisper.

“That’s alright,” He promises, slowly walking you toward your future husband. “There’s going to be moment where you’re scared but there will never be a moment where you’re alone,” He tells you. You tighten your arm around his. “These last few months will never happen again,” He vows. “I’ll be there anytime and every time you need me,”

“I know,” You whisper. 

When you reach the end, Tommy turns toward you. You smile up at him. He gently cups the side of your face.

“I love you,” He whispers, gently kissing your forehead. His lips linger as he remembers the day you were born, the day he left and came back from the war. He remembered every moment he shared with you. He hated that future memories would be shared with H/n but as long as you were there he wouldn’t mind.

“I love you too,” You whisper back, basking in the warmth and safety of his embrace for a moment longer. Tommy hesitantly steps back. You both share a smile before he hands you off to your soon-to-be husband.

[not-so-lost-after-all]

Im so happy reading your thoughts about Astarion! It’s so cool and I do think you have such an interesting view and your ideas make so much sense to me. I’m glad I’m not annoying you much! Do you think Astarion could be truly loyal? And be so annoyed by that?😂 man, I love this guy so much and I could listen to you taking about him for hours. Any unpopular opinions about our vampire?

Why, thank you, Nonnie :D Could he be truly loyal? I suppose you don´t think the version of him we currently see. To make it clear, no companion is truly your friend or lover in Act 1, not yet. Notice that in the scar reading scene, he is suprised you would help him with his situation even when your Tav romanced him. THAT promise actually is something and if you keep it, only then you will truly earn him. If you mean something like risking his life for you, then I can only see him considering it after years of being together, you risking your life for him before and he woud only do it in the Tenth Doctor Who fashion - cursing and claiming how much more he could do.

Unpopular opinion? He barely likes us. Even at the end of Act 1 you can only claim that something is actually starting to develop between them. People are overestimating the romance scene and there are so many dark things about it. He would sleep with you and say the same things after you slaughtered some druids and refugees and he is probably wary of what you could do to allies. Here, he´s doing it to stay in your good graces and seducing you from the get go. So much for him liking you. The things he says in the romance scene, he said them houndred times before in the last two centuries to people now dead. Oh, Tav is so special :D Not to mention that in a true vampire spawn fashion, he thinks he is better than everyone, Tav included. In many scenes, he clearly says or at least implies you´re an idiot. You´re doing things he approves? Congratulations, you´re a tool he doesn´t respect. You´re the savior of the needy and avoid fighting? You´re a fool uncapable of helping him. It will be pretty hard to get him to like you and not encouraging his worst tendencies - and keep in mind that these tendencies include not wanting competition, you included. Hell, we don´t even know that sleeping with him after a week is not a mistake.

And I don´t know how unpopular the opinion is and people are free to imagine what they like but there will be no dark or twisted romance when you become partners in vampire crime. Even if you don´t know what DnD vampires are like, Astarion at least says in the game that they are power hungry creatures who hate competition. If anything, he would make you his spawn and compansate what was done to him on you - so yeah, that´s the only twisted romance I can realistically offer.

[whiteqnn]

PURE [4] - Corpse Husband x Fem! Reader

A/N: I’m back. Shout-out to my sister @mojajasnoscmrokirozproszy , who encouraged me into finishing this part.

part 1 

part 2 

part 3 

part 5

PURE [4] 

Corpse was confused, to say the least. He stared at the screen with his brows furrowed, not exactly understanding what just happened, or what caused Y/N to leave so suddenly. He thought they were all having fun, or at least that’s the impression Y/N gave while interacting with other players. 

Was she just pretending she’d had fun when in reality, she didn’t want to spend time with them? 

He knew it was none of his business. They didn’t even know each other, outside of these two short games they’ve both been part of. But Corpse was quick to get attached to new people, and Y/N’s sweet voice, her innocent demeanor, and pure personality made him instantly like her... 

Perhaps it wasn’t exactly a good thing that he felt so worried when she left, given the fact that two of them have spoken maybe for a few minutes since they met each other. But Corpse couldn’t help it, and certainly couldn’t stop this weird feeling that something was wrong and that he needed to make sure that Y/N was okay. After all, he was the only one who knew that she left. Except for his audience, of course. 

So the moment her white little astronaut suddenly disappeared, Corpse went on a killing spree. He didn’t even care about that whole finish my lyrics thing he decided to terrorize his friends with, he just wanted to finish this game and check on Y/N. It was obvious that she wasn’t telling the truth. Even though it looked like she was trying really hard to contain her emotions, he could still hear her quavering voice. It was too hard to hide, and he knew it firsthand. That’s why he made it his point to at least check on her.  

“Jesus Corpse, you just went full berserk on us...” Felix murmured when the last person was killed, and Corpse could see a sign victory on his screen. It didn’t make him smile though, not how it usually would. 

“It was great though! Let’s do it again, but maybe on the other map?” Sykkuno suggested, clearly very excited about this hide and seek game they’ve come up with. 

“Sure, let’s get the first one maybe?”

“Actually, would you guys mind if we had a little break?” Corpse asked before they could start another game. “We’ve been playing for a little while now...”

“Ah, yeah! Bathroom break!” came Rae’s response, followed by a few hums of approval. Corpse sighed in relief. He was afraid his worried voice would draw the attention of other players, but they didn’t seem to notice it. 

“All right, is ten minutes good?” asked Sean, and when everyone agreed, Corpse excused himself from his audience and muted his mic. He grabbed his phone and unlocked it, only to be hit by a sudden realization.

He didn’t even have Y/N’s number. 

“Fuck...” he cursed quietly under his breath, running a hand through his hair. How the fuck was he supposed to check on her? He couldn’t use discord, he was still streaming after all... Maybe Twitter would work? Nah, she probably wouldn’t even notice his messages. What was left then?

Of course. 

Sean.

Corpse didn’t even think about any explanation as he quickly typed in a message to the said man, asking if he had Y/N’s number. The response came almost immediately. 

“Yeah, I have. Why?” 

Okay, now what? He couldn’t just tell him what happened. Corpse knew that Sean and Y/N were close, but he felt like it wouldn’t be fair towards the girl if he told Sean what happened. Maybe she didn’t want anyone to know... Maybe she didn’t want to speak to anyone. 

Him included. 

But Corpse felt as if he had to do it because that was something he wished someone would do for him if the roles were reversed. To at least show that he cared, that she wasn’t alone with whatever it was that bothered her... 

Was he being intrusive, for wanting to make sure that everything was okay? And what if she was totally fine and he’d just end up making a complete fool out of himself?

“Not that I haven’t already made a fool out of myself...” he mumbled under his breath, his fingers quickly typing the response to Sean. However, before he could finish it, the said man’s name appeared on his screen with an upcoming call. 

It was so unexpected that Corpse almost dropped the phone.

“Um, hey man” he said after picking up, his hands trembling as he tried to come up with some good explanation as to why exactly he needed Y/N’s number. “Look I-”

“Does this have something to do with her disappearance?” Sean cut him off, leaving Corpse with his mouth hung open, utterly shocked.  

“I um- no. I just wanted to call her and... cause I don’t have her number...”

“Corpse, I heard what she had told you...” Sean sighed into the phone “I was flying around you after you murdered me.”

“I...” Corpse tried once again and again found himself at the loss of words. His brows furrowed suddenly as he realized something “Wait- are you still streaming?” 

“I left for a moment to grab something to drink and call Y/N. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t say anything on the stream.” 

Corpse sighed in relief. If Sean managed to somehow play it off, then his fans maybe haven’t figured out what was going on. He didn’t want them to attack Y/N’s social media with tons of questions she obviously wouldn’t answer. 

“Do you know what happened?” Corpse asked quietly, hoping that maybe Sean knew something more that would ease his nerves. He hoped that it wasn’t anything serious, that maybe Y/N just had a bad day. “She left so suddenly and I got a little worried...” 

For a moment there was silence between the two of them, Corpse impatiently awaiting an answer and Sean thinking about the right words... or wondering whether he should tell him the reason for Y/N’s disappearance in the first place. 

“It’s- ugh.” Sean groaned, before letting out a heavy sigh “It stays between us, all right? I don’t want others to start texting her out of nowhere, asking if she’s okay. She would probably kill me.”

“Yeah, absolutely” Corpse nodded his head rapidly, even though Sean couldn’t see him. 

“Okay... So I don’t know the exact reason of her disappearance...” he began, and Corpse felt his heart sink in disappointment. “But I have some suspicion.”

“Can you be a little more specific, Sean? We don’t have much time before the next game...” Corpse didn’t want to sound rude but he was slowly growing impatient, and even more nervous when he still wasn’t able to check on Y/N and make sure that she’s okay.

“She received lots of hate after our last stream.” Sean finally explained, although his voice sounded quite reluctant. “And when I say lots, I mean lots, Corpse.”

“What?” Corpse grunted, his brows knitted together in confusion “What do you mean?”

“Oh you know, man... Comments on Twitter, on her Instagram, even under her latest video...” Sean let out an exasperated sigh “Apparently, some people are not happy that she’s playing with us.”

“Why?” Corpse managed to utter, completely shocked at the news. For some reason, it was the last thing he expected Sean to say. It didn’t even cross his mind that someone as sweet and polite as Y/N might have to deal with this kind of issue. 

She was always so kind, why would anyone hate on her? 

“You know how some people act online...” Sean murmured, his voice clearly gloomy, as opposed to his usual cheerful tone. “They think she shouldn’t be playing with us cause she’s not popular enough. Some consider her annoying, not funny enough, and so on...”

“What does popularity have to do with who we’re playing with?” Corpse almost growled these words, feeling anger slowly bubbling up in his stomach. He couldn’t comprehend why anyone would act this way towards Y/N, towards this little angel as Sean put it last time they played, towards this sweet, innocent girl, his partner in crime... 

“That’s what I told her before the stream” Sean explained with a sigh “And that she shouldn’t worry about what strangers think of her... but it’s easier said than done.” 

“You think she received another text or something?”

“I don’t know man” Sean sighed “I tried calling her like ten times already and she didn’t answer. It’s not like her to leave so suddenly, without saying goodbye. I’m worried something happened...” 

Corpse clenched his jaw, closing his eyes for a second. If Y/N didn’t answer Sean’s calls, why would she answer his? They barely knew each other, while Sean was her best friend.  

“Maybe... I’ll try calling her?” Corpse suggested anyway, his voice low and almost shy. He figured it was worth at least a try. 

Sean was quiet for a moment as if contemplating what to do. They were already running out of time, and Corpse didn’t know what to do. On one hand, he didn’t want to end the stream and leave his fans, he felt bad at the thought alone of disappearing so soon and disappointing them... But on the other, he couldn’t just leave Y/N like that. Especially, since as Sean explained, it wasn’t like her to act this way. It only proved that whatever happened was rather serious.

“Y’know what?” Sean suddenly said “I’ll give you her number, maybe she’ll pick up from you.”

“Thank you, Sean” Corpse said quietly, ready to end the call, only to be stopped by Sean’s words. 

“Look... I know I shouldn’t be asking you to do it, but... could you maybe try talking some sense into her?” he asked, clearly uncomfortable with this request “I feel like you’d be able to calm her down...”

“I...” Corpse stuttered, running a hand through his hair “I’ll try, okay? I’m not sure if she’ll want to talk about it though, I’m basically a stranger, so...”

“Corpse, she agreed to join us only after reading your last tweet.” 

Oh. 

His heart fluttered with something that didn’t seem like growing panic. And even though his face was expressing his worry, his lip corners formed a small, bashful smile. And whether he liked it or not, his cheeks turned completely red.

“I’ll... I’ll see what I can do” he managed to reply, before ending the call. 

Corpse ran a hand through his locks and down his face, releasing a heavy breath he didn’t know he was holding. He considered getting Y/N’s number a difficult task which, however, turned out to be the easiest one. Now came the real challenge. Calling her. 

For a moment, he just stared at the screen of his phone, scanning the new message from Sean, which consisted of Y/N’s phone number. It looked as if he was memorizing the number when in reality, he just felt panic overtaking his body and complete chaos in his mind. 

Let’s say she picks up the phone, and then what? Should he just say hi? Introduce himself? 

“Hi it’s me, the guy you basically don’t know and who became paranoid after you disappeared from the game” 

 Yeah, sure. Perfect introduction for the pep talk he was supposed to deliver. 

Why was it always that he acted almost as if on instinct one second, only to start having second thoughts a moment later. He couldn’t back out now when he had already got her number. Not when there was also another person counting on him. Not when he still didn’t know what the fuck happened, and for some reason was determined to find out. 

And then was the problem of his voice, which suddenly seemed stuck in his throat. It was a very weird feeling, typical for one to get while being on the verge of a panic attack. As if there was a need to talk, but the body refused to. As if his vocal cords were paralyzed and not eager to cooperate. 

As if it was him who just experienced something strongly upsetting, not Y/N. 

Corpse fidgeted with his phone for a moment, before deciding against the idea of calling the girl. He figured he wouldn’t be able to utter a single word if she picked up the phone from the unknown number in the first place. If she did though, she’d probably consider it some misdialed call or some prank. Which was the last thing he wanted her to think.

Instead, he opted on sending her a text. 

He sat still for a moment, thinking about a message that wouldn’t right away reveal the cause of his concern, but which would say enough to figure out who sent it. His thoughts drifted back to the game they were both playing, remembering his stupid comments and her gentle voice. His fingers typed out the message almost automatically. 

“Wanna jump into the lava with me?”

He hesitated just for a second, before sending the text, his heart doing a backflip in his chest the moment he pressed the send button. Corpse gripped the phone tightly in his hands, his eyes staring at the screen and waiting impatiently for those three little dots indicating that the other person is typing a response to appear. He waited and waited, and a lump slowly formed in his throat when Y/N didn’t respond immediately. 

Was he really getting paranoid? 

Maybe he was just tired. Or she had a bad day. Or she just found this game boring.

Or she didn’t want to play with them. Or she thought his comments were annoying. 

“I’m an idiot” Corpse muttered to himself and slapped a hand on his forehead, pushing those thoughts away. Deep down he knew that wasn’t the case, but the longer Y/N didn’t respond, the louder was the voice at the back of his head, telling him that her problems were none of his business and he shouldn’t be asking for her number in the first place.

But it was the right thing to do. He knew it, Sean knew it, and Corpse also hoped that Y/N did not perceive his text as some pathetic joke. He waited for a couple of minutes, before typing another message:

“I’m here, partner, if you need to talk.” 

He felt the need to assure her that despite the ongoing stream and the other players probably already waiting for him to return, he was there for her. That’s what he considered the best option, not to force her into talking, but to let her know that she wasn’t alone. And that it would take just one word from her to make Corpse drop everything and listen to her. 

After what seemed like an eternity of staring at his phone and analyzing his own messages, Corpse put his phone away, realizing that Y/N wasn’t going to reply anytime soon. He couldn’t help but feel disappointed in himself, and guilty as well. Perhaps it would be a better idea to call her, but at that moment he wasn’t able to trust his own voice. He thought about sending her another message but decided against it. Another new text was probably the last thing she needed, with her phone being drowned by hundreds of notifications from angered, and worried fans. 

All Corpse could do was hope that she saw his texts and that she knew she wasn’t all alone. He sure as hell wasn’t going to make her feel as if she was obliged to confide in him. After all, he was a stranger. 

Then again... sometimes to understand a problem and look at it from a different, new perspective, what one needed was, indeed, a complete stranger. 

-

The next two hours felt almost like an eternity. And a complete hell to Corpse. He tried his best to focus on the game and interacting with his fans, but no matter what, his eyes would drift towards his phone every now and then. Hoping to see Y/N’s name pop up on his screen, with a message saying that everything was fine. 

But then again... would it be enough to calm his nerves? Maybe she’d write something like that just so he wouldn’t worry. Just so he would leave her alone.

She might as well just tell him to fuck off...

The fact that he received so many notifications all the time, especially now, during a stream, didn’t really help. Each time his phone lit up with a new notification, he would crane his neck with the hope of seeing Y/N’s response, only to be disappointed when it turned out to be just some new comment or someone tagging him in an instastory. Something that usually made him really happy now was the reason for his irritation. 

He couldn’t focus on the game itself either, finding it difficult to do his tasks and form some logical arguments during discussions. He didn’t really care, to be honest, when people threw him away almost at the start of the game. Winning or being the best Impostor was currently the last thing on his mind.

So when he said his goodbyes after the last round of Among Us and ended the stream, after thanking his fans, Corpse didn’t know what to do with himself. The game, even though he didn’t really pay much attention to it, provided at least some distraction from his phone, which was still silent when it came to Y/N’s texts. She either didn’t see them or didn’t want to see them. Corpse could only guess what was her reaction if there was any. 

He’d exchanged a few messages with Sean though, the man asking about Y/N during the stream and after it ended. Corpse couldn’t stop the guilt from growing even more when Sean expressed his concerns regarding Y/N and her absence. He knew the older streamer counted on him when it came to checking on the girl, but, obviously, he failed at getting a simple message from her. 

What was he even hoping to achieve in the first place? That she will text back right away, telling him everything that bothered her, confessing all her problems? He would have to be a total idiot to expect this girl to react to his messages.

It was all so overwhelming and frustrating at the same time that he felt almost nauseous. 

Leaving his phone in his room, Corpse walked to his small kitchen to grab a glass of water. The cold liquid brought much-needed relief to his burning throat, giving him a momentary sensation of comfort. He tested his voice, clearing his throat carefully and mumbling some nonsense under his breath. A sigh left his lips once he realized he could talk again and this weird feeling disappeared. 

He splashed his face with cold water and returned to his room, plopping down on his chair and giving his phone a quick glance. Perhaps he didn’t expect Y/N to reply to his texts at all because at first, he didn’t even notice her name on the screen of his phone. He looked back to his computer, almost out of habit, glancing between the tabs he had opened on his screen before. 

And it struck him suddenly, making him almost jump out of his skin when he realized that she did text him back. 

Grabbing his phone quickly, he unlocked it and opened the messages, almost hitting the one with Y/N’s name on it. 

“Hey, partner.” was all the message said. And yet it made Corpse’s heart almost jump out of his chest, both from relief and a sudden feeling of panic. 

She texted him back. Now, what the fuck was he supposed to do?! 

He stared at her text for a second as if trying to convince himself that it was real and he didn’t accidentally pass out on his desk, dreaming that Y/N takes his comments and texts seriously. 

When he came to the conclusion that the text was, indeed, real, and Y/N probably expected him to write something back, he thought about the best way of asking her what happened. On one hand, he knew from Sean what could possibly be the reason for her disappearance. On the other, what obviously mattered was Y/N’s version. How to get it out of her though, without being too intrusive?

Corpse decided that the best option will be to make some dumb, small talk, which would ease her (and his) nerves.

“Y’know, I almost didn’t manage to finish the mission without you” he texted her, concluding that playing along this partner thing would maybe work. In his text, Corpse referred to the one time he was the Impostor after Y/N left, and which happened to be completely boring without her running around “Had Toast and others suspecting my every step all the time.”

This time, much to his relief, the three little dots appeared almost immediately.

“I’m glad you managed to kill’em all nevertheless.”

He imagined her saying it with that sweet voice of hers, which made him snicker, whether he liked it or not. While thinking of some right response, Corpse couldn’t help but wonder how did she know that he managed to kill every crewmate during that round... she wasn’t playing anymore then, so that could only mean she watched his stream.

“Not gonna lie though, everything would go way smoother hadn’t my partner in crime left me on the battlefield all alone :/” he texted her back. Corpse watched intently as the three dots danced next to Y/N’s name and suddenly disappeared, then appeared back again after a few moments, only to disappear again. And for a second he panicked, that maybe this text sounded passive aggressive, or that it made Y/N blame herself for leaving the game... 

However, when her response finally came, he realized he was wrong.

“Can I call you, Corpse?” 

For the first time in a really long time, Corpse was so eager to agree on a phone call.

He replied frantically, telling her that of course, she could call him, and then waiting impatiently for the call. And when she didn’t call immediately, like he expected her to, he found himself wondering if she suddenly changed her mind and decided against the idea of calling him. 

But then his phone buzzed and her name appeared on the screen.

The device almost flew out of his hands, his heartbeat quickening and a lump forming in his throat once again.

Relax, man. It’s Y/N, your partner in crime. You’ve heard her voice before. 

But this was different. The circumstances were different and the reason for a call was different too. And now it was just the two of them, as opposed to a lobby full of friends. And Corpse tried so hard to figure out how to convince her that all the hate she receives on social media didn’t mean anything, that for a moment he forgot she was still calling.

He pressed the green button carefully, as if he was defusing a bomb, and found himself unable to utter a single word, just like before. There was silence on the other line too, as if Y/N expected him to speak up first. 

So Corpse build up the courage and took in a deep breath, before letting out a quiet, almost shy:

“Hi”

 The word left his mouth almost as a whisper, and for a moment he thought that the girl didn’t even hear it, but then her voice told him otherwise.

“Hey... Corpse” she mumbled. She sounded so different, almost as if she was sick. Her calm and soft voice was so quiet that Corpse had some trouble hearing her at first. She sounded so tired, so hurt, so defeated, that he completely forgot every advice he had managed to stock in his mind before this call. 

“It’s good to hear you, partner.” he said after a moment, realizing that asking what’s wrong wasn’t the best thing he could do at that moment. He felt that she’d probably hung up on him if he did... “I didn’t think I’d hear from you after you aborted the mission.”

He heard her sigh out a laugh at his words, his tone playfully accusatory. The girl cleared her throat and wondered for a second, before replying:

“It wasn’t exactly my mission... And if I remember correctly, you were the one who broke our partnership, chasing me around the ship.” 

He could almost hear the smile behind her words, which made his lip corners curl up slightly. He was glad she still managed to joke with him. It meant that, perhaps, it wasn’t that bad. 

“Did I kill you, though?” 

“You would if you had a chance.”

“I had plenty of chances Y/N, and I never took one” he replied right away with a chuckle. “I may be the murderer, but I’m no traitor.”

“You say that after luring me to that lava pit and killing me and Sykkuno? It was a trap all along, wasn’t it?” she asked suspiciously, but he knew she was joking “I bet you were conspiring with MrBeast all this time...”

“How dare you” he scoffed, trying to hold back his chuckle “I took you there cause it’s a special place, it was no trap! It just happened to be the wrong place and the wrong time...”

“Sure, partner”

“I’m serious!” he laughed “Besides - I apologized, and if I remember correctly, I think we both agreed that I jumped into that lava pit for you after all...”

“After they voted you off! You didn’t have any other chance!”

“Maybe it was all planned?” he said, changing his voice to more mysterious “Maybe I conspired with MrBeast so I could jump into that lava pit... and the only way to do it is by being voted off. So, either way, I kept my word.”

“Fine... whatever.”

Their laughter died down and was replaced by surprisingly comfortable silence. Corpse was happy with how the conversation started - he believed it would be easier for Y/N to explain what happened now, if she wished to explain, of course. 

“Y’know...” he began after a second, deciding to change the subject and finally address the issue. “Partners are supposed to help each other... and be there when the other person is in need...”

He was careful with his words, being full aware that Y/N might find it uncomfortable to share her problems with him. He wanted to encourage her, just slightly, if his previous texts weren’t enough. 

She sighed quietly and he could sense her reluctance. 

“But only if the other person wants partner’s help.” he added after a moment, keeping his voice as soft as he could. Y/N didn’t respond right away, but she didn’t hang up either, which Corpse took as a good sign. He gave her a couple of seconds to collect her thoughts, before asking another question: 

“What made you so upset, Y/N/N?”

He could hear her inhale the air sharply as if she had trouble breathing steadily. The line went silent, not that Corpse was surprised. He waited patiently, giving the girl the time she needed to decide whether she wanted to answer that question and what words should she choose if she did. 

And when she finally spoke up, Corpse felt as if his heart could break.

“They are just so mean...” she almost whispered, her voice cracking. He didn’t have to ask whom she meant, it was obvious. “And I don’t even know why... I didn’t do anything to those people, and yet they are so mean towards me.”

Corpse hummed in response, allowing her to keep talking. If there was one thing he knew that helped coping with stress, it was sharing it with someone else. And even though he himself had a lot on his plate, he felt the need to be that someone for Y/N. 

“I... I don’t want you to think that I’m some crybaby, who takes everything super seriously and can’t take a joke, but...” she stuttered for a moment and Corpse fought the urge to cut her off and tell her that what he thinks of her is the complete opposite. “But those comments... those weren’t jokes, Corpse. I don’t think anyone would find them funny.”

His heart ached at the sound of her quiet, weak voice. And then it angered him, that some anonymous haters managed to upset this cheerful, innocent person. How could anyone do something like that to Y/N?

“I... I’m sorry for telling you this...” she suddenly trailed off, sounding rather awkward and uncomfortable. “I shouldn’t be bothering you with my silly problems...”

“They aren’t silly as long as they are problems to you, Y/N.” 

“Yeah, but... I’m sure everyone from the group has received such comments at some point of their career... or maybe they still receive them...” she murmured almost embarrassed. “Maybe it’s no such a big deal after all...”

“Let me ask you something” Corpse said, feeling anger bubbling up in his stomach. Not directed at Y/N, of course, but at the people who made her think this way. “Imagine that someone, let’s say me, calls you because of the same reason. Would you consider telling me that online hate, or any hate for that matter, is not a big deal? That those are just my silly problems” 

She was silent for a moment, thinking about his question, and probably not expecting it in the first place. However, after a few seconds of initial surprise, she replied firmly:

“Of course not.” 

“Then why are you trying to convince yourself that they are?” he asked in what would sound like an accusatory tone, but in reality was just his voice laced with worry. “There’s no such thing as a silly problem Y/N, as long as it bothers you. If you consider it a problem, then it is a problem. And the fact that other people receive similar, or even worse comments, doesn’t mean anything. Maybe just that they are longer on Youtube and they’ve learned to deal with this kind of stuff... And your reaction? It doesn’t make you a crybaby and please Y/N, don’t ever think that way about yourself.”

He said it all so quickly and almost on one breath, letting all his frustration out and trying to form his babbling into some logical statement. 

“I understand what you’re going through...” he confessed after a moment of silence between them. “I know what it’s like to go through the ocean of positive comments and find those few which say something completely different... something that is meant to hurt you and humiliate you... Something that ruins your day, or even a couple of next few days or weeks... Something that completely overshadows everything else you’ve read about yourself. Something that people write from the safety of their own computers or phones, without showing their faces and remaining completely anonymous.”

For a moment, Corpse allowed himself to speak about his own experience, thinking that maybe when Y/N realizes that he knew exactly what she was dealing with, it would make it easier for her. “And that is the key fact, Y/N, that they are anonymous. They do what they do because no one can see them because it is comfortable for them to leave a hate comment and not face any consequences. Because they don’t have to face the person their hate is directed towards.”

“Some of the accounts were not anonymous...” Y/N mumbled, and Corpse could clearly hear that she was speaking through the tears. “People were using their public accounts, with photos and everything...”

“But let me guess, those comments weren’t even about your videos, huh? They weren’t about any of your work?” 

“Well...” she whispered, thinking about Corpse’s question. “Truth to be said, no. Most of them just looked like some kind of a personal attack on me...” 

“Exactly. It’s not even criticism, it’s just plain bullshit cowards are sharing online. They probably aren’t even able to form some logical sentence, they just combine some random words which are supposed to hurt you.”

“It works...”

“Y/N...” Corpse sighed into the phone, hearing her defeated tone. “Let me ask you another question, okay?” she hummed in response, and Corpse cleared his throat. “Tell me, whose opinion matters to you the most?”

“My friends... and my fans’“she said.

“Okay.. and whom do you consider your fan?”

“Someone who finds the content I create interesting and entertaining and takes his time to watch my videos.” she replied right away.

“Okay. Do you think that people who left those comments took their time to even watch your videos?” 

“Probably not...” she replied after a second. “Look, I know what you mean Corpse... That I shouldn’t worry about it because they are not my fans and therefore their opinion shouldn’t matter... but that’s not the case. It’s the fact alone that for some reason people spend their time hating me when I didn’t even do anything to them.”

“You didn’t do anything to them.” Corpse repeated her own words in his deep voice. “And they didn’t watch your videos. It seems like they don’t have any reason to leave those comments, right?” he asked. “I know that it’s hard Y/N, I really do, but the truth is, you can’t really have everyone leaving positive feedback under your content... There will always be someone who will consider it a good idea to send you a hateful message, just because they can, not because they have any specific reason to. Now I don’t say that’s okay... but it’s in a way like some disease. The one there’s no cure for. Even though you can’t cure it, you can make yourself immune.” 

“How, Corpse? How do you make yourself immune to messages saying that you’re a fucking annoying bitch, that you don’t deserve what you have? That you don’t deserve your friends, and you are not good enough to play with them? To spend your time with them? How do you deal with comments suggesting that you should go and kill yourself, because you’re not famous enough, and you will never be?” 

Her voice suddenly rose, and Corpse felt as his heartbeat quickened with each comment she described. He gripped his hand around the phone, his knuckles turning white and his brows furrowing in an expression of pure fury. 

He considered her words for a moment, trying to come up with the best advice, but realized there wasn’t any that would satisfy her. He could imagine the state she was in, she probably wouldn’t take any of his advice seriously. And he wouldn’t blame her for that. 

“I’m sorry for snapping on you...” she suddenly said, her voice back to its soft tone. “It’s just too much for me to handle...”

“It’s all good, Y/N, don’t apologize. You have the full right to be angry and to show it. I just want you to remember that...” Corpse gulped the lump in his throat, feeling his cheeks getting warmer. “Those comments are not what define you. As a matter of fact, they’re not even about you. You know why? Because people who write them don’t know you. They don’t even take a moment to acknowledge what an intelligent and talented person you are, not to mention how kind... but I do. A-and everyone else too.”

She was silent for a moment, and Corpse panicked, that maybe he said too much, or made things awkward again. But then she spoke up, her slightly less weak than before.

“I suppose... maybe you’re right, Corpse.” she said, still sounding a little bit unconvinced. He understood, it was clear his one pep talk wouldn’t suddenly make her forget about it. It would be like telling a person with depression to stop having depression and expecting them to suddenly feel better. “Thank you. For listening to my pathetic babbling... and for not telling me to just pull myself together.”

“First of all, your babbling is not pathetic...” he began “Second of all... I know we don’t really know each other, but... If you ever feel the need to talk to someone, I’m here.”

“And for that I’m grateful, Corpse” she said, clearly smiling. “Sorry, I mean, partner.”

“Partner.” he chuckled into the phone, smiling from ear to ear. 

“It’s getting late...” she yawned into the phone. “Sorry. I think I’ll go to sleep, I’m really tired...”

“Of course” Corpse replied, hiding the disappointment in his voice. He really enjoyed talking to her, just to her alone, but he understood that the whole conversation and the event preceding it probably exhausted her. 

“Hey...” she suddenly said, and Corpse could swear that her voice sounded as if she unexpectedly became shy. “Um... it was really great talking to you, you’re a really good listener, Corpse.”

“Glad to hear that” he smiled happily.

“Um... would you mind if I called you tomorrow too?” she asked so quietly that he almost didn’t catch it, his breath hitching in his throat. “If you have time that is... if you don’t, or if you have some super plans, then I understand, it’s fine-”

“I don’t have any super plans, Y/N” he couldn’t help but chuckle, finding her nervous banter adorable. “Call me whenever you want.”

“Okay...” she sighed, almost in relief, but Corpse didn’t want to point it out to embarrass her even more. “So... let’s say, around 2 pm?” 

“Sounds good to me.”

“Great.” she said, her voice trailing off a bit. “I’m falling asleep here, Corpse... Thank you once again, for everything.”

“Anytime, Y/N.”

“Good night, partner.”

“Goodnight, partner.” 

-

Part 5 coming soon. It will probably be the last part of this series, I’m not sure yet though.

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Guide to Writing Mystery Thrillers

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Horror vs. Thriller: Fear vs. Suspense

The main difference between thrillers and horror is the effect it has on the reader. Yes, both genres are meant to “scare” the reader, but with a thriller, the ending is less predictable. It’s about the building tension that comes with the unknown. The writer’s goal is to unsettle the reader, make the fear of the unknown be the main aspect and make their heart rate rise steadily over the course of the plot. Horror is repeatedly scaring the reader, though the tension is lesser because a horror story is one of inevitable doom. It’s not so much about if, but rather when and how. Thriller is about that sweet, slow dribble of ice water down the reader’s back, while horror is splashing them repeatedly in creative and shocking ways. 

Balancing the Tension

With the tension being the most important element in a thriller, you must balance this carefully and you can do so by utilizing the mystery aspect. You can build the tension with events and the steady state of unknowing, but you can also use the mystery to relieve or ramp up the suspense. Mysteries introduce time-sensitivity into the plot, as well as identifiable risk and payoff, but it also preserves that feeling of unpredictability. You need to be careful to keep the tension thick enough that the plot twist is surprising, but not unexpected. Readers should expect a dramatic shift in the trajectory, but they should be completely shocked at what it actually is. 

Suspension of Disbelief

Mysteries and thrillers do not have the luxury that thriller does of a reader coming in with their sense of what is and isn’t “realistic” being thrown out the window. Readers of the mystery thriller genre expect an air of credibility and when their predictions and deductions are thwarted for something completely illogical, it isn’t a pleasant surprise. The suspension of disbelief comes in the details that may or may not be stretched for fictional purposes, but the meat of the story, the mystery and all the steps within, do not have that wiggle room. Exercise deep, critical thought when developing the plot development and the characters themselves because the reader is paying attention. 

Choose the Right Antagonist

Antagonists in mystery thrillers are a great opportunity for creative freedom. Yes, readers expect the antagonist to surprise them or be clever, but your job isn’t to fool the reader, it’s to impress them with how cleverly you masked or built up the reveal of the antagonist; the result of their sleuthing. You don’t always have to choose some minor, seemingly insignificant character to be the antagonist at the end. There’s so many roads you can choose, such as making the protagonist the murderer, a family member the thief, the romantic partner the deceiver, etc. Don’t try to avoid cliches in this part of the plot, because it’s impossible. Every possible ending has been done in some way or another. Try to be original in the way you reveal them and be clever about developing the antagonist to have as much impact on the reader as possible. 

Meaningful Death

Death isn’t as rampant in thrillers as in other suspenseful genres, but it’s still important to note that all death should have a purpose and a consequence. It should always serve the plot, and it should always have an observable effect on the characters. Killing characters (especially main characters) to build suspense or stakes doesn’t work and it reads as lazy. Keep the purpose and consequence in mind, and be open to death and where it takes the story. 

Common Struggles

~ How do you create a good mystery thriller plot?... It depends on what you like about the genre. If you prefer to have the majority of the story surround the actual mystery and the development of its nuance, then focus the plot around that and sprinkle the suspense throughout. If you want the mystery to be the catalyst for a bigger, more complicated emotional conflict, then structure accordingly. It’s really about what you want to say and how you would want to hear it. 

~ How do you balance a subtle build up without making the twist look like it came out of nowhere?... Action and reaction. Every twist and turn should be traceable to a series of identifiable events throughout the previous chapters. Your readers should be able to see the breadcrumbs when they read the story a second time. That’s how you know the subtlety works, rather than dropping two or three breadcrumbs throughout 16 chapters and then drop the whole remaining loaf in chapter 17. 

~ How do you create a spooky, thrilling atmosphere?... Writing style. It’s all about writing style, I promise. Utilize some of the staples, like shorter sentences leading up to an explosive moment, visceral vocabulary about something seemingly mundane, etc. Over-describing things to have that “this normal thing doesn’t seem so harmless anymore” or under-describing things that the reader would assume requires more focus. Either turn up the volume or turn it way down. These little aspects in the vocabulary and structure you use add up and work wonders for tension and suspense. Also:

A Guide To Tension & Suspense

How To Perfect The Tone

~ How can I make the reader like the villain, despite their actions?... I have a couple resources for this, which you may find helpful:

Writing Good Villains

Creating Villains

Villains with good intentions

Other Resources

How To Write A Good Plot Twist

How To Foreshadow

Flipping Character Traits On Their Head

Plot Structures

Calculating Emotional Reactions

Keeping Characters Realistic

Tips On Writing About Mental Illness

Character Who’s Smarter Than You

Making Characters Unpredictable

How To Engage The Reader

Including More People of Color In Your Story

“Male characters are more relatable”

Writing Good Villains

Creating Villains

Showing Vulnerability Without Death

Character Driven vs. Plot Driven Stories

Resources For Crime/Mystery/Thriller Writers

Tips on Writing Pyschological Thrillers

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1900-1939

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1940-1969

Historically Accurate Dialogue

Creepy Ex-Girlfriend

Tips on Introducing Backstory

Writing Other Eras

Resources For Writing The Mafia

Guide to Story Researching

Commentary on Social Issues In Writing

Resources For Writing Sketchy Topics

On Writing About Sensitive Topics

Avoiding The Romanticization of Mental Illness

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