#and not feel like they have to blame anyone else but me

[gyaruhana]

Would you be willing to write about Thanos from Squid Game competing with a girlfriend who is very quiet and easily manipulated? Would love to see how he would protect her

Thanos/Choi Su-Bong - Easily manipulated!Reader Headcannons

Synopsis: thanos headcannons with an easily manipulated reader

A/N: i made two headcannons - one where he's a dickhead and the other where he's not so take your pick which you'd rather read !!

Warnings: Manipulation, HEAVY manipulation,

In the games (Thanos when he's high so bad thanos):

he does manipulate you himself honestly

don't think you're safe from this man

silent threats masked with a baby voice to keep you on his side

doesn't trust you with anyone else so he keeps you close to him

makes you believe he'd keep you safe but, if it came down to you or him, he's letting you die.

super super touchy and always has an arm around your shoulder or he holds your face in his hands

maintains eye contact with you to make you feel like he cares when he's only using you

if he betrays you and you still survive somehow, he's quick to give you fake apologies and claim he didn't mean to

At some point, he takes his manipulation even further and starts using you for sex

Subtly tricks you into thinking you're a murderer by blaming you for the people he's killed and saying he wouldn't have had to do it if it wasn't for you

Isolates you from the others and makes you distrust them so you won't believe them when they say that he's using you

Myung-gi tried to tell you once and it made you question how Thanos really felt about you

His instinct reaction was to ask you if you really believed someone who had scammed so many people over him when he was the one who had 'kept you safe'

Basically guilt trips you

if you keep pushing his limits, he will hurt you

then he'll say it was your fault once again that he had to do that

makes you take his drugs too so you'll be even more naive to his clear manipulation

if you die before him, he'll have no remorse at all

He'll just look at you dead in the eyes before you do with a grin before waving goodbye as you get shot

Overall, manipulative dickhead that uses you for personal gain

"Do you really believe him over me? He's been a liar since before these games. I've kept you safe this whole time. Why would i lie to you?" he speaks with anger as he grips your chin in his hand. He was pissed you were questioning him. Maybe he hadn't manipulated you enough? Perhaps he needed to teach you a lesson about questioning him so he could put you back in your place. After all, he needed you if he was going to win 45.6 Billion won. "I don't want to do this to you but you need to learn a lesson,"

In the games (Thanos when he's not high so good Thanos):

worried about you honestly.

he likes to be around you constantly because he doesn't want you to be manipulated by someone

tries to tell you to not be so naive and just trust him

he doesn't trust anyone to not try to use you for their own gain in a game like this

protects you with his life.

If someone's talking to you, he's immediately by your side, his arm around your shoulder

He just wants to make sure you're not being tricked

typa guy who does sound sort of manipulative because he's always telling you to only trust him..

he doesn't mean to sound that way though he just doesn't want you to fall for someone's lies

super touchy

tries to get you to keep playing but, if you say no, he won't push any further and let you make your own choice

always ask you three times over about things he wants just to make sure you want it and you're not just agreeing because he asked

if you somehow get a private conversation without him around, he will immediately ask what they told you

If someone DOES try to manipulate you, he's on them so fast

will fight them and not hold back at all

overall, super caring and makes sure NOBODY manipulates you or else

"What are you talking about to my girlfriend here?" Thanos speaks as he walks towards you - his gaze on the man who had been talking to you. He didn't like it when other people would talk to you given your nature. He just didn't trust anyone's intentions with you and assumed everybody was out to get you. Better to be safe then sorry, he thought. He slung an arm over your shoulder and pulled you close to him. It was a clear threat to the guy to make him back off and not even think about coming near you again. "Actually, I don't care. Just leave her alone,"

[pomefioredove]

omg i LOVE the concept of cookies as asks so can i have a sugar cookie, #8, with chocolate drizzle and marshmallows thank yeww 🙏

t-t-total idia victory!

order #8, sugar with chocolate drizzle and marshmallows

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ internet connection

tropes: ex (mutuals) to lovers, roommate au characters: idia additional info: romantic, gender neutral reader, reader is yuu

It was the closest experience to dating Idia had ever gotten, and likely the only experience he'd ever get again.

Three months.

Three perfect, blissful months.

That's 13.0357 weeks, 91.2501 days, 2,190 hours of chats, voice calls, and texts with someone he had almost considered his.

He was raising his confidence stats to ask them out when they sent him a message, which would be their last:

"router busted. sry. will get it fixed soon"

That was weeks ago.

Idia couldn't blame them. They were going to get tired of him eventually, and ghosting him, sucky as it was, was still the easiest way to let him down.

Then, at least, he could pretend that they were telling the truth.

"Come on, Idy! This is your chance! You'll never get over them if you never meet anyone else!"

Ortho's cheery, hopeful words twist Idia's stomach with guilt. He knows that. Of course he knows that.

He buries himself deeper into his blankets. "I don't want anyone else,"

"It's only for a few weeks. Maybe you'll make friends!"

Unlikely. Idia doesn't have the social XP for that. Who would want to be friends with him, anyway?

He can't even keep Magicord mutuals.

Then again, he has no other choice.

The Prefect had asked to stay somewhere with a high-speed internet connection while post-S.T.Y.X. Ramshackle was being repaired, and Ortho had volunteered Idia.

And his room.

Ugh. Why can't anything go right for once?

Idia hides under his covers like a small child, drowning the sound of the door and voices in PreMo.

He honestly doesn't know a lot about you. He doesn't get out much, and even if he did, you've always got those OP normie friends around you.

He knows you don't talk much. He's actually never heard you talk at all.

Whatever.

Idia only emerges from his blankets when his ears are ringing from the music and his body is sore from stillness.

He takes off his headphones and reads the room.

There's Ortho, projecting a beam of light on the wall, and there's Grim, chasing it, and there's you.

You seem a little out of place, awkwardly sitting on the floor when there are chairs and tables, your bags still at your sides, unpacked.

Something about you makes him feel at ease. Weird.

"Oh- Idy!" Ortho chimes. Idia jumps, and then everyone is looking at him. Crap.

"We were wondering when you'd come out! The Prefect has a question for you!"

You give Ortho a panicked look, as if to say you most certainly did not have a question for him. Idia has his own suspicions.

"About the Wi-Fi," Ortho chimes. "They really need to get online."

Idia narrows his eyes. His brother can handle something as simple as that.

"...O-okay," he mumbles. "I guess."

He reluctantly gets out of bed and sits beside you. At least with an objective, he isn't so nervous. You hand him your phone, some sad secondhand thing, and he puts in the password for you.

"Lemme know if it's slow. I've been working on upgrading the router, and it's been a little laggy," he hands your phone to you.

"Shouldn't be a problem, though."

You take it. "I can't complain, I don't have a router at all right now,"

Idia's face turns red.

His eyes go wide.

He can't place it, at first. What's that weird feeling? What is it about you-

You notice his expression. "Uh... did I say something?"

And when you speak again, just like that, Idia jumps to his feet.

"IT-IT'S YOU!"

"You?" Grim asks.

"You?" Ortho echoes.

"Me?"

Idia feels like he's losing his mind, his anxiety cracking and breaking away, shock taking its place.

"Y-yes, you! I know that voice! Don't you- you recognize mine too, don't you?!"

Your eyes widen.

"Oh... no... no way,"

"I-I can't believe this!" he says, suddenly grinning. "You weren't lying about the router, it must've got totally busted when S.T.Y.X- oh, crap. IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"

"Idy..." Ortho warns. "Your heart rate is-"

"I know! I know, I just- I can't believe it- you, of all people,"

He sits again, shaking. It takes you a moment to catch up.

"I... I wasn't lying," you mumble. "I've been trying to get a decent internet connection since we got back, but..."

"This is the guy?" Grim mumbles to you. He is ignored.

Idia feels lightheaded. This isn't real. This isn't happening. This is some weird dream.

He can't seem to stop grinning, anyway.

"Will you go out with me?!" he asks, without thinking at all. But not even the sinking feeling in his stomach is enough to ground him.

You stare back, your own eyes wide.

And then, in your familiar voice, in your familiar easing presence: "I'd like that,"

[confused-rat]

I’m still processing how anyone thinks “let’s hate one specific demographic of people for literally existing in the same space as us” is a completely normal and justified thing to do. Like. Everyone knows racists are shit. Nazis are shit. Sexists are shit. Homophobes are shit. Why did y’all think targeting trans guys was gonna be the exception??

If there’s a problem in the community that needs addressing, then address it, but laying the blame at specifically all trans men is insane and is the same shit verbatim all the previous -ists have used in their arguments.

“I’ve been victimized by trans men—“ Okay? Their demographic isn’t what made them shitty people. Imagine saying “I was bullied by Asians so I think they should all be excluded from the community because they make me feel unsafe—“ You’re insane. You’re stupid and you’re insane. Idk how else to tell you.

[arcaneconfessions]

Actually,  I don't like the concept of Felicia because she oversimplifies the story and creates plot holes.

Now suddenly Vander didn't pick up two orphans because he blamed himself for the violence, and wanted it to stop. It's not because he saw how it affected the children of Zaun, and decided right there to make a change for the future.  But because he happened to know their mom (which then brings the question. If Felicia's kids are so important to him, why are they in the thick of things? You'd think they'd have them somewhere safer.)

Also, in season one act one, Silco didn't know the kids. And even ignoring that plot hole, it still muddies things up.  Now his arc isn't about learning to care for a child, and understanding how that kind of personal connection can change your perspective. Because, he already cared for them before his sad sad case of amnesia. 

So now it's about him caring about the girls, then not caring, then caring about Jinx again. That's not an arc, that's a meandering circle. 

Instead of the men bonding with the respective girls,  because of their own personality and history. Where Vander was dealing with his own guilt, and trying to attone. Where Silco saw his own trauma reflected in Jinx, and chose to guide her in the way he wished to be. It's now “Oh they know their mom, that's why!” Which is far less intriguing and character driven.

Speaking of, instead of their fallout- and Vander’s subsequential murder attempt- being about the widening gap of their ideologies, or plans. It's now been boiled down to “When she died, I lost my head”

Okay, but that's worse. You do get how this is worse, right. Instead of Silco being the thing “worse than enforcers” as said before. He was someone mourning his friend, just to get nearly murdered by his other friend who decided to blame it all on him. 

Then, we're left to actually try to figure out when this drowning attempt even happened, since we now confirmed it's during the day of ash. Are we to believe that Vander dropped his gauntlets (symbolically representing his path of non violence) picked up the girls, tucked them into bed...then took Silco down by the river? That kind of flies in the face of the characterization Vander gave himself in the letter, of it being a heat of the moment thing.  Ya know, for Felicia.

And is now a good time to mention that Vander appears younger in the drowning flashback,  than he did in the opening scene? I was led to believe it happened years before. Absolutely muddled.

And, when everyone just happens to know everyone else, then the world just feels smaller. Which is a shame, because the team behind season one made non champion characters, to avoid this very feeling.

Not everything is about shipping, sometimes people hate bad writing…because it's bad. Also, she's in a committed relationship with Connol, and even having his baby. In what way would anyone assume that she's “getting in the way” of any ship? (Unless you have a Connol ship you're passionate about, I guess?)

You're not gonna convince me that inventing a fridged woman to slap on top of Silco and Vander’s backstory is feminist in any way. 

.

[jadeshifting]

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱ SUPERNATURAL DR. ⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ .　. 　 ˚　.

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔

the thing about me is that i’ve always been a little off. not in a way you could put your finger on—rather, it’s the kind of strangeness that sneaks up on people. i hum under my breath, something old and haunting. sometimes people notice the way i watch the world, like i’m expecting it to crack open and spill something glittering and awful at my feet. i’m like a girl who stepped out of a gothic storybook and never quite made it all the way back

˚　.˚ . 　 ˚　.　.˚ BUNNY ( not telling the Winchesters my real name, or anyone else)—magnetic beauty, occupying the knife’s edge of angelic and eerie. luminous skin, bright and expressive eyes, my hair thick and pitch black dark—i look like i’ve just stepped out of a wildest dream, or maybe a grave

this story finds both its beginning and its end at the crossroads—with a deal

my soul—inevitable currency—for ten fleeting years of bliss. freedom to wander, promised a family—the word, “family,” trembles on my tongue, foreign and brittle after years lost in the abyss of solitude. do I even remember how to say it? i seal the pact with a kiss, tasting brimstone and rot. the demon smiles, and in that sulfurous breath, the contract is etched into the marrow of my being

when the Winchester brothers roll into town to deal with a poltergeist, neither of them question the strange feeling in their chest that screams take her with you. they just do

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱ “what the hell are you supposed to be?”

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱ “i’m Bunny !!”

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔

BRAIN-TOUCHED BY THE SPIRIT.

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

˚　.˚ ♱⋆. LUCK O’ THE BUNNY—in other words, i seem to possess an almost supernatural amount of luck. coincidences break in my favor constantly—drawers contain exactly what i need, elevators arrive just in time, and once, a ghost’s axe misses me by a hair. i insist it’s just good energy, but the boys are convinced i’m beyond charmed in some way they can’t even begin to untangle, let alone explain

“a head full of ghosts,” my Sunday school teacher used to murmur, a prophecy cloaked in piety. perhaps she saw the truth before i did—whispers of the unseen curling around my mind, spirits pressing their truths into my bones. the air trembles with unseen forces, and i feel them, pulsing through my veins, screaming in my ears. creatures lurking in the shadows and the unspoken intentions of souls crash into me, a cacophony of the damned that never sleeps—knowledge that guides the Winchesters’ hunts with eerie precision

SAMMY. ( antichrist, boyfriend, etc)

the vessel of Lucifer managing to be deeply in love with the only individual who manages to be more of a freak oddball than him—and still entirely human

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི ⋆♱ it takes time for Sam to warm up to me (necklace of teeth, roadside shoplifting tendencies, unusual passion for motel mattresses), and i don’t entirely blame him. maybe it’s the proximity we have to eachother—rescinded to the Impala backseat when we both piss off Dean, shoved into diner booths, sharing the same single room at the motel and sleeping four feet away from eachother.

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི ⋆♱ perhaps it’s the way my eyes linger, drinking in every word as he unravels the threads of paranormal lore, or how I remain by his side deep into the night, sifting through ancient texts when his own resolve falters. or maybe it’s the unflinching gaze I offer him, never clouded by judgment, even when shadows of his past paint him as something other than human. unlike those who have called him a monster—father, brother—I see him, wholly. i’m not sure. regardless, he finds himself enamored by my curious gaze and my striking ability to always do the most off-putting thing available

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔

PAST. ( a long, long time ago. )

i grew up in the kind of sleepy Catholic town where everything smelled like incense and old wood. i was the quiet girl at the back of Sunday school, too pretty to ignore but too odd to keep close. while the other children were memorizing Bible verses and coloring in pictures of saints, i would sit cross-legged and staring, chewing thoughtfully at the ends of my hair. i asked the kinds of questions that made the nuns cross themselves

“if i buried my teeth in the yard, would something grow there?”

.　　. 　 ˚　. my parents weren’t cruel, but they were tired. maybe you’d be tired, too, if you had a daughter who always seemed to be somewhere else, even when she was standing right in front of you. they tried, but i was like smoke slipping through their fingers. when i was sixteen, my mother died suddenly, and my father didn’t last much longer. grief, they said, but i didn’t believe that. i knew grief didn’t leave fingerprints on the inside of windows or whisper my name when i was falling asleep

after that, the house was mine. it was a big, empty place that groaned when the wind hit just right, and i filled it with things that made sense to me: bones i found in the woods, tarot cards i stole from a flea market, broken dolls, and the leftover echoes of prayers i couldn’t quite remember

i met the demon on an ordinary Tuesday. i’d been wandering barefoot down the pale stones of the road, not realizing it even crossed—red iPod in my ears, humming along to Fleetwood Mac—when i heard the voice. smooth as silk, it coiled around me like smoke, whispering things i didn’t want to hear but couldn’t exactly ignore

“pretty girl like you, all alone. doesn’t that bother you?”

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱ “why don’t you show me your face and i’ll tell you if you’re worth my time?”

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　

when he did appear, all fire and shadows and hungry teeth, i just tilted my head and smiled, unbothered. i wasn’t afraid of him. maybe because i’d been expecting something like him my whole life

he offered me power. i declined. he offered me money. i laughed. but when he promised me a way out—out of that house, a new family, nothing to keep me stuck to the town whose fear rattled my skull like an animal in a cage—i paused. “and where would I go?” i asked

“anywhere,” the demon said. “everywhere. you’d like the road, Bunny.”

i met the Winchesters not long after that

I’M A LOT OF THINGS. ( useless isn’t one of them )

 ˚　.˚ ♱⋆ “VIBE-CHECKING” ( intuition ) — though it’s a combination of psychic power and an ability to read things, i can sense the energy of a place or person immediately. while Sammy and Dean are often skeptical, i’m never wrong. if i say “this diner is cursed,” you bet your ass we’re eating elsewhere

˚　.˚ ♱⋆ “POTION” MAKING — crafting strange, makeshift remedies that should not work by any medical or magical standard, but just do. a mix of intuition, vibes, and my great-grandmother’s old herbal tendencies—need an antidote for a venomous bite or a charm to keep spirits at bay? i’ll whip something up with ingredients i foraged on the motel lawn, a packet of sugar, and maybe a splash of tequila

 ˚　.˚ ♱⋆ EVASIVE DRIVING. — i’m good behind the wheel (considering i only get practice on podunk roads when Dean gives me a shot), particularly when it comes to outrunning angry spirits or law enforcement. my style is horrifying, but i’ve managed to lose pursuit on multiple occasions, all while blasting Ethel Cain at full volume (i take full advantage of Dean’s ‘driver picks the music’ rule)

  ˚　.˚ ♱⋆ DREAM INTERPRETATION. — dreams are the key to everything. i’m scarily accurate when it comes to interpreting them, which unsettles Sammy, especially when i casually translate his nightmares into cryptic warnings

“you dreamed of a crow flying into a window? oh, Sammy, that means we’re probably dealing with death omens. exciting!”

　　　 　　a game i love: WHAT DOES BUNNY KEEP IN THE BACKSEAT WITH HER ??

a deck of tarot cards, Burnett’s whipped cream flavored vodka, rosary, a jumbo kit kat, leatherbound journal, snow globe i stole from Wyoming, lemon blueberry tart perfume, tiny scissors, jingling bag of soda caps ( you get the vibe, truly )

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔

[venomwrites]

This fic was inspired by both the concept art of Vi using a Kiramman banner as a blanket during the pit fighter era and Caitlyn saying that arrests need cause. Cross Posted to Ao3

“Hey, Cait?”

Caitlyn glances up from her book to see Vi emerging from the bathroom. There’s a frown on her face as she holds the brown bottle of antiseptic in her hand. Caitlyn tries to think of what she could be upset about or what she could need it for. Vi is quiet a lot of the time though. More content right now to sit in front of the fire than to do anything that would get her injured. When she leans against the bathroom frame, all Caitlyn can see is unbroken skin. Her eyes are fixated on the bottle as she turns it over in her hand. Finally Caitlyn cannot take the silence any longer. 

“Yes?” She prods gently, “what is it?”

“Why is this here?” Vi asks in the same tone. 

“It’s antiseptic?” Caitlyn offers, unsure of the question. A brief flash of frustration creases Vi’s face, “it’s usually in the bathroom. Unless there’s somewhere else—“

“No, I mean,” Vi runs her thumb around the cap, “why are you getting your antiseptic from Zaun?”

Something cold creeps up Caitlyn’s spine. Vi’s blue grey eyes remain on her as she stares. Caitlyn swallows tightly, feeling as though she’s been caught doing something naughty. It’s on the tip of her tongue to say that it’s a common antiseptic. One that everyone can get with a few coins. Or she could mention the black market. Even though the label on the bottle says it was made in Piltover, it could have made it’s way there. Slipped past the rows and rows of Enforcers she had positioned on the bridge opening each crate with crowbars. It could have happened. But lying to Vi is not something she can bring herself to do again. Even if the desire lingers like the taste of liquor on her tongue. 

“It was just a few things—“

She’s not expect Vi to look quite so betrayed as she looks down at the bottle. Even though she has every right to feel betrayed. Betrayed and so much worse. But Caitlyn can’t bear the look at this late hour as Vi grips the bottle like a lifeline and looks at her like a threat. She gets out of bed, tightening her robe and coming around to the foot of it. 

“Can I explain?” She asks, “please?” 

Vi nods but doesn’t move. 

“I wanted to have cause for the arrests,” Caitlyn starts, “we investigated everything we could find. Including vandalism.” 

Vi closes her eyes in annoyance. 

“The banner.”

Caitlyn swallows tightly. 

“They said you were using it as a blanket,” Caitlyn forces herself to continue, “living in that room,” her stomach rolls at the memory of the photographs, “I decided every arrest and I saw those pictures—“

“You saw pictures of me?”

It takes all of Caitlyn’s strength to appear collected and nod at the tone in Vi’s voice. She doesn’t blame her. She wouldn’t have wanted anyone to see her in that state either. It was really just two photographs but the story they told still makes Caitlyn’s stomach roll. Vi curled under the banner, somehow impossibly tiny on an already small bed. Then Vi sprawled out on the bed with a bottle by her foot, arm’s strewn about. You could count her ribs in the second picture, even through the filthy window. It had been alarming how quickly she became gaunt. Everything in Caitlyn had screamed at the sight of her state. Screamed for her to run and get her. But then she remembered those photographs were only in her possession because she was in charge of martial law. So she had thrown them into the fire and declined to arrest someone whose only crime was desperation. 

“Yes,” Caitlyn says, “I declined your arrest—“

“How did you recognize me?” Vi cuts in, “only Loris and Jinx recognized me.”

“We slept next to each other for weeks,” Caitlyn points out, “how could I not recognize you?” Vi is quiet so Caitlyn continues, “I declined your arrest but I couldn’t just not do anything.”

Vi is quiet and Caitlyn wonder which insult will come out of her mouth first as she thumbs the label of the bottle. If she’s even going to want to yell at her. In a way, Caitlyn would rather have the yelling than the silence. But she can’t bring herself to interrupt Vi while she digests this latest round of betrayal. All Caitlyn can do is quietly try not to fidget and run through the list. Every time, it makes her cringe. Before Vi came back it was because she had no idea how she got away with it. It felt like so much, like such a risk. After, it was because she had no idea how to explain herself. When Vi was there, it felt woefully inefficient. How did one explain to someone that they betrayed them, abandoned them but also tried to intervene just enough so they wouldn’t die? It sounded impossibly cruel, even to Caitlyn’s ears. 

“So this and what else?” Vi asks finally. Caitlyn looks at her and her eyes slowly move towards her, “all of it?” She asks in a voice that is alarmingly small. 

“No,” Caitlyn says quickly and then winces, “I don’t think—“

But Vi is already on her feet, one hand dragging through her hair and the antiseptic clenched in her fist. Caitlyn knows where her mind is going. Panic thrums under her skin as she tries to correct this in some way that doesn’t have Vi running into the night in her pajamas. 

“It was barely anything,” Caitlyn protests. 

“You kept me alive!” Vi cries, her voice ringing with betrayal, “you—“ she drops back onto the bed next to her, “the whole time it was you.”

“No, of course not,” Caitlyn says quickly, “I hardly did anything. I’m sure a lot of it was Jinx—“

“Tenth stair, third crate, right side of the door,” Vi rattles off. 

Caitlyn presses her lips together. 

“I didn’t want you falling on anything,” she mutters tightly. 

It had to be obvious but not too obvious so it wouldn't get stolen. Vi had to be able to find it but not realize it was left for her. It wasn’t like it was anything terribly extravagant, but it was enough. Coins wrapped in tissues and tucked into cups to look discarded. Bottles of antiseptic. Rolls of wraps and gauze. At least once a month it was a half torn shopping bag arranged to look forgotten but containing menstrual supplies and a few treats. Again it was nothing that would bring attention to itself, nothing that would matter to anyone. Except someone who had never lived alone as an adult. Someone who might not remember how to get a meal that didn’t involve sliding a tray along a line. Vi looks at the antiseptic again and Caitlyn tries to string together something. Anything. But how did one even begin to explain this? She opens her mouth and closes it again when nothing perfect comes to mind. And then she sees the wetness in Vi’s eyes and her stomach drops further. 

“I should—“

“The bag was you as well, wasn’t it?” She says. Caitlyn only barely nods, “Loris said it was a great find and on my birthday,” she shakes her head, “you got me a birthday present.”

“It was your first birthday,” Caitlyn protests.

“You know I hallucinated you?” Vi says. Caitlyn stiffens, “when I was drunk I’d see you. I thought I was going crazy,” she shakes her head, “but you were there the whole time.”

“No,” Caitlyn says quickly, touching Vi’s forearm before she can overthink it, “no, I just couldn’t let you starve—“

“Or get an infection—“ Vi cuts in. 

“I just didn’t want you to die,” Caitlyn mutters. 

“Or not celebrate my birthday,” Vi says, turning the bottle over in her hands. She shakes her head again and looks at Caitlyn, “First time I busted my knuckles in the pit I just kind of figured what the hell,” she says, “I was just gonna leave ‘em. Or be drunk enough for the sting,” she strokes the label with her thumb absently, “I wouldn’t let Loris come up. Even though he asked. Fell flat on my face on the last step,” she shakes her head, “you pour them out yourself?”

Caitlyn fights the urge to melt in embarrassment. 

“I thought you would figure it out if they were full.”

Vi makes a noise of disbelief and Caitlyn looks for something to get her off the bed. It’s a cowards move but that is par for the course with all of this. How many nights did she spend in the bathroom cursing Vi and pouring out antiseptic until it was enough to take care of whatever was wrong with her but not enough for the bottle to look full? Any window of Vi coming back to her was firmly shut while Ambessa breathed down her neck, but she couldn’t just leave her to die. No matter how angry she was, she couldn’t do that. Not when there was a chance she could prevent it. Vi gives her an impossibly fond look and that is all Caitlyn needs to lurch up from the bed. 

“It was the bare minimum,” she says, “anyone would have done it—“

“Cait that’s not true—“

“Stop interrupting me!” She erupts finally. 

Vi pushes herself up. Caitlyn turns to the doorframe, wrapping her arms around herself. This was not what she thought was going to happen tonight. Certainly she thought they would have the conversation some day. But she was hoping for more time before Vi realized she was just as much of a monster inside. Just a little time. Except Vi doesn’t bolt for the door or yell back. She just joins Caitlyn in the entrance to the bathroom, like she has countless times before. When the panic wins and Caitlyn can barely bring herself through the threshold. Like she has any right to be afraid anymore. But Vi sits there and hums as she showers, hums so when Caitlyn sticks her head out she can hear she isn’t about to be attacked. She’s not sure if she can stand Vi humming right now, she doesn’t deserve it. Even less than she did a few hours ago and she didn’t deserve it then. 

“Why are you downplaying saving my life?” Vi asks. 

“I didn’t!” Caitlyn protests, turning around, “that was Loris and Jinx and you,” she tightens her arms, “I had a few bottles of antiseptic dropped where you would find them—“ Vi opens her mouth, “and you were still covered in half infected injuries when we were at the hospital so it didn’t even work.” 

Vi is quiet for a moment but Caitlyn isn’t fooled that she is going to accept what she’s said. 

“The water never went off,” she says, instead of whatever Caitlyn is expecting, “the place had electricity the whole time. I thought it was Loris,” Caitlyn opens her mouth to give the credit to him, “you never stopped paying him.”

Caitlyn shakes her head. 

Vi lets out a trembling breath. 

“You know I pulled down that banner because it was the only warm thing I could find?” She says hoarsely, “the only thing thing that felt safe?” She drums her fingers against the brown glass, “but it wasn’t.”

Caitlyn cringes at the memory of the picture. 

“You were taking care of me the whole time,” Vi says but there’s no anguish in her voice. Just that tone that slips in when something isn’t making sense, “I left you—“

“No I left you,” Caitlyn says, unable to hear her beat herself up about the fight one more time, “I was so angry I didn’t even think about the danger you would be in or how you would react,” she shakes her head, “I know it was nothing but it was all I could do.”

“Hey,” Vi is in front of her suddenly, fingers cupping her cheeks. The bottle rolls across the carpet, “this wasn’t nothing. Not to me.”

Caitlyn can’t help but turn her cheek into the warmth of Vi’s hand as her thumbs brush along her cheekbones. 

“I was still mad,” Caitlyn whispers, steeling herself for the motion to stop. 

But instead she’s greeted by a warm chuckle as it continues. 

“You take care of everyone you’re mad at?” Vi teases, like they both don’t know the answer to that question. 

Caitlyn guides VI’s hands down and clasps them in her own. It used to be so easy to do this. To tell people the perfect thing, to choose her words with such care they would get the desired result. But Vi has always been uniquely good at squirming past the games. She squirms past Caitlyn’s politicians tongue and curls somewhere deep in her chest. The places she’s been told never to truly let people in. But Vi curls there all the same, too far in to every truly be cast out. Even in those dark, awful moments when Caitlyn half wishes she could. When she tells herself it would be better if she could. 

“I knew this was your first time being alone in seven years,” she says softly, “just because we were apart didn’t mean I wanted you to suffer,” she looks down at their joined hands, “when I saw you were, I couldn’t just sit here.”

Vi tugs her fingertips into her palms and tangles their fingers together. She squeezes Cailtyn’s hands until she looks up to see Vi’s bright eyes looking at her. Vi says nothing but she drops her hands and folds her arms around Caitlyn. There’s something about Vi’s embrace that makes her body relax. It used to scare her. The guilt was cloying when Vi hugged her and she felt safe. What right did she have to feel safe when the world had just been destroyed? When they parted ways, one of the most cutting regrets she had was how quickly she ended their embraces. She can’t remember if she told Vi that or if she pieced it together, but now when Vi folds her into an embrace she always tangles a hand in something. Hair, her jacket, some layer so when Caitlyn pulls back there’s a tug that makes her pause. This time it’s her robe and Caitlyn feels her warm, calloused palm settle against her bare shoulder. 

“Thanks for getting me though it,” Vi says softly, lips close to her ear. 

Caitlyn presses her nose to the juncture of Vi’s shoulder and her neck. Vi smells like fresh soap and beeswax and lately her own conditioner. It’s rapidly becoming Caitlyn’s favorite smell in the world. She is stupidly grateful to breathe it in as another truth settles between them. Vi’s thumb rubs against her shoulder as Caitlyn sinks into her embrace. The nerves seem to escape her and she feels impossibly tired as Vi holds her. There’s a soft almost laugh as Vi shifts and slips her arms around her. It’s silly for it to feel so nice to be carried, but Caitlyn relaxes into the easy warmth of the embrace as Vi brings her back to bed. When she goes to pull back, Caitlyn catches her wrist. Vi smiles and slips into bed, wrapping her arms around her again. 

“So how many bottles did you throw?” Vi asks into her shoulder. 

“A lot,” Caitlyn replies, “why do you think the curtains changed color?”

Vi snorts softly against her skin. The notion of Caitlyn getting annoying and tossing around bottles of antiseptic as she tried to figure out how to care for Vi from afar without her realizing doesn’t seem to lessen how Vi feels about the gesture. If anything it makes her snuggle closer to Caitlyn. Her fingers undo the knot of her robe belt so she can be more comfortable before settling on her waist again. 

“Are you mad I didn’t tell you immediately?” Caitlyn asks into the darkness. Vi shakes her head against her neck, “why?"

“Are you mad I figured it out?” Vi asks. Caitlyn shakes her head in return. Vi pushes her hair back and brushes her lips against Caitlyn’s neck, “why would I be mad you saved my life?”

Caitlyn sighs. 

“When you put it like that I sound completely foolish,” she mutters. Vi smiles against her neck, “alight, fair point,” Caitlyn concedes, “I just wish I could have done more.”

“Come on, Cupcake,” she says, pulling her from the miserable thoughts with the nickname, “we both know it wasn’t that easy.”

They’ve played this out a million times before. What if they had emerged from that temple together somehow? What if Vi had been there when Ambessa made her declaration? Each route ends more bloody or sad than the last. War, death, imprisonment, heartbreak—a thousand gruesome fates. None of which end with them tangled in bed picking at wounds and nuzzling kisses over hurts. The best route Caitlyn can think of, the one Vi cajoles from her lips one terrible night, is Salo starting a war that leaves both of them dead. The one truth that seems to ring through is the separation saved both their lives. It’s a trade Vi makes without a second thought and only later does Caitlyn realize it’s because she’s done it before. Every night Caitlyn vows to do everything in her power to make sure she never has to make it again. 

“I’m glad it helped,” Caitlyn whispers, “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m glad we’re here,” Vi tells her. 

For tonight, that’s more than enough. 

[evan-buck]

#this is such an odd situation bc buck is so loved but he's hardly anyone's fave and yet everyone still fights over him?? mad.#feels like it's just me and a few trusted mutuals out here 😔 A forever mood! Buck fans who want the best for him and everyone else is making us be like...okay we'll just hang onto him until you all can play nice.

100%! i mean we all lost tommy in this and i knew there'd be a big reaction if it ever happened, but like. buck is still here. and he's had his heart broken. and he was the lens through which we perceived this whole relationship in the first place. can we feel big emotions about that too please and stop blaming him for it?? so glad i have a safe little bubble on the dash who gets it 🫶 that'll teach me for looking in tags lmao

[miss-tc-nova]

A Lonely Fear - Malleus Draconia x Reader

I am SO sorry this took so long! I actually really fell in love with this idea, but struggled with getting from A to B as usual. Also, as you can see, this accidentally turned into one of my mediumer ones. Oops. Oh well. It's not perfect, but I hope you enjoy!

Premise: The prefect rejects Malleus's offer at living longer but realizes it was a mistake

Words: 1,759

~~~~~

               “Do you not want that?”

               “N-No!”

               Leaning against the stone wall, I rest a hand to my chest, heart thrumming beneath my fingers. Sure, I’d run all the way from Ramshackle to the college castle, but that’s only part of the reason for my rapid pulse.

               Malleus Draconia, an extraordinary mage and noble royal fae, has very little grasp on just how imposing his world is to mortals like me. This realm of magic alone is intimidating—leaving me near helpless to the whims of my classmates—but to even fathom the reality of the fae is like a bottomless pit of unknown.

               Yet that is exactly what he offered me.

               The future king of Briar Valley offered to extend my time among the living, proudly displaying the gem he’d acquired. He was so pleased with his discovery, but I just couldn’t share that sentiment. For my own weakness, I declined. Then bolted.

               Now here I stand, trying ot rein in the adrenaline, all the while, that look of disappointment amasses a guilt in the pit of my stomach. There’s nothing to do about it now, however, as the piercing bell signals the beginning of the next class.

~~~~~

               Hues of orange and violet have only just begun to blossom across the sky. Even now, as I trudge towards the Hall of Mirrors, I can’t help thinking of that somber expression. It interrupts my every though like a plague, gnawing at my heart for the hurt I’ve caused. I should’ve explained myself, but at the very least, I owe Malleus an apology for my poor reaction.

               Stepping through the doors of the Diasomnia dorm, I see neither hide nor hair of the dragon but someone else spots me. The petit junior waves me closer as the sophomore pours his tea, moving on to the freshman’s.

               “If it isn’t the Ramshackle prefect,” Lilia greets. “Care to join us for a cup of tea? Chamomile is good for clearing one’s mind after a stressful day.”

               “Uh, maybe next time. Have you guys seen Malleus?”

               Ruby eyes find the ceiling in thought. “Not since this morning. But you know full well that he’s the wandering type.”

               “My liege said he had an important task to tend to today.” Sebek’s expression turns crestfallen. “But he declined to let me aid him.”

               “He looked pretty excited when he left,” Silver adds, taking his seat.

               Well that doesn’t help me at all.

               Even worse, Lilia remains ever observant, catching my disappointment. “Is something the matter? Did you two get into a little spat?” That cheeky grin attempts to lighten the mood. “Seven help that boy if so.”

               My head shakes. “No, I…”

               The three stare at me, mostly patiently waiting for me to continue. I suppose if anyone could help me through this, it would be them.

               I take the fourth seat at the table.

               “He came to Ramshackle during break to ask…” I hesitate, not even sure how exactly put it into words. “To ask an odd question and I kind of just…ran away.”

               Sebek leans forward. “You ran away while my liege spoke to you?!”

               Fingers fidget against one another. “I should’ve handled it better and I’m afraid I hurt his feelings, so I was just hoping to find him and maybe explain myself.” Shoulders droop with a sigh. “But I’m not even sure how to do that. Not that it matters if I can’t even find him. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame him if he doesn’t wanna see me.”

               Silver tilts his head. “You said he asked you an odd question. What do you mean by odd?”

               I take a second to mull over my words. “He showed me some sort of crystal and said he wanted to extend my lifespan…”

               Suddenly, Lilia snorts into his drink, spilling tea everywhere and descending into a coughing fit.

               Silver’s jaw drops as he sits straight. “He offered that to you?!”

               “HOW DARE YOU!” Sebek roars, standing so quickly he topples his chair.

               Sebek goes ignored for another usual outburst, but Silver and Lilia’s reactions do not bring any sort of comfort.

               “I figured it was uncommon, but is it that unusual?” I ask, hoping for a response denying the question.

               They way Silver looks at me causes my every muscle to tense—like I’ve been condemned.

               “It’s illegal.”

               Surely, he’s joking. There’s no way Malleus would do something unlawful, let alone for me.

               Right?

               This time, ignoring Sebek is no option as he snags my jacket, tearing me from my seat and rattling me as he shouts. “YOU DARE THINK YOURSELF DESERVING OF MAKING MY LIEGE A CRIMINAL?!”

               “Huh?!”

               “Sebek, that’s enough.” Dragging a sleeve across his mouth, Lilia, too, stands.

               Eyes wide with absolute rage, he continues his rampage. “YOU THINK A MERE HUMAN LIKE YOU IS WORTH ASKING THE GREAT MALLEUS DRACONIA TO BREAK FAE LAW?!”

               “Sebek!”

               Silver starts for the younger man, but Lilia beats him to it. Hand on my shoulder, he easily separates us with a shove that sends Sebek staggering.

               “I said enough.” Though Lilia’s voice remains steady and low, a firm note freezes the air.

               Direct target of the command, Sebek shrinks back. At the waist he bends. “M-My apologies, sir.”

               I, too, recoil as Lilia turns on me, yet for me the fae holds only empathy.

               “First of all, giving extended life to another became illegal when Briar Valley was at war. By placing the death penalty on both the giver and the receiver, the senate hoped to dissuade any who might betray the crown and support the humans.” Though he speaks of illegalities and war, the junior is actually quite soft in speaking to me. “Second, the spell required an exceptionally large supply of magic and the aid of a particular crystal thought to no longer exist. But you saw it, didn’t you.”

               My voice nearly fails, words eeking out in a quite whisper. “B-But I don’t want that. I…I can’t.”

               Lilia’s brows furrow with pity. “I understand that but…Malleus is one of the last dragons left.”

               “Lilia…” Silver’s call is ignored.

               Shoulders raised, I back away. “I-I-I can’t do it. I just can’t. Maybe it’s weakness but I can’t take the thought of living longer. Living on while everyone I care about passes on—I can’t stand it. It’s freaking me out. I don’t want to suffer that kind of existence.”

               Taking my hands, Lilia squeezes firmly while his eyes beg for my understanding.

               “But he has to.”

               Feeling as though the curtain has been swept open, I understand now. And it hits harder than all the fear infesting my bones.

               Pulling away from Lilia, I head for the door despite Silver calling out to me. With barely any idea where I’m going, my feet carry me through the Diasomnia dorm and straight out the Hall of Mirrors. My eyes search frantically, finding nothing but the rush to Ramshackle continues.

               A breath of relief passes my lips as I finally spot the figure strolling the steps towards the rundown dorm.

               The man turns just as I approach, barely even budging as I slam straight into him. My guilt grips at his back, shame hiding in his chest.

               “I’m so sorry!”

               My name falls from his lips in concern.

               “I didn’t want to live longer than everyone! I’m afraid of being alone and watching all my friends disappear! I don’t want to lose them!” A shiver wracks my spine, a sting burning in my eyes. “I didn’t realize that’s exactly what you were doing! I’m sorry!”

               There’s hesitation, almost bafflement at my outburst. That surprise soon softens and a palm presses to my back in consolation.

               “It’s alright,” he says, his voice laced with disappointment. “You don’t—”

               “No! It’s not alright!” I’m such a child, crying as I look up at him. “Nobody deserves that! Nobody deserves to be alone!”

               Malleus’s eyes widen, but I can feel the tension creeping over him in the way he holds me. It shows even more in his cautious words.

               “You don’t have to do this for my sake. I promise I’ll be alright if you don’t.”

               My head shakes. It’s not fair. I have a choice—I can back out of this right now and live as a naïve human—but Malleus never had that choice. No matter what he does, he’s meant to bear witness to time and all the tragedies it brings all on his own. His offer was his own attempt at salvation and, like a fool, I didn’t see it. But I do now and, as much as the idea terrifies me, I refuse to let him suffer on his own.

               One hand releases its grip on his jacket to smear the tears across my face. “I don’t want you to be alone. I want to be there…if you want me to be.”

               For a moment, Malleus simply stares and I consider that perhaps he’s changed his mind. Then his grip tightens and his head bows, leaning against my own.

               “Thank you,” he mutters, clinging barely to his composure.

               I manage a meager laugh. “I already want to spend all my time with you—surely a ‘few’ more years won’t hurt.”

               “And I shall make every one worthwhile.”

               “If we’re to be fugitives, I certainly hope so.”

               Face filled with apprehension, Malleus leans back. “You knew it would be forbidden yet you still came to accept my offer?”

               I let my gaze lower to trace the stripes of his tie. “I guess I just accepted that, one way or another, we’d be in this together.”

               He appears briefly dumbfounded. Then, even with a stray tear or two rolling down his face, Malleus begins to laugh.

               “You never cease to amaze, Child of Man. And for that, I love you.”

               There’s a stutter in my chest as I process what he just said. He too seems to catch what must’ve simply slipped, but not before I lunge again, throwing my arms around his neck in a vice grip that seems all too ineffective against the fae. Even my full weight fazes him less than the embrace itself as he keeps my feet from the ground. For me though, this new vantage point gives me the perfect elevation to press my lips to his.

               Tension snares his every muscle, but quickly melts to accept my gesture as though I grant the greatest blessing of all.

               Letting the kiss break, I rest my forehead against his, unable to keep the elation at bay.

               “I love you too.”

~~~~~

Nova’s Twisted Wonderland Masterlist

[the-real-sasuke-uchiha]

It's been, like, a decade since the story has completely ended (... I don't acknowledge that spin off with the kids or the weird novels), but I still don't understand what people mean when they say Sasuke has a lot to apologize/repent for. What exactly does he have to apologize for? The only thing he ever did wrong was attack Karin to get to Danzo, and he already apologized to her for that. His desire for vengeance was completely selfless and motivated by love and respect for his clan. He didn't attack innocents. He didn't involve anyone else in his problems. Yet, so many fans love how Shikamaru got revenge on Hidan when, to me, it just emphasizes how selfless and justified Sasuke is in contrast. Shikamaru wants to avenge Asuma who died fairly in battle on a mission because he wasn't strong enough. He even tells Tsunade he would leave the village regardless of if she allowed it or not. He involved Ino and Chouji, rushed in without knowledge of Kakuzu, and almost got them killed immediately. And Asuma is just a teacher! not even a fmily or clan member! They all would've died if it weren't for Kakashi being there to help them. Whereas Sasuke takes on his burden alone.

And for all that the fandom likes to critique Kishimoto on his writing choices, he's not a horrible writer. This sequence is purposeful. Shikamaru was the one who led the Sasuke retrieval mission. And shortly after Hidan's death, Sasuke kills Itachi. It was a well-structured sequence showing the validity of Sasuke's motivations compared to Shikamaru's whose motives weren't as justified in comparison, despite the validity of his feelings.

So, it's not that no one in the story can understand Sasuke--they can! All the characters just want to project things onto Sasuke. Naruto wants Sasuke to be a surrogate/prerequisite for the village to validate his sense of self and carry the burden of Naruto's loneliness. Sakura wants him to return her empty "love." Kakashi wants to right his wrongs vicariously through Sasuke and making him return Sakura's affection like he wished he could have for Rin, be a present friend for Naruto like he wishes he could have for Obito, not seek revenge because Kakashi is a mediator meant to to maintain the status quo in the village (a guard dog/"Hound" lol). Itachi wants Sasuke to be a blank slate anyone can impress whatever upon: he wants Sasuke to value the village over their clan and family (which itself is incomprehensible with the feudal structure the setting is based on). The village, and Naruto once he becomes Hokage, wants Sasuke to be a tool to use for the village's benefit. Maybe the only thing Sasuke has to apologize for is being a the protagonist of a revenge-based seinen but forced to be the deuteragonist in a battle shounen 🤷🏽‍♀️.

Dear anon, thank you for this gem. I don't know what else to add, because this is so perfect on its own.

For the record, I dislike Shikamaru, but I think he was right to want to avenge his sensei and go after Hidan. What is totally enraging is that he gets sympathy and assistance for doing all the things that Sasuke is trashed for. He is hateful and vengeful, and nobody tells him to just let go and not get consumed by revenge. He risks his friend's lives and gets zero reproaches, while Sasuke gets emotionally blackmailed by Naruto for all the kids that risked his life trying to forcefully bring him back, even when Sasuke had zero control over that. Kakashi goes far and beyond to help him, when he had tied Sasuke to a tree to lecture him about revenge. There is just so much hypocrisy that it hurts.

I am tired of reading all the ridiculously absurd "wrongs" that Sasuke supposedly did. This is a freaking show about murderer ninjas, but nobody seems to have a body count except for Sasuke. Which gets inflated to ridiculous levels, because Sasuke is apparently to blame not only for the crimes he committed, but also for the ones he imagined. He has no right to be angry and upset, he has no right to fight for his justice, because, in a world where the end justify the means and shinobi are meant to behave as tools that sacrifice everything for a mission, Sasuke is the only ninja that is demanded to find his way without even scratching a fly.

Sasuke has nothing to apologise for. He is the one being owned serious apologies and reparations. From everyone. From Sakura, for sexually harassing and trying to murder him. From Kakashi, for being the shittiest and most biased sensei, for being a hypocrite hokage that never attempted to make justice and for never prosecuting the surviving instigators of the Uchiha massacre. And from Naruto, for glorifying Hiruzen and for the same reasons as hokage Kakashi, because he too swept everything under the rug and never even tried to make justice.

Sasuke did nothing wrong. He grew just too magnificent for an antagonist, and they had to murder his character and his soul to make main character shine in his dumbness.

[nobredoesart]

"Getting Used To", a Lightcannon Snip

-

It dawned on her that having the barrel of a gun absentmindly whipping back and forth in front of her face was not something that she should get used to. No, there was, in no point in all her schooling and independent studies, nor in all her combat training, in which anyone could've prepared her for the reality that 'barrel of magical gun waving across her face' wouldn't be her main concern, or even in the consideration of such. But Lux couldn't blame herself, and in her totally unbiased opinion, she didn't think anyone else would blame her.

"-and so I said, 'what's wrong with my pants?' and she has the gall to call them a half chewed circus tent! It was ridiculous," continued Lux's source of concern, with her voice infused with bewildered offense. Her blue hair had been getting longer, and as she gesticulated, it flopped, lit by mage-light.

Yes, Lux's concern was not the fact that the woman had a makeshift scrap gun limply dangling from her fingers. It was the fact that Lux couldn't physically stop staring at her glowing violet eyes, shimmering with a light of their own, or the tiny markings on her face that hinted at freckles, or the way her nose got scrunched up when she had said 'pants'. Lux knew it wasn't magic. She knew, but at this point, she'd be willing to say that Jinx might have developed a new branch of it because the blonde mage could not look away.

That isn't even to get her started on the fact that in spite of the cool air of fresh winter, her companion was still only wearing a leather crop top, and a loose jacket that Lux had thrown at her when they first started the climb. Her tattoos alone tormented Lux in a way that no petricide infused nightmares could ever hope to achieve.

So, no, Jinx's gun didn't concern Lux at all.

"Ya think my pants look cool, don't ya, blondie?"

"Of course, Jinx." The words came automatically (not that they weren't true), and Lady Luxanna Crownguard forced herself to not stare at the way the other woman subtly seemed to soften at those words. "I do think we could get you another set that is slightly warmer though."

Jinx's eyebrow rose. "Why? Told ya already, Sunshine, I don't get cold easy. It's all part o' the package the good doctor gave me." She drummed her fingers across her thigh, as she slid with a feline grace across the tree stump they had been sharing closer to her. "Ya gettin' cold, blondie?"

The young mage could feel herself warming up, in fact, but it wouldn't do to let the smug Zaunite know that. They smelled fear. Worst of all, they smelled embarrassment.

"That's two separate nicknames in one sentence, Jinx." Lux idly looked at her nails. "Or should I say-"

"Don't you dare-"

"-Sweetcheeks?"

Ducking purely out of habit is what saved the blonde from getting glomped by a shimmer induced Jinx, and even that was a feat. Her fingers twitched and a light barrier bloomed into existence as a furiously red Jinx shoved her face against the clear surface.

Lux's ears filtered out the string of idle threats and embarrassed pounding on the barrier, along with a truly impressive number of cuss words in languages the Demacian had no idea Jinx even knew (who in the Veiled Lady's name knew Rivertongue?) as her concerning reaction to the woman came back full force.

Here, in this small clearing in the middle of the forest stretching deep into uncharted lands, with a cracking mage-fire warming the cool air, travel packs dangling idly from the top of the trees, beautiful stars dancing overhead, all that Lux could focus on was Jinx.

Lux had been desperately dreaming of travelling and seeing all the wonders of the world since she was a babe. Since she knew what it meant to adventure, since Garen had first snuck her into the family library to show her an atlas of Valoran, since she had been told that she was to stay in the estate and manage it like a lady should. That dream had never died, even through all the turmoil the family endured, even through the horrors of shackled boredom in the Crownguard Estate. It had been fostered in her journals, and her travels to the capital, and the few conversations she would snag from the trade-folk that she would meet throughout the years.

And she was finally doing it! Not under ideal circumstances (considering the whole outlaw status, and their slowly dwindling coin), but her feet were out the door, and the winds smelled of change (and pine trees if she was honest)!

But all thoughts of adventure seemed secondary to the overwhelming feeling of devotion and fondness that overtook the mage every time she felt Jinx nearby. It felt like dreaming, the soft haze of light and wonder and the thrill of something more, and it dwarfed the excitement for freedom by a metric she couldn't even fathom.

"Lux, I swear to my guns, dead and alive, that you will sleep alone tonight if you don't lower this barrier, right now!"

So yeah, maybe I should be a little concerned, the blonde thought as the light barrier faded away, replaced very quickly by an armful of flushed Jinx.

But if it meant she could see her girl snarling at her while distracting wrapping her arms around Lux? It was a concern she could get used to.

[countlessofvoids]

what's interesting about hiccup's character that you never see people talk about? as someone who likes him, i also get annoyed by how the fandom sees him and i prefer him in the first movie over everything else.

A lot of things honestly. I have a hard time naming them individualy lmao.

I feel like people tend to take parts of Hiccup's character they like, then mold him into something imitating Hiccup. I see a lot of interpretations where his sarcasm takes up 90% of his personality and/or his entire motivation is saving dragons and killing people as some kind of vigilante. Another thing popular in this fandom that annoys me is taking other characters' traits and giving those to Hiccup.

But what I believe mainly gets ignored, or rather purposefully removed, is him being a 'peacekeeper'. Now, I can't exactly blame anyone for doing this, because continuations after the second movie either ;

1) Completly forget it was a thing.

Or 2) The Narrative actively shames him for it, or turns it into something else. This goes for THW — where it's treated as a flaw of Hiccup's character, then reduced to him "being afraid of change" (And circles back to the whole "Humans bad, Dragons good" message of THW, I could go on about this topic for hours).

The source material itself is not interested in exploring it.

This also happens partialy because fans think peacekeeper means someone who has no understanding of how conflicts work and expects everyone to drop their weapons to go frolic in the fields together. Hiccup gets criticized for trying to find another way, when he has a reason to believe he can change people. I mean, he changed the entirety of Berk. Yes, pursuing Drago Bludvist so you can convince him to join your side when everyone who has more experience with the warlord tells you not to, is not the best decision. But Hiccup is young, he's bound to make mistakes. Besides, events wouldn't alter too much if he did otherwise.

Which is a bit disappointing. I think it could fit with the theme of him being different from everyone else; Looking for a peaceful solution when others want to destroy each other. Another reason why I find this concept intriguing is because I see Hiccup as someone who struggles a bit when it comes to sympathizing with humans, especially hunters. Not as in he intentionaly hates them — he just spent his life befriending animals & dragons instead of people, so now he's spiteful especially towards humans who hurt them. I like to think he still holds even a tiny bit of spite towards Berkians and his enemies-turned-allies (not with Stoick & Valka though, it's complicated with them).

As for why I personaly don't like him in most iterations after the first movie: He's just kinda boring. He goes from a sarcastic loner who ultimately wants to be accepted by others, to 'young movie male protagonist n.1235'. Huge part of that comes from what was done with his design. Second movie!Hiccup has started to grow on me lately. I couldn't care less about RTTE!Hiccup. THW!Hiccup was on the right path, but they chose the worst and most contradictory way of doing it. It could also be the fact he loses relatability for me.

[swordduels]

Circe was halfway through a second portion with added potatoes and some salad on the side when Regalia spoke up. It was a bluff. Regalia wouldn’t let her go that easily. Not only because of her unhealthy obsession but also the constant need to gain more power by any means possible. They both knew Circe’s abilities were an asset that prevented Regalia from fading away into dust and she had been given a false identity that would keep authorities away, unless something else were to happen. If her lover had lived on the street for Gods knew how long it would stand to reason this was more or less a sanctuary until something better was available. With how desperately Regalia sucked energy from Circe it stood to reason there were no other people directly involved. The people online were still distant and couldn’t go out following orders unless they were lured into becoming a loyal puppet or an employee of sorts. All of this was of course speculation on her part but she had a hunch those speculations were close to what went through Regalia’s scheming mind. “So if I decided to leave your growing imperium, where would you go?” Circe’s voice was sugary sweet as she met her golden gaze. The steaming cup of coffee was held between both hands while she blatantly avoided Regalia’s assumptions about her feelings regarding  sexual exploits and OnlyFans. Circe had already made it clear how enjoyable she found their time together. It should have been made obvious already with the way she gave away her body freely. Regarding OnlyFans it had honestly been quite exhilarating to tease and expose herself. She had found out a lot more about herself and Regalia that previously had not been explored. They had been like animals in heat despite being caught on film. All of that was very raw with her earnest desires on display. There was no regret or shame and she didn’t mind going at it again after some rest. What did concern her was how the account would be received if any of her colleagues or future clients found it. But leaving the platform wouldn’t remove the erotic material. Internet was forever after all… Circe took a sip of her coffee while studying Regalia. Her lighthearted tone couldn’t hide the seriousness of their conversation with heavy implications dripping in each sentence. Regalia was not taking this lightly anymore. This was progress. She didn’t want to be treated with anything but respect when talking about these issues. “Disgust is a very heavy word, darling.” She spoke with sincerity before taking another sip. “I’m concerned about what it will develop into and how I’ll fit into it. I can’t have sex with you twenty-four seven and I don’t want to either. Besides, I won’t be able to give you more energy if you won’t let me rest. My other concern is with how the reputation of OnlyFans could affect my actual job. Would anyone take me seriously if they knew I was taking part in illicit material online? Women of today are still shamed for being sexually active or taking part in sex-work.” Circe tapped the cup while looking down into her coffee. “And there won't be more bodies or anything else that could get me arrested?” There was an emphasis on ‘me’ as Circe suspected all blame could potentially go to her while Regalia slipped away scott free. Despite being obsessed with holding her wives on a leash she also had the habit of dropping people when a situation turned dire.  Of course she aimed for more. Nothing would satisfy Regalia as she was the very essence of greed. As such she always craved more and worked hard to reach it. Even at her peak she would keep searching for something to fill that hungry void. Circe nodded while finishing her coffee. She watched her swiping the commentary while talking about dominance. There it was. Regalia’s insatiable hunger. While watching her she could feel the growing strength with each growing number. The tense expression seemed to fade as she indulged in her success by swiping and staring down at the screen.

A thick silence followed with the news report being heard as background voice. Details about several bodies with missing hearts being found were being discussed. Theories of cult activity or a serial murderer was tossed around while everyone wondered if the missing hearts held a religious symbolism. Others claimed it had something to do with the murderer’s mentality. If only they knew it was a serial killer who used hearts to gain energy to keep on living. It then occurred to her that Regalia’s murders were also to keep Circe quiet and complicit in what was going on. Both hands gripped harder around the cup while she kept studying her. As much as Circe tried to convince herself of the opposite she wouldn’t throw Regalia out to the streets and even if she did it would probably backfire.

There wasn’t much to be done at this moment.as Regalia had forced her hand for protection and Circe couldn’t speak out about it without being arrested for obstruction of justice which made this a standstill until one of them backed down. Another option was to turn Regalia into an animal but it would be too obvious if she tried it right now. Besides, Circe didn’t want this to end right now. “If you are done buttering me up with sweet talks after threatening me you owe me for giving you a new identity, food, a roof over your head and food. Not to mention all the hours we had sex.” Circe left her chair and walked over to Regalia. She bent down and grabbed her hair. “If you want to sleep in my bed and sit at the table you have to clean up my bedroom, change bed sheets and take care of the dishes. No more phones until you are done.” She held out one hand to give Regalia the option to freely give it to her. @fallesto

She took a bite from her plate, chewing thoughtfully. “You know, you could always continue to help with my social media growth. The more you post, the more power I get. Plus it’s not like you don’t enjoy it. And if you don’t want to be involved, I can always find others who are eager to be a part of this.” She watched as Circe’s eyes shot up to hers, the challenge unmistakable.

This was the problem.

Her powers need people within a certain range, something that had caused issues in the past, now even more, a little bit hard to travel with fifty people now and keep them close and out of sight, now she could not take a gamble, she breathed out, sighing, almost tired from the display of power, nothing more than a song and a dance, a little taste and it was nowhere near dangerous to a witch, she needed more, so much more than this.

Thousands already, but she needed more than this, she needed to piggyback off the hearts and create a network, she needed some in range of this apartment building and the witch had many people who worked for her and knew her, making them fall for her, would be easy, and then spread it like cancer, like a plague, which was happening, but this was only the start. As she licked the blood, showing her, that a thousand years alone, beaten, broken and forgotten, whatever sanity that she might have had.

Truly it had slipped away with the passage of time.

The tension in the room thicken as she took in the words. It was clear that her power was tied to the attention and lust of her followers. The more popular she became, the stronger she grew. This was a game Circe had never anticipated playing, but she wasn’t about to let her guard down now and she knew this. She knew that her hunger for power was insatiable. 

If she didn’t keep her in check, who knew what she would do next.

“My  power is quite the parasitic nature, and it disgusts you?” She commented, trying to keep her voice light despite the heavy implications. She took a sip of coffee, watching as her eyes narrowed slightly. “There is nothing more than can link back to you and out you in danger.”

As she scoffed, swiping at her phone. “I need more than what I have, I cannot be content, why content is for the weak. I aim for dominance. And with your help, my dear, I shall have it all.” Her eyes glinted with ambition as she tapped away on her screen. The numbers grew at a dizzying rate, each new follower adding to her aura of power.

The sound of the report grew louder, the reporter’s voice cutting through the silence as they discussed the latest celebrity scandal. It was a stark contrast to the dark reality unfolding in the kitchen. Her eyes remained glued to her phone, the screen casting a sickly blue light on her face as she devoured the power her followers provided. With each new notification, Circe could see the lines of tension around Regalia’s eyes smooth out, as if her very existence was being validated with every like and share.

And then looked up from her phone, her eyes gleaming. “You’re worried about me? How sweet.” She took a moment to swallow her food before continuing. “But you see, with great power comes great responsibility. And I assure you, I know exactly what I’m doing. Besides, isn’t this what you wanted? To have some fun, the look on your face, tells me you have been bored for some time and if you wanted me gone, you would not have made me something to eat, so I will be staying, until you tell me to leave, which I believe will not happen.”

[butwilltherebealcohol]

Roommate: hey bud.......how ya doin?

Me, head down on table, 4th whiskey on ice in hand, earbuds blasting music loud enough to hear from the other side of the room: why wyould u even ask im obviously perfectly fine. thriving.

[itissadbutitsmy-artblog]

truly and literally obsessed with how advtime civilizations see their ancient founders as glowing angels

[rxttenfish]

the "people in horror movies make stupid decisions in moments of high stress because of Bad Writing" thing has gotten so bad that its started to infect how people talk about actual real life atrocities. "oh, these people were just stupid and deserved to die, why didnt they do this" well first of all they had literally no way of obtaining insights through visions of the future, they were actively dying of months of poisoning and grievous injuries, and you cant even be nice to people doing inoffensive things if you wake up slightly earlier than normal, so perhaps we should reconsider your perspective on the situation.

[thebreakfastgenie]

Some man on twitter took the opportunity of someone literally celebrating Ruth Bader Ginsburg's 90th birthday to push the "Ginsburg should have retired and this is her/Democrats' fault" line and unfortunately I have some time on my hands so you're getting this rant from me again.

First and foremost, putting the blame on a dead woman when there is a living man who is more directly responsible for losing control of the Supreme Court is profoundly stupid and while I doubt it's consciously misogynistic it does reflect a society that holds women responsible for everything.

I don't know how many times I can say this, but we didn't lose the court in 2020, we lost it in 2018 when Anthony Kennedy retired and Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed. A 6-3 conservative majority is certainly worse, but the Dobbs decision, for example, would have been the same.

You don't get to blame Democrats or Ruth Bader Ginsburg for the fact that you dismissed the importance of the Supreme Court in 2016. Whatever you think should have been done in 2014, you knew what the reality was in 2016. There was already an open seat on the Supreme Court during that election.

If Hillary Clinton had won in 2016, Antonin Scalia would have been replaced by a liberal justice, likely Merrick Garland, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg would have been replaced by another liberal justice. Anthony Kennedy would either have remained in his seat or been replaced by a moderate or liberal justice. The tentative 5-4 liberal majority we had prior to 2016 would have become a tentative 6-3 majority with a solid 5 liberal votes. This Supreme Court would not have overturned Roe and would not be threatening policies like student loan forgiveness and affirmative action. That is the court we would have if 50,000 people in three states had voted for Hillary Clinton.

Instead, Donald Trump appointed three Supreme Court Justices and there is a solid 6-3 conservative majority that will continue handing down horrible decisions that are nakedly political and barely even bother with constitutional justification. At the moment we're basically waiting for a couple of them to die and hoping there is a Democratic president and senate when it happens.

I think the position that Ginsburg should have retired in 2014 is heavily influenced by hindsight, but even accepting that it was a good idea, it's not as simple as people who began believing it in 2020 make it sound. First of all, I cite 2014 because Democrats lost control of the senate that year. This argument relies on Democrats seeing that loss coming. Even if they could do that, Democrats did not have filibuster-proof majority in the senate in 2014. At the time, senate rules required such a majority for supreme court confirmations. Harry Reid had only recently changed the rules to allow all other federal judicial nominations to be confirmed with a simple majority.

It's easy to forget now, but the level of Republican obstructionism during the Obama administration was unexpected. The rule change came about because there were so many judicial vacancies. Unfortunately, not all of them were filled even after the rule change, which allowed a number of Republican appointments during the Trump administration. I didn't have a position on senate rules in 2012-14 because I was in high school, but my position now is that I support ending the filibuster.

I think it's very clear that Republicans will simply change the rules to benefit themselves anyway the second they have power, so Democrats are not gaining anything by preserving the filibuster. However, I reached this position with the benefit of having observed Mitch McConnell's actions as Majority Leader between 2015 and 2019. Democrats in 2012-14 did not have that benefit. I don't know how predictable this Republican behavior was, but it's certainly not the same as having observed something that already happened. If Mitch McConnell had not already changed the rule for Supreme Court confirmations in 2017 in order to confirm Neil Gorsuch, I would have urged Democrats to do it in order to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson. But I don't know if it's fair to expect Democrats to have done so in 2014.

It's also worth remembering that the open politicization of the Supreme Court is fairly recent. It's been obviously political at least since the 1980s, but for quite a long time both parties kept up a pretense that it wasn't. It's easy to see why Democrats might not have expected Republicans to keep a seat open for an entire year rather than even give a Democratic nominee a hearing.

I think "in hindsight, things would be better if Ruth Bader Ginsburg had retired in 2014 and Harry Reid had changed the senate rules so Democrats could confirm a replacement" is a reasonable take. But it's academic. There's no point in assigning blame. And Democrats clearly did learn from this, because Stephen Breyer retired and was replaced by Ketanji Brown Jackson.

And, once again, whatever you think should have happened in 2014, we all went into 2016 knowing exactly what did and did not happen. Few people were saying Ginsburg should have retired at that time, and even those who were would not have been justified in not voting for Hillary Clinton, or discouraging others from supporting her, or downplaying the importance of the Supreme Court.