#and that cute misguided assassin

[morethansky]

***THE ACOLYTE SPOILERS***

• Me, seconds before I could hear millions of thirsty voices crying out: Oh my god is a nymph-bathing thing about to happen, is he legitimately about to strip

• Sadly, unlike Osha, I am immune to the Stranger's practically full frontal, but the reveal of his little tied-back hair bits at the same time had me screaming into a pillow, so we all win.

• So the island was definitely meant to evoke Ahch-To, right? This was a very The Last Jedi episode (it even had the same mismatched pacing for the three storylines lmao), and the Kylo Ren theme was the most prominent it's been in the end credits. I think the theories about Qimir being a progenitor of the Ren are spot on. I like this quite a bit; it would be smart to build off of High Republic stuff while cementing Resistance-era lore. This would line up with the Bad Batch building off of the Clone Wars stuff while cementing Resistance-era lore. I also personally find it a bit boring that Bane's lineage is laid out all neatly and am particularly interested in darksiders being outside of it. And it would mean the show is drawing even more from the books and comics, which I'm always in favor of. And fun fact, my second-ever SW fic was based on the Rise of Kylo Ren comics!

• But ALSO, given that they clearly showed the cortosis vein, it also evokes Bal'demnic, the planet where Plagueis kills Tenebrous omg??? Not to be an annoying fanboy, but I adore the Darth Plagueis novel and we're apparently supposed to see two additional Sith Lords before the season ends somehow??? And in the novel, Tenebrous secretly trains multiple apprentices. I could totally see the season ending with Qimir suffering a vague fate and an extremely brief Tenebrous appearance that leaves the door open for a season 2 big bad. That David Harewood casting rumor is too delicious to be fake!

• On that note, since episode 2, I haven't been able to stop thinking about how when we're introduced to Qimir, he's sleeping, and he's awoken by Mae, who is now confirmed to have been his apprentice. Which is notably how Palpatine kills Plagueis. It just feels so much like a neat little allusion to me.

• Did this episode not have such Mend This Old Wound vibes?? Waking up in your enemy's lair, finding out your wounds were tended to by him, realizing he really wants to convert you, discovering he doesn't find you a threat, being surprised by his vulnerability, being surprised by what of his past and his inner self he's willing to divulge. Tbh I hadn't even realized how tropey those elements were until I watched this lmao.

• Sadly, despite my lifelong love for enemies-to-lovers stories, I don't vibe with a lot of M/F ships, bad boy/good girl ones especially. I'm happy for the Oshmir shippers, though, and at least it's happening in a story created by a queer woman, so hopefully it'll be done tastefully. Hmm... Perhaps if I genderbent Qimir I could get behind writing something, and then the seduction to the dark side would be strengthened by the queer metaphor...

• BUT ALSO YOOO OSHA/JECKI CONFIRMED???? And after Dafne Keen confirmed that she played Jecki as having a crush on Osha?? Y'all, Osha was TOTALLY floating the idea of asking Jecki out on a date with that whole "the next time I'm on Coruscant" thing, oh my goddd. The gays continue to be buried, but at least they exist, and I guess at least everyone else is buried, too?

• I love that we got a quiet moment of Sol grieving because finally there was nobody watching and he couldn't hold it together any longer. This is what I was begging for the entire run of the Bad Batch. Wonderfully acted, too. Lee Jung-Jae's expression work is so good, and I love the long, lingering shot and how you see the tears well up gradually.

• I love when actors have to act as characters acting, and Amandla Stenberg was already acting as two different characters that they had to keep distinct from each other, but in this episode, they had to act as one of their characters acting as the other character lmao. Incredible.

• Halfway through this episode I was like, why does it feel like we're getting blueballed for information omfg. We're definitely getting the second Brendok flashback episode next week, and obviously they had to keep it at the forefront of the viewers' minds without giving it away, but I feel like structurally they could've lined this up in a different way that didn't just reveal nothing in order to kick the can down the road lol. I guess this is a pretty classic issue in mysteries.

• I've been deeply confused as to why there's been so much Jedi-good/Jedi-bad discourse lately, but I don't see them as firmly in either court and that to me feels like the entire point of the part they play in the story?? Which is why I always love seeing the tension in the Jedi-Senate relationship and the way the political machinations play out, especially when Palpatine's not involved (at least overtly).

So I really liked Vernestra's conversation with the senator and the line about the Jedi always being transparent so an audit shouldn't be an issue and how the show clearly illustrates that that's not remotely true. Which is also really interesting because we have Sol doing a cover-up, possibly him and the other three Jedi who were Brendok doing a different cover-up, and also Vernestra, who doesn't know about what happened on Brendok or what Sol is hiding, clearly looking uncomfortable at the suggestion that the Jedi are transparent, pointing to other things they (or she specifically) haven't been disclosing.

I'm a sucker for political corruption in stories and when well-meaning people's hands are tied, so I'm eating it up. And of course I love how they're setting up the Jedi's fall from grace and building out context for why and how they would walk into Palpatine's trap.

• Qimir talking about being a Jedi a very long time ago is very intriguing. Upon seeing his scar, my first thought was Force lightning and that he was talking about being abandoned by a Sith master. But with Vernestra's whip making an appearance that doesn't add anything to the story otherwise, the show is clearly presenting it as the cause of the scar?? Which is VERY interesting.

• Mog's suggestion that Sol killed all the Jedi made my jaw drop because why would they even speak this outrageous idea into existence if it doesn't have truth to it in some way??? Like oh shit, that's REALLY fun. Has Sol killed Jedi before? Would he? Are the other Jedi wary of him? Do they feel the same way about the other three Jedi who were on Brendok? Mog specifically notes that Sol is very powerful. We already saw this with him going up against Qimir and surviving, so why this line?

• Sol was already my favorite character from the start just with how warm he was and how full of regret and how much he clearly loved Osha even though he wasn't supposed to, and every episode has drawn the darkness simmering within him closer to the surface, which brings him even closer to the kind of character I'm particularly fond of, so I'm very, very interested in where the show takes him. I don’t know if they could really swing Sith Master Sol, but Lee Jung-Jae sure as hell could act it.

• Can I just say, the writing for this show is definitely wobbly, but I at least appreciate that showrunner Leslye Headland has a refreshing understanding of story mechanics, even if she might love foils a little too much (and this is coming from a total foil whore). What she said about a good plot twist being built up so that the viewer realizes what's about to happen just before it's fulfilled instead of coming out of nowhere and being a total shock literally made me pump my fist because I've been complaining about the internet's poor understanding of this concept for literal years!! And the way she talked about how when you watch Jecki die, you want her to move out of the way so you can see the Stranger's face, and how in thinking that you've betrayed her and in a way become complicit in her death, is SO good.

• It's too bad all live-action Star Wars ever is doomed to have mediocre dialogue. But at least these things make me feel fairly confident in having high hopes for the Brendok reveal. And regardless of what happens, I am so excited to see goddess Mother Aniseya again next episode, omg omg!!!

[grand-theft-carbohydrates]

#2 Ode to Grief:

"Avenge him?" The king laughed, not cruelly, it was the sort of pitying laugh one might give to a slow-witted child. ''How can you avenge him? I am not the one who killed Jing Ke. He was already a dead man walking. His fate was sealed the moment he set foot outside of Yan. Even if he had succeeded in taking my life, he would not have lived long enough to enjoy it. He knew this. You knew this, and yet you still let him go. So who among us is the real murderer? Yes, it was my sword that struck him down, but Ying Zheng was just a frightened man lashing out in self defence--getting chased around the room by a knife-wielding assassin tends to bring out the worst in me. But why didn't Gao Jianli ask his Jing Ke to stay? To give up his misguided revenge fantasy and settle down in the countryside to grow old together? I saw his eyes before he died. They were not the eyes of a hopeless man. Jing Ke wanted to live. He might have chosen to live, for you."

--------

the emperor's shadow was great but i will die mad for the blatant jing ke/gao jianli erasure. some crimes can never be forgiven.

---------

ying zheng, after spending 5 minutes listening to Gao Jianli talk about Jing Ke: I Know What You Are

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qin dynasty reddit r/relationshipadvice: i (m 33) met this cute musician (m 28) but i killed his bf (m 29) in self defence after he tried to assassinate me. how many weeks should i wait before i start hitting on him? also are blind dates still cute, yes or no?

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ok look. i know it's SUPER rude for ying zheng to refer to everyone by their given names, given that he's trying to win gao jianli over, but IDK what their styled names are so pls roll with it for now. i mean, he IS the king does that count for anything?

[romanoffsbish]

Renewed

Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Wanda Maximoff x Vision

Natasha x Fem!Reader x Yelena (Siblings)

Misguided Connections (Previous)

⚠️ 18+ ‼️

Smut mixed in!! | Double Strap use | Light Fingering

TW: Mind control, Violence

Natasha took a shaky breath in, while Yelena held onto her arm with an iron grip, as she pushed the doors to the lab open. Her senses were on high alert as her gaze fell on an infuriated Tony, slamming his fists into Steve's chest. Her eyes roamed around the room for your body, but her breath caught in her throat once she noticed your obvious absence.

——

Yelena insisted that she got to see you, even though Natasha knew it would do no more than to further break her heart, she reluctantly brought her to the lab. Now though, she's feeling an insatiable rage take over her body at the sight of your now empty bed.

"Where is she?" Natasha coldly barks out, successfully interrupting the men and their seemingly petty arguments.

"Yeah, Rogers, please do enlighten our resident assassins on where Y/N is." Tony angrily condescends at the super soldier.

"SHIELD took her..." Steve whispers, with his head hung low.

"Excuse me?" Yelena questions angrily, as her sorrow bubbles over into a rage to match her sisters, and she takes a step forward.

"On who's orders?" Natasha seethes, while also holding her sister back and Tony immediately replies.

"Apparently our dear old pal Fury's."

Natasha's immediately dumbfounded...

How did Fury even know you were down yet?

Why would he take you without at least consulting your sisters?

What the hell is he up to?

"Guys, we can focus on SHIELD after we've handled Vision's stone." Steve says into the shared space, while receiving a multitude of glares in return.

"Fuck Vision, and his stone!" Yelena growls, as she goes to tug on Natasha's arm, but she stands firmly in place.

"He's right." Natasha reluctantly agrees.

"How can you say that?" Yelena all but whimpers, as she drops her sisters arm as if she'd burned her by her touch.

"Y/N wouldn't have died if it wasn't for the stones safe removal Lena... We have to ensure it's destroyed properly." Natasha dejectedly replies, and Yelena sighs in reluctant agreement.

"Let's go then." Steve announces, and the entirety of the team makes their way to the quinjet, well almost everyone.

——

Once Wanda made it to Westview her eyes were brimming with a new wave of unshed tears. It was perfect, it was a quiet town, somewhat rundown, but homey nonetheless. Once she'd pulled up onto the street her heart skipped a beat, it was just as perfect.

Wanda pulled up into the driveway, and sat their in awe as she stared at the beautiful two story house. She lifted Lily's carrier out and placed her on the hood of the car, while she herself leaned against it.

"Wow, your mama sure knows the way to my heart." Wanda brokenly whispers while she surveys her surroundings, and her gaze falls to the ring on her finger.

The front yard was rather cute, as it was fenced in to Wanda's specifications. There's an already handled garden, with a multitude of crops already in bloom, bringing a brief smile to her face knowing you'd been here recently.

As she made her way up the porch steps she sat on the swing and took in the array of decorations you'd meticulously purchased. There were bird feeders, a "Welcome Home" doormat, and so much more. She chuckled as her eyes landed on the "Beware of Witch" sign you'd placed in the window. No matter how many times she'd groaned, or told you she'd hated the nickname, she now found herself pleading with the Gods just to hear you calling her 'little witch' once more.

Once she'd finally placed the key in the door, she'd found her hands were shaking, as she was completely overwhelmed by the house already. She went to push the doors open, but stilled when her phone rang, and her heart stopped at the ringtone—it was yours.

"Hello?" She shakily answers the phone, naively believing it could be you on the other end

"Wanda, I don't know why you're missing, but get your ass here now. We're leaving to destroy the godforsaken stone, and it can't be done without you." Natasha's cold voice comes through the other end, and Wanda doesn't question the angry demeanor in the slightest.

"I-I'll be there in ten." Wanda dejects, pushing the door open just enough to slip Lily's carrier inside.

She kneels down then unzips the carrier, and pets the confused cats head.

"I'll be back shortly little one, get acquainted with our new home."

She takes off into the sky, and within a matter of moments finds herself aboard the quinjet full of awaiting Avengers. Finding a seat across from the sisters, she observes them both and she sees that they look to be in the anger stage of their grief.

——

Wakanda had been a bit trickier than had been expected, as they were met with a battle almost instantly. In the end, Wanda had done exactly what she came to do—lay waste to the army of aliens that had cost her everything, and to destroy the stone that sealed your twisted fate.

Vision had attempted to talk to Wanda, but she quite literally threw him across the field and once again found herself across from the sisters on the jet. Natasha had slyly smirked at the sight, clearly finding amusement in the man's karma. Yelena found herself moving to be within the witches embrace. Wanda's heart skipped a beat at the gesture, immediately she wrapped her arm around her shoulders, and closed her eyes and relaxed against the seat.

Once they landed, Natasha went to scoop Yelena up, as she'd fallen asleep but Wanda stopped her with a gentle hand to her forearm.

"Collect your belongings, and meet me here." She mutters, slipping an address into her pocket as she takes off before Vision can even mutter her name, and Natasha finds herself doing just that.

She packed up a suitcase full of hers and Yelena's items, even swooping into your room as well and collecting pieces of you. Then she loaded the belongings into the trunk, Yelena, and Fanny into the back seat, and Liho in the front passenger as she left the compound in the dust.

Once she'd arrived she couldn't fight the smile on her face as she stepped out—you'd actually done it. She remembers all the restless nights where she'd find you up in the kitchen at 2AM, with your airpods in and a mug of reheated coffee. Blueprints for Wanda's dream house would be splayed across the counter, while you listened to your silly podcasts. You'd always shoo her away, with the promise of one day allowing her to see 'her room,' because that was your only requirement for the space—that your sisters have rooms there too.

You'd always been big on holding your sisters close, after the forced years of separation, you'd vowed to never allow that to take place again. Family had always been so foreign to the three of you, but in the end here it had also become all you'd known. The bond the three of you had will hopefully live on in the love you'd had for one another.

"Natasha, where are we?" Yelena grumbles, and Natasha's pulled from her thoughts, as she wipes away at the tears on her cheek and she turns to face her sister.

"Home." She somberly replies, pulling her confused sister out of the car, and into an abrupt hug.

Yelena burrows further into her sister's hold, as she wraps her arms around her waist.

"Home." She repeats against her chest, and Nat leans down to place a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Wanda's been observing every little thing you'd done, and her shattered heart continues to fall apart with every perfect detail. You truly encompassed everything she could've ever wanted, you just stupidly underestimated how much she needed you to make it whole.

You'd always been that way, completely insecure with your place in her life, no matter the reassurances she'd offered. She just hates that she somehow proved you right, wishing desperately that she'd had the will power to override the pull she'd had to Vision.

As she enters the room she falls back on the bed, relishing in the silky sheets you'd purchased. The sounds of crinkling brought her back to a sitting position, as she felt around for the culprit, and there was a note on the bed.

"Darling,

I'm not stupid, I'm like 90% certain you intercepted Vision from his note, as whatever pull had probably faded once I'd done what I had to. Listen to me, it's okay to move on. Promise there's no ill feelings left, I just had to act as if there was, because it would've been to suspicious if I hadn't. I died knowing you loved me wholeheartedly, I don't blame you, and I need you not to blame yourself. Vision was just as much a victim as we were my sweet girl, so please, let yourself be happy with him.

Love, yours always, Y/N Y/L/N. <3"

Her chest instantly tightens, and she slips to the floor onto her knees.

"No!" She shouts in response to your letter, as she crumples it and throws it across the room.

Her mind is instantly foggy, as the only thing she can see is flashes of your smiling face, from all your best memories together. Her senses are essentially overclouded with your familiarities. The way your lips felt against hers, the scent that was uniquely yours fills her nostrils, the way you tasted is ever present on her tongue, it's as if she can somehow hear you whispering your 'I love you's.'

Natasha entered the house, feeling almost instantly that the vibe in the house was off. Yelena traipsed in behind her, and her face dropped, as she saw a red mist flowing out from underneath a door.

"Wanda?" Natasha skeptically questions into the apparently empty space, then she notices the exact thing Yelena does and she moves to run towards the door.

Within an instant, the red surges out from underneath the door, spreading like wildfire throughout the home, and out passed it as well.

Wanda wakes up in the bed, with a pounding headache, and finds herself tensing as she feels an arm draped over her side. She opens her eyes to find your peaceful face beside her, causing a gasp to tumble passed her lips, and for your face to contort in apparent annoyance.

"Wands, my love, what is it? Did 'Lena let Fanny eat your shoes again?" You lazily muttered, as you moved your arm around to pull her closer to you.

She remained still, and quiet, not entirely trusting this supposed illusion just yet. Having no actual clue on as to how it is you're lying next to her, feeling entirely too real for it to be said illusion.

"Sweetheart, what's got you so tense?" You question, fully awake now, as you lean forward to kiss her forehead.

The action causes Wanda's body to shudder, having missed your gentle touch for what was a bit over a year now. She lunges forward and knocks her head into yours in a failed attempt at capturing your lips.

"Baby, what was that?" You laugh out, then use your hands to guide her lips to yours in a sweet kiss.

She pulls back with a giggle, and you move to sit the both of you up.

"Well, I'm up now, so what's the plans for today?" You ask her with a goofy smile, and she smirks at you with a knowing gaze.

She straddles your seated body, and pulls you in by the neck for a heated kiss.

⚠️🥵.

"Baby, it's 9AM, I'm sure my sisters are wide awake..." You murmur against her lips.

"Yeah, well sex is a must, and they knew we fucked like bunnies when they moved in." Wanda replies naturally, as if the circumstances of this ordeal were somehow anything but odd.

"Good point." You reply, as you suddenly flip the script, and lay her body flat against the bed, and attach your lips to her neck.

"Detka..." She breathily gets out, and you hum against her neck, as you continue to bite into her smooth skin, and lathe your tongue over the marks in an attempt to soothe them.

"Fuck me..." She commands, as she claps her hands together.

Suddenly, you're both naked, with her favorite strap dangling from within you. You groan at the sudden fullness you feel from the double ended strap, and she gently caresses your cheeks.

"You okay sweetheart?"

You nod, and smile lovingly at her, then move your lips to hers in a sweet kiss. Your hand gingerly explores her folds, groaning at the feeling of just how wet she already was. You use that same hand to line up the strap with her entrance, then you gently push the tip in and swallow the moans that she subsequently releases as you edge in slowly.

She scratches at your back, instigating your increase in pace, and rewarding you with the melodic sounds of her moans. Her high approaches quickly, as you suck at her sweet spot, and use your thumb to stimulate her clit. Her hips move off the bed to meet your steady thrusts, and yours stutter every now and then when the strap hits your walls just right.

"Cum with me baby." She pants against your temple, as she places an open mouthed kiss there.

Your body jolts at the sensation of Wanda's magic working on your clit, causing the strap to hit her g spot just right, as her walls clench around the strap, thus throwing her over the edge of bliss. She rapidly moves her hips to ride her orgasm out, while continuing to swirl her red wisps on your clit, and causing the strap to move at a new angle inside of you. Your body is then thrown into immense bliss within moments of Wanda's and your orgasm pours out of you, and drips down onto the sheets.

"Shit...." You groan, as your sweaty body collapses atop Wanda's and she whimpers at the deepening of the strap within her.

😇.

The two of you lie there in silence, as she traces her fingers up and down your arms, and you place the occasional kiss to her collarbone as a reminder that you're still there.

"God, I missed this..." Wanda confesses, and you chuckle against her neck.

"What? The eight hours of sleep between was too long for you?" You laugh out, and her heart clenches at the lack of memory of the night before.

"No amount of time with you will ever be enough..." She sighs out, settling on going along with your memory, as it's far less painful then what her brains remembering.

"I love you Wands..."

"I love you so much more..." She replies, and you shake your finger in her face.

"Impossible.." You sleepily mumble, as you're slowly fading out atop her chest, and she grips your body closer.

She closes her eyes, and after a few moments, reopens them to find that you're no longer in her arms. She jumps up, then begins to frantically search for you. Running down the stairs, and stopping about halfway down as she sees you petting Lily, while sipping on a mug of coffee, with the newspaper crumpling beneath her paws.

"Good afternoon darling, I see you slept well." You greet, sending her a slight wink, and she blushes at your teasing tone.

Natasha, and Yelena mindlessly make their way to the kitchen, to collect bowls of cereal and settle at the table.

"Nuh-uh, you two, Wands is making her pancakes and that's far better than your bowls of artificial colorings and sugar."

Natasha is uncharacteristically quiet, as Yelena grumbles out an 'okay mom.' You chuckle, failing to see the glare Wanda casts upon the redhead.

"What? No 'mind your business Y/L/N?'?" You playfully question Natasha, and she chokes out a simple

"Sorry, not feeling well."

Your face softens, and you reach out to feel her forehead, to find she's not really burning up.

"Well, it's not a fever, but I'll make you some tea anyways, hope that'll help." You reply, then place a kiss to her forehead and move into the kitchen, missing the tears that had escaped her eyes.

——

Back at the compound, everyone had been spending the day grieving in their own ways. Tony was in the lab, trying to track down where Fury had gone, but with little to no success.

Steve was in the gym, along with Bucky, mangling the punching bags. Bruce had taken solace on the roof, reading a book you'd gifted him on managing one's emotions, while intermittently sobbing. Pepper was informed, and was already in a baking frenzy.

Vision was sitting still in his room, not entirely accustomed to the concept of a heartbreak, but definitely feeling the adverse side effects. Without the stone, he'd become far more humanized, but he was not left without powers. He found himself still feeling phantom pulses where the stone once was, and they'd seemingly progressed in intensity as the hours drug on. He'd chosen to lie down, and found himself vividly dreaming of a hex in the town of Westview.

——

Fury had just touched down at a secret base, where he'd had your body taken to in a chilled hyperbaric chamber. Agent Coulson and Hill were there, attempting to stop the maddened man from continuing with his ill advised plans of revival.

"Sir, you remember what this did to me, it drove me crazy..." Coulson pleads with the man to let this go, to let you go...

"Yes, because we lied to you, we just won't lie to Y/N..." Fury nonchalantly states, as if the solution was always that simple.

"Sir, death is a permanent in life, I should've stopped you before, but now I know for certain it shouldn't be done."

"Stop, I've made up my mind! You of all people should want Y/N back! She's your fiancé's sister for Christ sakes!"

"That's why I'm here Nick! She's family, and this is wrong! Any number of things could go wrong in there, and you'll be at fault for all of them!" Maria seethes at her superior, as tears threaten to fall as she spares a glance over at your stilled body.

"I'm willing to accept the consequences, now, get out and return to yours bases." Fury cooly states, as he shuts the highly secured doors in their faces and the doctors begin the process.

——

As the days go on in Westview, you find yourself in a consistent cycle. You wake up, you eat breakfast with your family unit, then you and Wanda spend the day doing something new.

On Tuesday, the two of you went to a rather empty salsa dancing class, with an instructor named Herb. You laughed, you cried, and damn near pissed your pants at the obvious lack of coordination Wanda had. The redroom instilled a ballet's touch in you, so any dance had become rather easy to imitate. Wanda however, danced as if she had two left feet, so you both found the floor rather comfortable.

On Wednesday, you'd gone out to watch the stars with Wanda and Yelena. Lying on the blanket, you'd educated them about the constellations, as they were squished against your sides. Natasha stayed home, apparently complaining to Wanda that she'd still felt sick, but that she'd be more than okay alone.

On Thursday, things got weird, as you'd seen a robotic creature talking to your wife. He'd placed his hands on her hips, and your stomach twisted in knots at the sight, then you chuckled when your wife's knee met his crotch, and he'd been practically blown out of the sky.

"Darling, what did we say about using our powers to work through arguments?"

She slightly jumped at the sound of your voice, but turned in your hold and nuzzled into your chest.

"That it's more than okay to do so when they touch you without permission." She sweetly replies, staring up at you with faux eyes of innocence and you laugh at her behavior.

"I think my words got lost in translation, it's fine though, I completely approved, he never should've touched what's not his...

"Oh yeah, who's am I then?" She replies in a dangerously low tone, and you grip her hips, and lower your lips to her ear and whisper,

"Why don't we go inside and find out?" She giggles, and dragged you indoors with urgency.

——

Tony had no luck in finding Fury, but was able to pick up on an insanely large heat signature on his map, and was completely flabbergasted that SHIELD and the Avengers hadn't taken notice.

"Sir! Wanda's taken a town hostage, as well as Natasha and Yelena, and I'm appalled to say, but I think she's performed a dark ritual to resurrect Y/N." Vision shrieks as he enters the lab.

Tony had honestly intended to ignore Vision, as he'd known the synthezoid had been hung up on the little witch. The story however lined up with the asinine heat signature, so he called for a meeting of sorts to try and get this situation sorted.

What was left of the team got onto a quinjet and made their way to the outskirts of Westview. Setting up a plethora of Stark machines to attempt to contradict her power surge, and free the widows, and townspeople.

Wanda had just laid you on the bed, as she headed into the closet to collect her onslaught of toys. Your screams of agony brought her out of the closet just as quickly though, as her eyes turned a scarlet red, and she could feel an attack was underway.

"Wands... What's happening?" You whimpered out through the pain, as your body seemed to be phasing, and she flew towards the outskirts of her hex, and walked out with her hands ablaze.

"Wanda! What have you done?" Steve, ever the goody two shoes, questions the woman in horror.

"Taken my family back." She steels in response, as her hardened glare leaves no room for a challenge.

"Wanda, it's sick, to bring the dead back to life." Vision speaks up, and Wanda chuckles darkly as she wraps him up in her magic.

"Wanda.." Steve tries, she squeezes Vis that much tighter, and he gasps as the super soldier takes the obvious cue to be quiet.

"We're happy, just leave us alone, and no one has to get hurt."

"The townspeople are hurting Wanda." Vision chokes out.

"No! They're all fine! Now back off, I won't say it again." She seethes as she drops Vision to the ground, short circuits all of Stark's tech, and wanders back into the hex.

With the clap of her hands, she's back in the house, snuggled into your sleeping side, as she just chooses to hold you incredibly close.

The team stood there in utter shock, having honestly never seen Wanda so cold before.

"Welp, what's the plan then?"

"Well, sir, with my former link to the stone I find I can still get through the barriers, and when I touch people I'm able to break them free from her hold. So, I'll go in once more, and try to free Natasha, and Yelena." Vision pipes up, as Tony does his best not to roll his eyes at his offer.

"It's your funeral." Tony mutters to himself, then turns to nod in agreement, as he watches the weakened Vision making his way back towards the hex.

——

As Doctor Strange caught wind of the Westview anomaly, he had decided to retire from his vacation to pay Fury a little visit. He'd found Fury in a darkened room in a remote location, sat in a factory, beside a bed. Your body lie there seemingly as good as new, with barely a scar to allude to your heroic save.

"Director Fury, I am Doctor Stephen Strange, and I'm here to collect the girl here." He announces as he walks out of the shadows.

"Like hell you are!" Fury barks out, as he raises his gun towards the unfamiliar man.

"Calm down, this is the only way to save her sisters, as well as a town of unsuspecting people." The wizard clarifies, and Fury's stance adjusts to allow him room to speak, but doesn't lower his gun.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Look, Wanda's magic took over her as the grief became too much. The link the group of them shared to the stone, somehow allowed her to manifest a hex that Y/N's seemingly alive in. The illusions spread across a whole town, the Avengers have already failed to get through to her, this will be the only way. The people are suffering, all her pent up grief is weighing them down."

Fury sighed, as he lowered the gun, then dropped into the seat beside your bed again.

"I'm not sure if seeing her will help..."

"Why's that?"

"She's had to have memories removed, and forgone to make this work. The surgeons didn't inform me on as to what exactly before moving forward, but she had to lose her memories of anything connected to the stone... So, Wanda's essentially been erased..."

"Look, it's worth a shot right?" Doctor Strange urges, as he's seen this anomaly only ending with you by his side.

——

Vision had made his way back to the house, trudging through cautiously to avoid Wanda's prying eyes. He arrived to find Yelena and Natasha outside, working in the yard, looking like mindless drones.

"You're not supposed to be here." Yelena greets the man, and he curses his reflective nature, leaving him nearly impossible to hide.

"Miss Belova, let me help you."

"No, I don't need help!"

"Wait, you're not being controlled?"

"Not anymore..."

"So you're just okay with all of this?"

"You wouldn't understand, but Y/N... She's everything to me, and if you'd only been able to feel the pain Wanda is in, you'd leave her be." Yelena dejectedly responds, and Vision looks on to see the emptiness in Natasha's eyes.

He approaches her, and as he goes to free her, realizing she's still under the control, he's interrupted.

"Hey! Don't touch my sister you freak! First my wife, and now my sister? What are you? Some robotic pervert?" You seethe, as you run down the stairs to shove him.

Wanda hears you from the kitchen and runs out to try and intercept the synthezoid, as she's been exhaustively fighting to keep Natasha's spirit at bay for the last few days now. Vision was able to lightly tap at Natasha's temple before Wanda had thrown him across the yard.

For the first night of the hex, Natasha had laid in her bed, as was part of her designed schedule. She'd heard your voice and internally combusted at the prospect of seeing you once more, she was excited beyond belief. The pained thoughts of Wanda's she'd been forced to experience were honestly nothing, as she'd been feeling the same grief since seeing your eyes drain of their life. It was actually almost a relief for her to feel a pain outside of her own.

Once she'd actually seen you her heart clenched, she immediately thought of the town you'd all resided in. The last thing you'd want in your death is for a town of people to be subjected to the agonizing grief the women of the house were feeling. She'd pleaded with Wanda telepathically to let it go, to set everyone free, but the protests fell on deaf ears. Natasha quickly was able to deduce that Wanda actually had no idea on what was taking place here.

Natasha stumbled at the sudden resurgence of her body and all of its functions. You immediately ran over to her, catching her and watching as her eyes filled with tears and her lip quivered slightly.

"Wanda! You have to stop this!" Natasha shouts, while clinging to your body for support.

"Natasha..." Wanda warns through gritted teeth, as her hands suddenly surround in mists of red.

Yelena's eyes survey the scene, as she see your confused face, Natasha's broken one, and Wanda's determined stance.

"What's going on here?" You mutter

"Y/N, go inside." Wanda commands.

"No, Natasha's clearly not feeling well, I'm not just leaving her. Plus, you're all clearly hiding something, what did the robot want?!"

"Y/N, all of this isn't real... You died..." Natasha whimpers out to you, and you swiftly move the both of you to avoid the red energy thrown at her.

"Wanda! Enough! What is she talking about?"

"Y/N, please, go inside..."

Yelena runs over to the both of you, as she throws her arms around you.

"No! Natasha, explain.."

"I don't know how, but Wanda's powers brought you here, but not without a heavy price."

"Stop it!" Wanda cries out, as she falls to her knees.

"What's the price?"

"Her grief, it's immense, and it's all anyone stuck in this town feels. They're trapped inside their own minds, in agonizing pain, as Wanda's pained thoughts are just looping." Natasha tiredly explains, and your face seems to contort in a sort of understanding.

It makes sense—it really does, your memories are always muddled when you try to think back on your life outside of this town.

"Wanda..."

"No! Everyone's fine! I'm going to fix this baby! We can be happy..." She pleads, and you stare down at her with saddened eyes.

Vision stupidly re-emerges and Wanda's already frazzled state leads to her raging response.

"Wanda, darling, you have to listen to them." He pleads, trying his hardest to get through to her.

"SHUT UP! You, this is all your god damn fault! I hate you! You never should've been created, your existence has served to bring me nothing but pain. So, now it's your turn to finally understand just how much!" She seethes, as her body lifts from the ground to level with him as he's also airborne.

You attempted to escort your sisters indoors, but Yelena refused to let you go and Natasha wasn't going to coward away.

"Wanda, sweetheart, please come down..." You gently shout up her way, but she doesn't pay you any mind as she throws energy balls at the synthezoid.

He dodges them, slowly inching closer to her, until finally he's got her in his grasp. He yanks her towards him, as she thrashes in his arms. He tries to place a gentle kiss to her temple for comfort, but then he shrieks out in pain as a massive energy ball is throwing him back.

"Really? You think your embrace would magically heal me? As if it's not what led to her demise in the first place?"

You hear her words, looking to your sisters for clarification but you find their glazed over eyes and decide pressing them for information would be more than they're capable of in this moment. Tasha smiles as you kiss her forehead, then Lena does the same, but then her face falls as you shoved her into the redheads arms.

"Wanda Maximoff! Get your ass down here and explain yourself." Your harsh tone causes the witch to flinch, but then she returns to face you.

"Baby.."

"No, Wanda... Explain yourself, did you cheat on me then I go on like a mission?"

"It's so much more complicated than that... I-I had no choice."

You scoff, and watch her face fall, deja vu taking over as she remembers your unofficial break up.

"Everyone has a choice Wanda, you don't just fall into someone's lap."

"It wasn't a choice! It was some twisted destiny pact, that tied all of us to that damn mind stone... I-I-I would never have done anything to hurt you, I just wanted to love you. I still do, please let me..."

"Oh Wanda... Sweet girl, you have to let me go." You coo, with a bittersweet smile, as you take in her words, and reach your hands up to cup her face.

"No..."

"Darling, whatever this is, it isn't real... We'll never be able to have the life we wanted, and no amount of pretending will make this real. I'm dead, this version of me, though magnificent—truly, your powers have truly evolved my dear—it just isn't real. I'm sorry I didn't give you a happily ever after, but I'm glad that whatever I did allowed my three favorite girls to stay alive..."

Wanda was in absolute hysterics, as her body was shaking, and your thumbs worked tirelessly to wipe her tears away. You gave up on the tears, then leaned forward to place your lips to hers in an attempt to ground her.

Her hands clung to your biceps, as she held you firmly in place, every fiber of her being willing this to be real—it all just felt so right. The kiss was sloppy, and full of tears from both ends. You pulled back to smile at her, then her face dropped as you screamed in pain and a massive hole took place where your abdomen should be. Vision stood there with a grim smile upon his face, having clearly just used one of Tony’s blasters on your illusion’s body.

“She’s not real darling, but I, I’m as real as they come…” He sickeningly mutters, and Wanda’s remaining calmness leaves her body at once.

Natasha and Yelena had bolted off the porch, and stood beside Wanda’s trembling body. The anger surged throughout all of them, as your screams brought Natasha back to the other day when she’d actually lost you. This might not actually be you, but it shares your likeness, and there’s no way in hell she’s letting the robot off for hurting you—not again!

They charged up their widow bites, that Wanda had manifested for them, and shoots them off at the man. Wanda helps to throw the photon blaster from his grasp, then leaves the sisters to handle him, whilst she drops to the ground to cradle your face.

“Darling, you have to let me go… Set everyone free, it’s going to be okay—I promise.”

“No, it’s not… I-I can’t do this alone.”

“That’s the beauty of it all Wands, look around, you’re not alone. You have my badass sisters by your side, and then there’s also the team… I’d avoid that robot though if I were you, he seems a tad bit obsessed…”

She sadly chuckled at your playful words, and leaned her forehead to yours, craving the serenity that having you close always brought to her.

“I love you, and I know that no matter what happened between us, that I died loving you.”

…

“Because, loving you—Wanda Maximoff, was the easiest choice I’d ever made.”

“I-I can’t do it.”

You smile widely at your former lover, with the most reassuring gaze you could muster, while stroking her cheek with your thumb, trying your best to ease her through the now painful goodbye you’d always wanted to avoid for her.

“Please don’t go…” Yelena cries out, as she runs over and drops besides the two of you in hysterics. Then you realize there were more hearts at stake here than just the one intimately tied to yours.

“Shh.. Moi prekrasnyye sestry, you’re going to be just fine. All of you are, I’ll go on to live on in your hearts. Just pay extra close attention to your surroundings, and know that when you see a shooting star up in the sky, that’ll be me saying hello. When you’re walking through Central Park and a butterfly passes you by, that’ll be me whispering out an I love you. If you find a hummingbird swirling around you, just know that’s me trying to embrace you. I’m certain that we’ll see each other again one day, and until then I need you all to keep living. Live on for me, and don’t be afraid of all life has to offer… It’s more than okay to move on, I’d never want you to be stuck in the past over silly old me. I am certain that I did what I did knowing that you’d all be fine, this is just the hardest part, where you have to let go. Don’t cry over the what if’s, it’ll get you nowhere my dears, just hold on to all our good times, and don’t be hesitant to have more. You all deserve a happily ever after, so go out there and make life your bitch! She owes you all some relief.” (My beautiful sisters)

“I didn’t even get to say goodbye.” She cries out, as she leans her head on your chest.

“Think back really hard for me Lena, and I’m certain you’ll see the exact moment where I said my goodbyes. I’d never have willingly left any of you behind without some sort of goodbye…” You mutter, while placing a chaste kiss to the crown of her head.

She whimpers as she remembers the kiss you’d left on her forehead, and your whispers of I love you. She’d thought you were being a tad bit dramatic at the time, but now she knows why.

Wanda’s epiphany had hit her once she saw your limp body on the metal frame, that your audible utterance of goodbye, and the hug was your bittersweet way of bidding her farewell.

Natasha’s goodbye was far less subtle, and astronomically more painful, but she also wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. To be able to see you off as death kissed your eyelids, and as you took your final shaky breath; to be able to hold you close one final time—to offer you that fleeting comfort her hugs had always brought you. You truly were the better half of her heart, and she’d send you off knowing that.

The women watch on as the town around them slowly returns back to its original state. The once bright buildings, and lively forestry began to fade into worn down ones on the brink of collapse, and dead shrubbery had started to cloud their vision. Wanda was cupping your face between her hands, as Lena’s face is to your chest, and Natasha’s hand grips yours for what will now be her final chance, as her eyes are tightly shut, unwilling to watch you disappear again.

“Poka my ne vstretimsya snova moi dorogiye” Are the last words you mutter before you fade away into nonexistence.

(Until we meet again my darlings)

“Tasha?”

Natasha whips her head to the side in absolute astonishment, having heard your small voice coming from the left of her. Your unconscious illusion based body was no longer laying on the ground before her as the hex had literally just faded. She felt as your hand disappeared from hers, so she just about faints when she sees you standing with a vaguely familiar looking man.

You were stood there besides Doctor Strange, whom you’d only just met, after he told you that a town of people were desperately depending on you to save them. You were skeptical at first, but found the will to help once you’d discovered your sisters were involved, and Fury had confirmed it for you.

You’d seen the tale end of the fight take place, and saw as the gorgeous brunette crying over what appeared to be a clone of you. Your heart hurt for her, seeing the pained look on her face as she’d stared down at you, as you willed your mind to fill you in on exactly why. Sure, Strange and Fury gave you a summarized version of recent events, clueing you in on as to why this hex had even formed in the first place. The idea that this woman had loved you so much, that your death led to others pain had actually warmed your heart in a way. You’d obviously never want something of the sort to take place, but knowing you were loved enough by her that she’d managed to lose control brought upon that twisted comfort.

Instead of approaching the mess, Strange had decided you’d be better on the outskirts of it all. He’d not told Fury this, but your re-emerging in the town was never meant to end the hex, but instead to provide hope in the hearts of your loved ones. To serve more as a preventative measure for the witch, who was obviously down bad, in a way granting you two a new intertwined destiny—one that will serve to hold off the emergence of the Scarlet Witch.

Natasha and Yelena were quick to their feet, running to embrace you, knowing deep down that this wasn’t some illusion. Something about the way your features expressed how lost you were told them that this was truly you. Wanda however stayed on her knees, with her fists clenched and eyes firmly shut. Willing for this newfound illusion of you to just fade away, not at all having it in her to lose you once more.

Your sisters were absolute disasters in your embrace, as you felt their tears trailing down your neck as they soaked up into your shirt.

“I’m here, I’m really here… I’m sorry I left you two behind…” You whisper, while rubbing comforting circles into their backs.

Wanda could hear your thoughts, they were just so loud, as you battled with your memories. Her heart shattered when she realized that whatever brought you back, had erased her. She stood on two shaky legs, prepared to fly off, hoping that if she just got far away from you, that you’d stay safe.

You however had other plans, as you’d told your sisters you needed a minute, and you’d swiftly walked over to her. Your gentle grip on her shoulder caused her body to shudder, and for a new wave of sobs to attempt to rack her body, but she held them at bay.

“Wanda…” You gently whispered her name, with an air of uncertainty, and her heart shattered at this unfamiliar tension.

“It’s okay, I understand that whatever brought you back did you the absolute pleasure of forgetting me.”

“I’m sorry, for whatever it’s worth… I could see how much my death hurt you, and I’m really trying so hard to remember you.”

“It’s probably for the best that you forget me.” She bitterly chuckles out, while trying to shake your grip, but you instead pulled her into your embrace.

“Now, I just don’t think I can agree with that… A love like ours, that would lead me to make the ultimate sacrifice, and lead you to entrap a town of people as your grief overpowered you doesn’t seem worth forgoing. We have the chance to start fresh, make our bond everlasting, and far less doomed. Why would you run from that?”

“I don’t want to hurt you again Y/N/N.”

You smiled at the nickname she’d used, and your heart swelled at the familiarity your body felt along with it.

“I might not remember you Wanda, but I can tell that you’d never hurt me intentionally. Deep down, I know the love I had for you is still in here, I can feel this immense connection to you.”

“That same connection is what got you killed.”

“Yeah, but it’s also led us to this exact moment, who’s to say we can’t rewrite our story?”

You abruptly stepped away from her, and she stared at your back with an amused gaze, immediately feeling that you were up to something.

“Hi, I’m Y/N Y/L/N, I saw you from across the way and couldn’t help but to make my way over. You’re absolutely breathtaking, is there any chance that you’d be willing to go out with me sometime? I know this diner that serves amazing pancakes in Brooklyn…” You ramble on in ‘greeting,’ turning to face her and flashing her that same goofy smile she’d fallen in love with all those years ago.

Her stomach erupts with butterflies, as her heart then skips a beat in her chest, and she knows now that there’s no way in hell she’s leaving you behind. She decides that is a blessing she won’t overlook, allowing you two a chance to fall in love again, without the pain of the past to weigh you down.

“Wanda Maximoff, and I’d love nothing more than to accompany you to get some pancakes.” She beams, as she accepts your extended hand, and chuckles as you whisper a ‘yes’ under your breath in self congratulations.

“Mind if my sisters tag along?”

“Not at all…” Wanda assures you, with a sweet smile, and you grasp her hand to pull her towards your sisters, as you guys step over the unconscious robot’s body on the ground.

Sometimes life affords you with ample opportunities to start anew, and it’s up to you to embrace the change, or to remain stagnant in your misery.

——————————————————

Tagged you if you’d commented/reblogged with comments 🥺

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7,514 Words.

[rambling-addict]

Okaaay. MFS Season 3 Episode 9, let’s go. Play by play, yeah?

Warning: Major rambling ahead. I warned you.

So as I’ve predicted… there was trial, Wade returns and exposes Silver, and temporary happy ever after happens.

I’ll start off by saying that Raelle was the perfect person to deliver that speech. She relates to both sides perfectly and that speech? So empowering. I’d go to war for her if she asks, lol.

Also. Go Wade! That was surely a badass entrance, exactly how I envisioned it.

…

And then we’re back at Fort Salem.

Cute Raylla as expected.

They’re perfect, your honour. I want the braids back, please!!

…

It’s all good…

And… Gregorio appears.

And I swear… I have nothing against the actor (he’s cute and all, his character is average at best) BUT Tally seems to have chemistry with everyone, except him. Some people even shipped Gloria and Tally, for crying out loud. But Gregorio? There’s just no spark there.

I understand that they had no time for a fully fleshed out story, but they could have left it out, tbh. It won’t change the story. I mean, Gregorio was in prison—not off to the sides fighting or doing espionage work that added to the storyline. Nothing. Nada.

Again, I’m ranting too much here, but this is just so unfair for Tally.

First off, Abigail, the playgirl who only cared about rising to glory and living up to her family legacy—now a true leader, a soldier who now understands the responsibility of wearing a uniform. In romance, she’s a one-man girl, fully committed.

Then, we have Raelle, Cession girl who was a rebel and hated the army and what it stood for—now, she had a full change of heart. She does what she does now, because it’s what’s right, and not because of spite. From a lone wolf who tries not to show her feelings, now she’s found her unit and found love and romance in Scylla… Raelle found purpose to keep living and fighting.

Then to add, Scylla our necro baby… former Spree agent—now working alongside her former “enemy”. She saw the bigger picture and saw error in her previously misguided ways. Another lone wolf who now found family and friends. Again, she found Raelle, the home she’d been longing for.

And then we have Tally… Now, don’t get me wrong. She is definitely the most developed character. From a naive girl, she blossomed to a woman who stands her ground for what’s right. She literally saw the world for what it is and still fights for it.

She was from a matrifocal compound, a virgin—and now, it’s like she swapped personalities with young Abigail. I don’t shame her for it (get it Tally), but it’s just hard for me to see Tally just suddenly sucking faces with someone that I haven’t seen her interact with and actually build a relationship with. It’s just so out of the blue. They didn’t even have a scene where they’re conversing and talking about something deeper. It’s all physical, no emotion. I hate that for Tally. She deserves more than that. This is like discrete character assassination.

…

Anyway, moving on…

My happy pills, Raylla… at the lighthouse. They’re so happy. They deserve this and so much more, my babies!!

…

The pre-wedding scene with Raylla and Nicte is also adorable. Nicte is still a hardass trying to act like she doesn’t care, but she does. She cares for the unit like they’re her own. MamaNicte?

And the lobster comment. Hilarious.

…

Edwin and Raelle reunion, yes! I wished it was more emotional though. They haven’t seen each other, c’mon. I expected more.

…

But then… Anacostia and Alder. Omigod, now this made me cry. When Alder “died” the first time, it was Anacostia’s cries of grief that killed me… and now, their reunion scene is just, wow. That hug was everything.

…

Then, that Adil and Gregorio scene… they have more chemistry than Tally and Gregorio does. My brotp, for sure, lol.

Also that Khalida and Adil reunion…so cute. I wonder what Khalida told Adil. Hmmm.

…

And the unit huddle—with Scylla! I am such a simp for these moments.

…

Abigail and that scene with her grandmother is adorable, too. She deserves this.

…

Then…of course, Alder and Tally scene. Alder’s words are so ominous. Celebrate loved ones while they can? All might change soon?? Why so grim on a wedding day??

…

Anyway,, the wedding!

What can I say.. it definitely shows that they’re rushing. I hoped we could’ve heard the vows or even the I do’s, but the whole thing’s like a music video, lol. It kinda took away a bit of the emotion that I expected to feel. It’s still cute though.

…

Then Nicte… I can’t believe I’m seeing her look so rattled. Wade is a great negotiator, no-nonsense woman.

…

Edwin and Raelle moment—always sweet. They deserve the world after the rollercoaster of emotions they’ve been through regarding Willa.

Then, Abigail and Jem Bellweather… there’s definitely something to unfold there.

…

Then of course, after happiness comes bitterness. Silver got out, surprise surprise. And Hearst is still a freakin’ psycho.

…

Btw, necro teacher is a badass! She doesn’t get much credit and appreciation but I see you, Izadora. You fought well. The only consolation now is that you’ll finally be with the Mother.

…

And I’m worried for Penelope. I hope she’d learn that it was Hearst who poisoned her and then she’d go apeshit on him. Hang on.. if he’s like a “witch” because of the stolen vocal cords, does that mean he can be affected by the witch plague?? I hope it’s his own creation that ends up killing him. That’ll be so satisfying.

…

Meanwhile, our beloved unit are enjoying a campfire. And yes, mamaCostia… I definitely didn’t predict “this”.

And Raelle singing to Scylla (and everyone)… gosh, you can see Raelle/Taylor’s nerves as Scylla/Amalia stared at her singing… and when Scylla looks, she really gazes at Raelle… her feelings are palpable.

…

It’s all so happy… then it’s gone again, as predicted.

…

But Raelle! Why does she suddenly look possessed and why is she bleeding?? Did Hearst do something to the Mother? And who’s back??

…

I swear, if something happens to any of them, I will have more and more words for you, Eliot.

Gosh, I’m so anxious for what happens next. There’s still so many to wrap up.

This episode already felt so rushed, I hope the last episode is at least not as much. I feel like they could’ve made better cuts to showcase the story, add some more to other scenes and leave out other that’s unnecessary *ahem*Gregorio*ahem*.

But I still have faith in this show. I hope this season ends with a bang.

And I think that’s all I’ve got. Haha.

[trillscienceofficer]

thinking about Seven/Chakotay and while it's bad enough for Seven, it looks even worse for Chakotay. did he think her (misguided) crush was cute and went along with it or what?? was he vaguely attracted to her and went yolo, we're in the delta quadrant anyway??? it feels so entirely off for him however I look at it. it's not like the writers ever cared much for Chakotay but jeez this is character assassination

[silentauroriamthereal]

Let me know if you're sick of this topic by now, but I saw a post about Sherlock and Irene and it reminded me how confused I still am about ASIB. What was the point of making Irene a lesbian if they were going to make her fall in some way for Sherlock? It seems like the whole point is to showcase John's feelings for Sherlock, which is insane considering what we know about the writers. And I'm not sure what to make of Sherlock's reaction, both to her and to her supposed death.

Hey! Sorry this took me a second (lol) to answer! I'm not at all sick of discussing any of this, ha!

So first, we have to consider that Steven Moffat, who wrote this episode, is a misogynist. I could write you a whole entire essay about that, but to summarize, he writes women *very* differently from the way he writes men. Every "strong woman" character he's written (to the extent that I've experienced, at least) tends to exert her strength through violence. Irene literally hurts men to extort them for information for her terrorist boss. Being on the "side of the angels" doesn't matter if you're sexy or cute or female in general. Irene was fully down to sell out her entire country to save her own skin and was working directly for the man Sherlock and John spend several series actively opposing. But Irene is a woman, so it doesn't count. There are dozens of other examples - Molly slapping Sherlock in a moment of "strength", in some misguided sense of entitlement that told her she had the right to demand an explanation for Sherlock's drug usage, and while I don't even want to wade into the steaming heap which is Moffat's writing on Doctor Who, I'll just point out that their darlings, River Song and Mary Moffat, are both assassins. I never did understand the complicated reasoning behind River Song's "need" to kill the Doctor, and Mary never once even offers a reason for choosing a career path in murder for personal gain. She also never exhibits any sort of remorse for any of it, including all the parts that affected her "beloved" John, like lying to him endlessly, abandoning their infant to protect herself, comparing him to a dog, denying him permission to go somewhere without her, and also trying to murder his best friend. It only makes sense that a canonical lesbian would be powerless to retain her sexuality in the face of an attractive, intelligent man. Because that's how sexuality works!

So that's reason #1. Reason #2 is that Sherlock shows his "humanity" in weakness: by making mistakes. His "mistake" in this one was, apparently, slightly falling for Irene, despite knowing that she worked for Moriarty, despite knowing that she was a lesbian, despite knowing that she absolutely betrayed him, and despite not actually being interested in her in a sexual way at all. John literally left the house (in a jealous snit) to let them be alone together, and Irene was all over the notion of them having sex, yet Sherlock spent the entire time lost in case reflections, and only snapped out of it when he realized that John had left. I don't know if they were trying to underscore his eccentricity or something, but that's partly where the weakness (or laziness, but same difference) in their writing comes in, that it's not abundantly clear to us after all this time. Series 2 aired in 2014, and here we are, eight years later and still going, "so yeah, wtf??" They use Sherlock's "weakness" again in failing to deduce Mary's past, along with his miscalculation about Magnussen, etc. Every time something bad happens from series 3 onward, it's definitely Sherlock's fault, and everyone else in the world is smarter than he is, all of a sudden.

Better writers would have made it much clearer that Sherlock was intrigued by the intellectual puzzle that Irene posed, that he'd kept her phone as a bit of a trophy for having outwitted her (which again is misogyny; Irene Adler outwitted Sherlock in the original ACD), and not had him "mourning" after her supposed death. I mean, Sherlock was visibly upset when the woman in TGG was killed as he listened over the phone. There's reason to think he might have been upset to learn of another person's death, someone he had met and sparred with. But it was always ONLY Irene who made things sexual or implied intent, never Sherlock. It's bad writing, honestly. I think they really like the idea of making Sherlock some sort of Bond who can woo every woman within 900 meters, but also that he's a dork with no social skills, and the mix sometimes works well and sometimes really doesn't.

I don't know if that was coherent at all, but that's the five cents my brain rummaged around and found. :P What do you think?

[birgittesilverbae]

wheel of time

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

Moiraine. she’s just so driven and fully aware of her limitations and willing to sacrifice anything to save the world. she’s one of the few people in the series who don’t let their preconceptions steer their perceptions of the world. the willpower to keep struggling, to keep fighting, to fulfil her duty even as she begins to lose Rand? outstanding. her sense of humour? fantastic. woman made an awful pun about the Ways and smiled at her own joke and I was hooked

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

Egeanin. the woman recognizes something doesn’t add up and straight-up radicalizes herself. then trips over these two clowns and instead of going ‘what the fuck’, forcibly becomes their new best friend. she’s just so eager to do what’s right. she also calls Gawyn a fucking moron, so we stan.

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

*looks pointedly at username* (less so on tumblr than elsewhere probably tho) do I have a Thing about warriors forced into situations out of their control and trying to cope with memory loss? definitely I do. she has every right to nope the fuck out, but instead she picks herself up and does what she can with the cards she’s been dealt. and the reluctant captain-general engineering that rescue bid? talented. brilliant. incredible. amazing.

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

Bera & Kiruna (a.k.a. Moiraine & Siuan v1.0). oh, to be equally strong pillowfriends from different social classes entering the Tower around the same time, advancing in lockstep at an unprecedented pace, and then choosing the same Ajah when raised to the shawl, only to get sent on a fool’s errand and spend months trekking back and forth across the continent on the world’s worst honeymoon with your seven warders in tow.  

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

Mesaana. I mean, after reading the comments on my last rejected paper, I too considered brainwashing a strike force of child soldiers and assassinating Reviewer 2. that’s normal behaviour, right?

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

Gawyn. let’s see what other terribly horribly misguided choices he can make because of his main character syndrome. oOoOoOo here’s a shepherd, your worst nightmare you classist oOoOoOo

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

Gareth Bryne can meet me in the goddamn parking lot.

[handwrittenhello]

sweet little lies

Rating: M Warnings: Assassination attempts, poisoning, bombing Relationships: Geralt/Jaskier/Yennefer Word Count: 6.2k Summary: “He’s very…” Geralt trailed off, arms crossed. "Pretty?” Yennefer finished for him, appraising the man in front of her. He seemed entirely unconcerned about his state of near-nudity, and even less concerned about the fact that the entire court was ogling him, including the Warlord of the North and her right-hand man. “Thank you,” the man said, bowing deeply. “I do try.” -- When Yennefer of Vengerberg, Warlord of the North, receives Jaskier as tribute, she doesn't trust him—the rumor is that assassins and spies are trying to infiltrate her court. And despite being sent unwillingly, Jaskier seems perfectly happy—too happy—to be there. As tensions with the bordering country of Rivia grow stronger, she must beware, and figure out who she can truly trust.

or, yet another warlord au (but with warlord yennefer this time), inspired by @inexplicifics! read here on ao3.

“He’s very…” Geralt trailed off, arms crossed.

“Pretty?” Yennefer finished for him, appraising the man in front of her. He seemed entirely unconcerned about his state of near-nudity, and even less concerned about the fact that the entire court was ogling him, including the Warlord of the North and her right-hand man.

“Thank you,” the man said, bowing deeply. “I do try.”

He did indeed try, judging by how heavily his face was made up and by the numerous precious metals and jewels that adorned his ears and fingers and even one nostril. Yennefer didn’t think she’d ever seen more piercings in her life. The wealth the stranger wore on his body was simply astounding. Besides the more conventional jewelry, he also wore a shirt—if one could call it that—of fine gold chains interlaced, studded intermittently with shimmering gems. He wore no trousers, only a sheer wrap accentuated by a belt, made of yet more fine chains entwined. Finishing the ensemble were golden cuffs around his wrists—the entire outfit seemed to subtly shout prisoner, in fact, when she looked for it.

“And who sent you?” she asked, her voice ringing clear through the hall.

“I come to you as a gift, courtesy of King Vizimir of Redania,” the man replied, sinking into another low bow. “Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount de Lettenhove, Master Bard, and Esteemed Courtesan, at your service, my lady.” He made no mention of his own involvement in the matter, Yennefer noted darkly. She would not take slaves, expensive tribute or not.

But to publicly refuse such a gift would show blatant disfavor, and may spark an unwanted war. “You may tell King Vizimir I accept his gift,” she told the messenger who had accompanied Master Pankratz. “And you,” she turned to Pankratz, “may come with me.” She turned and left the hall, trusting him and Geralt both to follow her.

Whispers rose up in her wake, titters at what she might do with the new esteemed courtesan, but she ignored them. One did not become Warlord of the North by caring what courtly gossip featured oneself.

She pushed open the doors to her room, Pankratz just behind her, and Geralt, silent, bringing up the rear. He was good at that sort of thing—protecting her, always, and always with the taciturn seriousness most knew him for.

Only few knew what truly lurked beneath the surface. She was privy to more than most—as her right-hand man, bodyguard, and occasional lover, he let her see more than most. She could see a hint of it peeking out through his stony exterior now—he was disturbed, unsettled, though she couldn’t tell the cause.

She sat herself in her customary armchair by the hearth, Geralt taking a place looming behind her, and after Pankratz hesitated, she directed him to the armchair across from her. He sank into it quickly, giving the ridiculous impression of a puppy aiming to please its master. She rolled her eyes.

“We can drop the bullshit,” she stated plainly, and his eyes widened. “Do you truly wish to be here? Speak truly.”

He swallowed. “My lady, it is truly the greatest honor to be in your presence—” he began, but Yennefer cut him off with a look.

“I said no more pretty lies. I have enough of those in my court—I don’t need you adding to that pile of shit.” There was little more she despised than venomous intentions disguised. The best attack was one that could be anticipated.

“Very well, my lady. Though it is true I did not come here willingly—” Geralt stiffened at that, his hand going reflexively to the hilt of his sword, though Yennefer gave no outward indication of her disgust. “—I did not come here willingly, but, having found myself in your court, I find that there is little else I could wish for. In truth, I would much prefer here to whence I came.” He said the last bit in a black tone, hinting at some strife Yennefer knew not of.

“Well, I would give you the option, then,” Yennefer replied. “You may leave, if you so wish—I will supply you with enough to get by until you can establish yourself, wherever you may choose to go. I hear Toussaint is nice this time of year.” Pankratz smiled. “Or you may remain in my court, but know this—I tolerate no treachery, no spies, of any sort.” She leaned in close; the smile dropped from his face. “If I discover that you’ve been sent as some foreign agent to engineer my demise—” she locked eyes with him “—your demise will not be swift.” She spoke the last words softly, so softly, but plenty intelligible in the absolute silence of the room. “But you’ll wish it would be.”

Pankratz gulped.

“Have I made myself clear?” she asked, leaning back, releasing him from the uncomfortable closeness.

“Crystal, my lady,” he answered, smiling shakily. “And, if it’s all the same to you, I would rather not try my luck out there. Much easier to earn my keep at the luxury of the court.”

Yennefer wasn’t surprised by the attitude; clearly this was a man well accustomed to luxury. “Very well. And how do you plan to earn your keep?”

“Well, my lady,” he began, voice dropping into a sultry register. “You’ll find that I’m quite good with my fingers and tongue, as it were.” He slid from his chair, somehow managing to make it look effortlessly elegant, and shuffled closer to her on his knees. Geralt stiffened; Yennefer waited for Pankratz to dare touch her. But no touch was forthcoming, despite the strange flutter of arousal in her stomach that spoke to how she almost wanted him to try.

“Presumptuous of King Vizimir,” was all she replied. “And what if I have no need of a bedwarmer?”

Pankratz sat back on his heels. “Well, I have other talents. I studied at Oxenfurt—you may also hear me called Jaskier the Bard, at your service,” he said, giving a little half-bow, all he could manage in a kneeling position. “I would sing of your victories for all to hear and be warned, lest the—the Raven Storm come to batter down their doors!” He punctuated his sentence with a grand gesture, one that nearly knocked him off balance.

“No.”

“N-no, my lady?” Jaskier questioned, his arms dropping. “I can come up with something else, if you don’t like the name—"

“It’s not the name,” Yennefer said dismissively. “It’s the exaggeration. I’ve already told you, I value honesty alone. I won’t have any pretty ballads hiding bastard truths.”

Jaskier looked as though he wanted to argue, but wisely held his tongue. To soften the disappointment, Geralt came around and offered him a hand up. Jaskier took it, and also took a moment to stare appreciatively at Geralt. He was lucky she wasn’t the jealous type—she could have his head for it.

“You may stay,” she declared. “You need not pay for it in my bed, though if you do truly mean what you say, then we can discuss your… talents, as it were. For now, Geralt will find you rooms of your own and show you around the palace. You may have the rest of the day to acclimate, though I expect you in the dining hall tonight at sundown.”

It was a clear dismissal. “Thank you, my lady, you’re too kind,” Jaskier said as Geralt led him out of the room.

“No flattery,” she reminded him, but they were already gone.

Jaskier settled into life at her court like a duck to water. He did indeed have a talented tongue and fingers—which he proved the first time he sang for them, with a lute to accompany it. He bounced around the room, capturing the attention of all he met—he was impossible to ignore, loud and bright as he was, bedecked in jewelry.

Geralt had tried to offer him clothes when he first settled into his rooms, but Jaskier seemed more than content to prance around nearly naked. Geralt hated it—he complained to her, one night, that Jaskier was too distracting, pulling Geralt’s attention away. He took his duties very seriously—formerly a knight of Rivia, he now devoted himself to her with the same near-religious fervor, taking her protection upon himself.

It was sweet, if a little misguided. She could protect herself just as well, but it was nice knowing that he was there behind her, always ready to support her if she faltered.

“I don’t like it, Yen,” he said to her, late one night, as the fire burned down to embers in the hearth. They were curled side by side in her bed, sweat cooling on their damp bodies, Geralt occupying himself by playing with strands of her hair. “Unrest in Rivia is growing stronger—we could have a revolt on our hands before the harvest.”

“I’m not worried about Rivia,” Yennefer replied, waving a hand lazily. “Little more than whispers on the wind. King Reginald, gods spit on his soul, has too few supporters left to be any real threat. The rest either died with him in the coup or fled like the cowards they were.”

“I’m serious, Yen. Word on the street is that there’ll be an attempt on your life before the year is out.” A furrow creased his brow, his fingers growing tense in her hair. Gently, she disentangled them before lacing their fingers together.

“Is that not what I have you for?” she asked, a smile quirking her lips. He worried too much—his consternation was almost cute. “Relax. If any assault comes, we’ll be well prepared for it.”

“It won’t be anything as obvious as an attack on the city. Rivian forces are smart—they’ll send spies, or assassins, or both. You wouldn’t even see it coming.”

“If it will make you feel better, then you may begin vetting those in the court you find suspicious,” Yennefer relented.

Geralt hummed, his eyes slipping closed in satisfaction. She too closed her eyes, but the thought nagged at her—did she trust everyone in the palace? Most of them she’d known for decades—they’d worked under King Demavend with her, and had helped her overthrow him when he became too cruel to stand. She’d rewarded their loyalty with a place at her side, and they’d remained trustworthy through the years.

There had been few new arrivals since then—Geralt himself was among them, having joined her during the Coup of Rivia. And of course there was their newest arrival, Jaskier.

He seemed perfectly content in his new role. She had to admit it suited him well—he loved attention, and got it in spades when singing or when draped seductively next to her throne. He made good decoration, though she had yet to negotiate a more intimate role with him. She never held back from staring, though—and though he often caught her, he seemed pleased more than anything else.

Was he too comfortable here? It was true, he had settled in remarkably quickly—did he have a hidden purpose? But what use would King Vizimir have for a spy in her court, especially one as useless as Jaskier? He wasn’t present at any strategy meetings, or even privy to her company more than most. Perhaps he was an assassin biding his time?

Yennefer huffed. This was how paranoia set in—whispers and rumors crept in and set the mind aflame with possibilities until it drove itself mad. She resolutely cleared all thoughts of betrayal from her mind and tried to sleep.

Geralt commenced his investigation as soon as he was able, but Yennefer heard little else from him about it. She assumed that meant the search for traitors was proving unfruitful.

She interrupted him one day with a task at the southern border—there were reports of skirmishes breaking out, most likely bandit attacks. He departed with a promise to return by the month’s end, and she watched him leave with a pit in her stomach.

It wasn’t the first time they’d parted—so why was her stomach twisting so? Why were her instincts screaming that it would all go wrong?

There was nothing to worry about. She needed to take her mind off it, that was all. She went back into the palace and headed for the southern wing—where Jaskier’s rooms were.

“My lady Yennefer!” he greeted her happily, springing from his writing desk upon her entrance. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Then he paused, frowned. “Where’s your shadow? I can’t hardly think of a time I haven’t seen him hovering menacingly over your shoulder.”

“He’s away for the time being.” She motioned him closer, and he went as if reeled in by a fishing line.

“Luckily you still have me,” he replied, biting his lip. He was yet unsure of his advances—good. She would keep him on his toes.

“And would you give yourself to me?” she asked, stepping even closer, until there were scant few inches between them. “Let me have you?”

“In a heartbeat, if my lady so wished,” he breathed, leaning in. She didn’t wait for his lips to brush hers; she surged forward at once, attacking with brutal efficiency. The kiss was more a clash of wills than anything tender. To her delight, he didn’t simply let her plunder his mouth, but gave as good as he got, hands coming up to clutch at her dress. She pushed him away, and his face split with confusion until she pushed him again, back onto the bed. His hands fisted in the covers as she climbed on top of him, finding the clasps that would free him from the confines of the chains that draped over his body.

Soon she had stripped the gold and gems from his body, and at some point her own clothes had disappeared as well, and finally she was free to take him how she wished. He was a good lover, enthusiastic and skilled—his talents truly were as good as he’d made them out to be.

Her only point of contention came near the end, when he began to murmur sweet nothings into her hair, praising her and begging in turn. Even after, when they lay panting atop the sheets, he continued to weave pretty lies, complimenting her prowess and beauty until she rolled over and pinned him down.

“What have I said about lying?” she bit, but there was no real heat to it.

“And as I’ve told you a dozen times, I speak nothing but the truth,” he replied, “but if you wish my silence, well—I suppose you’ll have to find a way to shut me up.” He grinned.

She was gratified to see that he was no longer the deferential pretty thing that had been gifted to her, but had instead grown into his role here and thus felt comfortable enough to tease and prod.

In fact, as the days passed and they spent more time together, he turned downright annoying, at times, whining about how cruel silver was to his skin—did she know that he was one sixty-fourth fae? How it itched so—but gold didn’t go as well with his complexion, and really, he should be wearing sapphires, not rubies, since they brought out the blue of his eyes better…

Yennefer tolerated it with confused amusement for all of one day before she took his suggestion and found ways to occupy his mouth, just so that the inane chatter would stop.

She was almost disappointed when the day that Geralt would return drew near. She looked forward to his triumphant return, of course, but she was apprehensive of how he would react to her getting so close to Jaskier in his absence. She was lucky that she didn’t have to contend with jealousy from him—he simply wasn’t the type—but nor did she want him to distance himself from her, afraid of intruding on something new.

And though she’d succeeded, for the most part, at distracting herself from his absence, she couldn’t shake the sense of dread that still came over her at odd times when she thought of him. He was plenty capable; there was nothing to worry about, she knew, and yet that didn’t stop her traitorous heart.

As the days passed, however, with no sign of his imminent return—not even a letter—she knew her worry was well-founded. On the second day of the new month—two weeks since she’d last seen him—she resolved to ride to the border with all the forces she could gather.

Jaskier worried at her departure—“My lady, you would leave the palace so defenseless?”—but she would not be swayed.

“You’ll be fine. The city can protect itself; you need not worry about a thing.”

“It’s not myself I worry for,” he replied flatly, a moue of displeasure overtaking his face. He didn’t grace her bed that night, and she resolutely told herself she wasn’t bothered.

The sun rose early, and she with it, saddling her horse and donning her armor. The air held a chill, heralding the coming of autumn, though it was unusual so early in the season. As the morning mists in the fields began to burn off, she and her forces rode out, heading south.

They were scarcely a mile away from the palace when she spotted something on the horizon. She called them to a halt, sending ahead scouts to report on what the disturbance was. They returned in short order, shouting joyously—Knight Geralt was returned, unharmed, though he’d lost his men in the interim.

“Yen,” he greeted her warmly, pulling short his ill-tempered mare as he approached. She seemed especially ornery today, hardly responding to his commands, but Yennefer supposed that after weeks on the road, she would be ornery too. “Sorry I’m late.”

“You should be,” she answered, but couldn’t maintain her anger for long, not upon seeing him safe and whole. “What took so long? And where are the men who accompanied you?”

He frowned. “They’re not back yet? I’d thought they’d arrive first.”

“No, we’ve heard nothing since you left. What happened?” It was unlike Geralt to leave his men behind—his sense of chivalry demanded otherwise.

“It wasn’t bandits at the border—it was Rivian insurgents making trouble. Easy enough to mop up, but in the fight, I got separated. Ended up having to lay low for a few days in Spalla. I gave the men instructions to return to Vengerberg if anything went wrong.”

“Do you think they’re still out looking for you?” Damned loyalty. While she valued it, it often proved to be quite the pain in difficult situations.

“Could be. We ought to send another team out, round them up.” She was grateful that he didn’t suggest going back to look for them himself—she would have expected that from him, stubborn as he was, but she wasn’t ready to lose him again so soon.

She motioned over the captain of her guard, Ivenka. “Take your best fighters and track down our poor wayward soldiers.”

“Yes, my lady,” Ivenka replied. The party split; Yennefer and Geralt led the rest of the forces back to Vengerberg.

Upon their return, Jaskier launched into a rousing song of victory—if he was surprised to see them back so soon, he didn’t show it. Geralt bore the attention as he always did, with an uncomfortable grimace. Once the commotion settled, Yennefer pulled Geralt into her rooms for a full report on what he’d found at the Rivian border.

“The talk of insurgence was right. A resistance has formed, with more support than we thought. King Reginald had more friends than we knew.” Geralt delivered the bad news with no inflection, which was how Yennefer knew it was a grave matter indeed.

“A resistance? How strong would you say? Have they any support from the commonfolk?” That was how battles were won, Yennefer knew—it all depended on the attitude of the peasantry. If their favor had shifted against her, they could expect full-blown war within the year.

“Not yet, though they’ve changed the minds of a few. More than anything they’ve sown dissent—talk of crop shortages, of trade disturbed. Trying to make you out to be just as bad as Reginald.”

Yennefer cursed. “We need to head this off before it grows any worse.”

“Parley? They might be open to discussion—this incursion may have been a way to get our attention.”

Yennefer nodded. “Send a messenger at once,” she instructed.

Geralt inclined his head in acquiescence and left her to her thoughts.

He had been right about the coming rebellion—was he also to be believed about the rumored attempts on her life? She would have to keep her guard up.

They received the Rivians a few nights hence at a banquet, meant as both a display of wealth and numbers. The entire court was assembled, and the visiting party arrived wide-eyed and trying to hide it.

Yennefer herself was seated upon her throne in full gilded plate armor—everything but a helmet. Geralt stood beside her, arms crossed, a scowl writ upon his face, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. And on her other side, draped across the arm of the throne, was Jaskier, in his finest jewels and with a full face of makeup, not looking even a bit vulnerable though he wore almost nothing.

“Yennefer of Vengerberg,” the man leading the visiting party said, inclining his head in lieu of a bow. Beside her, Jaskier narrowed his eyes. “I am Gudros of Scala, and accompanying me are Velah of Hawksburne and Ozrias of Scala.” He gestured to the two behind him, who had so far stood silent and still, their expressions unreadable beneath their helmets.

“Vengerberg welcomes you,” Yennefer announced. “You may partake of food and rest from your journey. Once you’ve had your fill we may retire for more formal talk.” Gudros bowed his head again, and the feast resumed.

“I don’t like this,” Geralt murmured, barely audible over the voices and instruments overlapping in the hall. Yennefer glanced up at him—he looked torn, lips pursed and hands clenching and unclenching into fists.

“Keep an eye on them for me?” she replied. He nodded and slipped away—Yennefer looked forward to his report on what they were saying.

She was so intent on watching the Rivians that she hardly noticed it when an attendant approached with a tray carrying goblets of wine. “Milady,” he greeted, offering her a glass. She reached out to take it, but was beaten there by Jaskier, who snatched it out of the attendant’s hands before she could.

He grinned cheekily at her—this was almost too bold. She’d have to put him in his place later tonight. But she let him have it and reached for her own goblet, just as Jaskier took a sip of the wine.

The smell hit her nose as soon as she raised the glass to her lips. It was hardly detectable, but she’d learned a thousand and one ways under King Demavend’s reign to brew poisons—she recognized instantly the characteristic sour odor it held, the way it slid, oily, down one’s throat, the way it burned from the inside out.

She threw the goblet to the floor, heedless of the way that it shattered into a million pieces. “Geralt!” she screamed, wrenching Jaskier’s goblet from him—though it was already falling from his stiff fingers, his eyes bulging and his face reddening in mere moments.

Geralt appeared at her side instantly, as if he’d never left. Seeing Jaskier in trouble, he threw the consort over his broad shoulders and followed Yennefer as she fled to her old workshop—Goddess willing, she would still have enough ingredients to prepare an antidote, though it had been years since she’d set foot there.

The doors flew open under her hands, dust swirling about the room and cobwebs shuddering in the sudden breeze. Yennefer drew on the spark of chaos buried deep inside her, hardly used, but called forth in full force now. The torches flared to life at once, jars and pots flying off the shelves into her hands.

Geralt laid Jaskier down on the worktable in the middle of the room, now wheezing and coughing, spittle flecking his lips. “Yen,” he tried to wheeze, but she paid him no mind. She needed every ounce of concentration to prepare the antidote, something she hadn’t done in years.

“Mistletoe… wartweed… ground lichen…” she muttered, adding each ingredient in turn. The potion began to bubble, a haze descending on the workshop as it released puffs of smoke.

“Yen, he's not breathing,” Geralt called, and she cursed, stirring faster. Finally, finally, the sickly shade of green gave way to a deep turquoise, and then a solid blue. She rushed to Jaskier’s side, forcing his mouth open with one hand and pouring the antidote down his throat.

He convulsed, and, sensing that he was about to spit it up, she clamped his mouth and nose shut, putting her full weight into holding him down as his limbs juddered and jerked. But with no other choice, he eventually swallowed, his throat spasming under her harsh grip, and then he went abruptly lax.

She took her hands away, letting him breathe—it was a long, tense moment of waiting before he took an easy breath, no wheeze present. Yennefer breathed too, the tension lifting from her shoulders.

Jaskier’s eyes fluttered open. His gaze flitted around the room for a moment, landing first on Geralt and then on herself. “Yen,” he said urgently, struggling to sit up. “You’re alright?”

“Of course I am,” she snapped. “I’m not the idiot that drank poison.”

“Oh, thank the gods,” he sighed. “I mean, I had a suspicion, but I didn’t want to die for nothing—”

Yennefer froze. “You had a suspicion?”

“Well, yes,” he answered, frowning. “I highly doubted the Rivians were here under good intentions, and as Geralt has been saying, an attempt on your life was bound to come sooner or later, so—”

“You knew it would be poisoned, and yet you drank anyway? Why the fuck would you do that, Jaskier?” She dug her nails into the tabletop, itching to wring them around his neck.

What sort of fool would knowingly drink poison? Only the braindead or suicidal, and while Yennefer did hold his sanity in question at times, it still didn’t make sense.

He blinked. “Do you really have to ask? It’s as I’ve told you a thousand times in a thousand ways.”

No. No, he couldn’t mean—

“I love you, Yennefer of Vengerberg. I would, in fact, die for you, as we’ve proven.” He grinned. “Don’t say I never live up to my promises.”

While, yes, he’d said as much before, it still stunned Yennefer to hear it said so blatantly, and with such tangible commitment. She’d thought them pretty lies, the fanciful words of a jester that wanted only to flatter his lord.

Unable to come up with a response, she turned and fled. If she stayed in that room, she might end up saying or doing something she would later regret—whether that was wring his fool neck or have him right there on the table, she would never know.

So caught up was she in whirling thoughts of truth and lies, she didn’t notice Geralt was following her until she was nearly to her rooms. “I don’t want company right now, Geralt,” she said tersely, whirling around.

“We need to talk,” Geralt replied, stepping closer. “The Rivians—”

“Leave me alone!” she snarled, which was enough to make him pause, giving her time to dart into her rooms and slam the door behind her. She locked them with a fierce finality, relishing the heavy click that signified she was alone with her thoughts. She pressed her back to the door and her hands to her eyes, seeing the stars that burst behind her eyelids from the pressure.

If she could have but a moment to think, to sort out the mess of thoughts churning in her mind—but no, even now, she could hear raised voices, shouting, the clang of steel on steel. What kind of leader was she, cowering in her rooms like a confused animal, simply because of an ill-timed, unexpected confession of love?

She straightened her armor and drew her swords before opening the door and heading out to face whatever chaos lay in wait. As she grew closer, the voices grew more panicked, and she hurried her steps along until she was nearly running.

Jaskier came stumbling out of her workroom, looking worse for the wear and confused, searching for the source of the commotion the same as she was. “Go lie down,” she snapped. “I just saved your life. I don’t need you undoing all my hard work.”

“But what’s happening? Where’s Geralt?” he asked, craning his head. Then he spotted the swords she carried. “What do you need those for?”

She started to reply, and then—

An explosion. All-consuming, fiery hot, ripping her eardrums apart. She flew backwards and hit the wall, stunned. Through blurry vision, she saw Jaskier tossed like a ragdoll, slumped opposite her, bleeding from the temple.

Her ears were ringing; she blinked. Chunks of stone rained down on her like hailstones, a fine white powder covering everything in a thin layer of dust.

Slowly, slowly, her vision stabilized and her hearing began to return—the first thing she heard were screams.

Her people—she had to help her people. She tried to struggle to her feet, but it was as if her limbs were encased in plaster. She looked down and saw that a large chunk of stone was pinning her legs to the ground—with monumental effort, she lifted it off herself, grunting. She closed her eyes and breathed, in, out, and then staggered upwards.

She checked on Jaskier first—he had a head wound, bleeding profusely, but nothing more serious than that. She clumsily slapped his cheeks a few times until he roused, groaning, eyes squinting shut.

“Are you alright?” she shouted, her own voice hardly reaching her ears. He nodded, eyes still closed, and she left him to recover. Staggering into the hall, she took in the sight before her—it was as if a bomb had gone off, and maybe it had.

The entire hall was bathed in sepia-toned light, the torches guttering in and out in the wake of the blast. Chunks of stone and broken pieces of furniture littered the floor, which had fallen through to the dungeons below. To her surprise and immense thankfulness, there were few bodies—perhaps they’d had advance warning and had fled, screaming.

Four people stood in the middle of it all—she recognized Gudros, flanked by Ozrias and Velah. The fourth had hair as white as bone—“Geralt?” she called, and he slowly turned around. Wrong, wrong, wrong, all her senses screamed.

“Not quite.” He laughed, a chilling sound, unlike Geralt’s own rare laugh in every way. She knew then—this wasn’t Geralt. This hadn’t been Geralt for a good while.

“When?” she asked, though she knew exactly when. It had been that damned trip to the border. “Who are you? Really?”

“We are the rightful leaders of a free Rivia, and we would see her prosper once more, no longer under your bloody banner!” Gudros cried. “You have bewitched Rivia’s citizens. We’ll not see you reign any longer!”

“I’ve bewitched no one,” Yennefer snapped. “If you speak of your loyal knights turning against you—that was your king’s own doing, with his wicked deeds and cruel heart.”

“No! Geralt of Rivia was a good man—we’ll break whatever spell you’ve placed on him, right after we parade your desecrated body through the streets!”

Not-Geralt smiled, all teeth, and dropped the illusion—suddenly, he had changed forms, and now appeared as Yennefer herself. “You’re a doppler,” she said, teeth gritted. “What stake have you in this fight?”

“I’ve lived a long life, you know. To tell you the truth, I’ve grown rather bored with it—and what better game to play than this?”

“You’re sick,” Yennefer spat. “You’ve aligned yourself with murderers and oathbreakers.”

“Would you have me align myself with you, Kingslayer?” the doppler purred. “I see it all, you know—I’m in your head. I see how you kill, and lie, even to yourself.”

With a wordless yell of rage, Yennefer threw herself at the doppler, who met her swords with a sword of its own. It was an even match—perfectly even, with all her skill as a fighter reflected back at her. And with the other three Rivians advancing, it looked to be a quick end for her.

Her people would die, and Jaskier would be captured and most likely enslaved, and Geralt would remain captive to those who believed him brainwashed, subject to tortures as they attempted to break whatever enchantment they believed lay over him. And she would be brought up as an example, her dead body held up to the world to say: this is what happens to those who fight back.

She dodged the first swipe of Gudros’ sword, but it left her open for the doppler to press her back, putting her off-balance. Her foot caught on a chunk of rubble and she teetered backwards, falling to the ground, the doppler pouncing on her at once.

“Here lies the Raven Storm; blustered herself out, little stronger than a gust of wind at the end,” the doppler cackled. Yennefer looked into its eyes—her eyes—and braced herself for the end.

And then a chain looped around the doppler’s neck, choking, burning. The skin beneath the silver links smoked and cracked, blackening, the doppler’s hands scrabbling uselessly at the chain and burning too.

Yennefer looked up to see Jaskier standing tall behind the doppler, one of his many decorative body chains in his hands, his face creased in furious fierceness. Yennefer pushed the doppler off of her, rolling to the side just in time to avoid yet another blow from Gudros. She yelled inarticulately and stabbed upwards, piercing his gut through. Without bothering to check if he was dead, Yennefer turned to Velah and Ozrias, both of whom were advancing on Jaskier, swords drawn.

“Behind you,” she shouted, and he ducked a swipe meant to behead him. She darted over and shoved Velah away with a kick to the side, and in the same motion brought her sword up to parry Ozrias’ next strike. Behind her, she heard the doppler let out a guttural noise and collapse—hopefully dead—and out of the corner of her eye she spotted Jaskier trying to avoid Velah’s wildly swinging sword. He barely dodged the last one, and earned himself a neat score along his cheek, blood pouring forth from the small wound.

Luckily, Ozrias proved to be a rather weak swordfighter, and she killed him with a swift dodge and counterattack, cutting off his head in one swift motion. She threw herself in between Jaskier and Velah just in time, handily disarming her while Jaskier cowered and yelped behind her.

Pointing her sword straight at Velah’s throat, Yennefer demanded, “Where is he?”

Velah threw her hands up. “He’s in Spalla. Please, don’t kill me.”

Yennefer narrowed her eyes. “You hurt what’s mine.”

“Please, mercy—” She didn’t finish; she was dead before her body hit the floor. Mercy granted her a quick death, but nothing more. Not after kidnapping her right-hand man, her lover, not after bombing her palace and killing her people, not after hurting Jaskier.

Jaskier took in a deep breath, letting it out shakily. “Whoo. That’s enough excitement for me, I think. I need to sit down,” he said, and sat down right there in the middle of the wreckage.

Yennefer busied herself with cleaning her sword. “So you don’t want to come to Spalla with me?” she asked casually, and he sprang back up to his feet—albeit shakily.

“No, no, I’m in! Someone has to write sweeping songs of your victories there.” He paused. “Just, maybe, a moment to catch my breath? I’ve never really—ah—never had to fight for my life before. Never killed anyone, either. I think my body might be shutting down?” he squeaked, sinking to his knees. “My—my heart is beating so fast, gods, and my hands feel all tingly, and I’m shaking—”

“That’s the adrenaline,” Yennefer answered, kneeling down as well. “It will pass.”

“Good. Because this—well, is this what you feel all the time?” He looked up at her, a dawning sort of respect in his gaze.

She shrugged. “You get used to it eventually. But yes, more or less.”

“Color me impressed, then.” As they spoke, the color began to return to his cheeks, and his frantic breathing slowed, and his shaking died down. “Alright. I’m feeling better, I think.”

“Good,” she echoed, sheathing her sword and helping him up. “Because now we ride for Rivia.”

“To Rivia,” he repeated. “Hey, do you think Geralt will be impressed? Bet he’s never killed a doppler before.”

“Shut up, Jaskier,” she replied, but couldn’t hide the small smile that graced her face.

Her palace was in ruins, and Geralt had been kidnapped, and they were about to go to war with Rivia for the second time, but somehow she knew—it would be alright.

[londonfoginacup]

Hi!! H17 please :)

This is, of course, entirely subjective lolll

you got me shakin' | writtensoul Harry/Louis | 4k

louis and harry live next door to each other and harry is a phone-sex operator and louis is jealous. “I suppose I was. Do you like my dress? You’re a phone-sex operator.” And, well, that wasn’t supposed to come out, but it did.

Mange de la Merde et Meurs (a love story) | tomlinsunshine Harry/Louis | 3k

”High five me, Liam.” Liam does not high five him. He just stands there, hands shaking by his sides, and whispers, “You sent Harry Styles an envelope full of anthrax because you think he’s cute?”

Tell Me Where You're Hiding Out | halolove Harry/Louis | 9k

The OT5 roadtrip gone wrong.

The Flatmates | Centa0592 Harry/Louis | 48k

Harry is a cheeky Alpha who vows never to settle down. Louis is a hurt omega whose Alpha died just before they could bond officially. Zayn is an artistic Alpha who doesn’t understand privacy, or personal space. Liam is a curious Beta who is convinced the world is going to end. And Niall is a drunk Beta who keeps falling asleep randomly without finishing his sentences….he might also suffer from narcolepsy. None of the lads know for sure.

Shot Me Out Of The Sky | foxandbee Harry/Louis Zayn/Liam | 26k

Harry means well, he honestly does, but he also has a disproportionately large pie-hole which can sometimes get him into trouble. Take right now for instance, when someone’s out to get him, shots are being fired, Paul-the-human-bullet-vest is squishing him into the concrete and Harry really just wishes he knew when to keep his mouth shut. He blames it all on his underpants. Alternatively, the story where Harry’s a passionate-if-slightly-misguided popstar who may or may not have multiple assassins out to kill him.

Battle Cry | Velvetoscar Harry/Louis | 21k

Harry's got a heart, a soul, and a band. And with that, obviously, comes a future paved in great success, right? So all he has to do is win the Battle of the Bands, right? Simple. What's not so simple is the fact that Louis Tomlinson is his biggest competition. And also happens to be made of everything that Harry's ever wanted. No... That's not simple at all.

Just Me, You, And This Box of Matches | tomlinsunshine Harry/Louis Zayn/Liam Zayn/Perrie | 87k

Louis is fairly sure that his new neighbour is going to destroy him. And also their apartment building, and the dumpsters outside, and all the forests within a thirty mile radius. But. Mostly him.

Have You Coming Back Again | whoknows Harry/Louis | 31k

It’s five o’clock in the morning. Louis has a lecture at half eight. He could be using this time to study or to do his readings or to go to the gym, but - well. He doesn’t have any exams coming up, he’s not going to his seminar today anyway and he hates the gym. Instead he’s using this time to fuck with Harry Styles’ poor little brain. Louis jogs across the street and jabs the key into the car door. It opens easily, not that he was expecting anything else. He copied the key for a reason, after all. He’s got Harry’s schedule memorized, more because the guy keeps following him around than anything, so he doesn’t bother looking around before climbing behind the wheel and setting his bag on the passenger seat. It’s a Monday, which means that Harry doesn’t even get out of bed before noon unless he’s planning on harassing Louis.

Mystery Fic Rec Game

[hoothalcyon]

TDP please! For this

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

ruthari, janaya, and nyx <3 rayla is also my favourite but I don't think about her a whole lot at the moment :( but I usually do!

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

tbh? ram!!! I love them and think they're so cute :] also bait!

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

hmmm maybe crowmaster? he's so relatable and a cutie, I enjoy him

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

the Moonshadow assassins! Ram, Andromeda, Callisto, and Skor :) I love them

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

claudia :) I can't resist. she's so misguided :( she'll find her way soon enough (I hope)

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

Skor (it's an inside joke with my friends)

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

D: uhhh....fen.

[imakeficrequestsandthendisappear]

The post where I try to fix Klaus’ arc in TUA season 2

(((I guess I just am an umbrella academy blogger now)))

OKAY, so we all can agree that Klaus’s arc in season 2 (mostly with dave) was....not great. the intentions i think were good, but misguided. It started pretty good, the acting was great, but it didn’t have the lasting power. Here’s 10 things the writers should have done differently, or should do in the future (as told by me, a nobody). Yes most of this is a long Klaus x Dave shitpost 

1. Learn Basic Math:   Idk why this is so hard to fucking grasp, but Dave’s baby-faced teenager age doesn’t make any fucking sense. according to the wiki, he was born in 1939, so in 1963 he is 24 years old. the actor who played young Dave is currently 20, so was probably 19 when they filmed. 

Why? why. *instert why vine*

like yeah he’s younger, but he doesn’t need to look like a infant. The baby-est gay that ever did baby gay. it puts a weird dynamic into the whole season with Klaus. and it’s not like there isn’t someone else who can play dave....

2. Hire Cody Ray Thompson again:  ....like, I’m baffled. they’ve baffled me. This guy had one(1) job, fall in love with Klaus, and he did it with so much charm and chemistry that the whole fanbase is still quaking. he had like 2 lines. like less 3 total minutes of screen time. And we all fell in love with him cause he did so good. ((he’s also a klave stan check out his twitter))

Whyyyy couldn’t they just get him in for season? “hE’d LoOk ToO OlD” well the other kid looked too damn young. do his hair different, have him lose some bulk in the arms and shoulders, get him a k-pop skin care routine, I don’t care.

Imagine if he got to have multiple scenes with Robert Sheehan, when they had so much chemistry in just a short montage in season 1.

3. Knock it off with the homophobia: i’m not gonna talk about when Dave punches klaus it’s literally the worst part of the season. it’s not what i came here for. I want a refund. (see point 7 for notes)

4. Actually make the cult a useful part of the season: like we have hundreds of adoring klaus fans ready to do anything he tells them… could that have served a plot purpose at any point? Could that have been useful in a conflict, or some character development? No?

5. Establish the Ben possessions much earlier: probably one of the most interesting plot points from season 2 is that ben had more agency. And then 5 minutes later he didn’t. I know we have 7 main characters but did we need this many scenes with the Handler while Ben got diddly fuck until the last 2 episodes? 

6: Why Doesn’t Klaus see ghosts anymore?: like, he sees Ben. but, what about all the other ones? He got sober, does he just ignore them now? ((guys what if he conjured the spirit of JFK)) 

7: (this one’s long) Make Klaus’s arc about internal conflict, not an external conflict between him and Dave:  

Klaus is established in season 1 to be selfish, but in like a fun way. he thinks of self satisfaction before literally anything else. this comes to a head when he comes back from Vietnam and says “He was the only person I’ve ever loved more than myself” 

After this Klaus’ growth is kind of put on the back-burner for the apocalypse stuff. We never really get to see him put someone else first after that. Even when he gets sober to see Dave, it’s to fulfill his own desires. 

By season 2 his world view has shifted, he gets sober, but we need more actions toward change. he gets bored of the cult and ditches them, and he barely does anything for Ben.

(selfish but lovable)

Enter tall hunky texas boy Dave, (((who is an adult man))) who is in the closet from his homophobic family, but it’s not spelled out for us. It could be as subtle as a look, or saying a coded phrase. The audience isn’t interested in the macro-drama of 1960’s homophobia, we are interested in the micro-drama between these two characters.

Anyway, Klaus is excited to see Dave, and they like meet and have a normal conversation, where it is eventually revealed that Dave is already planning on joining the marines soon. Klaus wants to stop him but then he realizes (or Ben tells him) that if Klaus says the wrong thing (like telling Dave not to go to war) it would change the timeline and they would never meet in 1968. And for the next couple EPISODES i want Klaus to have to think about this, like it’s an actual hard decision to make. He’s a creature of habit, his instincts are selfish because he’s always been selfish, but he loves this guy so much. 

Maybe he tries bargaining, like maybe he can subtly tell Dave just enough to keep him alive, but not stop him from going to Vietnam. And Dave is rightfully confused that this person knows a lot about him, but also like… he’s kinda cute. I want weird coffee shop dates and long walks through the texas fields in the setting sun.  

But right at the deadline of “we gotta stop the apocalypse again” Klaus realizes that he can’t let Dave go to Vietnam, even if it means they never meet. Cause he loves dave like way too much to even risk it, even if it means putting his own happiness second. It’s the first truly selfless act of love Klaus does for someone. So he tells him everything, but it sounds fucking bat-shit insane and Klaus has to leave right then and there. Leaving Dave standing there like “Wtf”

Later on after the Kennedy assassination, klaus and all the hargreeves’ are named as suspects, so Dave wonders if he’s just been duped by a cult leader this whole time (but also is kinda sad about it). He enlists in the marines anyway, and this is where we stay on the season one timeline.

But speaking of time-lines…….

8. Use season 3 to retcon timeline issues: like obviously they are going to fuck around with the timeline, because of the fucking bird school and emo ben. So take this opportunity, dear writers, to figure out how Klaus’s (and everyone else’s) lives make any sense, and cut some stuff from the season 1 and season 2 timelines. (and no, Klaus and Dave never falling in love in Vietnam is not a valid choice. It’s a garbage way to make me cry.)

9: Set a whole (or most of an) episode in 1968 Vietnam: maybe this is when they are trying to fix the timeline. Idk it’s just for fanservice. They have a whole 10 episodes and they can’t give just one to klaus? bullshit.

10. (Fan Theory) Reveal that Dave was killed by the commission: the true tragedy of this romance is that if Dave lived Klaus probably wouldn’t have gone back to 2019. They might have actually lived a happy life together. But the timeline needs Klaus in 2019, to be part of and die in the apocalypse, so the commission sends someone (.....maybe not Five) out to kill his boyfriend. 

Anyway it took me so many braincells to write this post and i do not accept criticism for free, so dm for my paypal if you want to tell me this was stupid.

[vespertine-legacy]

my swtor OCs

I figure I ought to have something to help keep track of my OCs somewhere, so here is an attempt, which I will try to keep updated if I end up creating more.

Under a cut, because long post, because I don’t understand how everyone makes fancy html oc pages that are actually well-organized, and at this point I’m too afraid to ask (I had a focus in computer science at my nerd boarding school, and I have since forgotten almost all of it, yaaaaay)

Arranged by class, and then vaguely alphabetically (I’ve also added in their combat styles, mostly so you can see how many goddamn operatives/scoundrels I have lol)

Imperial Side

Sith Warriors

Akise Toradte, aka Mahzarin Auksas, aka Lord Toradte - the False Sith Vengeance Juggernaut she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire Orientation: Heteroflexible (aka “mostly straight,” and then a bounty hunter broke her) Romance: None, currently (but many misguided flings and crushes) tag: swtor oc mahzarin Server: Star Forge

Atmena Jenkari’uul, aka Mena - the Empire’s Wrath Annihilation/Fury Marauder | Vengeance Juggernaut she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire/Eternal Alliance Orientation: Bisexual Romance: Jaesa Willsaam tag: swtor oc mena Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Khynan Xandal, aka Khy, aka Lord Neziox - the “True” Wrath Immortal/Rage Juggernaut | Deception/Hatred Assassin he/him Affiliation: Sith Empire/Acina Orientation: Straight, but not above flirting with any gender to get his way Romance: None, currently tag: swtor oc khynan Server: Satele Shan, Darth Malgus

Sith Inquisitors

Cassija Solborne, aka Sija - Darth Nox Lightning/Madness/Corruption Sorcerer she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire/Eternal Alliance Orientation: Bisexual Romance: Andronikos Revel tag: swtor oc sija Server: Star Forge, Darth Malgus

Eleison Kirnah, aka Loremaster Kirnah - Head Archivist and Loremaster of Nfolgai Hatred/Deception Assassin | Telekinesis/Balance/Seer Sage she/her Affiliation: Dread Masters Orientation: Lesbian Romance: Dread Master Brontes tag: swtor oc eleison Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Juryata Dhezhini, aka Jury Madness/Lightning/Corruption Sorcerer | Vigilance Guardian she/her|they/them Affiliation: Sith Empire (loosely) Orientation: Undecided Romance: Khem Val tag: swtor oc jury Server: Satele Shan

Bounty Hunters

Dao-Mox Brood, aka Moxie - Champion of the Great Hunt Pyrotech Powertech | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her|they/them Affiliation: Her crew comes first Orientation: Is the shrug emote a sexual orientation? Romance: A trail of broken hearts along the way, but nothing serious (in-game Koth-mance and it’s super cute) tag: swtor oc moxie Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Orcodaa Vadesh, aka Coda Bodyguard/Arsenal Mercenary | Sawbones/Ruffian/Scrapper Scoundrel she/her Affiliation: Galactic Republic-ish? Orientation: If she had to put a label on it, pansexual Romance: @miss-spooky-eyes​‘s Indirae tag: swtor oc coda Server: Satele Shan, Darth Malgus

Chatelaine Concealment/Lethality Operative | Bodyguard/IO Mercenary she/her Affiliation: Chiss Ascendancy-ish? Orientation:  Romance: None currently tag: swtor oc chatelaine Server: Satele Shan

Imperial Agents

Ayadi Morora, aka Dee - Cipher Twenty-three/Stave Virulence Sniper | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her Affiliation: Galactic Republic/SIS Orientation: Lesbian Romance: None, currently tag: swtor oc dee Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Getza Eitryr - Fixer Fourty-seven Marksmanship Sniper | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative Affiliation: Sith Empire Orientation: Asexual Romance: None, currently tag: swtor oc getza Server: Satele Shan

Nulis Ziureti - Watcher Five Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative | Bodyguard Mercenary he/him Affiliation: Sith Empire Orientation: Bisexual Romance: Raina Temple tag: swtor oc nulis Server: Satele Shan

Tulia Neperi - Cipher Sixteen Engineering Sniper | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire/Darth Jadus/Acina Orientation: Lesbian Romance: Darth Zhorrid tag: swtor oc tulia, my rotten avocado Server: Satele Shan

Razimiri, aka Raz - Cipher Nine Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative | Bodyguard Mercenary she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire Orientation: Lesbian Romance: Shara Jenn tag: swtor oc raz, my poor murderbaby Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge, Darth Malgus

Republic Side

Jedi Knights

Enex Qadara - Battlemaster of the Jedi Order Defense/Vigilance Guardian | Deception/Hatred Assassin he/him Affiliation: Jedi Order/Galactic Republic Orientation: Undecided Romance: None planned, but I have Hexid as his level 50 companion, and every time she calls him “darling” my heart flutters, so :shrug: [most details of this guy tbd, but I needed another Guardian for *reasons* and then I accidentally got a little attached to him] Server: Satele Shan

November Almarre, aka Ember (originally my Hero of Tython, but removing her from my “canon” because I’m over her) Watchman Sentinel | Telekinetics/Balance/Seer Sage she/her Affiliation: Jedi Order/Galactic Republic  Orientation: Lesbian Romance: N/A   tag: swtor oc ember Server: Satele Shan

[image inaccurate to how I envision the character for a variety of reasons, but the new CC options and my very limited editing options help]  Veld’arelith, aka Velda Watchman Sentinel | Telekinesis/Balance/Seer Sage  she/they Affiliation: Galactic Republic/Alliance/very loose ties (fuck up and Velda is outie) Orientation: Undecided Romance: None yet [child of an OC/NPC pair, more details to come once I’m able to actually create them, envisioned to replace Ember as my “main” Sentinel in my legacy since I got semi-uncomfy having an OC with my name and about as close to my face as I could get in the character creator lol shrug] Server: Satele Shan

Jedi Consulars

Hinah Ulresse Telekinesis/Balance/Seer Sage | Vigilance Guardian she/her Affiliation: Jedi Order/Galactic Republic Orientation: Lesbian Romance: Dazh Ranos tag: swtor oc hinah Server: Satele Shan

Kestrel Fortuna - Barsen’thor of the Jedi Order Infiltration/Serenity Shadow | Telekinesis/Balance/Seer Sage she/her Affiliation: Jedi Order/Galactic Republic Orientation: Aromantic/Asexual Romance: ??? tag: swtor oc kestrel Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Republic Troopers

Colonel Azi’kesti, aka Zeke Combat Medic/Gunnery Commando |  Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative he/him Affiliation: Galactic Republic Orientation: Comphet, but realizing he might actually be bisexual Romance: None, currently (in-game romanced Elara just so I could see the vanilla romance and it’s adorable) tag: swtor oc zeke Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Colonel Cershaa Vadesh Shield Specialist/Tactics/Plasmatech Vanguard | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her Affiliation: Galactic Republic Orientation: Pansexual Romance: Elara Dorne/Aric Jorgan tag: swtor oc cershaa, trooper troubles Server: Satele Shan

Smugglers

Nizuvhi Kenno, aka Zuvi - Voidhound Sharpshooter/Dirty Fighting/Saboteur Gunslinger | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her Affiliation: Voidhound Fleet Orientation: Pansexual Romance: Risha Drayen/ @rainofaugustsith​‘s Ror (plus many many flings) tag: swtor oc zuvi, my idiot avocado Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge, Darth Malgus

Vyshtal Sekra, aka Vysh Sawbones/Ruffian/Scrapper Scoundrel / Bodyguard Mercenary she/her Affiliation: Galactic Republic Orientation: Sort of unconcerned Romance: Arcann Tirall tag: swtor oc vysh Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

[not pictured: NPCs-as-OCs Watcher Two (Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative) and Zhorrid (Lightning/Madness Sorcerer), both on Satele Shan]

[palettepainter]

What about Robos and Kowais real parents? And do they get adopted?

Warning: Mentions of abuse and suicide

Robo’s (his actual name is Haiya) parents where both small sidekicks working under a big time hero, and Robo was born in hopes to bring the family name to glory - his parents where okay at first, but after his quirks kicked in and it was revealed he inherited both of his parents quirks his mum and dad started to view him more as an extension to their work. If you want an idea of how his parents began to change in behavior then just look up Nagisa’s mum from assassination classroom on YT (if you’re going to search that up on YT warnings for abuse and manipulative/controlling behavior). 

After Robo lost the movement in his arms and his parents had his arms surgically removed, Robo by extent also lost his second quirk which he inherited from his father.His father’s quirk allowed him to either slow down or speed up the movement of an object or person with either his right or left hand, once Robo lost his arms his parents lost faith in him, seeing him more as a failure of what could have been. They hand him over to a family in Tokyo, they planned to take Robo back in if they found any kind of operation that could in some way restore his quirk, but Robo runs away at the age of 13 from his new family.

(one of the rare times I answer an ask with a drawing in it)

Now Haiya is happily adopted by Ectoplasm and Power loader, the fanart I saw for this rarepair won me over on it don’t judge me they’re cute. Ectoplasm was the first to adopt Haiya: Ectoplasm was called into the therapy centre/orphanage home for kids to help Haiya in the start of his therapy, Haiya has a fear of doctors and hospitals thanks to when he had his arms removed by his parents, he sees his lack of arms as a failure as that’s how his parents saw it. Ectoplasm offers solid, and very thoughtful advice (Ectoplasm lost his legs to a villian so I headcannon that Ecto has a lot of great advice for people when it comes to encouraging them to get back up after a rough day,), they begin to bond over time, and since both share a similar fighting stlye (both being stronger with the use of their legs rather then their arms), Ectoplasm made a pledge when Eri (Eri runs the therapy centre) made a placement request for Haiya in UA in general studies. Haiya no longer desires to be a hero, but may now have the goal of becoming a teacher thanks to his new dad. Haiya meets Power loader pretty early on in his time at UA, Ectoplasm goes to Power Loader for adjustments for his prosthetics’, since his are a special light weight model to help him fight, Power loader becomes a figure Haiya is comfortable around and begins to enjoy his company. Haiya begins to view him as a second parent, and with Haiya spending more time with Power loader it was inevitable that Ectoplasm and Haiya would begin to grow closer. It’s another personal headcannon of mine that the two where school friends back in their UA days, so the two where already close from the get go, but it wasn’t until Haiya came along did their friendship develop into something more.

Haiya is a very happy, energetic and bubbly child and loves his two new dads very much 

Kowai’s parents weren’t heroes. Her father worked in management to a furniture company and her mother was an ex doctor who lost her job and fell into drinking. Her father took her mother in when he found her out on the streets one morning, and nursed her back to health. She ends up sticking around and although their relationship is a bit rocky at the start, they soon become friends and start to enjoy the others company. In the beginning their love was actually very sweet and genuine, and then Kowai’s mother became pregnant with her. Kowai was unplanned but happily welcomed by her two parents. It was confirmed after a doctors visit that Kowai had a quirk - or would have one - but they’d obviously have to wait until Kowai was older for it to manifest. When Kowai hit five and she showed no signs of a quirk, her parents began to ponder what could be wrong. Kowai’s mother, having been a doctor in the past, suggested that perhaps Kowai had developed a quirk relating in some way to alcohol (Kowai’s mum’s body due to her past drinking habits led to her body suffering, she wasn’t in the greatest of health, so that gene passed on to Kowai). The marriage from their falls apart, her parents begin to fight and her mother turns back to her old ways of drinking to cope when her husband begins to barely talk to her. After one particularly nasty argument Kowai’s dad storms out of the house, leaving Kowai who was 6 at the time and her mother alone. Kowai’s mother takes her life, leaving Kowai alone in the apartment. A day goes by, and her dad hasn’t returned home, Kowai begins to grow hungry, and being a clueless child she reaches for the wine glass - she thought it was juice - and drank it,. Her quirk sloshed took affect, and being little she panicked which ultimately made it worse - her father finally returned to find Kowai’s mum dead and Kowai huddled by the end of the sofa. He takes Kowai to an orphanage the next day and leaves the country, things don’t get any better for Kowai as the orphanage didn’t want to deal with a child with a complicated quirk, and so the drive her to the slums and leave her there to fend for herself

(I know Nemoto’s legs look a bit weird here, I’ll fix up the sketch later when I decided to line art and colour this)

Kowai is eventually adopted by Deidoro and Nemoto (discussed the idea of Kowai being adopted by these two with @hazbinextgeneration and threw around a few ideas, and after reading some parent headcannons by @kayokos-villain-imagines I decided to make it cannon) - I’m still figuring out how Deidoro and Nemoto come to adopt Kowai, since Nemoto is already busy enough taking care of his dumb husband, but an idea I had was maybe Eri reached out to Deidoro years later when Kowai comes to the centre in hopes Deidoro would have any ideas on how to help her handle her quirk. If you guys have any ideas feel free to send them to me! Nemoto is the rule following parent, also a bit strict on cleanliness (kind of a habit that stuck after working with Overhaul). Deidoro is the laid back dad who’s a slob, probably treats him and Kowai to greasy take out food becasue he knows Nemoto hates grease, and also because Deidoro likes greasy foods - thankfully Nemoto is there to make sure he actually eats healthy stuff too. Deidoro is the stay at home dad and Nemoto is probably a lawyer or banker, some high paying job that requires brains 

Also to confirm Nemoto and Deidoro go through a reformation programe once they are sent to prison - though they are villians are where working under Overhaul, yes - without a doubt - they’re bad guys, but I don’t think they’re necessarily bad people, if that makes sense. Nemoto joined Overhaul because Overhaul was the first person to ever tell Nemoto the truth, his true feelings and opinions, Nemoto joined him because no one else was giving him that and so that made Nemoto view him as trustworthy. I don’t know if Deidoro’s backstory has been revealed as of yet, but my headcannon is that Deidoro, after his quirk manifested, was treated differently by his peers, friends and family due to its nature and how it worked, Overhaul then found him and offered him a base to live in, a warm shower, proper food, and Deidoro accepted becasue Overhaul was the first person to actually treat him as an equal in a long time.

I don’t see Nemoto or Deidoro as truly evil, more rather just misguided, so in my NGAU they are reformed villians and are living a (mostly-) peaceful life

DO NOT REPOST/EDIT/COPY/TRACE MY ART OR OC’S!!

Kowai/Robo - me

Ectoplasm/Power loader/Deidoro/Nemoto - MHA

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Yzma

I feel like there’s no sense in introducing this one. You know her. I’ve seen all the gif sets, the quotes, the images, the memes… it’s safe to say most every person on the internet is intimately acquainted with The Emperor’s New Groove’s geriatric villainess, Yzma. So, let’s just cut to the chase and talk about why Yzma is a fantastic villain, shall we?

Motivation/Goals: Yzma’s goal is pretty simple and yet also infinitely understandable. She wants to take over the kingdom from Kuzco because, after years of being treated like garbage by the snotty little emperor she likely helped raise, he’s just firing her because she’s old and ugly. Like, it is TRUE, but it’s still incredibly tacky and rude. It’s not hard to empathize with her at least a little bit as she goes to poison the snotty, miserable emperor, though it really does become harder to side with her as the movie goes on and she continues to berate her poor manservant Kronk.

Performance: The legendary Eartha Kitt of Adam West’s Batman and My Life as a Teenage Robot fame gave Yzma exactly the voice she needed to instantly ingrain herself in your memory forever. Kitt was absolutely not afraid to ham it up, and combined with the character design and animation, it makes Yzma a delightfully over-the-top figure that is easy to love to hate. Even better, she has insanely good chemistry with Patrick Warburton as Kronk, and the two play off each other extremely well, leading to Yzma being part of a good 95% of the movie’s funniest scenes. It helps that, while she is definitely very funny, she is more often the straight man reacting to the insanity her compatriot brings to the table, a dark mirror to Kuzco and Pacha’s relationship… well, comparatively dark. These two are a couple of goobers after all. What I think really helps is that, despite being the straight man in a general sense, Yzma is still probably one of the most insane villains in Disney’s filmography, as in literally unhinged, so she is as able to generate laughs as anyone else.

Final Fate: Yzma’s attempts to kill Kuzco backfire spectacularly, and instead of succeeding in any way, shape, or form, she ends up turning herself into a cute little kitty. It’s a marked improvement, honestly. How she changed back to normal for the TV series, who can say? By all accounts it doesn’t make sense. Just don’t think too hard about it, it’s a comedy after all.

Best Scene: Considering how the entire climax of the film is an absolute cavalcade of comedy, we could go with that. Or we could go with her attempts to poison Kuzco at dinner. Or we could go with her interactions with Pacha’s family. The “problem” with Yzma that every scene with her is so great that it’s hard to single out any single one moment as outstanding, because all of them are pretty much on the same level. She’s remarkably consistent with how great she is.

Best Quote: It’s really hard for me to pick just one line (which is something I tend to say a lot, but I mostly talk about good villains on here, so cut me some slack), but I think the combination of the delivery and just how great Kitt’s voice was really helps make her brainstorming ways to kill Kuzco a legendary moment:

“Ah, how should I do it? Oh, I know. I'll turn him into a flea. A harmless little flea. And then I'll put that flea in a box, and then I'll put that box inside of another box, and then I'll mail that box to myself! And when it arrives, AH HA HA HA! I'LL SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER!!! It's brilliant, brilliant, BRILLIANT, I tell you! Genius, I say!”

The laugh is really what sells it, honestly.

Final Thoughts & Score: Yzma is probably the single greatest Disney villain who doesn’t totally follow the Renaissance villain format post-Renaissance, with only Turbo really being a contender for the crown. What I mean is this: the Renaissance set a serious precedent for animated movie villains going forward. They had to be hammy, have huge personalities, and get their own song. Ratigan was something of a prototype, and then Ursula went and set the standard. Sure, there were exceptions in the Renaissance – Hades is great but got no song, and Ratcliffe is… Ratcliffe, and he has a song – but for the most part the best Disney villains had a clear style. Ursula, Gaston, Frollo, Scar, all of them are some of Disney’s best and all of them stick to these rules.

Yzma came early in the post-Renaissance era so it would make sense for her to fit the bill entirely while they were still experimenting with new styles, but because of the tumultuous production of The Emperor’s New Groove, she ended up keeping the ham while having her villain song cut. And yes, this is a damn shame, since Eartha Kitt was a fantastic singer and the song’s not half bad, but I think the movie as a whole and Yzma herself work better without music. She’s just so funny with how she reacts to and interacts with things throughout the movie, I just don’t think she really NEEDS music to really push her over the top in terms of quality. Like, let me put it this way: I think, without “Be Prepared,” Scar would probably not be quite as impressive. I think with a villain song, Jafar would have been even cooler. Yzma? She’s pretty much perfect the way she is.

I debated a long time on what score to give her, but I frankly think she does deserve a 10/10. I almost gave her a 9 on the basis that she didn’t have a song, but her overall performance combined with my realization she didn’t need her song to be great made me decide to reward her with the highest marks. However, there is one criticism I have that I think stands: she would not nearly be s funny if not for the presence of her faithful lackey. So let’s talk about him, shall we?

Psycho Analysis: Kronk

I put this one to a vote, and it turns out that a lot of people consider Kronk a villain. I guess if we’re being technical he is an antagonist, but a villain? Kronk is pretty much the least evil villain out there. Still, it’s pretty impossible to deny that he’s not exactly a good guy when he’s complicit in an assassination attempt. Kronk’s a bit of a morally gray figure for much of the film.

He’s also, without a doubt, the funniest character in the film.

Motivation/Goals: See Yzma above. He’s just her lackey, so he doesn’t have much in terms of goals of his own. He does, however, have a conscience, as well as numerous skills including some serious culinary skills, including knowledge of fry cook lingo.

Performance: This is one of the roles that really put Patrick Warburton on the map, alongside Joe Swanson in Family Guy. And if I’m being honest, this is the definitive Patrick Warburton role in animation. Kronk is just an absolute delight to watch, since he’s basically the lovable idiot character perfected. He’s a ditz, but he does have a lot of skill in some interesting niche areas, he’s not truly good or evil and has a moral code, he’s very quotable and funny in a pretty natural way… Kronk has got it all! And it’s all thanks to Warburton injecting that Patrick Warbuton-ness we’ve all come to love from his performances. 

Final Fate: Of course Kronk gets redeemed in the end. The dude is the biggest softie on the planet. Maybe Yzma should have thought twice before insulting his spinach puffs.

Best Scene: Kronk has a similar problem to Yzma, where every single scene he’s in is incredibly perfect, but unlike Yzma, there is one scene that really narrows things down and gives you the perfect summation of Kronk as a character: the scene where he is attempting to dispose of Kuzco’s body, does his own theme music, argues with his shoulder angel and shoulder devil, and then ends up saving Kuzco, thus allowing the rest of the plot to happen.

Best Quote: Unlike Yzma, there is no way I could possibly narrow down Kronk’s best quote. Whichever one is your favorite, you’re right. That’s the best one. Everything out of his mouth is gold.

Final Thoughts & Score: Kronk is a very interesting lesson when it comes to Psycho Analysis because, while he is certainly antagonistic, and certainly is a great character, he’s not a great villain, which is what these reviews are for. Like, he is easily the best part of the movie, he is hilarious, his chemistry with Yzma is undeniable, and this is Warburton’s definitive vocal performance in animation… but it doesn’t make Kronk a good villain so much as it makes him a good character. Like there’s no way I can give him below an 8/10, because again, still an antagonistic role, but he can’t score much higher because his personality is just so legitimately NICE that calling him a villain seems really weird (which is why I put it to a vote in the first place).

I really can’t stress enough how much I love Kronk; he’s like in my top 10 favorite Disney characters. But when it comes to villains, I really don’t think he’d make the cut, because even when he is doing something bad it comes off more as misguided loyalty to Yzma than an actual desire to do bad. It’s really telling that it’s the most petty of things that makes him drop Yzma like a hot potato: Kronk was never really a villain, he was a good guy who made poor life choices and had a toxic friend influence. He didn’t really have a character arc where he became a better person like Kuzco did, although Kronk’s ultimate turn to the side of good does somewhat mirror Kuzco’s; he simply realized that the friend in his life he devoted his time to was an awful person and decided to leave her behind, and when all is said and done, that just leaves a big, buff nice guy who likes to cook. And that makes Kronk a truly great, funny, and lovable character.

It just doesn’t make him a great villain.

[selfignitingimagines]

Theo- Forgiven

Request- I’m not sure if I already requested this but can I get a Theo x reader where (kind of like the scene with Derek and stiles escaping Kanima in pool) where reader is paralyzed from kanima and Theo is like holding her up and they have to jump in the pool to escape and Theo has to like get out of the water to grab something so reader sinks and then Theo pulls her back up. Theo and reader aren’t dating yet but they confess feeling during this situation. LOTS OF FLUFF. Sorry if this don’t make sense!

A/N: It makes sense to me! Hope you like it!

“This way!” Theo hissed, grabbing you by the arm and jerking you to the right.

He shoved through the wooden doors that led to the school pool, and you took the opportunity to yank your arm from his grasp.

“I thought you killed Tracy,” you said breathlessly.

“I thought that too,” he snapped. “But apparently not.”

You suppressed the urge to reach out and smack him. Theo coming back from the dead had been a surprise, but it was nothing like finding out Tracy was alive. Especially because that had only happened fifteen minutes ago when she popped out from behind a library shelf while you were studying.

“You know this is your fault right?” you demanded.

“You’re the one who wanted to stay late to study in this hellhole.”

“You’re the one who insisted on staying with me!”

“I wasn’t going to let you be here alone at night. I might be an asshole, but I’m not stupid.”

“Cute.”

You stopped short as Tracy appeared in front of you, materializing from behind the bleachers. She was in a half kanima state, with scales speckling her skin and her tail slithering behind her. She was sort of glowing in the lights of the pool, and you thought to yourself that if there was such a thing as an avenging angel, it would look like Tracy. If she wasn’t there to kill Theo, you might have even thought she was beautiful.

Theo darted into front of you and let out a growl.

“Dying once wasn’t enough for you?”

“If I remember correctly, you never killed me,” she hissed.

“No, but I will this time.”

Theo stalked forward and swiped at Tracy with a clawed hand. She ducked, her tail whipping around in the process as she smacked him in the back with it. He fell forward and clawed at her, causing her to shriek.

She lashed out at him, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him into the cold floor. He hit the tile with a thud, and you watched with horrific fascination as her eyes became slitted and yellow.

Theo let out a snarl, but his eyes flickered to you for a split second. He mouthed “Run.”.

You nodded and took off toward the doors, but Tracy whipped her head around. She growled, and by the sickening snap and Theo’s scream, you knew she had broken something.

You heard a crash, and you glanced behind you just in time to see Theo lying in a pile of kickboards and flippers, groaning. Tracy quickly caught up to you with supernatural speed, and she yanked you back by your shirt. It tore as she shoved you to the cold floor, and you hit the ground on your back.

She leaned over you and placed a hand on your chest, pinning you into the floor.

“No offense,” she began. “But you’ve got terrible taste in guys.”

“Can you just spare me the boy talk and kill me?” you snapped.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

She grabbed you by your torn shirt and yanked you to your feet, pressing her claws against your throat.

“Oh, Theo!” she sing-songed.

He lifted his head up from the ground, looking slightly dazed. When his eyes landed on the two of you, he jerked forward, only to scream out in pain. That was when you noticed that his left leg was bent at an unnatural angle, and there was a bone sticking out of it.

You felt the urge to bend over and vomit, but Tracy was holding you too tightly.

“No,” he snarled, crawling forward. “Tracy this isn’t about her. This is about us.”

“I know that,” she spat. “But you were the one who told us, Theo, remember? You told us that if you want to hurt someone, you need to hurt someone they love.”

Before you could unpack all of what she was saying, she suddenly dug her claws into your throat. You braced for the sharp pain, for the gush of blood, but it never came. She was only poking you, but the venom from her claws was enough to paralyze every muscle in your body.

You fell to your knees as the rest of you slowly became numb. Tracy grinned down at you and dragged your limp body toward the pool. You could hear Theo grunting, maybe trying to pull himself up, or put his leg back into place. You never had time to figure it out, because Tracy shoved you into the water.

Panic flood your senses, but all you could do was try to hold your breath. You had been paralyzed by kanima venom before, that night you had gone to get Stiles’ jeep fixed your sophomore year. He had begged you to come along, and you remembered that the douchebag mechanic had been hitting on you half the time you were there.

It only go weirder from there, and you and Stiles had both been paralyzed by the sticky goo on the door handle. From the floor of the waiting area, you were able to hear the mechanic get crushed by his own lift. You would later learn that his name had been Tucker.

That wasn’t exactly an experience you wanted to replicate, but you would rather go through that again than drown in the school pool. Just as your vision started to go black, you felt a hand grasp your forearm, yanking you up and above the water.

You gasped for air, but as Theo pulled you back against his chest, you could see he was struggling too.

“What happened?” you gasped. “Where’s Tracy?”

“She left,” he croaked. “She figured I wouldn’t be able to get to you.”

“Well thank god she was wrong.”

“We have another problem,” Theo said grimly.

You could see that his face was bright red with the strain of holding you, and you could feel that his muscles were straining.

“Your leg,” you remembered suddenly. “You can’t swim either.”

“The bone is still sticking out. I can’t get you out while it’s like this.”

“Well you can’t let me go,” you snapped.

“I might have to.”

“Where’s your phone?”

“In my pocket, which is soaked through right now.”

“So you’re going to do what? Just let me drown?”

Theo rolled his eyes. “No. I’m going to let you go, hop out, put my leg back into place and come get you.”

“If I don’t drown at the bottom of the pool first!”

Your yell echoed through the huge space of the room, and you knew how scared you must have sounded, but you weren’t going to back down.

“You seriously can’t just trust me?” Theo asked.

“Trust you?” you demanded. “You lied to me and tried to kill my friends.”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” Theo informed you. “But I’m the one keeping you alive right now.”

“That must be a weird feeling for you, huh?”

“Y/n, I swear to god! I’m trying to save your life.”

“Find another way!”

Theo thought for a minute, and then shook his head angrily. “Hold your breath.”

“What?!”

“Hold your breath!”

“No, are you-!”

Before you could protest anymore, he was letting you slide back into the water. You sucked in a deep breath at the last minute, closing your eyes as you slipped back under.

As you tried to fight the panic building in your mind, you thought back to what Tracy had said earlier. She mentioned hurting something Theo loved, but she couldn’t possibly think he cared about you.

What you and Theo had wasn’t exactly what you would call a relationship. Making out in the janitor’s closet and sneaking behind Stiles’ back was less than ideal, even though it had been fun. At least it had been fun until he tried to kill everyone else.

You had been guilty about that for months, and you were still working on letting go of that guilt when Liam and Hayden pulled Theo out of the ground. Once everything had blown over with the Ghost Riders, you were left wondering how you were supposed to avoid him.

You were under the impression that Theo never really cared, but judging by the way he had started following you around, you could have been wrong. It was a little hard to stay away from him when he started showing up wherever you were, but, god, you had tried. He wasn’t even supposed to be there in the school with you in the first place. He had only followed you in an effort to make sure you weren’t alone. As misguided as the whole situation was, maybe Tracy was on to something.

These were the thoughts flitting through your mind as you sank down into the water, your head pounding. Air bubbled up through your mouth against your will, and suddenly all you could think about was the explosive pain in your temples.

After the assassins made their way through Beacon Hills, you had stopped counting the amount of near-death experiences. You had imagined the way you would die over and over, yet the thought of drowning never cross your mind. You figured there would be pain, but this? This was agony.

Your body was starved for air. It was screaming for it.  If you could have twisted and writhed, you would have, but Tracy’s venom had left you paralyzed and helpless. The only thing you could do as the water rushed in was pray that Scott wouldn’t blame Theo for your death.

If you could have scoffed at yourself, you would have. There you were, drowning in the school pool, and still worrying about Theo. But you didn’t have time to think of the irony, because the pain was suddenly gone, and you were fading away.

-----

All Theo could hear as he dragged himself out of the pool was the sound of his own ragged breathing. He pulled himself up onto the edge, straightened out his leg the best he could, and pushed on his misshapen bone.

His hands were slippery with blood and chlorinated water as he frantically tried to put the bone back into place. He didn’t get it on the first few tries, and he looked back toward the pool, but you had already disappeared under the surface.

He sucked in a deep breath, clenched his teeth, and shoved the bone back in. His agonizing scream echoed through the room, but he wasted no time on his own pain. He could feel his leg healing already, the fibers of bone and skin knitting themselves back together under the surface. If he had time, he would have waited and made sure. Now he couldn’t afford to.

He dove into the water and surged toward the bottom of the pool. You were floating there, eyes closed, and Theo could tell you weren’t breathing.

He wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you against him, kicking desperately to boost the two of you up to the surface. After he broke through and made it to the edge, he hoisted you onto the side of the pool.

Theo dragged himself up onto the ledge, which was already soaked with water. He brushed sopping wet strands of hair from your face, and tilted your chin up in an attempt to open your airway.

“Come on,” he begged as he leaned over you, dripping water across your already soaked body. “Wake up, Y/n.”

He was surprised at how frantic his voice sounded, but he was terrified.

Before Liam brought him back to the surface, Theo had been living a nightmare. In what he could only guess was purgatory, he would wake up in the hospital morgue, only to come face to face with his dead sister. She would reach into his chest with an icy hand and rip out his heart, bloody and still, holding it up for him to see. Then he would wake up in that cold drawer, and she would find him all over again.

During those moments, Theo’s one escape was thinking of you. Maybe you hated him, but at one point you hadn’t, and that was what he chose to remember. Now that he was back, he had been determined to make up for his mistakes.

He had sworn to himself that he would protect you, but there you were, lying on the floor, cold, wet, and not breathing.

With shaking hands, he leaned in and pinched off your nose, blowing one breath into your mouth. Almost immediately, you jerked forward and coughed up water right into Theo’s face. He was so relieved he didn’t even care.

His hands were immediately on your back, guiding you onto your side so you could cough up the rest of the water in your lungs. You were gasping and shaking, but Theo kept his arms around you as you trembled.

“Oh god,” he kept murmuring. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Once you stopped spitting up pool water, you leaned back against Theo. He was just as wet as you were, but at least he was warm.

“Okay,” you whispered weakly, glancing up at him through half-lidded eyes. “I trust you.”

His chest heaved with relief, and before he could stop himself, he pulled you tightly against him. Your head was tucked under his chin, and his arms rested tightly around your back as he held you.

“Does this mean you forgive me?” he whispered softly.

You pulled away slightly to glance up at him. His green eyes were watering and desperate, and it occurred to you that you had never seen Theo look so pitiful, not even as his sister had dragged him into that pit. This time, he actually looked sorry. Still, you couldn’t help but fire back.

“Does this mean you care?”

Theo looked down in shame.

You let out a tired sighed, and wrapped your arms around him, burying your face into his chest.

“You were already forgiven.”

“Y/n, I’m in love with you.”

You looked up in shock. Theo must have seen the skepticism on your face, because he looked down in shame.

“I know what I’ve done,” his whispered hoarsely. “I know I was a monster. But I never wanted to hurt you. And I know that doesn’t mean much. What I went through when I was down there...I deserved everything. I deserved all of it.”

He took a deep breath, then looked into your eyes. “Someone gave me a second chance. And the whole time I was down there, the one thing I kept thinking about was you. And how if I could make it up you, I would. I would have my sister rip my heart out a thousand times if I could just...If I could just fix things.”

Your breath caught in your throat, making it nearly impossible to get your words out. They were thick and stuck in your throat, but you needed to say them.

“I’ve tried so hard to not care about you,” you told him. “I grieved for you, even when I probably shouldn’t have. And I wondered, maybe, if you had the chance, if you would have changed.”

Theo closed his eyes briefly. “I wouldn’t have. Scott was right to let me fall. I didn’t realize before, what they had turned me into. Now I know I was a monster. Maybe I still am, I don’t know.”

You reached up, placing a wet hand on his cheek. “I don’t think so.”

He placed his hand over yours. “How do you know?”

“I don’t,” you admitted. “But I’m willing to stick around and find out.”

Theo brushed a wet strand of hair out of your face and pulled you closer. He kissed you fiercely, as if he was trying to make up for all the time he had lost. He still had a long way to go, but for you, he was willing to change.

[crypt-glitch]

The music blared through the speakers; the vibrations could be felt through the air. A superhero club would be less loud, Sam had said foolishly. Bucky had grinned mischievously and pulled out two matching black mesh shirts when Sam had made that misguided statement. Of course Bucky would take Sam to the only superhero club he knew with practically no lights, loud as hell music, and questionable looking cocktails. And of course, being the sucker he is, Sam rolled his eyes and donned one of the mesh shirts with tight jeans for their night out to appease the annoying former assassin.

They stood outside the entrance, waiting in line in the cool fall weather and Jesus Christ---

"Hey man, I can see your hard nipples through your shirt from here," Sam bluntly remarked.

Bucky turned to childishly stick his tongue out and used the palm of his hands to protect his nipples from the cold. "I can't help that they react to the cold, y'know."

Sam snorted a laugh through his nose, a smirk gracing his face, before placing a warm hand on the brunette's lower back and guiding him towards the bouncer when they hit the front of the line. The man barely glanced up before ushering a cute girl with bouncy curls behind them in the door.

"You two are the Winter Soldier and ... who are you," the bouncer languidly questioned them and jerked his head towards Sam.

"He's Captain America, dumbass." Bucky frowned at the bouncer, using his best death glare.

"Of course. Sorry, Cap. Come on through." The bouncer had the good grace to at least look a little guilty for not recognizing the new Captain America immediately (although Sam had been doing this for over a year now) and moved out of their way.

They manuerved their way into the already too-packed building, Sam adjusting his hand so he was now holding Bucky close to him by his hip. The other man turned to him, his white teeth flashing with a soft smile.

"Alcohol?" Bucky quirked his head to side, pointing to the bar.

Sam shook his head and pulled the bulky man with him to the dance floor. "You were talking mad shit about your dancing skills earlier. Let's see what you got."

Bucky ran his metal hand through his slicked back, newly-cut hair while his other hand rested on his companion's shoulder. He could feel the heat of Sam's hand on his waist through his mesh shirt and brought their bodies closer until they were nose to nose, sparkly blue eyes meeting warm brown ones. The beat was thrumming through his veins and his partner's hands were all over his body; Bucky felt like a thousand fireworks.

The song switched to something with Latin influence; Sam's eyebrows raised as he smirked.

I said I won't lose control, I don't want it

I said I won't get too close, but I can't stop it

In a split second Sam was taking control of the dancing, his hands rough on Bucky's hips as he danced against him. He dipped Bucky, causing the other man to laugh loudly but no one was paying attention to the two of them.

I picture your hands on me

But what if, you kiss me?

And what if, I like it?

He ghosted his lips over the other man's before turning the brunette around so his dancing partner's back was flush against his chest. Sam bent his head so his breath was hot against Bucky's neck, occasionally mouthing the words to the song into his skin. Bucky's metal hand came up to cup Sam's cheek and the flesh hand held the Avenger's hand tight against his pale hip. Sam's other hand was splayed against Bucky's chest, pulling him as tightly as he could to him while he grinded against him.

"So, Wilson--"

A discontented growl into the flesh of his neck.

"My apologies. Barnes-Wilson, are you going to take me home?"

From the feeling of something warm poking into his ass through his jeans, Bucky was fully aware that Sam was going to make him scream when they got home. As if on que, Sam turned Bucky around to face him, his fingers tangling in his short hair and pulling him into a messy kiss.

"You're an ass, Bucky."

"Hmm?"

"You planned for the night to end like this from the beginning."

Bucky grinned widely at his husband. "I know you couldn't resist me in a mesh shirt, sweetheart."

His grin was returned. "C'mon, babe. Let's get you home and out of those clothes."

I have no excuses for this. I just really like mesh shirts and Sambucky. The song is Liar by Camila Cabello.