#and then any time a woman just lets her hair exist naturally it becomes a huge statement

[jakeperalta]

it's actually so fucked how it's taken as a given that women will dye their hair the moment it goes grey until they're ready to be disregarded as an old lady by society. like even women who have no interest in things like fillers and botox will spend decades regularly spending money to have a bunch of chemicals put in their hair because it's so automatic that it's barely even a choice

[marzipanandminutiae]

I'm pulling you back onstage, what's this about the dangers of white lead makeup being known already at the time it was used?

They were!

Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo, writing in 1598. For anyone who's struggling with the typeface (spelling preserved):

OF CERUSSE, AND THE EFFECTS thereof. The Ceruse, or white lead, which women use to better their complexion, is made of lead and vineger; which mixture is naturally a great drier; and is used by the Chirugions [surgeons] to drie up moiste sores. So that those women which use it about their faces, doe quickly become withered and gray-headed, because this doth so mightely drie up the naturall moysture of their flesh. And if any give not credite to my reporte; let them but observe such as have used it, and I doubt not but they will easily bee satisfied.

That's putting it mildly- ceruse could also cause skin peeling, hair loss, paralysis, seizures, organ damage, a host of other symptoms, and even death. But still, they were at least aware that it was Not GoodTM, and it's possible other sources I haven't read more accurately stress the gravity of the danger. Certainly it was known to be deadly by the 18th century, when the death of 27-year-old socialite Maria Gunning, Countess of Coventry was ascribed to her alleged use thereof. (I've never seen proof of this, and it's important to remember that as an Irishwoman, she may have faced undue hostility in English high society- and had very light skin naturally).

It's also difficult to trace just how popular ceruse even was, because less harmful forms of white face paint and powder also existed. One could speculate that this woman or that used ceruse, but nobody did a survey of such things. It was definitely real- cosmetic white lead tablets have been found dating as far back as ancient Greece -but whether it was the Sephora foundation of its day or the BBL (ie a dangerous beauty aid that a few devotees turned to but most eschewed) cannot truly be known.

By the 19th century, ceruse makeup had passed completely out of use as far as I know. Its legend grew as a cautionary tale on the dangers of vanity; the "fact" that Queen Elizabeth I used it was repeated over and over until it became common- if totally unsupported -knowledge. They had arsenic complexion wafers in the latter half of the 1800s- although one brand much advertised in the US was tested by contemporary scientists and found to be mostly lactose with only tiny amounts of arsenic or none at all, so cost-cutting entrepreneurs may have accidentally prevented illness or death. IF the wafers were popular at all, which once again remains unknown- certainly few letters and diaries I'm aware of mention them, if any.

(Interestingly, there's an echo of Maria Gunning's legend in Victorian newspaper stories about socialites "enameling," or applying a plaster-like layer of semi-permanent toxic makeup to their faces. Enameling was alleged to be undetectible but It's Definitely There; Trust Us; A Friend Of A Friend Of Alva Vanderbilt's Cousin's Underbutler Said, etc. This is similarly lacking in any solid evidence; recipes for a product called "enamel" do exist in period texts, but it always seems to be more akin to liquid foundation today, and I've personally only seen one such preparation containing lead. Many even included zinc oxide, which might have provided some unintentional SPF.)

[shiorihyuga]

The Devil's Bride

Aurora Jaeger, Eren's long-lost childhood friend, was taken from him when they were children. After years of suffering under Marleyan control, Aurora is reunited with Eren while he’s undercover in Marley, igniting a bond neither of them expected. Despite her gentle nature, Aurora breaks her vow of pacifism to save Eren’s life, solidifying their deep connection. Secretly married before the Raid on Liberio, Aurora is swept into Eren's world of chaos and destruction. As the Scouts learn of her existence, tensions rise on the airship home. Mikasa’s heart shatters, and Levi demands answers. And Eren will stop at nothing to protect the only light left in his dark world—his bride, Aurora.

In this journey of love, loyalty, and war, Aurora must reconcile her innocent heart with the brutal reality of the man she loves, while Eren faces the truth of what he’s become.

Chapter Fifteen

Eren sat on the cold stone floor of his cell, his hands resting on his knees, head bowed. The dim light flickered above him, casting long shadows on the damp walls. The silence was suffocating, yet his mind raced. He couldn't stop thinking about Aurora—her soft smile, the warmth of her touch, and the love she had given him unconditionally.

But now, everything was clear. Aurora’s royal lineage wasn’t just a coincidence; it was the missing piece of the puzzle Eren had been struggling to assemble. Knowing the truth about her bloodline added a whole new layer to his plans. He would protect Aurora with everything he had. No one—no one—could ever learn what she truly was. Not yet.

Eren closed his eyes, sinking into the memories he had unlocked through the War Hammer Titan. He focused, pulling the threads of Clive’s past to the forefront of his mind, watching them unravel with vivid clarity.

…

He was inside Clive’s body again. Through his eyes, Eren saw the intricate, cruel world of the Tybur family. Clive stood in one of their elaborate, coldly decorated halls, surrounded by opulence. But all that wealth and power only masked the hatred and cruelty they harbored toward their own kind—Eldians.

The Tyburs had summoned Clive to their estate to unlock the mysteries behind their own power. In particular, Clive was tasked with studying Nadia, the beautiful, soft-spoken woman with platinum blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Eren felt Clive’s emotions swell as he remembered how Nadia had first been presented to him like an object, bruised and battered from the Tyburs’ abuse. She was an enigma, and the Tyburs were obsessed with unlocking whatever secrets lay in her blood.

Eren could feel Clive’s anger simmer beneath the surface. How could they treat someone so kind, so gentle, like she was nothing more than a tool? Clive kept his fury buried, knowing that to lash out would only ensure his own death. But over the months, as he spent more time with Nadia, he began to fall in love with her.

The Tyburs wanted to use her, to mold her into a weapon for their own purposes. But Clive wouldn’t allow it. The anger and love he felt for Nadia ignited something deep within him—a need to protect her at any cost. He couldn’t let the Tyburs have her.

And so, he devised a desperate plan.

…

Eren’s vision shifted to the moment of Clive’s betrayal. It was a chaotic scene—Clive sprinted through the Tybur estate in the dead of night, Nadia’s hand clutched tightly in his own. He had already injected himself with titan fluid, his heart pounding as he waited for the transformation to take hold. They were being chased, Tybur guards closing in on them, shouting orders to capture them alive.

Clive stumbled but kept running, knowing he only had seconds. As his body began to twist and contort, the terrifying agony of the titan transformation overtook him. With a deafening roar, his pure titan form burst forth, muscles rippling as he tore through the estate, scattering guards like leaves in a storm.

Eren saw everything through Clive’s eyes—saw him towering over the Tybur patriarch, who held the power of the War Hammer Titan. With a savage swipe, Clive's pure titan slammed the man into the ground. Before anyone could react, Clive ripped him apart, consuming his flesh and spinal fluid in a single, horrific bite.

The War Hammer Titan’s power surged through Clive’s veins, transforming him in an instant. White, sinewy armor encased his titan’s body, and a massive hammer materialized in his hand. The guards could do nothing but watch in horror as Clive wielded the War Hammer like a god, obliterating everything in his path.

With Nadia in his grasp, Clive fled the estate, smashing through walls and buildings, unstoppable in his new titan form.

…

The vision shifted again, and Eren found himself on a boat. The creak of wood and the splash of waves filled his ears as Clive—now in human form—sat beside Nadia. His clothes were soaked, his body exhausted from the transformation, but there was a fierce determination in his eyes.

He had stolen a boat, and they were sailing across the ocean toward Paradis. Nadia clung to his side, terrified but relieved to finally be free of the Tybur family’s grip. Clive wrapped an arm around her, whispering reassurances as the coastline of Paradis came into view.

…

Eren’s vision blurred as the memory shifted to their arrival at Wall Maria. Clive, still holding Nadia, transformed into the War Hammer Titan one final time to carry them to safety. Eren could feel Clive’s exhaustion—his body was weakening. But still, he ran, smashing through hordes of pure titans that tried to intercept them as they crossed the open land toward Shiganshina.

When they finally reached the walls, Clive collapsed in exhaustion. He had given everything to bring Nadia to safety. They found a small house in Shiganshina, moving in next to the Jaeger family, and began a new life under new identities.

Years passed. Clive and Nadia married. They eventually had a daughter—Aurora. For a time, they were happy, living quietly in their little home. But the Tyburs had not forgotten them.

The final memory hit Eren like a punch to the gut.

It was Clive’s last day. His body had grown weak from his thirteen-year curse, and he knew he could no longer protect his family. The Tyburs found them, with the Jaw titan assisting them and leading the attack. Clive fought back with everything he had, wielding his own War Hammer one final time.

But he was too weak. The Jaw Titan overpowered him, breaking through his armor. In his last moments, Clive looked back at Nadia and Aurora, his heart breaking as he realized he couldn’t save them.

Lara injected herself with titan serum and transformed into a pure titan— roaring as she devoured Clive, reclaiming the power of the War Hammer Titan for the Tybur family.

…

The vision faded, and Eren opened his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. He sat in the darkness of his cell, his mind racing as he pieced everything together.

It all made sense now. The Tyburs had kept Aurora as a slave not just out of cruelty, but because of the bloodline she carried—the same royal blood that ran through her mother.

Eren clenched his fists. They took everything from her. From Clive, from Nadia. From Aurora.

And now, the Tyburs were gone. Eren had seen to that. He had taken the War Hammer Titan’s power for himself, and with it, he would carve a path toward freedom.

Aurora’s royal blood was the key to everything. And Eren would make damn sure no one ever found out. Not the Military Police, not the government. Not even Aurora herself.

With renewed resolve, Eren leaned back against the wall, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

No one would ever take Aurora away from him. Not now. Not ever.

And when the time came, he would burn the world to the ground to make sure of it.

As Eren continued to sit motionless on the edge of the bench, his hands resting on his knees, green eyes sharp as the dim light flickered above him. Footsteps echoed down the corridor, and he tilted his head slightly, recognizing the soft but deliberate tread.

Queen Historia Reiss entered, her golden hair glinting in the faint light. Dressed in a simple but elegant gown, she carried the quiet authority that had come to define her reign. Her piercing blue eyes swept the cell with an unreadable expression. Behind her, two guards followed, hands resting on the straps of their rifles. 

“Leave us,” Historia ordered softly, not sparing the guards a second glance.

The two soldiers exchanged hesitant looks but gave curt nods before retreating through the door, the clang of it shutting behind them resonating through the chamber. The room grew still.

Eren looked up at her, his expression calm but watchful. Historia stepped closer to the bars, her arms folded loosely in front of her. “Eren,” she began, arching a brow. “What’s this I’ve been hearing about you bringing back a wife?”

Eren’s lips twitched slightly—a ghost of a smile, as if amused by how quickly news traveled. “Didn’t think it’d take long for word to get to you.”

Historia shook her head, leaning against the cold metal bars. “You’ve managed to leave everyone in shock—again. A wife, Eren? How did this even happen?”

Eren shifted slightly, his gaze dropping for a moment before meeting hers again. “Her name is Aurora. We’ve known each other since we were kids in Shiganshina. She was my first friend.”

Historia’s brow furrowed. “Since Shiganshina?” she repeated, a flicker of surprise crossing her features. “Why didn’t you ever mention her?”

Eren exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Because after she disappeared, I thought she was gone for good. The Tyburs took her and her family. They enslaved her in Marley. I found her while I was undercover.”

Historia’s expression softened, and for a moment, the hard edges of the queen disappeared, replaced by the kind-hearted girl Eren had once known. “And you brought her back with you,” she said quietly, understanding dawning in her voice.

Eren nodded, his gaze turning somber. “I had to. I couldn’t leave her there, not after everything they did to her.” His voice dropped, thick with emotion. “She’s been through enough.”

Historia studied him for a long moment, her blue eyes searching his face. “You love her.”

It wasn’t a question, and Eren didn’t bother denying it. “Yeah. I do.”

A brief silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken words. Then Historia gave a small sigh, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I can understand why you brought her back. But Eren… you know this complicates things.”

“I know,” Eren said, his voice low but resolute. “That’s why I need your help.”

Historia tilted her head slightly, her gaze curious. “What kind of help?”

“Aurora is with the scouts right now, and Floch is keeping an eye on her,” Eren explained. “But I’d feel better if she was with you. I know the scouts are on edge, and I can’t trust the MPs or the Garrison. But if Aurora is under your protection, no one would dare touch her.”

Historia’s lips pressed into a thin line as she considered his words. “That’s a big ask, Eren. The MPs are already on high alert after what happened in Marley. Bringing her here won’t go unnoticed.”

“I know,” Eren said quietly. “But Aurora isn’t just someone I love—she’s important. I need her safe, Historia. She’s…” He trailed off, his eyes darkening as he carefully chose his words. “She’s everything to me.”

Historia studied him, her expression softening. “Alright,” she said finally. “I’ll take her in. But you owe me for this, Eren.”

A rare smile flickered across Eren’s face—one of gratitude rather than triumph. “Thank you.”

Historia gave a small nod, but the weight of the situation wasn’t lost on her. “And what about you? What happens next?”

Eren’s eyes hardened, the warmth in his expression replaced by cold determination. “Floch is rounding up our people from every branch of the military. When the time comes, I’m breaking out of this cell.”

“And then what?” Historia asked, her voice low and serious.

“I’ll take control,” Eren said flatly. “The old brass has to go. They’ve already failed us, and they’ll fail us again if we let them.”

Historia leaned in slightly, her gaze steady. “You know they won’t give up without a fight.”

“They won’t have a choice,” Eren replied, his voice cold. “With the Jaegerists in place, we’ll dismantle the old system. And when the people look for guidance, they’ll listen to you.”

Historia crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. “You’re expecting me to back you.”

“Yes,” Eren said simply. “You’re the queen. The people trust you. They’ll follow your lead.”

“And what exactly are you asking me to support, Eren?” Historia’s voice was sharp now, though not unkind. “Is this about the Rumbling?”

Eren’s jaw tightened. “You know the answer to that.”

Historia sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. “I knew this day would come. I just didn’t think it would come so soon.”

Eren’s eyes softened, just for a moment. “I told you this was the only way.”

Historia met his gaze, and for a long moment, they stood in silence—two friends bound by impossible choices. Finally, she gave a reluctant nod. “Alright, Eren. I’ll support you.”

Eren exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “Thank you.”

“Just... make sure you know what you’re doing,” Historia warned softly. “Because once this starts, there’s no going back.”

Eren’s gaze was steady, filled with quiet resolve. “I know. But this is the only way to keep Aurora safe. To keep all of us safe.”

With that, Historia gave him a final, lingering look before stepping back from the bars. “I’ll get Aurora tomorrow,” she said. “I’ll keep her safe.”

Eren gave a curt nod. “That’s all I need.”

Historia turned toward the door, pausing just long enough to glance over her shoulder. “Take care of yourself, Eren. You might need it.”

Eren watched as the door swung shut behind her, leaving him alone once again in the dim light of the cell. But this time, he didn’t feel the crushing weight of isolation.

He had Aurora. He had a plan. And soon, everything would fall into place.

…

Aurora sat by the window in the room the Scouts had given her, staring out at the bustling streets of Paradis below. The sun filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows on the floor, but she felt none of its warmth. Her fingers twisted together nervously in her lap, her mind filled with questions that had no answers.

Where was Eren? Was he okay? When would she see him again?

The uncertainty gnawed at her. Every moment away from Eren felt unbearable, and the weight of being in this strange place, surrounded by people who didn’t know or trust her, made it worse. These were Eren’s comrades, the ones he had fought alongside for years. But to Aurora, they were strangers. Their eyes—especially Levi’s—followed her with a quiet suspicion, an unspoken doubt that lingered in the air.

She could feel it, the distrust hanging heavy in the room like a suffocating fog.

Mikasa, in particular, was the hardest to face. Every time Aurora caught Mikasa’s gaze, it was like being pierced with a thousand knives. Mikasa didn’t have to say anything; the way she looked at Aurora said it all—resentment, jealousy, heartbreak. As if Aurora had stolen something precious from her.

Aurora sighed softly, her fingers tightening around the hem of her dress. She wished she could just go back to the cabin. Back to the place where she felt safe, where she could be with Eren without the weight of the world pressing down on them. But that wasn’t possible, not now. She was here, in Paradis, far from the life she had grown used to over the past few months.

A soft knock at the door broke her thoughts. The door creaked open, and Hange stepped inside, her usual enthusiasm tempered by a cautious smile. “Hey there, Aurora,” Hange said, her tone light but gentle. “How are you holding up?”

Aurora offered a small smile in return, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m... managing,” she replied, her voice soft.

Hange walked over and took a seat on the edge of the bed, studying her curiously. “I know this is a lot to take in,” Hange said, her voice softening. “But I want you to know that you’re safe here. Eren... well, he’s in a bit of a situation, but he’ll be fine.”

Aurora nodded, though the knot of anxiety in her chest remained. “I just... I don’t know anyone here. It’s strange being surrounded by his comrades and feeling like an outsider.”

Hange tilted her head sympathetically. “It’s understandable. You’ve been through a lot, and now you’re in a completely different world. But trust me, the others will come around. They just need some time.”

Aurora glanced out the window again, her brow furrowed. “I feel like they don’t trust me.”

Hange’s eyes softened. “It’s not that they don’t trust you... well, not exactly. It’s just that Eren’s been keeping a lot of secrets, and bringing you back was a surprise to everyone. Levi, in particular, doesn’t like surprises.”

“Levi,” Aurora whispered, her fingers twisting tighter. “I can feel how much he distrusts me.”

Hange chuckled softly, though there was no humor in her voice. “Levi’s... protective. He doesn’t trust easily, especially when it comes to Eren. They’ve been through a lot together, and Levi’s just trying to figure out what’s going on.”

Aurora nodded, understanding, but it didn’t ease the weight on her chest. “And Mikasa?” she asked quietly, her voice almost trembling. “She looks at me like...”

“Like you’ve taken something from her?” Hange finished gently, watching Aurora closely. “Mikasa has... complicated feelings about Eren. They’ve been close for years, and she cares about him—deeply. Seeing you with him... it’s hard for her.”

Aurora swallowed, her throat tight. “I never meant to hurt her.”

“I know,” Hange said, her voice kind. “But feelings don’t always work the way we want them to. Give her time. She’ll come around.”

The door opened again, and this time Floch stepped in, offering Aurora a friendly nod. “You okay in here?” he asked, his tone casual but concerned.

Aurora managed a small smile. “I’m fine. Just... thinking.”

Floch crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. “Don’t worry about Levi or the others. They’ll get over it. Eren asked me to look after you, so you’ve got nothing to worry about while you’re here.”

“I appreciate that,” Aurora said quietly, though the uncertainty still lingered in her heart.

Floch glanced at Hange, then back at Aurora. “You know, Eren’s going to need all the support he can get when he comes back. He’s got a plan, a vision for this island’s future. And you’re a part of that now.”

Aurora’s chest tightened at the mention of Eren’s plan. She knew what Floch meant—the Rumbling. The weight of it pressed down on her again, the guilt she had been carrying ever since Eren told her what he was planning to do. She nodded, her throat too tight to speak.

Just as Floch was about to say something else, there was another knock at the door. This time, it was Armin. He stepped inside cautiously, offering Aurora a gentle smile.

“Hey,” Armin said softly. “I just wanted to check on you.”

Aurora smiled, grateful for his kindness. “Thank you. I’m... trying to adjust.”

Armin nodded, understanding. “It’s not easy, I know. But we’re all here to help. Eren’s our friend... and now you are too.”

The sincerity in his words brought a warmth to Aurora’s heart, but before she could respond, Levi appeared in the doorway, his sharp eyes sweeping the room.

“We need to talk,” Levi said flatly, his gaze locking onto Aurora.

He stood in the doorway, his arms crossed and his eyes as sharp as ever. Aurora looked up, startled by his sudden presence, but quickly composed herself. His gaze was intense, as if he could see straight through her.

"Enough resting," Levi said, his voice curt. "I need to know what you can do."

Aurora blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Levi stepped further into the room, his boots barely making a sound as he approached. "We don’t have time for passengers. If you’re staying here, you need to prove you’re useful. So what are your skills? What can you do to help?"

The tension in the room thickened. Aurora shifted in her seat, feeling the pressure of Levi’s unrelenting stare. The other scouts stood just behind Levi, their expressions curious but guarded. Hange, ever curious, leaned in slightly, clearly intrigued by where this conversation might lead.

Aurora took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “I’m not a soldier,” she began, her voice steady but soft. “I’ve never been trained to fight.” She hesitated for a moment before meeting Levi’s eyes. “But I am a herbalist.”

“A herbalist?” Levi asked, skepticism clear in his tone.

“Yes,” Aurora said, more confidently now. “I’ve been studying plants and natural remedies my whole life. When Eren and I were hiding in Marley, I spent a lot of time gathering herbs and experimenting with different mixtures.” She reached into the bag she always kept close by, pulling out a small, worn notebook. “Here.”

She handed the notebook to Levi, who glanced down at it, his expression unreadable. Hange stepped closer, peering over Levi’s shoulder, her eyes lighting up with interest.

“What’s this?” Hange asked eagerly.

“It’s my notes,” Aurora explained. “Over the last seven months, I documented everything I learned about the local plants near where Eren and I stayed. I created elixirs and remedies, mostly to help Eren. He... he was tired often after gathering information all day, and I wanted to do something to help him.”

Levi flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the detailed illustrations of plants and the careful handwriting that filled every corner. Hange’s face lit up with excitement as she read over his shoulder.

Aurora reached into her bag again, this time pulling out several small vials filled with various liquids. “These are the elixirs I made,” she said, holding them out for the others to see. “I gave them to Eren regularly. They helped raise his stamina, increased his recovery time, and allowed him to transform multiple times in succession during the raid on Liberio.”

Levi raised an eyebrow, but it was Hange who reacted first, her excitement barely contained. “Wait, that’s how Eren was able to transform three times during the raid?” she asked, her eyes wide. “It wasn’t just his Titan powers? It was because of these?”

Aurora nodded. “Yes. He had been taking them for weeks before the raid. I... I didn’t know if they would work the way I hoped, but they did.”

Hange practically bounced on her heels, reaching out to take one of the vials from Aurora’s hand. She held it up to the light, examining the contents with a gleam in her eyes. “This is fascinating! You managed to create something that enhances a Titan shifter’s abilities? How did you even figure this out?”

Aurora gave a small, nervous smile. “It wasn’t easy. I spent a lot of time experimenting, trying different combinations of herbs and plants. Eren was... well, he was my test subject, I guess.”

Levi handed the notebook to Hange, who eagerly accepted it and began flipping through it with intense focus. He glanced back at Aurora, his expression still unreadable but slightly less skeptical than before.

“And these elixirs,” Levi said slowly, “they actually made a difference?”

Aurora nodded again. “Yes. They helped Eren recover faster, and they gave him the stamina he needed to transform multiple times. Without them... I don’t think he would have been able to do what he did in Liberio.”

Levi was silent for a moment, his sharp eyes narrowing as he processed the information. He then turned to Hange. “Thoughts?”

Hange’s eyes were practically glowing with excitement as she clutched the notebook to her chest. “I think we’ve just stumbled upon something incredible, Levi. If these elixirs can do what she says they can... this could change everything.”

Levi looked back at Aurora, his expression still hard but slightly less cold than before. “Alright,” he said finally. “You’re not completely useless.”

Aurora let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding, feeling a small weight lift off her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“But,” Levi added, his voice sharp again, “I’ll be keeping an eye on you. If you’re hiding anything else, or if those elixirs have any... side effects, you’ll answer to me. Understood?”

Aurora nodded quickly. “Understood.”

Levi gave her one last long look before turning on his heel and heading for the door. Hange, still clutching the notebook, followed close behind, muttering excitedly to herself about the possibilities of using these elixirs in the field.

As the door clicked shut behind them, Aurora exhaled, sinking back into her chair. The room was quiet now, the tension having lifted somewhat, but the unease still lingered.

She had proven herself useful, for now. But there was still so much more she was keeping from them—about Eren, about his plans, and most importantly, about her own past.

And she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep those secrets buried.

~

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[0lshadyl0]

Any HCs or scenarios on Yandere Hancock boa ?? I think she an interesting character 🥰

Of course, my dear, she is a fascinating character, in fact, she is my favorite female character after Nico Robin, I am weak to black haired women with cool powers and sad past.

Yandere Boa Hancock headcanons

• Brave of you to assume that she is not a yandere in the canon, that is, she has all the points to follow for her character to be a yandere, especially a delusional yandere

• sad past with traumatic events, no friends, position of power, no one contradicts her, she gets lost in her own fantasies, lives in her own reality and obsesses over a person beyond what is sanely possible, yeah she checks all the marks 

• But, she would only become obsessed with her romantic interest if he has a very specific personality (for example, Luffy)

• Ok, let's say that the key for her to fix her eyes on you is that you have heroic tendencies, that is, she likes people with a good heart, willing to do what others would consider crazy in order to help others. the others (such as hitting a Tenryūbito, better yet, killing one)  

• or just a very kind person with a great charisma, very positive mind but who doesn't take shit from anyone

• if things happened naturally, I'm pretty sure Hancock would be obsessed with a woman, Luffy is an exception to the rule (call it the power of the script thanks to being the protagonist of the series)

• Let's remember that the first men in her life that she met were the Tenryūbito and they are the worst experiences that a young woman like Boa could have, emotionally, physically and sexually (I'm 200% sure that she was raped by a good number of them, that's why despite being in love with Luffy she never sees herself having children with him… probably she can't even get pregnant due to irreparable damage to her sexual organ or simply they removed the ovaries so that she could not get pregnant by the Tenryūbito since she was a slave and the slaves are not worthy of having a child with a being as noble as a Tenryūbito is)

• Anyway, when she fixes her eyes on you, in her head she already begins to live in a world apart

• You've probably seen each other a maximum of five times and most of it in battles, possibly you saved her from some dangerous situation but not paying much attention to her, but in her head, you two are already engaged

• Yes, she is the type of women who, from a very young age, dreamed of getting married and having a large family full of love, a dream that has been transformed into only having a partner to love and be loved by because of the Tenryūbito and all their shit

• She is a relatively easy yandere to deal with, since the word of her s/o is divine law for her, she will never question you, nor will she go against you, she will not hesitate to put herself in danger or give her life for you, she literally will kill for you

• But, keep in mind, she is very jealous and in an unjustified way, nobody can look at you because she is already asking questions and imagining scenarios where you abandon her.

• Because, despite all that she says about being the most beautiful woman in the world, she actually has low self-esteem due to her past as a slave, she doesn't feel that she is worthy of you, because she is dirty

• But if you tell her that you are not interested in that person or deny knowing about the existence of the person who made her jealous, she will believe you without a shadow of a doubt.

• You can tell her that the sky is green and for her, yes, ultimately the sky is green and she will turn anyone who says otherwise into stone

• She is a stalker, she will follow you everywhere and will always be watching you, of course, at a respectful (Hinata-Naruto style) distance if the two of you get into a relationship, she will stick to you like gum, she is unbelievably clingy and has no idea of the meaning of personal space

• She is one of the few yanderes who have no sexual intentions, because she is traumatized with sex (she has never known about vanilla sex or consent) and considers it torture, she loves you too much to do you any kind of harm

• Oh, but if she were to get over her traumas and discover that sex can be enjoyed and is a way to stay connected to the one she loves, man, get ready for a long ride

[themadlu]

A Star's Purpose

Part of the Spelljammer challenge by @spacebarbarianweird!

Astarion is happy, truly happy, in the safety of his lover's affection. The troubles of the Underdark have no sway on his mood as he relishes simply existing with his Zélie.

Until a call for help takes them to the depths of the Astral Sea on a Spelljammer vessel, and he'll be damned if he lets his maddening hero face the dangers of interplanar space on her own.

TW: None, I think. Maybe a smidge of self-worth issues? And end-of-game spoilers.

Not beta read and minimal editing, sorry for any mistakes!

This is mostly non-canon to Zélie and Astarion's story (I think).

@amywritesthings, in case you wanna check it out!

A year and a half has passed since the Netherbrain’s defeat. Zélie stayed in Faerun with Astarion, who’s now confined in the shadows due to his vampiric nature. They have settled in the Underdark, after concluding it was their duty to guide the 7,000 spawns towards a semi-functional society and a second chance at life. The lovers live in the magic tower near the sussur tree and have made it their own haven. A home, Zélie would say, but she is home to Astarion, and where they are matters not. 

He just wants to keep falling into reverie with her warm body tangled in his, keeping his demons at bay, and welcome the day with her wild, owlbear-esque hair all over his face. To live in the comfort of each other’s embrace, as nauseatingly cliche as it sounds. Not that she would allow it on most days, his precious, maddening woman. They have responsibilities, she says. Obligations. To the hells with them, he thinks, as he walks with her towards whatever bothersome issue they need to attend to next.  

So what happens when a message comes from a dear friend asking for their assistance in the cold void of the Outer Planes? Astarion knows. His steadfast hero will do what heroes are expected to do: run to the rescue, even if she’d rather not risk their lives again so soon after…well, everything. “You don’t have to come, Astarion, really. Actually, I think it more appropriate for you to stay here, now that we are making progress with your siblings.” As if. Aurelia and Leon can make themselves useful for once and hold the fort on their own. The pale elf is no hero and never will be, but his heart beats in her chest and her soul is his own, so he’d be damned if he doesn’t follow her into this new, gigantic mess. She (“We, Astarion”) already slayed a Netherbrain; what’s a lich queen in comparison. 

______________________________________________________________

Well, that’s impressive.

Astarion examines the raiding ship that Lae’zel somehow managed to secure. The very thing that is going to sail them into the cold, deep astral sea. The technology is clearly Illithid—since he woke up inside that fleshy pod, he’s become familiar enough with their tentacled technology to recognise it when he sees it. But the Githianki’s influence is evident: the large, fan-shaped sails stand proud against the moonlit sky like a dragon’s wings, ready to take their riders towards their next conquest. The front of the ship has what he can only describe as teeth; fanged protrusions, not unlike his own, ready to swallow whole whatever unfortunate creatures they’ll meet. A silent but unavoidable promise of war echoes off the vessel. It makes Astarion antsy. 

He has no issue with violence–he still revels in it at times, the need to own, to consume and not be consumed, so typical of his kind, exasperated by the horrors he suffered. But his bouts of spite and aggression have been fading since her. 

He turns to look at Zélie only to find her staring at the ship with eyes so wide they mirror the moon perfectly. Her mouth is the slightest bit agape in wonder, the closer her stern face can get to a surprised expression. Perfect thing. Gods, over a year together (A year, five tendays and eight days.), barely leaving each other’s side even in dreams, and his little hero still leaves him speechless with the smallest quirk.

(The way she smiles at him when she thinks he isn’t looking makes him want to scream, weep, beg her for forgiveness—for all he has to his name is a used body—and ravage her for days. At the same time.)

You’re a gift, my love. Let me keep you. 

Astarion isn’t worthy of her devotion and mercy, no angry huffs and puffs from her will convince him fully, but gods below he wants to be. He’ll do anything, become anything to keep her safe, happy, looking at him as if he were some miracle of the heavens. 

(Do it. I dare you, he thinks to the silent gods, Try to take her from me. See what happens next.)

“Seen something you like, darling?” He jests in an airy tone, both because he likes to prattle and because her attention scalds him kindly, completely, like the sun never could. Insufferable woman, making him feel so alive. 

Zélie flips her head towards him, frizzy curls bouncing wildly. “Oh Astarion, this ship! I know we’ve been on a mindflayer vessel before, but this is incredible!” She takes his hand in hers and he burns in the best way possible. 

Precious thing, so enamoured by technology, human or otherwise. He pulls her into his arms so he can feel whole one last time before he has to share her with their friends. Astarion kisses her softly, a grin on his lips at her inexorable embarrassment. She is not one for public displays of affection—most of the time.

(Part of the reason he prefers it when it’s just the two of them, so he can worship her properly in the temple of their home.) 

Fuck. 

He is getting hard just thinking about it. He needs to distract himself or else he’ll end up with a wet patch on his trousers that Lae’zel will ridicule until the end of days. 

Jealous prick. Green suits her.

The pale elf grips Zélie tighter, his familiar hardness pressing into her stomach, and her already wide eyes become impossibly larger, paler. (He so wishes he had a reflection in times like these.) 

“I stand by my point, my sweet. Size does matter, it seems.” Astarion winks at her and the woman’s flustered expression turns unamused. Oh, he so adores riling her up, his fierce hero. 

It seems he has underestimated the effect he’s had on her since they met—he can’t believe it’s almost as deep as the one she had on him—because suddenly she presses into him, burying a hand into one of her coat’s pockets so she can grab his length without being seen. Astarion hisses under his breath with poorly concealed pleasure. It’s his eyes that widen and darken now.

“You, cheeky, little pup,” he murmurs, rattles, heat spreading through him so that he would surely combust if he weren’t a cold corpse. 

“Mhm. I guess you do have a point, my dear,” Zélie says, face still unamused as she looks at him and gives him a gentle squeeze to emphasise her statement. 

(It takes all of his self-control not to buck his hips into her hand.)

“Although size doesn’t mean quality. Both are necessary. What good would such a huge ship do to us if it couldn’t sail properly, don’t you think?” She whispers the last few words in his sensitive ear and Astarion almost whines, the desire pooling in his underwear threatening to stain the fabric.

 If it were anyone else touching him like she does, Astarion would rip their throat and limbs out or die in the attempt. But it’s his Zélie and, gods and hells, he wants her, this, all of it, desperately. Her hands are so gentle to him, always, as if he would break should she press a little harder. He thought it was her relative inexperience at first, or worse, pity. The idea that she could be so tender with someone like him purely because she wanted to was unfathomable; now, he has no interest in living without it.

Only she can come to him unannounced. She can do anything she wants with him. 

(He trusts her more than he trusts himself.)

“T’chaki, you two never cease to be revolting,” a cutting voice calls out from behind them. Ah, right. Lae’zel is here. And a few dozen other Gith warriors loyal to Orpheus, all looking equally disgusted. 

Astarion scowls at them while his love-addled brain quickly sobers up at their most untimely appearance (Thank you very much, Lae’zel.) 

Only then, he notices the strangeness of his predicament: it’s his usually stony Zélie who’s all but moulding their bodies into one, it’s her smaller frame in his arms and her fingers caressing his still-hard length. 

Oh? You’re more worried about this journey than you let on, aren’t you, darling?

He recognises the signs from their last life-threatening adventure, her need to have him close to her so she could keep him safe. Impossible thing, always shielding him so fiercely, he is starting to consider his centuries of captivity as a due price for having her to himself. 

(A mortal human protecting a vampire should be laughable, but she saved him in every possible way already.)

Astarion snarls in warning at the burdensome company that ruined what could be the last moment of private intimacy with his person in a long while. “With all due respect, Lae’zel dear, go fuck off for a bit, would you?” 

Lae’zel’s warriors look just about ready to use him as a practice target (They can try.) when the woman in his embrace clears her throat, “It’s all right, Lae’zel. We’re revising last-minute arrangements for the journey. We’ll board in a moment, thank you.” 

The Gith does not look happy, but she and Zélie share a close friendship (And a stick up both their backsides, Astarion used to think.), so she listens to her and heads to the ship with her crew, cursing some pretty mild threats. Small mercies. 

“Oh,” Finally alone, Zélie realises she is still gripping Astarion’s length, colour draining from her face in mortification. “I’m so sorry Astarion, I got carried away,” she tries to move her hand away but he grabs her wrist, keeping her in place. 

“You don’t have to apologise, love. I know I’m simply irresistible!” His attempt to lighten her mood is met with a sceptic glance. Silly, precious thing, always caring for his well-being. Let me help you. “Truthfully, my sweet,” his next words are the truest ones he’s ever uttered, “you know I’m yours.” 

Zélie raises an eyebrow, “you are your own person, Astarion. We went through this, multiple times in fact.” 

He laughs, “To you, with you, darling, it doesn’t matter. As you can clearly see,” he squeezes her hand around his dripping cock.

His stubborn woman studies him carefully, searching for any of his masks and finding none. “Very well,” she concedes. She turns to her left as noises filter from the ship. “Last chance, Astarion. If you want to remain in the Underdark, you must tell me now. Lord knows how long this expedition will last, and I reckon your siblings would benefit greatly from you being there to—”

That’s what it is, then. She worries for him still; and it still unravels him. 

Let me care for you, idiot.  

“Hush, you,” Astarion places a finger on her lips to shush her, “I am where I belong.” 

(Something inside him tears at the thought of being separated from Zélie. Of her alone in the face of danger.)   

His hero’s stance softens, finally relaxed. Her relief makes her look so much younger. “Oh, well, in that case,” she leans into him and kisses him. Truly, fearlessly, savouring all of him. Astarion barely suppresses a noise of surprise before responding in kind, fangs grazing her lips, never hurting her (Never.), devouring her. 

Zélie quietly moans into him. Astounding, how she is still pleasured by such a simple act when they have been entangled into way more complex scenarios during the last year. (As if he were not close to coming already.) If the Gith are watching, he’ll gauge their eyes out.

A tremble of the earth signals that the ship is ready for departure. Zélie detaches from him and this time he does whine at her loss. She gives one last gentle squeeze to his length, making him narrow his eyes at her. The cool night air flows between them.

“The moment we are alone, I will bury myself into your perfect little body so deeply they will have to pry me from you, love.” 

(There’s no holier sight than her tender ecstasy as she shatters around him.)

He expects her embarrassment but not her smirk, “Careful. Promises must be kept, Astarion.” 

She pecks him on the lips again, fully extricating herself from him to climb the steps to the main deck. 

Cheeky, maddening pup.

Yes, Astarion decides, he will make her shout his name so loud Vlaakith herself will hear. 

______________________________________________________________

The Astral Sea is not what Astarion expected. Not that he expected much of anything since he didn’t really want to come here in the first place.

Zélie is leaning against the taffrail in front of him, a multitude of celestial bodies surrounding them. She is so eager to examine every part of the vessel that she stepped onto the outer deck the moment the ship slowed down to pick up some more crew members (As if they weren’t cramped enough already.)

“Don’t you find it uncanny, Astarion? This works very much like a regular ship, and yet it doesn’t. The Astral Sea functions like any material sea, until it doesn’t. And those strange helms—” 

“A pinnacle of technology, taken from the Ghaik and immensely improved by the Githianki so that our empire may conquer and prosper,” comments Lae’zel. Her queen’s betrayal hasn’t quelled the admiration for her own people; if anything, she seems more determined than ever to see a worthy leader at the helm of Gith society. “With a spelljamming brig such as this, you can travel anywhere, anytime. Time passes differently in the Astral Plane. Open a gate into one of many material planes to plunder and pillage to your heart’s content!” 

Gods, intense as always I see. Good. 

A formidable trait in war; fearsome in a foe, welcome in an ally. 

(So Lae’zel can protect Zélie on the battlefield while he keeps her safe from the shadows.)

Zélie’s attention shifts to the mechanism supporting the sails as she speaks, “The travelling part sounds delightful, Lae’zel. The plundering and pillaging less so, for my tastes.” 

The Gith begins a rant about the istik’s inherent weak nature. She even dares to say his Zélie should have chosen her as a partner, back when she proposed, so her martial skills would not have been dulled by the puny vampire. 

Excuse me?!

“I’ll let you know, Lae’zel, that I can keep our dear leader on her toes just fine,” the elf interjects. Astarion is about to add a snarky remark (He was chosen after all.), but Zélie speaks first, “Oh Lae’zel, I would have just been an impediment and you know it. I would have slowed down all the conquering and deadly fighting you enjoy so much. Besides,” she turns to Astarion, a playful glint in her eyes. If he weren’t so attuned to her, he’d miss it.

 (He wonders how many silent gestures he has missed at the start of their travels.)

“I am where I am meant to be,” she concluded. The tips of his ears definitely do not blush at those words. 

(She’ll be the end of him and he wouldn’t have it any other way.) 

Astarion shoots his darling a winning smile, which morphs into a cocky grin as he looks at Lae’zel. 

There. Don’t be sour, you heard what she said. 

Lae’zel is unimpressed. “T’chk. Suit yourself, Zel. Your loss.” 

She marches off towards the helm of the brig when Zélie interrupts her, “Wait. You mentioned that time here passes differently, but how so?”

The Gith sighs, “Ignorants. It’s not the time itself, but its effects. They come to an almost complete halt; no hunger, no ageing—you’ll see when you won’t recall the last time you ate.” 

“Oh”. Oh. 

No ageing is almost as good as—

Immortality. 

Astarion has heard about the Astral plane before, but it seemed so out of his reach he never bothered to learn more. He pickpocketed a book or two about it from some of his liaisons, but they were confiscated immediately and he was handed to Godey for his insolence. It’s not as if Cazador ever had any interest in entertaining his spawn’s curiosity. 

Time is of no consequence to him, but to know that Zélie’s limited lifespan (Because of course the impossible woman had to be human, of all things.) could also be endlessly extended— 

Astarion faces her, her eyes already on him, lit up with the same realisation. He doesn’t dare to hope it’s going to be that simple, but gods, if anyone deserves eternal life is her. And he deserves some happiness without such a dreadfully finite time limit, he fucking does. 

He sees how Lae’zel looks at him, then Zélie, and sighs loudly. She stomps off, shouting, “Boarding is about to be complete. I suggest you two get inside soon enough, if you don’t want to end your dull lives swept away by the astral winds.” 

Astarion nods as she passes by him—her people-reading’s skills have improved enormously since they met. The moment she is out of earshot, he speaks, “Darling, did you—”

“I don’t know—” Zélie says, at the same time. 

The elf lets out a shrill, small laugh, “You first, my sweet.” 

She smiles, a “I don’t know what to think, Astarion. Being immune to the effects of time, it all seems so impossible, so…” He knows what she is thinking, that it’s unnatural, that it’s not how things, people, are supposed to be. When he thought ascending was the right choice for them, when he failed to convince her to embrace becoming his eternal bride, she recoiled, attached to her mortality. 

She doesn’t understand. 

He would outlive her even if he were not a vampire because he is an elf and she, holy as she is, is human. There is no facet of reality where she won’t leave him behind and go where he can’t follow—

“I think we should try,” Zélie stands taller, back straight, like a general making an important call, “After we help your siblings and all the others settle down. Who knows, maybe we can even get our own astral skiff. Do you think dogs will be fine here? I wouldn’t want to leave Scratch behind.”  

She talks faster, excited, and Astarion’s breath catches, head spinning even though he doesn’t need air. He darts forward to cage her between himself and the taffrail, causing her to let out the most adorable little breath. 

(Perfect.)

Zélie composes herself again, “And if we can travel between material planes, there may be a chance to find mine…to find my family. Even if just to tell them I’m well and to introduce you to them.”

Astarion feels like he’s falling, so he catches himself with centuries-old sarcasm. “To—what? Love, you can’t be serious. Introducing a vampire spawn to your oh-so-proper family is a moronic thing to do, even for an impossible woman such as yourself.” 

They would scorn you my sweet. 

She speaks of her family, her planet, sometimes. The image of stern faces, so similar to hers, twisted in fear—or worse, disgust—at the monster their precious Zélie is in love with leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. He isn’t fond of children, but even he wouldn’t want his daughter to have anything to do with something like him. 

Zélie exhales in offence, “Of course I want you to meet them, ridiculous elf. I have nothing to hide. I am proud of you, all of you, infinitely, and I know they would be too. You complete me, and for that they would welcome you with open arms.” She stares him down in challenge. 

Astarion studies her expression as he presses his forehead to hers. He seeks for unwillingness, for embellishments of the truth—because lying is a sin to her— and finds none. 

You mean this. Gods.

“Yes, love. We can bring the pest. We can even ask Halsin for the owlbear if you’d like. We will travel through every single material plane if we need to. Anything,” he kisses her parted lips, “Anything,” pecks her cheeks, “Anything,” her forehead, “Anything,” her nose, “Anything you want.” His grip on her tightens. 

She smiles at his onslaught, “All right, all right. We’ll find out how to make it work. For a while!” Zélie points her index finger at him in mock sternness, “I don’t think an unchanging eternity wandering the Astral Sea is something we should limit ourselves to, even if I want to. What purpose would it serve?”

“Purpose?” Astarion snarls the word as if it personally offended him, “We are purpose enough, stubborn woman.” He lifts her up and she clings to him on instinct. He strides inside the ship, ignoring the disapproving looks of the Giths. 

“Astarion! What are you doing?!” 

He whispers, fangs grazing her ear, “I’m finding a private space on this overcrowded thing, darling, so I can fully demonstrate how purposeful I can be.”

Zélie pales and flushes at the same time, and Astarion can feel himself basically purring at the thought of what he’s going to do to her—

“I’m glad you learnt to keep your promises, Astarion,” she murmurs, the outline of a smile into his neck.

Oh love, you have no idea.

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Could we see a platonic Mitsuri & Obanai who “adopted” a kid!reader they found, only to have them escape after a few years? And by the time the pair find them they’ve returned back to their real family?

Your New Parents | Platonic Yandere Mitsuri Kanroji and Yandere Iguro Obanai

You probably just got a little lost on your way back home

But you knew how to get back so it wasn’t an issue

Despite your reassurances to the pink-haired lady who was devouring an enormous pile of fish near the river

“No no, baby you’ll need to head back with me! Can’t have you out here with demons all about.”

If you can convince her she might walk you back

And as she waves goodbye and you enter your house with your waiting family 

You hope it will be the last time you see her 

It's not

When you get semi-lost again she’s there claiming to be hunting a demon nearby

Even better if the demon tries to attack you while you're with her

She’s easily defending you, gaining your trust

“Geez, what kind of parents leave their kid all alone to get eaten by demons!”

Whether you defend your family or not you trust her now 

And that is your downfall

The next time you're walking along the river a little white snake seems to be following you

“Aww are you a baby snake? A white one too you're so cool.”

It's like that for a while the snake following you as you make your way back home

One day you meet Kabamaru’s owner

A strange fellow, you gathered

With two different colored eyes, he seemed quite strict

“Are you really still walking this way after you’ve been attacked here once? They must really want you to die then.”

“N-no they just trust me to be a big kid and get the chores done! I can do my chores just like everyone else in the house.”

The final time they’re together 

With Mitsuri giggling to Obanai before they approach you

“Good news! We’ve decided we’ll be taking you home with us! So we can be a family!”

“B-but I already have a family!”

“Not a very good one, brat. So be grateful we’re letting you into your home.”

The struggles of a child are nothing against the power of two Hashira

It isn’t long after that you become used to the grounds of the cabin

Covered in Wisteria trees and tall fences (taller than you) that have to be jumped over to leave

You fall into a rhythm after a while 

And much as you hate to admit it they take really good care of you

But any mention of your family is met with Obanai insulting them and Mitsuri outright ignoring their existence

When you do escape back to your family they recall the pink and green-haired woman that escorted you that one time and believe your story

But try as they might their best defenses against the couple are futile

They are the Love Hashira and Serpent Hashira after all

“Ah~baby love! There you are! We’ve been worried sick about you!”

“Yeah, you have some nerve running from your parents like that.”

“Y-your not my parents!” 

“We are now.”

“W-what?”

“Do you really want to stay with those corpses? We took you to help you, (Y/n) don’t understand that?”

“B-but I w-was just talking to them…How-?”

“Oh, baby you crafted it all in your head just now. Let’s go home and we can snuggle tonight, okay?”

“O-okay. S-sorry…”

“It’s okay baby we know this is hard for you.”

 You’ll fall asleep while Mitsuri carries you, a backpack of your stuff from your home

While Obanai falls back to properly set fire to the building

When you returned it did take a while for them to realize you were you had gone

But when they do Mitsuri’s sad and Obanai rectifies it 

Now don’t be misled 

Their Hashira, they wouldn’t kill innocent humans who were boarding up their home

But that are the actions of some overzealous demons in the area insistent upon luring the Hashira in the nearby vicinity

And if the only one they were able to lure away to survive was you

Well its only natural they assume guardianship while your poor family is being slaughtered

Obanai and Mitsuri make quick work of all the demons and putting those injured…out of their misery

“Kabumaru missed you (Y/n).”

“Don’t be shy Iguro we all missed you, (Y/n)-baby!”

“You won’t leave us again baby, right?”

R-right…”

[nkirukaj]

I Want You, Simon

So here’s the deal, I’m in love with Simon Petrikov and I need more content of him existing in a romantic sense, so I’m writing a multi-part fic.

Pairing: Simon Petrikov x Fem! OC

Warnings: implied sexual feelings I guess?

Genre: Angst and Fluff I guess?

Word Count: 1.07k

(Sorry, I’ve never done this before lol)

Simon Petrikov was tired. Traveling the multiverse trying to save the world of his new adopted daughter and looking for the love of his life that had become a cosmic deity, Simon didn’t really know what to do with himself on th regular. He spent all this time being poked and prodded at his work/home, and since having weekly meetings with the Minerva bots, and moving to a more secluded area; he noticed that his restored sense of self didn’t cure his loneliness. Maybe it had something to do with him not leaving the house after moving, and not calling anyone? Eh, probably not, right? Everyone has their own issues to deal with, they didn’t need to be burdened with his.

Sitting on his couch finally watching something other than ‘Cheers’ is where he was when he got a call from his first adopted daughter, Marceline.

“Simon!” she said in that same warm tone she always used when speaking to him, it always made him smile

“Hi Marcy,”

“So I’m performing at the Candy Tavern tonight, you gotta come see me!”

“Of course Marcy, I wouldn’t miss it for anything!

“Great, I’ll have a surprise for you when you get there!”

“A surprise? Wait Marcy hold on-”

“K bye Simon, see you there!”

He slunched down into his couch knowing that whatever she had planned for him was something he was sure would throw him for a loop.

Walking through Ooo was a new experience every time he did it. On this walk, he noticed a butterfly with a happy face on it. It filled him with a sense of comfort, seeing it flutter.

When he arrived, he slipped through the crowd towards the bar and ordered his usual. Of course he was willing to support Marceline in any way that he could, but he wasn’t feeling as social lately. He scans the crowd to see all types of beings, non-humans and humans alike. After all this time, he still felt slightly out of place. Through the busy noise of the packed tavern and the dim lights, Simon was able to focus on the spotlit stage, and the sound of a finger tapping on the mic, center stage.

“Hello Candy people! You all know me! I’m Marceline the Vampire Queen”

Many cheers are heard throughout the venue “But for the first time ever, I will be performing with the wonderful and talented Samira!”

Simon’s eyes darted over to the woman ascending the stage stairs. Short with long, curly, black hair, brown skin and…thick. She wore a neon green crop top, with a slightly longer orange cropt top underneath, jean shorts and a black wired necklace.

“Hi, I’m Samira, you might know me, but I’m here to sing a Pre-Mushroom War song, backed up by the one and only Marceline!” Her voice was rich and smooth, not soft, but with a bit of a raspy quality that made her seem hard, while her words made her feel soft.

Simon’s eyes were wide and fixated on this mystery woman.

“Who is that?”

“Dude, she just said her name,”

Simon did not respond, only kept his eyes on this woman with a thickness he had never experienced.

“So let’s get this started!” Marceline shouted before strumming on her axe bass.

An employee removes the mic stand and Samira presses on her necklace and her voice echoes throughout the venue.

Welcome to your life

There's no turning back

Even while we sleep

We will find you

Acting on your best behaviour

Turn your back on Mother Nature

Everybody wants to rule the world

She sways her body to the music and his eyes can’t help but follow.

It's my own design

It's my own remorse

Help me to decide

Help me make the

Most of freedom and of pleasure

Nothing ever lasts forever

Everybody wants to rule the world

Thick, thick, thick. That’s all that was running through his mind. He felt his face go hot and his throat fill his collar. He tried loosening it with his finger, but it did not help. What is going on?

There's a room where the light won't find you

Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do, I'll be right behind you

So glad we've almost made it

So sad they had to fade it

Everybody wants to rule the world

I can't stand this indecision

Married with a lack of vision

Everybody wants to rule the—

Say that you'll never, never, never, never need it

One headline, why believe it?

Everybody wants to rule the world

All for freedom and for pleasure

Nothing ever lasts forever

Everybody wants to rule the world

The music fades out slowly and Samira stands center stage with Marceline as they bow together.

“Goodnight y’all!” Marcy shouts at the crowd

with another strum of her ax bass. Samira waves at the crowd and descends the stairs. Marceline plays her out.

“I love you Samira!!” Candy people shout “Samira!!”

Samira navigates the crowd, walking closer towards Simon, and he turns his face to hide the red overtaking it. She walks past him, slightly bumping his shoulder and doing a double take towards him that he doesn’t notice. And exiting the venue. Simon shivered from the touch. He lifts his head slowly reeling from either the performances or the drinks.

“So what’d you think Simon?” Marcy threw her arm around Simon’s shoulders

“Who was that?” He turned toward her and ran his hand through his hair

“Dude,” said the same Candy Person from before, “Is this guy listening?”

Marceline laughs “Who, Samira? She’s a friend of mine from the Human City. Surprised you’ve never seen her. I’ve been teaching her old songs but this is the first time I’ve played with her. She’s a really great singer, right?”

“Well yeah, but she’s so-“ he cuts himself off from not knowing what words to say

Marcy smirks and raises an eyebrow “She’s so what Simon?”

He shakes his head, as though to clear it. “Nevermind. I have to go. Great show.” He later Marcy on the back then scurries out the door.

The cool air greets him like an old friend, he basks in it, cleansing himself of the thoughts he’d had just a minute prior. After his fourth or fifth exhale, he felt a slight weight on his shoulder, and as he glanced at it, saw the same butterfly from earlier.

Chapter 2

[blade-liger-4ever]

Something I've noticed that makes me liquid angry.

Queen Rani, leader of the Night Pride and ruler of the Tree of Life, wife of Prince Kion from The Lion Guard.

Her parents were killed in front of her right outside their home, which also resulted in her scar and deeply traumatized her.

For this she likely had to act maternal for her little brother, Baliyo, while finding other methods to cope with her own trauma.

Was forced to take up leadership of the Night Pride around the time Kion formed his Lion Guard, at least.

Was also being trained to become queen at the same time, while said territory was about three times the size of the Pride Lands and her grandmother, Queen Janna, was a hair's breath from death for years.

Thus she had much pressure on her from a young age, lots of trauma, and rightly founded convictions against allowing outsiders inside, especially if they were powerful individuals and not fleeing animals seeking sanctuary from clear threats.

This gives her some friction with Kion in the first two episodes featuring her, but quickly smoothes out as they fall in love and she matures past much of her struggles through their romance.

Is branded with ❌️ by the fandom.

This is largely because of how Rani "ruined" the TLK/TLG fandom's preferred ships and, in some cases, was mean to Kion in their early interactions. However, Rani canonically proves herself as not only competent and reliable, but also mellows out and grows a great deal of respect and love for Kion, while also managing to admit her wrongness of her first impression of him. Time and again she proves to be his equal in intelligence, strategy, leadership, morals, convictions, and combat prowess. This is important because Kion is a pinnacle of goodness, and despite her rough start, Rani is similarly a pinnacle of goodness with her selfless nature and dedication to defending the Tree of Life and not only its hundreds of miles of land, but its thousands to millions of lives.

Mara Jade, infamous Emperor's Hand, former Dark Side assassin, and later wife of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Legends.

Is raised in the heart of evil with no source of love or compassion.

Is trained from infancy to be a remorseless killer.

Somehow given autonomy for no discernably good or well-founded reason beyond being favored by Palpatine.

Magically retains a conscience despite having no one give her a heart or morals.

Tries to kill her future husband numerous times.

Blames him for her luxurious life being destroyed, despite not having a real life that exists outside of killing and hunting targets when not on vacation.

Only lets go of her attempts to kill Luke Skywalker after murdering his clone in battle.

Receives no trial or punishment for her crimes.

Does not even provide information of any sort to the New Republic.

Jumps straight into Jedi training, with no one, not even Han Solo, questioning this decision.

Retains her abrasive and snide personality when married to Luke and when she becomes the mother of their son.

Continues to choose morally gray options when her husband is staunchly Light Side aligned.

Is given ✅️ by the fandom while these issues are ignored.

This is a problem because like Kion, Luke Skywalker is a pinnacle of goodness. Despite the clear need for an equal and supportive half of the same moral convictions as him, Luke is married off to a woman who continually chooses underhanded/dark methods to accomplish her own personal goals rather than sacrificing and doing good for the sake of good like he constantly does. Furthermore, she always treats Luke like trash, never apologizing for her behavior, and gets away with attempting to murder him while no one tries to kill her for the threat she posed to Luke. I cannot and will not believe that Leia and Han just shrugged and welcomed her into the family the way they did in Legends. It is wrong, out of character for all of the movie characters, and unjustifiable with all of the above taken into account. Mara Jade never changed from her relationship with Luke, and yet everyone praises them to the sky while Kion and Rani are abused to no end for maturing into adulthood and growing stronger from their romantic bond.

This is an unfair treatment on both sides, and I will not tolerate either viewpoints, nor will I forgive the accusations from either fandom on each pair.

Anyone who becomes incensed at this, I have news for you:

I.

Don't.

Care.

(Source.)

[thebrimstonewitch]

A VERY DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF YOUR MUSE. Repost with the information of your muse, including headcanons, etc. if you fail to achieve some of the facts, add some other of your own!

NAME: Calamitas (true name "Ashri")

NICKNAME: None that she will permit anyone to call her yet.

TITLE(S):  Supreme Witch, Brimstone Witch

SPECIES: Demon.

SEX: Female.

NATIONALITY: Unclear if she has any such thing to speak of, though her voice actor has a British accent.

INTERESTS: Witchcraft, astronomy, astrology, tarot reading, palm reading, book reading, long walks through nature, cooking, knitting, various grandma activities.

PROFESSION: Witchcraft.

BODY TYPE: Gaunt and lithe, not much going on beneath the robes. Absolute stick figure of a woman.

EYES: Red-orange, like a blazing fire. If you stare into them for long enough you may even see them shift their hue, like the embers of a flame. As she grows calmer, they become yellower in their tint, and as she grows angrier they shift to become more scarlet.

FUR: She has none! Definitely! She has a tail beneath her robes. It's brownish with a tuft of fur at the end, structured almost like that of a rat or other rodent. But she would die before she let anyone see it.

HAIR: Stark white, shoulder length. Oft silky thanks to being well maintained, though there are days when she sinks into her sadness and forgets to care for herself. On those days, it becomes scraggly and knotted.

SKIN: Gray and craggy, with cracks in the epidermis as if it were made of stone. Notable horns upon her brow, ashy white and chalky in texture, yet hard and firm.

POSTURE: In all manners of interpersonal communication, she is straight-backed, dignified, perhaps even imperious––save for when she is alone, experiencing a moment of depression, or otherwise attempting to be vulnerable. In such a scenario, she becomes slouched and weary, letting the true weight of her world impress itself upon her shoulders.

HEIGHT: 190cm (6'2")

VOICE: As it happens, Calamitas already has a canon voice: Alice Kensington, or OtherButtons! It can be heard at the beginning of DM DOKURO's uploaded video of her theme, or if you want isolated vocals, this will do.

SIGNIFICANT OTHER: None currently, but she wouldn't be opposed to settling down if she found the right person. It might help her move on with her life.

COMPANIONS: Her life is a lonely one, now. Formerly she counted Yharim, Draedon and perhaps even the Devourer of Gods among her comrades, but... Not anymore.

ANTAGONISTS: The very same trio she once called friends, as well as any who would try to bring violence to her doorstep once again.

STRENGTHS: In the realm of brimstone magic, she has no equal––and in all other fields she remains an expert if not a master. Her ability to exert overwhelming offense is extremely high. In general, her capacity for violence remains incredible, despite herself. She is perceptive and possesses a keen eye for sorcery of all kinds. With her age has come wisdom, and she knows much of the world around her.

WEAKNESSES: Ironically, despite her specialties, Cal's heart has been quite frozen with time. She has trouble letting her emotions crack through the facade she has made for herself, which leads to some unsightly outbursts when she is pressed too hard. She is haunted by her past. In a sense, she has "given up" on herself, still believing herself a weapon that holds no capacity for love... Yet, in this, she is wrong.

FRUITS: Dragon fruit is her favorite. She will not explain why.

DRINKS: Tea. Specifically chamomile, with two sugars. No more, no less, to be added to the brew one after the other rather than together at once.

DRUGS: She drinks, on occasion––though not strongly. More so just wine and other classy drinks such as those.

DRIVER'S LICENSE: She can just fly. Also, I don't think cars exist in Terraria. Unless you count mounts, but, again... She can just fly.

Tagged by: stolen from @ama-tcra-su

Tagging: Uhhhh go for it, steal it

[koneko-pi]

Ask and you shall receive, Laura

Let your hair down

Summary: Briar goes on a hunt for Nozel, and what she finds appears to be a bundle of distress. So she helps him relax a little.

Fluffy

2700 wordcount

A bored Briar was never a good thing. She was the kind of person who never set free time off for herself, she was always working on some project or out doing something, be it in the woods or off in the city. Even at night she would for-go sleep in favor of something that stimulates her mind, though that situation was something entirely different.

So when she had her plate clean, schedule empty and, unfortunately, no friends; Briar would become a nuisance. And she was well aware of it. The hovering nature over other people's projects at the research division, the pestering of people in the library under the guise of offering help, stopping by Julius office to hand off a new little tool he would probably run off with. And then she could watch an estranged Marx go on a scavenger hunt for him.

Yes, she was well aware of this childish-like behavior, in its most subtle ways. Perhaps it was the remnants of who she used to be still finding its way up into her more hardened surface. And she would let it, because the bottom line was: she was still bored.

So today's unfortunate target would be the King Eagle himself. A man famously known for that royal stick up his butt in any situation. She wondered what kind of reaction he would have to her sudden arrival, or to whatever annoyance she would victimize him with.

Should she talk about his braid again? The Silva's odd choice of clothing? Bringing up that odd rumor about him and Fuegoleon was always good ammunition.

The knights in the Silver eagles base had no idea such thoughts were running through her mind as she strolled right in. Rather they were more taken aback by her clothing.

"Briar, what are you wearing?" Curtis had frozen in a doorway she was attempting to enter, it was a hallway that led down towards the more superficial part of the base. The personal library, storage, offices and such.

"Hm?" The woman glanced down. "Oh."

She had completely forgotten about it.

Her original plan for that day had been to attend an auction of magical items -A particular mirror had caught her attention- so she was somewhat dolled up. It wasn't anything fancy, but she did suppose… compared to her usual attire it was nice.

An off the shoulder cream dress with floral embroidery around the bottom. She had a bit of makeup on and her usual green clunky looking headpiece was swapped out for the fluffier white earmuffs she usually slept in. She had a shawl tightly wrapped around her torso to hide her scar and stones on her back.

Sadly the Auction had fallen through when one of the items intending to be sold reacted to something and took out almost half the building. Hence her now free schedule. She remembered thinking at the time this is exactly why her division existed, to regulate and prevent situations like that from occurring. But the world would be perfect if they managed to catch every magical tool in the city. The black market did exist after all. And witches were always making something new.

Her fingers played a little with the lace of her shawl. "I just dressed up a little. I'm actually looking for Nozel right now."

Many of the other eagles were suddenly very interested in the conversation. Curtis' eyes went surprisingly wide as the smallest of blushes appeared on his face.

"Oh… I see."

'Eh?' Briar blinked at his reaction, finding it out of place.

He coughed into his fist as if he was trying to compose himself. "Th-the captain isn't here right now."

"Oh he's been at home all day." Nil's was suddenly standing with them- when did he get there? "He said he had something important happening today and wouldn't be coming in."

Many heads suddenly turned to Briar; dressed up, looking for Nozel and the time of day was conveniently dinner time, now that she thought about it.

Oh wait…

"Ah-" her eyes widened slightly. "No, I don't have plans with him." She tried to wave her hands and deter anymore thoughts they might be having but…

"Sure sure." Another eagle said, rubbing his nose. "Nozel's always been a private guy."

"And you too. You like to keep things to yourself."

"This isn't-"

"You better get going, Clover Castle isn't very far!"

Briar couldn't get a word in until she was suddenly standing outside the base, her back to the door after she had hurriedly been shooed away. Unfortunately though, now she was alone.

"Huh…" she slowly looked up at the darkening sky. A flicker of constellations starting to make themselves known between the cloud cover. "This is a big misunderstanding…"

…

……

That was a problem for another day. She still had a bird to catch and was losing daylight.

Clover Castle was something else to her. It wasn't the biggest castle she had ever seen in her long life, but she still could be impressed with it, mostly because it was a rather nice blend of 3 completely different architectures.

If she remembered correctly, each part of the castle actually represented, and belonged to, each of the noble houses. The Vermillions stood out the most with their intense marble and squared off designs. Most likely due to their magical affinity, one would not be living in a wood house with fire magic.

"I wonder if Solara is there." She wondered curiously as she watched shadows move across warmly lit windows.

She turned instead to the section of castle off to the right. With elegant spire-like towers pointing up into the sky and pointed roofing, this was definitely Silva Manor. If it wasn't that then it was the metal Silva emblem hammered into their front doors. It was really hard to miss.

She knocked on the door, and as she expected, a maid swiftly answered it.

"Hello-" She looked taken aback to find Briar there. The maids' blue eyes flicked up and down to look her over. The first pause was at her earmuffs, the second was on her eyes before she jolted. "Uh- are you… Miss Rose?"

The brunette looked a little concerned. Why did the maids of the house know who she was?

"P-please come in!" She moved aside swiftly and ushered the woman inside. It was so sudden that Briar's old training just kind of kicked in and she quickly strode right into the building. A few other maids, who had been cleaning up nearby, all now stood in a line, bent at the waist to greet her.

"Welcome, Miss Rose."

'This is unnerving…' Briar thought as she stood there, suddenly very stiff. It had been a very long time since she had been treated in such a way. 'Why is this happening?'

"Please, stand up straight… I'm just looking for Nozel." She held a hand up to raise the Maids from their bent position. She almost felt bad now, being treated like this but having come to bother their Master…

"He's in his private office." The original maid stood beside her. "Right this way." She gave a small bow and ushered for Briar to follow, and what else could she do but? She followed the woman upstairs and down the halls. Only briefly pausing to look at paintings of previous patriarchys. The one of a young woman in a ponytail appeared to be the largest. She looked almost exactly like Noelle, the youngest Silva.

"He has her eyes…" Briar muttered out loud to herself.

"Here you are, ma'am." The maid bowed as she pointed towards double doors. "His private study."

"Thanks…" Briar gave a small nod to the woman who then quickly went on her way. The brunette took a deep breath and pretended not to notice the group of women peeking around the corner at the far end of the hall. She knocked once on the door.

It took a moment but there was a muffled, "Who's there?"

"It's Briar."

She definitely heard the sound of him dropping something in confusion then quickly picking it up. "Why?"

A valid question since she was certain this was unplanned, despite everything happening around her. Before she could respond though he spoke again.

"Are you alone?"

Briar blinked once then glanced down the hallways (Watching the maids vanish un-stealthily) to really make sure. "I am." Her tone made her sound confused, which was different from her curt nature.

"You may enter."

She was surprised by that reaction. She was certain her showing up here unannounced would have created some sort of kink in his day. Any other time she suddenly entered a room he looked like he needed to prepare himself for a headache.

But as she opened the door it seemed that the headache was already there without her intervention. She also noticed why he wanted her alone.

As usual his outfit didn't make any kind of sense to her. It appeared to be a short sleeved version of his normal attire, but it nearly hung off his shoulders. The thing about this outfit though is that it was lacking the high collar and gold choker he usually wore, which left his curse out in the open.

Briar was… surprised to say the least. Was he that comfortable with her..?

She almost didn't notice the sheer amount of paperwork covering both a desk and his coffee table. Which is where he currently sat, with more papers in one hand and his other hand against his forehead as he read through them slowly.

"What do you need?" He asked without looking up from his work.

"Uh…" Now she really felt bad. She couldn't just tell him she was here for her own entertainment. Especially after now seeing him in an obviously stressed out state. "The maids let me in."

Somehow that was enough for him, because he didn't argue with it. He just let out a frustrated sigh, as if this situation had happened before.

"How do they know who I am?"

His shoulders jolted a little, and the glance he gave between his fingers indicated he was not ready to relinquish the answer. Which was fine.

Just another reason for her to swing by in the future.

"What are you doing?"

"Work."

"Well, obviously." She narrowed her eyes slightly even if he wasn't looking at her anymore. But her tone demanded a better explanation.

Nozel let out a frustrated and guttural sound, something she really hadn't heard before. Was this a rare moment of actually catching him at a low point? "My work got backed up because another squad was interfering, so now I have all these reports to read and sign off on and double check property damage we might have to pay for. Or not, if I can find a decent reason to tell the parliament 'NO'. Now if you don't need anything, PLEASE LEAVE."

Ah…

Briars' hands balled up into her shawl for a moment. Her first thought was maybe another spar between their loving rivals, the lions, had gotten a bit out of hand. Then her mind quickly shifted gears into thinking… he has probably been sitting here all day going over word after word of paperwork, trying to get it all done within a reasonable time so it didn't affect the rest of his schedule.

When did this start?

Did he eat at all?

Was money that big an issue somehow?

All questions she could have asked the maids, but that opportunity had passed. Is this why everyone seemed so eager for her to be visiting him? To make sure he was okay?

She felt her cheeks heat up just a little. For a moment. She wouldn't give herself anything else.

Rather she pulled her shawl off and draped it over one of the chairs. She then slipped off her shoes so her heels didn't clack around loudly and finally walked around the couch so she stood behind him. The poor man was still so deep in his paperwork he didn't suspect the claws coming down upon him.

Nozel's whole body seized when he felt Briar suddenly grab hold of his head. The placement of her hands, one under his chin and the other on the top of his head, made him think she was going to snap his neck. But her grip was strong only to hold him in place should he try and run.

"What are you doing." It was not a question, it was a demand wondering why she had the audacity to be interfering with his work so suddenly.

"Put the papers down." She said.

"What-"

"Put them down."

He wasn't sure what compelled him to do as she said. Maybe it was the threatening position of her hands. But slowly he placed the papers in his hand down into his lap. Not really relinquishing them, out of spite.

And then she tilted his head back. Wide purple eyes looking up at her in confusion and surprise. And she stared back at him, her expression softer than usual, but nothing more.

"How long have you been here?" She asked.

He didn't answer her at first, but she didn't move to leave no matter how long they just stared at one another, so he let out a defeated huff and finally, "Since this morning."

"How early is this morning?" Her hands moved so that both palan were against the top of his head, fingers gently pressing down. It didn't hurt, quite the opposite actually.

"Six am."

The woman let out a sigh. "And have you eaten today?" Her fingers slowly began to move in soft, gentle, circular motions. The sensation immediately sent a reaction through Nozel's body to relax. Even his eyes fluttered closed.

"No."

Another noise escaped her as her fingers moved to his face. He was nervous, body tensing for a moment, till he realized she was undoing the clasp at the end of his braid. She put it to the side and then began to undo his hair, his scalp cried out in relief after having to hold the tight braid all day long. Normally he didn't feel it, but the headache overtaking his entire skull seemed to have made a difference.

He let her comb her fingers through his bangs several times to make sure all of it was undone and no tangle was left behind. She then pulled all of it back so it was out of his face, and once again began to dig her fingers in gently to massage his scalp.

Nozel didn't consider himself pampered. Sure he was a noble, but many times he forsook his own interests for family affairs and work. Hell his interests were those exact things most of the time. So he wasn't like some nobles where a maid would come in and give a massage, or a nice soak of hands and feet to relax.

He wasn't used to the heavenly feeling of fingers gently rubbing against his scalp in circular motions to alleviate the pain. Rubbing back and forth, against the backs of his ears and even down his jaw. He wasn't sure what compelled this woman to do this but dear god he was not going to question it now.

She even managed to pull a soft groan from him as she gently pulled her fingers back through his hair like a comb. And with his eyes closed he didn't see the flushed look of surprise on her face.

"Feeling better?" Briar asked after ten minutes of nice rubbing. Her fingers still played with his hair though as she spoke.

"Yes, it felt good." He would give praise where it was due.

"Good… will you eat something now?"

His eyes peeled open to stare at her. "Are you inviting me to dinner." She noticed the flick of his eyes to her dress.

"If it will get you to eat." Her tone was actually playful…

"I suppose… though I will have to change." He pulled his head away from her, albeit reluctantly, and cupped a hand around his neck to hide his curse mark.

"Tell me what you want, I'll have the maids bring it here." Briar offered.

"That does sound more appealing…" he wouldn't have to leave his office at least. "By the way… what are you wearing?" He turned his body to look over the back of the couch to really get a full view of her outfit.

"Ah… its a story. Which reminds me…" she glanced away looking a little sheepish, which made his eyes narrow at her. "The eagles… may have gotten the wrong impression of something…."

[sapphire-weapon]

Hi. As someone who really likes Ashley (and Eagleone) I obviously want her back. But having read your asks a few days back I kinda understand how that probably won't happen, having to keep a small cast so the focus stays on actually important characters (plus sadly is nowhere near as important or memorable as other one-off characters like Sheva, Billy or Carlos and even they don't have much prospect of returning). But still I let my delulu self have fun for a bit. And something stood out, and it's the conversation on the lift, right after the wrecking ball fight.

Ashley, for the first and only time in her existence, talked about her future after the game. And it is strange when a character discusses their future, because we as the audience will take that as foreshadowing of something about said charcter ultimately becoming true. But Ashley's not coming back; the devs are not gonna write her back into the games, right? So why, why choose that as the topic of their conversation? They really could've chosen something more casual, maybe keep their dialog as harmless and casual flirting that leaves no consequences to the future like they did in other sections of the game. But it had to be that. Why?

In 2021, ID gave Ashley a picture cameo after forgetting about her for 15+ years, with a more matured and beautiful (and less pixelated) image. 2 years later in 2023, RE4R came out with a new and improved version of Ashley, making her infinitely more likeable, and thus making people sadder that this is the only game they are gonna see her in. But in that same remake, she teased about becoming a US agent with Leon, fighting evil and whatnot. So is it ever possible that in the 2 years after RE4R we will hear from her again?

Is Ashley's reintroduction timeline just a coincidence? Yeah probably. But taking into account the nature of the conversation on the lift and this coincidence, it really really felt like I'm connecting dots. Will she come back? Not as a main charcater or anything, maybe just with Hunnigan-level of importance, but will she come back?

At the end of the day, I must admit I looked a bit too much into this. I just want to see her again, and I'm overthinking to make that seem more plausible. But I also really really want to hear your thoughts on this, on the foreshadowy conversation and timeline, on how Capcom went out of their way to make her lovable to the point of taking some of Ada's spotlight away. Can this be a preparation for an actual future role in the franchise, albeit small and insignificant?

And if you've seen that very AI looking RE 9 cover, who is that woman at Leon's side anyway. Her hair is light colored and her physique looked too small to be Jill's. And that hairstyle...ok I'll stop; that cover meant nothing and she's probably a new character. I just see Ashley everywhere now lol.

I'm gonna answer this backwards.

I'm assuming the AI lady is Jill just because of the leaks. But like. It's AI. So don't read too far into it.

Now, I'll admit that I always did find it weird that Ashley talking about becoming an agent is the single only unskippable "cutscene" dialogue in the entire game. You can even skip Leon and Luis's conversation on the elevator up to his death. But you cannot skip the one between Leon and Ashley on that lift after the wrecking ball.

But here's the thing.

One of the most important things that that German leaker, Andy, talked about was how RE games are made.

I talked about this a little already, but RE directors and producers are given free rein to write any story they want for the games, and they are in no way obligated to pick up where another team or game left off. He used Steve as an example -- no one was interested in bringing him back as a tyrant, so no one ever did.

But it wasn't just Steve. He also specifically mentioned that we will never see Sheva or Helena again -- because nobody in executive roles on the team cares about them. No one's going to go out of their way to bring them back. And they don't have to. No one's going to ever mandate it. That's not how these games work.

So the same kind of principle applies to Ashley. She'll only come back if someone wants her back. In this case, the likeliest candidates would be Hirabayashi or Kadoi, who both seemed particularly invested in her character for RE4make.

But, to our knowledge right now, both Hirabayashi and Kadoi are working on CVXR.

And RE9 started production before RE4make did. So there's no way she was planned for RE9. That wouldn't make any sense.

So this brings me back to my original point. She's not coming back in RE9. And if she's not coming back in RE9, she's not coming back. What would be the point of bringing back a character over 20 years later? Right at the end of the story, even?

They're not going to retroactively fit her into any remakes, either. Because she doesn't belong in them.

She's not coming back. She's just not.

[acosmicblizzard]

Who is the red queen General dating hcs pt.2

Links to other parts: Pt.1 Characters: White Rabbit, Alice, Cheshire Cat

Warnings: Spoilers for chapter 3 and some chapter 2 content, spoilers for the game in general.

White Rabbit

White Rabbit despite seeming like a calm and reasonable figure is a cruel person that follows the Red Queens laws to the letter and depending on if you break the laws or not you'll end up without a head, though she loves you, she is forever loyal to the red queen. As long as follow the red queens laws you'll rarely see anything of her cruel nature though. She'll be as sweet and gentle as a beautiful dove when around you as long as you follow the red queen laws and will always get up early to try and make you dinner and something to drink. Teatimes are always a must with her even if she's a busy woman, she'll find time to make on her schedule and make sure to always have teatimes with you. She does your hair and makeup daily and helps you pick out a outfit in the morning, being this close to someone this high in the royal court means any actions you do reflect right onto her. She can't have that! She'll defend your honor back to back if anyone were to dare insult you, however she does at least want you to look nice. Look like someone worthy of being with the Red Queens right hand, most of the time she could honestly care less of what you were wearing. But once going out in public the nobles of wonderland can and will make a problem about it.

Most nights White Rabbit doesn't get to bed until late in the day due to how busy she'd get with work in the royal court. If you aren't asleep by the time she returns she'll be quite the upset rabbit. She wants you to get all your beauty sleep or else you'll be extremely tired in the morning and the White Rabbit would be extremely upset if that happened. She cares for your well being you know?

Alice

A relationship with Alice Is a rather calm one as long as wonderland doesn't collapse because of the lack of the Red Queen existing anymore-. Lets just say even after one of the good endings wonderland doesn't collapse and Alice doesn't get with either Hatter or the White Queen.

You two mostly spend your days wandering around and exploring this crazed wacky world, after all the parts of wonderland you've seen isn't the entirety of this strange world. This strange world that almost killed her multiple times she has a strange affinity for and wants to explore it all with you even if it prevents her from going home. However she'd prefer to be in this world then be home.

You two end up living in a small wood cabin in the middle of the woods, being self sufficient enough to survive but also not too much to where you wouldn't have time to do other fun activities. You two are adventurers at heart and hold hands while exploring the different and strange places you come across. Sometimes it could be a cave with glowing crystals or a abandoned manor where the hallways are upside down, it didn't really matter as long as you guys had one another.

Cheshire Cat

Ohhh boy, you're in for a wild ride. Cheshire most likely tried to kill you at first given her aggressive nature to others, more specifically to Alice because she is a continuation of the red queen in a way. Cheshire has massive trust issues due to what happened before she was put in jail by the Red queens "benevolence". Once you do get a in a relationship with this tricky cat though she becomes extremely overprotective of you, always watching you from a distance while invisible if you two ever have to part ways.

Expresses a lot of cat like traits including the ways they show affection such as rubbing up against people and purring. You can easily tell whenever she's happy as she completely lets her guard down around you and actually allows her tail to swish back and fourth instead of holding it still in a locked place like she usually does around others.

Due to basically stealing the Red Queens arm to replace her own missing one she knows how to sow things and has relatively good medical knowledge. She knows exactly how to create and use those strange medicines that allow you to lose a arm and then re attach it like it's nothing. So if you ever get injured, you're in good hands!

[harleiquina]

The Cursed prince

A Snowhite retelling.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and as any writer can tell you: the best ideas come in the most unexpected times (in this case I woke up at 4 & something in the morning because my dogs needed to do their bussiness, and I just couldn't go back to sleep. So now at 5:22 I mentally finished this version of the story that was nothing more than an idea for the past few months). Enjoy! Because I know that I'll hate myself when I'll get sleepy at work later today.

So it was true.

Since birth he was destined to lose everyone he ever loved. His mother was the first one, the very same day he gave his first breath. He couldn't even see her once.

His father followed, a few years later. He was kind and warm but strict, as all kings should be. He loved his son but wanted to be sure that the power of their bloodline would never get on his head. What kind of king could that kid become if all of his wildest dreams were granted to him? The child needed limits, so the father gave him exactly that. He was an exceptional man.

Then came Father Solar. The King asked in his death bed for his son to be raised in the monastery that his family build, to have the best education he could have and learn how to be a man on God. All the priests there were dedicated to their task, but Father Solar would let the kid be a child, climbing trees, going fishing, running through the fields and playing with marbles (he taught the prince the most impresive tricks with them behind the other monks' backs). After his death, the prince, now a young man, went to his castle trying to leave the pain behind and to "grow up".

Many friends (because thats what they were, not just soldiers) died in foreing lands, sometimes in battle, others by believed-to-be friendly hands and others in minor incidents where, in a ironic twist of fate, they were trying to avoid any kind of conflict.

Many of his servants, that took care of him, like the cook that always made him smile when he needed it the most also died. Everybody tried to convince him that they were old and nature took it's course but then how could anyone explain that her little daughter, a child that the prince thought of as the little sister he never had, just never woke up without explanation?

The prince was more and more convinced that he was cursed. And now he had the worst reminder of it.

A year ago or so, he had to go to a neighbouring kingdom to participate in the wedding of the king, a long friend of his father. He was marrying for the second time, many thought that it was too soon, to a younger woman whose great beauty was a little suspicious to folks who believed her to be a witch or an evil wooden sprite under a glamour spell.

The prince got easily bored next to the other royals next to him that doubled his age (or even tripled it!) and kept on telling the same stories over and over again with more and more details as the wine began to flow. And then he saw her, the king's daughter, a lovely young girl almost his age with raven hair that made her look extremely pale. People called her Snowhite but he thought that it was a poor choice of a name because her smile alone was as warm as a summer breeze.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was graceful, kind and smart enough to get one of her father's friends to back track a statement he made about his people's labour. She noticed the prince and every time she caught him looking at her, she'd smile as an invitation to join her. But he would turn and walk away.

Yet she was decided to breach that distance, so she asked him to dance. He tried to refuse but as soon as their hands touched, the wall that he was building between them fell apart.

The world disappeared when she was in his arms and so did any kind of fear he felt about losing her. They looked each other in the eyes and inside of hers he saw the possibility of having a future, a family, happiness at last. His entire existence was bound to hers, he could feel himself turning his own life, body and soul so she could do with them as she pleased. He was brought back to reality by her touch, she was concerned, wiping away a tear from his eyes. He apologized and left the party, the castle and country altogether.

A few months later came a letter requiring him to go back to that kingdom for a funeral, his heart was already breaking before he could read that it was the king's. He felt bad for his relieved sigh and the small joy of finding out that she was safe. At least for now.

The solemnity of the ceremony didn't helped with his constant dread. But how could he try to ignore her when she looked absolutely destroyed and alone? Without a word they hugged and she broke down in tears in the safety of his arms. They walked through the gardens to clear their minds. If there was anything he had enough experience about it was pain and how to deal with it. She asked him to come back to visit, he couldn't refuse and both promise to write each other whenever needed.

He returned a few months later, the queen gave him all kinds of attentions but he couldn't see where his friend was. His host tried to tempt him to join her to a hunting trip, or to watch a play, or read next to the fire but he didn't cared about those things so he said that the travel left him exhausted and needed some rest. Of course, instead of going to his room, he wandered through the palace until he saw her. She was dressed in rags like the servants, carrying a sack of flour to the kitchen. She tried to calm him down, it wasn't that bad for her... she always helped as much as she could in the castle, this wasn't new and she would prove it in the kitchen where she baked a delicious cake for them to eat. He still believed that it wasn't fair to her to live in those conditions, but she reassured him that the pain of her father's death made her realized that she needed a change. He wondered how much of that she thought herself and how much of it were her stepmother's words.

He came back many times and tried not to take too much time between his visits. The queen would always try to keep him busy but he always found a way to explore the forest with his Northern Star as he started to call the princess because the shine of her eyes and the contrast of her hair and skin reminded him of a starry night, and he would always follow her to feel like he was at home again.

Then, one day, she was nowhere to be found. The servants were too afraid to speak and the Queen ignored all of his questions. He left the castle and went to the forest to the place they both called their kingdom, where all secrets were kept like that first kiss by the oldest oak tree under the summer rain. She was there, waiting who knows for how long and held him tight while tears flooded her eyes. She told him that the queen was jealous, that expelled her from the castle and promised to punish anyone that wanted to help her. He offered to take her with him, to keep her safe, to be her loving husband and leave everything behind. But this time she refused, she knew about the queen's intentions towards him and couldn't risk starting a war. She assured him that she was well taken care of and that one day, when everything calmed down, she would go with him and never again part ways. It was a bittersweet goodbye, with the softest kiss that would've torn apart even the bravest of all souls.

He rejected any invitation and letter from the queen, as well as her delegations with presents. She even dared to try to reach him through other kingdoms, yet the response was always the same.

One night he woke up with a fear he hadn't felt in years. A premonition. The storm outside of his window darkened his troubled heart and decided to ride to meet his Northen Star again before anything could happen. He had to save her. He could not afford to lose her.

The wind and the water seemed to be against him, forcing him to take the longest road. Rivers were overflooded, the mud didn't let his horse move, trees were plucked out of the soil as easy as any other weed at hands of a gardener.

With the early morning lights, the storm started to fade away but he was still too far from her. His journey continued, he had no time to rest or eat.

And then he arrived.

It was too late.

His knees failed him, kneeling in the mud he cannot stop looking at her in a bed of flowers. Even through his tears she looked as if she was just sleeping pacefully under the morning sun. The townspeople were saying their goodbyes to their princess. Some recognized him and shared his pain, but there's nothing else to be done. If the rumours are true, the queen found a way to poison her and there is no antidote that could help now.

"What have I done? Is my existence such an offense to this world that I do not deserve to be loved? Life, what have I done to you? Why do you keep on taking innocent lives instead of mine? What kind if cruel game are you playing with me? Why her? She's done nothing to you, unless giving me a reason to believe that you are beautiful is a sin that can only be cleansed by death. Earth was greener, the air sweeter and the sun warmer with her alive. What do I have to do? Lock myself in my castle out of sight and wait to the end of my days, just living off the memory of her lips in mine? Answer at once! I beg you..."

People stared at him but just one old woman came to help him get back on his feet.

"My dear boy, I'm sorry. None of this was meant to happen if I followed the rules... but when you spend so much time among your kind as I did it's almost impossible not to get soft" her voice was kind and she was fixing his clothes like a mother would.

"Who are you?" he asked while she was cleaning his face.

"My name is long forgotten and humanity decided that I am two: Life and Death. But it's only me. I take care of both tasks, maybe it would've been easier if I was two different people" she grabbed his arm and guide him to a rock so they could sit and talk. "And that's why it all began. The night you were born, you were supposed to die but I knew that your parents wanted a child more than anything. They've tried many times and after your death, your mother would've never gotten pregnant again. They were very nice, loved by everyone and always put others first. They deserved a gift, a baby as they always wanted... even if that meant that someone else had to take his place in the Afterlife. Your father understood it, once he held you in his arms, that it wasn't your fault, that you were too precious to be blamed for your mother's death. So he loved you even more than you can imagine. However, consecuences come when things don't go the right way. Your parents and friends would've lived longer if you didn't existed, yes, but that doesn't mean that they died because of you... is the course of destiny, it's just that the dates were readjusted. In her case, you extended her life. If you didn't take her for a walk on her father's funeral, she would've gone straight into her bedroom where the queen would've killed her to make it look like a suicide. Her stepmother couldn't try anything later because she had many guests to attend but every single time that something bad was about to happen, a memory of you made her take a different decision... another road... another fate. But as I said, dates get readjusted, they are never erased. The Evil Queen got her anyway. Such a pity." The prince didn't felt any better "You are not cursed, my dear. You are blessed, you are the strongest testimony that life is a gift that should not be squandered. So live, and share your life with those that make it worthwhile." The woman caressed his hair and walked away. life is a gift that should not be squandered. So live, and share your life with those that make it worthwhile." The woman caressed his hair and walked away.

He stood there watching the others crying and leaving flowers, even if the pain was cutting deep they were not feeling it as bad as he. People would go back to their homes, move foward with their lives and eventually let it go. But not him.

He took some courage and got closer to her. He took her hand, kissed it and pressed it against his face. This time she couldn't wipe his tears like before.

"Life is a gift that shouldn't be squandered... but I only wanted to share it with you" he said before kissing her lips for the last time. Still with his eyes closed he pressed his forehead with hers and sighed. He tought that the morning breeze was fooling him pretending to be her breath he could even hear her voice in it. "You came back" she said, like every time they met again. He started to cry but his tears were stopped by a hand. He opened his eyes and saw her smiling at him. "You came back" he answered before lifting her in his arms and kissing her again.

[dadscarathon]

October 2024 Ahhhhgenda

For past Spooptober Scarathons I sort of wing it. I store up memories of movies and shows I want to watch all year, then hunt them up each day as I go. This year, I thought it would be fun to lay them out ahead of me, choosing one each calendar day. If nothing else, it will save me some time pouring through my Shudder queue!

I'll start with one that I hope will be on the list, but may not be. I'm a huge fan of the Terrifier series, and this year we get the third movie in the theaters! There's some chance I won't get to go to the theater, so we'll see, but that's my hope!

Here's the list in no particular order, with a rephrased synopsis and which service/method I intend to use to watch.

Destroy All Neighbors (Shudder) A prog rock oriented horror movie? OK!

Terrifier 3 (Theater) I haven’t read the synopsis, because trying to fathom a plot involving Art the Clown is a bit like pondering the existence of free will.

Mean Spirited (Shudder) An influencer goes on vacation and gets a demon.

YellowBrickRoad (Shudder) A town’s population disappears and “intrepid” (that’s a horror euphemism for “victim”) explorers go to find them. Seems like a horror take on OZ, which I also enjoy.

Let the Wrong One In (Shudder) A little brother turns into a vampire and the protagonist must make a choice.

Late Night with the Devil (Shudder) A rival to Carson ends up unleashing a hell on late night watchers.

The Pale Door (Shudder) Failed train robbers hide out in a ghost town and encounter some witches.

Blood Quantum (Shudder) There’s a zombie apocalypse, but for some reason the Mi'gmaq tribe are immune and must now survive.

Blood Relatives (Shudder) An old Yiddish vampire meets his possible daughter.

Hellbender (Shudder) Izzy was raised in isolation by her Mom, and once free to explore the world finds out something dark about herself.

Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island (Hulu) Didn’t read the synopsis… But I know what Fantasy Island is. And what Blumhouse is ;)

Bad Hair (Hulu) A woman gets a weave and… It attacks?

Down (Hulu) People trapped on an elevator turn out to be terrible.

Wounds (Hulu) A bartender picks up a phone someone left behind.

The Seeding (Hulu) A man lost in the wilderness seeks refuge with a stranger, then finds out she’s not there willingly or alone.

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone (Netflix) Some connections never die, apparently.

Eli (Netflix) A young boy undergoes some horrifying medical procedure

Insidious: The Red Door (Netflix) A demon haunts a family. Which, honestly… I guess “Insidious” sort of gave that away, eh?

Out of Darkness (Paramount+) 45,000 years ago some people are stranded on an island.

Jennifer’s Body (Hulu) Jennifer has some less than savory tendencies after an occult run-in. I can’t remember if I’ve ever seen this, but I wanted to watch it just in case, as there’s another movie in the same setting on this list.

Lisa Frankenstein (Amazon Prime Video) Lisa’s boyfriend is dead… But that won’t stop her.

Stopmotion (Amazon Prime Video) A stop motion animator has an experience

Arcadian (Amazon Prime Video) Nic Cage defending his family at the end of the world.

I Saw The TV Glow (MAX) Owen is introduced to scary stuff by his friends, and his reality cracks

In a Violent Nature (Amazon Prime Video) The victim of an ancient crime is resurrected to visit vengeance against trespassing teens.

A Quiet Place: Day One (Paramount+) The world goes quiet… Spooky.

X (Paramount+) Someone tries to make an adult film, and it doesn’t go well

Pearl (Shudder or Netflix) Set in 1918 a lonely farm girl goes to extremes for fame

Oddity (Shudder) A blind psychic’s twin is murdered and now she’s back to make it right…

Divinity (Shudder) Two brothers abduct a mogul and things get weird

Suitable Flesh (Hulu) A psychiatrist becomes a murderer and the story unfolds as to why that has to happen

Know a movie I have to watch that isn't on this list? Let me know in the next two days! Or, hell, any time in the next 31. Anything goes up to the last day, so I'm open to suggestions.

[snowlikestardust]

Image descriptions:

Image one: Attention should be early aroused by presenting attractive objects--things of bright and beautiful colors, but not glaring--and sounds pleasant and soft to the ear. When you have succeeded in attracting a babe's attention to any object, it is well to let him examine it just as long as he chooses. Every time he turns it over, drops it, and takes it up again, he adds something to the little stock of his scanty experience. When his powers of attention are wearied, he will soon enough show it by actions. A multitude of new playthings, crowded upon him one after another, only serve to confuse him. He does not learn as much, because he is not allowed time to get acquainted with the properties of any of them.

Image two: Having had his little mind excited by a new object, he should be left in quiet, to toss, and turn, and jingle it, to his heart's content. If he looks up in the midst of his play, a smile should be always ready for him; that he may feel protected and happy in the atmosphere of love.

Images three and four: A mere babe will grieve and sob at the expression of distress on a mother's countenance; he cannot possible know what that expression means, but he feels that it is something painful--his mother's state affects him.

Image five: If in the same room, a smile or a look of fondness should now and then be bestowed upon him; and if in an adjoining room, some of the endearing appellations to which he has become accustomed, should once in a while meet his ear. The knowledge that his natural protector and best friend is near will give him a feeling of safety and protection, alike conducive to his happiness and beneficial to his temper.

Image six: It is not possible to indulge anger, or any other wrong feeling, and conceal it entirely. If not expressed in words, a child feels the baneful influence. Evil enters into his soul, as the imperceptible atmosphere he breathes, enters into his lungs: and the beautiful little image of God is removed farther and farther from his home in heaven.

Image seven: and say, 'This ball is round; this little tea-table is square. Now George knows what round and square means,'--it would give him something to think about. When he has a new toy, he will think to himself whether it is round or square.

Image eight: When a little child has been playing, and perhaps quarreling, out of doors, and comes in with his face soiled and blazed, sobbing and crying, it is an excellent plan to take him by the hand and say, 'What is the matter, my dear boy? Tell me what is the matter. But, how dirty your face is! Let me wash your face nicely, and wipe it dry, and then you shall sit in my lap and tell me all about it.' If he is washed gently, the sensation will be pleasant and refreshing, and by the time the operation is finished, his attention will be drawn off from his vexations; his temper will be cooled, as well as his face. Then seat him in your lap, encourage him to tell you all about his troubles, comb his hair gently in the meantime, and in a few minutes the vexation of his little spirit will be entirely soothed. This secret of calling off the attention by little kind offices is very valuable to those who have the care of invalids, or young children. Bathing the hands and feet, or combing the hair gently, will sometimes put a sick person to sleep when they can obtain rest in no other way.

Image nine: I cannot find language strong enough to express what a woman deserves, who embitters the whole existence of her offspring by filling their minds with such terrific images. She who can tell a frightful story to her child, or allow one to be told, ought to have a guardian appointed over herself.

Let us examine what the motives must be, that lead to such measures. It is indolence--pure indolence: a mother is not willing to take the pains, and practice the self-denial, which firm and gentle management requires; she therefore terrifies her child into obedience. She implants in his mind a principle that will, in all probability, make him more or less wretched through his whole life, merely to save herself a few moments' trouble! Very strong minds may overcome, or nearly overcome, early impressions of this kind; but in cases of weak nerves, or acute natural sensibility, it is utterly impossible to calculate the extent of the evil. And all this to save a little trouble! What selfishness!

Image ten: For instance, if there is any wonderful sight to be seen in the neighborhood, such as a caravan of animals, a striking picture, wonderful mechanism, &c. and if it is inconvenient for you [cut off from here]

/End image descriptions.

sorry i was researching the author of a victorian book about raising children and now i'm fascinated by her. clear my schedule we're talking about lydia maria child.

[gothicwidowsworld]

Next adventure C.M

Platonic!Cillian x Platonic!Reader (father/daughter like relationship)

Y/N L/N’s wouldn’t call herself an emotional person, hell she could probably count on one hand the amount of times she’d cried in the past 3 years… other than work of course. 8 years, 96 months, 417 weeks or 2922 days however you wanted to look at it they were significant numbers. And the life that had become her norm was coming to an end. It could be seen as dramatic but it really was the end of an era. The sixth and final series, the y/h/c young woman’s journey as Viola Shelby was coming to a close. Goodnight Vienna so to speak. 

Scrolling through her phone the y/s/c 20 year old frowned, she loved watching the edits and fan theories regarding the show and soon that would cease to exist as well. Sighing heavily Y/N stabbed at her lunch miserably. “That was a mighty big sigh” Cillian teased, taking a seat from across the girl, concern filling his sharp features at the lack of response from the young actress. Over the years Cillian had become protective of Y/N, he was practically her work parent at this point. They’d met pretty early on in the show’s production, the casting directors wanting to make sure they could work well together considering how large a part their characters played into each other's storylines. The then twelve year old had been wide eyed and in awe of the cameras, makeup trailers and sets. “Are you ok?” Cillian asked gently, The Irishman often spent his lunchtime with the girl if neither of them were filming. Despite still wearing his character's familiar wardrobe his concern and soft spoken nature was like night and day. 

“It’s just… I can’t believe it's going to be over.” Y/N sighed again placing her phone down. “Are you going to miss me even just a little bit?” the young woman asked, nibbling her bottom lip anxiously at the thought of it all ending. “You guys are like my own little family now…” Y/N added quietly, her plate of pasta seemingly forgotten. “We’re still going to talk… You’ll probably still facetime me at insane hours. Nothing’s going to change.” Cillian replied reassuringly. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he watched Y/N absorb his words. “It’s not the end of the world sweetheart.” Cillian added quickly, the nickname slipping out before he could stop it. He’d begun calling Y/N sweetheart after a couple of days on set up until her 18th birthday when she claimed she was too grown up for a nickname any more… at least one that was ‘super cringe’. The actor had to routinely remind himself Y/N wasn’t a little girl anymore, she’d grown up before his eyes into a lovely young woman. 

“Have you got any project’s lined up for once this wraps?” the dark haired man asked, taking a bite of his own lunch. Shaking her head Y/N laughed “Not yet but Mum thinks I should focus on Uni just so I have a back up ‘if the acting thing doesn’t work out.’” the woman explained mimicking a small extract of her mother's lecture. “Your Mum’s a wise woman.” Cillian praised chuckling at the young adults' face of disagreement. The displeased look was paired with Y/N’s infamous scowl and a roll of her y/e/c orbs. “Since when has acting and education gone hand in hand for me. You know I only auditioned for Peaky to get a day off school…. Had a maths test.” The girl shivered slightly at the memory of the Year 8 mock test. Maths had never been her strong point, in fact while revising for her math GCSE’s Joe had offered to help her with the homework… let’s just say he never offered again. Y/N had all these memories, memories full of cast members, crew and soon she’d never see some of those people again. It was a bit scary leaving the safety of Peaky Blinders. Leaving the little family she’d built over the years. She just had to remember to look for the next adventure. 

“Well I'm sure whatever you turn your hand to you’ll be fantastic. No, I know you’ll be fantastic.” Cillian corrected himself. The man was sure Y/N had a brilliant career ahead of herself. He’d seen her grow from an awkward, excitable preteen to a confident, talented and devoted young woman. He didn’t want to seem too soppy but he held a torch of Father-like pride towards the girl and he couldn’t wait to see her next chapter.

 Memories