#and they both end up having death as a forever border between them and the person who has their heart

[https-moonzilla]

“Talia” from rtc is so regulus black coded and I will take zero arguments, please and thank you.

[baddybaddyadardaddy]

Okay, I'm going to make a wild prediction about Adar and Galadriel in Episode 8, so strap in.

An overarching the/major motif of the Rings of Power from the very first episode has been, obviously, the interplay between darkness/light.

"To find the light, we must first touch the darkness." / "Before light, darkness must flee, etc."

Adar and Galadriel together are a manifestation of that duality between light and dark and accordingly, I think there's a compelling case for them to team up against Sauron at the end of Season 2.

Here's my attempt at this argument:

PARALLELS BETWEEN ADAR AND GALADRIEL

The show has established a few strong visual parallels between the two of them.

Mourning ritual. Galadriel mourning for Finrod in S1Ep1 is echoed by Adar's mourning of the Uruks in S2Ep7. They even mirror the single tear.

What's more, Galadriel bears WITNESS to Adar's funeral ritual, enforcing the connection of this moment.

Seed planting. Frankly, my jaw hit the floor when S2Ep2 had Galadriel planting seeds in the memorial garden in Lindon, because the shots/framing were almost IDENTICAL to the seed planting Adar does at the beginning of S1Ep6. The sentiments of both instances are the same "life over death," though the words do differ.

Flip sides of the same coin/mirror to one another. The show has also presented us with many instances where they function as mirrors to one another. If not signficant, why do?

Barn scene. The barn scene in S1Ep6 is a PRIME example, when Adar literally calls Galadriel out for the hypocrisy of her hatred of the orcs.

The dinner scene. Adar once again holds up a mirror to Galadriel, pushing back against her notion that "you yielded to him. I resisted." Then they have the shared acknowledgement that without Sauron, the world seems a "dull grey" (GREY, interestingly, a halfway point between dark and light). Adar's face in response to her admission will live rent-free in my mind forever-- it's like he's been SEEN for the first time in his life.

So while Galadriel sees herself as a warrior of light, and views Adar as a creature of darkness, the show does a pretty superb job of showing that both of these characters have light and dark within them in equal measure.

They were both tempted by Sauron and succumbed.

So there is a clear, thematic link between these two from that standpoint.

ADAR'S JOURNEY TOWARD THE LIGHT

Next, I think it is clear Adar on a path toward light/redemption as an elf, and it tracks in a VERY LITERAL SENSE.

First time we see Adar, he is bathed in an angelic light. As he performs the funeral ritual for Magrot, light streams into the Uruk tent.

The shot at the end of S2 Ep1, when the camera lingers on Adar as Gil-Galad's call to the Eldalie commences. Adar feels the undeniable call to his elven past. That camera shot was NOT A COINCIDENCE, and I'm FOREVER FERAL ABOUT IT.

Cavalry charge at the siege of Eregion. Adar is OBVIOUSLY backlit:

There is a dividing line between light and shadow an Adar is RIGHT on the border of it.

When he steps up to take possession of Nenya, the sky behind him is split between a darker side and a lighter side. (You can argue that it's a CREEPY light, but it's still light. There is almost no all-black coloring on him in that second frame when he actually has the ring. For a character that's been head to toe in black the entire series, this is Significant.)

So where does that leave us for the big Sauron smackdown?

My first wild prediction: In an INSANE reversal, Galadriel will be the one to bring Morgoth's dark crown to the confrontation, while Adar will wield Nenya, a symbol of light.

It's not inconceivable that Gal could have smuggled it out of Adar's camp somehow under her oversized Uruk cloak. And Adar, OBVIOUSLY now possesses Nenya at the end of S2Ep7.

I think the fight between Galadriel and Sauron is ACTUALLY a three-person fight; we just haven't seen Adar in the promos because

1. Obvious plot spoilers and

2. HE WILL BE FIGHTING IN A FAIR FORM BECAUSE NENYA WILL HEAL HIS CORRUPTION.

My second wild prediction: This three-person fight is telegraphed in The Last Temptation. There's a new motif (not musical, so unclear if this is the correct term??) that starts around 1:07. It sounds like an aggressive children's choir. Interspersed, we get some of Gal's themes and Sauron-flavored music. I think this new bit could be either a combined theme for Gal/Adar fighting side by side, OR a new motif for a changed/elven Adar. It's aggressive, which to me tracks with Adar's fighting style that we saw through S2Ep7, and it builds and gets more voices added to it as the song progresses. At one point, it blends perfectly with Gal's theme.

Third wild prediction that I hope I'm wrong about: Adar will likely get fatally stabbed during this fight. I could see him giving Galadriel the ring at a crucial moment, in as a redemptive act, which would forfeit any protection it might have offered him, and I think he'll receive a fatal blow from Sauron, but not before we get a much clearer picture of EXACTLY who Adar is. IF they do it this way, it will be a deeply satisying end to Adar's story arc, IMHO.

Last thoroughly unhinged thing I will leave you with:

Nolwa Mahtar translation (from S1), according to Bear's blog:

Finish the war, the darkness, end this suffering

Impossible to pursue, deep in shadow, follow light

Finish the war, the darkness, end this suffering

Bright warrior against darkness.

Obviously this theme plays a HUGE role in S2. I believe the lyrics are different; we don't know what they say yet.

But I have contended all along that this piece has always applied in some way to BOTH Adar and Galadriel.

Galadriel is the bright warrior standing against Sauron's darkness, yes, that image is obvious.

But Adar, a figure who lived deep in shadow, follows light, ultimately finishing his own war and ending his own suffering.

[purplemninja]

A depressing revelation about Six's ending

2 months ago on the LN subreddit, I made a theory post where I say how Six may have had powers all along and didn't use them until the end, similar to Mono, and this wasn't the main focus of the post but in it I also mentioned a new way to interpret Six's ending and I compared it to a scene in Avatar: The last Airbender where Iroh teaches Zuko how to redirect lightning, the important thing being that lightning is a metaphor for abuse.

A person named Skrappo made a fandom wiki blog that goes into full detail on this new way to interpret the ending of LN1 (crediting me) and I will copy and paste it here for more people to see (I'll divide it between his blog and my comment with "---------" as a border, so to avoid people being confused between his info and mine)

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

Credit goes to PurpleMNinja for the original idea.

In an interview, Little Nightmares' "Senior Narrative Designer" Dave Mervik said that he believes that both Six and Mono got equally bleak and hopeless endings. This has confused many fans ever since LN2's release. How could Six's fate be just as bad as Mono's? Mono is trapped forever in an infinite times-loop of betrayal, torture, and depression; while Six has become extremely powerful and has escaped the Maw, taking out anyone who stood in her path. I think I have realised why he believes this.

Let's take a look at Mono's story. He is a small child who has a bag over his head to hide from the world, to try to forget that it hates him. Throughout LN2, he continues to lie to himself, pretending that the world doesn't hate him, he is constantly hiding. But when Six is taken and he is confronted by Thin Man, he has had enough. He accepts that the world he lives in hates him and accepts who he truly is, using his newfound powers to defeat Thin Man and take control of the Pale City. I think we can all agree that this is his most badass moment. But it all amounts to nothing, as he is betrayed and left to sit and rot for the rest of his life in that little room. Until he is stripped of his humanity and turned into the Signal Tower's slave.

Now let's look at Six's story. Like Mono, she is a small child who is in a world that hates her and wants her dead. Unlike Mono however, she doesn't try to pretend that it doesn't. Instead she chooses to be a survivor. Her greatest fear is death, and she will do anything to avoid it (and really, can you blame a 9-year old child for wanting to live?). However, despite living in a world that is kill or be killed, Six still tries to cling on to her childish innocence, she tries not to give in to darkness. Throughout the series, we see her doing many good things; trying to save Raincoat Girl, befriending Mono, hugging the Nomes, etc. But every time she tries to show kindness it backfires. She fails to save Raincoat Girl, she is betrayed by Mono (from her perspective), and she is forced to choose between committing cannibalism by eating a sausage or eating a little Nome like all the other ones she had befriended previously. She ultimately decided that eating the Nome was a better alternative to cannibalism (not realising that the Nome was another child). However the eating of the Nome pushed Six close to her breaking point. She has tried so hard to remain pure, to stay innocent, but every time she is given nothing but heartbreak and guilt in return. I believe that Dark Six is a representation of her inner darkness, her shadow, the animalistic sinful part of her that will do as many immoral actions as it needs (and maybe more for fun) to survive. When Six has her final hunger bout, she realises that truth. She realises that if she wants to live, she has to give in to her shadow, she has no other choice. She eats the Lady, and gives up the last bit of innocence she had left. And now, with the Lady's power, she can finally take revenge and fight back against the horrible monsters that had been treating her like an animal. She walks down the dining halls, massacres the Guests along the way, she is finally able to fight back against the world, to rise above the world. She walks up into the sunlight, finally out of the Maw... and she is met with an endless ocean. We hear a boat horn in the distance, but it is likely nothing more than the Guests' ship leaving. She has spent her whole life being ruthlessly attacked by the world around her, and now that she has finally gained the ability to fight back, it holds back... it leaves her alone. After going through living hell, being forced to do things she didn't want to, and giving up her innocence, she is met with a dead end. It has all been for nothing. She is still stranded, and all she can do is stand there, and look out into the sea, knowing that there is no way for her to escape...

This is why I think that Dave Mervik believes both endings to be equally bleak. Both characters go through so much trauma, leading up to them finally breaking and rising above the world that hates them, becoming able to fight back, and then they are both met with a dead end. In reality, Raincoat Girl and Runaway Kid had it the best. They both died and were able to escape the nightmare, but Six and Mono are forever trapped, alone and hopeless...

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

TL;DR - I compare Six's ending to Zuko being taught how to redirect lightning because both characters have been most notoriously abused by the worlds they live in, and after much struggle they eventually are able to fight back, but their worlds leave them there with nothing to fight (Six gets a few guests, but that's it). Making them suffer so much and not grant them any sort of payoff when they're finally able to dish it back out. (I know how the rest of ATLA goes)

I slightly imagine the world wanted Six to either die, or suffer so much but be left stranded when she's able to fight back so that her struggles, sacrifices and losses don't end up with some sort of payoff or reward, making her go through so much to avoid death just to be met with a dead end when she manages to plow through it all. Either way, the cruel world wins.

If that's not a massive middle finger, I don't know what is.

And this new realisation on the ending of LN1 only adds to the tragedy of Six's story, which I've gone into full detail here.

And since I've probably made you very sad, here's some music I think is best when thinking about this interpretation of Six's ending:

[blackseafoam]

Healed Wrong

Part 1 of 4

next

WC: 2349

Warnings: Character death, near-drowning, self-harm (kinda)

Summary: Clone Troopers Flinch, Sway and Ash are freshly deployed on the swamp planet of Dokmur to guard a republic base. Things are uneventful, but danger lurks in the nearby flooded forest.

Heeere's my clone OC, Flinch's (CT-8424) backstory! Probably what he was retelling to ulvi in this comic. Takes place toward the very end of the war, weeks before order 66 and the fall of the Jedi.

Whumptober 2024. Day 06 l not realizing they're injured l unhealthy coping mechanisms l healed wrong l "it's not my blood"

The battlefield was a swamp, and forces on both sides struggled to maneuver. The battles were hell, the boots were constantly filled with water, and the insects bit through every gap in the armor.

Flinch, Ash, and Sway were as shiny as shiny could get, assigned as warm bodies protecting the perimeter of a base hardly anyone was using.

“I think the Sergeant has lost his mind.” Sway huffed as he scanned the tree lines

“What makes you say that?” Ash stood at his right. 

“He’s got us running around all over the place, checking the weak points in the wall. Shouldn’t we just be patrolling around the whole perimeter in a circle? We’d end up wasting way less time that way.” 

Ash Shrugged. “Maybe we should ask him why?”

“Hell no, questioning a superior officer? Are you serious?”

Ash shrugged again. “Maybe if you frame it like a suggestion? Or curiosity?” 

“Not with Sergeant Kip, he’d have us court martialed for tying our shoes wrong.” 

“Our boots don’t have laces…” Ash‘s comment trailed off as another figure started running toward them from the sentry threshold in the force field which surrounded the base. 

“Late again?” Ash chided, Flinch didn’t need to see his face to know there was a cocky smirk beneath that helmet.

Flinch slowed to a jog as he closed the distance. “I left my bucket in the refresher right before someone went in and took FOREVER to finish up!” He complained with a huff.

Sway and Ash laughed

“You’re a mess.” Sway punched at Flinch in the arm. 

“OW! Dammit Sway it’s still healing!” Flinch reflexively grabbed his right bicep where his fresh fist print tattoo was marinating under a bacta patch. 

“What’s the point of getting a tattoo no one will see?” Ash tilted his head, the middle of his flame tattoo that led from behind his ear to his collarbone just barely visible. 

“At least mine isn’t a boat.”  Flinch's defensive glare was so potent it shot through his visor.

“What’s wrong with a boat?” Sway scoffed.

“Why do you even like them? They’re useless.”

“They’re efficient… and poetic.”

The patrol went on as usual, boring. The three took turns, rotating one person at the post and two roving, none of them ever out of sight of each other. 

Flinch and Sway walked their route, their conversation dwindling as they grew hungrier through their long shift. They slowed at the treeline. 

“Our relief must be overdue.” Sway complained.

Flinch glanced at the sky. “Nah, we’ve still got an hour and a half.”

“How do you know that?”

“The moons, see? That larger one hasn’t crossed the path of the smaller one yet, they follow the same path every day.”

“How is it you have the concentration to know where the celestial bodies are at all times, but no focus when it comes to keeping your kit together?”

Flinch shrugged, looking into the woods. The stagnant water rippling between the mangrove trees that stood like sentinels in the swamp. “What is that?”

Sway followed his gaze. The still water had begun to ripple. “Probably a fish or something, let’s stay focused Flinch.” He lightly cuffed Flinch’s left, untattooed arm. The pair kept walking the treeline. The pair cast a cautious glance toward Ash, a hundred yards away now, dutifully watching his patrolling brothers with his rifle at the ready. 

Flinch and Sway were at the edge of their assigned area, about to turn back the way they came. Flinch looked up into the tree that marked their border, its base was submerged in the water here at the edge of the swamp.The branches were tall and spindly with myriads of tiny leaves all reaching toward the sky. Vines and bromeliadae hung from the trunk and branches like draped sinew. He spun on his heel and turned toward the base.  

Before the two knew what was happening, arms appeared from behind a tree and snatched both of them. They gasped in sync as the forceful tugs of two assassin droids wrapped around their waists set them off balance and plunging into the thick black water. 

Flinch panicked as he felt the full weight of the droid now on top of him, he could barely see through the opaque surface of the water. Even though the seal of his helmet kept the water out, he already felt the lack of oxygen through the filter in front of his mouth.

“FLINCH! SWAY!” The helmet comm rang out, Ash had seen the attack but was still far away, and he was met with no response. Flinch found himself hoping Ash would stay away. Brave as he was, he was no match for a force like this. 

 The droid’s dead-eyed stare floated right over the surface, watching him struggle. His vision began to go black at the edges. NO. He steeled himself. This is not how I go out. He saw a third droid appear from above his head, upside-down in his vision. It held some kind of strange weapon, a blaster with a noise suppressing muzzle. The droid pointed it at Flinch’s head. 

With his last ounce of strength and at the end of his consciousness, Flinch ripped out one final burst of energy. Twisting suddenly, and violently. The soft mud helped him roll out from underneath the droid. Miraculously, he kept a grip on his blaster through the maneuver. His head spun as he hopped to his feet, his reaction time was not slowed as he put a laser bolt through the droid that had been straddling him. Followed quickly by dropping the second assassin droid on top of Sway.

He leveled his blaster at the third droid, with the modified pistol, and clipped his metal leg as the machine sprung up into the treetops with impressive ease. Flinch lost sight of it.

“I’ve got backup, we’re on our way!” Ash commed in as Flinch rushed to Sway.

“Copy.” Flinch coughed, ripping his helmet off as he caught his breath and grabbed Sway by the neck hole in his chest opening. Dragging his brother to the edge of the water, Flinch rolled Sway onto his side and removed his helmet as quickly as he could.

Sway was terrifyingly still for five agonizing seconds, Flinch’s chest seized with horror, then his brother let out a cough that sounded like it should’ve sent a lung flying across the mud where he lay. He gasped for air, and Flinch leaned forward and wrapped an arm over his side. “You’re okay, you stupid sailor.” He huffed, also out of breath. 

Sway would’ve said something snarky back, but was busy coughing out, gasping in. His whole body shuddered under Flinch’s hold. Flinch sat back up, and looked up at the treetops where the droid had disappeared to. The vines swayed, but now that his helmet was off he felt no wind.

Ash was still sprinting toward them, three other troopers at his flank, probably the next sentries on shift. Flinch struggled to bring his oxygen depleted mind back to focus, he looked back up to the trees. Something felt wrong. 

As much as he didn’t want to breathe the stale air of his helmet again, after almost taking his last breath inside it, he slammed the bucket back on. “Bogeys, tree bogeys.” He whispered into the comm, turning his gaze at the approaching figures again. 

Ash gave one single quick nod, and slowed to a jog, his reinforcements following suit. They were still a good distance away. Please, stay there, out of range. Flinch prayed. 

“Here’s what we’re going to do, boys.” Ash spoke steadily into the comm. His voice was calm and strong, a commander’s voice. He sounded different, not at all like the  young rookie he was. “The droids are using Flinch and Sway as bait, we can’t let them know that we know that. Let’s put on a good show, follow my lead.”

Ash turned off the comm and removed his helmet, his jog now slowing to a march as he neared earshot. “You boys okay? What happened?” 

Sway was attempting to get up now, still coughing and not able to speak. Flinch helped him up and supported his weight as he leaned wearily on his brother. “We’re okay, assassin droids jumped us from behind that tree, there was a third one but… I think it got away.” Flinch gestured toward the mangroves behind him, and slowly began walking himself and his brother toward their reinforcements. Ash held out a hand and made a small motion for them to slow down, casting the quickest glance possible toward the trees, his open palm became a fist, the signal to halt. Flinch obeyed the sign. 

Ash and the three other troopers closed the distance, he reached out and grabbed Flinch’s hand with both of his. “I’m glad you’re okay, brother.” His hands turned Flinch’s hand palm down, he had deposited a round object into his palm. Flinch couldn’t help but smirk. Ash stepped back. “Let’s head back, we’re going to need to activate some protocols.” Flinch caught the signal, flicking the button on the object in his hand. He noticed the other troopers subtly doing the same thing. Ash had always been the tactician. “And from there we’ll have to send our reports straight up to the TOP!” He screamed the last word and all five of them flung their droid poppers into the treetops with all their might. “GO GO GO GO GO!” Ash cried out while grabbing at Sway, who was still coughing but able to keep up with Ash and Flinch pulling at him as they followed the other three patrol troopers who were sprinting back toward the perimeter. The telltale burst of energy sounded as the poppers found their marks, the trio could hear several droid bodies hit the mud below. Then the shots rang out, and they tore across the field with their lives. 

All six troopers made it back to the sentry tower, gasping. As soon as the door closed behind them, Sway collapsed against Flinch. Flinch held his brother up, shocked relief written across his face, a smile hinting through his open mouth as he also caught his breath. The two fell to their knees on the metal floor, their white armor absolutely filthy with black mud.

“I got you brother, let’s get you both cleaned up.” Ash reached down to lift up Sway, who was, in fact, swaying on his knees and beginning to lean forward. Sway accepted the help and got to his feet, a hand on Ash’s shoulder for support. Flinch pushed himself up off his knees and followed, leaving black footprints behind himself. As they exited the tower, several officers rushed up to them asking questions about the incident. Flinch looked up at the moons, studying their position again. Hardly any time. Hardly any time had gone by. That whole ordeal had been mere minutes, he had lived a lifetime and all the emotions in between in those few minutes. 

“No, I don’t think any of us are hurt.” Ash reassured one of the officers as they walked.

“There’s blood on the ground.” The non-clone officer pointed out.

At the comment everyone looked at the ground behind Flinch, who walked right behind Sway. Someone’s bootprint was leaving red tracks in the mossy ground. 

“I don’t think that’s mine...” Flinch’s face tightened, and he looked up at Sway and Ash. Sway was pale. Flinch looked down at his feet, blood cascaded out of the gap between his shin guard and his boot, the black mud that had been therewas replaced by bright red. 

Flinch has a hard time recalling the minutes that followed. Quite unlike the slowed-down time of his adrenaline-induced altercation with the droids, he only remembers the next part in flashes. 

Sway went down, Flinch would not leave his side, Sway’s pale face, and the shaking. Shock. They had learned all about shock as cadets. They made it back, they were supposed to be safe. They had won, that was supposed to be the end of it.

No one had noticed the second assassin droid had a vibroknife, somehow it had found the gap in the armor on Sway’s thigh.

Sway’s last moments were spent frightened, looking up at Flinch. Flinch grabbed the side of his face below the ear, thumb leaving prints of blood over the glyphic boat tattoo on his jaw. He wished he had the mind to say something, anything, any words to comfort Sway as the light left his eyes. The medics didn’t make it in time. Too much time in the rancid water, too much time running while bleeding out, not enough time to get help. Not enough time to say goodbye.

-

Flinch lay in his bunk that night staring at the bottom of the mattress above him. Ash had commandeered the bunk beside his, the previous owner not making any fuss about trading for this night. 

“They said they want to check you for fluid in your lungs again tomorrow morning.” Ash reported, sitting on the very edge of the thin mattress, leaning his elbows on his knees. He looked at Flinch, but tears stung his eyes, he looked down at the floor instead. 

“Water didn’t even get in my mouth.” Flinch said, deadpan.

Ash shrugged. “I told them that, they didn’t care. They just wanted me to tell you. Don’t shoot the messenger.” He gave a weak attempt at a light-hearted tone.

Flinch closed his eyes and sighed, turning over in the bed away from Ash. He felt Ash’s weight sit next to him, setting hand on his shoulder. Ash said nothing, just breathed for a while. “I’ll be right here.” He patted Flinch as he stood and moved to his borrowed bunk just a few feet away. 

Flinch’s left hand found the neck of his black underarmor, he pulled at it, then his hand went inside the shirt to his right bicep. His fresh tattoo. It had begun to itch like mad ever since a few hours ago. As he scratched at it the sensation brought quick relief, he didn’t slow down as it turned into a burning bright pain. He didn’t remember stopping, he didn’t remember falling asleep either. 

[houseofbrat]

When do you Think This war in gaza Will end? Do you believe This war can weak kamala Win The election? English is not my First language

This will be a long post.

One, I don't think the Gaza war will end this year. It's probably going to get worse given that Israel has invaded the West Bank. Netanyahu doesn't seem at all motivated to stop the war maneuvers in the near future. He's already attacked Lebanon. Now he's attacking the West Bank in addition to what is continuing to happen in Gaza.

Iran has shown a lot of restraint by not attacking back, so far. That's not going to last forever. It's hard to know when that will change, but I suspect it will. We start "eclipse season" next Tuesday, 03 September, and it'll last until 16 October. Big changes are coming in lots of different areas. Also, Mars moves into its (sidereal) debilitation sign, Cancer, on 20 October. What is most interesting about Mars' upcoming transit in Cancer is that a) it will be a long transit because Mars will go retrograde in early December and b) Mars will significantly aspect both Israel & Iran's charts.

Mars will transit Iran's 1st house and aspect its 4th house (home), 7th house (partnerships, allies, opposition), and 8th house (death, mortality, war).

Mars will transit Israel's 10th house (government, leadership, actions of the country), and aspect it's 1st house (national identity, collective personality), 4th house (home), and 5th house (national leader, education, youth/children, border disputes).

It's interesting that on 07 October 2023, Mars was transiting through (sidereal) Libra, which is Israel's 1st house, and hit the previous eclipse point when the attack by Hamas happened. I think given Mars' upcoming & long transit through Cancer that we're probably looking at more war happening in the Middle East, not less.

What is even more interesting is that Mars will retrograde out of (sidereal) Cancer and into (sidereal) Gemini on 20 January 2025, which is the inauguration of US President. I don't know if that portends a certain length to the any possible fighting between Israel & Iran, or if there's something about that particular person being inaugurated that might provoke a change. Won't know for sure until November.

It's not going to be Donald Trump or J.D. Vance being inaugurated. Neither of them have favorable charts for winning in November. They just don't. Kamala has a better chart for winning, but as I've said before, I don't think she's going to be the person being inaugurated on 20 January 2025 "because the person who does will die in office." I have not studied Kamala's chart thoroughly, but I do not have the impression that she will be dying in the next four years or less than that.

When it comes to Donald Trump, he has a ceiling of support in the polls. That is, no matter what has happened over the course of this year (including the assassination attempt on him), his level of support in the polls has never increased above a static level. The people who like him, support him, and are going to vote for him does not seem to have increased. It is his third time on the ballot in November, and all voters already have an opinion of him. He does not seem able to increase his base of support based on the events of this year, regardless of what has happened. That is a difficult position when it comes to the ballot box because the largest group of voters is not those registered to either the Democratic or Republican parties but independent voters, who generally do not have a professed preference for a political party. If Trump cannot appeal and win more independent voters, then it is literally impossible for him to win because there are not enough Republican voters to make up the difference.

Two, Kamala Harris is doing better in the polls, currently, than Joe Biden. However, she has some obvious weaknesses. She hasn't differentiated herself much from Joe Biden.

She also seems afraid of the press, given that she's only done one major interview (CNN) after becoming the nominee.

The problem with a bigger war in the Middle East (Israel & whomever else Israel is starting shit with) is that it will likely decrease enthusiasm and support for Kamala because she won't differentiate herself or her positions from Joe Biden. When a bigger war happens, and the US military is doing whatever it is that they are going to do with American tax dollars, for a boondoggle war that no one in Congress voted and approved. It's disheartening & angering for a lot of people.

One-third of the US navy is sitting in the Middle East. That's ONE-THIRD of the largest navy on earth. For a conflict that the vast majority of Americans want no part in and are not interested in seeing American servicemen (& servicewomen) being sacrificed.

So when the bullets start flying and the US military is involved in something so high profile, you bet that it will weaken Kamala as a candidate. Because what will be the future direction of US involvement in a Harris Administration? Doesn't seem like it would be that different from Joe Biden. Donald Trump isn't likely to change the US military involvement in the region, but his voters don't seem to care about that, based on what I've seen so far. Independent and Democratic voters are not interested in seeing the US participate in a wider war. When Kamala loses enthusiasm of her supporters, then her chances of winning in November will start to decrease.

Here are three videos from a tarot reader about Kamala.

This one is from 18 November 2020 on whether Kamala will ever be President.

This next one is from 09 December 2023.

And this one is from 19 November 2020.

One of my current thoughts is that the Democratic Party delegates voted/confirmed Kamala as the party's nominee virtually, as in they did it online/electronically instead of in person. The roll call vote that happened at Democratic National Convention (DNC) was purely ceremonial. If they can have one virtual vote, then another virtual vote can also happen.

Back in July, there was a lot of reporting in some news outlets about how many people privately within the Democratic Party did not think Kamala should be on the ticket. I think Gretchen Whitmer, the current governor of Michigan, was rumored to have told Kamala that she wasn't interested in being her VP. (Rumored, not publicly confirmed) Because those who aren't going to be affiliated with the Democratic ticket in 2024--if Kamala & Tim Walz lose--can have an easier time running for president in 2028 without being connected to an electoral loss.

This is the chart for the 2025 Presidential Inauguration:

There are two things I would point out of major relevance:

The Sun is conjunct Pluto within one degree and aspected by Mars.

Mars is debilitated and weak in Cancer.

The Sun is the indicator of the president. The aspect by Mars--even though it is retrograde and debilitated--indicates a likely act of violence, aggression, or some natural force against the life of the president. Given the recent failures of the Secret Service over the last ten years, this is very plausible. (Could also just be death by natural causes.) The close conjunction with Pluto--the god of death--likely confirms it. (Just my opinion at this point.) This is the only presidential chart that will have the Sun conjunct Pluto within one degree, probably ever.

The issue with Mars being debilitated is very different. It's the first time this has ever happened in a US Presidential administration chart since the inaugurations moved to January after 1932. Mars rules the 1st house in this chart, so it doesn't likely affect the administration as a whole. It's a unique feature. I'm not entirely sure what exactly it means, but what I've been thinking about lately is that this president may be seen by many as illegitimate. And if the Democrats end up switching Kamala for someone else, then, well, that may explain that debilitation of Mars in the 2025 inauguration chart and any perceived "illegitimacy."

Sounds crazy.

But it's been a crazy year.

And it's going to get even crazier sooner than later.

[drifting-pieces-blog-blog]

Breaking down the Comics: Elias Spector's Death

Okay. Okay. I'm going to try to be....a little comprehensible.... I'm going to fail. Just a warning. 

I want to talk about the first run of Moon Knight. Specifically the last issues of the first run. There were 38 issues in the very first run of their own comic. After that, they reached out to a larger audience and started to print differently and started over with #1 because comics suck at a comprehensible numbering system. 

In the start, we meet Marc Spector, see him have a conflict of heart, die, come back, and become Moon Knight. He starts to add in identities of Jake and Steven as a way to be anyone else but Marc Spector and claims they are just him starting over and trying to use their lives as a way to do things better. (a system that has not yet realized that it is a system. Denial is not just a river). 

We see him fight some of his villains that start to play bigger parts later in the series. We see him make friends as Jake and money and love as Steven. We see bits of his past and some stories of Marc Spector’s adventures. We meet Randall and even get to see Marc fail to save people (Crowly’s son, Randall, Gena’s friend). We see him struggle with Khonshu and his identity a bit. We even see him break down a couple times. 

But the way that fist run ends is to me the real defining moment for Moon Knight. Let’s take you to: 

Issue #37, The Ghost.

It opens with Elias dying of cancer in a hospital in Chicago. On his deathbed, he calls for Marc. 

The comic notes that they have been estranged for 18 years. 

In this comic, Steven has finished organizing the files on Marc and is still grappling with the fact that he and Marc are in fact two different people. He thinks once he has organized Marc’s life, he can lock it up and they can become Steven Grant forever and never have to deal with that unpleasantness again. 

Up to this point, we have been seeing them struggle with their identities. Still under the illusion that they are one man putting on different identities who can't decide what life to live. 

Understandable, considering that Marc does not want to be Marc anymore. Steven detests the life that was lived as Marc and Jake pushes back on both lives, wanting to be with friends and a simple man of the people. 

In many ways, Marc only surfaces when things of the past come up. He refuses to acknowledge that he's still around and when he is faced with that fact, he is stressed and full of rage. 

We've seen clips of Marc's past. We see him working as a guide for not always good people through tough parts of the world. We see him working for hire with the Feds in capturing a runner. We see the CIA and world organizations hiring him. Is it any wonder that he's so skilled? That his past is often overlooked when it comes to SHIELD and other entities, because he probably not only worked for them, but probably also carried out shady business for them. But that's a different story. 

In this issue, we see Steven watching a recording of one of the missions Marc was on. "Spector led a scout team. We took a terrorist camp in a cross border operation. The only problem was that our  .50 caliber gunners couldn't be bothered with fine distinctions between terrorists, women, and children." 

As much as we'd like to see Marc as a man of misfortune and circumstance, he wasn't always a good guy. He often tried his best to be good in his missions, often feeling conflicted and trying to save people or turning on those that he found to be of bad character, but sometimes he was a bad guy. 

It's important to see these bits so we can better understand Marc and his intense trauma, his guilt, and his self hatred. 

This issue uses this to show how far away from his father's teachings Marc fell. How he pushed so hard against his father that he ended up on the other side. 

In my books, this is the most important Moon Knight story. The story of where he came from. Of his father and his faith. 

His parents fled to America when Germany took over Czechoslovakia. In Europe, his father had been a great man that was "ordained a Rabbi at eighteen, and went on to become a brilliant scholar in the Kabbalah, Jewish Mysticism." 

They moved to the poor side of Chicago where his father tried to teach him that "God loves a poor man. [...] Poor in goods, rich in spirit." (Something Jake Lockley adheres to). 

Here, they suffered antisemitism. They were beaten and used as scapegoats for everything wrong. 

Interestingly enough, he sites that his mother died when he was just a child. with the frequent beatings, fear, and death of his mother, it's any wonder Marc suffered some trauma?He became angry at his father for not standing up for himself or them. 

His father wanted him to study to become a Rabbi and Marc turned to boxing and self defense. 

When his father tries to stop him during a fight, he punches him. His father disowns him and kicks him out. 

The next day Marc joined the Marines. He focused "for eight years" to become the best. When he was the best, he became a mercenary. 

If you jump forward several writers, you find out that he was dishonorably discharged from the Marines for bouts of dissociation and mental health. But let's stay focused on the original story. 

Steven has found out that their father is dying and he is refusing to go back. "He said he never wanted to see me again, he meant it. I won't go back." 

An important aspect of this comic is that Marlene notes herself to be Steven's lover, confidant, and guru. 

She acts as their guide in matters of the mind and heart. She's always the one that calms them and helps them to reconcile when the three of them start to fight one another and don't know who they are. 

Despite her not understanding his DID, and they themselves not understanding it, she is a huge help for them. 

I have a lot of conflicting thoughts and opinions on Marlene, but it's good to note that she was originally written as a very important part of his story. 

"Marc Spector was always an escapist. When your relationship with your brother Randall soured you just forgot him for ten long years until it was too late and he died hating you. I can feel what kind of spin you're in, Steven, but you have to accept the responsibility, make amends now. Steven Grant and Moon Knight have no fathers. Only Marc Spector does." 

That's a very interesting view into all their relationships and how they keep one another at arms length. Jake, Steven, and Marc refuse to believe they have the same past, responsibilities, or life. 

Yet, when Marc is struggling with dealing with the approaching death of his father, and facing him, Steven takes the floor and tries to help Marc get out of it. (Just like Jake jumping out the window later in Lemier's version of the story. Always running...Maybe I'll do something on that later...) 

While out being Moon Knight, he comes across a Synagogue on fire. He sees a man run into the burning building and finds a Rabbi struggling to save the Torah from the fire. 

"The five books of Moses. He put his life on the line for this. My father would have done the same, I'll bet. Though he wouldn't lift a finger against the thugs who bullied him. I guess every man's got his own reason for being a hero." 

He finds out that the fire was set on purpose by NeoNazis. It reminds him of when he was a child and he flies into a rage. 

"I'm not about to let these Nazi goons get off with 'Malicious mischief' and a slap on the wrists." 

He's been through this before. There is weight to the thought that a lot of Marc's childhood trauma stems from dealing with religious trauma and antisemitism. 

I think as time moves on, we forget the time period that Moon Knight is set in. He isn't just a child of a jewish immigrant. 

His father fled the Holocaust. There is a high likelihood that friends and family did not make it out. Marc grew up hearing about relatives he lost. Knowing that his blood line probably didn't make it out of Europe. That there are no pictures of his ancestors. That he can't go back and see the old houses and towns. 

His father was a Rabbi, which means he was in a big part of a Jewish community that also probably fled or flat out came from the camps. He grew up seeing the tattoos, the poor health, the people with PTSD, and hearing the stories. 

We're talking severe Generational Trauma. 

When Marc finds the Nazi scum that burned the synagogue he has some of my favorite lines that define him: 

"You know where I belong, punk? I belong with the decent and innocent folk who can't find a moment's peace. Not in the streets, not in their own homes, so long as punks like you terrorize them. I belong with the persecuted." 

Detective Flint shows up and stops him before he kills them. (I honestly forgot Flint went back to the beginning. That poor man has dealt with so much Moon shit.) 

Marc realizes he needs to face things and heads to Chicago. 

But he is too late. He arrives in time for the funeral. He's handed a kippah and he puts it on for the first time in years. 

Now, we get to learn a bit about Elias. 

We come to find him as a man in desperate search of Self and Spirit. A man who was so stern and severe but also a man that sought truth and a just way to live. 

His line of research focused on the "knowledge to see beyond the physical. To know the universe as a reflection of the divine image and to see mankind redeemed..." 

It discusses how the body cannot meet G-d, but only the spirit and only in death can the spirit travel. 

We find out later that he was seeking a way to bring back the departed who have met with G-D and the other side. 

A man that refused to fight back against those that had done him wrong, who believed that given enough time that G-D would punish those that had brought them harm. 

A man that sought for a way to face G-D after watching a world try to wipe his people off the very earth. An interesting thought. 

During the eulogy, Marlene reflects that "It's almost as though he were speaking of you as Steven Grant. A man in search of self and spirit who rejected Marc Spector's materialism to become Moon Knight - A social conscience and moral force, just, severe, unknowable." 

Steven later goes to visit their father's grave at night and comes across some thugs spray painting a swastika on some of the grave stones and vandalizing them. He’s emotional and outraged that even here there is no peace to be found. It turns out this was all a distraction as someone has stolen his father's corpse! 

Issue #38, And the dead shall rise: (I love that cover). 

We see Moon Knight struggling with his identity. Elias was not a father to them all. Marc is emotional and pissed, but still refusing to take responsibility for his part in all this. 

"Moon Knight will find his...Marc Spector's father and return him to the dignity of a final resting place..." Steven refuses to say ‘my father’. Any mention of Elias is always in relation to Marc and even Marc can’t make himself be present when talking about his father. 

Marlene is tasked with helping to clear out Elias' study and donate his papers and books to the university when she's attacked by someone who runs off with some of the papers. 

Steven returns and has a small break down. "I'll find him, Marlene, and I'll kill him for desecrating my father's grave and memory!" "That's Marc Spector the cold - hearted mercenary talking, not you stev--" "How long can I deny it, Marlene. I AM Marc Spector!" 

And Marc is finally taking charge. The first time he has taken ownership of his father and how he feels. 

He sees his father in a new light. 

"I may have misjudged my father's saintliness for cowardice and his genius and moral zeal for fanaticism. [...] And isn't moon knight in his own way a moral zealot fighting perhaps for the very same values Marc Spector once rejected?" 

Now that is an interesting way to look at it. Moon Knight is about doing the right thing. About protecting those that need it. About believing in something unkillable and powerful. Moon Knight is about an idea of man being more than he is. Is this not what his father believed in? 

We learn that Elias had uncovered a way to bring a soul back to the dead body with necromancy where it could then "utter its knowledge of God to a living Kabbalist." 

Turns out one of Elias' students decided to test this out on Elias' freshly dead body. 

He does manage to resurrect the dead body of Elias, who zombie walks towards Moon Knight. 

Marc immediately starts having flashbacks and intense guilt. Even with his dead father trying to strangle him, he refuses to fight back: "No! I'll die before I ever lay my hands on him again, I swear it! Father, forgive me-" 

Marlene shows up and manages to break the spell, sending Elias back to death. 

Marlene tends to save him a lot in the earlier runs. Just something to note. 

Marc once more is not present. Curled up on the floor after melting down, he is beyond emotional and most likely dissociating out the wazoo. "I found him, Marlene... I found...Spector's father." 

Once more, Marc is being protected. Marc, who hated how his father sheltered him and wanted to feel the real world in violence and brutality is often in need of being sheltered. Steven, who wants to rid himself of Marc and the past is often doing the sheltering. 

When it comes to emotions, Marc is often the one being overcome. Either in fits of anger and rage, guilt and regret, or just overwhelmed in sadness or traumatic responses. Steven Grant is usually the one that is shown to be calm and collected. 

In fact, at the start of the issues, when Steven is watching Marc’s tapes and going through his things, he’s detached and unemotional. Steven has the ability to see things from a different perspective of ‘useful’ and ‘Not useful’. It’s rare that Steven responds to things with emotion unless Marc is involved and they are arguing or Marc has put them or someone he cares about in danger. 

Frankly, it’s possible that Steven is the caretaker in the early comics. Mackay has shown that Steven not only manages their finances, but their hygiene and body care. He’s the rational and logical one. The one that can face down a villain without reacting. He’s also the one that does all the exercises and rehab when Marc puts them in a wheelchair. 

The story ends with them returning home to New York. Steven notes that they almost died because of Marc's emotions. He also notes that Marc seems to have resolved some of the bitterness that was held with his father's memory. He comments that he feels a peace of mind and like a whole new person. 

Steven and Marc featured heavily in this with Steven shielding Marc without even realizing he was doing it. And as a system that has not come to full realization yet, it is possible that Steven is starting to understand here, which is why he feels like a whole new person at peace with himself. 

This is also how the first run of Moon Knight as a stand alone comic ended. 1980-1984. 

Before this issue, Jake was featured heavily. Steven was the mansion party pretty boy that lounged around with Marlene. Jake was the one out doing his reconnaissance and hanging with Gena and Crowley. 

It was a good connection to link Steven and Marc’s past with the father and Jewish faith. Jake would have been easier to connect. Jake is the son that Marc wishes he had been. 

But Jake is emotional. Jake wants nothing to do with Marc’s bloody past. Calls him a killer and would be happy to spend all day in his cab. If anything, when Steven and Marc talk about Jake, it often feels like two older brothers talking about a goofy but kind younger brother. 

A few issues earlier, when they ended up in a wheelchair for a time, Steven lamented that he didn’t think he could give up driving Jake’s cab, as it brought him too much joy. 

So I can see why this issue needed Steven to be involved. Steven doesn’t know who he is at this point. He hasn’t been defined and given the chance to figure out what makes him happy and tick. Jake has already broken off and figured out who he is. He knows he’s Jake Lockley. But who is Steven Grant aside from Marlene’s eye candy and the rich boy? 

Settling Marc’s past, seeing who he was and where he was coming from, protecting him, and facing down the Nazi threat was eye opening for him. Much like in the show, Steven needed to see where they came from to see where he belonged. 

Does it get easier for Steven and Marc to interact after this? Not really. Marc is still self destructive and a danger to them. But I think when Marc falls down that path, it’s easier for Steven to know where Marc is coming from. To help him get out of the spiral and let them function. 

An interesting aspect is how much Marc’s past has been re-written over and over again by different writers. His mother’s role, his relationship with his brother, his religious handlings, his trauma, and his violent past are redesigned each time a new writer gets their hands on him. 

No one really knows how to handle Marc’s relationship with G-D or his specific type of trauma. Marc’s guilt is’t because he betrayed his culture or religion. He didn’t turn his back on that. His fate with heaven and hell are constructed by Christian writers that don’t understand or research things well enough. 

Marc’s pain is that he can’t let go of the choices he made. The regrets of relationships that he turned his back on weigh heavily on him. His inability to save people and the times he didn’t try when he should have are agony to him. 

“You can’t save everyone, but you have to try.” Marc’s problem is that he will break himself trying. He can’t handle the thought that he can’t save everyone. Each one he loses is a scar on him that eats away at him as another example of him destroying everything good in his life. 

Marc has gotten to the point where a flower would wilt and he’d take it as a personal hit that he didn’t try hard enough. 

He lost his brother. He was too late for his father. He couldn’t help Marlen’s father. Marc needs the reminders that sometimes he has to lay down and rest. Steven tends to be that reminder. 

When Marc forgets that he’s more than just a killer, Steven steps in and tells Marc to sit down and shut up. He is balance and control that both Marc and Jake lack and I really wish we got to see more of this, especially in current writings. 

I want to see that Marc is the emotional hot head. That Jake is the heart and soul. That Steven is the cool and collected protector. I want to see them wrestle with G-D in a way that makes sense to them. I want to see how Marc has healed and how they are processing their trauma. I want them to show that they can work together and know what one another needs. I want them to show that healing is possible without losing any part of themselves. 

Sometimes healing looks like three guys sharing time and doing their own thing. Not one guy being in control of the body full time. Sometimes healing is one guy celebrating Purim while the other two take a back seat because it isn’t their thing. 

I’m prepared for disappointment, but I hope I’m pleasantly surprised. 

[arach-tinilith]

1, 3, 6, 7, 8 aand 10 for naadja and zafyna‼️

THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!!!!

1. What made their relationship a situationship? Do they have their own reasons, or did they reach the same conclusion together?

Neither of them had the same expectations for their situationship to start. But in the very beginning things were pretty copacetic between the two. The tipping off point for the messiness was definitely after Naadja's graduation because she began to realize how valuable she was compared to Zafyna and didn't want to get tied up in anything exclusive 

3. What is the nature of their relationship? Does it border on romance? Is it closer to friends with benefits? Do they both think of it the same way?

I'd definitely say their relationship is primarily based in obsession. They put each other in an idealized version of each other based on needs that will never be met. 

There was absolutely a time when they were romantic. Both of them are probably clinging to that memory. Naadja can be incredibly charming and romantic because she knows what people want to hear and doesn't want to lose Zafyna despite her lack of sincerity. Zafyna is at heart a romantic and writes poetry for Naadja lol. They do NOT have the same feelings for each other but its so opposite that it keeps spurring the situationship on

6. Is their relationship exclusive? Are either of them open to something serious with another, or is this serious to them? If the answers differ, would this possibly create conflict?

They were never exclusive to Zafyna's chagrin. Naadja just isn't built for that and Zafyna deeply resents it. 

There does come a point when Naadja genuinely does consider putting her feelings aside to settle down with her but it's pretty immediately forgotten after the graduation. That's when their main conflict occurred.

7. How do their friends view their relationship? Are they supportive? Oblivious? Do they think this could only end badly?

Once actual game canon begins and Naadja is building bonds with the tadfools, they have a serious issue with the relationship. It puts her and the whole party in danger and they all think she's pretty delusional for not cutting ties. Especially once she's committed to Minthara because they're supposed to be disavowing their pasts and growing together but Naadja can't let Zafyna go.

Zafyna is also considered pretty foolish throwing her life away to hunt down her ex with the very obvious “secret” hope that she can somehow convince Naadja to atone for her past and come back to her. She drags a whole platoon of soldiers with her for a mission that everyone knows is going to fail.

8. Do they actually enjoy this relationship? Do they pine for something different? Is it unhealthy? Are they satisfied like this? Is this all they know?

I think in a twisted way they both enjoy the chase. They both think there's a deep satisfaction to the effort of the evasion/hunt resulting in a dramatic climax where everything works out. Obviously that's impossible lol so it mostly just results in misery. 

Their expectations are so greatly misaligned that any chance of something “different” is either death or indifference. Which is also impossible. 

Unfortunately they know it can't go on forever but it is all they know and that's what keeps them going

10. What is your favorite thing about their situationship?

Probably that Zafyna DOES ultimately kill Naadja and immediately regrets it bc she's so down bad that she resurrects her on the spot

[i-eat-deodorant]

if anyone isn’t aware i headcanon that all the bishops were mortal once and that each crown has changed hands multiple times. 

i’m thinking about a warlord au that takes place way before COTL, detailing the merging of the five bishops into the old faith. back then, gods were much more common, towns were much more developed, and cults were constantly at war with each other for more recruits/land/resources. 

- crowns aren’t immortal as well. they can be created--concentrate enough belief, enough idea, enough of a concept into a single object and it’ll crystallize into a crown. they can also lose power and crumble from becoming obsolete. the more ancient the crown, the less danger of this happening

- shamura is already a god, and has been in a centuries-long war against multiple forces: the vulture-queen red crown of the mountains, the slippery network of blue-crown inheritors on the deep oceans, and multiple small crown uprisings. at this time, they weren’t living in silk cradle yet. that came after they conquered the red crown

- narinder, still mortal and two-eyed, is his war advisor and second-in-command. shamura rescued him from death by freezing and raised the sickly kit into his most loyal confidante. he was killed mere seconds before shamura’s army overtook the red crown*, and shamura used the spare crown to bring him back, making him a god. he wears the skull necklace, and while technically is older than heket and kallamar, he didn’t end up ascending to godhood until after both of them. 

- heket was an up and coming leader of the anuran uprising. anura was a region of little, with few water sources and poor soil for anything other than the desert-loving menticide mushroom. heket managed to rally the sparse few villages that dotted the region into a conglomerate force, intent on pushing out the invading gods that tithed them for resources and devotion. after terrorizing the outer borders of shamura’s territory, they came to an agreement: shamura would supply the anurans with the resources they need in exchange for more troops and the firepower of another god

- kallamar was one of the successors in a long chain of blue crowns wearers, gods that didn’t have much firepower or permanent followers, but were really good at transferring the power of the blue crown between devotees. when one cult got struck down, there would be a couple months of standstill. then, inexplicably, another one would crop up in a pre-established area, secretly converting every follower in the vicinity to their faith and siphoning devotion under the nose of another god. they all had to pledge to sacrifice themselves for the autonomy of their crown, but kallamar was a weak link; after he saw the red crown defeated by the combined forces of the purple and yellow crowns, he panicked, and ended up coming out of hiding to propose an alliance where he’d keep the blue crown forever, essentially breaking all his oaths

-  leshy was actually an anomaly in the god world; the green crown had laid forgotten in darkwood long after its original bearer died, and so desperate was it for a bearer that when a seed drifted down between its tines, it sprouted into leshy. rumours started floating around of a feral creature in the woods, capable of bursting from the dirt and dragging its victims down with it with a single fatal bite. heket was actually the one sent to fight him. she managed to wrestle the young god down and make him promise to join the others, becoming the fifth and final bishop long after the events of the war 

[the-letterbox-archives]

Tell me something about The Rockdove Promise then, for the tag game :3

thank you for the ask!!

the rockdove promise was gonna be a team project, but it fell through, so i adapted it again, mostly because of the gods, so i'll focus on them.

there are 10 gods, all are very spooky and very temperamental. they are not referred to by their real names, as it is superstition that their true names hold unimaginable power, and speaking it forces a god to be in debt to you, but not without unfathomable consequences. i'll try to be brief,,

The False King

first and foremost is now known as the false king. god of the sky, justice, and order. he is the oldest god, and used to be the divine king. he's basically an allegory for the divine right of kings, full of spite and rage. he's old news by the time the story rolls around, but he introduced the rockdove promise, and it was his threats of damnation that set the status quo since the beginning. father to the next god...

The Dread Prince

my personal favourite. the dread prince is the god of death, stars, and the home. he is the current king of the gods, but human epithets do not grant him that luxury. a fickle, unpredictable being, but that's to be expected since he's never had to try for anything in his entire existence. younger by god standards, and technically a demigod, he holds a strange, taboo power (mostly the element of death); all the gods are watching him very carefully, and the humans are trying to placate him.

The Usurper Queen

goddess of war, rebirth, and revolutions, the usurper queen is the dread prince's wife, though attained this status without her say. after trying to end her husband-to-be's life, she was married off to him by the false king, partly to show her where she stands in the divine hierarchy, and partly to mellow both of them out. a corrupt and spontaneous king fell madly in love with his, and it kind of worked out for both. she's the one who's pov we see in the prologue (y'know, where she threatens to kill all the humans in increasingly horrible ways?)

The Wave Raiser

god of the ocean, storms, and darkness. quite kind by divine standards, but prone to uncontrollable fits of rage and despair that throw the seas asunder. it's such an issue that sailing is well known as a very dangerous affair. with his twin, they try and abate (or cause, depending on the day) the damage.

The Lamplighter

god of travel, guidance, and light. twin of the wave raiser. those sound like great domains, huh? something an honourable god would have, right? hahahaha... ha. in reality, the lamplighter is incredibly vain and quick-tempered, and it's really a gamble if he guides you somewhere safer than the dark, raging sea.

The Witchdaughter

goddess of magic, family, and healing. relatively reclusive, but treats her closest followers very well. she hides in the cracks of reality, bearing her magical gifts to those who pledge to her name. she's rewards loyalty well, and punishes disobedience with an iron fist. her benevolent nature is not constant, however.

The All Seer

goddess of wisdom, prophecy, and enlightenment. the first seer, she spoke her prophecies to the first humans. but they weren't very positive prophecies, so mortals fear her, even today. she only shares her knowledge with close disciples. and if their minds are destroyed forever, that's really not her fault.

The Lady of The Hollow

goddess of decay, nature, and hunting. her worship is few and far between, due to her nasty habit of rotting the bodies of humans that come to close to her divine presence. she sees that the natural order remains intact, decaying old things and hunting those who defy her. quite fun at parties, though.

The Sculptor of Knights

goddess of strategy, creation, and borders. heralded as the one who cut up the land into nations and territories eons ago, her creations sprung forth knights and warriors fueled by blood. she and the usurper queen are quite close friends, where strategy and creation meets brute force and chaotic revolts.

The Shepherd of Lost Things

god of trickery, theft, and oaths. all in all, a very silly guy, they have a bad habit of stealing mortal goods and never returning them. this facade makes them seem inoffensive in comparison to their peers, but they have some more bad traits, to the detrement of humankind.

these are the gods who demand the divine tithes every year, that the usurper queen believes the humans are trying to dispute, and that laszlo is constantly thinking about, despite almost dying (whoops). and it turns out i was not brief. oh well, at least the archives are a little less stuffed..

[goldenworldsabound]

For Fitzy: 🎭 and 💭!

Essay asks! Thanks Set-chan!

🎭 In the Shakespearean sense, would you describe your ship as a tragedy or a comedy? Why?

My understanding is that the primary difference is in the ending. Tragedies end with the death of the main character, while comedies tend to end in reunions and marriages. So in that sense, I do have to say it's a comedy, though it has elements that defy that and lean more towards tragedy.

Specifically, as it relates to Aura, many obstacles are overcome by the two of them, but they end up together and staying together.

My assumption still is that Francis WILL NOT be able to bring his daughter back from the dead. I think that would be wrong for his character growth and I also don't see the plot allowing it. Even if (when?) the good guys get the page, I don't see them allowing Francis to bring someone back from the dead...unless they themselves are doing that, which would be interesting and I hadn't considered it until this moment.

Anyway, hypothesizing on the future of the series aside, the fact that Francis does not have that reunion with his daughter somewhat twists the comedy a bit - one part of the comedy is fulfilled, and the other remains empty and lost forever, itself becoming an obstacle to be overcome (grieving a lost child).

💭 What arguments would you use to persuade someone to ship the ship you're discussing?

This ship has both hilarious interactions (tsundere!Aura plus shameless!Francis, not to mention Aura's AI/son HAL) that border on sitcomesque, but also tackles more serious subjects, ranging from Aura helping Francis cope with his grief, to working out a healthy polyamorous relationship between three people. There's also a lot of soft tender loving moments between the two. Also a good and nuanced portrayal of a nonbinary individual dating a bi cis man. So the ship does it all basically. Also, power couple who kick ass fighting side by side (or they would, I don't have plans for it to happen but like they would be unstoppable).

also secret workplace romance is part of it and I love that trope soooooo

[sugolara]

Reporting to duty

ft. K.B x S.T x I.M x fem! reader

Synopsis: After a deadly virus leaks all over the world, every country is forced to close down it's borders and airports to prevent anyone from coming in and out. Though, it's to late for some people. The dead has rose and is looking for revenge. Cw: gore, quirkless! au, apocalypse! au, zombie! au, weapons, death, angst, lots and lots of blood, cannibalism, suicidal thoughts, slow burn

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When he had awoken, she was already gone. Just barely could Izuku hear the patter of the droplets coming from the rooftop. He could even hear the flapping of birds wings as they flew from its nest that settled above F/n’s window. Emitting a low sigh, Izuku stared at her room's ceiling. He had to get up if he wanted to work. Ochaco, Mezo, and Fumikage were probably already waiting on him and if he was being honest, he did not want to upset the brown-headed girl, so reluctantly, he threw off the covers and exited her room.

They had a long road ahead of them and if they wanted to reach the warehouse that they had found. After that day, Izuku had told him that Tomura took more than the amount of supplies he and Nezu agreed on. The freckle male didn’t know what Nezu and Tomura discussed, all he knew was most of Sorston’s supplies were gone and they were back to when Tomura had first found it. Supplies became scarce and everyone had to ration.

But, most importantly, Tomura was going to keep Shoto just for a while. Though looking deeper at his comment, Nezu knew the male wasn’t going to let Shoto leave. If they tried going for him, that could mean the end of Sorston and while there were other plans going on, Nezu needed to keep it a secret just a little longer until it was complete. No one, but the council team knows about it and if word got out, then that was truly the end.

As for Shota and Toshinori, an altercation happened between Tomura. Little detail was spilled, but all Nezu needed to know was that he was the one who killed the raven haired male. For Toshinori was a different reason. Tomura had to let Nezu know that he did not want the blonde to die. Toshinori just so happened to rescue another blonde and in the process wind up getting hit by one of Tomura’s men. It hit an artery and while Tomura was greatly disappointed, he let Toshinori bleed out and locked in him a room where he’ll stay there forever. No way was Tomura going to give up Toshinori. He was just to special.

However, speaking of the other blonde, Katsuki stared out the window, sitting in the kitchen of the RV, watching as the trees passed by. The clouds came back and thankfully, the fog wasn’t as dense as it was. He knew it was his fault for the reason his teacher died. He knew he was the one who caused Izuku’s pain and as forgiving as the freckle male was, sometimes…Katsuki wished he could take it out on him. Let the blonde know that it’s his fault he’s the reason the teacher they both admired died. It was his greediness as he thought he could put an end to Tomura, only for him to put an end to Toshinori.

Denki’s slow driving only let Katsuki melt in his guilt. His head, like a million voices speaking all at once, hurt him. He wanted to lie down and sleep, just for a while. He wondered what F/n was up to. Before he left, he stopped by her door with his hand midair ready to knock, but he stepped back, taking in a breath and instead left. He could hear her sniffling and he could hear her mutter in the darkness of her room.

He wondered if he would return home, would she be better and would she open up more to them after Hanta’s death. With his feelings buried deep, he would have appreciated her to at least be at the burial and at least be there for him instead of taking off. Maybe as of now, she had finally ran off to be on her own just like she always wanted to.

"I say we stop here, check out that small gas station." Eijiro said looking to the right where the building resided, "There has to be something, even if it's small."

Denki slowly pulled in next to the building, careful to not hit any of the vehicles in the way, "The place looks ransacked. The windows, doors and even the side of the wall is broken."

"It doesn't hurt to try." The red-head narrowed his eyes and got out of the RV with Denki. Since that day, everyones been on edge and didn’t help with the amount of pressure Tomura added.

Katsuki shortly got out of the RV, his gun hitting his side with every step he took. He looked around in case a dead was near, but for the most part it was quiet. He then turned to the building where Denki and Eijiro peeked through the busted windows. He too looked inside, shining his flashlight only to see a rotter get up from its sitting position. The blonde sniffled from the cold air and let the rotter get close to him where he then pulled his knife and stuck it into its head.

His blade and the window were covered in blood, though thankfully, he wasn't, "Let's get this shit over with."

The other two nodded in determination and with Denki holding the door open, they all got inside where he then took watch. It was a small gas station, so they weren't expecting a lot of dead to be roaming or any products to be around.

His foot stepped on a rotter's head, the skin, blood and maggots sticking to the bottom of Katsuki's boot. He sneered before wiping it on the tile floor, the squeak emitting the room, "This place smells like shit.”

Eijiro let out a huff when he jumped over the register, his eyes looking underneath the counter where a shelf of storage was displayed, "Watch for that corner, there's a breach."

The blonde shined his light to where the other male pointed. It appeared like someone had crashed into it before driving off as he could see the track marks. He then proceeded to look around the floor, noticing for any marks that a human had been here, but it was difficult to tell as the marks were sloppily placed. He muttered underneath his breath, "Maybe she would know."

"Who would know?" Denki had accidentally startled the older blonde as he whipped around ready to plunge his knife into him until Denki let out a silent shriek, "Woah! It's me, chill out!"

"The hell do you think you're doing, idiot!?" He placed his blade down to his side, glaring at the one in front, "You're supposed to keep watch, so get to it."

Denki scoffed, ignoring Katsuki's glare, "Look, I would have, alright? But I feel useless just doing that. I want to be productive and I'm tired of being on watch when we do runs. How about for a change, you or Eijiro can do it."

To say Katsuki was shock was an understatement. However, as he looked at the tired and what he could see a hint of depression from Denki, he let out a sigh and gave him his knife, "Watch out for any creepy crawlers and don't get your ass bit, otherwise I will kill you."

Despite feeling down, Denki smiled, "Aye, aye, captain."

Katsuki only rolled his eyes, heading to the front where he could see the RV, useless cars, trees, and litter flying from the wind.

"You guys want cigarettes?" Eijiro chuckled as he held a pack, placing it on the counter before bending down and grabbing more, "There a lot if you each want your own."

"Don't be stupid." Katsuki said, his eyes looking outside, "Take it. We can use it to start a fire or something."

Denki teasingly looked at Katsuki, "Is that really what you're going to use it for?"

Katsuki whipped his head back around, "Don't make me regret putting you there!"

"Jeez, alright!" He picked up a box of empty crackers and then aimlessly threw it behind him. He hesitated to speak for a moment since it was a touchy subject but he had to say something, "..So...what are we going to do about Shoto?"

Eijiro stopped his movements, slowly glancing his way. Although he could only see his back, he knew he was worried from the tone. He breathed in, "Whatever Nezu has planned, he'll let us know. We can't do anything unless... Well, we have to just wait for him."

Katsuki kept quiet. Since Tomura was being subtle, Shoto was most likely dead or better yet held in captivity slowly dying from a torturous death, but no one knew that the scar male was with his brother, "I say we blow the damn place until they're all dead."

The other two looked his way before looking down. They had to agree with him, Tomura's group was the reason their friends and many people will continue to die.

Sadly, before Izuku headed off he wasn’t able to find F/n. He knows she didn’t leave for good as her stuff was still there and Neijire did mention seeing F/n walking around. She most likely just needed a fresh breath of air to recollect her thoughts. He wouldn’t be returning until tomorrow, so while he was out he’d find something to cheer the girl up. For now he’ll stay clear from anything dangerous and instead find something from the heart.

The question was, what exactly did she find charming?

"All these bottles are empty." Ochaco said as she was behind the pharmacy counter, her hand holding a bottle of pills. She threw it to her side before picking up another, only a few pills still remained though she doubted it was any good, "You found anything, Mezo?"

He shook his head, moving a few empty items off the shelf, "Nothing. Someone got here before us."

"Not even bandages?" She said, her brows narrowing, "There's gotta be something around here."

Mezo picked up an opened box of bandages, "A couple in here."

"That's not enough." She lightly scoffed, looking at the inside of her bag, "Nothing put tweezers and a few bandages. Hopefully the guys are having better luck than us."

"They said they were going back to that building where a lot of supplies were still held." Fumikage said, standing by the door to keep an eye out, "With how many they brought last time, they shouldn't return empty handed."

"That is if no one has come across it." Mezo pointed out, grabbing his bag and placing it on his shoulders, "We should have gone with them."

Izuku ignored them, walking through the pharmacy's cluttered aisle in hopes something caught his eye. He was of course sure to make sure no dead were sneaking around, but when there wasn’t any sign he bent down, grabbing a broken mirror with some shards fell next to his shoes, breaking into even smaller bits. He would have been concerned as the myth of breaking a mirror was bad luck, but considering how terrible it was these days, he held no such concern and placed the mirror on the shelf as it wasn't worthy to be a gift for F/n.

"Are you looking for something?" Ochaco asked when she had watched him look for something that was not for medical purposes.

He nodded, hesitating to even speak his mind about a girl with the girl he used to have feelings for. It didn't go unnoticed by the short girl as she gave him a reassuring smile, her brows creasing as she looked away suddenly feeling shy, "What is that you're looking for?"

He spoke vaguely, also glancing to the side, "...Something to cheer up someone."

"Is it F/n?" She quickly responded, noticing the flinch he had made. With Mezo and Fumikage searching for useful supplies, she stayed to talk to the male as she felt like she hadn't been able to converse with him properly since he's arrived. They have been friends for over three years, so maybe she should try to reconcile those parts and push her true feelings deep down so she wouldn't feel hurt when the day came, "..I'm not exactly sure what she likes since I haven't really talked to her, but usually flowers seem to cheer someone up. ...At least it does for me."

She continued, placing a hand on her nape, "I would have said chocolates or a teddy bear," she scoffingly laughed, "but even those seemed to be hard to get these days."

He was glad that she was helping him out and not making things awkward, like he intended. It had seemed like he had forgotten just how the girl matured over the years. She used to be just like him, shy and a blushing mess, but now, the more he really observed her and how she strongly put herself, he was glad to know that even with this sick world, Ochaco wasn't frail.

He smiled at her, mentally thanking her for not bringing up any past romance, though maybe he should say something in case she felt like he was leading on her. He would tell her later when they were back in their community and instead continued to give her a smile, "Flowers are hard to get these days as well. I'm surprised the garden committee hasn't placed one."

She let out a chuckle, looking over the other two boys for safety precaution, "Well, they did actually have a vote on that, but the cherries surpassed that."

"Dang, those cherries." Izuku said, smiling as Ochaco let out a laugh. It felt so good to finally be with her, to see her smile and her eyes light up. Even with no longer harboring his affections for her, seeing her smile was something he honestly looked for and something that made him feel comforted. She was his friend before their feelings blossomed into something more, so of course Izuku would keep those feelings of friendship. He looked away, letting out a mental sigh wishing that it was F/n who laughed and smiled at him, but now with what's happened, seeing that part of her would be an extremely rare sight.

"Oh!" Ochaco then perked up, reaching into her bag, "I did manage to find something, though I'm not sure if it's to your or her liking. Hope you like it."

He looked down to her hand as she extended it. He picked it up, his eyes widening as he heard Ochaco leave, ordering for the others to get back in their cars as they would search for another area. He let out an airy laugh, his eyes examining the ring that he raised to his eye level. Funny, was all he could think as the diopside ring sat in between his fingers. Funny how the ring he had lost way back, the one F/n had given him somehow followed him all the way here.

Sure, it might just be a coincidence, but it is still funny that the same exact ring, the dirty green gemstone, was looking back at him, in his grasp. He scoffingly let out a laugh, how funny.

[greywoodrpg]

𝕣𝕪𝕕𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕠𝕝𝕥

he was born thirty-four years ago, he is a werewolf who lives in wolf crossing as the manager and bartender at the den and owner of bolt's auto repair shop, and is the alpha of the pack. he looks an awful lot like stephen james hendry.

“I'm two pounds shy of a bomb, I'm one shade short of alarm. I'm too past wrath that I'm calm.”

tw: death, violence, drugs, murder

He smoked his first cigarette at twelve, rolled up his first joint at thirteen, got into his first bar fight at fourteen and the first tattoo right after that. Dad out of the picture, mom working double shifts to get them by. You’d think that would motivate the little rascal to rise above the gutter? Not in the part of good ol’ London he lived in. Ryden narrowly missed juvy after stealing a car and driving it into a ditch at fifteen, ending his teen years as a high school dropout. Between gangs, drugs and a bit of rock'n'roll, Ryden was lucky to survive till his twenties, given his self-destructive behavior and tendency to fight anything that had a social security number.

Until a girl happened. It’s always about a girl, isn’t it? And for some reason, they’re always named Sarah. Ryden got all straightened up for his Sarah, got a decent job as a construction worker and rented a dingy little place where she could hang her artsy photos and paintings. She was an art major and she read poetry. She had dark hair and sometimes snorted when she laughed. She put up with his snark and liked the stories behind his tattoos, even if they were a bit exaggerated.

But you don’t get to have a past like Ryden without consequences. One night, Ryden returned home to his Sarah dead on the floor, a pool of blood like a red halo around her head. A group of thugs he owed some money to had broken in, taking bitter revenge. They didn’t find Ryden in, panicked, and killed the girl when she screamed she’d call the police.

The next thing Ryden knew was that he was at a funeral, standing over a freshly buried grave. A strange man in black had approached him then, giving vague introductions and dubious connections to Sarah’s family side. In return for a favor, he promised to give Ryden a rare gift that would change his life forever. Naturally, Ryden declined, finding the man crazy for asking. Turns out Ryden didn’t have much of a choice there, as the man returned the next night, leaving Ryden on the floor of his apartment with a bloody bite mark on his shoulder, the night of the incident a complete blur. Needless to say, this bite had indeed changed Ryden forever.

After this, he moved about, running away from the man in black, his roamings taking him to America, to a town called Greywood. There, he'd found things he thought he'd never come to deserve - people he could call friends despite his tendency to snarl at anyone inching close to knowing him better, a steady couple of jobs, both of which he actually kind of sort of runs (look at him, adulting successfully), and a pack to belong to, which placed its trust into his rough hands with reliance that still blew his mind by naming him the alpha - their wolf in charge. A fresh start, until time runs out and the devil comes to collect his dues...

“what power did he attain when settling in greywood?”

Upon spending a few years in Greywood, Ryden acquired keen animal instincts that are border-lining with precognition, a very sharp sixth sense and passive perception which can anticipate impending danger and almost predict things seconds before they happen - every other supernatural ability he has was acquired prior to moving to the town, such as those related to his hybridization when he was turned into a werewolf, influenced by demon blood. Due to this, his mid-shift form is similar to a stereotypical horror-style werewolf - a creature with a wolf's head, covered in fur but walking upright on two legs. In this form, he loses all conscience and his strength, speed and healing abilities double, but he has no memory of his actions, cannot control it and is most bloodthirsty then, with almost all of his humanity gone. At that time, he is also most susceptible to the control the creature who turned him has over him.

penned by... sandra

[softersinned-arc]

@xfindingtrouble said: ♫ for ellis

"creature" by penny and sparrow

Every drop that I bleed It's a gift you give me Let me spend my skin on you Kiss me, whisper, make me new I'm a creature for your love

what they have between them is the deep and selfish kind of love. it's the transcendent kind, too. they are both possessive of one another in a way that can border on obsession, and that's true pretty much every step of the way: they are each other's best friend, better half, whole heart. and even at their worst, even when they hate each other a little bit, they'd do anything for each other, and they wouldn't hesitate to suffer if it means the person they love most in this world won't. they're both rogues; they both do a lot of fighting that's up close and personal, and pretty fucking dirty. how many times have they taken a hit for each other? how many times have they taken a hit they really couldn't afford to take for each other?

it's in her choice to use magic for him, too: she doesn't think, she just acts. she accepts his anger and his feelings of betrayal and she accepts that she's opened herself up to incredible danger: not just from him (though she trusts he wouldn't intend to hurt her like that, no matter how angry, accidents happen), but from the rest of this party, only one of whom she knows at all. so she takes a few extra hits in battle that can divert attention from him. she swallows her fear. she keeps asking, because someday the answer to do you trust me? will be yes again. they just have to get there. and in the meantime, she can bleed (metaphorically, literally) if it makes his own bleeding a little bit easier to bear. it's a little unhealthy! it's a little dehumanizing! and i don't think either one of them would have it any other way than with that intense, unconditional devotion.

"till forever" by joy williams

We're beginning to finally see one another We grow stronger, we grow stronger for breaking apart We grow stronger for breaking apart together... How you move me, how you move me to love you I keep choosing to love you again every morning

obsessed w the idea of them becoming better for having that period of deep anger and hurt and distrust. obsessed w the idea of them knowing each other better because they've gone through that and made the active choice to love each other in spite of it (in some ways, because of it). there comes a point for them where the anger and the secrets just stop mattering in the face of the bigger issues: the world practically ended, and they survived it together. and now they're making a future in what's left of the world.

this one is pure amaranthine to me. it's them getting to know each other again in astoria's home, rather than his; it's them getting to know each other with an idea of who each will be for the rest of their lives; it's them having the opportunity to love and trust each other again, now that they've both had the time to heal. i love, too, the element of choice that's always so powerful for them: they could separate. it would be really easy. but they both know they won't, because there's no universe where they make the choice to leave each other. there's a wonderful sort of finality to them.

"wasteland, baby!" by hozier

And that day that we'll watch the death of the sun to the cloud and the cold and those jeans you have on And you'll gaze unafraid as they sob from the city roofs Wasteland, baby, I'm in love, I'm in love with you And I love too that love soon might end, be known in its aching, shown in the shaking Lately of my wasteland, baby Be still my indelible friend, you are unbreaking, though quaking, though crazy, that's just wasteland, baby When the stench of the sea and the absence of green are the death of all things that are seen and unseen Are an end but the start of all things that are left to do Wasteland, baby, I'm in love, I'm in love with you

finding a selection of lyrics to quote and not just gesturing vaguely at the whole song was, frankly, torturous. my beloved hozier described this song as a love song for the end of the world (which, to be honest, is the name of the playlist i'm going to make for them sooner or later), and there's nothing more appropriate for them. they fall in love with each other again while constantly facing down the potential that everything is ending. not just the potential, but in some cases, the certainty. they look over the wreckage of the blight, the darkspawn civil war, the mage rebellion, the false calling, the inquisition, and they survive through it, somehow. they don't just survive through it, but time and time again they find an opportunity to know one another better, more intimately than they've ever known each other before, and to love each other better than they have before, which is a feat in and of itself given that they love each other so dearly, and so wholly.

i keep coming back to the images of them in their own little bubble while the world seems to be crumbling around them, sharing a moment of tenderness that's both in clear view of the rest of the world and still wonderfully private: ellis holding her after they find her in the snow after the destruction of haven to help warm her again, astoria throwing her arms around him when he gets back to the vigil after he defeats the mother and neither one of them letting go, the two of them watching each other with sweet, private smiles on their faces as she's getting her tattoo, the same smiles they'll share years down the line when he marries her in the laws of her hold.

"new year's day" by taylor swift

Don't read the last page But I stay when you're lost, and I'm scared, and you're turning away (But I stay when it's hard, or it's wrong, or we're making mistakes) I want your midnights But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

it wouldn't be an ani playlist without at least one tswift song. this is, i think, one of the most profoundly beautiful love songs she's ever written, and she's written a lot. astoria and ellis both are really profoundly important people, to each other but even more than that, to the world at large. he stopped the blight. she's the herald of andraste. they are surrounded by people politicking and lying and playing games; they do plenty of that themselves. and they are at each other's sides through the heroism and the last ditch efforts, during all the moments of glory and failure, but more important than that, they're together when things settle down and they're left with the very real and often tedious tasks of rebuilding.

i think a lot about the relief astoria would feel when she realized that ellis stayed to protect the city, despite knowing she was in the vigil. i think about that all the time. and i think about astoria knowing that at least this place she loves, her home, is being protected by the person she trusts most in the world. i think about them rebuilding the vigil together - astoria cataloguing every bit of damage meticulously while ellis talks about the adjustments they'll need to make - and them rebuilding the city together - the two of them filthy and sweaty in a public show of support to the survivors of the attacks. i think about astoria watching him in those moments and falling more and more in love with him. i think about them closer in the aftermath, and trusting each other more and more - astoria bringing him the elfroot ointment for his cracked hands, buying him a new journal when the one he's working on is mostly filled. little gestures to one another that say i know who you are and i love you even when nobody else is looking but us.

sidebar: please clap. i chose one tswift out of the like. six i usually have at the ready for them.

"a case of you" by joni mitchell

I remember that time you told me You said, "Love is touching souls;" surely you touched mine 'cause Part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time Oh, you're in my blood like holy wine You taste so bitter and so sweet, oh I could drink a case of you, darling, and still be on my feet Oh, I would still be on my feet

this one always slips away from me but the second i listen to it, i think about them. it's equal parts tragedy and love, which i think is perfect for them during the blight: that anger and betrayal, even if they know eventually it will pass, is painful, and they live through it regardless. they love each other enough for it to be worthwhile. they are, at this point, a piece of each other: and while ellis is experiencing his very understandable crisis in faith, astoria is in many ways rediscovering hers through him. she thinks there's something genuinely holy in him, in all the pieces of him he thinks are broken: it's a desperate and hungry and absolutely incomparable devotion between them, and she thinks that perfection is impossible but there isn't a goddamn thing about him that doesn't make her think that there's something bigger than them in the universe.

i love the lyrics "go to him, stay with him if you can, but be prepared to bleed" too, for them: they both have to accept one another's imperfections and failures in an honest way, and accept that it won't ever be perfect. and i think during the blight there probably are moments when astoria's mourning what they've lost and fucking miserable for it, because how is she supposed to live without him? how is she supposed to survive without what they had? she learns eventually that the answer is by creating something stronger, but there are definitely moments she thinks it's gone for good.

honorable mentions, because if you get to cheat so do i: "daylight" by taylor swift, "like real people do" by hozier, "to be alone" by hozier, "wedding song" by anais mitchell, "one and only" by joy williams.

[osamusbigtits]

rintarou knows he looks like the bad guy. and maybe he is.

it seemed like he was leading osamu on. he knows that everyone thought that he and osamu had something going on.

atsumu's going to beat his fucking ass.

rintarou sits in his room, unable to stop his own tears. he tells himself it was the best decision to say no. it's not that rintarou isn't into osamu. the amount of times he's imagined kissing and holding osamu borders on unhealthy. but all the cons far outweigh the pros.

best friends trying to date never ends well. besides, he and osamu are good as friends. rintarou can't bare to lose that.

they have different plans in life also. osamu's done with volleyball after this year. once they graduate, osamu's going off to get into cooking. rintarou wants to continue with volleyball. he's gotten quite a few offers, but all of them are far away. and osamu wants to stay close to home.

rintarou's never really had a home, so moving away isn't an issue. being away from osamu sounds painful, but it doesn't matter.

it's pointless to try. besides, as cringey and cliche as it is, osamu deserves better. someone who will devote themself to him. not rintarou who's too scared of love to even try. every attempt has ended poorly and rintarou's hope is running thin. he can't fuck things up with osamu. they still need to be friends.

but after all of this, rintarou isn't sure if osamu will be his friend. he'll lose atsumu with it. his semblance of a friendship with aran goes also. and rintarou ends up back at square one. hopeless and alone.

rintarou supposes that it's better than watching their relationship fall slowly to its inevitable death.

he turns over, shoving his face into his pillow while he cries. fuck, he's so stupid. he should've said yes. he doesn't want to lose osamu.

osamu's the only person who's ever understood him. who laughs easily and carefree around him. who takes his sarcastic jokes as they are and even pokes back. osamu, who's drop-dead gorgeous and knows it.

atsumu is probably comforting osamu right now. so it's not too bad. the damage is done, but osamu isn't alone like rintarou is, and that's really all rintarou can ask for.

rintarou blindly reaches out for his phone, taking an almost embarrassing amount of time to find it when it's just sitting a few centimeters from his body. he sits up on his elbows, shoving his pillow under his chest. he shouldn't call osamu right now. not when he's still crying and not so soon after he rejected osamu.

but he needs to do something. make things right. maybe say he's willing to try. fuck, rintarou is so fucking stupid.

rintarou presses the call button and presses his phone to his ear.

osamu answers surprisingly quick. rintarou freezes. they're both quiet.

"rin?"

rintarou's hands shake. "samu," rintarou says softly. his voice breaks and a new bout of tears starts. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have- I'm sorry-"

"are you crying?"

"I'm so selfish. and you deserve better." rintarou doesn't think he makes any sense right now. "you deserve so much better than me. and I'm just so fucking scared, osamu. I thought saying no would be the best thing to do so i don't lose you, but then I thought about it and realized that you'll never talk to me again. and I just, I don't know what to do. i got scared. I'm so sorry."

"what are you trying to say, rin?" osamu asks.

"i feel the same way you do." rintarou takes a deep breath, trying to get himself together. "I really do. I want to date you and kiss you and love you. I just can't lose you, osamu. I can't fuck it up and then lose you forever. I know we're going separate ways and i can't be the person who holds you back." he's sobbing again. breathing quick, short gasps between words. he's stuttering through his swift-spoken words.

"rin, stop, you need to breathe."

right. rintarou takes a deep breath. he sniffles a few times.

"you're scared?" osamu asks softly.

rintarou wipes his eyes. a useless effort, really, tears quickly wet his cheeks.

"rin?" osamu asks.

"you're the first person to care," rintarou finally responds. "the first person to even glance in my direction with warmth and care. I can't lose that. and I'm not a good boyfriend. I'm barely a good friend, it's amazing you've kept me around this long." he sniffles again, fresh tears welling up.

"of course I care about you, rin! why do you think I asked you out? I mean, maybe I should've talked to you first instead of just being so bold-"

"wait, no. don't blame yourself, you didn't do anything wrong."

"we can talk. I'm just saying, rin." osamu sounds a little desperate. he's too good for his own good. "we can work this out. find something that works for us. I can't lose you either, rin."

rintarou frowns. "I'm sorry," he says softly.

a sharp intake of air. "rin."

"I can't lose you," rintarou continues. "but I can't ruin what we have. I can't risk it."

"you're stupid," osamu says, harsh. rintarou bristles. "I said we can work this out. you are not just going to give up that easily, rintarou. I didn't think you were a coward."

"I am not!" rintarou exclaims. is now the time to be a total ass?

"then talk to me! stop trying to ruin things in an attempt to act like you aren't. I'm coming to your house tomorrow."

"osamu!"

osamu hangs up before rintarou can protest. rintarou huffs and buries his face into his pillow once more.

atsumu sits next to osamu, who's sniffling and wiping his face. usually, it's atsumu who's the one crying.

atsumu sits and waits for osamu to do something. either start full-on sobbing or explain what's wrong. it's bad, though. atsumu can tell that much. for one, osamu's not eating while crying. doesn't even have a snack handy. for two, osamu's wearing his upset hoodie. the one thing left behind by their dad, a hoodie that used to be huge on osamu and now is just a size too big. osamu only wears it when he's doing bad. and he has the hood pulled over his head.

osamu hasn't glanced over at atsumu once.

atsumu leans against osamu's shoulder when nothing happens for a while and osamu starts to cry harder. "okay," atsumu says softly and pulls osamu into a hug. osamu cries into atsumu's shoulder. "okay, it's okay. I've got you."

"he doesn't," osamu's sentence cuts off sharply, a sob wracking through him. "doesn't want me." osamu clutches onto atsumu. "he said no."

right. osamu was gonna ask suna out today. fuck, how did atsumu forget?

"it'll be okay." atsumu holds osamu tightly. he rests his head on top of osamu's.

atsumu didn't think suna would say no. to atsumu's knowledge, suna liked osamu back. so why would he say no?

atsumu's gonna have to beat suna's ass soon. but now he focuses on osamu.

osamu's sobbing. the gross, snot-and-spit-getting-everywhere type of sobbing. it's shaking his whole body. atsumu doubt he can even breathe.

atsumu quietly shushes him, rubbing his back. "samu, you gotta breathe. come on."

he hates seeing osamu like this. there's been a few times atsumu's had to comfort and hold him like this and each time it makes atsumu tear up.

atsumu's a little grateful their mom is working late tonight. she would burn down the earth to find out who made osamu cry like this. osamu needs the privacy, also. just atsumu is all osamu needs right now.

"come on," atsumu says, his voice weak from trying to hold his own tears back. "you're getting snot on me, the least you can do is try to breathe."

"tsumu, I can't."

"it'll be okay, samu." atsumu tights his arms. "everything will be okay."

[ghostking1]

I don’t really know what you’re into but I asked some of my other percico shipper friends and we made a list of some of our favs :)

•|| Five Times Percy Broke His Phone and The One Time It Wasn't His Fault ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29524128

• Percy/Nico

• Rated G

• one-shot

• Words: 5,726

Summary:

As punishment for blowing up the Legions armory Leo is sentenced to work in phone repair for the camps. Normally this wouldn't be too bad, phones these days are pretty bulletproof. Unfortunately, he hasn't thought of the extraordinary circumstances Poseidon’s favored son tends to regularly find himself in. This is one battle the Son of Hephaestus is determined to win. Olympus helped him.

•|| Breaking the Ice ||•

https://www.deviantart.com/leukanthes/art/Breaking-the-Ice-Slash-287857101

• Percy/Nico

• no rating, but I guess G bordering T (?)

• one-shot

• Words: 2,574

[No Summary]

•|| Could Never Imagine ||•

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/10703658/1/Could-Never-Imagine

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: T

• 46 chapters

• Words: 103k+

Summary: The war is over Annabeth chose to leave camp to allow her soul to heal, leaving a distraught Percy behind. Soon enough though the girls at camp are coming-on to the twice savior of Olympus. Percy however has no intention of finding a new girlfriend. So how will he get them to leave him be? It's a good thing Nico is around.

•|| Family Dinner ||•

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5439187/1/Family-Dinner

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: T

• one-shot/1 chapter

• Words: 6k+

Summary: The fancy invite card read: Welcome to our new home! Please join Percy Jackson and Nico di Angelo's housewarming dinner. Please do not feel the need to bring anything. Dinner begins at 6:00pm. The address is 38501 Sunshine Lane, Long Island.

•|| Can I Clear My Conscience? ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1250188

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: T

• one shot/1 chapter

• Words: 12,222

Summary:

Death Touch: Nico’s powers have gone out of control and he’s killing living beings with a single touch. The only one who can save him is Percy.

•|| Revival ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19287157/chapters/45872164

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: Explicit

• 4 chapters (complete)

• Words: 28,903

Summary:

After the events of The Titan's Curse Nico finds himself struggling to live on the streets. Exhausted, he recklessly uses his powers to take him somewhere safe. He ends up in an unfamiliar cabin and too weak to do anything else he decides to spend the night.

Percy still feels guilty about Bianca's death. He searched and searched for Nico but was unable to find him. Something is sending him visions of the boy though as if to tell him to go find him. At last Nico ends up in a familiar looking place and Percy seeks him out. What follows is something neither of them expected.

•|| on top of the world ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1184790

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: T

• one-shot/1 chapter

• Words: 16,175

Summary:

In which Gaea wins and Percy breaks another promise to Nico, and surprisingly, Nico doesn't mind.

•|| The world will never take my heart ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1712186/chapters/3646085#workskin

Summary:

where Percy and Annabeth break up, and Percy convinces Nico to move in with him and attend Goode

•|| Sensory Love ||•

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12454985/1/Hitome-Chan-s-Sensory-Love

•Rating: M

•words: 237+

Summary:

Mortal AU where Percy and Nico are best friends, but Nico’s feelings run deeper than that.

•|| Coding and Codeine ||•

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12457018/1/Hitome-Chan-s-Coding-And-Codeine

Summary:

post apocalypse mortal AU where Nico meets Percy in a near dead world, and the two travel the US and fall in love

•|| Seasons Change ||•

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/7838989/1/

Summary:

Mortal AU where in Nico and Percy were friends since they were little, but they had a falling out. Nico never recovered from Percy's rejection and neither did Percy. Through a twist of fate, they get a second chance

•|| The love we miss ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1087406

Summary:

Canon divergent fic where Annabeth is killed during the days following the second war

•|| World Traverls ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1649647

Summary:

a series of amazing fics by awanderingmuse which follow an older Percy and Nico

•|| Kiss a boy in Tokyo town ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/337259

Summary:

Japan becomes the new location for camp half blood after the fall of the United States.Nico comes to visit percy in Japan

while annabeth is still in the US and things transpire

•|| Tribulations ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/2061345

Summary:

Percy and Nico are caught in an argument between two goddesses and are put to the test. They must prove the strength of their bond to survive or lose their freedom forever.

•ll When the river meets the sea ll•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1171134

Summary:

Nico di Angelo should be his best friend. He looks over, meeting Nico’s eyes; Nico, who looks patient and a little embarrassed for some reason, and he thinks, why isn’t he?

Or: Wherein Nico has an incurable case of being a martyr, Percy grows to hate The Muppets, and Poseidon surprises the both of them with a bouncing baby demigod.

•|| Fire escapes and friendships ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17810015/chapters/42019895

Summary:

“So it’s safe to assume you’re the reason she’s stalking around like she’s just sucked a bag of lemons.”

“She called me today.”

“And?”

“She just wanted to chew my ear off. You know, for ruining all her hard work and design for your cabin. And then for suggesting to Chiron that she shouldn’t be allowed to help with the refurbishment.”

Or where Percy and Nico burn the injustice that is the Hades cabin and Percy takes the blame.

Christmas parties, confessions and cozy death traps

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27748753/chapters/67921453

Summary:

Ah, Christmas! That magical time of year where goodwill permeates the air, gifts are exchanged, and demigods question if they'll be smote down for singing the less secular Christmas carols! But as Nico will soon find out there are far more nefarious threats than carols this joyous time of year, a threat, in the form of an ugly Christmas sweater.

||• percico authors to support ||•

Likegallows

https://archiveofourown.org/users/likegallows/pseuds/likegallows

Bobinthecomments

https://archiveofourown.org/users/BobInTheComments/pseuds/BobInTheComments

Awanderingmuse

https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse

Midnightinjapan

https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightinJapan

anitstar_e(Kailamahine)

https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaikamahine/pseuds/antistar_e

Let me know if you need more~ :)

First of all, thank you so much for these pics. All of these were disgustingly good, like extremely disgustingly good, and I enjoyed them all immensely. But, I figured you'd want to hear my thoughts on them, and because I wanted to share my thoughts on them, so here they are :D

•|| Five Times Percy Broke His Phone and The One Time It Wasn't His Fault ||• -Amazing, a 10/10, one of my favorites, short enough that my attention span never got me distracted, great writing

•|| Breaking the Ice ||• -Another great one, this one blew me away

•|| Could Never Imagine ||• -I loved this one because it showed all of Nico's insecurities

•|| Family Dinner ||• -sooooo cute

•|| Can I Clear My Conscience? ||• -this one was kind of sad but a great healing fic

•|| Revival ||• -showed the Nico living on the streets that we never saw, very well done

•|| on top of the world ||• -dangerous situation where all hope is lost and they can only lean on one another? sign me up

•|| The world will never take my heart ||• -this was a fun fic to read

•|| Sensory Love ||• -this was pretty good, but it had cheating themes which made it hard for me to absolutely adore

•|| Coding and Codeine ||• -loved this au

•|| Seasons Change ||• -this one was a little harder to swallow, it had mature themes in it and there was cheating involved, and I always have a harder time with that

•|| The love we miss ||• -*chef's kiss*

•|| World Traverls ||• -so cute, i love this au, it’s like that could actually happen in the canon book series

•|| Kiss a boy in Tokyo town ||• -percy jackson + japan? yes please

•|| Tribulations ||• -love, love, love, love, loved it

•ll When the river meets the sea ll• -a work of art

•|| Fire escapes and friendships ||• -I really like the change in pov, this fic was really well done

•|| Christmas parties, confessions and cozy death traps ||• -loved embarrassed Nico and the creepy ending

And all the authors you recommended are great! :D

Thank you so much for all your recommendations, they were really fun to read!

[saphirered]

Saph I hope you feel better! I really liked the VM Snow White you just posted, but could you also please do the same prompt but with M9 boys including Molly? If you’re not feeling up to it that’s fine too!

Thank you! The meds are beginning to do their job luckily. I'm glad you liked the last one. I blinked, my hand slipped and now it's here. Prepare for some angst. Hope you enjoy! 😘

(Caleb)

Caleb had always known his past would come to haunt him. He was prepared for it. Prepared to take the hit, take responsibility for everything and he’d face his past be that with or without the people he loves. Part of him, once he got used to having these fools around, having you around, wanted it to be on his own, to protect them and protect you. To not have any more lives lost in the grand scheme. The people he loves becoming collateral would be unacceptable. But you had become collateral in the grand scheme of things.

When it became clear to his enemies he was a bit more attached to you than the others, they took this weakness and exploited it. They pushed his buttons before, using you as a tool, verbal bait even, but he never fell for it. His reluctancy to act on his feelings, to keep them to himself instead, were the very thing he hoped would keep those loose ends from latching onto you. His love is a curse, the objects of his desire always to be torn away from him no matter how hard he tries to prevent it. He’s lost you to that same curse. Not lost. Almost lost.

You’ve been cursed, your conscious mind separated from your unconscious body. Simple healing spells wouldn’t do the trick here. This curse holds no roots in the divine. He’s spent days researching and that much he could confirm. This curse would take an arcane approach. Something he prides himself in to be his specialty. Lucky you. Lucky him. He had the others bring all books, ancient scrolls and other sources of knowledge brought to him, along with a wide variety of components once he’d made a significant dent in the research matter, assuring him this would have the greatest chances of success.

It’s not the soft canopy bed with the plush pillows from the fairytales you’re placed on. Instead you lay on a wooden table, inscribed with all sorts of arcane sigils. Nor do you look like some angelic peaceful being. Your brow is furrowed in discomfort, your hands balled into fists at your sides. Caleb moves a brush against areas of exposed skin, painting symbols to match with precision and care, afraid to even make a single mistake, triple checking every mark. He speaks the incantations while incorporating the components varying from precious gems crushed and whole, herbs and incense. And then he waits. He doesn’t expect the effects to be immediate, often with these magics it is not and he knows that but that doesn’t get rid of the impatience and fear.

“How I long to hear your voice again. I know this will work but that doesn’t ease away the sliver of doubt. What if… What if… That’s what I keep asking myself. I know it’s stupid.” Caleb wipes an hand over his brow as he pulls up a chair and sits at your side, elbows leaning on the table careful to avoid any sigils just in case.

“It also faced me with the harsh reality that I held off telling you how I feel. It looks so stupid now in hindsight because what good did it do anyone. In the end you still ended up paying for my mistakes. I was stupid to push you away, try to convince you your own feelings were unreciprocated. I know I didn’t have you fooled in the slightest but to know I could have loved you, it makes me feel like I am to blame for wasting that opportunity and possibly shortening our time together. The thought of losing you before having given you my love will forever be my greatest regret.”

Caleb watches the muscle of your hand unclench and relax. He hears a deep intake of breath and staring at your face he’s met with your smile, one filled with love as he helps you sit up. All is good once more.

(Fjord)

Fjord’s drenched to the bone, out of breath, anger running through him like he’s never experienced. Still he’s unsure if his anger is directed at the one responsible for your eternal slumber or at himself for making a ballsy move that didn’t pay off in the slightest and in fact backfired in a worse way he could have ever imagined. He played a game of chicken with Uk’otoa and lost. He’d have been fine by letting someone else pay the price for him. Why should he care about some stranger becoming victim to the leviathan? The one who paid the price, became the victim to his actions didn’t end up being a stranger. It had to be you of all people hadn’t it?

Uk’otoa must have been watching his dreams, even his waking actions if that were possible and have seen his infatuation with you. When the leviathan threatened Fjord in another briny dream of his mentioning your name he had called bullshit. The snake had never been able to reach out to anyone it didn’t already have some kind of grasp on. Little did he know Uk’otoa had just that. Just enough of a sliver through him, and the Cloven Crystal to get to you.

So there Fjord sits at your bedside. You’re just as drenched as he is, hair dripping, skin glowing in the candle light of the room reflected off the water particles. Your lips are tinted blue, a redness around your eyes, your skin is cold. The sleep you’re in is a state of perpetual drowning and Fjord knows what it feels like, to drown. He can only hope you’re spared that pain. He doesn’t think he’ll be able to forgive himself if you are tortured like so because of his actions. Clasping your hand between both of his he runs his fingers over your knuckles. He bows his head. It still feels so wrong to not have you respond to his touch. So wrong.

“I want you to know that I am to blame for your fate. I’m about to do a very stupid thing to make it right. I know you’d tell me not to but I can’t sit by and watch you suffer like this. I’ve tried everything. I’ve begged and bargained. I’ve shouted at the skies but I got no reply. Everything comes up empty and I see no other choice than to do this. It might sound stupid but I came to ask for your forgiveness.” Fjord pauses. Usually he would have gotten a reply. He would sell his soul for just having you tell him everything will be alright. It’s a good thing he’s about to sell it for so much more than that. It’s worth it. It’s worth having you alive and well.

“I won’t ask for forgiveness for what I’m about to do because I will never regret it. I ask only you may one day forgive me for what I might become. I need you to know I love you and did, will do all of this out of love. That’s why I hope you’ll never see me again after I give myself to Uk’otoa. I can’t bare to watch that affection in your eyes being replaced by hatred, but most of all disappointment. I hoped to be worthy of your love and I will always regret never having truly experienced it.” Fjord’s voice cracks slightly. He studies your face, as if to ingrain every detail into his memory, as if he thinks he might never see it again.

“I’m afraid. I’m so deadly afraid.” Fjord whimpers pressing a kiss to the back of your hand before he lets go. He checks his supplies, taking out the Cloven Crystal, glaring at the orb intensely cursing the thing to oblivion. Coughs pull him out of his staring match with the crystal. Your body moves, leaning over the edge of the bed vomiting up brine. Fjord drops the orb and his belongings running over to you and helping you gather your bearings until you’re no longer chocking on sea water.

“You better not do what I think you’re planning with that orb or so help me Storm Lord, I will drown you myself.” Fjord can’t do anything but laugh despite the very real threat on his life as you pull him into your embrace.

(Caduceus)

Caduceus isn’t bothered by death. Death is part of life as much as living is. It’s inevitable. Every soul will move on, leaving its vessel for the earth, the fire or the wild things to bring forth something new. What does very much bother him are perversions of death, those who try to cheat death, upset the natural balance, maim and manipulate that what is and should be. He hates it with a passion and seeks to rectify it, return the world to that balance when faced with it. That’s where you come in. You much like him have a respect and understanding of life and death similar to his own. Very few people understand that. Very few people do not fear the end when they see it coming. You’re one of those very few people.

You understand Caduceus on a different level, in his sentiment and mannerisms while others may think him strange. Not that he cares if people do, you’ve been his filter in the big shiny new world past the borders of his grove. You’ve been his safety net, his grounding force, his safe haven when the world seems against him and he thinks his senses might be wrong. The Wild Mother must have gently blown her winds to bring you together.

That’s why it seems so wrong you’re affected by this darkness having taken hold over your body, leaving you in a state of not entirely alive nor dead. Resurrection has been futile as much as draining your life and allowing you to move to the care of the Wild Mother herself. You’re trapped and that’s why Caduceus fears what would happen should you die. He’s seen what this perversion of life and death has done to his home, the forests surrounding it and the creatures living in it. He’ll do everything in his power to prevent that from happening to you.

Caduceus has put your body through the typical burial rites and rituals, preserving what he can by using wards and the divine blessings granted to him by his goddess, sending her prayers of your recovery but you appear to be even beyond her reach now. He moves a damp cloth across your arms and face, brushing aside your hair, humming to himself until he’s done, moving on to clean the room around you, getting rid of the dust, placing things back where they belong and replacing the decayed flowers with fresh ones. Caduceus gathers his tea, preparing a cup for himself as he watches you.

“Can you show me how they’re doing?” The wind grows cold. He knew that would be the answer but still he could hope maybe that answer could change.

“Are they in pain?” The wind grows warm but then cold again. You were, but not anymore. It seems that the new wards he’s put up are doing their job. That’s good.

“Is there a cure?” The gentle breeze disappears. She doesn’t know then. This goes even beyond the goddess herself but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Caduceus will keep hope, though it is dwindling fast, for your sake he’ll have hope. He’s always spoken to the dead before and while you’re not really dead, there’s a strange comfort to something that feels so final.

“Hey. I’d ask you how you’re doing but that’s not gonna work now, is it? Don’t worry. You’re going to be fine. I know you are. You’ve managed to keep me alive with the others for much longer than I’ve been taking care of you like this. I think we’re going to be fine. I know you’re here but I still miss you. Calliope makes for terrible company watching things unfurl between the others. She’s too much of a hopeless romantic. You forgot to tell me the recipe to that special brew of yours. I’ve been trying to recreate it but I haven’t been able to. I think what I’m trying to say is, I could really do with having my best friend back. That’d be nice.”

Caduceus sips his tea, face devoid of his usual dopy smile. A sudden breeze hits through the window, blowing it open. A few lighter weight and loose items go flying but the thud of a heavier one is clear to hear. Caduceus closes the window and feels something solid hit his boot. It’s a crystal from the ones surrounding the grove. He picks it up, feeling the warmth run through it. The breeze directs towards you and he feels himself walking over to your body. The crystal calls to you and when it touches you your body runs with energy, pulsing, like you’ve been forcibly pulled back to this world. You look around eyes wide breathing heavy.

“Hey.” Caduceus smiles. “I made tea.”

(Mollymauk)

Maybe pretending you and him were some high born assholes was a questionable decision. Taking on an invite directed at the said people you were impersonating even more so, and stealing, sorry, borrowing without asking, some things from their summer cottage to swim in luxuries, an out right terrible idea when these people happen to be very well connected.

So when these fancy folk came back to the cottage earlier than expected, the two of you had grabbed what you could before making your grand escape, chased by their private guards until you lost them. A safe distance away you set up camp. Time to inspect your findings before returning to the carnival. Your eye for valuables had always been much more keen than Molly’s and your appraisals usually spot on. It was only natural he would let you do your thing but he’d still help you.

Particularly proud of getting some ornate jewellery box Molly had pried it open and revealed the jackpot. But of course you couldn’t just sell recognisable jewellery as is and you couldn’t keep such a thing on you very long. So of course you went to work, prying the stones from their settings. A particular necklace was giving you trouble, not even your tools being able to pry it out, you even broke one so you left that one for last.

The two of you had argued, eventually setting on just smashing the stone with the pommel of Molly’s scimitar, the broken gem still providing plenty of pay and not being as recognisable in peaces. So you held the necklace across a stone while he smashed it. When it did a spark hit, next thing he knew you were on the ground, your hands burned where you held the precious metal. At first he thought you were simply knocked out but when you didn't wake up he grew worried. Splashing water in your face, shaking you, lifting your legs, nothing got you to wake up so instead he carried you and the jewellery back to the carnival. Two days and still you didn’t wake up. It became clear this bloody gem was cursed when dark veins started crawling up your skin as the days passed.

Since this was technically on him, Molly took care of you. He makes quite a doting nurse when he wants to be but never without an inappropriate comment or two. It was quite strange to not hear you laugh at or scold him for these comments. Nevertheless he’d fluff up the pillow beneath your head, provide you an extra blanket when the night was cold, tell you stories, or simply the events of the day, the people who came to the carnival, some things he lifted from people’s pockets and so on. Molly has to say he’s ashamed to admit he’d got frustrated with your unresponsiveness or rather the fact you still hadn’t woken up and there was nothing the others could do for you. A healer would still be a week or so out.

“You know, while I’ve really begun getting used to these little one-sided conversations and your lack of judgement at some of my more terrible decisions I really prefer sharing them with you in the moment. I’ve gotten caught by the guards twice now and without you, Gustav is getting a bit sick of bailing me out. I miss our little flirtations. I miss your sometimes wrong opinions, though you’d say they’re proven facts. I miss your company. I think our time apart has given me time to reflect how much you truly mean to me and how much I need you in my life.” Molly leans on his elbow as he studies your face unmoving. You look so peaceful and asleep but he’d much rather get lost in your eyes when you’re awake.

“I laughed at you when you told me the most valuable thing in the world anyone could ever give another is their heart but I think I know what that means now. I’ll offer you mine if you will have it. So please, come back and make sure my head doesn’t get up too high into the clouds or I might just float away.” Molly leans back looking at the ceiling of the tent with a sigh. He’s pulled out of his mind by a snicker.

“A dramatic confession of love to the unconscious target of your affections? And you call me cliche.” Molly looks at your face, eyes still closed but smug grin clear on your face. He pokes your side making you jump.

“You are insufferable.”