#anti day of fallen night

[evangelineartemiasamos]

People really like Esbar? Because I for sure despise her after treating her own daughter and the daughter’s boyfriend like that.

Can’t believe “Mother” Cleolind ever agreed with or even demanded that lovers born outside the priory should be killed! Or that no one born in the priory should have the choice not to live in service to the priory.

My poor Siyu - not sure I should be glad she’s away from that place for now yet only at the cost of separation from her baby.

[gatorbites-imagines]

Hihi, love your writing. Just sending over a request for a male reader (could be ftm if you'd life) with Hobie Brown? So basically the reader is apart of the organisation too and is a spiderman (could be possibly like a rock and/or punk based spiderman, or something completely opposite it's up to you) and it's how he had met Hobie and how they got close? I can send more details over if you'd like, thanks!

Hobie Brown x Male reader

Headcanons

I couldnt find any gifs of hobie yet, so just have this one.

Spoilers for Across the Spiderverse I guess? Reader is a Juggalo because I like ICP lmao.

You were one of the Spidermen that stood out somewhat amongst every other spiderperson around. You suit was white and black and had Juggalo features painted on the face. You wore a baggy ICP t-shirt and black shorts, maybe even a jacket or battle vest covered in patches. You wore a pair of heavy boots as well, perfect for kicking ass.

Along with that you didn’t respect the machine, aka the people in charge, as much as everyone else. You liked fighting and busting fascist and racist heads, you didn’t get involved with cops, and you were stubborn like a mule. This resulted in Miguel hating you because you were so difficult, but you were one of the best, so he kept you around.

You really liked fighting, which could be seen in the claws you added to your gloves, the brass knuckles worked into your suit, or the hard covering on your knees perfect for kneeing people in the chin. Those were only the visible ones, but you had many other hidden gizmos. This made you a bit of an outcast amongst the spiderpeople, but you didn’t care, you didn’t care about anyone’s approval but your own.

When Hobie joined the organization, it had been for Gwen’s sake in the beginning, since he himself doesn’t care much for large organizations with one leader who makes all the decisions. He puts up with it though, since its his duty to be spiderman.

Color him intrigued when one day he, Gwen and Jessica are called to Miguel’s area. When they arrive, they first see Miguel pacing back and forth rubbing his temples in clear annoyance, and second, they see a spiderman perched on the wall with little respect in his posture, roasting Miguel from head to toe.

Hobie already liked you from just that, but when you jump down to introduce yourself and he sees the anti-capitalism and anti-cop patches on your jacket? He might have fallen in love.

You, Gwen and Hobie were sent on a mission together, and you and Hobie got along like a house on fire. Gwen joked about being a third wheel the entire time, but she was just entertained about how well you two got along.

Outside of missions Hobie and you hang out most of the time, jumping into each other’s dimensions and just spending time at the others place. Hobies place is as punk rock as you can imagine, with all his instruments and an organized mess going on.

Your place is more what you’d imagine from someone who listens to rap, hiphop and ICP. You got a lot of music, casettes, cds, anything you can imagine. Lotsa posters or homemade merch stapled to the wall, etc.

When Hobie and Gwen make their band, you are invited of course, you are the singer. You can rap up a storm and speak so fast its hard for them to keep up some days. Hobie won’t admit it for a while, but hearing you spit bars makes his heart flutter.

Gwen would tease the both of you for having a crush on the other, which you both deny, because you are both cool and having crushes isn’t cool.

Gwen jokes about you two being boyfriends after you accidentally wear each other’s vest after spending the night at Hobies’ place. You both just roll your eyes at her and roast her with no actual heat, just doing it how friends would do it.

You both start dating at some point, neither of you can pinpoint when. One day you two just find yourselves cuddling on your rundown patched up couch without your masks on, cuddling and kissing.

Neither of you ever actually ask if you are boyfriends now or not, because you both know you are. It takes a while for Gwen and Pavitr a while to realize you two are together, since you don’t actually act any different.

Its only when they see you pull up his mask and your own to kiss him before going on a mission that it clicks for the both of them. They both whine that neither of you actually told them you were together.

When the movie happens you peace out the same moment as Hobie, having stolen your own tech so you two can keep visiting each other even if you aren’t part of the organization anymore.

Neither of you were ever big parts of being part of it anyways and only stayed for each other and for your friends, but seeing how Miguel deals with the whole Miles situation, you agree you need to leave.

You work together to make the watch for Gwen so she can save Miles. You two might join her too if needed, especially you, because you will take any chance to knock Miguel on his ass, maybe knock out those cheesy fangs of his.

Like I said, you hate authority. And since Miguel is authority, you hate him. Hobie follows after you because hes whipped and loves you deeply, plus he knows you can get kinda careless at times, so he has to pull you outta trouble if he needs.

You are both so grossly whipped for each other, it makes Gwen and Pavitr gag, though its fake gagging. You share clothes, instruments. You do his eyeliner and paint his nails, he does your Juggalo face paint. He always makes sure to give you a big kiss, which just wipes the paint onto his lips too.

[lovebunnie]

Viktor did not know the first time he wanted to kiss Jayce.

It was hard to keep track of all the moments because of just how many there were. Jayce was a very easy person to want to kiss, with his handsome looks and incredible mind, paired with a strong work ethic and kind heart. Viktor suspected almost everyone Jayce met in his life had wanted to kiss him atleast once.

Jayce did not seem too interested in this fact, based on the amount of time he spent in the lab right next to Viktor. Their partnership did not allow for many relationships outside of a scientific purpose; it just so happened that Viktor really liked Jayce not only as a partner but also in general, just as a person.

So really, there were far too many times to count where he felt compelled to grasp his face in his hands and press their lips together. Some nights, Viktor would imagine Jayce running into the lab with great news of a secured deal or more grant money and just plant one right on his lips without thinking, before dashing to his desk while still chirping and leaving Viktor gasping.

He thought of a scenario where he found himself in the forge one night, just the two of them in the entire building, and like something out of a trashy novel, a shirtless and sweaty Jayce would pull him in by his hips and kiss him slowly and sensually before the rest of the daydream turned into something... else.

Once Viktor and Jayce were in the midst of a heated argument about how to conduct an experiment with or without proper precautions in place, and Jayce stood up and walked towards Viktor. He thought in that moment that Jayce was going to find a less conventional way of shutting him up and before he could articulate if that would've worked or pissed him off even further, Jayce had walked out the door. The next day he came back with an apology and they moved on stronger than before.

Viktor was almost embarrassed by how badly he wanted to kiss Jayce. He thought of how much he wanted to know just how Jayce would kiss, he wanted to see that side of Jayce and keep it all to himself. Viktor had Jayce in the lab but he wanted more.

When it happened, VIktor and Jayce were on long night number six. Days had passed since either of them had left the lab longer than it took to take a shower and brush their teeth. They could feel the edges of discovery brushing their fingertips, so close to a revelation.

"Only Piltovians would get bored of the ability for humans to fly," Viktor murmured as he adjusted a screw on the bottom of their anti-gravity contraption. "Why they needed something portable is beyond me."

"Now is kind of a bad time to start complaining, V," Jayce replied as he worked on finalizing the welding components. "This is going to work this time, it has to work-"

"It will work," Viktor emphasized. "And if it doesn't, we try again."

"If it doesn't I'm cracking open that bottle of wine I know you keep-"

Suddenly, the room was flooded with vibrant blue that had the both of them scrambling backwards. While before, the hexcrystals made the entire room weightless, now everything remained as it was with only Viktor's wrench floating in the middle, suspended in mid air. It was flying. It worked.

Jayce picked himself off the ground where he has fallen back and pushed his goggle up to his forehead. "Holy shit, V, it worked!"

Viktor removed his goggles as well, mesmerized by the suspension of an object isolated within their own chamber. The blue of the hexcrystal had died down and left the room in a cool glow, and Viktor felt a smile tug at his lips. "This is.. incredible."

"Oh my god, it actually finally worked. I need to write down everything we did, what kind of screws did you use? What is the temperature of the room, what runes did we use?"

As Jayce rambled on, Viktor stood up and took in his frantic energy. His hands were moving quickly and his eyes were searching for his notebook while he paced the room like he couldn't sit down. His hair was disheveled from the times he ran his hand through it in frustration and his eye bags were getting more and more pronounced. His face was leaner and exhaustion draped over him like a blanket. Objectively, Jayce looked kind of like shit.

Viktor felt a spark in his chest, he couldn't look away.

When Jayce made his way back in front of Viktor, he smiled warmly. "This is such a huge relief, I was really starting to get concerned that we were going to have to completely start over, but now we can start with trials and-"

As Jayce spoke, the spark grew and grew until Viktor could ignore it no longer. He pulled Jayce down mid sentence and pressed his lips to his, locking them together.

Viktor's hands cradled the sides of Jayce's face, keeping him in place while Viktor pressed his lips harder and tilted his head ever so slightly. It felt right, for the first time in a long time. Viktor was used to not feeling included but in this moment it felt like it was meant to happen. Their kiss was always going to happen in the wake of discovery, how could it not?

A few seconds passed before Viktor gently pushed Jayce back, their breaths shared in the close space. Jayce was silent, and Viktor began to quietly worry that maybe Jayce did not feel like this moment was perfect to him. The thought devastated him; there would be nothing crueler than losing Jayce as a friend.

Viktor took a step back as he looked away. "I'll get started on those trials, we can start with the screws to see if-"

In that moment, Jayce reached out and pulled Viktor back towards him, connecting their lips again in a kiss. One hand made its way to the nape of Viktor's neck while the other held his jaw gently. This second kiss was dynamic and Viktor found himself getting lost in the motions. In all the day dreams he had, he never thought to imagine that Jayce would want to kiss him back this badly, this fervent need to claim his mouth. Their partnership truly knew no bounds.

Before things could get more heated, they broke apart once more and Jayce pressed his forehead to Viktor's with a gentle laugh. "I've been wanting to do that for so long."

"What a coincidence," Viktor purred as he tugged Jayce in again. "So have I."

[the-mortuary-witch]

SATAN

WHO IS HE?

In the Middle Ages, Satan played a minimal role in christian theology and was used as a comic relief figure in mystery plays. During the early modern period, Satan's significance greatly increased as beliefs such as demonic possession and witchcraft became more prevalent. 

Although Satan is generally viewed as evil, some groups have very different beliefs. In theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a deity who is either worshipped or revered. In atheistic Satanism, Satan is a symbol of virtuous characteristics and liberty. 

BASIC INFO: 

Appearance: Satan's appearance is never described in the bible, but, since the ninth century, he has often been shown in christian art with horns, cloven hooves, unusually hairy legs, and a tail, often naked and holding a pitchfork. These are an amalgam of traits derived from various pagan deities, including Pan, Poseidon, and Bes. 

Personality: he is known to be cunning, straight forward, and strict. He is not seen as a malevolent force, but rather as an entity who challenges individuals to  overcome challenges and fears.

Symbols: pentagram, wings, fire, goat’s head, and upside down cross

Entity of: temptation, hell, misfortune, and hard ship

Culture: Demonic

Plants and trees: deadly nightshade, wolfsbane, holly, pothos, datura, blackberry, nettle, briar rose, apple tree, thistle, and poisonous plants in general 

Crystals: ruby, black obsidian, red jasper, black tourmaline, smoky quartz, and amethyst

Animals: black animals in general, serpent, bats, dragon, goat, black cats, ravens, crows, spiders, wolves, and vultures

Incense: dragon’s blood, apple, copal, and myrrh

Practices: shadow work, passion and desire magick, protection, setting boundaries, and death magick

Colours: red and black

Numbers: 6 and 1

Zodiacs: Taurus and Libra

Tarot: The Devil

Planet: Venus

Days: Friday, Devil’s Night, and Lupercalia

Parent: N/A

Siblings: N/A

Partner: Lilith (not confirmed)

Children: N/A

MISC:

Goats: the association between Satan and goats has deep roots in mythology and religious symbolism. The image of a goat-like being with horns and hooves has been used for millennia to represent power, sexuality, and the wild or untamed aspects of nature.

Pentagram: in Western occult and mystical traditions, the pentagram can be associated with Satan due to its connection with the material and the earthly, as well as its association with the forces of darkness and chaos. In some traditions, the downward-pointing pentagram – also known as the "upside-down" or "inverted" pentagram – has been used as a symbol of anti-religious or Satanic beliefs. It's important to note, however, that interpretations of the pentagram's meaning can vary and there is no one definitive "Satanic" interpretation of this symbol.

Wings: Satan is often depicted as a fallen angel who was cast out of heaven for his rebellion against god. In many depictions, Satan is represented with wings as a symbol of his former status as an angel, or alternatively a mark of his fall from grace. Satan's portrayal with wings can be seen as a visual representation of his freedom, his ability to soar above the constraints of mortal life, and his role as a symbol of rebellion and opposition to religious authority.

Fire: in the context of Satan, fire is often associated with destruction, chaos, and the dark side of human nature. The image of Satan as a being surrounded by flames or depicted as a fiery being can symbolize both his destructive potential and his role as a symbol of defiance and rebellion.

Serpent: the association of Satan with the serpent comes from the story of the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis. In this story, the serpent tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, leading to Adam and Eve's fall from grace and god's subsequent expulsion from the garden. The serpent in this story is often identified as Satan, or a representative of Satan, and the serpent has become a powerful symbol of temptation, cunning, and deception. It represents Satan's power of temptation and his role as a tempter of humanity.

FACTS ABOUT SATAN:

Many theistic Satanist’s view Lord Satan as a fatherly figure or brotherly figure.

Satan represents pride, liberty, and individualism.

He is often depicted as the embodiment of rebellion, defiance, and opposition to authority.

In some traditions, Satan is associated with the concept of the carnal or sensuous, representing the earthly pleasures of the body and the physical realm.

Satan is sometimes portrayed as a figure of chaos and destruction, but also seen as a liberator and a symbol of individual freedom.

He is often associated with the number 666.

HOW TO INVOKE SATAN:

Invoking Satan or any deity or spirit is a personal and often private spiritual practice. There is no one "right" way to invoke Satan, but here is a basic method you can begin by cleansing and consecrating a sacred space. You can do this using sage, salt, or other purifying methods. Set up an altar for the invocation, and place symbols of Satan on it. This could include black candles, pentagrams, serpent imagery, etc.

Prepare an invocation or prayer that you can use to call upon Satan. You can find examples online or create your own. Light the black candles and the incense and begin to recite the invocation.

PRAYER FOR SATAN:

Hail Lord Satan, Lord of the Underworld, I call upon thee in this hour.

Please come to me and be present in this place.

I honour your strength, power, and wisdom.

Guide me on the path of knowledge and darkness.

Grant me your blessings and protection, and help me achieve my goals.

Hail Lord Satan, Lord of darkness and light, ruler of the night.

I welcome you into this space, and I am forever your disciple. Hail Lord Satan.

SIGNS THAT SATAN IS CALLING YOU:

A sudden increase in synchronicities or unusual coincidences related to occult or dark themes

Repeated dreams or visions involving Satanic symbols or figures

Being drawn to occult, pagan, or Satanic practices and beliefs

Feeling of power or energy coursing through your body that seems to come from an external source

An urge to explore forbidden or taboo subjects

A sense of being "chosen" or "special" and having a unique spiritual path.

Feeling a connection to nature, animals, and the natural world, as well as a distaste for artificiality or mainstream culture.

Having a deep interest in the darker aspects of life, such as death, suffering, and the mysteries of the universe.

Experiencing a powerful attraction to dark, gothic, or rebellious aesthetics

Observing sudden changes in behaviour, such as increased energy and confidence.

OFFERINGS:

Chocolate.

Red wine.

Whiskey.

Animal bones.

Poetry.

Black roses.

Incense.

Black tea.

Music.

Drawings and painting of him.

Imagery of animals he is associated with: goats, serpents, dragons, etc.

Cinnamon.

Blackberries.

Grapes.

Coffee beans.

Pentagrams.

Liquor.

Black or red candles.

DEVOTIONAL ACTS:

Taking time for yourself, such as self care.

Meditating on his energy.

Practicing yoga or other physical disciplines to cultivate focus and strength.

Reading or studying texts related to Satanism or the occult.

Listening to dark or heavy music to invoke a certain atmosphere.

Keeping a spiritual journal to document experiences and insights.

Practicing solitary rituals or ceremonies to strengthen your connection with him.

Creating and maintaining a private altar for Satan, with appropriate symbols and offerings.

Performing candle magick or other spells to invoke Satan's presence and influence.

Participating in online communities or in-person groups of Satanists or occult practitioners.

Visiting places of dark or forbidden beauty, like graveyards, forests, or caves.

Exploring symbolism associated with Satan, such as the pentagram, the black goat, or the serpent.

Practicing divination techniques, such as tarot or scrying, to gain insight from Satan.

Studying the writings or teachings of influential Satanists such as Anton Szandor LaVey.

[rebelliousstories]

Love Me Cancerously

Relationship: Remy LeBeau/Gambit x Reader

Fandom: X-Men

Request: Yes by Anon

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Dark Themes, Mentions of Killing, Death, and Poison

Word Count: 1,449

Main Masterlist: Here

X-Men Masterlist: Here

Part One: Love Me Dead

Summary: According to FBI statistics, the chances of two serial killers meeting is just about, in all intents and purposes, impossible. No reason that has been brought up.

Ever since that fateful night in New Orleans, Remy LeBeau was a bit embarrassed to admit that he was absolutely star struck by the woman he had met. That was not an easy thing to do either. He had been around, met hundreds of men and women. And yet, none managed to capture his attention like her.

Every night he was prowling the streets for his next victim, he was thinking about her. Every body he dropped, all he could think of was where she wanted to go for their dinner date the next evening. Gambit snagged a ring off of the body of some woman that was a proud anti-mutant activist, watching as it glittered in the light. She would like this. It matched her style.

“Remy!” Her cheerful tone broke him from his thoughts. Pushing off of the wall that he had been resting on, the man caught her with sturdy arms that picked her up and spun her around. Gambit was rewarded with her smile and laughter before he set her down.

“My, my, my, chere. You look even more beautiful each and every day. Da Gambit don’ know how he got so lucky,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her awaiting lips. Cherry flavoring transferred to his lips as they parted, that he happily licked off of his lips.

“You’re partial, Remy. Now, where are we going tonight? You promised good food and dancing.” The couple took off down the road towards Bourbon Street. It was a cheesy place to go, but they still had some of the best nightlife anywhere in the world.

“You jus’ gon’ have t’ wait ‘n see, petite.” His finger booped her nose before slinging that arm around her waist as they walked.

The small talk they made along the way was passing the time, but making it very difficult for Remy to focus on getting them to their destination. All he wanted to do was to take her to the nearest alleyway and kiss her senseless. But he did promise a fun night. His appetite could wait for a little while.

Although, when they finally got to the lounge, his mood drastically shifted. A man that he had his eyes on was with a lady near the entrance. This lady, girl really, looked too young to be there in that part of town at that time of night. She held her face and spine straight, but there was an inklings of fear hidden underneath her mask. Just when he wanted to enjoy his night out with his lady, of course, something had to come along and ruin it.

Gambit kept his eyes sharp the entire time they were inside. When he got their drinks, his hand rested on her lower back, but his gaze followed the man he had already deemed his next target. If she noticed, she did not call attention to it. Frankly, Remy did not whether or not this made him upset. Did she just not care enough to notice his distant nature? Or is she just being kind and hoping he pulls himself out of the funk he had found himself in?

Either way, Remy still found himself taking his moment of solitude to slip away. He would be back in time so that she did not think he had ditched her. But he needed to get this man off of the streets while he could. So while his date was in the bathroom, Gambit made his way to the exit door nearby to step back out into the shadows he played so well with. However, what he saw out there was not what he had expected.

His lady was pressed against a wall with that anti-mutant piece of-

Did that body just fall?

Now, Remy was confused far more than he was angry about seeing her in a passionate lip lock with the man. As he looked towards the fallen sack of bones, his feet carried him closer to the scene. She squeaked when footsteps tore her from her stupor.

“Remy,” came a breathy plea. What she was pleading for, no one quite knew exactly. “Please, it’s not what it looks like. I promise.”

But he said nothing. Once he was over the body, he saw the protruding veins of his former target extending from his lips. Bloodshot eyes and a sickly pallor overcame him in his still, eternal rest.

“Chere, you are somethin’ else.” Gambit stood once more, and locked upon the woman who was terrified as to what was going to happen now. “Oh, how I have longed for someone like you all my life.”

It was her turn to be confused. A cute tilt to her head enhanced the doe eyed gaze on her face. Her lips, no longer coated in that cherry lipgloss that he loved, were being worked between her teeth anxiously. She was so dumbfounded by his reaction to her actions, that she only could muster a quiet, “huh?”

“Mon petite, you have just made me a very happy man.” His hands rested on her hips once Remy had stepped over the body. When he tried to kiss her though, she gently pushed him away as she turned her head.

“I have to clean my lips before you can kiss me.”

“Well, dat is definitely somethin’ da Gambit can help with,” he said with a smirk.

“No, no. Not because of that. The tropane alkaloids I produce will kill you if I kiss you. Please, just… trust me.” Her explanation caused Remy to pause long enough that she could at least wipe her lips with a napkin from her pocket. The couple stood there once more, this time, in silence. But she was still looking towards the entrance of the alleyway, almost like she was wanting to escape the situation.

“Will you tell me somethin’, chere,” her eyes peered into his from beneath her lashes, “why’d ya kill him?”

There was a full couple of minutes before she decided to speak. And when she did, it was a nearly unintelligible whisper.

“I was afraid to go to school when I was young because of people like him. Never knew which normal person was going to be okay with me, or who was going to make my life a living hell. Besides, that girl he had was just fifteen. She’s on her way back home in a cop car right now.”

“I really wanna kiss ya right now, mon amour.” His smile was so broad, she feared it was going to break him in half.

“You and I are far more alike than we think,” and his hand pulled a card from his pocket. Sending it up into the sky, the magenta charged playing card exploded into a beautiful display of lights and paper. Her startled squeal escaped into the air as Gambit held her close. Turning back, the mutant saw his lover’s eyes sparkle in the dim light.

“You’re like me.” Her words were full of admiration.

“Yeah. Ya know, I was gonna wait t’ give ya this. But Imma just give it to ya now.”

Remy fumbled just a bit as he tried to retrieve his present from his pocket. A small drawstring bag now rested in his hands. He opened it and fished out the small gold-banded ring that was kept safe from the bag.

“Oh, Gambit! That is so gorgeous.” She gushed as she held out her hand in acceptance of this ring. Neither did she ask him, nor did she even think about where he had gotten it. It did not matter. It was now hers.

“A beautiful jewel, for my most precious bijou.” Without getting anywhere near her lips, Remy’s hands cupped her face and pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead.

“Now, would ya like to finish our night here, or continue on t’ somethin’ else t’ do together?” The man teased, trailing a finger just over the surface of her lips without getting any poison on himself. She looked down at the dead body below, looked up at her fellow mutant boyfriend, and smirked just like him.

“I’m gonna go clean my lips and then we’ll see how much fun we can get into tonight, Gambit.”

The way that she said his name, while trailing her hand down his body to his belt, and back up his chest, before leaving to go back inside; it drove Remy LeBeau absolutely insane. Following after her, he realized just how involved he was with her now. She was going to be his partner in crime. His ride or die. They would go out together, and no one was going to take her from him.

[stealingyourbones]

Question! I have been getting into DC comics cuz of dpxdc, and I saw your tags on frank Miller on a recent post. One of my irl friends told me to read the dark knight returns and while it was occasionally hard to follow I assumed that was a result of when it was written rather than who wrote it? But I did overall enjoy it.

I guess what I'm asking is why you say frank Miller is a bad writer when it seems like the dark knight returns was so acclaimed?

(I saw the nazi thing too but that's something I can google so while it's news to me it's not my main question)

ok so. A lot of this is my personal opinion and I'm not too equipped to say shit about this because I'm not very political but I'm going to give it my best shot. Put under a cut so folks who don't want to hear about comic ranting can simply scroll past

I’m just gonna write a quick thing for the Nazi stuff, He isn't exactly a Nazi but boy oh boY does he set off many warning flags. Frank Miller is also the writer of the comic 300, if that sounds familiar that's because the movie you're probably thinking of is indeed based off these comics. The Spartan's ideology helped create the baselines of Fascism. Fascism is a pretty leading cause of commentary in Frank Millers work. In Batman: The Dark Knight he is a fascist. In Hard Boiled there's swastikas in the background every so often. (I even went back to reread it just to make sure and yep. they definitely were there) In 300 there's a shitton of Fascism... I could go on but still. His comics are incredibly gorey, have a discussion about a world gone wrong that can only be changed using force and weaponry (the whole Dark Knight "I am a surgeon" monologue for example), and the fact that he has Fascism as the main point of nearly all of the comics he's written... it doesn't sit right with me and it's a consistent pattern.

Now, onto the bad writing. I must firstly preface that these are my own opinions and that I didn't grow up reading Frank Miller's work. I think he was a good writer but isn't one anymore. His writing did incredible things for DC and you can see his influence in Batman even today. Works I've read and enjoyed of his are: Daredevil, Batman Year One, and Dark Knight. Nowadays you'll see many folks like myself talk about how Frank Miller has fallen off the deep end. A vast majority of Frank Miller's comics have reoccurring themes: politics, fascism, extreme violence, and so so much weaponry. Politics is in every comic book. There is no unpolitical comic, there ARE comics that are batshit wild with their politics and that's what I'm talking about. I'll get back to this later. He wrote many good comics, ones that first come to mind are Daredevil , Wolverine, Batman: Dark Knight, Batman: Year One, Sin City, Ronin, and 300. All of these comics are still credited by folks as amazing comics and hell, I recommend folks to read them go and check them out. Then 9/11 happened. That along with rampant alcoholism. Those reoccurring themes I mentioned? They become exponentially more blatant in his works. Especially on the political angle. You can see the difference between his works from pre and post 9/11. If you read Dark Knight and Dark Knight 2 back to back. It's night and day. He even made a comic during the post 9/11 panic called Holy Terror. The comic's title was originally pitched as Holy Terror, Batman! with the Gotham hero himself as the main character but it swiftly denied by DC, denied being published by DC, and changed to what it is now. The basic plot of this comic: A Vigilante named The Fixer fights Al-Qaeda after attacking Empire City. He doesn't even mention the word Al-Qaeda until 80 pages into a 150 page comic. The comic is some INCREDIBLY blatant post 9/11 propaganda that's ridiculously Islamophobic and anti-muslim. That isn't even my opinion, Frank Miller has said that's what this comic was. It is scattered with a ridiculous amount of hate speech written by a hate fueled man in 2007. Now onto comics that you'd more likely read. All Star Batman and Robin (2005). Oh boy. Let's compare shall we? Batman Dark Knight Returns (1986)

All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder #1 (2005)

mind you this is as Dick is being driven to GCPD for questioning RIGHT AFTER HIS PARENTS DIED. He gets kidnapped by Bruce out of the police car. Not calmed in his arms after the murder and brought to the manor. Kidnapped. All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder #2 (2005)

( a brief intermission of this sickass pose of a shirtless Alfred Pennyworth comforting Vicky Vale)

now back to the kidnapping:

[Skipping Bruce getting chased by the GCPD, Jumping the Batmobile ONTOP of a GCPD car, and laughing and talking to his car all the while Dick is absolutely terrified. They then use boosters that propel the Batmobile into the sky.]

Smashcut to #4 where they actually enter the Batcave.

I don't even think I need to explain myself. This is Spider-Man: One More Day levels of mischaracterization. Like seriously. Bruce kidnapping Dick after his parents were killed? Calling him a retard and hitting him during the aftermath (we can go on about how in 2005, the r slur was used commonly but this was just out of pocket), Leaving him in the cold batcave and told to eat rats? Frank Miller used to write some incredible works. Nowadays his writing is as decent as Rob Liefeld's art.

[aredeemantagonist]

"HEY! PUT ON A HAPPY FACE! THEN EVERYTHING'S OKAY!"

Hiya!! I'm… well I go by a lot of names!!

Most commonly used ones are: - Antagonist/Antag (Mostly used online/amongst my general mutuals + followers!!) - Kris - N - Jack - Michael - Atsushi - Vic - Xavier - Any of my kin names!!

I also go by Mercutio and nicknames derived from that, but please ask me before using that name for me, since I'd prefer if only people who are close to me call me Mercutio or Tio

My pronouns are it/void/gut/gore/rot/pop/he!! No They/Them or She/Her pretty please!!

I am taken x3!!! My Queerplatonic partner (and my everything) is @the-fallen-collective ( #meri jaan <3 on this blog!!) My partner is @theonlyrealdazaiosamusblog ( #my dear <3 on this blog!!)

My interests: - BSD - FNAF + Afton Family Lore - Creepypasta - Laceygames - The Amazing Digital Circus - My OCs + Lore - Bendy and The Dark Revival + Bendy and The Ink Machine - The Disasterous Life of Saiki K - Assassination Classroom - Art - Writing - Classic Literature - Palaye Royale - Green Day - My Chemical Romance - Psychology - OC Angst (/jk… or am I?)

18+ users can interact and DM as long as you aren’t icky and comfy with the fact that i am a minor :3

DNIs: - Bad people in general - General DNIs (homophobes, transphobes, misogyonists, etc etc) - Radqueers - Pro-contact - Zoophiles, Pedophiles, etc etc - [Pro] Endogenic systems - Anti-recovery blogs (for EDs, S/H, anything) - NSFW + smut blogs - MDNI blogs - Anti-alterhumanity

MY FRENDOS!!!!!! (tell me if you weren't cool with being @/ed ^^) @star-seeking-stray - big sister, who is INSANE /pos

@lemon-reef - baby sibling, pat pat pat pat pat pat

@valentinos-corner - baby sibling, all the hugs and squishes

@evvwenthome - baby sibling, picking you up and putting you in a bag

@offsetthedeath - parental figure

@icreatethingz - MY SON. BE NICE TO HIM OR ELSE.

@aesthetic-writer18 - HIHI LITERALLY ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS HIII

@paintedgrilledcheese - i ramble to them so… so much… frendo!!

@casinoownersigma - KIJI MY BIG BROTHER GRRR /pos

@trashlike - friend!! i am the evil feral gremlin child on faer shoulder telling them to make more blogs

@deeply-moonstruck - frendo!!! we yap about lore a lot

@arsonist-lullabye - this one is not normal about ango

@duckduckgoose-exe - goose

@smallpieceofcheese - unhinged mentor /pos

@sayuutoria - (ex?) wife. we keep getting married and divorced and married again

@agoodbookisalwaysgood - my bestie fr fr, matching pfps!!!!

@nottherealapollo - MY BIG BROTHER!!!!

(if you arent here do msg me and i'll add you!!! i have very bad memory so i forget a lot of things ;-;)

I fall under a bunch of alterhuman identies, my alterhumanity blog is @thetaintedandtheforgotten

MICHAEL AFTON FICTIONKIN, THIS IS MY HIGHEST ID, I AM NOT OKAY WITH DOUBLES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

common tags used on this blog:

#antagonist reblogs - i reblog random shit!! won’t always remember to tag though T^T

#antagonist rambles - my incessant yapping!!

#antagonist shitposts - i shitpost

#antagonist stims - self explanatory lmao

#antagonist doodles - my drawings!!

#antagonist wrote something - my fics!!

#antagonist yaps with friends - my chats with my friends!!

#antagonist yaps with anons - anon chats!!

#antagonist used a braincell - my thoughts. could be anything from shitposts to philosophy to maths!!

#antagonist vents - my vents, always check and block the tags pls!!

#antagonist is tired. - i am so so tired.

#antagonist laceyposts - what it says on the tin. i laceypost!

#antagonist is william afton - william afton posting

#man i love michael afton - michael afton posting

#antagonist raises the sun - i say good morning!

#antagonist travels to eep land - i say good night!

My sideblog for roleplaying can be found at: @antag--roleplays ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ vent acc is @antag-after-dark, do not follow this blog. interact/view at your own risk since i do not tag ANYTHING on this blog. i'd prefer if people didn't like or reblog posts on that account either. just reply if you want to comfort me or give me advice, otherwise do not interact

[girlactionfigure]

🟧 AFTER YOM KIPPUR - Updates from Israel  

THANKS - special thanks to our valiant soldiers who spent their Yom Kippur keeping us safe instead of with their families or in synagogue.  Our prayers are in their merit.

⭕SUICIDE DRONES from HEZBOLLAH hit HERTZILYA on Yom Kippur night, hitting a NURSING HOME.  1 intercepted, 1 got through.  1 injury.

⭕HEAVY ROCKET BARRAGES across the north, hitting Haifa, Acco, Karmiel, Safed, Rosh Pina, and towns throughout the north over Yom Kippur.  3 people were slightly injured by a rocket falling in the Western Galilee and 12 were slightly injured on the way to a protected area.

⭕ROCKETS FROM GAZA on Yom Kippur, to southern Ashkelon.  No casualties, and the IDF continues a policy of forced evac of source areas of fire.

▪️YOM KIPPUR - medics treated 286 fainted, dehydrated or felt ill due to the fast, and took 146 women in labor to the hospitals, one who gave birth in the ambulance.

▪️A HERO SOLDIER HAS FALLEN.. in battle in Gaza before Yom Kippur.. Ittai Fogel, 22, from Yakir.  May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, and may G-d avenge his blood!

❗️On Yom Kippur the IDF had 1 serious injury in battle in Gaza, no others casualties.

♦️IDF airstrikes on 280 targets throughout the holiday, in Lebanon and Gaza.

♦️IDF forces eliminated 50 terrorists in face-to-face encounters and directed air force strikes, and destroyed more than 200 Hezbollah terrorist targets from the air and with artillery.

♦️IDF created a small border buffer into SYRIA, in the Alonei Habashan - Kwdana area.

🔹The Christian sectors in Lebanon are in talks to form a political alliance against the Hezbollah.

🔹Yemeni defense minister says an operation against the Houthi Rebels is "imminent”.

🔹Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi calls for Chapter VII of the UN Charter to be invoked to “force Israel to comply with international law and immediately end all its illegal wars” in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.  This framework allows the UN Security Council to impose sanctions or in extreme cases even military force to guard against threats to peace.

▪️Nicaragua announced the severance of relations with Israel "due to the attacks on the Palestinian lands".

▪️Speaker of the Iranian parliament arrived in Beirut and toured the area, leaving later in the day to Turkey.  This is the 2nd Iranian commercial-diplomatic flight to break the Israeli air ban.

Part 2

⚠️ CHANGES IN DEFENSIVE GUIDELINES, MILITARY ZONES DECLARED IN NORTHERN ISRAEL

⚠️ Following a situational assessment, starting today at 20:00, changes will be made to the Home Front Command’s defensive guidelines. In southern and northern Golan, except for certain communities in the Emek HaYarden Regional Council, the activity scale will move from Limited Activity to Partial Activity, allowing educational activities subject to Northern Command's guidelines. In Daliyat al-Karmel and Isfiya in the Carmel area, the activity scale will shift from Partial Activity to Full Activity, with restrictions on gatherings of over 2,000 people. The rest of the country's guidelines remain unchanged. It is crucial to follow official Home Front Command channels and check updates on the National Emergency Portal and Home Front Command app.

🟥 As of 20:00 today, Zar'it, Shomera, Shtula, Netu'a, and Even Menachem in northern Israel will be declared a closed military zone. Entry to this area will be prohibited for security reasons.

🔷 For the first time in the Middle East war, the US intends to deploy its THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) anti-ballistic air defense system in Israel to prepare for a potential Iranian attack. This system is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles, providing a high level of protection.

◾The US has also announced new sanctions on Iran's oil sector in response to Tehran’s missile attack on Israel.

[traintrainingmontage]

Let There be Light

This is my piece for Sodor Lightshow this year! I decided to focus it on Hannukah, as I am Jewish myself (but please note that I am VERY much anti-IOF/Israeli settlers/the Israeli government) and wanted to lean into the theme of light in dark places. Please enjoy.

Summary: On Christmas Day of 1946, Skarloey is left behind as Rheneas works. However, he soon discovers that a miracle has, perhaps, still found him.

Characters: Skarloey, OC, the Thin Controller, Mr. Ivo Hugh, Rheneas

Rating: T

Word Count: ~2,800 words

(Also on Ao3!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas Day of 1946 saw the snow raining down in fat, heavy flakes, a far cry from the delicate snowfalls often depicted in the films and advertisements. It blanketed the rails in pristine, paper-white coverlets, soft yet deceptive in its pristine purity. Evening had fallen, the bleak blackness of the Sudrian winter all-encompassing, void-like in its reach. Not even the stars were out tonight, it seemed, the clouds too thick and quilt-like for such a delicate glow to pierce through. 

Despite the pervasive dim, however, there was still a certain brightness to be found, all across Sodor. As far as the eye could see, streetlights and lamps lit up the night, pushing back the darkness like a river of light, winding its way through Crovan’s Gate like an ephemeral twin to the Hawin Dooiey as, unimpeded by the winter weather, it continued its rush toward the sea. This picture postcard of a landscape was truly a sight to behold, especially as families dressed in their festive best made their way to church for the evening prayers, braving the snows to embrace the warmth of the soul’s salvation. It was a return to normalcy after many a difficult year, and the entirety of Crovan’s Gate—as well as the Skarloey Valley as a whole—was determined to do so.

For the Skarloey Railway’s No. 1 engine, however, a return to normalcy this was not.

���I’m sorry, Skarloey, but Rheneas will be solely responsible for pulling the Christmas train this year.” 

For a long moment, Skarloey thought that he’d misheard. He stared for several seconds at the Thin Controller, who was dressed in his best suit (an elegant navy blue) and overcoat, trying desperately to stand away from the blowing steam in his best attempt at preserving their color. Perhaps the longer Skarloey looked, the greater the possibility that the shrill creaking noise brought on by his hyperventilating might magically stop.

“Wha—what do you mean, sir?” Skarloey finally replied, trying desperately and failing miserably to keep his voice from warbling.

“I mean what I said, old boy. Ivo’s looked you over, and said that you should only be run in emergencies,” Mr. Peter Sam sighed, sharing a glance with Mr. Ivo Hugh, who was already standing at Rheneas’ footplate. The engineer looked on gravely, sorrow clouding his eyes even as his lips pressed shut in a firm, stern line. “The Christmas train is important, yes, but we can’t risk you damaging yourself in this snow.”

“But… I… Rheneas, please! Tell them that—”

But the protests died in Skarloey’s tubes at the sight of his brother, who was giving him the same sad expression as their engineer. “I’m sorry too, Skarloey, but our Controller is right. You’re already in dire condition; what if something happens to you? And if it did, what would we do about the passengers?”

“...”

Skarloey truly, deeply wished that he could come up with a retort, a rebuttal, or even a reply, but he had nothing. The resulting silence spoke for itself. 

“...Alright. I understand,” Skarloey managed at last, forcing himself to calm. “It’s for the best, really. With all this snow, it would just be an uphill climb, even downhill. Heh. I’ll just… wait here.”

“Thank you, Skarloey,” Mr. Peter Sam smiled gently, delivering a light pat to his bufferbeam. “Now, if you’re ready, Rheneas, we’d best be off. Let’s go!”

“...Right, sir,” the No. 2 engine replied somberly as Mr. Hugh eased off the brake and he began to inch forward, headlamp shining as he pushed his way forward into the storm. “I’ll be back soon, Skarloey! I promise,” Rheneas called, and his brother forced his lips to lift into a wan smile. 

“Please give everyone my best regards!” 

“I will!” With that last shout, Rheneas, bearing the last of the shed’s light with him, was soon out of sight, heading off to gather the coaches. The Thin Controller watched him go, then gave Skarloey one last pat. 

“You’re a good sport. Wait here, and we’ll be back soon. Merry Christmas.” Without another word, he quickly headed off, bustling toward the platform.

In his haste, he didn’t even hear Skarloey’s mechanical refrain.

~~~

Now alone in the shed, Skarloey had nothing to do but wait. More and more lights appeared, illusory stars dancing on the water until the ripples hurried them along. The warm golden lamplight, however, didn’t quite reach the shed, and so, the once-golden engine of the line had only the company of the long shadows carpeting the wooden walls. Outside, the storm had picked up in its intensity, howling in its triumph. Slowly, Skarloey allowed his eyelids to flutter shut, trying to push the tide of unrest at bay and perhaps indulge in a nap. 

Crunch crunch crunch. The sound of footsteps in the snow caused Skarloey’s eyes to snap open, darting all around as he struggled to pinpoint the source of the noise. Who in the world would be visiting now, at this time of night? Especially on Christmas, no less!

For a moment, his mind conjured the image of a burglar, coming to take advantage of the fact that the entire valley and a great majority of the town would be holed up in church. What could he do? He hadn’t the steam to whistle, and without his fire burning and air rushing through his tubes, his voice wouldn’t carry. His brake was securely set, meaning he had no hopes of moving anywhere either. Did he really have no recourse beyond bluffing his way through?

Steeling himself, Skarloey attempted to put on a brave face in the hopes that he might intimidate whoever was coming, but the sudden brightness of a lantern in his face caused him to flinch instead.

“Gah!” he winced, eyes reflexively closing in response, but at the thought of a possible burglary, forced them open once more, and tried to adopt the sort of voice that the Owner used when speaking with insolent Sodor Island Council members. “I don’t know who you are, but you are trespassing—”

“Easy! Easy, Skarloey! It’s me!”

The sharp lamplight finally freed Skarloey of its piercing glint as the visitor (likely no longer a vandal, in Skarloey’s estimation) set the lamp on the floor of the shed. As his vision cleared, the engine was left meeting the eyes of Jakob, one of the cleaners. Jakob was still in his work uniform and overcoat, despite the late hour, and his thick, bushy beard was rather unkempt, proof of a hard day’s work polishing both the engines and the coaches until they gleamed. “Oh, Jakob! I’m so sorry; I thought you were a burglar!”

The cleaner laughed, the sound light as it seemed to carry through the entire shed. “No harm done! I was planning on heading home a while ago, but this storm isn’t one I’d like to travel in.”

“Head home?” Skarloey questioned, eyes wide. “I’m shocked that you’re not at church already!”

“Ah, well,” Jakob chuckled, although this time, his laughter was slightly less bright. “I, uh, don’t actually celebrate Christmas. I was supposed to finish my work and be home by sundown, but given the weather, that wasn’t happening. I’ve already phoned my family, and I figured that while I wait for the storm to die down, I’ll just… wait here with you, if that’s alright.”

“Oh, yes! Of course!” Skarloey blurted out, looking around frantically for a chair or some other equivalent, until his eyes settled on a sturdy crate sitting in a corner of the shed. “Erm, there’s a crate over there that you can use. Please, you’re more than welcome to stay! For however long you’d like.”

The cleaner paused, then gave a quiet, grateful smile. He bent over, picked up his lantern, and hung it up on a hook halfway up one of the support beams, better illuminating the sheds before pulling over the crate to sit beside the old engine. “Well, thank you, Skarloey. Better to have company on a night like tonight than none at all, right?”

If Skarloey could nod, he would have. Instead, he did his best to channel the less-than-physical warmth sparking in his firebox into his smile. “I couldn’t agree more.” 

After a moment of comfortable silence, though, curiosity got the better of him. 

“So, Jakob, I will apologize in advance if this ends up being an awkward subject, but…” Skarloey took a quick breath, trying to think of how to word his thoughts. Beside him, the 40-something looked on, a slight tilt to his head as his eyes widened, waiting for the engine to continue. “If you don’t celebrate Christmas, then… do you celebrate anything at all? I mean, the Owner always talks about how the whole valley’s ‘Methodist,’ which I think is the same as ‘Christian,’ and I’ve also been told that ‘all good Christians go to church on Christmas.’ But you’re not going to church, so… I mean…” 

Skarloey decided that he really should have stopped talking a thought or two ago, so he let the words die off there. Jakob, however, didn’t look particularly offended, although he wasn’t quite in good humor, either; rather, his expression was one akin to thinking through how to explain something that people generally considered to be common knowledge. It was a face that Skarloey in particular was quite familiar with.

“Well, erm… I’m not a Methodist, or a Christian, for that matter. I’m Jewish, so my family and I celebrate Hannukah. Are you familiar with that at all?”

“Jewish… Jewish…” Skarloey chewed on the word a moment, trying to place it. He’d heard it recently, he was sure, but where? Suddenly, it dawned on him, and his eyes widened in grim horror as he stared at the cleaner, who was meeting his gaze with a guarded, yet resigned expression. “Oh, Jakob! The war! You… oh… I’m… so, so sorry. I—” 

“Hush! None of that now,” Jakob retorted sternly, cutting Skarloey off before he could say another word. The silence that followed was no longer companionable, but fragile, glassy. The lamplight loomed, the shadows lengthening.

Still, Jakob forced himself on. “It’s true that I lost family during the war. My parents came here when I was very young, and we left much of our family behind. But I still live. My daughters still live. We are here. And on this night, we are celebrating that fact the way my ancestors did during their war, by rebuilding and living and proving that life, and light, continue, even in the darkest of places.”

Skarloey wasn’t familiar with which historic war Jakob was speaking of, but he could hear the emotion thick in his voice, tears clogging his throat. The engine couldn’t possibly begin to relate to Jakob’s particular situation, but the desire to live, to celebrate living, all while mourning those who had passed—appreciating that he was still here, and still had family, amidst tragedy—that much he could empathize with. It made his own loneliness feel somewhat less overwhelming. “...I’m glad you’re here, Jakob,” the old engine murmured softly, and the cleaner, his shoulders shaking, gave Skarloey a wide smile as the lamplight glinted off the rivulets running down his cheeks. 

“Me too, Skarloey,” Jakob managed, reaching out a hand to pat Skarloey’s bufferbeam while wiping his face with the other. “Working on this railway is one of the best things to have ever happened to me.”

Once again, a breath of silence fell, not quite as easy as the first or fragile as the second, and Skarloey took the opportunity to change the subject, perhaps toward something a little happier. “Jakob, you mentioned that you celebrate something called Hannukah earlier. I don’t know much about it, but why don’t we… I don’t know, do something? To celebrate?” The engine’s eyes lifted to where the storm was still roaring away outside, seemingly unlikely to lift anytime soon.

With his tears finally stalling, the cleaner blinked the last of them away, his brow furrowing in thought. “That’s not a bad idea, but I’m not sure how.” Suddenly, Jakob gave a quick gasp and leapt to his feet, looking eagerly at Skarloey. “How about this? Let’s light some lights, hmmm?”

“Lights?” Skarloey echoed, a questioning lilt to his voice. “Whatever for?”

“Hannukah is also called the Festival of Lights,” Jakob answered, walking away from the crate and starting to search the shelves. “We’ll need nine of them for this, as tonight is, in fact, the last night of Hannukah!”

“Oh!” Skarloey exclaimed, his interest piqued as he watched Jakob bustle around.

With a triumphant grin, the cleaner finally found what he was looking for. The shed was well-stocked, and as part of its provisions, spare lanterns and a box of candles all stood ready, as if waiting for this very moment. “A-ha! Here they are! Although…” Jakob’s lips pinched together in frustration as he counted up the lanterns. “There’s only six of them here! And worse, we don’t even have a table to put these on!”

The cleaner’s disappointment was clear, and Skarloey felt a pang of anxiousness shoot through him. No! They were so close! The engine cast his gaze down, trying to think, when suddenly, the obvious solution presented itself. 

“Jakob!” Skarloey cried. “We can arrange them on my bufferbeam!”

Jakob’s head whipped around to stare askance at the engine, who was staring back at him with fiery determination. “Look! We can attach my headlamps alongside the ones you’ve found. That makes eight. And there’s also the one you brought in! That’s nine!” 

At the realization, Jakob’s eyes seemed to sparkle. “That’s brilliant! But… what if they topple over?”

“I couldn’t move a meter, even if I wanted to!” Skarloey replied, his voice brighter than it had been all day, his tongue almost tripping over his words in his excitement. “A-and, there’s no wind here! So long as you’re mindful of your elbows, I think we’ll be quite alright!”

Once again, Jakob’s lips lifted up into a blinding smile. “Well thought! Give me just a moment!” Quickly, the lamps were arranged on Skarloey’s bufferbeam, spaced as well as they could so that they’d all fit. Once that was done, Jakob took the lantern he’d initially brought off of its hook, bringing it over to the others as Skarloey watched on, absolutely entranced and, fortunately, quite unable to shiver with the anticipation he so keenly felt.

“I’ve never had the honor of seeing such a large menorah before. That’s what we call the candle holder that we use for Hannukah. But then again, I’ve never done anything like this before, so this is quite the honor either way!” A slight tremor had made its way into Jakob’s voice, nervousness warring with eagerness, but he forced himself to breathe. This too could not be rushed.

With all the solemnity of performing a rite, Jakob opened his lantern and pulled out the candle within. “This is our shammash,” the cleaner explained reverently. “It’s known as the attendant, and I’ll be using this to light the others, from the lantern representing the first day to the one representing the last.” His explanation concluded, Jakob then began to light the lanterns, from right to left. With each one lit, another flame sparking to life, the darkness fled a little farther until the entire shed was awash in light, brilliant and beautiful, just short of blinding.

Once he’d finished, Jakob returned the initial candle to its lantern, and set it in the middle of the beam, right in front of Skarloey’s face. Slowly, Jakob brought his hands to his own face, covering his eyes, and Skarloey closed his as well. 

“Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner Hanukkah.”

Skarloey didn’t know what the words meant, but he could hear the reverence, the gratitude, the sheer joy in Jakob’s voice. Skarloey knew that joy; it was the same joy that he could hear on church days when the parishioners sang loud enough that, as the pastor claimed, their very voices could reach Heaven. “My goodness,” Skarloey breathed. “What was that?”

“It’s a prayer of thanks,” Jakob replied simply. “A prayer of thanks for the miracle that is these lights.”

“Thanks for a miracle…” Skarloey mused, thinking that it was fitting indeed, given the events of tonight. “Is ‘amen’ used by Jewish people as well?”

“It is.” 

“Then… amen,” Skarloey replied, his voice delicate and reverent. Jakob simply smiled in response, both engine’s and cleaner’s expressions bright. 

The shadows would be back soon enough, of course; but by this small miracle, at least for tonight, their hearts were light, another flame on the river.

[mikobeautifulheart]

4 Depression - Nanami

TW: Mentions of death, depression, suicide, starvation, attempted suicide and over dose. ('lill bitta angst)

Nanami sat silently in the empty train cart, head hung low and hands clasped tightly together. Today was another tough overtime mission. He wanted nothing more then to go home and see you, just hold you for hours on end.

The only thing left on his mind was how distant you had become. Last night you had fallen asleep, nothing in the fridge, nothing on the stove. It was like an empty apartment. He was going to talk to you about it but he had to leave early that morning so he resorted to talking to you that night.

The train stops and he walks out into the empty station. It was strange how everything was deserted. An oddly quiet day.

He continued to walk home exhausted and finaly turned the door knob into your apartment.

He breathed a sigh of relief until he noticed you on the dinning room floor, chest shallowly moving.

He rushes over to your side, propping you up on his knee. He gently pushes you hair out of your face before looking at your eyes with worry.

"Y/n what happened? What did you do?" He said

You slowly and shakily put your arm up, pointing to the empty yellow bottle of anti-depressants on the table.

"I want to wake up Kento, this dream is to lonely now." Your hand dropped to the ground causing a thud.

"Y/n, this isn't isn't dream! You need help." He reaches into his pocket to get his phone and call the emergency number.

"I want to die Ken, save me." You whispered as your eyelids got heavier.

"Hello? Hello? Why is no one picking up!?" He frustratedly throws the phone to the ground as you grasp onto his shirt collar.

"Kento I want to see you again." You finally mumble.

"Then you need to live Y/N I'll drive you to the hospital just hold on-"

"no" You whispered, breath slipping out your lips.

"No don't do this y/n, I need you, you can't leave me."

"I'll see you soon. After all i'm sure you've been waiting for me." You said before gasping at a sudden sharpness in your chest.

"Y/N! WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS?" He said trying to wipe his tears with his shirt sleve.

"Kento you left me. You left me in Shibuya alone. Did you mean it?"

"Y/n what are you talking about, wha-" He looks at his right hand, the skin is red and peeled. Burnt.

He goes to run his hand through his hair, none on the right side. What?

Oh. That's right. The last thing he saw was Yuji, standing there helplessly. He could remember feeling everything at once, not even blinking twice.

"Itadori, tell my wife I'll wait for her and...you got it from here."

Then the sounds of the train going over the rails. It was strange now, he dosen't remember his last mission, how he got on the train, how he left the house this morning.

"Can you- see me right now" he paused and looked down at you.

You weren't responding anymore.

He felt sick to his stomach, what had he done. He buried his face in your neck overwhelmed with...sadness.

"Don't cry anynore Kento, we're finally together again!" You said.

He felt hands gently press on his shoulders urging him to look behind him. But he didn't.

"I-i killed you y/n. Your dead because of me...I'm sorry" He let out a shakey breath.

"Why would you kill yourself because of me? What about every one you leave behind?" He said still holding your corpse.

"You didn't kill me Ken, I was all the time without you. As for everyone else, there's a few letters on the table explaining my death, will and wishes. All I want is to be here with you" you said wrapping your arms around the back of his neck, loke you didn't just kill yourself.

"No."

"No?" You said confused and the sudden change in deminour.

"Yoh don't die here, not yet. Listen to me y/n no matter how lonley you are or how bad you feel you cant do this...not to yourself or anyone." He sighed hugging your body closer to his.

"What are you talking about Ken, whats done is done. I told you at your funeral I'll never love again. My world has ended, this is the happiness I was looking for."

"I love you y/n, now live to the fullest teach those kids something and...don't die yet."

You woke up on the floor again. Tears filling your eyes. God damn it, you were so close.

"I miss you Kento." You slung your arm over your face.

"I miss you to, but until then." He said before walking off on the beach shore sighing in relife.

THANK YOU FOR READING ♡

AUTHOURS NOTE: This is appart of my 5 stages of greife series, part 4 obvi. Only one more part to go (acceptance with Yuji) and then this will all be over. Thanks for reading and have a good whatever time.

(Edit: If you wanted a happier ending you should have read this fic)

[daenyzz]

The Dragon Girls: Breaker of Chains and Flame of Freedom

Summary — Lyria, Daenerys's younger bastard sister, accompanies her sister throughout her journey and anti-slavery campaign on behalf of Essos, while Lyria must find which path she should follow, she only knows one thing, which has nothing to do with the Iron Throne.

Warning — Mourning briefly described.

Word Count — 1.269

In the gloom of the night, under a sky full of stars that seemed more distant than ever, Daenerys Targaryen stood on the edge of a large funeral pyre. The flames danced as if they were alive, illuminating her face marked by pain and loss. Beside her, Lyria, her younger bastard sister, watched silently, feeling the weight of grief that hung in the air. Both were too young to bear such sadness, but life had taught them to face pain with bravery.

Lyria was only fourteen days younger than Daenerys, but she already bore the scars of a dark past. Bastard daughter of Aerys II and a Valyrian-looking Lyseni harlot, the young woman had wavy silver hair and amethyst eyes that reflected an inhuman and at the same time tragic beauty. The death of her half-brother Viserys did not bring much pain, but that of the son he implanted in her womb... had left an indelible mark on her heart, one that will never be erased.

The pyre burned with intense flames as Daenerys murmured parting words to Drogo. Lyria felt a deep connection with her sister; Both had lost a lot, and loneliness united them in an unbreakable bond. “We must be strong,” Lyria said quietly, her voice almost lost in the crackling flames. “They wouldn’t want us to let ourselves get down.”

Daenerys turned to her, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I don’t know if I can be strong, Lyria. The world seems so dark right now.”

“Then let us light a light together,” Lyria replied determinedly. “Let this fire be a symbol of our ongoing struggle.”

From that moment on, the two sisters decided that they would not just survive; they would fight for something greater. Lyria’s influence over Daenerys grew as they traveled across Essos, freeing slaves and confronting tyrants. With each city they conquered, Lyria’s determination grew stronger; she did not want the Iron Throne or the power it represented—she wanted freedom for all the oppressed.

During their journeys, they met many people: men and women who had suffered under the yoke of slavery and oppression. With each tale of pain and suffering, Lyria felt her own inner flame ignite. It was as if there was something inside her crying out for justice.

One night, as they watched the starry sky beneath a shroud of silence in the city of Astapor, Lyria met the High Priestess of R’hllor. The woman was shrouded in mystery and power; her eyes seemed to see beyond the present.

“You are the Flame of Freedom,” the priestess said in a deep, echoing voice. “The stars have fallen, the heavens have roared, and darkness gathers in the hearts of humanity, you are born again amidst fire and ash.”

Lyria froze at the priestess’s words. “Me? A Flame? I don’t understand.”

“The Flame of Freedom lived in the Dawn Age,” the priestess continued. “She freed the oppressed from the oppressors and protected the poor from the rich. You have that same flame within you.”

The words echoed in Lyria’s mind like a distant echo. She glanced at Daenerys, who was lost in her own thoughts about her destiny as Dragon Queen.

“But I am not a queen,” Lyria said finally. “I do not want to be like the Targaryens who came before us.”

“You do not need to be a queen,” the priestess replied. “True leadership comes from the heart and courage.”

The days passed as the sisters continued their anti-slavery campaign across Essos. In Meereen, they faced immense challenges: bloodthirsty pirates, cruel warlords, and even political intrigue among the freedmen who wanted to rule rather than be free.

Lyria became a central figure in the movement for freedom; Her inspiring words echoed among the freed slaves as Daenerys led battles against her oppressors. Amidst the chaos of war and the darkness of human betrayal, the bond between the sisters grew even deeper.

One night in Meereen, after a significant victory against one of the local warlords, Lyria climbed to the roof of the palace with Daenerys to gaze at the stars.

“Have you ever thought about what this all means?” Lyria asked as she looked up at the night sky.

“What do you mean?” Daenerys replied curiously.

“Freeing people is wonderful,” Lyria began, “but I sense there’s something deeper here—something to do with our blood heritage.” She hesitated before continuing, “Do you truly believe we’re different from our ancestors?”

Daenerys frowned as she considered this. “I want to be different. I want to bring justice, to be justice.”

“What if we can do this together?” Lyria suggested excitedly. “If we can use our dragons not just to conquer lands, but to protect those in need?”

The words resonated deeply within Daenerys; she knew there was a greater power in her hands—not just dragons or the Iron Throne—but the ability to change lives.

That night, they decided to name their newborn dragons: the scarlet-black dragon they named Anogar, which means “blood” in High Valyrian, to represent the blood spilled by those they loved; the white dragon adorned with violets they named Valyria, to show the world that Valyrian glory had returned, but not as it had been before, but as an anti-slavery dragon. When Daenerys first released Anogar into the night sky, she felt an instant connection with the dragon; it was as if he understood her mission.

As time passed, Lyria realized that, just as her sister had felt with Anogar, she had a special bond with Valyria—a magical connection that seemed to transcend human understanding. After liberating Slaver’s Bay and Dany had made it back to Meereen from Vaes Dothraki, the dragons were now large enough to be ridden, and so they did. They rode dragons across Essos during the anti-slavery campaign, and she felt freedom pulse through her like never before.

But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses; the challenges grew more intense as they conquered cities and made powerful enemies along the way. One fateful night in Yunkai brought unexpected betrayals; allies turned against them, and even some of the freedmen began to question their intentions.

“Why are we fighting for them?” asked a disillusioned advisor after a failed attack on the city. “They should be fighting for themselves!”

Lyria quickly intervened: “Because that is how we build a better future! We cannot be driven by hatred or revenge! We must show the world who we are!”

Daenerys looked at her younger sister with growing admiration; she now saw the strength within her—an indomitable spirit akin to the fire of dragons themselves.

The final battle against the warlords was drawing near when rumors began to circulate of a new threat: those who sought to overthrow Daenerys and take her dragons for themselves were planning to strike during the next full moon./Amidst the preparations for this epic battle, Lyria had a vivid dream about the meaning of the flames—her connection to Valyria seemed to intensify as she delved deeper into the Targaryen legacy.

On the day of the final battle at Yunkai, as the enemy forces advanced beneath a heavy, ominous sky, Lyria climbed onto Valyria’s back while Daenerys rode Anogar beside her. The roar of dragons echoed across the field as they soared above the enemy ranks.

And so began their epic journey as sisters bound by destiny—fighting for justice through fire and ash—never forgetting who they were or where they wanted to go: not the Iron Throne or absolute power, but true freedom for all whose voices were still silenced by fear.

[psychedelic-ink]

© PSYCHEDELIC-INK. do not copy, modify, or translate my work.

TV SHOWS & MOVIES MASTERLIST

PPCU MASTERLIST.

🔮 personal favorite || ☔️ smut || 🤧 angst || 🧁 fluff || 🩸 dark content

Live Wire Under My Skin 🤧

Joel comes back home wounded, and as you clean him up the two of you have a little chat.

Can't Get Enough Of Your Lies 🤧

you accidentally hear Joel grieving, and you do everything you can to comfort him.

I'm Yours to Tame 🤧☔️

Not being able to sleep, you sneak in next to Joel on the bed. You're stirred awake with a still-sleeping Joel grinding his hips into you.

Fire Burning ☔️

joel wants you to sit on his face, you have hesitations.

Burn For Me ☔️🩸

joel looks after you, provides for you, fucks you until the sun comes up; his only ask is that you never leave his apartment, not willing to face another loss. One day when you find the door unlocked, you decide to take stroll, promising yourself that you’ll be back before he returns home.

Love Will Abide ☔️

a retelling of the third episode but with you in it. Starts with Ellie reading Bill's letter.

Well, are you mine? ☔️

joel fucks you in an empty alleyway. that's it, that's the plot

Perfectly Wrong ☔️

Joel thinks you have the car battery that he so desperately needs and doesn’t believe you when you say that you don’t.

Ends Of The Earth ☔️🧁

joel brings you a care pack Maria gave him and you find a razor inside but when you confess your insecurities around the topic, Joel offers to help you out.

So My Darlin' ☔️🧁

you convince joel to have a bubble bath with you.

When You're Reading Me (pre outbreak!joel miller) ☔️🧁

If you had to make a list of things Joel Miller might buy you as a gift— nipple clamps, would not be a part of it. 

Reckless ☔️🤧

It starts with soft touches hidden by the dark. In a world where finding one bed is considered lucky, it means that you and Joel frequently share one. He offers to sleep on the floor, or a tattered couch every time and every time your answer is the same. No. 

aquatic rehabilitation ☔️🧁

Joel has been experiencing knee pain for the past two months. When he finally sees an orthopedist, he learns that he has some minor damage to his meniscus. The doctor prescribes him anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy, recommending swimming. At the pool, he meets you.

Spitfire ☔️🤧

joel x tess

To put it simply, Tess did not want to exist but did so anyway. She stared blankly at everyone and everything. Her mind and heart urged her to make the smart choices. She was quick to eliminate the possibilities that might cause her death. She assessed the weak links of the group. Stayed clear away from them. 

Smart choices. She blamed that part of herself for wanting to approach the Millers.

Or alternatively, the story of how Joel and Tess met and how they came to be.

Rises the Moon ☔️🧁

As the man responsible for operating the lighthouse, Joel lives a solitary life on the isolated coast. He has no complaints, enjoying the hauntingly beautiful songs that echo from the sea at night. One stormy night, he rescues a mysterious mermaid tangled in a fishing net. As you recover in the lighthouse, the two form an unlikely bond and find comfort in each other's company.

Cry Baby ☔️🩸

slasher au (still takes place in the tlou'verse) + sex in the woods or somewhere public (added bonus if it includes knife, blood, hunter x prey kink)

bodies have been dropping left and right in the most brutal ways in jackson. as the relentless wave of deaths continues, your mind becomes increasingly restless. however, you find a sense of comfort and solace in the presence of joel. who might be hiding secrets of his own.

On Your Mark ☔️

cyberpunk au + fallen angel au + “i will keep hurting. i will keep killing. anything to protect you.”

you and tess go in to dismantle a cult, neither of you were expecting to find a rugged fallen angel being experimented on.

Distracted ☔️

woodshop teacher!joel miller x f!reader

there are many advantages to enrolling in a woodshop class: drawing you away from not-so-happy thoughts, relearning something that you enjoyed doing when you were a kid, and, well, the sight of watching mr. miller do something he’s undeniably good at.

Hoofbeats (feat jack daniels) ☔️

joel challenges jack to make you into the finest there possibly is in two days.

Biting Down ☔️

body piercer!joel miller x f!reader

you finally go and get your nipples pierced.

That Pretty Girlfriend ☔️

When your boyfriend is desperate to win back what he lost, he bets on you this time without your knowledge. And everyone knows you don't go back on your word when it comes to Joel Miller.

'my girl now ☔️

joel is used to asshole clients, and when one of them calls him an old man and basically demands him to finish his girlfriend's kitchen in time, he expects you to be the same. But you're the opposite. when he learns how you've been treated, he comes up with a plan to get back at your boyfriend.

Can You See His Silhouette? 🧁

 you get your period and without anything to help you with it, you’re mortified. Luckily Joel is there to help.

From My Skin to Yours ☔️🤧

joel survives and finds life deep inside of you.

Burning Pile 🤧 hero/villain au + one takes care of the other’s injuries

the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Wildflower ☔️

after seeing a delivery of supposedly aphrodisiac petals, you give them a try, convinced that they wouldn't work. Joel finds you in a not-so-professional position.

Sleepy Hollow ☔️🧁

a typical morning in jackson.

Light Petplay thoughts w/ joel miller ☔️

Exile 🤧☔️

Runners. Stalkers. Clickers. Shamblers. Bloaters.

Domestics.

All infected. One unlike the other.

You expect the infection to eat you from the inside out, turning you into something horrid. But instead, you find yourself with leaf-shaped ears and antlers that belong to a deer. While you live out the rest of your days trying to adjust to your new features and survive, you meet Joel, a survivor just like you but with a more grim approach to life.

Both of you adopt the forest as your home. One wants the other gone, meanwhile the other will do anything to not be left alone.

Stay In Bed 🤧☔️🧁

joel miller x reader, onesided tommy miller x reader

After your grandfather’s passing, you find yourself moving into his home in Texas. You meet the Millers; Tommy, his older brother Joel and his daughter Sarah. With time, you and Tommy become close friends and Sarah visits you often. But Joel…Joel keeps his distance. The reason for this is due to one crucial fact you don’t know but he does; Tommy has a crush on you. Which means you’re off limits no matter what. But as your own feelings for Joel grow, things start to get more and more complicated.

Head Filled With Parasites (musician!joel miller) ☔️

One night you decide to visit a bar all by yourself. There you meet a guitarist, Joel miller, and things escalate from there. Here you'll find snippets and one-shots of the relationship.

Dark Hearted People ( joel miller x reader x ezra)

Trying to reach Tommy, you and Joel meet a charming stranger. He persuades the two of you into helping him find his stolen equipment. During your travels, none of you expect to fall for one another.

Behind The Velvet Rope ☔️

(bodyguard!joel miller x actress!reader x dieter bravo)

a grumpy bodyguard, an eccentric actor, and you, who is thrust into the limelight. What can go wrong? The three navigate the challenges of Hollywood, tensions may arise and conflicts may occur but they’ll always have each other to lean on.

Ravish Masterlist ☔️

(webcam model!reader x joel miller, no outbreak)

Joel, only now starting to feel the impending sense of loneliness, decides to listen to Tommy and sign up on an online streaming service called Ravish.

Followed The Beast 🤧

You, both a member of David's group and one of his former victims, are already contemplating escape when Ellie arrives at the resort. Seeking Ellie, you decide to take advantage of the unexpected opportunity to run. But before you can find Ellie, you cross paths with Joel instead.

How Mr Miller Stole Christmas ☔️🤧🧁

enemies to lovers, fake dating, roommates, close proximity, age gap

You're the sole firefly that Joel spared in his pursuit to free Ellie from the hospital bed. You have no idea what it was—maybe it was the fact that you were significantly younger than the other soldiers, maybe it was because you were already out the door when he pointed a gun at you— no matter what it was you were miraculously spared from the bloodshed. Weeks later you find yourself in Jackson, wanting to leave the past behind. But of course, life has other plans. It always does.

No one knows what Joel did. No one except for you. And when you threaten the thinly veiled peace he managed to build for himself, he has you by the throat and against the wall. When people from the town see this in order to save face you kiss him, blurting out that you two are dating.

Rumors spread like wildfire and when a new family comes in, Tommy offers that they stay at your house and you to stay with Joel since you're already "dating".

Now you're stuck with each other with no way out. It's either keep the dating charade going or for the whole town—and Ellie—to learn the truth.

[tinytalkingtina]

Illusory Courage

Written for the @steddiemicrofic July challenge prompt #2, using the word "one" and 1,111 words.

In the same universe/same characters as my other DnD microfic, but intended as a standalone story showing how they met, no prior reading required.

1,111 words | Rating: T

CW: Dead Chrissy Cunnigham, brief description of a Vecna'd body

Tags: Fantasy DnD AU, Tiefling Steve Harrington, Anti-Tiefling racism, Steve Harrington has bad parents, Half-elf Eddie munson, pre-Steddie, past Chrissy Cunningham/Eddie Munson, first meetings

Ao3 link

Stephen Harrington, heir to the barony of Loch Nora, left Lord Carver’s manor scowling. This fief was the same as the previous one. A dead body, found with the eyes gouged out and limbs twisted into unnatural angles. Except unlike the previous poor peasant boy, this time a noble had fallen victim to some sort of dark magic. It was certainly unusual for a Lord’s wife to vanish during the night, only to be discovered amidst the cows come morning. Unfortunately, Lord Carver had precious little to give them, beyond claiming the Lady Christine had been acting “distracted” as of late.   “Why are you so upset Steve? We were a full day’s travel out. It’s a tragedy for sure, but it’s not like you could have foreseen this happening.” Dustin urged his pony forward as fast as the old girl could go, laden down as she was with all of his contraptions. “Dustin, it’s Lord Harrington when we’re in public. You’re my official squire, we have to keep up appearances. And it’s not entirely that the Lady died, it’s how Lord Carver spoke about her, like she was some sort of trophy. He barely knew her. Now come on, I want to see the field she was found in before it gets too dark.”  Steve indulged in a ruffle to his squire’s hair. He reflexively pushed down the twinge of guilt; no one could possibly notice his horns hidden inside the matching decorations on his helm, or feel his claws when he kept them filed short and blunt. His tail remained tucked out of sight beneath layers of chain mail and plate. Even so, the thought of detection sent a trickle of fear down his spine. He needed a chance to perform penance for his family’s misdeeds. If he could snuff out enough evil, perhaps he could outweigh their crimes that proclaimed themselves for all to see on his body. And maybe, just maybe, his mother might look at him with something other than bitterness and disgust when he forewent his illusory magical mask at home.

Shoving his feelings aside, he herded Dustin towards the pasture as the last rays of light touched the tree tops. “Just as a precaution, you should set up an alarm spell. Don’t want to be caught unawares by anyone—or thing.”  Dustin nodded and scrambled off to set up a perimeter. Steve had sat through an explanation how the spell-infused gadget used stones attuned to the correct magical frequency before, but the engineering went over his head. He trusted his squire to do a good job though, and thanks to Dustin’s contraptions, he had an easier time swinging his weapons at monsters. Steve made his way to the center of the field, stopping short when his ears picked up someone singing. The tune, full of grief and longing, was nothing short of enchanting. He spied the singer, crumpled onto the ground next to the scorched crater marking where the Lady had been found. Steve approached slowly, one hand on his sword. But the clanking of armor alerted the singer, and he startled. Oh, the singer was beautiful. Even dimmed by tears, those big dark eyes were just as expressive as his voice. Steve caught sight of an ear that gently tapered to a small point poking out from the riot of curls atop his head. Oh, an elf. That certainly explained the features. Summoning upon long-ago tutoring, Steve managed to offer an only slightly clumsy greeting in Elvish. But the elf just blinked those wide eyes at him in confusion. “I don’t understand whatever it is you just said, but you should leave, stranger. There was a death here last night, the Lady of the manor, she—” His voice cracked. “She’s dead.” “Yes, we have been advised of the situation, my good elf. We were the ones sent to investigate.” “Of course he thinks I’m an elf,” the singer muttered to himself as he ran a hand through his hair.

As he did, a glint of metal caught Steve’s eye. Looking closer, he spied a thick silver band inlaid with a dark stone. One that looked suspiciously like the ring Lord Carver had raged about losing to petty thievery when they recovered Lady Christine’s body. “And it appears we have something to investigate. Care to explain how the late Lady’s ring ended up on your hand?” The would-be thief’s pretty face hardened as he took a challenging step forward. Steve stepped back in equal measure, a practiced look of haughty disinterest on his face. Any discomfort perfectly hidden away beneath the mask. His father’s voice echoed in his ear: Keep your distance Stephen. Despite your…affliction, you’re still of noble birth. “I know it’s hard for you nobles to consider this, mi’lord”, the thief said, spitting the word out as if swearing. “But whatever you’ve been told, not all us common folk are out to steal whatever our grubby little hands touch. Chrissy—the Lady, gave this to me. She engraved my name on it, even.” He brandished the ring, and sure enough, in delicate handwriting, an “Edward” was scratched onto the inside. “Fine then, my apologies. If you were truly close to the Lady, perhaps you can assist me in questioning the Lord further.” This Edward lifted his chin defiantly. “Don’t think I’m going to help you give that hollow bitter man any closure. Or did the noble sitting in his fine manor not tell you? He officially banished me from these lands a full month ago for ‘enticing his sweet Lady’ to wickedness. Wasn’t supposed to stick around much longer, but it seems that freaks like myself don’t get happy endings with those we love, do we. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Edward began to retreat without looking. Before Steve could warn him, he stepped directly into the crater. As soon as he crossed the boundary, a chill wind circled, carrying with it distorted bell chimes and chittering. Steve’s sword glowed: some sort of necromancy was afoot, and now this half-elf was its target. Steve gritted his teeth. “I’m not about to turn you in. But unfortunately for you Edward the Banished, you’ve just been marked by something evil, and I can’t permit that evil the opportunity to hurt you or any others. But I promise, by my oath, I’ll do everything I can to protect you and try to avenge your Lady.” Edward blinked those large eyes at him, his expression full of fear and anger. Steve sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy, adding an unwilling soul to his party. Hopefully, this man would continue to keep his distance until the evil was dispatched.

Tagging some folks who've shown interest in ST DnD AUs, feel free to ask to be removed!

@augustjustice @hornedqueenofhell @puppy-steve @devondespresso

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hi! This request was easier to search for, so I see you’ve recommended Hearts of Wulin and Ten Thousand Days for the Sword. Do you have any other wuxia or xianxia game recs?

Have a good day!

THEME: Wuxia Games.

Hello friend, I'm certainly not an expert, but after reaching out to some more knowledgeable folks, I think I have a few!

Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall, by Wet Ink Games.

This is a collaborative, storytelling RPG about a Chinese family making their living by running a restaurant in one of America’s Chinatowns, circa 1920. Despite societal backlash and anti-Chinese laws, they have turned a profit and their quality of life has recently improved.

Night, however, brings a new terror.

Players take on the roles of members of the Chinese family (mostly from Guangdong province), spanning three generations, who face threats of jiangshi (hopping vampires) at night and racism by day. It has players balancing the responsibility of maintaining their family business with protecting themselves and their community from the dreaded Jiangshi. This is primarily a game about storytelling. Combat is limited, but horror, drama and sometimes comedy are the primary vehicles for driving the game forward.

This game draws quite a bit from boardgaming elements, so I think this one is best played around a physical table, especially since it requires a custom deck of cards. You’ll use these cards to represent the demands of running a restaurant in the day, as well as fighting of a vampire at night. This game is probably on the borders of what I think is considered wuxia, but if you have a horror lover in your group, this might be worth checking out.

Exalted, by Onyx Path Games.

This is the tale of a forgotten age before the seas were bent, when the world was flat and floated atop a sea of chaos. This is the tale of a decadent empire raised up on the bones of the fallen Golden Age, whose splendor it faintly echoed but could not match. This is a tale of primal frontiers, of the restless dead, of jeweled cities ruled openly by spirits in defiance of Heaven’s law. This is a tale of glorious heroes blessed by the gods, and of their passions and the wars they waged in the final era of legends.

Exalted has a number of different sources, only one of which feels close to wuxia, but the stories are certainly expected to give you long, sweeping epics and larger-than-life characters. There are many different kinds of Exalted, including Solars, Lunars, and Dragon-Blooded. Since I’m not a wuxia connoisseur myself, I’m not entirely sure how close Exalted comes to hitting the mark - I’m mostly recommending it because it came up connected to some other wuxia fantasy games when I was doing some searching.

Jiang Hu, by wum1ng.

Jiang Hu is a role-playing game for the wuxia genre. Drawing inspiration from wuxia novels written by luminaries such as Jin Yong and Gu Long, the Feng Yun comics from Ma Rong Chen and the multitude of wuxia movies and television series, this game brings the world of dashing swordsmen, warrior monks, brawling beggars and high-flying stunts to your tabletop. 

Players take on the role of Martial Artists fighting against various threats to the lands of Jiang Hu, ranging from evil sect leaders who have mastered forbidden secret martial arts techniques to megalomaniacs seeking to take over the Imperial Throne by force and the blood of countless innocents.

The Worlds Without Number series by Kevin Crawford has its praises sung by many people, especially folks in the OSR scene, and that is the bones that this game is built on. Your character is built from quite a list of skills, which are differentiated between Combat and Non-Combat. You also have a number of secondary attributes, for things such as Armour Class, Evasion, and Luck, as well as a dedicated space on your character sheet for weapons and martial arts. Expect combat to to take up a bulk of your time!

When you roll for your character background, you also get a significant life event that is expected to shape your character’s past, such as having a loved one murdered, or falling into serious debt. Out of all of the games listed here, I think this game is the closest to D&D, what with the “packages” of skills, items and abilities attached to each background.

The Oath, by brushmen.

"We seek not to be born on the same day, but hope to die on the same day." And with such an oath, Yong, Li, and Ming swore loyalty to each other.

When earthly desires tempt them, and devotions threaten to tear them apart, with or without a hand from uncaring fate…

will their oath endure?

The Oath is a collaborative storytelling game for one Game Moderator and three players.

This is meant to be a one-shot, which borrows the Entanglements system from Hearts of Wulin and the character Keys and Tags from Lady Blackbird. Since this game comes with characters already pre-written, it would probably be very good for groups who have very little time, or who want an easy on-ramp to games or the wuxia genre. I like the fact that the Keys give you prompts and directions for your character’s behaviour; it’s strong statement on how the author interprets the genre, but it still gives you, the player, a choice on what elements of your character will be emphasized, and what elements will take up the background.

brushmen also has another wuxia Lady Blackbird hack called The Escort, about recovering from a violent robbery, this one for four players and one GM.

Four Swords, by ehronlime.

This is a tabletop roleplaying game about being young heroes in a wuxia story, made for the #AsianMartialArtsJam.

You start with your First Sword, which you use to challenge other heroes and villains and strive for mastery.

You will then gain three more Swords: the Second a sword of great pride and regret, the Third a sword of mastery and expression, and the Fourth a sword which is no sword.

You will also struggle between the obligations put upon your by others and what you truly desire from the life of a wandering hero.

Four Swords really zeroes in on the combat mastery part of wuxia fantasy. Your characters will grow into mastery, and battle with rigid codes and rules that structure the world you live in. The game is very descriptive, leaving you with only 4 abilities that are meant to broadly encompass what you are able to do. The game encourages characters to interfere with each-other using a mechanic called Vows, and levelling up gives you access to different techniques, which reinforce the competence of your characters as well as the rigid guidelines by which they might improve.

This game was made for the Asian Martial Arts by Asian Creators Game Jam, so you might find some more wuxi-themed games there!

Blades of the Immortals, by Jagganoth.

Blades of the Immortals is a tabletop roleplaying game inspired by xiānxiá. It uses the Forged in the Dark rules engine developed by John Harper, as seen in games like Blades in the Dark and Beam Saber.

In Blades of the Immortals, you will take on the roles of cultivators, striving for your own ambitions, for the glory of your sect, and for the ultimate prize —  immortality. You'll viciously struggle for scarce resources, compete for the patronage of powerful and influential teachers, gather allies to your banner, and scheme against your enemies. Your cultivators will wield mystical treasures and supernatural spell-arts, mastering the very laws of the cosmos as their weapons, as they become entangled in centuries-long vendettas between deathless wizard-kings.

This game is solidly focused on supernatural abilities and grand increases in strength. You choose from one of 9 different playbooks, and collaboratively create a faction that binds you all together. The sources listed as inspirations for this game include (but are not limited to) Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Forge of Destiny, Aspiring to the Immortal Path, and Journey to the West.

Compared to other Blades hacks, this game reduces the standard number of action ratings, ties character growth to a change in your character’s beliefs, and separates your gear from your playbook. Characters can also level up through Realms, which increases your effectiveness and upgrades your inventory.

Mist-Robed Gate, by Shreyas & Elizabeth Sampat.

There are some things that we value more than life.

There are things we're willing to scheme and cry and fight and die for.

That's what wuxia cinema is about— fighting and dying for the things we care about. That's what Mist-Robed Gate is about.

Mist-Robed Gate comes with a full list of movie recommendations, but includes Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers as key influences. I really like the fact that a key mechanic of this game includes stabbing your character sheet with a knife.

Players create factions first, and then take turns creating characters that represent those factions, with elements that represent the hero’s distinctive personality and style. Players also create the different locations that will serve as the stage for your scenes. Play happens over a series of scenes, as their characters push and pull against each-other, sometimes even making terrible demands (which is where the Knife comes in). If you want a game that has a lot of politics in the terms of actions having large ramifications over big groups of people, and if you want a game that is extremely dramatic, you might want to check out Mist-Robed Gate.

[lilac-melody]

Anyway, so this was basically Hiyori's anti-fan song and Nonfantasy 2.0.

Most of the song takes place in Hiyori's head- imagining herself as a peasant girl along with lipxlip's Juliettas.

"To every girl, make sure you stay as far away as you can! Make sure you don't catch the infection." Hiyori looks like she's cringing so hard it's physically painful for her...and the lyrics right after are literally "get away from me!"

Followed by this we got the dream of her imagining Aizou and Yujiro doing princely things. The lyrics are as follows:

"This can't be! That's cheating! It's dishonest and unfair!! You don't take responsibility for their feelings for you!! Too much! It's dangerous! So risky and insane!! Cunning is the "power of idols" Still, I can't help it... I need to accept this is how it is."

And then she wakes up with a shocked and mildly terrified expression on her face.

While someone like Chuutan would be crying she woke up from her dream, Hiyori acts as a nice foil against that, knowing what they're really like and, unfortunately, working with them so often she has to see their princely persona and ends up dreaming about it against her will. (And come on, who doesn't have work nightmares?)

The next part of the song is basically Hiyori realizing that, hey, idols get depressed too, they're still people, and realizing that she can't really help them, because...well, I've already gone over lipxlip's relationship here, so if you want to read that, I'd go there afterwards.

This part I think is particularly important because it doesn't take place in her dreams. This is real life. Hiyori tries to offer something to cheer them up (ala some drinks they like). But they completely ignored her, as the lyrics say.

It's sad, but they just won't rely on her for their emotional baggage. You're doing your best Hiyori, just move on...

"Sometimes, their kindness can be a little scary"

I know this is part of Hiyori's dream, but honestly I'm not seeing how this is seen as "aww cute"...anyone showing an ounce of kindness to her, she gets flustered over. To me personally, this reminds me of this moment from HeroineDev...

She superficially fell for Asuka's kindness. And the relationship went absolutely nowhere. Much like how it would be (confirmed by Shito back in 2021 I think it was?) if Hiyori really had actually fallen for lipxlip.

Which, again, who doesn't have nightmares about work?

Afterwards we get more straight bait fanservice while Hiyori sings about how deceitful Aizou and Yujiro are to their fans because their princely persona isn't them. And then it ends off with her singing:

"It's so frustrating but... I'm just as excited as everyone else."

It could be read as "proof Hiyori's falling in love" if you're looking at it through a lhyo shipper lense, but if you're paying attention to the relationship between Hiyori and lxl as a whole, it could easily be seen as "idols are really cool", something that Hiyori has canonically said in the novels. She knows how hard they work and she knows they can charm anyone. That is what Hiyori is referring to.

She doesn't particularly want to be their fan, but she does want to support them. Much like how friends support each other, but still very different from the intimate ways Aizou and Yujiro support each other.

My point is actually proven correct ^ when we see the very next frames.

"This isn't something just anyone can do You need to put in the effort and hardwork."

Hiyori, who is a hard worker herself, admires their hard work and dedication to their fans...which is precisely why the song is her screaming at them for deceiving them lmao.

At the end of the day though, Aizou and Yujiro are still her friends, who get weirded out when she expresses her support towards them.

Or if she's just daydreaming.

The night and day difference between her imagining them doing fanservice in her mind and real life is really...something.

Look how utterly annoyed they look at her for zoning out.

This isn't a cute "I'm falling for my coworkers and daydreaming about them" scenario. This is her trying to imagine them as princes and them not knowing it.

Hiyori is their friend and suspectable to an active imagination. Not just in the MVs but in the novels as well.

And I think it says a lot about their relationship that all of the fanservice is strictly in Hiyori's perspective.

When lipxlip have a fanservice song, they either use Narumi Sena, or just a random girl. But when it's Hiyori imagining them doing the fanservice, it's all in her head. HeroIdol and Nonfantasy are literal proof of this.

It is extremely onesided.

Aizou and Yujiro care for Hiyori- this is undeniable. However, they do not like her in that way. Not only has Aizou canonically stated he doesn't get involved with girls outside of work, but they just don't see her in that light.

I mean, in every single lxl song that included Hiyori, like Kono Sekai or Last Stage, she's there for like 2 small frames and it's her being in the background or trying to stop them from fighting. They never once had a frame where they're talking to her and ignoring the other or venting to her.

She's their "work friend" who they've hung out with like twice outside of work. They only contact her in emergencies.

That's not to say they don't support Hiyori and her dreams, because they do. They support her in finding someone who will take care of her (ie: Nagisa) because they care about her, and they don't see her in that way.

And given that the time skip in HeroHei and Sukiuso shows Hiyori and Nagisa attending the same uni...yeah.

Also, I would like to point out that in HeroIdol, Hiyori thinks of herself as just a peasant girl among the (fake) princes. It's like a metaphor for saying "they're out of my league even though they're really awful". Not a good look for her or for lipxlip, honestly.

But in Herohei, she sees herself as a Cinderella who's worthy of being a heroine. Meanwhile, Sukiuso is about Nagisa saying she's better than Cinderella and she's always been a heroine.

TMK did all three MVs, and I think this was a deliberate choice to show everyone how unhealthy one would be, while the other blossoms naturally.

Not once has Hiyori imagined herself as a princess around lipxlip. Her insecurities come out when she's around them because they poke fun at her too often. (Beat they ass, Nagisa)

The Omoiai album, which is where HeroIdol came from, is about various different relationships. While Aizou and Yujiro's are familial, Hiyori's was a unique one. A, as I've said above, anti-fan song.

Which goes directly against Chuutan's fan songs.

I think it's important to have them both, and I like that we get the perspective of Chuutan, someone who genuinely sees them as princely, and Hiyori, who cringes when she sees their prince-sonas.

And it is important to note that we never get lipxlip's perspective- knowing they find their over excited fans annoying, and only see Hiyori as a friend. Otherwise she would be in more of their MVs and not just a background character.

I think too many people forget to realize that if they were going into a relationship, then we need them to say "yeah I'm falling for her" and not just Hiyori, when she's known to fall into little delusions. (And no, I don't mean that in a negative way)

IN SHORT: No, lhiyo is not canon, and this song was just an anti-fan song.

[sapphic-moon-child]

Chronically Ill Truths

Fibromyalgia

Larissa x Wife!Reader

Chronically Ill Truths

Fibromyalgia - Larissa x Reader

Chronically Ill Truths

Fibromyalgia - Larissa x Reader

It was truly the worst time of year for you. The warm summer days that eased your joints in the early sun were fading and the chill of fall was setting in. You knew a flair was coming on when you went to bed the night before, but when you woke up it was so much worse. You kept a bin next to the bed for bad pain days, and today was no exception. Rolling over your joints ached and cracked as you're swollen hands quickly reached for the bin. Retching almost painfully, you felt your hair being moved from your face and a soft hand rubbing circles on your back. Once you were finished the bin was removed from your shaking hands and taken care of quickly. You could hear the water running in the tub and the smell tea followed.

“Come darling, let's try to get a head of this and ease the symptoms while the needs kick in.” Larissa said sweetly, handing you your purple cane and helping to steady you on your feet. This woman was your rock, and you loved her. When you first came to Nevermore as an English teacher you only had mild symptoms, now 5 years later you were happily married to Larissa and together you co-taught your classes allowing you to still work and enjoy your passion even with your disability. The worst of your symptoms started two years ago, it was just a lot of swelling and aches. Now it was full blown flair ups, that sometimes lasted for days and on the rare occasion a week or more.

When a bad flare would start, Larissa would help start an IV of fluids to help ease your symptoms and push Your meds if you needed them. She was insistent that she learned how to do it, so that you could have them at home instead of the hospital. After a soak in the hot epsom salt bath and a cup of ginger tea she helped you dress in something comfortable and settled you back in bed. Starting one of your IVs she asked if you wanted some pain meds to help, you nodded and were grateful for her help and dedication. “Riss, I think I'm going to need my compression wraps” you told her, admitting defeat to the hell they were. She handed them to you and prepped your meds before pushing them through your IV and flushing it. After getting one leg wrapped in the tight compression wrap, you were exhausted. Handing her the other she took it without complaint and wrapped your other leg for you. The relief was worth the trouble of these stupid things, but you didn't care right now. “Can I have some Zofran please?” You asked, still feeling nauseous. She gave you a quick kiss and retrieved the minty tasting pill for you before placing it on your tongue to dissolve. After she did she set the flow rate on your IV and climbed into bed next to you. It only took about 5 minutes before you were so tired you couldn't hold your eyes open anymore. The fatigue set in and you easily succumbed to it.

When you woke it was midday and Larissa was gently stroking your cheek. “Hello darling, I brought you something to eat. It's time for some more meds too. You noticed she replaced your IV bag with a new one and it was on a very slow drip. Smiling, you thanked her and ate as much as you could of the cheese on toast and tomato soup she made you. “I have your pain meds as well as some anti inflammation meds and some more Zofran for you if you want it. I noticed you were perking in your sleep a bit too so I grabbed your spasm medication too.” She set the different syringes of meds down on your nightstand as she sat on the edge of the bed. “What would I do without you? You could have fallen in love with someone normal, and instead here you are taking care of me.” She almost looked hurt at your words. “Darling I married you because I love you, that means all of you. Good, bad and ugly.” You leaned forwards and gave her a soft kiss before settling back on the pillows again as you watched her push your meds again and flush your IV for you.

The day went on with lots of love and patience from your wife. You were blessed that she was compassionate with you, always making sure if you needed her she was there for you. You dropped your mobility aids and she would pick them up without question. And even during the night she would feel you start to get up and would wordlessly come around to your side of the bed and help you to your feet. She never complained, you hated how much like a burden you felt. She would just scoff and give you a kiss and tell you how much she loved you and that you were never a burden to her.

One of the things you most loved was how much she came to bat for you with your doctors, none of them seemed to take you seriously thinking you were just another drug seeker. She would tear each one a new one and bring your medical binder to slam in their faces if need be. She kept a detailed record of everything for you, calming her own anxieties in doing so keeping it all put together as fine as her updo. One doctor made the mistake of telling you on one of your bad days that it was all in your head and to try meditation. That was a mistake. “You mean to tell me that the pain, tears, swelling of her joints and other various symptoms are just a figment of her imagination? Well if that’s the case I’d rather like to take my stiletto to your ass and see how you think that imagination feels!” you still giggle over the memory of that poor doctor's face when Larissa was done with him. She could be down right scary when it came to the ones she loved. She was your lover, protector, wife, and blessed caregiver, and you loved her with everything you had in you.

Your students were also very loving and compassionate to you, they were always eager to help around the classroom and stay after class to help you prep if you needed it. You and Larissa thought of them like your own and had become mother figures to most of them. Your disability and adversity to it was the reason one particular girl came to you and Larissa with her own issues showing signs of the same chronic disease that plagued you. When you found out she had worthless parents, Larissa and yourself were determined to make sure Amara got the care she needed so she could thrive. When the diagnosis came back true, she cried and cried. That was when she told you she had lived with the pain for six years, her parents accusing her of attention seeking. Larissa made sure her medicine was picked up like clockwork every month personally and she had your cell numbers if she needed you anytime day or night.

There were a few times she was unable to go to class and would spend time in Larissa’s office doing make up work or homework under a heated blanket with a cup of hot cocoa. The girl thrived after she was given the help she needed. Her grades improved and she graduated in the top of her class, that was two years ago now. She stayed at nevermore as a dark arts teacher, and when she got married to a lovely gorgon boy a few months ago, her own parents decided they wouldn’t be attending. She didn’t mind though, because she walked down the aisle with pride having both of you on her arms guiding her and giving her away. This is what love was. This was acceptance. She was so worried that she would have a flair the day of the celebration and wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, you remember it like it was yesterday. Kneeling down to her eyes where she sat, you spoke softly.

“Your disability doesn’t define you, anyone who thinks it does can go to hell. You are strong and just as able as any other girl, your mum and I will be there with you and will hold you up if we need to, just like we did when you walked the stage at your graduation. You will never be alone my love, you have us to lean on when your own feet can’t hold you up.”

*********

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