#because it would make a LOT of sense for their situation

[antianakin]

I'm not sure that was the intended reading of the Teckla situation. I don't think we ever find out for sure that Padme is the one paying her. I know she's supposed to be a handmaiden, but she's clearly not given the same naming conventions as Padme's more typical handmaidens in order to match hers (even the ones we know she has during her Senator years seem to do this, like Corde and Dorme), so it makes more sense to me that Teckla is actually more of a governmental aide than a handmaiden. Not to mention that the original handmaidens are something that were likely ALSO assigned to Padme by the government rather than something Padme chose for herself. We know that Padme is only a Senator because the Queen of Naboo asked her to be, and that the Queen of Naboo has the power to remove Padme from this position if she so desires. So it would make sense to me that Padme might be assigned a governmental aide at some point who gets paid by the government of Naboo, not Padme herself.

And Padme, for all that she is obviously in a pretty high-ranking position within the government of Naboo, does not actually RUN said government anymore and doesn't even seem to be included on the day-to-day minutia of running the government like council meetings and such. So it would seem entirely possible that Naboo maybe is being required to pay a lot in taxes to the Senate as part of the war effort and so the government is then having to pinch pennies in certain places, leading to Teckla's family occasionally going without water or power, without Padme being as aware of it.

I will admit that the situation with Teckla is unclear, for sure, so you CAN interpret it as Padme not paying Teckla a high enough wage for her family to be able to afford water or power sometimes and Padme either being a massive hypocrite or just ignorant. But this doesn't really jive with what the way this narrative is presented to the audience.

I think what you're trying to say here is that Padme grew up feeling like she could trust the Senate which made her more susceptible to manipulation, while Leia grew up knowing she COULDN'T trust the Senate and so she was more independent and less capable of being manipulated into making bad decisions. And I think there could be some truth to that, but a large part of Padme's arc in TPM is about her realizing that she does need to step up and learn to trust her own instincts rather than letting everyone else walk all over her and only doing what other people tell her to do when none of it seems to be leading to a good outcome for her own people. She grows from being a Queen who refuses to do anything that would lead her people to war to being a Queen who goes to negotiate for an army and leads said army to war to free her people by the end of the film. She trusted that putting removing Valorum from power would lead to aid for the people of Naboo, and then it didn't, and that was a wake-up call for her in so many ways.

Padme becomes so much more decisive after this, to the point that her Captain in AOTC is very worried about her being reckless. One of the things she becomes most known for as a Senator is her willingness to speak up against the Senate, to go against the grain. Most of the reason for the assassination attempts in AOTC are to appease Nute Gunray, but a small part of it is due to the fact that Padme's busy making anti-war speeches to the Senate and Palpatine's plans will go a little more smoothly if she can't keep doing that, which is why he insists on her leaving "for her safety." We see her speak out more than once in TCW, too, regardless of how well that tends to go for her. She has an entire conversation with Satine about how she's perfectly aware that the Senate has a lot of corrupt people in it and isn't doing its job the way it's supposed to, but the system itself is worth fighting for still and that's why she continues to stay. And of course if you take the deleted scenes from ROTS into account, she was one of the people building up a group of people who would be willing to try to somewhat illegally oust Palpatine from power because of how corrupt he'd gotten. She's not a complete idiot who has no idea what's going on around her in the Senate. She's watching it fall apart and doing everything she can to keep that from happening.

Bail Organa is also not sitting idly by as the Senate becomes more corrupt. There's an entire arc where he's supposed to make a big speech because he is one of the most influential Senators in the entire Republic and everyone knows it and so he's taken out of commission specifically to stop him from making his speech. He speaks up against declaring war in AOTC after Padme's left, insisting that the discussion about it was not over just because they'd discovered some new information. When Palpatine goes to see his army, Bail is right there, clearly devastated and angry over what's happened. And of course he's also right next to Padme in those deleted scenes where they're trying to build up a coalition to oust Palpatine in ROTS, and he's the one who immediately helps intercept the Jedi survivors to ensure they don't fall into a trap and is Yoda's getaway driver when he goes off to try to KILL Palpatine and then volunteers to take in a Force sensitive child and hide her from the Empire. This is not a man who has gotten used to just leaning on a Senate he thinks he can trust.

And of course, who do you think TAUGHT Leia how to be a Senator during the reign of the Empire? She definitely didn't teach herself. That came from Bail (and Breha, who was a prominent political figure and leader during the Empire, even if she wasn't a Senator specifically).

Leia is the way she is because Bail and Breha raised her to know right from wrong and how to fight for justice in a world where the government in power would never take her side. They taught her how to help undermine the Empire without immediately getting caught because they've been DOING THAT already for years. Leia is the way she is because her parents had to watch their own government crumble around them as they did everything they could to save it until it become clear that it had gone past the point of no return and all they could do now was fight to destroy it. Leia is the way she is because she had parents who gave her her best chance at success in a world that wanted all of them to fail.

People are SLEEPING on the most interesting Leia & Padme comparisons because there's so much focus on Leia being "like Anakin" because she gets annoyed sometimes and Padme being this perfect moral beacon of truth and justice despite all of her very canonical lies and cover-ups and obstructing of justice.

If Luke is the Jedi that Anakin should've been, then Leia is the LEADER that Padme should've been.

Padme is a hypocrite, proclaiming that all people deserve basic decency and the right to safety, but at the same time allowing Anakin to get away with a mass murder with no consequences by covering it up.

Leia doesn't even let Han get away with being a little bit of an asshole, there's no way she'd let him get away with mass murder. She holds everyone around her to a higher standard, believing in the best of them but also but refusing to accept excuses for cowardice and selfishness.

Padme talks so much about wanting the war to end, but then allows one of the opposition's biggest generals go free just to get Anakin back because she cares about him, causing the war to continue to go on for even longer.

Leia lets Luke sacrifice himself because she knows it's possibly the only way they might have a victory and beat the Empire, even though she knows what he is to her and loves him. She knows what has to be done and respects the choice Luke is making and would never condemn their efforts just to keep him with her.

Padme's story parallels Anakin's, she devolves as the narrative goes on, until she's barely a shell of the person she used to be. That strength and moral clarity she showed as a Queen is entirely gone, leaving only a scared woman pleading with a murderer to come back to her.

Leia's story parallels Luke's, she gains more and more strength and clarity as the narrative moves forward. The bossy young woman we first met has become a confident rebel leader who knows she doesn't have to harden her heart to be strong.

[rosenclaws]

How does he handle (you're totally oblivious and innocent when this other man comes on to you, Logan's your one and only) other men flirting with you and his jealousy?

Hehe more jealousy stuff I love it

Origins Logan -

He hates ittt. He’s already this close to punching one of the assholes he works with because they keep making comments about you when you drop him off from work. In fact thats where i see this happening. Logan forgets his lunch and being the sweet partner u are u come and bring it to him. He’s out when you show up and some dick head new hire doesn't know that you're Logan's so he tries to flirt with you and you're completely oblivious and just think he's being nice. Oh man when Logan comes back he is pissed off. He literally grabs this boy by the back of his shirt and yanks him away from you and taking his place. He doesn't care if the other guy falls or what because you're here and he was talking to you. You scold him a little bit but he just smiles and wraps his arm around you, taking you back to the truck so you can eat lunch together. You tell him all about your day and he just listens. Next time you come around, Logan has made sure that every man knows not to even look at you unless they wanna go through him first.

Trilogy Logan -

Oh he is such a jerk and not to you but to whoever tried to flirt with you. It's a little embarrassing but it's also kinda cute seeing him get all protective. He stands a little taller and makes snippy comments and jokes towards them. Okay so like. There's a new mutant and he's around your age and much too flirty for Logan's liking. Logan def stands really close to you at all times and really likes it when you got his scent on you from sleeping in his bed or using his shampoo. But this asshole isn't taking the hint and keeps trying to flirt with you. I could imagine Logan testing him a little harder in the danger room and when you scold him about it he denies all accusations. He's not trying to get him hurt he's trying to see how he would handle dangerous situations. Doesn't matter that Logan turned the intensity up a few notches and it was only that guy in the room. Logan even offers to spar with him but he declines. After that Logan notices that he's left you alone and he's more smug than usual.

DOFP Logan -

Okay this one I think is the funniest of them all. So there's this new student teacher and he's been assigned to your class and Logan hates it because this little prick is taking up all your time. He brings you coffee in the mornings when Logan should be doing that. He doesn't even make it right but you're too nice to correct him. Look Logan doesn't blame the guy for being attracted to you because you're the hottest person in this mansion but you're his and no one else. I think he gets all grumpy about it. He's meaner in class and harsher when he grades and all his students know he's jealous but he refuses to admit it. So they come to you and beg for your help because you're the only one he listens to. You tease him a lot for being jealous because its so cute seeing him pretend not to be annoyed at your new coworker. Of course you reassure him that he's the only one you love and maybe spend a very long night showing him just that oop. The next morning when that other guy tries to bring you coffee Logan is already sitting on your desk sipping his own while you're drinking the one he made for you. A smirk on his face as he sees that boy clock the hickeys on your neck that you tried to cover up.

Old Man Logan -

He's the most sulky out of all of them tbh. He knows he's old and mean and way past his prime so when he sees someone flirting with you as you serve them coffee he just kinda gets all sad. Like he's weighing you down and you could be doing so much more with you life than be with him. He doesn't get upset he just gets jealous and already convinces himself that its better if you go off with this other guy. Of course you have to slap some damn sense into him and how he's being ridiculous. He's got a lot of demons inside of him and it's not easy for you to chase them away but you try your best and all you ask of him is to not give up on you and your relationship so easily.

Worst Logan -

He's like. Half sulking and half raging jealous. He's insecure about his past and how you view him as a person so when he sees someone making you laugh and being flirty at one of Wade's parties it can be a blow to his self esteem. He doesn't want it to affect him as much as it does so he tries to pretend it doesn't bother him but it does and you know it. I think he'd be standing across the room giving this guy a death stare when Wade comes up and makes a couple jokes just to rile him up a little. His poking works because Logan def comes over and steals you away just because he can't take watching you laugh at a joke that isn't his. You find it adorable and tease him about it but also tell him that no one else has your heart but him.

[forsaken-headcanons]

Hello!! First submission. You can call me Bird Anon, because I really like birds. Like. A lot. But we're not here to talk about that. Here's some Chance + Two Time headcanons for now!

• Two Time is not good at comforting people. They can try, but they rarely genuinely succeed in doing so. As a result, they leave situations of needing to comfort someone to another survivor.

• Chance has like. Some random deck of cards on them. Think of the ordinary cards you can buy for relatively cheap in certain stores. When they get bored he'll do some card tricks. They can get quite creative with these tricks! He'll also start card games in-between rounds if they're in a good enough mood at the one table in the cabin. However, he does have more "cooler" decks at home. Just none of these decks are with them.

• Speaking of Chance, headcanon that due to working at a casino, they became really good at reading people. He knows when it's fine to be cocky and whatnot, but they also know when they need to watch that he says. Doesn't mean that they always listen to this, unfortunately.

• I JUST REMEMBERED ONE THAT I KEEP FORGETTING TO ADD TO MY DOCUMENT!! Final Chance headcanon for today. Headcanon that Chance wears their glasses because "the eyes are the windows to one's soul". And since nobody can read their eyes, it allows him to believe that others will struggle to read their like. Actual thoughts and stuff. Their eyes don't betray their actual emotions, don't reveal whatever terror he might occasionally feel. As a result, Chance willing showing their eyes is like. A sign that he trusts you a bunch. But getting to that level of trust would take a lot of time. I hope that makes sense!!

• Two Time has a black bag that they put the dagger into when they're not actively using it. The actual bag is black, and I imagine that the spawn symbol is stitched or sewn onto the front in white. Very neat, minor noticeable mistakes, looks like a lot of time was put in making the symbol. The bag itself looks very in-tact. I imagine it as like. A cross-body bag of sorts. When they first got forsakened, the bag was looser, but after a few rounds, they tightened the strap of the bag so that the bag wouldn't bounce as much when they were running (+ now that they're a Sentinel, it wouldn't give away their position when they're crouching). However, when they're actually carrying it, they'll use the bag as storage for smaller items that they find and might need later.

I'll be back with more headcanons eventually. Sorry if most/all of these have been said. Bye bye!! Thanks for reading (and thanks for posting this submission) :D

Hello hello! Welcome to the blog. I like to think that Chance has an absurd amount of different card decks, always having a different one on his person at all times. Each day, he switches up the deck of cards depending on if he wants to do some impressive card tricks, or just shuffle the deck that day.

[agirlking]

Remmick is actually charming and capable of manipulation (he is also a bit off putting)

I see a lot of takes about how Remmick can't be suave, charming, seductive, so on, here's why I don't think they're entirely right.

(Though I agree he's not traditionally seductive, at least not when we see him in the film, he doesn't seem to focus on sex. But he can be seductive and tempting in another sense.)

Remmick's true strength in terms of charm and manipulation is not getting it right instantly, it's in his ability to rapidly adjust.

I think the scene with Bert and Joan shows this right away.

He stops using the word Choctaw when Bert starts using slurs. His manipulation wasn't perfect right away, but he adjusted almost right away. He sees how resistant they are and starts crying. People are going to be uncomfortable with someone they don't know crying in front of them, (unfortunately) all the more when they're a man, he was getting them to think less.

(Also he sees the robes and assumes that they don't have enough compassion to help someone out of the goodness of their hearts, which is a very reasonable assumption, and then he switches to offering money. Once again he is able to adapt rapidly.)

To touch on his limited background info; We know that Remmick came to America in 1911, and we know he lost his "family" on the boat, he was the only survivor. I personally believe that he spent the next 21 years isolated. He wasn't turning people, nor do I think turning people en masse was typical behavior for him.

He was leaving Ireland, he turned everyone on the boat (assuming none of them were older vampires who'd been with him for awhile) to hold onto his community, it just backfired horribly for one reason or another.

But if Remmick turned people like that all the time? There's no way he made it to 1300 without someone taking him out. Actually you can also look at his accent as further proof. He came to America in a time when he would absolutely be discriminated against for being Irish, and I think it must've taken time to hide his accent. If he was also super weird and off putting all the time on top of being Irish, again, he'd have constantly attracted violence. The fact he even put both the thought and the effort into faking an accent (which he's doing quite well at other than here or there where his real accent slips in) shows he's capable of calculation and manipulation.

I fully believe Remmick only turned Bert and Joan out of desperation. He approached the Choctaw (the real life Irish Choctaw history probably played a part in his decision making) wanting to turn them, the first major attempt he'd made since the boat, but they figured him out. He finally turns Bert and Joan because they were the only ones who opened the door, so to speak.

Then he gets to the Juke Joint, 21 years of isolation have him rusty, and he hasn't been around this particular community in that time I would bet. He doesn't have enough info to realize how strange he's coming across, and after seeing Sammie's gift and his desperation to see his ancestors he rushes into things. If he'd approached a group of people that didn't have reasons to be automatically wary of him then they'd likely have thought he was a bit odd but completely harmless and let him in.

(Notably, Cornbread liked the singing and so did Stack, and Stack was about to let him in but Smoke vetoed it. Even after, Stack gives him a chance and had Mary not... distracted him, Remmick would've gotten in. So it seems his manipulation isn't going too badly. Though obviously the money situation prompts a lot of that.)

When Mary approaches the group Remmick's already changed how he's handling things. His song is much more gentle and welcoming than the very creepy one he chose initially. He singles out Mary's specific pain, (I think this is key, he's better at manipulating individuals than he is massive groups. I also think he has some kind of telepathy or empathy because he seems to be able to sense Mary is grieving.), and her longing for companionship in her grief.

The way he speaks to her initially is completely normal ("were you lookin' for some fresh air, or?"), the only particularly strange thing is how Bert and Joan are acting (which I have thoughts about due to @cannibalfogdreams and I discussing this privately, but this post is long enough). When Remmick truly starts acting strange it's not because he can't act human or normal (he's been doing just fine in this conversation) it's because he's in a rush and doesn't need to do that. Mary's far enough away from the Juke Joint she has no chance of getting back to it even if she ran. He's already won.

I imagine if Remmick wasn't so frantic and if his goal had only been to turn Mary he would've taken his time and kept manipulating her and breaking down her walls until she was more inclined to listen to what he was saying. (I'm not swearing she ever would've fully bought into what he was selling, just that he was clearly succeeding at swaying her to some extent before he stopped bothering.)

Also why is it Remmick backs off when Mary pulls a gun on him? It's obviously not going to kill him, and there's reason to think their ability to feel pain (minus coming from something like garlic) is muted. Stack tells Sammie in 1992 he wouldn't hurt anymore, and Cornbread seems to be doing fine even with a ton of his face missing, same for the gentleman who got sliced up by the guy using loaded dice. So I don't think it's because a gunshot would be that painful for him.

I think it's because someone could've heard her fire and that would've made them suspicious of her and even more suspicious of Remmick and co than they already were. That's calculating.

He not only backed off and wiped his face when she pulled the gun, he waited until she fully turned her back and was walking away to attack and turn her. He could've just grabbed and bitten her then, but she probably would've fired a shot and/or screamed.

Later on he still attempts to convince everyone, but when Stack and Mary show up he lets them basically take over, and I do believe that is their own words, they are in a hivemind but their own self is not gone, just influenced. (As mentioned in a previous post I think they're basically high.) And it almost works! Stack nearly gets Smoke out the door. He knew to step back and let the people that know those in the Juke Joint take over the attempts at convincing.

There's probably more I'm forgetting but this has been bugging me a lot. Just because Remmick acts very strange sometimes doesn't mean he can't be suave and charming, it just depends on the situation, how much he wants to be convincing, and how much information he has.

TLDR: "Remmick is weird" and "Remmick is a capable, charismatic, manipulator" are takes that can coexist.

[vintagerobin]

Y'know I hear this a lot, and thinking about it I'm not really sure that's the case? Like, obviously Dick does think about how Bruce would react in at least a couple of situations where he feels responsible for a death eg. Joker and Blockbuster. But way before any of that, in virtually every iteration of Dick's backstory I can think of, Dick decides he hates killing on his own while apprehending Tony Zucco. It's not something he just picked up from Bruce or that was trained into him. A reaction which incidentally mirrors Bruce's to Joe Chill, especially the very first time Bruce confronts Chill in comics, which if I'm not very mistaken was the origin point of Batman's No Kill Rule in comics history.

Given the similarity between their trauma and their independent reactions to it, doesn't it make sense that Dick just came to the same conclusion on his own? That this isn't just about duty but also about how they understand each other because they've both been there, it's as personal for him as it is for Bruce.

(Batman/Nightwing: Bloodborne)

There's this frequent theme in fanworks of Dick being mad at Bruce for not killing the Joker after Jason's death, or not caring if Bruce or someone else in the family kill the Joker for Jason, and I must say, y'all are projecting. Because, not only I don't think Dick has EVER said or thought he wished Bruce would have killed the Joker, Dick has been shown time and time again to care A LOT about the whole "no killing rule". He DESPISES the idea of Bruce breaking it (he gets very angry), he doesn't like the idea of people around him, his family, killing. The man felt guilty for Tarantula killing Blockbuster while he was there, hello.

Y'all think Dick is fine with murder because he murdered the Joker, but he actually was disgusted in himself for that. He did it in a moment of anger, it wasn't planned and it wasn't what he wanted. It was a good thing that Bruce saved the Joker, because Dick hated himself so much in the comics, I don't think he would have survived if Joker had actually died.

I haven't read enough stuffs with Barbara to know if it's the same (aka, y'all are painting her wanting Bruce to kill the Joker but she doesn't), but I can bet it is. I mean, if she really wants the Joker dead, why would she not be also mad at her dad for not killing him? She was attacked because she was Jim's daughter, not because she was Batgirl. And Jim, as a cop, he can kill a criminal and get away with it, which Batman can't. Like, wtf would she want Bruce to revenge her and not her own father? Because she did not want revenge and some of y'all invented that to have people side with Jason. (Maybe I'm wrong and she did, but I don't think so)

I can say tho that Bruce is the one who has talked about and nearly killed the Joker the most. Bruce left the Joker for dead after pursuing him for killing Jason without an ounce of regrets.

Dick wants Bruce to not fall on that path.

[floralcavern]

https://www.tumblr.com/communities/critics-of-the-helluvaverse/post/782804402529583104/tw-for-assault-i-think?source=share

I just found all this out, and I am beyond furious. Everything makes disgusting sense now. The way Vivziepop refuses to acknowledge the abuse dynamic in Stolitz, the way she rushes to defend Valentino a literal rapist and how she brushed off a fan who related to Blitzø’s trauma? That’s not ignorance. That’s not bad writing. That’s someone who’s into this kind of shit. Stop sugarcoating it

She was drawing sexualized art of her underaged OC Addison back in her Zoophobia days, who was paired with an adult. Let that sink in. And the absolute worst—she deliberately brought someone with a known rape fetish to storyboard for a sexual assault survivor like Angel Dust. The playlists are non-con. This isn’t “dark storytelling.” It’s fetish fuel and it’s bleeding into the show, and people are still defending her? This should absolutely be part of the conversation when talking about Stolitz and "ValAngel"

Why the fuck isn’t this talked about more? Why is this not common knowledge? Survivors have spoken out saying Angel Dust’s portrayal makes them uncomfortable—and what does Viv do? Nothing. No accountability. No listening. Just more bullshit dressed up as “representation”

I’m sick of seeing her get away with this under the guise of “queer art” or “edgy humor.” Vivziepop has a massive platform, and she’s using it to normalize abuse dynamics and sexual violence through stylized animation—and her fans are still defending her like she’s some misunderstood creator

This should be everywhere. These screenshots, these receipts, this truth—it all needs to be shoved into the spotlight. She loves arguing with fans online? Great. Throw this in her face. Expose it. Stop letting her hide behind a fandom that worships the "aesthetic" and ignores the rot underneath

I am done. Done watching survivors be dismissed. Done watching people call this “deep” or “meaningful” when it’s just thinly veiled fetish content. Vivziepop is not a victim of “cancel culture.” She is a woman who’s shown us who she really is and it’s past time we believe her and act accordingly

link:

I’m guessing you checked the videos in those photos? For context for those not know what they meant by ‘dark storytelling’, I asked for context for those videos. If they were noncon videos, or dark short films. I’m guessing anon actually looked into it. And.. ya. It definitely explains a lot. People have been speculating that she has a rape fetish for a LONG time now. The way she actively follows people who make ValAngel art, the way she defends Raph to the grave. If you want more context as to how Viv clearly doesn’t give a shit about SA, look at these posts

If I had the equipment, I would make a full length YouTube video going into this. This is disgusting. Share this around.

[mxjackparker]

Chapter 2 of Hooker Mentality: Fucking the Enemy

Diving into where the political meets the personal and radical feminist rhetoric that treats sex with the enemy as complicity in the harm they do:

"Are there situations where letting someone pay us for sex might actually encourage their harmful behaviours? When I was 18 and working as a cis woman, did my clients feel emboldened in their misogynistic entitlement towards women as a group after I let them throw me around like a ragdoll and bruise my cervix? It’s an idea that radical feminists like to throw at us, but it’s also a question I’ve organically had for myself that I think a lot of sex workers struggle with. A portion of clients see sex workers as being akin to very advanced sex toys. They dehumanize us in their minds, treating us as akin to blow up dolls or fleshlights, and get a sense of satisfaction from our objectification. The word no is irritating to these clients, and more often than not they brush it off and cross boundaries into sexual assault if we begin to deny them or refuse certain acts. This kind of abusive client often targets women and thinks of them as being inferior, though there are also those who have sex with men who are effeminate and visibly queer and hate them for that flamboyancy. Violence is enacted against sex workers by these clients in a way many of them would argue was incidental if they could be pushed to admit to the harm at all, because they don’t think of us as people whose feelings matter. When this inconsiderateness doesn’t cross the line into assault, it is due largely to luck that the sex worker isn’t opposed to the acts the client is interested in or the roughness he exhibits. Sex with a man like this comes with a special brand of shame that’s unique to being a hooker – the sinking feeling that we might have validated this behaviour by making ourselves available to him for sex and that we’ve profited from making him worse. It is deeply unfair to suggest that those of us who are being objectified and mistreated should be blamed for the harm abusers go on to do to others, however unfairness is not the enemy of truth. The real antidote to this shame comes with experience selling sex and seeing countless numbers of these men who we learn with time are not so easily swayed. Sex workers are shown over and over that abusive and misogynistic and homophobic men, who are already set in their ways, target sex workers precisely because they’ve already settled into their predatory behaviour and are choosing the easiest targets. These men are not taught that it’s acceptable to harm women when they pay them for sex, because they already believe it."

Read more here and/or pre-order yourself a copy!

Photo used above is by Deon Black, whose full gallery can be found here.

[alexanderlightweight]

Work absolutely sucks right now. Micromanagement from corporate to a whole new level, and I'm so tired and feel like I'm being gaslit. And no matter how much I try to boost their spirits, my staff have already shed some tears from the stress. Hell, I want to cry sometimes.

So, for Writing Wednesday? Something fun?

Maybe happy Malec in Tethers of Fate (which I adore even if it didn't get enough love in your poll), either while Magnus was wooing Alec at the Spiral Labyrinth or after they're wed?

Or indulgent Malec in Taste of Your Magic. I love Dragon!Alec and Cat!Magnus and navigating their cultural differences. And something about Alec doing everything he can to stay in Magnus' presence is just lovely and cozy.

Or domestic Bitter Trap of Truth. There is something almost silly fun about Magnus being paranoid while Alec is just living his best life bc he gets to indulge in his pretty husband.

I think I would prefer NSFW but I will be just as happy with SFW if that's not what you're feeling like.

Thank you 💙

okay so, that sounds absolutely like a completely and total fucking nightmare. and It sounds like you're trying to keep it together for everyone around you who are barely holding on, while also trying to hold on but having to be the strong one. and if you feel like you're being gaslit then you're probably being gaslit. is there someone you know who has your back you can present the situation to? someone who can be protective of you (because that is important, it makes up for the works lack of protection) and look at something somewhat objectively?

because in a position like a job where work often doesn't care about the workers, please remember to add a little extra to your 'i'm allowed these boundaries' since you need to compensate for what work should but doesn't do. I really hope things get better because no one should be going through that and its awful that you're having to both go through it and protect others going through it but also good job for trying to protect others because that is wonderful and you're doing amazing even when it feels like it's not enough! okay! you're trying your damned best!!

oh gosh, I promise I was teasing about the pole! I was surprised because i've had a lot of prompts concerning it, but it also made sense because pray to the hunters is pretty intensely loved even though I thought it would be pretty out of everyones comfort zone. I love to be wrong in these scenarios tho. but also tethers is a pretty domestic fic so far and I think that influences things because less intrigue in some ways?

i'm connecting dots like I know what i'm doing but there may not even be a picture lol

um I promise that this is happy. Magnus and Alec have a mutually teasing slightly not actually antagonistic flirtationship going on in this verse before they settle domestically. but also Alec is very much a brat in this fic. also he knows he's a brat but also he was kind of spoiled as a kid and he's fine with it. so like when Alec seems like a yowling cat he's actually pretty fucking pleased

Magnus adores his brat and doesn't mind the bratting but also he has goals. because otherwise Magnus might not ever see alec again once he leaves.

uhm NSFW and kinky blowjobs with blood kink and claiming and marking and shit, 3DNE probably knowing how I write

I hope you enjoy <3 which always feels hilarious to write on smut but like I say the same on everything.

oh this is Magnus wooing Alec in the spiral labyrinth. which is a very delicate trap to create.

... I promise malec is happy they're just kinky i'm sorry. 100% send me an ask if this didn't send the vibes you needed

lumine

tethers of fate

“Hello darling, don’t you look charming.” 

And Alexander does, despite the fact that Magnus wants to wipe away the glitter shimmering on his cheekbones or burn away the little crown of vines on his brow.

Those are claims of Arawn. Physical symbols of his ties to Alexander and also the unseelie king’s claim on the wild magic that flows through Alexander’s veins as if it were blood.

Magnus catches a brown curl around his finger and twines it, pulling it in a little tug before letting it go.  There’s barely any spring to it but his fingers ache to return and so he does, memorizing every pattern and curl on Alexander’s head as his darling diligently reads a scroll.

Finally, when Magnus is beginning to feel like he’ll run out of patience before he runs out of hair, Alexander looks up.

The green specks of his eyes are enchanting, a vibrant, insidious green that lurks in a kaleidoscope of hazel colors.  It’s unnatural and enticing, as are the strange vine and bone tattoos that spread across Alexander’s body.

“For someone who told me to read this scroll, you’re not exactly making it easy.” 

Magnus ignores the taunt because why on earth would he ever make anything easy for Alexander when he could instead make it fun.

“The scroll will still be there tomorrow, but who knows when we’ll next have a moment together. Tell me, what is your full name, darling?” Because while Alexander may not be a fae in blood, he is fae in nature.

Alexander looks at him curiously, clearly wondering why Magnus wants to know but unaware that he’s beholden by the same rules of Arawn’s court.

“No one knows.” Is the answer he’s given and Alexander’s lips quirk mischievously, “I came to tad with my name and nothing else. All other titles are presents and honors bestowed upon me.”

Magnus pretends to believe him and leave it at that for now and instead upends the bag he’d brought with him on the desk. Letting a series of magical instruments fall across the surface.

“Oh, what are these?” Alexander sounds delighted, that cat-like curiosity of his ignited the moment Magnus touches anything or brings him something. 

Magnus watches as Alexander’s hand wavers over a witchlight for a moment before he quickly moves his palm, yet it’s enough for Magnus to see the soft glow that forms and fades almost too quickly to see.

Alexander is running his fingers over a wind-whistle and it’s clear he’s trying to be nonchalant, the tips of his ears pink and the furrow of his brow overly pronounced.

But Magnus saw it and in a move that should be impossible Magnus strokes against Alexander’s aura with a drop of grace, defiled though it may be. Against his magic Magnus feels the soul-touch of a nephilim bloom and he pauses, hardly daring to believe he was right.

It shouldn’t be possible, but Magnus has spent enough time around and helping Tessa to unearth hidden secrets meant to be forgotten.

Arawn’s favored son is nephilim blooded.  

No wonder he’s so rabidly protective of Alexander.  No matter how it came about, it happened and Alexander’s a walking treasure trove of pure wild magic and raw power that could overpower most rituals that would drain others. Not only that, he has the kind of power in his blood that people would kill for.

“Alexander,” Magnus purrs, because it’s more important than ever that he gets answers. “You must have some idea of what your name was. Who you are, at your core.”

Alexander laughs, unaware of Magnus’ realization and ignoring Magnus’ attempts to cut into him, as if the thought has never occurred or mattered to him.

“I have dozens of names from my kin and a title only my father knows. The kind of name you speak of is unimportant with the wealth I have. Who I am, at my core, is a child of Arawn and that will never change no matter a name.”

Magnus realizes that he means it. 

Whatever life Alexander has and is living, it’s fulfilling enough that he doesn’t care who he is, who he was born to be. For Magnus who has run from his lineage but always comes back to it, it’s an odd perspective and it makes his plans more difficult. 

Magnus carefully and casually locks the wards of the library into place. He has permission, not only as an Elder and king but specifically since he’s considered a lure for Alexander.

The council wants to maintain access to Alexander and once he’s done studying here, Magnus doubts Arawn will let him come back. It took contracts and oaths sworn and vows upheld for the unseelie king to allow it at all and that was before the Elder’s realized the gem that Alexander is.

The moment the Elder’s realized that Magnus wanted Alexander and that the interest and chemistry was mutual, they gave Magnus full reign of their resources. Ever better, rather than simply give him access to research, they’re letting him woo Alexander while they research for him.

Every night Magnus retires to his room here and finds a desk full of rituals, some he knows, others he’s vaguely heard of and still more he’s never seen before.  All in the hopes that he will find a ritual that can tie Alexander to him in a way that Arawn cannot cut.

It only works because Magnus’ interest is selfish. For personal greed and desire, a lust and interest that focuses on Alexander as an individual rather than his powers, that allow them to circumvent the oaths this much at all.

Arawn cut off every avenue to his son but the routes of emotions and carnal hunger.

The elder’s don’t even know that Alexander is nephil blooded and yet, to try and give Magnus every opportunity — they’ve even been providing him rituals that will work on those with not just angelic but specifically nephil blood. Just that morning Magnus had memorized a diagram he’d thought would be useless but now he realizes he can use it this moment, as blood calls to blood.

Magnus lets power swell in his veins and then he kisses Alexander, harshly and hastily.  A storm finally unleashed as magic pools beneath his skin and Alexander meets him, laughing and wild and just as fierce as he kisses back.

Their teeth clash, fangs equally sharp and cutting on each other’s lips and tongues and blood smears between them as a diagram forms in the staccato beat of their pounding hearts. A name Magnus shouldn’t know and he knows is dangerous to say lingers on his tongue, coated in the blood he coaxed from Alexander’s mouth and when he pulls back he laughs.

Alexander smiles at him, already healed, his pink tongue licking away the remaining red on his lips. It’s clear he knows Magnus wanted to taste his blood and he’s pleased by it, even if he doesn’t know why. However before he can ask Magnus smirks and Alexander frowns, eyes narrowing as if he can sense the danger in Magnus’ glee.

Magnus leans forward and murmurs a name swallowed by an unholy scream that echoes in the room with a gust of wind before it’s gone.

Alexander’s eyes are wide, staring at Magnus as if he’s appointed up a rift to a void realm, rather than just claim Alexander in the most basic of fae truths.

“You’re not supposed to know that name.” Alexander snaps out of his surprise, a scowl forming on his plush lips. “That name was eaten by time for a reason, Magnus. It’s not my fate to know that life. I don’t want anything to do with it.”

“But it’s my fate to claim it. All the possibilities and truths of it, though I will never again speak it if you wish.”

Magnus kisses him again and despite his irritation Alexander kisses back, as if he’s just been waiting this whole time for Magnus to move forward and claim another taste.

After a moment Alexander bites his mouth, pulling back and looking at him with a sigh. “Don’t say that name again, Malphas. I don’t want to know it.”

Alexander kisses sweetly this time, tender and untamed under Magnus’ bruising grip and teeth. The declaration that he knows the name Magnus’ father gave him rather than the name Magnus chose isn’t a surprise.

But it delightful, how he speaks Magnus name without fear. Just after Magnus spoke his own.

However now that Magnus has said it, tasted and claimed it, he can promise never to speak of its existence again, just as Alexander wishes.

It’s a quiet vow that Magnus swears as Alexander kisses his jaw and cheeks. Magnus seals it with his mouth, kissing Alexander until he’s whining against him, mouth panting in open supplication against Magnus’ own.

It’s with a desperate need that Magnus uses magic to shove away the desk and scatter books, no matter how old or valuable they are. Alexander’s pants open under his touch, the butter-smooth leather parting under fingers until he can touch skin and bare Alexander’s cock to the air.

Magnus doesn’t let Alexander overthink it.  

The fact that Magnus knows his name even if he vowed it away, or that he’s about to taste him. Magnus doesn’t bother with foreplay, swallowing around Alexander and humming deep in his throat. Teasing Alexander’s balls with his fingers and using just a hint of teeth when he can.

There’s a vine that peeks out from under Alexander’s shirt, following down his happy trail to disappear in a curl of leaves on the crease of his groin.  It’s branded to Alexander’s skin in a tattoo that shimmers and Magnus’ nails bite into it.  Alexander gasps, hands tight in Magnus’ hair but neither pulling him away or complaining.  Instead he squirms, hips trying to thrust from where he’s pinned between the chair and Magnus’ hands and magic.

“Magnus, your tongue. Fuck I wouldn’t even care if your piercing was iron the way it feels.” Alexander groans and then he whines in complaint as Magnus stays still. A heel kicks at Magnus thigh and Magnus uses magic to keep Alexander’s legs still and snared to the chair even as Alexander writhes and swears at him in a variety of fae curses.

He can’t fuck Magnus’ throat the way he desperately wants to like this, can only sit there and take it as Magnus teases him. 

When he’s done Alexander won’t be able to look at Magnus’ mouth without imaging it on him, on his cock and his skin and marking him with his teeth.

Alexander whines as Magnus flicks the ball-piercing on his tongue against his slit and then groans when Magnus pulls back, spit and precome connecting them until Magnus licks his lips.

“Don’t you taste divine,” Magnus chuckles, flicking out his tongue and smirking as Alexander’s gaze is drawn to the piercing and his mouth. “Kiss me, sweetheart?”

Alexander bends down, kissing him desperately, tasting himself on Magnus’ tongue until the magic pushes him back, pinning him down again. 

“I can’t be so greedy and not share. You’ve probably never tasted yourself. Have you?” Alexander shakes his head and looks like he can’t decide between demanding another kiss or Magnus’ mouth back on his dick.  Luckily for him, Magnus has already picked for both of them what to do.

“Magnus!”

Alexander’s voice is desperate and he whines when Magnus rubs his cheek against Alexander’s cock. His sweet boy keens when stubble catches on sensitive skin and he whines in relief when the burn is soothed with Magnus’ tongue.

Magnus takes him back in his mouth, swallowing him down to the base, until his nose presses against Alexander’s shirt and his boy can feel every swallow and pulse of his throat around him.

Alexander comes helplessly, fingers tight like bands around Magnus’ wrists from where he’s pinned Alexander’s thighs open with his hands.

Alexander holds onto him as if clinging tightly to Magnus can keep him anchored as Magnus swallows around him. Ignoring when Alexander murmurs his name and then the louder pleas for him to stop as they turn into a series of demanding threats and curses even as Alexander does nothing to actually stop him.  They both know he could and would, if he didn’t ache and yearn at the feeling of Magnus unraveling him to the core.

It isn’t until Alexander is trembling beneath him, thighs shaking and soaked with sweat and pants drenched that Magnus stops and looks up.

Alexander glares at him, face flushed and eyes shiny with tears.  His lips are swollen from where he’s bitten them and he’s looking down like Magnus is a god trying to destroy him.

Magnus chuckles, mouth full of Alexander’s soft cock and the last bit of come he’s coaxed from him and slowly pulls off.  Alexander tugs at him instantly. Pulling him into a kiss and yanking on Magnus until he’s up and in Alexander’s lap. Both of them ignore how Alexander hisses in pain from overstimulation as Magnus settles against him. Alexander’s sensitive, flaccid cock pinned between his own open pants and Magnus’ denim.

It can’t be comfortable but Alexander is more interested in licking the taste of his own come from Magnus’ mouth, whimpering against him every time Magnus shifts but only pulling him closer. 

Even when he whines like he’s going to cry again.

Magnus grinds his hips, deliberately trapping and teasing Alexander’s cock and his boy keens into their kiss. Nails an angry bite on Magnus’ neck even as Alexander only deepens the kiss.  Clearly uncaring about anything beyond the connection of their lips.

There’s a tie between them, something delicate and subtle enough that unless you know it’s there, you couldn’t find it.

Technically it shouldn’t work like this, but Magnus knows exactly what he’s doing and even this small but powerful strand is only the beginning.

Magnus has earned blood, found a name and now he’s taken a taste. 

He’s drunk straight from a well of unimaginable power and let it christen his throat and body and claimed it for himself, as if drinking from a fountain in the fae realm.

It weaves the ties between them, equal strands forming in chains from Magnus to Alexander and from Alexander to Magnus. As Magnus ensures that by the end of this, they cannot be torn from each other.

—

AN:

Alec is something of a virgin in this fic for several reasons. He’s demisexual and he gets all the platonic cuddles he wants from his family and a few friends. Like Alec isn’t touch starved, he’s completely healthy with tons of mostly healthy emotional relationships that also have a physical component. 

He’s experimented a little, this certainly isn’t his first kiss and he’s done some handjobs/grinding etc but he’s picky about who he kisses/experiments with and because of a lack of interest on his part it never goes far. Its just he typically has better things to do than kiss people or try and fuck around. He actually has more important things to do than kiss magnus rn, however his priorities are a bit skewed now and thats okay because he likes kissing magnus which raises the priority. He just kind of tolerated/enjoyed it before when he tried it out. 

No one shames him for this. Arawn would be very happy if none of his kids developed romantic feelings for other people and just fucked or didn’t fuck based on what they need/want. So Alec is very comfortable with himself and he’s interested in Magnus which makes him interested in sex with Magnus.

Also you’re not supposed to eat or drink what a fae offers you. Magnus is very secretly creating invisible webs of oaths and magics, overlapping truth and reality with myth and also words of power and string of fate and reality. So in this moment, because of how Magnus framed the situation, he technically just consumed something from a fae (even tho alec isn’t truly fae it counts because his nature is similar enough) and bound them together because it technically gives alec power over magnus. Just like magnus gained power over alec with the knowledge of his name and they gained equal understanding/power of each other when tasting their blood.

It doesn’t all fully come together just yet.

This is just one strand of the web magnus is currently weaving. And this web has to end up being a mirror image on both sides because any weakness, discrepancy, imbalance and arawn could destroy it.

[ed1tssturnn]

Behind the Mask - inspired by Disney “cloud 9” m.s

Chapter 1

Summary - y/n starts her first day at “hot doggers” doggy daycare to earn money for breaking Matt sturniolos sled, Matt’s attitude not helping and her day doesn’t go well, she gets kicked of her snowboarding team “the swifts” and she finds out every competition she has won has been rigged.

Warning - angst i think? and uh that’s it

The bell above the door jingled as you stepped into Hot Doggers Doggy Daycare. The sharp scent of dog shampoo hit your nose, along with a wave of barking that made you pause and brush the snow from your jacket.

Behind the front counter stood Matt Sturniolo, arms crossed, flannel sleeves rolled up, a rag tucked into his back pocket. He didn’t say anything right away just gave you that classic Matt expression: half-bored, half annoyed.

“First day and you’re late,” he said, a fake smile tugging at his lips. “Not as late as that flannel,” you replied. “What is this, Seattle?”. “Try washing a 50-pound bloodhound and see if you care about fashion after that.”

Matt tossed you a leash, then started unlocking kennels. “Alright, boys, this wasn’t my call, but let’s give her a warm welcome.” Before you could react, a herd of dogs rushed you. You stumbled back. “Uh—what are you doing?“Letting them meet you. You don’t want them to attack, right?” he said, clearly enjoying himself.You plopped onto the floor as the dogs surrounded you, licking and sniffing with wild enthusiasm. Matt handed you a bag of food like it was a peace offering. “First order of business fill the bowls.”“I’m allergic to dogs!” you protested. He just walked off, leash in hand. “You’ll live.” You sighed and opened the food bag, still adjusting to the chaos, when your phone buzzed. A voicemail. You pressed play, expecting a quick reminder from your coach. Instead, his voice came through flat and final:

“You’re off the Swift team. Y/n I’m sorry and you and the situation with the sled you broke the first rule off the contract I’m so sorry we had to let you go”The barking suddenly felt a lot louder.

You leave and start walking to “the hang out spot” where all snowboarders and kids your age all hang out to see your boyfriend the coaches son “im off the team, you dad kicked me off the team bc the accident luke you have to talk to him!”

He looks at you pissed “y/n it was either you or us?” you look at him shocked “you knew?” He walks away telling you that when the competition happens they won’t need you and saying that they where payed for you to win any competition.

Later at home..

“Y/n your all worked up j-just calm down” your father says “calm down? I thought I was good and now I might actually be bad!” You say walking away from him “you’re not bad! Your just not great ” The words hit like a punch to the gut. “you knew that coach rigged every competition for me to win” you say turning around with tears at the brim of your eyes “well I uh no uhm I suspected it!” He says “no wonder why everybody thinks I’m just daddy’s little rich girl” “y/n people are always gonna be jealous of you because of my success but you feel no shame” “no dad I feel ashamed because I’m pretending to be sombody I’m not and if I new I wasn’t good I would have tried harder to make myself great, I’m a fake! And everybody knows including you.” You say as you walk away ashamed, disappointed and hurt.

You were gonna get better, even if you had dogs to take care of now.

Taglist: @bernardsbendystraws @kenah-sturniolo

A/N: first time writing for this new au this is pretty I rlly hope this even makes sense. If you have watched the movie I’m sure it does. Their might be miss spellings I wrote this rlly late last night let me know you wanted to be added to the tag list! || divider credits @bernardsbendystraws

[h-c-l-p]

Breaking down the fight scene

To start it off I want to say that I love Buck and Eddie so much, I am an eddiegirl at heart, but truly both characters mean so much to me. I am not trying to say that one is more right or wrong than the other, they both know exactly where to hurt the other which is a testimony to how well they know one another.

That being said I have seen a lot of Eddie hate and misunderstanding so I wanted to provide my thoughts on the conversation and explain Eddie and Buck’s actions through my lens.

First off Buck, everyone knows he is acting different. Instead of talking with his team (his family) about how he’s feeling or asking them about how they are feeling he’s being avoidant, suffering, and in a sense pushing aside the fact that others are suffering differently from him. For Buck a grief scale makes sense because it’s a tangible way of measuring the feeling, but that’s not how people work and again “testing” where people are on a grief scale avoids broaching any of the bigger issues.

It starts with Buck getting groceries after Eddie said he would. Buck didn’t talk to Eddie about it, again showing his avoidance. But then Buck decides he wants to talk about his feelings, but not the ones about the big issue at hand, he will go for the easier to process ones (although these ones are hard for him as well). He tells Eddie he knows he got a job offer, an area that we know will be difficult for the men to talk about.

Buck is pissed about Eddie not telling him and probably upset that Eddie would have have more incentive to stay away. From what we know about Buck, he’s probably upset at himself for being upset about it but he knows he can direct that anger to something that deserves anger in his mind: which is the fact that Eddie didn’t tell him. Notice how many times I said him? Buck IS centering himself and it totally makes sense for his characters. He’s upset about Eddie not telling him and he’s upset at himself. He then says that everyone is “tiptoeing around my back" and "apparently I’m too fragile to accept the truth.” Once again centering himself regarding Eddie’s decision, which yes he can do they are his own feelings and they are valid, but Buck is deliberately trying to make it easier on himself by only working to process these emotions. “You think I wouldn’t have been happy for you.” That’s the line that cements it all, Buck didn’t ask Eddie about how he’s feeling about the situation, this is big, someone close to him AND Eddie died, someone that Buck viewed as a father, but someone that Eddie knew and loved (as a father) as well. Eddie is faced with a job that would permanently keep him from the people he loves in CA.

Now Eddie. Eddie says he knows Buck would be happy for him. But that’s not what Eddie wants right now. Eddie wants someone to talk to about these big decisions happening in his life and he feels like all these fallouts the Shanon/doppelgänger situation, Chris, Bobby’s death have all been a consequence of his feelings and his choices and some of these situations have! Eddie is struggling with his grief and his choices and he desperately needs someone to talk to, but in true Eddie behavior he’s also being avoidant. BOTH EDDIE AND BUCK ARE BEING AVOIDANT BECAUSE THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO FACE THEIR OWN GRIEF. They both need the other but can’t figure out how to do so without bringing it to a head but getting it all out at once (fighting).

Eddie’s pissed at Buck because Buck keeps bringing up Buck’s own emotions about Eddie and Eddie’s decisions and again Eddie’s decisions are a vulnerability for Eddie right now. Their reactions make sense for both of them as characters.

From context clues we can infer that the entire team has been trying to talk to Buck about how he’s feeling/doing, but Buck has instead been deflecting, measuring their grief on a scale. While some people won’t agree with my take, Eddie is upset because he wishes Buck would reach out to him, like Eddie and the others have been reaching out to Buck, but what Eddie understands which Buck has not quite, is that everyone else has responsibilities Buck does not have. The others are not able to grieve in the way Buck wants them to because they are a) different people then Buck who process things differently and b) have children and/or partners at home.

“Sorry I’m sad that Bobby’s dead.” That wasn’t solely an expression of Buck's own grief, it was a dig at Eddie and the other members of the 118 for not grieving “properly” to Buck. Buck doesn’t understand why they don’t seem more outwardly upset, but he’s so caught up in his own grief that he’s not reaching out to them to see if their grief goes deeper. Eddie took this comment from Buck exactly how he was supposed to, exactly how Buck meant him to. Eddie knows Buck is suffering, but he also knows Buck and what he meant by that. Eddie gets up in Bucks face, trying to make Buck understand that he and the rest of the 118 are affected by Bobby’s death as well. It’s not just Eddie wanting Buck to know he’s angry, he wants Buck to feel that’s Eddie is hurting as well. Eddie is angry which means he can now share his feelings, the feelings he wishes he was able to process with Buck and the others, THE FEELINGS HE WISHES HE COULD PROCESS WITH BOBBY, THE MAN HE CREDITS WITH SAVING HIS LIFE (and by default Chris'). As a viewer we learn that when Eddie heard about Bobby’s death (from who!?!) he broke down and felt entirely alone. The two people he relies on for emotional support are Buck and Bobby, Buck who he knew would be suffering in his own grief and Bobby who died.

But Eddie had to think about Chris’ emotions as well. As a parent he can’t afford to grieve solely for himself. He can’t cry too loud or Chris might hear and the last time that happened Chris had to call Buck to talk Eddie down and out of it, which was traumatizing for Chris, but now also infeasible (because of Eddie's choices). No one could help Eddie now, what would Chris do… call Eddie’s parent’s? Yeah no way Eddie was about to let himself truly grieve and let that happen. Eddie knows that when morning comes he will have to let Chris know that another person he cares about died. Eddie thinks, deep down that this may be another way in which his choices have led to the death of someone he and Chris care about.

When Eddie expresses that he feels survivors guilt, an emotion that has sent him mentally spiraling in the past, Buck feels unable to support his own level of grief as well as Eddie's. He DOES make Eddie’s grief about himself. He asks if Eddie thinks Buck didn’t do enough. Part of it is the desperation deep down that he believes Eddie thinks he didn’t do his job (what he was made for), but again he is not trying to understand how Eddie is feeling. Eddie then does the SAME thing that Buck did with the “sorry I’m sad” and in his anger says I don’t know Buck I wasn’t there. He said it deliberately to hurt Buck because he’s pissed Buck is not considering how other people, how Eddie, is feeling about Bobby’s death.

Eddie knew that he hurt Buck and removed himself from the situation (and yeah he was a bitch about it in the process). But he showed his fundamental understanding of Buck and brought Chris back because he know that that is what Buck needs (and what Eddie needs a bit as well, for his family to be together again). But it also gives Buck that chance to step up and think outside of his own grief (and Eddie gets the opportunity to subconsciously test Buck, to see if Buck can support Bucks grief, Chris in Chris' own grief, and maybe a bit to see if Buck can support Eddie as well *cough* like a partner/husband would).

Both Buck and Eddie are avoidant and grieving. Both Buck and Eddie are in a sense making it about themselves. Now for Buddie stuff. While this was not a feelings realization per-say. This was a chance for Eddie to verbalize that he feels like he can handle Buck’s grief and he’s working through his own but he needs Buck a) to trust Eddie with Bucks grief and b) reciprocate and support Eddie in his grief as well (to be his partner). This was a chance for Buck to a) express his own grief and b) explain his confusion and hurt about whether other people blame him (Buck blames himself). But it also shows that Buck is not quite ready to handle Eddie’s emotions (he’s not quite ready to be Eddie’s partner). Eddie is slowly working to a feelings realization he’s quietly putting the pieces of the puzzle together (although he’ll be shocked at the puzzles final picture, it’ll make sense to him because the pieces all fit together over time). Buck on the other hand, is not there with his feelings for Eddie yet, they may be festering but he needs that push to finally realize, a push that will be sudden and open his eyes. I think his puzzle will be the opposite of Eddie's. Buck's puzzle came already put together, a full picture, but its in taking it apart that he realizes the pieces fit together perfectly.

Now I know I probably missed a lot, that my ideas are all over the place, and that I probably favored Eddie (I do fully believe they both fucked up and truly do not think one was more "right" or "wrong" than the other). I love both of these characters so much and they are fundamentally perfect for each other.

[exploring-the-cosmos]

Haven't posted in a while, but I have some thoughts about Eddie, the upcoming episode, and the confessional still we got earlier today, so here's my little rambling rant about Eddie Diaz and 8x17:

Okay, so I have had many thoughts about how the church/confessional scene could go, but this seems the most plausible to me:

I think Eddie is going to go back to the church, mainly because it's the one place besides the firehouse he would feel most connected to Bobby. They had multiple conversations revolving around their shared Catholic background at this point, and Bobby's advice to Eddie about his relationship struggles had also led him back to church more than once. Seeing as Bobby is gone (I'm still holding out hope he's alive, Tim please do not disappoint me more than you already have), the next logical place for him to turn to to deal with his grief and guilt, imo, is the church. From the stills, it looks like there is going to be a confessional scene and the only character we've seen go to confessional besides Bobby is Eddie so it makes sense that he would be in that scene talking to Father Brian. Father Brian also has an established relationship with Bobby, so I would love to see how he is personally dealing with that loss, too. On Eddie's part, we know from the last episode that he is likely dealing with a lot of guilt regarding him not being there to help when the 118 was trapped in the lab. Guilt also continues to be a recurring theme for Eddie. He feels guilty over what happened with Shannon, what happened with the whole Kim and Marisol situation and how that affected his relationship with Christopher, he has a "reservior of untapped Catholic guilt" as he puts it, etc. It wouldn't surprise me if he is unfairly blaming himself for Bobby's death and that's the main issue he's going to confession to deal with. At some point I think this conversation will circle back to the last conversation the two had in "Confessions": the water vs. juice conversation. Father Brian had previously commented that he thinks the reason Eddie chose the water over the juice is because he's punishing himself. Because he doesn't feel worthy of joy (the juice). I can see the current conversation with Father Brian leading back into how Eddie is once again punishing himself by blaming Bobby's death on himself and his choice to leave LA (even though he had a good reason to leave), and he isn't working through his grief and moving on with his life. But even if he was there, there likely would have been nothing he could have done to save him, no matter how much skill and experience he has as a medic. It's okay for him to have regrets, to feel sad, and to mourn the loss of an important person to him, but he cannot put blame on himself for not being there. And it's also okay for him to forgive himself, to move on, and to continue to pursue joy. It's what Bobby would have wanted for him, and for everyone in the 118. The water vs. juice convo also feels like a very clear analogy that can be applied to Eddie's romantic relationships. Choosing water is choosing to pursue relationships with women-- to conform to societies expectations, to punish himself for wanting what he "shouldn't"/can't have, repression-- and choosing juice would be choosing to pursue relationships with men-- joy, self-acceptance, choosing himself and what he wants/not what other people expect of him. Also juice=fruit=fruity. That feels so obvious it's like a punch to the face. Don't even get me started on his comment about not liking dating (women) because he "feels like he has to perform". I really hope Hen brings that little comment up in their upcoming conversation because OH BOY is there a lot to unpack. I don't know that this conversation or his convo with Hen will necessarily directly address his sexuality and feelings for Buck, but considering the title of the episode being "Don't Drink The Water", how the two of them have been acting toward/talking about each other, the last scene of 8x9 almost seeming to be an "oh" moment for Eddie, and there being multiple stills of Buck next to juice? I would be surprised and frankly a little disappointed if it didn't come up.

I really hope that's along the lines of how things go next episode, but who tf knows. The writers have not been putting out their best work recently, imo. I am pleasantly surprised to see that it seems Eddie will be in this episode more now that he's back, and I really, really hope his storyline is the focus of the episode because he's been absent for so long.

[cute-little-fly]

Vassago and Stolitz Season 3 theory

This mini-theory is a further elaboration from this post made by @timkontheunsure that just…. popped out into my head today at 1 am when I was struggling to go to sleep, because of a fic I read before going to bed. LMAO.

Basically, what this post and the discussion around it said, was the possibility that Vassago was going to offer Stolas a home or better living conditions. Why Vassago would to come for Stolas until later, or what his relationship was with Stolas is yet to be seen. Or if will happen in this way we envision or not (might be related to something about Octavia too?). Guess we will see.

All of this idea came from this drawing:

For me, this drawing seems to be what each member of the IMP is going to think about Vassago, and like the original post said, is a tease or a future episode.

For me this makes sense. Millie is gonna love him, because he is happy and extroverted like she is. Moxxie might feel intimidated? Maybe because he is also kind of a theater boy, and that might make him feel inadequate, OR he might be distressed because how Blitzø acts and sees the situation. Blitzø is going to be… jealous I guess 🤭, or doubt his real intentions because he is a royal and besides his prejudice he doubts someone is willing to help Stolas after how everything happened in the trial.

Now, with this in mind… the theory.

Harriet… Don’t go into that train. It’s going to London and I cannot be without you.

We all know Helluva Boss uses a lot of foreshadowing, and there are lots of moments that are in response to others or that tease what is going to happen. We already know this while we watched, and we have spotted a lot of moments in mastermind and Sinsmas that are a direct response of the monologue Stolas gave to Blitzø at the party.

Usually, people remember the moment: “Harriet, don’t go into that train I cannot be without you” and relate that to this scene:

While it can be related a lot symbolically… I think this doesn’t relate perfectly with the Harriet moment because this… isn’t necessarily romantic. Blitzø would react the same if they had Loona in there or MyM.

This scene means that Blitzø cares about Stolas as much to be completely devastated if he dies. Even if Blitzø didn’t felt true love for Stolas, he also wouldn’t like him to die.

So for me this scene is more a response to this specific:

Because yes… Stolas has never felt that the people around him care about his basic wellbeing, or if he is alive or not (except for Octavia but, she is his daughter and she depends and relies on him. It’s not the same being cared about just for the sake of it without anything in exchange).

Since he is strong and immortal everyone think he should handle everything, and actually… his circle, the royals, the majority wouldn’t really care if he stays or goes.

I think this comment is not even meant for Stolas to have this by his romantic partner specifically. I think that in general he feels no one cares about him as a being, and what could happen to him. Even if he and Stella don’t get along, it must suck to see how the person you have lived with during years would attempt to kill you. That’s fucked.

So, I think that this moment here:

Is teasing the romantic development of Stolitz in Season 3.

We still are going to have some angst for Season 3, but it’s going to be a romcom.

I think that Stolas and Blitzø will be on good terms, pinning for each other during some time. None of them will dare to say anything.

Blitzø would never feel it’s the right moment to talk or iniciate something romantic because Octavia isn’t there.

Stolas would think Blitzø might feel in debt with him and that he is being a burden on his home, and that he should eventually leave.

During this time, other things might happen and they might grow closer or learn more about each other. About Blitzø’s past maybe? Barb will surely come to the series in Season 3. Millie’s pregnancy will come too. Blitzø might crumble to the pressure of everything. A lot of things might happen before or after this, even if now Blitzø knows he is loved will… make him feel pressured to give his entire being to everyone, and Stolas might be the person he is holding onto for strength. I think he has done this unconsciously before.

So… I think that Vassago might grow closer to Stolas, when he starts to get near them, and will end up offer him a home or a better place to go.

Stolas won’t want to leave, because besides Blitzø, he already feels comfortable with Loona and his life in the Office. After having no one, being in this family is gonna meant a lot to him.

But he will feel compelled to accept, because he doesn’t know if Blitzø is being nice and really okay with him staying so long because he is thankful, so he won’t want to “burden” Blitzø further. Vassago it’s going to be also a great guy and a friend that could help him further with Octavia and his situation. So, he will accept.

Blitzø will be like: okay if you want to go and have a better life you should. So he won’t say a thing. He won’t want to be selfish and he knows things are crowded in the appartment and all of that. Blitzø will be insecure and suspect Vassago and Stolas might have feelings for each other, so there is also going to be a component of Blitzø feeling he is better off with another Prince.

However… when Stolas just leaves Blitzø won’t be able to take it. He will chase Stolas and say the words (or something similar). The confession might include everything about their relationship and how he really felt back then.

A lot of people believe Blitzø would never go into those lengths to confess to someone knowing they might have another better person because of his own self hatred.

While I think this idea makes sense… wouldn’t it be crazy (in a good way) if we have a situation where Blitzø would dare to do it?

This precisely would be the thing that would make this scenario even more compelling. Blitzø doesn’t necessarily feel deserving on him, but he won’t just be able to be without Stolas, so he will go against all those voices of his head in a big crazy impulse. Because being without Stolas would be more painful than that. It might be also because Loona and the rest won’t want Stolas to leave either, or someone encouraging him to do that step.

[elizaa31]

So i've seen all these discussions about Savannah Grayson, the debates between the haters and the defenders and just thought i would drop in too.

First of all, I would like to state (God i sound as if i'm in court) that I do not, under any circumstances, hate Savannah. But...I also don't really like her.

Here is why:

After The Brothers Hawthorne, I really liked her. Almost as much as I liked Gigi. I understood her, she was similar to Grayson.

Then comes in The Grandest Game.

I felt like Savannah was a bad sister to Gigi during the book. For example : when Gigi found out 'the secret' she tried to keep it for Savannah, and tried to act normal, like she usually did, bubbly and cheerful. When Savannah found out 'the secret', she changed entirely. She was even colder than usual, cold even to Gigi. It makes sense, because for Savannah her father was everything. But if you think of it, for Savannah was a lot easier to pretend she was okay than to Gigi, because of her personality. Yet she didn't even try to be okay for Gigi, she pushed her away, when Gigi did everything in her power to be okay for Savannah. If I were Gigi, when i would be trying so hard to pretend to be fine for my sister and my sister would just treat me with coldness, i would be so discouraged I couldn't hold it in anymore. But Gigi is obviously better than me.

2. Yes, there is a 98 percent possibility than Eve didn't tell Savannah the truth about her father, which would explain why Savannah thought Avery killed her father. But if you think of it, when Vincent Blake threatened to reveal the secret, it meant he had some proof. Obviously, Eve wouldn't have showed the proof to Savannah, because it would have meant Savannah would see Avery tied to a chair and Mellie shooting her father. Which leads to the only possibility, where Savannah believed Eve without any further proof. If you pride yourself on being resourceful and calculated, like Savannah, you would never accept an information like that without proof. Even if you got proof, you would still look to verify further. Everyone says Grayson and Savannah are the same and you cannot like Grayson and dislike Savannah. But think of what Grayson would have done in this situation. He would have looked into it. Tried to find actual proof. Not just believed it like that. And Savannah... didn't. Which means her anger, her beliefs about Avery were unjustified, and it's her fault too, not just Eve's, because she didn't even try to actually dig in and find the truth.

Then, there would be the situation where Eve actually told Savannah the truth and Savannah just blamed Avery, but that would be even worse so let's not talk of it

In conclusion, this are my reasons for slightly disliking Savannah, i hope it makes sense

Thanks for reading it, I'm aware how long it is :)

[skyward-floored]

In iAU, It seems Legend and Wind are going to public school in the AU, are any/all of the other Link kiddos going to public school?

Everyone except Hyrule goes to public school! Hyrule had to catch up a little, and school would just be... a lot for him, so he's homeschooled for now. He prefers being home anyway. He'll probably go to public school when he's a bit older, maybe high school? haven't decided yet. He's also home because there was a little plot hole I needed to fix and that fixed it nicely heh

And actually, in the period of time where Four's powers show up and he's adjusting to them, he joins Hyrule with the homeschooling since splitting into four people in the middle of math class would be pretty problematic. I think I have him do that for just a school year before going back though.

[lususnatura]

it hadn't even occurred to blamore that one could potentially use the green to create new human life-forms. however, if he did know that such a thing was on someone like ivy's mind... he would likely understand at least some of the devastation that came with her trying to do that and ultimately failing. whether it was a blessing or a curse was irrelevant at that moment — blamore didn't have anywhere near close the amount of power she had over plants. so, just the fact that ivy was able to feel their pain would be enough to make it pity the other. but in any case, the fact that his own bodily autonomy had essentially been taken from him because of the green was something horrifying, but it did connect him to other's experiences with it such as ivy's and alec holland's, or swamp thing's.

blamore looked down at the 'grippy socks' that the hospital had apparently found it necessary to clothe him with then. it was used to going either barefoot or running around in thin sandals, so it felt a bit odd; but it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that one this whole situation had blamore feeling odd. blamore had been nervous to reveal this information to harley before out of fear that she might not understand, after all, but it seemed like she actually thought very similarly to it. gender was a social construct that was constantly being re-shaped by society in terms of what was viewed as being 'masculine' or 'feminine.' but who even decided that such a thing needed to be defined in the first place, anyway?

he supposed that having such classifications allowed people to connect with people more easily in a way, but at the same time, it also divided people. blamore crossed his arms at the mention of french not making sense before feigning an incredulous scoff as if he was angry at harley, ❝ oh, my gosh. i can't believe you just said something that's completely true! you're such a bully for insulting my language like that, chère — i hope you know that, ❞ he very lightly pushed onto one of the other's shoulders then to continue putting on this act that it was offended when he really wasn't. blamore was merely messing around with her, as evidenced by the smile that it couldn't help but let spread across its lips.

whenever harley dove into the subject of gender then, he suddenly felt a lot less wary about sharing what he'd been keeing under wraps from her. and that was because he feared he might be rejected by her. but honestly, harley was one of the most nice people he'd met just overall — not even in only the criminal underworld of gotham — so reflecting back on it... blamore didn't know what it was so worried about now. a hum of approval left its lips at the way she pointed out that trying to put a label on different things in regard to what it meant to be male or female was kind of counterproductive (especially considering that could be a rather polarizing topic).

❝ yeah, i suppose you're right about that. but at the same time, the way in which society has created these 'norms' around gender have allowed people to feel like they have a community with others. though its at the expense of it being harder to define yourself as an individual and also to have harmful stereotypes tacked onto you sometimes, which... certainly doesn't make the whole idea seem good. i just have been experimenting with it for a while myself and its weird because, before i became this, i felt like people wouldn't respect the fact that i might want to be called different things so i held off from bringing it up.

but i guess becoming a plant monster hasn't been all bad in the way that its somehow given me more confidence about my gender. so, i wanted to tell you this eventually, but you can still call me your boyfriend if you want; though i would also like to be referred to using neutral pronouns, particularly 'it' or 'its' at times. do you think that that's something you could please do for me? ❞ blamore clasped its hands together in front of itself as if to say 'please' once more before nodding in response to what harley was telling it. ❝ i understand. and i'm more than happy with you being a tomboy, though i'd still be your partner if you ever changed your mind about things. it also makes me happy to hear that you're willing to accept others like that so long as they're not hurting anyone else; that's a good quality to have. ❞

his bony tail curled up to resemble a '6' against his body as he coughed into his elbow, grabbing the sandals he came to the hospital in and taking off the socks with a groan. they were starting to irritate the lichen on his feet, so he changed to tying the sandals around his ankles and walking around in them. ❝ yeah, they told me that the chest tube takes two days... m-minimum, to get all the excess air out of your lungs. that branch had another seed attached to it, so its obvious to me now that this isn't an isolated thing. ❞ blamore coughed once more into its elbow before throwing the seed into the bag it had. it looked confused at the others comment, tilting its head at harley.

❝ growth and attachment? you mean, like, what would happen if you allowed it to fully grow and how it'd attach itself to a structure - like me? make all the pregnancy jokes you want, but i think that that 'child' of mine was that branch that was in the sink because it sprouted out around my spine. food sounds amazing right now, though. i haven't eaten anything since last night, before the surgery. ❞ blamore gave the other's hand a light squeeze before he leaned his head down to kiss the other's knuckles.

a chuckle came from him at the way she stated she wouldn't be letting him on top of the greenhouse. ❝ ahh... there's that protective spirit of yours rearing its head again. though don't worry. it's not like i could even go up there right now if i wanted to, harley. nico told me that he reached out to a person who could fix it, and he said that the estimated time to do so would be three weeks. so i won't be touching it for a while. ❞

Harley winced at the talk about some plants not need outside influences to reproduce. It took her back to a dark time where Ivy was determined to get Harley to stay. It was to the point of trying to create plant children. Children born of the green. In retrospect giving her something responsive that could bridge the gap of communication and make her mother, wasn't too far out there. The problem was that the experiment worked but it was Harley who had to watch life wither in front of her. Pam would find out the hard way that she would be connected and feel their death, something Harley felt was a lesson warranted.

She sat solemn for a moment unable not to remember that moment but quickly shook her head conscious of the conversation. She didn't seem too alarmed as coming to terms with ones individuality was hard. Harley even struggled with this on occasion, but the further she got into psychology the more she didn't really care for gender studies.

" I always felt gender was like a Freudian study. It doesn't really make sense. Kinda like tha' French language. Ya' have masculine and feminine notations fa' pens 'en pencils," she laughed.

" I feel if ya' create these nonexistent lines inta' what is it to be male or female you will always neva' quite be in one or tha' other. I jus' want people ta' be their authentic selves? If it leads to experimenting into things to find out ... good if you make sure ya' ain't hurting someone in tha' process. As fa' me... I've been mostly coined feminine. I can't change my features. Trust me jus' a pair of glasses didn't mask much. I got a touch more respect but not enough. I mostly enjoy tha' company of men, hence why I didn't really have many female partners. So... yer' gonna simply get a tomboy. I'm gonna get dirty, fix cars, enjoy a drink or hang out in dives but I still like to be flirty 'en dress up. Dote on people when I can. I'm just me," she said with a shrug unsure if the talk helped.

Letting go of his tail she saw the hospital made them jittery. It was funny as she may as well have been much the same if she were in the gown.

"Woooahhh... its okay. I got ya. You said two days here. One okay... yer' actually doin' really well. Betta' than most but gotta make sure everything holds. ANddddddd oddly the branch in tha' sink... not yer' usual stuff. I gotta say yer' handling this better than I would. My mind has gone ta' implantin' that seed into a specimen just to study growth and attachment... and you look like its simply something of a collection piece. I feel disgusting for even thinking... Yer' right food... should order food," Harley blabbed before taking Balmore's hand for support.

Taking a breath she looked up at Balmore's eyes. "Ya' know I may not let ya' up ontop of the greenhouse fa' a long time."

[spotaus]

New Age AU (Obtaining Killer)

Hey guys! Through with a bot of stuff for the day and I have a sneaking suspicion that this stress headache will not leave me until I finish some projects for work, so I *may* be m.i.a. for a hot second until they stop.

In the meantime, I want to drop this! (Unedited, unrefined, raw off the slab style)

Andddd @ancha-aus and @papiliovolens ! Hello! (Mutzelputz if u see this, the tags weren't working for some reason, I apologize.)

Hope y'all enjoy!

Ccino had convinced him to leave the castle. After nearly a year had passed since his last true public appearance. Since he'd stolen the apple from his brother. Nine months had passed since he'd sent Dream away. He tried not to think about it.

Nightmare had been finding out a lot about his magic. How it made him jittery, and how he felt like he understood so much more. How it made him deeply paranoid, quick to react.

How it made people listen to him.

He figured it was because he was scary now. The negative magic condensed over every inch of his bone wasn't exactly appealing, and the extra limbs which had sprouted from his spine now acted like his own personal weapons. If someone didn't listen, didn't give him an answer he liked, the limbs moved without him even thinking.

It had taken time to learn to better control them. Even now, they writhed in his wake. His nerves expressed through their lashing and twitching as they hovered just above the ground.

The streets weren't exactly crowded.

Upon word of the King's arrival to this small providence, Nightmare had found that many people fled from his path. His travel party of several soldiers, and himself on horseback. He'd always wanted to ride horses. The traitor twin was someone that every citizen wished to avoid.

Ccino had coaxed him outside with promises of fresh air. Apparently there were promising young members of the city guard that Ccino swore would be wonderful future knights. Young warriors for him to bring up loyally under his name, no fear of betrayal.

It had made sense, at the time, but Nightmare hadn't chosen to recruit any of them.

It wasn't to say he didn't want to. Several of the humans and monsters were very talented, and he did his best to give them praise, but he could tell. None of them wanted to work under him. They didn't like him. Rejection and hatred that had pierced him immediately, he could practically taste it.

Ultimately, they would do better here in their hometown. A place they were passionate about protecting, and with people they cared for. Night would not try to mold promising soldiers into his perfect guard. No matter how smart of an idea it may have been.

And so he'd moved on.

Night had visited several smaller shops, onces which couldn't afford to refuse him, and he bought some fabrics, a trinket, some small thing from each place he stopped by. He payed exactly the price he needed for each thing. He wouldn't bribe his people, either. The best he could do would be to remain neutral.

He did discover, against all odds, that he was enjoying this day out. Ccino was, in fact, usually correct about this sort of thing.

The travel had been enriching. Almost exciting. He'd never gotten out of the castle much at all, this was all new and excitingly mundane.

Good things do not last forever.

It was almost sunset when he noticed it. Torches being set up, a platform prepared. A crowd gathering.

An execution, came the mutter from one of his soldiers. Though he recognized the set-up, Night had never been in attendance to an execution. He was morbidly curious. The crowd held such a contempt. A broiling hunger for blood.

He wished he'd wheeled his horse away when a few people were ushered out of a nearby building.

The prison, maybe?

There weren't many of them. Nightmare dismounted his steed, and much to the dismay of the soldiers at his side, he found himself sinking. Into the growing shadows cast by the dying sun.

He re-emerged beside the stage, where the few people were lined up. Ready for death by hanging.

That trick wasn't one that Nightmare quite understood yet, but he was always drawn to feelings of intense negativity. He knew that, now. Something about these prisoners were bothering him, even at a distance, and he found himself more curious as he stood before them.

His guards, at the back of the crowd, hadn't seemed to figure out where he had gone. He had the time, now, to loom over the small group of prisoners.

The city guards, the trained ones, had likely seen him earlier at their headquarters. They did not speak even a word against him as he stared.

Nightmare stared at these faces.

A dog monster, scrappy and scarred, black fur clashing against a few patches of white. One of her ears was missing.

A pair of humans, both men, one with long, curly red hair and another with short-cropped red hair and the beginnings of a beard. Maybe they were brothers?

A skeleton. His sockets dripped with black magic, and his soul was a piercing crimson, just infront of his chest.

A flame monster, small and stout. Their flames a flickering green and purple. One of their eyes had a patch over it.

Nightmare was not great at determining emotions yet. He was hardly versed in his own feelings, but there had been improvement recently. Understanding new emotions had been coming more naturally to him.

Sometimes it hurt, but he was learning.

Now, past the blossoms of a headache, he felt a bit baffled as he subconsciously picked through the negativity these monsters exuded. Their fear. Their pain. Their loss, and their anger.

Oh.

"Only one of you is guilty."

He'd said it without thinking, practically announcing it with a voice that still felt unnaturally deep. A voice which rattled his ribcage and seemed to force past the barrier of darkness around him.

The group before him seemed startled. Confused.

Well, all but the skeleton, who seemed to only raise his skull slightly. As though just noticing Nightmare was there.

"How could you have possibly been jailed in the first place?" He muttered a bit quieter to himself.

He knew, deep down, that there were many, many rules in place for situations like this. Laws which he could challenge. People he could speak to. He could appoint members of his court to each of these people and try to earn their innocence through the rites of the law.

Then again, he remembered the rage of the crowd. The frustration of the people waiting to see these killings take place.

He didn't know what to do.

Now the prisoners, especially the two humans, were staring at him hopefully. He'd managed to shatter the negativity a bit. He believed them. He knew this was wrong.

"I don't know..."

The mutter came again unprompted.

These people would not have the means to repay him for his help. He couldn't just waive fees, or risk his court turning against him. He couldn't afford enemies being made so close to his inner circle.

He couldn't just leave them, though. Not after he'd seen the injustice of it all.

Stuck in his own thoughts, he was drawn out of it by a snickering laugh.

"Just set them free." A voice followed, "You are our King, aren't you?"

Nightmare then found his eyes drawn to the skeleton.

The others had eased themselves away from him. He stood, now, almost alone. He seemed unbothered by speaking up, his sockets held in an almost lazy posture. Tension going completely un-held.

He grinned up as the King, and seemed to watch contentedly as the thought settled in Nightmare's skull.

He could do that. Simply waive their charges. Pardon them. He could do that, surely. Many royals had done it before him for less certain terms. His mother had plenty of times.

"And you are guilty. You'll still be hanged. You know this, don't you?" Nightmare asked.

That was when the Skeleton's lazy sockets seemed to tighten with a sort of glee. Some hidden joke Nightmare wasn't privy to.

"Hmm." This was a poor choice. This was a bad decision. "Tell me, quickly, how you came to be here. Before I proceed?"

Nightmare didn't know why he was asking. He was... curious. Just like he had always been.

Very few people would ever speak straight to his face. Ccino, that was the only one who'd done it since his change. Since the prophecy. This skeleton had done it. He'd spoken when no one else could muster even a plea.

The silence he seemed to bring to every room. Broken, just briefly.

The skeleton stared at him a moment.

"Name's Killer, your majesty." The tone was mocking. "A while back a buddy of mine got into hot water, and I decided to help them out. Now, plenty of bodies later, I'm the one stuck on death row."

Simple. An admission of guilt.

Nightmare stared at him some more.

Finally, it seemed his frantic guards had noticed him. Found him. They rushed to his side, though not as fast as he would've liked. He could feel the frustration seeping from each armored body around him.

"You don't have an aversion to it," Nightmare voiced, "Killing, I mean."

Killer nodded. Unashamed.

It felt strangely calm, still. Perhaps it was because the crowd was still chattering. They likely hadn't noticed Nightmare at all.

The king turned to the city guard, still stood on the steps. "Free these four people. My judgement decrees them as not-guilty."

And, before any time could pass in the slightest. "Killer, I would like you to accompany me, before you abscond."

He'd noticed it. Killer had undone his cuffs before their conversation. Completely freeing himself from his weak imprisonment.

Killer seemed amused at the concept of sticking around to chat.

"If you would, I would like to recruit your services at my castle. I need a man who is willing to kill. And kill swiftly." Ccino said to establish an image. It was obvious now that his reputation would remain in the gutter, no matter what choices he made. He was not Dream.

Killer's sockets narrowed.

"And what would I get for being your little hunting dog?" Again, it was bold. It was new.

Nightmare was sure his expression hadn't changed since he'd come before the group. That same angry glare that sat permanently along his skull. The magic had an image to project.

His tendrils flicked, slightly.

"Payment, room, Fresh meals, and any other amenities you may like, so long as it does not break our treasury." He replied, "All I ask is that you simply obey me. And Me alone."

Not true. He'd probably ask for him to listen to Ccino as well. Once he knew for certain he'd stay.

Killer seemed to be thinking. He eyed they king, up and down. He looked to each of the guard around the king. The ones who were back in position now, though Nightmare could feel their annoyance. Their confusion.

Then Killer turned.

Then he turned back.

"Mm. Can't be worse than the ol' noose." Killer replied. "Funny way to run a country, my king. Hiring the first murderer you spot?"

Nightmare didn't humor that with a response. He was honestly shocked the skeleton had even agreed.

Though, all of that negativity had been swapped out for a glee. Something deep in Killer had changed during their brief interaction. A hope. Night could barely grasp the edges of its existence with his subconscious. But it was there.

.

He ignored the crowds as they grew confused. He ignored the worry pouring from the criminals as he had them released and informed them of their pardon.

He did not ignore when his guards told someone to keep their distance. He glanced up. Killer was standing beyond the guards, looking bored.

Nightmare, trusting fool he was, didn't even ask a guard to watch him to ensure he stayed put.

"Stand down." He ordered the guard, who begrudgingly allowed the skeleton to smugly slip past.

His tendrils kept the monster at a distance Night preferred all on their own. He seemed to take the hint.

"They're all gonna be dead by morning, you know." Killer voiced easily.

Nightmare turned to him, confused. What did he mean by that? He'd pardoned them?

"Are you deaf? The crowd wanted us dead, especially me." He chuckled, "Leaving them here is definitely going to get them killed. If the crowd doesn't rip them apart the second you leave, then it'll happen at night. There will be no witnesses."

Oh... Night hadn't fathomed that these people could turn on the innocent once declared. It hadn't even crossed his mind. Did they have a home to return to? A family they put at risk?

The noose was a fast death, but being murdered? That would've been so much worse.

He could tell, by the way they evaded looking at Killer, that he was right. Nightmare would be sentencing them to a new sort of death if he did it like this.

But he didn't have time for a trial. Or several. The sun was going down, abd Ccino expected him back. The castle needed him present, or they might revolt.

Someone might hurt Ccino.

Oh, he was such a poor ruler. He did not know his people well enough. How he lamented the lessons Dream had taken about crowds and current issues abd how to be likeable.

Night didn't know how to handle this. He was still learning!

A trembled in his hand. He tucked the limb quickly away from where it had been lightly clutching his tunics thick fabric, now hiding it beneath his cloak.

"Killer is right. It won't be safe here, for any of you." He spoke. Thank the gods it didn't sound as shaken as he felt. "I extend an offer to you all. You may stay here, or you may come take up positions among my staff back at the castle. Unlike Killer, I do not expect any crime from you, but you will be paid and housed."

The offer was met with a roar of frustration from the crowd, Nightmare chose to allow his guards to handle it. He watched, carefully, as the four looked between eachother.

The brothers agreed first. (They introduced themselves as brothers as they knelt in thanks.) Then the Dog. She said she had no family left to watch over, starting a new life would be for the best.

The flame refused, saying they would leave town by morning, and try to stay safe.

And so, Nightmare left the town with four new party members. Each had been provided a horse, each tied to one of the guards. Aside from Killer, whose steed was held personally by Nightmare.

He figured Ccino would chew him out for this, for bringing criminals into the castle when he was sent to collect soldiers, but Nightmare had a good feeling about these ones.

They did not hate him. Or fear him. He was helping them. And it felt good.