#because they’re ‘not the real enemy’

[zieroses]

I think one major thing missing in Veilguard is elves making the wrong choice.

As far as I know, it’s not accurate to the lore and history that elves would so easily accept (much less already know, i.e. Strife and Irelin) that their gods are evil. I believe it’s even mentioned at one point (hopefully I didn’t make this up or read it in a post?) that Solas awoke after his long rest to find that not only had the world changed, but the elvhen had gotten it all wrong, reducing him to a trickster god and elevating the Evanuris to shining beacons of worship. And as we know in real life, a lot of people who deeply worship their idols dont so easily accept even the most damning evidence that everything they knew was wrong.

These are our gods, after all; they’ve been gone, and they’re back, and they came back for us. That you stand against them is damning for you. Maybe the Veil Jumpers believe you, but we, the Dalish in general, do not. We know our histories. We know our gods. Plus, if the Dread Wolf is aligned against them, we know which side we want to be on.

So, imagine whole encampments of Dalish - maybe even an entire exodus of them from the south - journeying to join Elgar’nan and Ghilain’nain. Imagine that by the time they arrive, it’s too late; there’s no going back, they’re already under Elgar’nan’s insidious control. There’s no chance of them telling the Dalish clans that follow: we were wrong, go back, do not come, flee. Imagine that alongside the un-nuanced evil power-chasers that are the Venatori and the Antaam, we also have to fight Dalish. Imagine, as an elf, having to make a choice the first time you encounter such an enemy. Can they be saved? And you learn: no, they cannot, and if you tried, you lose a friend, or a contingent of Veil Jumpers, because these Dalish are mind-broken, controlled by Elgar’nan.

Imagine a questline, brought to you by the Veil Jumpers (or even a member of the clan): we’ve located a clan en route to join Elgar’nan, if we hurry, we can stop them before it’s too late. So you hurry, and you intercept them. But can you convince them? Bonus points perhaps if you’re a Dalish elf yourself - bonus points perhaps if you have Davrin or Bellara with you. Three outcomes, maybe: you convince them to stop, and they go to the Veil Jumpers instead, increasing your alliance with that faction; you don’t convince them, and their numbers strengthen Elgar’nan’s, and in a later gut wrenching cutscene you encounter faces you recognize and now have to cut down; or perhaps split down the middle, you convince some but not all, and the bonuses and consequences are both present, but lesser.

Maybe also, if the game had some more nuance regarding the historical way Tevinter treats elves, this can potentially go even more poorly if you are a Shadow Dragon, or a mage. Or a Shadow Dragon mage.

This would’ve “solved” a few problems DATV presented or rather flattened out: the lack of nuance in your enemy (think Corypheus’s lieutenants and the things we learn about them that make them potentially sympathetic) and the lack of nuance in the elvhen response to the revelation of their gods’ return.

[syndrossi]

yes, I am presenting you with another AU for your roster.

It’s Resonant right? up until the twins’ kidnapping and just before Rhea’s accident. She’s sent back days before she gets on the horse and dies, but she remembers dying, she remembers Daemon and signing her name, declaring herself the boys’ real mother. (I can’t remember if she heard they had been taken, so this would be the only change) She remembers hearing of the twins getting stolen away.

So, she makes sure to get the boys herself before anything happens. Rhaegar has already sent the letter to Rhaenyra, so Daemon should be showing up any day now. But Rhea is nervous about more than Daemon (she doesn’t know who sent the letter obvi but she remembers Daemon showing up). On the way out of Gate of the Moon and back to Runestone, they’re attacked and the boys are taken away, with Rhea surviving the ordeal with scrapes and brusies, made a gnarly eyebrow scar, why not?

This leads to Daemon finding Rhea, pissed off beyond anything that she kept his babies hidden for eight years and then lost them to kidnappers. So, he sets off to find them, she demands to go with him. There’s some arguments of course, but she pulls the “They know my face, they trust my face,” card. And he hates that he has to do what’s best for the boys.

When they finally find them, you let me know how the boys react. Since, it’d be hella interesting if Rhaegar/inner Raymar went straight for Rhea whilst Jon stayed with Daemon. Then they all head to the Saltpans.

The next few days result in the weirdest, dysfunctional, heaviest family dynamics of all time. They’re essentially on a road trip to get back to the Red Keep, Rhea knows she’s in deep trouble but Daemon is forced to cover for her or to forgive her because if he’s responsible for Jon and Rhaegar to never see their mother again, they will blame him for the rest of time, even if their mother is very much to blame! (Daemon’s thought process)

So, similar to Reverberate, only it’s Rhea who went back in time (a little, rather than a lot) and now has to be part of the ongoing Resonant debacles, staying in Kings Landing because of her crimes even if they can’t formally declare it. And then the boys trying to navigate two parents who Do Not Like Each Other at all. Until that is that idk, Rhea and Daemon share a common in enemy in Volantis, Otto, etc?

The common enemy is what drives them together a bit, until it results in a good partnership. Idk if it’s possible for a sexual or even romantic relationship to grow from all this or if it’s just a partnership, but let me know.

so, thoughts? changes? dynamics? R-themed title?

Oh, that's a fun one! She probably has to wake up 2 weeks before her death to have the time to travel to the Gates of the Moon (she can do what Allard ultimately did and take the less safe but much quicker mountain pass, which is 12 days at a breakneck pace). Which means she leaves just before Allard sends the "oh btw I'm fostering the twins at Blackcrown" letter. Which also means that's the first thing Daemon reads when he rolls up on Runestone, ready to confront her.

The vicious bickering as they search for the twins! The way they have to set the worst of their hatred aside in order to put the twins first! The fear that forces them to re-evaluate everything!

They hatch their plot then, I imagine, aka the "why yes they are my sons who I hid away in the Vale for many years" story, with the flimsiest of reasoning as to why it's not treason. Daemon...uh, was worried about Triarchy enemies. They had threatened his, uh, dear wife before and he feared they would come after his children. So of course he *grits teeth* agreed with her solution and jointly chose Elys and then Allard to care for them. Why expose them now? His dastardly...Triarchy enemies had discovered them and immediately made an attempt to kidnap them, and he decided that they would be safer in King's Landing.

Like. No one in their rightful mind is going to believe that cover story, except perhaps the Rhea-is-their-mother part, as she's taking on a lot of risk attaching her name to this fiction. Everyone is convinced Daemon is begrudgingly protecting her from accusations of treason out of kindness to his sons. Which is sort of true.

The last thing either twin likely saw of Rhea before their rescue would have been Crayne striking her unconscious, and you know that fucker probably told them she was dead in order to break their spirit further. So it actually wouldn't surprise me if both of them rushed to her, with Jon Redfort sort of burbling to the surface for a moment. Cue Daemon's heartbreak/jealousy. Their bonding is probably slower with Rhea in the picture, since before, he was literally their whole world at that point with the Gates of the Moon in the past, Rhea dead and suddenly their mother, and all the trauma of their kidnapping crashing down on them all at once.

Viserys is told the "truth" (aka the Resonant version where Rhea hid them from Daemon out of spite) and reluctantly agrees not to punish her for treason for the boys' sakes.

I do think Daemon and Rhea undergo an enemies to allies relationship at the very least between the rescue and navigating the dangers after. Rhea feeling remorse at Daemon's very real grief at what he's missed out on, coupled with her own guilt over withholding her love from the twins and especially Raymar/Rhaegar.

(Hey, there could always be the "we must have another child to convince the realm that we don't hate each other even though we super do" subplot where the romance eventually happens...)

[david-blackthorn]

I havnt read those books in the shadowhunter chronicles yet, what are your favorite things about them? (Im curious whether I should read them or not since I have such a big tbr already)

Oh maaan you're in for a ride

I have no idea which series in the Shadowhunter Universe you meant exactly but i'll start with my fav

Part I:

The Dark Artifices:

Do you ever feel like your soul needs a good mix of romantic pining, chaotic battles, and emotional devastation? The Dark Artifices is calling your name.

But seriously if you love stories that combine heart-pounding action, deep family bonds, and characters so real you’ll find yourself thinking about them long after you've finished the books? This is the series for you!

This series follows a family of Shadowhunters in sunny Los Angeles (yes, there are beaches AND demon fights) as they deal with forbidden love, ancient laws that make no sense, and plot twists that will leave you staring at the ceiling at 3 AM like: what just happened.

It’s got:

Two people who can’t be together because of reasons but have enough chemistry to destroy you.

A goofy warlock with more secrets than anyone is ready for.

A soft boy who paints and probably writes poetry but will absolutely murder you if you hurt his siblings and childhood friend.

A broody faerie loner who says “I work alone” but would probably die for his friends.

“I would die for my siblings, but also, they’re so annoying” energy.

Found-family dynamics that will have you texting your friends, “DO YOU SEE THIS?”

And, of course, the *painful but addictive* mix of love, loyalty, and chaos...

Enemies-to-lovers? No, wait—friends-to-lovers? Actually, it’s more like "reluctantly obsessed but too emotionally constipated to say it."

Three people staring dramatically at each other like ‘Is this polyamory or a REALLY complicated love triangle?

Characters who will make you scream, “JUST COMMUNICATE,” but you’ll love them anyway.

Enough family angst to fuel a therapy session for years.

A genius, autistic boy who solves mysteries but can’t solve the mystery of his own feelings

Main characters? Let’s just say there’s a parabatai bond that’s more complicated than your high school crush.

The plot? Fast-paced, full of betrayal, and packed with vicious fight scenes.

The family? Everything is fine...except when it’s not.

The romance? You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll probably scream and definitely ship things that should not be shipped. :)

Basically a murder mystery, faerie politics, and the most relatable struggle of all: Trying to keep your family alive and well while the world is falling apart.

Fair warning: you’ll never emotionally recover (and you’ll love every second).

part II:

The Mortal Instruments:

If you’re looking for a fast-paced urban fantasy series full of adventure, humor, and heart, you need to pick up The Mortal Instruments.

It’s got everything: shadowy secrets, epic battles, forbidden love, and enough twists and turns to keep you hooked from start to finish. Plus, the friendships and family bonds will hit you right in the feels.

If you like:

Hot people with emotional trauma

Family dynamics so messy even you would say "y’all need therapy"

Enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-allies-to-love(maybe) but make it *gay*

Bonus gay dads with actual functional communication (because someone has to balance the chaos)

A love triangle that's not technically a triangle, but don't worry, it'll still destroy your soul

If you do then babe, let me introduce you to The Mortal Instruments:

It’s like Twilight, but everyone fights better is hotter and has sarcasm set to ✨maximum damage✨.

You'll question the characters' life choices, then realize your own aren’t much better.

There’s an overachieving golden boy with a superiority complex who definitely Googles his own name but is secretly baby.

A girl who just wants to vibe and maybe not be surrounded by apocalypses, but alas.

A cinnamon roll nerd who says, “I don’t want to be here,” but somehow ends up saving the day every time.

And a guy who walks in like: "I’m too goth for this mess," but then adopts everyone and pays for dinner.

The Mortal Instruments is what happens when an ex fanfic writer starts a writing carrier and makes a book series: chaotic, emotional, weirdly self-aware, and packed with heart. Read it. Your inner emo kid will thank you.

Bonus:

The plot? Like Supernatural on speed.

The dialogue? Whedon-esque but with more sass per square inch.

The drama? Every fanfic writer wishes they wrote this level of ✨chaotic bisexual disaster energy✨.

If this sounds appealing, congratulations! This series was literally written for you.

part III:

The Infernal Devices:

The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare is an absolute gem of a series, blending romance, adventure, and a touch of Victorian-era steampunk. If you love books with unforgettable characters, heart-wrenching love triangles (in the best way), and a beautifully atmospheric setting, this is the series for you.

It’s full of witty banter, emotional depth, and a story that stays with you long after you turn the last page. Trust me—there’s no ‘right’ team to root for, but you’ll love every moment of trying to decide.

The plot? Wild.

The romance? Devastating.

The side characters? Hot, chaotic, and probably more interesting than the main ones in most other books you’ve read.

Let’s not forget:

The Victorian Aesthetic™ (it’s giving Pinterest board).

A robot army that would make Skynet say, “You okay, bro?”

Poetry recitals that feel like life-or-death declarations.

And more tragic backstories than a Shakespearean play.

It's got:

a steampunk version of London where demons and shadowhunters roam the cobblestone streets, and your biggest problem isn’t the fog, but the ✨existential dread✨.

There’s a protagonist who just wanted to read books but accidentally became the center of everyone’s emotional drama (relatable queen).

A golden retriever boy who’s so perfect it physically hurts and is slowly dying.

And a sad boy™️ who looks like he stepped straight out of a My Chemical Romance album, only with a reading obsession.

A love triangle where instead of fighting, the two love interests are like, ‘Hey, what if we all just loved each other?’

Friendships so deep they’ll make you scream, “WHY CAN’T THE WORLD LET THEM BE HAPPY?”

A heroine who’s like, ‘Do I choose the guy who might secretly hate himself more than anyone else alive, or the literal angel in human form?’ (Spoiler: she chooses both. Iconic.)

Brooding boys who quote poetry in life-or-death situations (because of course they do).

*A love triangle where instead of fighting, the two love interests are like, ‘Hey, what if we all just loved each other?’

Start with Clockwork Angel and get ready to laugh, cry, and ugly sob over Will, Jem, and Tessa. But be warned: this series will RUIN you in the most beautiful way possible.

I won't write a summary of The Last Hours since i haven't finished it yet sorry babes, but hope you liked these *mwa*

[theamazingannie]

The way I scrolled passed $800 floor seats after presale because my dad told me they would drop in price as we got closer to the concert date and now I can’t find even obstructed nosebleeds for under $1100 when we are less than three weeks away

[digitaldiseas3]

“toxic” yuri fans when real codependent ships pull up

[spacetrashpile]

i’ve been watching my friend play p5 royal for a bit now and i’ve decided that it’s the ideal way to play p5 not because of any story changes or what have you, but because you can unlock isanagi-no-ookami (the god final persona from p4) for basically free at any level and then just myriad truths your way through the rest of the game and it’s the funniest thing in the world

[bliphany]

Aziraphale Loves earth and humanity. He is never someone who will choose to run away or give up, as long as there’s something he can do. He has his limited pov but that’s understandable. Just like he depends on Crowley to show him alternatives and the power of questioning, Crowley depends on him to be grounded and learn to stay for the ones he loves. It’s just that… when things go out of balance, what we love and need most about others often hurts us the most…

In season one, Crowley didn’t run to Alpha Centauri, even when it meant free from Heaven and Hell, because he lost Aziraphale, the one he chose to belong to. And he decided to basically run to his doom because “wherever you are I’ll come to you.”

I’ve always thought that was a beautiful touch: Free will birth from choosing to belong. Without someone we’d love to stay with, freedom doesn’t mean much, either. Those are not mutually exclusive. Just like Crowley and Aziraphale are always on their own side. They’re inseparable.

Their fight in season 2 finale demonstrated what’d happen when people valued one side over another or insisted one of those were essentially “better” — love breaks and everything ends up in tears.

[seagreenstardust]

Now I’m interested in the idea of villain!Midoriya. It’s a core facet of his character that he is inherently heroic but wow would it be interesting to dig into an AU where Izuku gave up on being a hero because Katsuki disillusioned him on the whole idea.

Imagine Izuku was a victim of the same society that brought the league of villains together and was brought into the league because of Stain, and Katsuki found out about it when he was kidnapped by the league. That whole conversation with Shigaraki about the evils of hero society could have triggered a complete change of heart in Katsuki who is forced to see how he’s contributed to this issue and has to work to make things with Izuku right again.

I mean I’d devour that story

[arklay]

once upon a time i liked a ship for what it was and then i saw how the fandom treated it and now i have visceral hatred towards it (harsh but not far off)

[crossbackpoke-check]

wait you got me so invested in the stammer & heddy tailor au....

this is my standard disclaimer that i have never posted a fic on ao3* and for however much i say “au” i truly mean that it’s a universe that lives in my head & i am absolutely delighted to tell you all about, all the time <3 if it helps i ALSO got me so invested in the heddy & stammer tailor au

ok now that the author’s note is out of the way here’s some notes about the not!fic heddy & stammer tailor au:

stammer as the tailor from gent’s playbook, very reserved, quiet, with an excellent eye for details (honestly the evidence i have for his style sense is just that he’s best friends with pk subban so it has to be there somewhere if only by proxy irl) is hired by victor hedman, star of the tampa bay lightning who is every other tailor’s nightmare to dress (huge, opinionated, fashionable)

heddy is decently well-known throughout the league for being very well-dressed & becomes quietly well known for also being one of his new tailor’s favorite loyal customers [heddy has the nicest fabrics. he has his suits the first day a new collection drops & e v e r y o n e is jealous]

stammer’s business booms after heddy takes a chance on him as his first big client & promotes him, heddy sees him grow in popularity & get more clients

heddy also moonlights as a model for stammer’s suits on instagram, initially to help him grow his business because then he won’t have to pay for a model and then because he’s over there all the time anyway because they’re dating (that’s why the model’s face is never in the pictures)

there’s not really a plot to this besides the vague idea of a plot where stammer makes heddy his lucky suit that he wins the cup in & sews a special little tag into the lining of his jacket that says i love you

because love sometimes is picking out the perfect right color pocket square to match your husband’s beautiful suit that you fitted like a kiss to the curves of his huge body

& also sometimes love is making your beautiful husband who makes you beautiful clothing enjoy nice things for himself once in a while, like the fancy watch you bought him or the nice suit you custom-ordered for him (from him) just so you could take it off of him

[lannisterdaddyissues]

I love reading your replies and brainrot tags! It motivates me a lot and I will keep drawing for this! Thank you so much 😭 baby!Bradley will be such a cutie! He likes baby!Jake but doesn't want to admit it gshags, I keep wondering who can be Bond then my friend said Hondo and omg inagine a big doggo, so huggable 🌷 icemav chemistry remains the same hahaha with Mav and his horrible cooking and Ice being a perfect husbando 🌷 both love their little family! (Also imagine Cyclone in a tennis battle with Mav and witnesses him cut a tennis ball into pieces lol)

NGHNSFHJGFAHJf oh my GODDD hondo as bond is so cute wtf 🥺i am LIVING for this, he does have such huggable energy and he and mav would still have that friendship that transcends human and dog communication…

NOT CYCLONE AS FIONA THOUGH you are such an evil genius for that, i can’t get the mental image of cyclone in an ugly wig and tennis dress out of my head now 💀 god help me

[tinolqa]

times may change but the constant in my life is my silent seething hostility towards accounts that post plush toys or models or art projects and caption them like they’re real animals and/or blatant photoshops of real animals in unnatural colors with some made-up species name and country of origin under the assumption the average layperson will believe whatever they say about a picture of a “cute animal”

and also misattributing various precocial bird chicks with black feathers as “baby crows” because the adults aren’t recognizable and charismatic enough and baby crows aren’t cute enough for the audience to want to see

[caffeinatedvigilantewriter]

So Billy is 17, doesn’t matter if he’s homeless or adopted, but the League or his family still don’t know that he Captain Marvel.

One day, he gets caught in a summon.

The summoning turns out to be a marriage contract. Billy is now married to the eldritch ghost king. Who was also not happy.

After sending the cultist to hell, the ghost king transforms into a teenager. Danny Fenton

Huh, he could work with this. Billy transforms as well.

They start working together to find a way to break off the marriage. There isn’t one. They are stuck together. And because both of them have enemies, they can’t exactly tell people that they’re married

Eventually, they learn to like each more than friends. One day, Marvel is in a meeting and someone asks him what he’s doing after work,

Marvel: oh! I’m watching that new horror movie with my husband :))

Leaguers: ….

Marvel: he was so excited to see it I couldn’t say no!

Leaguers: you’re married???

Marvel: … it was supposed to be a secret… shit…

Shenanigans

- marvel is getting his butt whipped by a new villain, Danny shows up as elderitch monster (“not my husband, bitch!”)

- JLA holiday party? Billy brings elderitch Danny

- Dani pops up:

Dani: hiya papa!!

Marvel: Dani! What are you doing here?

Dani: just stopping by to see my papa :))

Marvel: aww :))

Leaguers: aww….?

-when Billy identify is revealed;

Leaguer: I can’t believe you made up a fake husband!

Billy: oh Danny is real!

Leaguers: but he’s not your husband, right?

Billy: :))

Leaguers: ….right??

[rainbowtransform]

Before I start this: please do not go and say anything to this person we’re just starting a convo and that means that we’re gonna disagree ect ect

Let’s talk about this.

The first thing I notice is that you put a distinction between the Rat Grinders and the Intrepid Heros. Your wording implies that you don’t think of the Heros as the Bad Kids, or that you think the Bad Kids have that adult mind. So I think you’re saying like “oh the kids vs adults,” and that’s very much not true.

It’s a bunch of teenagers vs a bunch of teenagers. Just because the Intrepid Heros are adults that play teenagers doesn’t mean that they’re playing them as adults. The Rat Grinders and the Bad Kids are the same age, one is played by Brennan Lee Mulligan and the others are played by a group of comedians.

Plus, you don’t know they didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy. Maybe the Heros did but character wise? Their characters couldn’t give less of a fuck. Implying that they should’ve means that you wanted them to basically metagame and make their own character OOC because you wanted… what? A redemption?

The Bad Kids, for three straight years, have killed hundreds of bad guys. Not once did they feel an ounce of sympathy because it is kill or be killed. Lunch Lady Doreen, Couch Daybreak, Penelope Everpetal ect ect would have never given the Bad Kids even a chance to breathe.

And they were freshman. Children. They still are.

The Rat Grinders aren’t possessed. I don’t know when or where that started but they aren’t possessed.

They were killed, yes. They were brought back and bound to Ankarna and the rage they felt. But it was a choice. They could have denied it. They didn’t. And it is still Kipperlilly, it is still Oisin, it is still Ruben, it is still Mary-Ann, it is still Ivy, it is still Buddy, it is still Jace.

It is 100% in character for Fabian to want to skin Ivy for touching his bike and for making fun of Mazey. We already know that Fabian gets very attached to people he cares about (getting the Bad Kids gifts in the first year after a week of knowing them, crashing his father’s boat to save Riz, wanting to skin Ivy for what she’s said and done.) He is his parents’ (and Cathilda’s) son. His father would’ve done the same thing and Fabian is like him in many, many ways.

It’s 100% in character for them to target Oisin. They know their own wizard’s weakness and how powerful they can be and also he fucked with Adaine’s feelings. Of course they’re going to target him.

And what else did you expect them to do? Lay the rat grinders down in a bed of flowers? The Rat grinders would slit the Bad Kids’ throat in one moment of weakness because they hate them. They hated them from the moment they heard about their very first battle and they kept that hate. They just didn’t want them to die until they got rage starred.

And, again, they aren’t possessed. They came back of their own free will to worship an unnamed god of rage. They could have denied it, and we know this because Lucy denied it.

It’s really narratively unsatisfying to you.

You don’t like it.

I think it’s great. The Bad Kids are finally killing the kids who have been trying to wreck their shit all year.

The kids that had the star underneath the Thiselspring tree and was attempting to spread it.

The kids that are jealous that the Bad Kids get “special treatment” even though they truly don’t.

The kids that want to kill a god and bring a new one.

The kids that were going to kill the Proctor so the Bad Kids would fail.

The kids that brought in a Helio cleric, and then made fun of him (Oisin and Ivy) and then killed him to bring him to Porter’s side.

The kids that played with both Adaine and Fabian’s feelings.

The kids that helped bring the Nightmare King back.

The kids that sent the Nightmare King to Fabian’s home to throw it so far out that they’d be able to destroy Elmville and make Porter the new god.

The kids that brought a bunch of dragons to kill 500+ teenagers in Fabian’s home.

The kids that were told, over and over and over again, not to fuck with the Bad Kids.

Yeah. I’m glad they’re getting their shit rocked. It’s narratively satisfying that after ten months of the Rat Grinders fucking with the Bad Kids that the Bad Kids are finally killing the rat grinders just like they (trg) would killed them (tbk).

You cannot honestly sit there and expect me to think that the Rat Grinders wouldn’t let the Bad Kids die the most gruesome death imaginable by Porter’s mace or by Jace’s spells or even by their own hands. It’s kill or be killed and the Bad Kids have always, always, always chosen kill.

Anyway, all this to say that you can like whoever you want. I’m not a cop. But you’re not allowed to say it’s narratively unsatisfying because you don’t like it, when it is character wise and it’s cathartic for the Bad Kids.

Do y’all,,, know that the rat grinders are juniors? They’re the same age as the Bad Kids. They’re not freshman. If the rat grinders are kids, so are the Bad Kids.

In a world where the only way anybody ever listened or believed them is when they dragged a corpse into view, the Bad Kids are doing what they do best: killing what will kill them.

[criminalamnesia]

Simon x Reader whose already work with TF 141 for a pretty long time. And one day, there's a traitor around the base, leaking their information. All of the proof are leading to reader but reader always deny it! And they interrogated reader, and reader always deny it! And he's (with other 141 members, of course, but it mostly him) do their torture methods to get information out of reader. They keep doing it until someday, the real traitor finally captured!

And make the reader traumatized, pls. Like, she would have trust issues, trauma, and others. She wouldn't forgive them, tho.

ooooo the angst. had to sit on this one for a few days before I wrote something, but here goes nothing.

ALL PARTS CAN BE FOUND HERE

when you blink open your eyes, the room is dimly lit. it’s silent save for the sounds of your labored breathing.

you must’ve passed out. one second johnny— a man you’d known for years—was slicing into your skin with a knife. the next, you’re staring into an empty room.

your hands jerk up involuntarily. still bound. the rope holding them to the arms of the chair have rubbed them raw. the skin is bright red and bloody. it makes you grit your teeth.

you look down at your lap, taking inventory of the parts of your body you can see. large gashes break up the fabric of your tac pants. the blood surrounding the deep wounds is dry and crusty.

one of the cuts looks like it’s getting infected. you swear you can see bone.

you’d taken this kind of suffering before. been capture by enemies, held and tortured and pushed to the brink of death. this was different. this was being done by your team. men you’d bled with. cried with. laughed with.

one you’d even slept with. the same one you loved. the one you called yours.

the door to the room swung open, hitting the wall with a metal thud. your head slowly lifts, eyes squinting to see him. by his stature, you know it’s simon.

he doesn’t bother shutting the door behind him. instead, he walks towards you slowly. as he comes closer, can make out his eyes in the sea of dark paint he smears around them. the same paint you’d helped him apply a time or two.

“back for more?” you say, and it’s meant to sound sarcastic, but all it sounds like is pitiful. your voice cracks, and pain seeps into your tone.

the first rule they’d taught you about scenarios like this was to never let the enemy know it’s working. never let them know that they’re hurting you— that they’re slowly wearing down your defenses.

well, you’d just broken that rule, and you hadn’t even meant to.

you didn’t know how long you’d been tied up, subjected to torture by men you had once called your family. all because a fucking liar whispered your name into their ears. all because they fucking believed it.

apparently the years meant nothing to them. to him, least of all, considering he’d done more damage to you than the rest of them.

simon comes to a stop in front of you. his hands are empty by his sides, but that’s not reassuring. there’s a table full of weapons off to the side. he would have his pick of the litter.

“ready to talk yet?” he says, and his voice is gruff. his tone is hollow. he’s speaking to you the same way he’d spoken to countless enemies. it makes you sick.

“fuck you, simon,” you spit out.

the betrayal of john, gaz, and johnny had hurt. but simon’s betrayal? that was enough to almost put you in the ground.

you’d stopped pleading with them the second they tied you to the chair. now, you were angry. furious. rage filled your veins, and if you weren’t beaten to all hell, you’d find a way out of these fucking restraints and strangle the man in front of you to death.

the man you loved. you’d thought you meant something to him, but apparently not— because who tortures someone they love?

“if you talk,” he ignores your outburst. “it’ll be easier. quick.”

“fuck. you.” you enunciate the words, your jaw impossibly tight as you grit your teeth. “im not the fucking rat.”

“all the evidence,” he starts as he disappears from your vision. you know he’s going to pick his weapon of the hour. you force yourself not to shudder.

“points to you.”

“take that bullshit evidence and shove it up your ass, riley,” you seethe, ropes pulling taut as you lean forward in the chair.

he’s back in your line of sight now, brandishing a large knife.

“you’re only making it harder on yourself, love,” he tuts, and then he’s swinging the knife down, right onto one of your fingers.

you scream as the blade cuts right through skin and bone. your teeth dig into your lip, drawing blood as you refuse to give him more of a reaction. it fucking hurts, but you’ll be damned if you let yourself cry.

“feel like talking now?” he asks, watching as half of your left pinky finger falls to the floor.

“or should we take off another?”

you look up at him, hoping he can see the hatred in your eyes as you speak your next words. “you could take the fucking hand off and I’d still have nothing to tell you.”

“let’s see how true that is then, eh?” he replies, and raises the knife again. he’s about to swing, when someone comes running into the room.

“ghost!”

it’s johnny. he’s obviously winded as he stops beside simon, dropping his hands to his knees as he struggles for breath.

“what, mactavish? im busy.”

“they’re—” he gasps. “they’re not— the— rat.” he says between breaths.

the room goes impossibly still. so quiet you swear you could hear the men’s heartbeats (or maybe that pounding in your ears was your own).

“you sure?” simon’s voice is softer as he lowers the knife and turns to johnny. the younger man nods, his eyes trained on you. you can see the regret in them, the sorrow.

“it’s fucking shepard.”

it’s not funny, but at the news, you burst into laughter. the men stare at you in confusion, but you can’t stop.

you’re laughing so hard you’re crying, and they’re just standing there.

“are you alrigh’?” johnny’s asking as he moves towards you. he’s fully recovered his breath now, and he drops to a crouch to be eye level with you.

you don’t answer— you can’t. you keep laughing. distantly, you hear the knife simon was holding clatter to the ground. can just make out the sound of more footsteps out in the hallway, coming towards the room.

you pass out.

when you wake up again, you’re in the infirmary. your eyes open slowly, adjusting to the bright fluorescent lights.

“easy, love,” a voice to your right drawls.

your eyes are fully open now. you look down at yourself, noticing the lack of bindings. noticing the iv taped to your arm, the stitched cuts, the black and blue bruises, the missing fingernails and missing finger.

the person sitting next to you clears his throat. that’s when you look up and meet the eyes of your captain.

your captain. the man who was supposed to lead you, to keep you safe. what a fucking joke. he’d started the damn witch hunt.

“how d’you feel?” he asks, his words soft, like he’s trying not to scare off a timid animal.

you stare at him for a beat. then two. then you’re moving, pulling the iv from your arm and shakily pushing yourself up in the bed. price is telling you to stop, reaching out to push you back down, but you slap at his hands.

“get the fuck off me!” you shout, and that takes him aback. he stops, frozen, as he watches you shift in the bed. you throw your legs over the side of it and prepare yourself to stand.

“you really shouldn’t—” he begins after he’s regained his senses, but you pay him no mind. you place your feet on the ground and start to stand. your legs wobble, almost give out, but you’re able to stand. barely.

“shut up,” you growl, stumbling forward and towards the exit. he’s moving to cut you off, and you slide him a gaze that’s sharper than a knife. “and leave me the fuck alone.”

he halts again. he seems almost scared of you— but that can’t be right. even on your best days, he would still beat you in hand-to-hand combat.

he’s not scared of your threats or your frail body. he’s scared of what he’s done to you.

just then, johnny and gaz come through the infirmary doors.

“cap, y’alright? we heard yellin’—” johnny begins, but his mouth snaps shut at the sight of you out of bed.

you’re heaving from your spot next to the bed. your legs are shaking violently, threatening to give out any second. you feel nauseous and numb.

“let’s get you back into bed,” gaz says, and he starts towards you, but you stop him as your gaze snaps to his.

“don’t come any fucking closer. any of you.”

“bonnie,” johnny murmurs. he sounds miserable, but you don’t care. don’t give a fuck about how any of them feel.

“don’t. im leaving,” you grunt out, moving a foot forward slowly. you’d be damned if you fell in front of them.

“you can’t, love. you’re in no shape to be walking.” john says, and you snarl.

“and whose fault is that?”

the men stay silent as they watch you slowly shuffle towards the foot of the bed. you’re bracing yourself to walk on your own when simon walks in.

“get back in bed,” his tone is blunt. you ignore him.

you remove your hand from the bed, move to take a step forward without support, and you begin to crumple to the floor.

simon moves forward, quick as a cat, and catches you. he lifts you into his arms bridal style, and you’re screaming hysterically. your limbs are flailing the best they can in such a battered state. you’re in fight-or-flight mode, your body betraying your desire to put up a steely front.

your palms slap against simon’s upper body and his masked face. he gives no reaction. he doesn’t say anything. the others are watching the exchange silently. the room is buzzing with tension.

“get off me!” you screech, landing a slap to simon’s cheek. “let me— let me go! let me go!” you’re gasping for breath, tears streaming down your cheeks. you’re panicking. your heart feels like it’s going to beat out of your chest.

“put me down! get— get— off me! stop—” you sob.

the doctor rushes into the room then, yelling at the men for allowing you out of bed. you can’t make out what she’s saying over the rush of blood in your ears. you feel light-headed. you can’t breathe.

“put them down, now!” the doctor yells at simon. “they’re having a panic attack— I thought I told you four to stay away from them? they’re too vulnerable right now—” the doctor is chastising them as simon places you back in the bed.

spots are dancing in your vision. you don’t even feel it when the doctor sticks another needle into your arm. the words being exchanged above your head are muffled. it’s like you’re underwater.

john’s face comes into view, then johnny’s, then gaz’s. as your eyes start to close, you notice the only face you don’t see again is simon’s.

when you wake up again, it’s been two weeks.

the doctor had put you into a medically induced coma to allow your more serious wounds time to heal, without risking another episode. unbeknownst to you, the members of your team had stayed by your bedside almost the entire time— minus simon. he hadn’t come within ten feet of the infirmary since the day of your panic attack.

there’s fresh flowers on the bedside table. a steady beeping of the heart monitor. a fuzzy feeling in your head.

it feels like a dream, all of it does. none of it feels real as you settle into your body again. but then the hurt starts, and you remember the truth.

your family betrayed you. your lover betrayed you. they locked you up and tortured you. they didn’t believe you.

when the doctor came to your side to check your iv, she smiled.

“how’re you feeling?”

you look up at her, and it takes a moment for you to speak.

“don’t,” you begin. your mouth feels like it’s full of cotton. “don’t let them…in here. don’t…wanna see them.”

the doctor nods in understanding, and she doesn’t say anything else to you. she turns and walks out of the room.

the door clicks shut behind her. she lets out a sigh before turning around to face the three men.

“they don’t want to see you.” she tells them, and their expressions drop. they don’t protest, and like wounded puppies, they walk off.

no one else comes to check on you for a few hours.

you’re in and out of consciousness— can’t tell what’s real and what’s a dream. flashes of your torture come back to you. flashes of a smile. of a scarred face. of hands on your hips and—

you crack your eyes open, and the room is dark. the only light is the blinking of some of the machines. it illuminates the room enough to allow you to see a large, dark figure slip from the room. the door clicks shut so quietly it’s almost imperceptible.

that’s when you notice fresh flowers on the bedside table.

your eyes start to droop once more, and you chalk up whatever you just saw to a dream, while simon exhales heavily on the other side of the infirmary door.

————————————————

authors note:

I hope this alright! it’s one in the morning (and I’m half asleep writing this) so I apologize for the errors that are most likely present, and the sense this most likely lacks. I feel like I could write a whole book about this idea, but im cutting myself off to sleep lol.

thank you for the ask, I hope I did your idea justice. 🫶

[bnxxshthealien]

so. so far in doctor who we’ve had:

space babies (babies in space) with a bogeyman made of bogeys that are saved by the power of farts

a musical episode where music comes to life and they’re a drag queen

one of the most intense doctor who episodes where the doctor stands on a landmine in a fifty-first century anglican war and everything around him keeps getting worse also the real enemy was capitalism

the doctor disappeared for twenty years and ruby assassinates the prime minister in an emotional study on fear of rejection or something

everybody dies because of systemic racism

alien bridgerton LARP where the doctor finally kisses men again

is there any other show with such a wide range of ridiculous settings that are all part of one connected, serious plot?

i fucking love doctor who lmao