#blind leading the blind sorta deal

[eating-figs-here]

Guess who finally got to drawing Kabukimono digitally!! A couple of these are based off of stuff I did in my childhood :D now I let my favorites experience them

[bonefall]

I like both ideas, bc it provides an opportunity for the Dark Forest to evolve in some way; I really like the idea of Curl taking lead and trying to make the Dark Forest cats united (not for any real GOAL, but bc they're still clan cats dammit, and separated in little pockets they'll never be able to grow).

The camp one is kinda obvious- it was a place of horror, but they need a place to stay. She never came too close to the place until she realized that if she wanted to unite the cats into a group, they needed a camp. And Starclan (she hisses at the irony) knows she'll never do it on her own. She enters, and it terrifies her- before she knows it shes backing away and fleeing. Over time though, she makes it further in, stays a bit longer. She finds the dens are still pretty decent, and that her heart feels a lot lighter as she rips down and destroys the cage. She's elated to find hierloom tools in the camp eventually- some are broken, but can be fixed. She purrs as she thinks how happy Darkstripe would be to have some proper cooking tools. This was a place of fear and death, yes, but it doesn't always have to be that way, does it?

The dogs less so but hear me out. At first she is haunted by the dogs, downright terrified- the gnashing of teeth, the frenzied barks. It's not even anything she can think or dwell on; as soon as she hears the howling and barking, she's immediately running away, fleeing as far as her paws take her. She knows she'll never actually die here, but she's still so, so scared. Maybe she comes to the conclusion on her own, or maybe someone else points it out, but eventually she realizes what you mentioned. She saved her CHILD- she should be PROUD, not scared. This is her greatest moment- her death an irrelevant footnote compared to her baby's life. Idk *exactly* how it should go, but she confronts her fear, and manages to 'tame' it. She is no longer afraid, this illusion holds no power over her. Either they fade away and just stop existing without Curl's fear to feed it, maybe they turn docile and harmless, idk. No matter what though, i have a feeling that something like THAT will catch the eye of some DF cats, sorta like a Tiny to Scourge deal. "She got rid of her land mar" into "She destroyed the land mar" to "She KILLED her land mar"- even the first one has to gain her some respect frok the others, and gives her a solid footing to try and get cats together and united.

Ask was sent a while ago, and I've been looking at it since then. It's a really good pitch, and I had things to do, so I just passively chewed it for a while. Both ideas are really good; so I was trying to think of some way to get them together.

I think I've got a good thought now;

I'll make Curlfeather's Land Mar dog related.

But they're not the same dogs that actually attacked her (which, depending on how the arc goes, might ACTUALLY be apparitions from the Dark Forest which Ashfur dragged out for his schemes. Specifically they'd be Brightheart's nightmares.)

Curlfeather's Hounds are blind. They hunt completely through "smell," and they smell her fear

I can keep her Land Mar being quite unique by actually having it follow her. Instead of it being a place she's trapped in, she's haunted by random dog events which will inevitably interrupt any plans she makes.

So she's perpetually close to making the group that she wants, uniting these demons just because it's what she deserves, but she is forced to flee when her hounds find her.

The camp she ends up using doesn't have to be her OWN Land Mar; I have another cat who actually has a 1:1 camp as theirs.

Morningstar, the deposed leader of ThunderClan who refused to allow his cats to fight. His is simply his camp, on the day where Pearstar invented the Right to Challenge and killed him for his position.

Morningstar's also HATED in the Dark Forest, because of his pacifism. Thinking about it, it's actually a great parallel for what I'm planning with Curlfeather!

She has disdain for her father because she sees him as weak. Reedwhisker swearing loyalty to The Kin after being tortured was her catalyst for believing he needed to die; that RiverClan would have a sniveling, careless leader.

So if it's Morningstar she ends up developing a bond with, they can help each other.

Morningstar can make her realize that her terrifying death by the dogs is something she can be proud of. That it isn't something to fear and revile, but a sign that when she was forced to choose between love and ambition, she chose love.

And Curlfeather can see that maybe people like Morningstar, who she'd always seen as weak, have wisdom she'd never considered. Uniting these cats isn't about power or recognition; it's just about helping to make everyone's lives better.

I can even keep the "empty camp" idea. Stepping into Morningstar's gloomy Land Mar, setting a little fire just to help with the mist, and realizing it's not all that bad. There's old tools laying strewn about, the dens are all in working order. We can make a proper home here, if we let it be.

There's probably a cage there because of Ashfur, maybe it's the one that he made the demons toss Rootspring into. Maybe I'll have the demons eventually trick Curlfeather's Sighthounds into Deadfrost's Labyrinth, if Shredtail's still around. He double-died in canon but I wouldn't be too opposed to killing someone else in his stead.

She'll also have to prove herself to the other demons. Most of them are pretty wary of "leader-types" after what happened with Tigerstar. Ironically the closest thing they have to a "leader" is Darkstripe because his soups are so good. If he doesn't like your vibe, you're cut off from the "Social Circle."

I need to make some sort of pun out of Rings of Hell and Social Circle. Social Ring of Hell.

[anipwrites]

Storyteller Saturday!

If any of your characters were in a time loop that brought them back to the beginning of your story after reaching the end, would they try to change anything, and if so, what?

Unfortunately it is no longer Storyteller Saturday it's now Sunday but nevertheless

I sorta feel like most of my main cast of heroes wouldn't. But maybe some would. Ken wouldn't trade his friends and their experiences together for the world, even the dangerous parts--but he'd definitely try to be more wary of his darker emotions and make sure he doesn't lash out as much. That's what lead to the creation of one of the villains they have to fight, and though things got figured out in the end he still regrets the initial lashout that lead to that villain being hurt and becoming a villain. He'd also watch his back during fights more--especially that first fight with the three-headed hydra bird. If he could avoid being swallowed by a giant monster he would, even if it didn't kill him or cause serious injury in the long run.

Brian, I feel like, would be sort of torn on whether or not to take his hiatus from heroing a second time. Because he genuinely was anxious and scared as hell, especially after the part where they all almost died, and taking time off left him time to gather his nerves and create some inventions that gave him more confidence in battle. But also at the same time, by the end of the story he isn't that anxious, so if he were to go back in time he'd probably be just fine continuing to fight.

CJ would have killed Zarroff and made sure he found a way to make sure that motherfucker stayed dead the first time he laid eyes on the guy.

Now the villains, on the other hand--most would try to tilt things in their favor to snag an overall win. The Puppeteer would probably just resort to mindcontrolling the heroes sooner, and snag more of the heroes at once before making himself known. Why worry about creating giant monsters when you can just force a win state--he's not gonna convince these people with threats, but with an iron fist. He'd 100% just mind control Alana right off the rip and force her to like him.

Interestingly enough, I don't know if Albert would go on to be a villain if he went back in time to the beginning. He became a villain through a toxic mix of anger, grief. and manipulation, and that maelstrom of emotions blinded him from seeing what he was really doing--not in the sense that he was trying to dismantle the government and get vengeance for a wrong done to him, but in the sense that he didn't realize the heroes he was fighting and trying to get out of his way were teenagers, and that one of them was his son. If he went back and had that knowledge, he'd deny Zarroff's offer and find some other way to deal with his grief.

The question at that point being how Zarroff would react to being denied.

I've rambled for a bit buuuut yeah!!! Thanks for sending the ask in!

[blueskiesfillmymind]

DUDE DUDE!!!!!!!!!

I WATCHED IT AND OML.... SO MUCH TO COVER !!!! SPOILERS AHEAD BTW !!

TW: S/A / INCEST !!! DNR IF SENSITIVE!!!

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So part 2 centers around blue's relationship w/ 2 of his abusers [Lavender and Pink]

While pink is a case of abused became abuser, Lavender feels important to talk about first,

With this first memory sequence it shows blue looking through old photos / memories between him and his sister, and lemme just say they're so adorable when they were young--

Blue's lil strand of hair curling into a question mark is both cute and sad because of the amount of gaslighting lav pushed on blue, making him doubt his surroundings and his sister

But aside from wholesome memory lane. Comes these disgusting clips

Lavender is talking about the birds and the bees with her younger and more impressionable brother. And one where she asks him if he's ever jerked off before.. EEUFGHHH--- DISGUSTANG !!!!

Lavender is such a HORRIBLE sister when it comes to how she was in the past and how she is with blue now-- what the actual fuck is wrong with HER?????

I have a small hunch that it was because of lavender's horrid mindset that lead blue growing up to either want a sexual relationship or a small jumpstart at his hypersexuality. I myself had experiences like this but its sensitive 2 me so I'mma not mention em-

Because like- LOOK AT BLUE'S STAR GAZE- he was like "woah... my sister is so cool.." and shit- LIKE NNAHHGSHS

Also also look at the way blue is when he looked back at lavender,, he looked so upset..

and the fact that lavender gave him [I think it's a porn magazine] to help him jerk off is so vile.. like- girl dont talk about these with your own brother.. tf is u on???

And she looks like she was like 17 or 18 in that flashback so henceforth making that scene all the more disgusting..

Overall just super upset with how blue had to deal with such disgusting stuff from his sister..

But now we move on to pink's relationship with blue, which keep in mind either still stays sexual or its just- otherwise eeugh..

Since this episode deals with trauma bonding, blue is now still with pink and lavender, much to my dismay.. however it does show more about pink's relationship with her husband aswell!

Pink had likely opened up about her abuse with blue, since he did ask her about it in the past, now blue sees pink in that victim light [also pink's eyes are rlly pretty in a way,,,]

Seen a theory where with pink's lack of eyes is her "turning a blind eye" from her abuse in her marriage, she focused more on how happy she was during that day instead of trying to think of her abuse, so that's why she likely has her ring painted white instead of showing its true colors,

As much as I do sympathize with pink, she's still sorta iffy in my eyes, I just wish she could improve is all,, character development arc 4 pink maybe???

Anyways- so blue and pink are arguing, it's likely from blue's attraction to lilac, to which pink says "But you're so sexual" to which he's denying it?? It could be where he's saying "I'm a changed man."

But then pink is arguing with "if you make her cry then you'll be dealing with me."

Lilac and pink are likely either really great friends or they've met eachother way back when,, either way !! Pink's willing to sacrifice anything for her best friend and I think that's a pretty cute detail,, I guess??

So then blue blocks her out and walks away from the argument, maybe because of some.. disagreements or with blue being fed up with the fight? Either way he puts the glasses back on after it

A commenter said that with blue's glasses it's his way of thinking that pink still likes him, or whatever else the heart glasses mean,

lilac ends up getting fired because of purple.. for whatever reason? Does that make purple the department's boss or- idk what it means really,,but like- yuck.

Now purple is beginning to groom blue, And with clips of purple talking with lavender her tie is slowly turning blue aswell-... I swear if I see purple its ON SIGHT. ON EFFIN SIGHT. I WANT THAT BITCH DEAD.

Overall baby hotline 2 was very uhm... something- which makes this series all the more like- mind boggling because like holy crap the lore is making me go feral,,

Loved how pink was shown and I love how everyone else was portrayed, either way! That's it for my long rant, if you need me. I'm gonna be cuddling w/ blue and comforting him <3

[coffee-writesthings]

I may or may not have been feeling inspired-- might try to expand it into a proper fic later but this is more of a refined-ish idea dump. A fic of a fic (Taking Running Blind by @thetriggeredhappy and having a similar plot with different main characters. Congrats, your peer pressure worked! :))

Summary: Spy is blinded, and after an earnest attempt to hide it, Engineer and Sniper notice (not crossteam btw, tho that would be another cool angle). They try to help him as best they can. (It's those 3 being shipped together, since I have trio relationships on my mind lately cus i read this rly good book with one in it it's called Iron Widow you should go read it rn)

At the moment it's more like an organized-ish infodump that I might turn into a proper fic at some point

Okay so Spy going blind, I think he would still be able to see light but nothing else. It'd happen because of some sort of injury that Respawn couldn't cover for some reason and that leads to Medic and Engineer getting anxious as all hell about Respawn. Medic would make Engineer take breaks, and it's during these breaks that he is trying to help Spy deal with day-to-day stuff.

I think the first to notice would've been Sniper, honestly. Looking through a scope it's not hard to assume that his sorta-friend is struggling with backstabs for a reason he can't place. What's going on with the Spook?

It gets even more obvious when Spy's knife lands, not into someone's spine, but their shoulder. it still does damage, but it's not a backstab. he's killed immediately by Pyro who was nearby and he's still blind. He thought maybe respawn would fix it but no nothing was fixed. Fuck.

Since he can only perceive light, he has to hide out for the rest of the match, using his Cloak and Dagger to remain alive and make an excuse as to why he wasn't seen on the field. I think he would hide out with Sniper, trying his damndest to not give the game away.

It's in this next half-hour that he starts getting used to how loud everything else is, without the visual clutter to distract him. For some reason he hears the other team's Heavy nearby, and it tips him off that that's actually the other Spy, using a new tactic.

The knife sinks into Sniper's back easily, but he never expected the second spy (our pov spy) to pin him down and start stabbing wildly, finishing him off with a carefully aimed gunshot before returning to the shadows.

Once the match is over, he makes his way back to the base, using the light and large colored arrows he can process as a guide. All of this is under the guise of his cloak, so nobody notices.

Or, at least that was the plan. He manages to fall into the Engineer, knocking both of them over.

"Spy what the hell are you trying to pull?"

"That's not your business." is the lousy attempt at a coverup he gives. If he knew the only way he could tell who he was talking to was by the sound of his voice... that would be bad for him.

"Then get off me, will ya?"

He does so without making eye contact, he couldn't imagine what his eyes looked like at the moment but it couldn't be good (they probs look normal, if the research i've done is correct)

There isn't another battle for two weeks, so during that time he rests up and figures out some very basic echolocation so he can make his way around the base. it's better, in his mind, to look competent than it is to be hidden. So long as nobody can tell he has a problem, that's fine by him.

~~~

Engineer and Sniper get to talking, and find they both think something's up.

"You think his sight's gotten worse?"

"I can only tell ya what I saw mate, and I saw him swinging blindly. You've seen how his stabs usually are, they're point-perfect on that specific spot on everybody's spines! Just doesn't make any sense."

"He did trip over me... Kinda thought it was some short joke but, now that'cha bring it up, it's kinda suspicious."

"He'd never want us to notice."

Engie snorts, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he'd rather die than admit he needs help."

"What do we do then?"

"We help him, whether he admits he needs it or not."

~~~

The first way they try to help him is subtle, reaaaaal subtle. Sniper asks to take him on a walk, holds his hand and tries to talk to him about that day's battle-- he's a bit blunt but he's got the spirit. Spy complains some, but doesn't really say anything substantial. He's actually surprisingly good at not getting off-track (i've been doing things with my eyes closed as an experiment and your steps can legit get wobbly), using sniper's voice as an anchor of sorts

~~~

Engineer takes the next attempt at getting him to open up, just sort of chilling together though. It's a normal thing they do every couple of weeks to de-stress after battles. Today he thought that it would be nice to watch a tv show together, and it's some history thing idk. He describes some of the images to him, which makes Spy feel a mix of thankful and scared about-- Did he notice something? And he confronts Engie on it, asking what's going on?

"It's been both you and Sniper, what do you think happened?"

"There's no think to it. He pointed it out to me-- you botched a buncha backstabs and it looked like somethin' happened.

"This stays between the two of you and me..." he proceeds to explain what he knows about what happened. He does admit that he is, in fact, blind. He explains that he can perceive changes in light but nothing else. "It's... something like closing your eyes, permanently."

Engie is conflicted, having very little of an idea how to care for someone having vision in a state like that. He's especially not sure what to do in terms of telling Medic for instance (since respawn didn't fix it like expected)

~~~

Still though, he tells Sniper about it after staying up all night doing research on like a million specifics about vision loss (causes, treatment, what to do if it can't be fixed, etc etc)

"Huh, so what can we do right now?"

"He's gonna be real concerned about visibility, so honestly our best bet might be teaching him echolocation."

"You're kidding me!" he lets out a wheeze of a laugh, "Spy, echolocating? Yeah right. By the way when was the last time you slept?"

Engineer responds, "uh, yesterday."

Sniper proceeds to herd him into bed like a border collie, doing everything up to and including a brief attempt to pick him up over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Engineer blushes, maybe makes some joke about being a princess

~~~

So anyway they teach Spy how to echolocate (Sniper does, specifically, since he just forced Engineer to get some sleep).

Spy: 'this is a joke, right?"

Sniper: "do you want to do this without help or not? I don't see you being willing to get a white cane" (note: it's super good actually for figuring out ur surroundings and materials, i didn't think it would be as good as it looks but the way it works sounds really damn useful)

Over the next hour or so they do echolocation together, starting with simpler sets of noises (snapping, clicking of tongue, things like that) and then just walking and talking around the base. After a little bit, Spy is able to get a general idea (hehe i misstyped that at first to be gender. Spy is certainly able to get a gender alright) a general idea of the layout of the base. He can't really figure out the rooms without touch and counting the individual doors, and stairs are his worst enemy, but he can do the base mostly.

~~~

The next day is a CTF battle (completely spontaneous for some unknown reason) and Spy hangs out with the intel with Engineer (yknow what fuck it i'm being fancy this isn't 2fort it's Landfall, the foresty one), hoping that the administrator will just think he's having a bad day. They chat while Engie builds and tinkers, about all manner of things. Probably more about what Engie found and remembered in his research.

~~~

Anyway I've been sitting on this a few days, felt like sharing a collection of vibes which may someday be expanded. Btw writing this actually inspired me to take a different direction in an original work lol, I might try to share some of that in the future when I have proper snippets to share

[thelavendercatalogue]

Lupin was blind there was no better way to describe it.

With his orbit basically fucked up so badly to the point that he couldn't even wear his prosthetic eye let alone even the fake glass one for weeks, Lupin spent a majority of even his discharge near completely blind, basically working with a half working eye that couldn't seen 6 feet in front of him and a gap where his missing eye was suppose to be. This lead to many problems,

but one in particular was Lupin's new habit of waking up with fear painted in his face and no immediate recognition. Being blind Lupin often frequently woke up in panic's because he couldn't always be 100% certain on things, and one in particular was if he woke up in the same place he slept.

Jigen had learned ways of dealing with Lupin with his limited eyesight since they were kids. He knew what to say and what to do to calm Lupin enough that all he needed was reassurance that he was where he last laid and everything was alright.

However, the infection that Lupin had caught during his stay at the hospital had made things far more complicated then they needed to be. And that was because, the infection was a gift

that just kept on giving

even long term

The Hallucinations were new.

A symptom of long term problems that Jigen was never certain on how to deal with. Before hand it was simple to get Lupin to relax in case he panicked and freaked. But hallucinations made things much harder, especially if Lupin had woken up to them

The best way to describe these issues in particular was the idea of an old dog and how they tended to get "lost" in their old age, to the point where they'd wander and get confused and sometimes when you finally found them, they would often be in the corner of a room or something either listless or freaking out.

Lupin could easily be both, and normally Jigen was usually able to tell if he has to intervene just by how Lupin reacts to things

if he seems to have a idea on where he is then Jigen just has to wait

if he doesn't then Jigens gotta help unless he wants Lupin to work himself up too much

Most of the time thankfully, it was listlessness, points at times where someone would often go to get Lupin up for whatever reason one morning and finding out he's already awake

except unlike sometimes, something is wrong this time

sometimes you would find that he woke himself up because he woke up from a fright and was now standing in the corner of a room shaking, sorta slouched with a dead look in his eye . . .well more then what it already looks. . .looking like he has no idea where he is with sweat dripping off his collar bone and gluing his hair to his forehead

but what made it worse, was even if the hallucinations were not visual

not being able to see the potential source of auditory hallucinations was just as troublesome.

Jigen tried to help one time.

Lupin could barely see, a gap that never moved and a blind eye constantly twitching back and forth and seeing his friend in such a state, Jigen had made a mistake, went to touch him, to softly grab him.

But the moment a (to him) foreign touch makes itself known, Lupin freaked the fuck out basically rapidly backing up before he slammed into the back wall hard. Jigen could've spend half the time trying to calm him down and tell him it was just him but Lup never looked like he was processing what he was saying at all anyways

maybe he's half asleep maybe he's having an episode

someone hears the bang and comes to check and are frightened by what they see

Not wanting to make a bad situation worse, Jigen basically ends up telling them to stay back. But it's too late

they already catch a glimpse of Lupin.

softly panting trembling his knees shaking cause he stood up so fast and thank god the adrenaline is coursing through his system because otherwise the pain would hit him like a sledgehammer and he'd be on the floor.

maybe Jigen tries to talk to him calm him down tries to get him to sit

cause 9 times outta 10 this usually is because Lupin is still half asleep, he just needs Lupin to sleep again.

Getting him to sleep is hard Coherency is not one of his strong suite during these moments so its hard to convince Lupin to do things and unless Jigen wants to strong arm him, his best bet is to try and get Lupin to do it himself anyways he can.

Its tough, when Lupin gets worked up he doesn't want to move but when his muscles start loosening and his head starts to sag, Jigen will take that moment and will move forward and gently grab at him

Lupin never remembers its like fog the only thing he does slightly remember is the pain that comes after his body sore his head light. Waking up with his head in Jigens lap

[etoilesbienne]

tbf i get what u mean but i wouldn’t say he’s stated that his character is holding a grudge against qbbh specifically, just that he maybe wouldn’t vote him as president bc his outlook on him has changed due to Purgatory (he used the word betrayal bc let’s be real étoiles is dramatic and qbbh induced madness does things to people lmao) . which is fair imo, like qbbh went in with the objective to be as ruthless as damn possible during Purgatory 1 and considering starhalo’s whole Thing im not at all surprised it’s lead to a little bit of friction . but tbh to me it doesn’t mean Much in the grand scheme of things (if anything i think it’s a cool evolution of the starhalo dynamic but that’s me personally LOL) . like u said in ur post étoiles doesn’t Really hold grudges against people ever, and from what ive seen he’s very much one of the cubitos who is kinda vibing post Purgatory and ultimately doesn’t care that much about the team dynamics that were formed during it . his dynamic with qbbh isn’t gonna change drastically at all other than some jokes about wishing bbh would fight him 1v1 in a locked room or smth and people r gonna realise that once they talk to each other again . i very much agree it’s annoying when viewers take everything he says as gospel when he’s just a dude guy and joking most of the time (i have been dealing with the qetoiles is canonically blind and is slowly being corrupted by the code allegations for months when in both cases he just thought the skin looked cool, i get it kekw) but i do think it’s sorta inevitable that viewers do stuff like that . like it’s annoying but out of both other fans and the streamer’s control and if smth is wildly untrue it will usually be proven as such over time . idk if this ask is useful or anything and also it’s my own opinion but no stress i’d say it’ll work out <3

yeah thats fair <3 i do end up talking about things to a much longer extent in posts than probably really necessary cuz i end up thinking on them more and i do admit i absolutely do have a bias toward bbh in a lot of scenarios LOL. you're right it'll probably end up being fine and there's not really going to be any issues going forward. it is useful dw o7 sometimes i get in a spiral about things im watching going badly and need someone to snap me out of it

[cosmic-ships]

How to selfship? How do I believe the character I like, sees anything in me? I can't think of anything loveable about me and the character I like has so many better options. How do I have a relationship with someone I don't believe would want anything to do with me?

Whoa, this kind of came out of nowhere and sorta blindsided me. I am not the right person for advice but I can try my best?

Sounds like you're dealing with some tough feelings. Self-doubt can be really challenging, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. No matter who you are, you're just as deserving of love as anyone else and its definitely not great to measure yourself against others, that will only lead to more negativity. Building self-love takes time, I still struggle with it from time to time myself but as hard as it is sometimes you just gotta say "Nah, my f/o or x character would like this little weird thing about me."

I can't really give any advice on how to make you view yourself only you can do that, I don't know how you think and feel because I'm a weird little gremlin on the internet lol

Even if you just start out as shipping with the character you like as a friend? just slowly and gradually build up? Maybe you will find enjoyment/happiness or discover something you would think your f/o would like about you?

I'm not really sure what to say if I'm being honest, I'm just saying the things I would do. If selfshipping is to tough on you mentally, it's okay to take a step back and focus on yourself for a while. I've done it many times in the past. I hope you feel better about yourself, as I said, everyone is deserving of love.

Sorry I'm not too much of a help, I was a little blind sided by this, you sorta just vented out of no where to me. Maybe in the future ask before randomly venting to a stranger? I'm not saying that to be rude or anything but you never know what someone else may be going through so its always safe to ask first.

I really hope your day improves for you <3

[ihopesocomic]

Im curious about the king blessed coast lions i know they wont be explored in comic but did you have any specific designs for them or did they have different appearances or features to help w catching prey? Also did they swim?

I feel like u guys would have a very interesting take on them that i really would have loved to see.

I do plan to design them at some point, yes. <33

So far, I've established that they don't abide by the traditional ranking system of the other prides. They are led by a singular Captain and their Quartermaster as opposed to a King and/or Queen. And yes, they can swim. While lions generally don't like swimming, the Kingblessed Coast lions have to be at least good at it if they wanna catch fish and not drown during tidal surges.

The members are: Shark - Captain. Non-binary. Quiet, temperamental and sorta rough around the edges but loves cubs and is a soft touch deep down. Angelfish - Quartermaster and Shark's mate. Makes up for Shark's calm, stoic authority figure look by being generally loud and getting in the faces of her crew (aka mainly just her younger brother, Clownfish) when she needs to. Clownfish - Angelfish's brother and the unofficial "Jester" and first mate of the pride (because he's called Clownfish and they're funny, right?). Deadpan, not really one for obvious humour and having to constantly deal with his overbearing elder sister and his mate, Orca. Salmon, Mackerel and Tuna - The three navigators (meaning they often lead hunting parties alongside Shark). In a committed poly gay relationship. Barracuda - General member of the crew. Transgender. Typical surfer dude. He’ll most likely look familiar when I eventually get around to drawing/designing this crew. c: Dogfish - General member of the crew and the offspring of Shark and Angelfish. Next in line for Captaincy. A good boy who looks out for his fellow crewmembers. Orca - General member of the crew. A large imposing figure of a lioness who is Clownfish's mate and therefore Angelfish's best friend by default. Very theatric and loud, to Clownfish's chagrin. Is blind. Seahorse - General member of the crew. Missing a front left paw from an incident before she was adopted by the crew. Is Dogfish's best friend and has aspirations to become his Quartermaster when he's Captain. Eel - The oldest member of the pride and its former navigator. A moody, paranoid lion who always has a story to tell about the Kingblessed Coast and its surrounding area. Not a big pride by any means but they get by, considering they're quite far away from any other pride and are only visited by the occasional Traveller. Who they are friendly with as they depend on them for information and such. Unlike in the Thundering Mountains tho, very few Travellers stick around and become part of the crew. It can be a hard life on the Coast, unfortunately. - RJ

[lord-squiggletits]

"blind Pharma au" Please tell me more 👀

Oh shit hiiiiii dsklfjsd I'll try to write down some sorta interesting details in bullet points, I don't really have a specific "plot" for it or anything it's literally just, "everything is the same but Pharma was born blind" so here goes. Also, warning for made-up medicine, sketchy biology/scientific knowledge, and lots of headcanons

Pharma was still a forged medic, only when he finished forging everything about him was top notch except his optics. They're still there on his face and look like any seeing mech's eyes, it's just that there's just no connection between his eyes and his brain for whatever reason

This leads to a lot of discussion of what classification he should be put underneath, as Pharma has beautiful medic hands (scientific class) but is also a flight frame (typically consigned to transportation or soldiering) but is blind so how is he supposed to do any of those things (disposable class)? Pharma is sitting there through all this and gets increasingly irate at these mechs calling him useless because he can't see and this is apparently a big deal. From Pharma's perspective, he has all the tools he needs to live a normal life, but apparently because he's not "seeing" there's something wrong with him

Pharma meanwhile was forged with plenty of extra strong senses including keen hearing, echolocation, electromagnetic sensors, sonar, etc even sensitive touch and taste and smell. He can walk around and avoid colliding with other mechs without aid. He can detect objects around him even if they're of very small size.

Somehow or another Pharma ends up successfully becoming a doctor (maybe they just decided they didn't want to waste a forged medic or something) and his medical hands + his increased senses actually allow him to do just fine. Things that other mechs would observe with their eyes, Pharma can sense through his hands but also unorthodox senses like tasting/smelling faint chemical traces in the air and being able to hear small changes in patients' organs and whatnot

Yes, Pharma gets a lot of questions about "but how can you fly if you're blind???" and his answer is always that his alt mode works just fine, he just avoids flying in the city because he doesn't want to get hit by anyone.

Which actually means that Pharma spends a lot of time living among ground-frames (taking public transportation instead of flying, living in an apartment with ground floors instead of high towers flight frames usually favor) and thus he becomes accustomed to near-constant attention and more or less being a spectacle. As a result, Pharma really doesn't like being stared at or having people crowd too close to him (sometimes people on the bus would get...touchy with him, with the wonder of seeing a flight frame on the ground and all).

Pharma could navigate on his own and do his job without disability aids, but he does buy a cane at some point just because it makes things a little easier (and also he can stab/whack people with it "by accident" if they get in his personal space)

Eventually, Pharma saves enough money from his job as a doctor to buy a seeing eye drone (this is why I was reblogging your art with "blind Pharma AU" :3c ). I imagine the drone also has flying capabilities and can augment Pharma's senses with its own due to some Cybertronian Bluetooth connection or something. It gives Pharma enough extra sensory and spatial information that he CAN do things like fly in crowded areas, since the drone can help him navigate traffic and guide him from open area to open area

Why doesn't Pharma just get his eyes fixed or something? A couple of reasons, one being that Pharma insists that there's nothing to fix out of pride. From the moment he came online people talked about him like he was defective just because he couldn't see, and frankly Pharma is so offended about it that he partially wants to remain blind just to spite everyone who thinks he's odd or can't be a good doctor

Another reason that Pharma doesn't "fix his eyes" could possibly be that the cause of his blindness isn't well known (he was forged, not cold constructed, which means there are no "schematics" to explain how each piece of his frame works) and Pharma is afraid of letting anyone tinker with his body or especially his brain without knowing exactly what the potential side effects of surgery could be. I mean, Pharma literally works for the Institute before the war; he knows exactly what things like shadowplay are capable of doing, and quite frankly, he doesn't want to even risk anyone getting inside of his brain and tampering with something that could completely alter his mind

That's about everything I can think of offhand ^_^ I'm happy to answer any follow-up questions or maybe dig through my Discord DMs if you want more details!

[alyjojo]

Love Reading 🫀- August 2023 - Gemini

Singles:

Overall energy: The Chariot

How you will meet: King of Cups

How they will treat you: 3 Cups

Long-term Potential: Ace of Pentacles

Oracle: C’mon inner peace, I don’t have all day.

You’ve crushed on this person awhile, could be a friend of a friend, or a friend of the family even, maybe a blind date or some mutual gathering brought you together in the first place. They treat you like a friend, one they’re happy to see & be around, you make them feel good. They make you feel deeper things, soft, sweet & romantic things 😍 But you never say anything, and no one makes a move. I’m not sure how current this is, because time is the problem in this connection, too much has passed. Long term, the opportunity that may have once existed will end, because no one makes the move to change that, and life will inevitably lead you in different directions. Messages show they’re a good person, and it seems to be more of a lesson for you to jump on something when you feel the spark 🧨 But is this the one? No. You hoped they were though, somewhere along the line, a little too late. But you also can’t miss what’s FOR you, they were more of a motivating lesson 💖

Messages -

Their side:

- Curvy girl/boy

- Marriage Material 💍

Your side:

- You’re still the one

- I like you but am afraid to tell you.

Signs you may be dealing with:

Cancer, Pisces, Sagittarius & Scorpio

Couples:

Overall energy: 2 Swords

Current: 7 Swords

Challenge: Knight of Swords & 7 Cups

How they feel about you: 8 Pentacles

How you feel about them: 5 Wands & 10 Wands

Outcome: The Hierophant

Polyamorous shows up on your side, that’s not going to apply to everyone but it fits for someone. Others of you still have another person, it’s not just the two of you. But they’ve also hurt you too, and there’s not much being said about what that is, but more on how you’re the villain in this…which I’m sure Gemini is used to 🥳 It could be both of you with options. For the poly story, I’m getting this person wasn’t aware and is pretty pissed off by it. It’s fine if it’s agreed upon as “this is the dynamic of this relationship”, by both parties, but that’s not what’s happened here. Maybe you’re still figuring yourself out, that applies to someone, and Silence Your Inner Critic is important for those that are. Even the signs showing up are the more “typically” gender/sexually fluid sorts, you could be feeling judged or harshly judging yourself unnecessarily. Be kind 💖 I don’t get that this is marriage, but The Hierophant is here and if that’s the case…yes they’re going to judge you pretty harshly based on what they agreed to & believe, it’s a serious matter when two people have stark contrasts in beliefs, and those are causing each other heartbreak.

With that being said, for many I don’t think they even know. Maybe that’s your problem, you want them to know, because you want out now. Or some of you may want to introduce someone else in…I don’t think that’s happening, maybe don’t even try it with this person 😬 At the moment, you’re being sneaky about it, and the challenge is telling this person the truth, and what/who/how you really want it to be in the future. You know it’s going to hurt, but I don’t see mean or petty actions, you’re not trying to hurt anyone…but you are. I’m guessing this centers around work too, because they believe you wholeheartedly when you say you’re at work or something is regarding work. I’m guessing it’s not, and that’s probably where the sneaky happens.

You are locked up tighter than a clam because you know this person is going to react in an argumentative and extremely emotional way when they find out what you’re up to. It’s a burden on you, and while you’re considering their feelings…sorta, but not really. You just don’t want to deal with the emotions of it. Outcome for mid Sept being The Hierophant, it’s possible you’re getting advice or counseling from someone, or it’s possible you’re leading this person on awhile longer. You know you have to end it, you know that this is only a matter of time, because you can’t keep up the charade forever. Some of you are worried about the karma you’re racking up with this and that plays on your mind. I don’t see a final decision being made this month, but you already know what you have to do, it’s just when. This can also show Spirit stepping in and handing you some karma if you don’t take the actions you know need taking. Typically when Spirit steps in, Towers fall. I don’t get you’re a bad person, if anything these cards are validating that you’re not ready, this isn’t for you, and you should be less judgy of yourself…while still being honest with others 💖

Messages -

Their side:

- Please give me another chance.

- Superficial 🥸

Your side:

- I’m not ready for marriage.

- Polyamorous

Oracles - Silence Your Inner Critic

Their side: Be proud that you were brave enough to come to this challenging place we call Earth to learn.

Your side:

When you get down, call on your angels.

If someone or something has hurt you, let God and the universe take care of it.

Signs you may be dealing with:

Libra, Gemini, Aquarius & Sagittarius

[mpathicoracle]

ooookayyyy time to copy/paste my VERY lengthy rant about my TOH Bard oc, Eira Bane. originally sent it to my friend on discord, at the time i didnt realize it was so lengthy oops but hey yknow what. get used to it, yall get to deal with my bs no matter what LOL

first of all, lemme introduce: Harbinger Inferno, and its band members.

Eira Bane (they/them), creator, lead singer and guitarist. Hexside graduate. looks super threatening and intimidating, but they're such a sassy lil shit and is truthfully a massive dweeb.

Eran Thorne (he/him), secondary vocals and guitarist. St. Epiderm's graduate. he and Eira get along very well, are close like siblings but tease the media because celebrity drama likes to make it seem like they're dating. they both find it hilarious and joke about it constantly.

Dartak Heathers, bass guitarist. St. Epiderm's graduate. has a special Bard talent of being able to hear "melodies" for everyone, sorta a synesthesia type gift. he's also a mega dork

Belak Strande, drums. Hexside graduate. he...doesn't talk much, but he's super chill. an amazing cook tho, he enjoys cooking for the other three.

okay now youve met them, time to rant. fuck this is gonna be lengthy i apologize long in advance. n o t mwahaha

Eira's family name is Harbane. They're a very long line of witches, of a lot of different specialities. Primarily, a lot of Harbanes end up having stronger Oracle magic. Eira has an older brother (5 years older and a captain in the Emperor's Coven) and a younger sister (about 10 yrs younger). Eiras father is an Abomination witch, their mother an Oracle, both part of their respective covens. Both of their grandparents, the heads of their family, I haven't exactly decided what magic is their speciality, but they're powerful. Lastly is their great-grandfather, who passed away at 98 when Eira was barely 16; he had dementia, was practically deaf, and partially blind.

The Harbane family line have a very specific magical talent that they're most known for. One ancestor named it the Death Shout, another the Banshee Shriek. Its unknown how the Harbane ancestry got the gift, it's theorized amongst the family members that the Titan gifted it to them, but no one knows for sure. Throughout the generations of Harbanes, each "user" of the Scream, as its simply titled, used it various different ways. The ancestor who had it last called it the Death Shout, due to him having been able to raise the dead with it. That was nearly 800 yrs before Eira was born. The family line never understood why no one had so-called "received" the Scream since then. When Eira was born tho, her cries could crack glass, and their family realized they had the Scream. Their great-grandfather properly named them Eralynne, having once told them their name meant "the one who sings." Which is incredibly ironic. Eira's strongest magic is actually Construction magic, and as they grew older and practiced their Scream, they realized that, depending on the pitch/depth, they could either raise ground with the Scream, or absolutely decimate it. They also learned the hard way not to use the Scream indoors and almost damaged their eardrums once. Woops.

The final thing the Harbane family are known for is the ancient Harbinger Raven Palisman that has been passed down for generations upon generations. A Harbinger Raven is the symbol of their family, and its how they got their name. There's another theory amongst the family that Corva was probably one of the first Palisman ever made. But, again, no one knows for sure. and Corva sure as hell refuses to confirm nor deny it. She's a stubborn thing, but incredibly wise and, honestly, a bit of a smartass.

Harbinger Ravens are, as I decided, an extinct type of raven. One myth is that they were the first ones with Oracle magic, and taught it to the first witches. They were much larger than the average raven, and their key distinction is their oily-black feathers and their piercing, vibrant purple eyes (sclera and all).

Corva looks precisely like that, aside from the fact that she's not that big. Probably the size of a human realm crow, really. still a decent size. Corva, as stated, as been passed down through the Harbane ancestry, choosing on her own whether to take the next owner or not. When Eira was 11, it was meant to be her older brother's turn, his ceremonious ritual amongst the family to see if Corva would choose him. Instead, she eyed Eira almost instantly and flew to her instead. She didn't even give Eira's brother a single glance, not even a side eye. Just flew to Eira, who caught her easily, and cradled herself in the kid's arms. Eira's great-grandfather was the only one amused by it.

Now... there's a reason Eira doesn't go by the family name anymore, instead shortening it (out of spite) to just Bane. this part. is gonna take a while djfjg might switch to my laptop instead o o f

When Eira was maybe 10 or 11, their great-grandfather took them to the market with him, wanting to get them out of the house for a bit. I haven't really decided how they found it, hell it coulda been at Eda's "human collectibles" stand, but either way they found a music cd with a variation of different metal bands from the human realm. They begged their great-grandfather to get it for them, already having a love for music at that age, and he of course agreed and got it for them. When Eira got home and listened to it for the first time, they fell in love. Deep, raw emotion compiled into people screaming into microphones with heavy drums and epic guitars? Absolutely-freaking-yes. The next time they went to the market, they bought their first lute.

Eira's parents and grandparents weren't as understanding as their great-grandfather. They thought Bard magic was pointless, and a waste of talent. They weren't fans of music, not really. So Eira tried their hardest to hide their first lute from them. Sadly their older brother found out, and snitched to their mother... who broke the lute in front of the entire family, with Eira of course present. Eira soon bought another lute, still practicing in secret, and the next time their family found out, they yelled at them that they wanted to be a Bard, that they wanted to make music and that they could learn to incorporate the family Scream into it. They were laughed at and, once again, their lute was broken. It was around this time their great-grandfather slowly began to lose it, dementia setting in. He understood his great-grandchild more than anything, but because he was no longer head of house at this point he couldn't make any decisions about it.

Eira's parents forced them into the Construction track at Hexside after, but that didn't stop Eira from sneaking into the Bard track homeroom and continuing to practice in secret.... the Bard track teachers knew, but they knew enough about Eira's family to not mention it to anyone.

Eira made the decision, at that point, that they didn't give a shit what anyone else wanted them to be. Nothing was going to stop them from being what they wanted to be. No one but them could tell Eira what to do. It was precisely that, that Corva chose them over their brother. Not quite stubbornness, but free-will and a desire to be more than what Corva had experienced with her past owners. Fighters, warriors, generals. All strong-willed, sure, but it was the same old thing time and time again. Corva wanted to feel the true Freedom of such a strong-willed witch such as Eira, and that's exactly what she saw in them.

Like I said, Eira's great-grandfather was the only one who was amused when Corva chose them at age 11, only a year after first discovering metal music. Their grandparents and parents were infuriated, their brother mad and hateful at them after that (he instead got a newer palisman carved, also a raven, but a regular one). Eira's father actually attempted to keep Corva from his kid, locking the palisman up for two straight days...until he got too close and Corva bit his hand, immediately flying back to the grieving kid (they thought they wouldn't see Corva ever again). Their parents didn't attempt that again, but it still made Eira's home life absolute hell. They stopped being close with the rest of their family at this point, keeping on the track of keeping things from them. They didn't leave their room much and lied a lot, saying they "took up an extracurricular with the Illusion track, which is why they were at school so long." Their parents and grandparents didn't question it.

When Eira was 13, roughly at the end of their 8th grade year, they and the other students in their grade at Hexside were given the option to switch tracks, and to start making plans for what coven they wanted to join when they graduated high school. Essentially, the conversation with their family went like this:

(Grandparents:) "You are going to continue the Construction track, or you're out of this family. Decide to join whatever coven you want, but if you even dare think about joining the Bards, you will not be a part of this family."

(Parents:) "Be like your brother. He's going to join the Emperor's Coven. They'll let you do whatever magic you want, our family Scream will be a blessing for the Emperor."

Eira, spiteful as they were, went to Principal Bump the next day and told him that they wanted to switch to the Bard track. They explained what their family will do, but that they didn't care. "They can do whatever the heck they want, but I refuse to let them make my life decisions for me. It's my Scream, it's my choice. And music is what I want," they had said. Something they always lived by. Bump understood, he knew, after knowing Eda Clawthorne, that kids these days were incredibly stubborn but formidable. So he agreed, and switched them to the Bard track. Eira kept it hidden from their brother on their trip home, but as soon as they got home they showed off the Bard track colors, a giant "fuck you" to their family. They were given one full day to pack their things and leave, and they did. It hurt, because they knew they wouldn't be able to see their great-grandfather ever again, but it meant they could do what they wanted.

Eira was, quite frankly, homeless for the next couple weeks, slowly making their way to where the majority of the Bard Coven witches lived, aka Harper's Haven (see my previous post lol). During those couple weeks, Bump had called Eira into his office to show them the official statement from their now ex-family that Eira was legally disowned and legally denied any access to their family records etc etc. They were... well. Let's just say Principal Bump wasn't surprised when things in his office got broken. Eira apologized for it, repeatedly, but he didn't hold it against them. He'd seen worse. They and Bump essentially made an agreement: if Eira could find a suitable place to live and a way to afford continuing learning at Hexside, he wouldn't make them leave the school. He couldn't let them keep learning there for free, school costs money; Eira knew this, of course, and Bump wasn't pleased about it, either, but the agreement was made.

Anyways, when Eira got to Harper's Haven, they wanted to be as close to the Bard Coven hq as possible, so they, a 14-year-old, walked into the Harper's Haven Hotel (Triple H), and immediately demanded to speak to the owner to ask about room and board, along with a job. They were raised rich, so their tone was all high-and-mighty, so the associate had quickly got the owner, Caric Thorne, a Construction witch.

After Eira explained their situation, Caric was incredibly sympathetic. It wasn't abnormal for high schoolers to get jobs (i.e. canonically Amity and the library job), so he wasn't against the idea. What he was against was that Eira was demanding a full-time job, something he couldn't allow a minor to have. Caric was relatively wealthy, though, having built Triple H from the ground up (literally), so he could vouch on Eira's behalf and partially pay for their schooling, which Eira begrudgingly accepted. Caric, Eira, and Bump made a deal: if Eira could keep their grades up, while also showing up to work on time and proving they can balance both school and work at "such a young age," there would be no issues with them doing both. And proved that to them, Eira did.

also cough at Caric's surname and Eran's surname lol

Now I would like to note a funfact: Eira is only 11 years younger than Raine and the rest of the canon adults (they're all in their early 40s). When Eira's 14, Raine wouldve only been in their mid-to-late 20s sdjghdg. ngl when Eira's 14 Raine and Eda would've only been broken up for a few years canonically. o o f the realization at that safgsjkgb

fast forward a couple yrs and Eira is still proving themself to both work and school. They ended up getting a loaner guitar from the Bard track, so they could practice outside of school. They found an empty space a couple miles outside of town, and made it their practice area, using construction magic to make their own stage and everything. They had gotten pretty damn good at playing guitar by the time they were 16, having learned the bass and drums as well. A straight-A student as well, and always on-time to work (considering they went to work as soon as school was done). Relatively easy when they live at the hotel, too, but still.

Not long after Eira's 16th birthday was the first covention they would've been able to attend, the first time they woulda been able to prove themself to the Bard Coven that their Scream could be incorporated into bard magic. But...alas...work got in the way. It was a busy week at Triple H, a Bard Coven concert just around the corner or something along those lines. So, instead of being able to attend, Eira wrote a letter and sent Corva off to deliver it to the coven head at the time, Scooter Crane.

the letter went as follows (mostly came up with this on the spot, but the concept of it has been sitting in my brain for a while):

"Head Witch Crane,

My name is Eira Bane, formerly Eralynne Harbane. I am 16 years old, and I inherited my family's infamous Scream. My family fully legally disowned me at age 13 when I told them I was going to be a Bard Witch whether they liked it or not. As proof I am who I say I am, I have sent my Palisman, Corva, as proof. She is, you'll recognize, a Harbinger Raven, and can tell you herself that I am who I say I am.

I, alas, cannot attend the covention due to work conflicts. Because I was kicked out of my family, I have had no choice but to work, along with attending school. I, at present, work at Harper's Haven Hotel, proudly and happily, in exchange for room and board. You may ask Mr. Caric Thorne about my work performance, and you may also ask Principal Bump for my school records.

I have wanted to be a musician since I was 10 years old. I have learned to play lute, guitar, bass, drums, and, of course, I can sing, since then. I have practiced using my family Scream and incorporating it into Bard magic, something no one in my family ancestry has ever done. I would be proud and incredibly glad to be accepted into the Bard Coven when I graduate from Hexside, if you'll allow me. However, there is one exception: I cannot be branded with the sigil. Because no one knows what power the Scream originates from, I cannot risk being branded with the Bard sigil, in the chance that I would no longer be able to use it with Bard magic.

I am more than willing to prove to you that the Scream can be tied into Bard magic, just tell me the time and place. Well... the place will have to be outdoors, naturally. If you accept this, you know where to find me.

-Eira Bane"

A few days later, during one of Eira's work shifts, Crane actually did send someone from the Bard coven to investigate...and who better than Raine Whispers themself. bc im seriously super self-indulgent and i love raine with all my heart asgfghjksghjkh

Just gonna summarize at this point, the two had a very long conversation...all while Eira, stubbornly, kept working. They weren't going to just stop working just to answer basic interview questions. The entire time, Raine was very deeply reminded of Eda. Both Eda and Eira were so incredibly stubborn, but very free-willed and, essentially, wild. It got Raine very intrigued into Eira's situation. By the end of Eira's shift, Raine had convinced Eira to show them were they practice, and Eira relented. While Eira was preparing in their room, Raine had contacted Crane and told him where to go, as a surprise to Eira. They wanted to prove themself to Crane, so what better time to do it?

At this point in Eira's life, they had made their first ever song, having recorded it both at school (instrumentals) and at their practice area (vocals). So when they brought Raine there, (they knew Crane was there, too, but didn't want to say anything as a joke at Raine, who was seriously not subtle about it), they set up everything but the central vocals and lead guitar, their strongest points. And perform they did-

https://youtu.be/dGl2qh7RXak (they use the Scream at 2:42 "You don't know me it's only what I let you see" not sure how to describe what it looked like, but just. yea. And yes, their vocal range is pretty wide. cuz why tf not djfjkdghk.)

Head Witch Crane was impressed with the performance, and another deal with Eira was made (behind raine's back, because raine was getting involved with it whether they liked it or not). If Eira could make a band by the time they graduate from school, and can further enhance their Scream into Bard magic, with training from a certain Bard Coven Witch cough Raine cough, then Crane would consider allowing Eira to be a Bard Coven Witch without the sigil. "I heard Caric's boy is wanting to join the Bard Coven as well, perhaps you should meet with him?" Crane had suggested, and, being the stubborn shit they were, Eira begrudgingly agreed.

By the end of their senior year, Eira had become close friends with Eran, who introduced them to Dartak, and Eira had found out Belak, who was in their grade at Hexside, was also into metal/hard rock, and was an incredible drummer. The group formulated the Harbinger Inferno, proudly using Corva as their mascot (who absolutely loved the idea and became an "integral" part of their band and performances). Eira explained how spiteful they were to their family, and the 3 boys immediately agreed to join in on the spite. By their Coven initiation, they had practically made an entire album setlist. I like to picture the Bard Coven initiation as a sort of talent show. They performed "True Colors", the first and best selling song. During the past year and a half, almost 2 years, Raine had officially become Eira's mentor, and was incredibly proud of Eira's band. Won't ever admit it to anyone, but still. Eira was their protégé, and proudly admits it any time they get the chance to. Scooter Crane was, again, greatly impressed by their progress and held up their end of the deal. Eira became the first and only Bard Coven witch to not have the sigil, instead having a formal pin that they keep on them at all times, something they're incredibly proud of. Not having the sigil meant they could be even more of a performer by incorporating other types of magic (mostly illusion magic) as well. Because they just have to be a show off.

Harbinger Inferno became famous, essentially. Got investigated by the Emperor's Coven a handful of times due to certain subjects of their songs, but they didn't get in any real trouble. They were sponsored by the Bard Coven after all. even more kudos to them when Raine became Head Witch for, like, a month or two.

Eira was hurt (emotionally) badly when the Day of Unity happened. They didn't have the sigil, they had to watch as their closest friends and fatherly figure Caric were being drained of their magic and actually hurt. When it ended, though, and the Collector took over the land, Harper's Haven was one of the first places that got hit. Luuuckily Eira was ready to kick some ass. They and their band, along with a handful of other witches, herded as many people as they could into the Bard Coven Center and Triple H to keep them safe. In the months that followed, Dartak had gotten Collected in the process of saving a group of stragglers. Thaaat def made Eira lose their shit. Fuck, they practically led an army of Bards and Construction witches after that, keeping Harper's Haven as safe as they possibly could. Even more so when belos took over the Titan's Heart and corrupted the land. Damn did their Scream come in handy. Then again, Eira learned from Raine how to use soundwaves as a way to manipulate surroundings, def comes in handy with the Scream. During that time, though Caric attempted to save a kid from some rubble, but because of his more elderly age and how weak he still was from the Draining Spell, he...didn't make it.

When everything was over, Harbinger Inferno led the effort in helping rebuild Harper's Haven...which really didn't take all too long. Triple H became a center for temporarily housing Harper's Haven's citizens. It was only a couple weeks after that Eira came up with the idea about the charity concert. And it gave them a good reason to get their grief out of their system by making the clearing they made as a teenager a lot bigger. r i p the trees lmao.

Anyways, by that point they're only 29 years old (roughly estimated Eda and Raine are 40. They def accomplished a fuckton of shit since they graduated from Hexside. and they like to rub it in Raine's face. a lot. "awwww Raine aren't you just so prooud of me, your protégé? heeeee" kinda shit. theyre an ass to raine at times and its totally worth it. Eira's "boys" - as they labeled Eran, Dartak and Belak - love playing along with it, too.

and if anyones curious, Eira used Corva to track down every single Bard witch possible to gather them for the first Bard Collective Charity Concert. Corva was ecstatic to track people down, she loves tracking. One of the Harbane ancestors had used her Oracle talents for the exact same thing. It's very fun, and incredibly freeing.

Bonus pics: Eira when they were younger!

Eira (Eralynne), age 13 (she/her)

Eira, age 14-17 (they/she)

Eira, age 18 (after joining the Bard Coven) (they/them)

Also more bonus, Harbinger Inferno's first album cover (which i just realized has an error and im gonna lose my shit) and the first album's songs (with listed credit for the actual bands who sing the songs lol) (peep the "Sponsored by the Bard Coven" in the bottom left corner lol)

"Now Let Them Tremble" (All That Remains) (all sing) "True Colors" (Wage War) (sung by Eira, Scream used) "Obey" (Bring Me The Horizon) (sung by Eira and Eran) (yes this song can be seen as a play at the emperor's coven bc thats exactly what its intended as heehee) "Pass The Nirvana" (Pierce The Veil) (sung by Eira, Scream can be used but not always) "Stitch" (Wage War) (sung by Eira) "Blood Runs Cold" (Rain City Drive) (sung by Eira) "Blood & Water" (Memphis May Fire) (sung by Eira, Scream used) "When Everything Means Nothing" (Fit For A King) (sung by Eran) "Ophelia" (Rain City Drive) (sung by Eran) "Bulls in the Bronx Hills" (Pierce The Veil) (sung by Eira, one of their most famous songs. partially renamed for Reasons)

please lemme know if u wanna know more about Eira and the band, i love them and owl house has given me such MASSIVE brainrot that theyre all i can focus on asgfsjghdjkghk h e l p

[launching-a-thousand-ships]

Kurt Glee Rewatch: Theatricality

We deserved more Kurt singing in Gaga songs, just saying.

So, obvs I love Carol but I do find this scene kinda weird? She knows how difficult it was for Finn when she first started dating Burt so why didn’t she have a private convo with him first? Could’ve given him time to process. But then, that’s not entertaining TV.

Also, v small note, but when Kurt mentions the tuna crudite, Burt corrects himself to use the correct term. V subtle change from before, when he wouldn’t really bother (the Maria bonnet before lol). Just thought I’d point it out. He’s already trying...

And why does a house with 2 (and a half) bathrooms not have another room? There are more bathrooms than bedrooms lol.

Def feel bad for Finn here, prob could’ve handled it better. Also, don’t see Kurt as really crushing on Finn at this point? More just excited, trying to make things work. Also def blinded by the thought of getting to redecorate lol.

Theatricality and Funk were switched when aired so timeline is of Vocal Adrenaline is weird but... oh well.

How dare VA do Gaga when that is his identity (and yet he only got to do 2 Gaga songs, blasphemy)

This always makes me think of the story of Chris Colfer meeting Lady Gaga and saying ‘Nobody’s talented but you’ lol

Love Kurt’s reaction to the assignment. Hasn’t been this hype since Madonna.

Kinda side-tangent but oof, Finn, casual homophobia is showing.

First off, he says they’re always doing what the girls want to do?? No?? They do what Will wants. Maybe he means Madonna but a) that was Will inspired by Sue and b) that was bc the guys were being sexist asses.

I do like the idea of bringing in different types of theatricality but would be interesting to have the whole club do both kinds, maybe do Gaga one week, Kiss the next. And oof, the way Finn says ‘except for Kurt’ here bc of all the annoyance he has at the situation... yikes. Trouble ahead.

aw, Kurt and Tina allowed to be friends. Enjoy it while you can, not much time left.

Not gonna lie... not a huge fan of Kurt’s outfit? Maybe it’s the wig giving rococo vibes? Idk, fits with his usual fashion of being hella covered up, but eh. Heels are iconic tho

And damn, the way he talks back to the jocks. And how he tries to sorta backtrack, to just defending Tina. Prob less confident when it comes to just defending himself.

It was made as a big deal in s2, like Kurt wouldn’t have stood up for himself witout Blaine’s courage text but Kurt’s been calling them out all along?? Or maybe by s2 he was more beaten down and unwilling to do anything.

Also, kudos to Azimio for knowing what crepe paper is.

I cannot even with this number. I mean, we get Kurt, Santana, Mercedes, Tina(!) singing lead and freaking rocking it! Wish they got to sing together more often.

And the dance and Kurt getting to use his lower register and just. Lowkey better than numerous competition performances. I love this so much.

Wtf is this reaction to one of the best songs they’ve ever done? Esp you Matt, We know nothing about you but I expected better. Ugh, finn and puck complained about not wanting to perform gaga, fine, but you can’t even support your friends and appreciate a freaking amazing number???

And ofc when the boys perform these guys are all hella into it. Bc they support their friends and are able to appreciate a good performance. Oof.

Jeez, Tina and Kurt are going through it this ep. Why is no one else getting grief? Is it bc the other girls are cheerios? What about Rachel and Mercedes? The lack of adult supervision in this school is astounding.

This look of pure derision Kurt throws Finn... why I think the crush is practically gone at this point oof.

Kurt has spent so damn long working to accept himself, to build up some confidence to be who he is. And esp now that he has acceptance from his dad, the only opnion he cares about, ofc Kurt has no desire to ‘blend in’. 

“It’s just a moist towelette!”

I mean, I was also struggling with Finn trying to wipe off make-up with a dry paper towel like dude. And Kurt prob wants to just comfortably hang out with another guy, but Finn freaks the fuck out. Back in Ballad they hung out pretty closely and Finn never said anything and legit hasn’t called Kurt out on any of it yet. Kurt had been very intense before, but here Kurt is being casual about things.

Kurt kicking the chair slays me. He learned it from Finn. 

Omg this room. Like, lowkey, I’d love to have a room like that, but also.

We saw Kurt in his Mellencamp phase. We know he knows how to ‘butch’ things up if he needs to. Also, this is nothing like any of his past aesthetics and nothing we ever see again?? His style is very modern, usually more sleek and monochrome. I feel like this room was made way more extra to incite the argument cuz like. Wow. I do appreciate the privacy partition, Kurt trying so hard.

Omg this scene. How Kurt was really sincere in trying to make something finn would like. And then the turn around to sadness, embarrassment, regret. Legit a million emotions on his face.

The way Finn is shocked when Kurt starts shouting. Lowkey we don’t see Kurt shout often, normally he goes for cutting remarks etc. Kurt is def in defensive mode.

And when Finn starts using the f-slur like damn. And how Kurt barely reacts to it bc he’s used to the word being used against him (tho never before by Finn) and he prob still feels guilt about the crush and about the room oof.

Then Burt Hummel. Omg. I love how he calls Finn out like ‘you weren’t talking about the blanket, you meant it towards Kurt’ bc yes.

And Kurt jumps to Finn’s defense bc he’s used to being bullied. He’s upset it’s from Finn, but it’s not super out of the ordinary

And Burt calls Finn out like, you won’t use the n-word, the r-word, but you’re totally fine using that slur? 

And how Burt brings it back bc he was the same when he was a kid. Kurt being gay prob had Burt thinking back on all the crap he’d say with his friends and he has lots of guilt over it.

And how Burt says he thought Finn was this ‘new generation of man’ and honestly, that makes me so upset that we barely see anymore Kurt and Finn friendship after this until like. Furt. And after that, even less. And they lowkey don’t give Kurt any male friends (until Elliot, which is nice but ofc he’s also gay).

After all this, and the stupid ‘predatory gay’ trope they gave Kurt earlier, it would be cool to see Kurt getting to be friends with straight guys without it being a big deal ugh. I’ll rant more in Duets tho.

I do think the last scene was when Kurt’s crush officially died. Finn was no different than every other bully he’d dealt with. At least he’s eventually able to forgive him and accept him as a brother tho.

“My balls keep falling off” “I’ve been there” this line kills me.

Kurt’s reaction to every bully: “go ahead, hit me” like boi

Also, I love the quiet ‘oh my god...’ when he sees Finn bc. Ya. Same. Love the speech, and kinda love that even tho Finn is giving this intense speech, he doesn’t clarify ‘my brother’ or ‘my friend’ bc he doesn’t care what the others think. This is just about making it right with Kurt.

And Will appears after this and... no check in with Kurt. Doesn’t go after Karofsky and Azimio bc they were about to beat a kid up. Like... dude. 

This is why I rewatch omg. Kurt pets Finn’s shoulder, and when Finn does it back Kurt immediately waves him off like ‘don’t touch the costume’. Lol.

Also, how tf did Finn make this costume.

[rviner]

Name: Theodora ‘Teddy’ Prescott

Age & Birthday: 24 years old, July 2nd

Gender/Pronouns: Cis Woman She/Her

Birthplace: The Wards

Current Residence: The Wards

Role: Tinkerer / Tech Re-purpose / Black Market sorta

Positive personality traits: assertive, self-sufficient, playful

Negative personality traits: impulsive, stubborn, guarded

ABOUT

Teddy grew up in The Wards, raised by her mother, Charlie, after her father, Luke, was killed in a smuggling operation gone wrong when she was just 13. Teddy has been deeply influenced by the struggle and strength of her parents, especially her mother, who did whatever it took to keep them afloat. Growing up in The Wards meant learning early about survival, navigating a world of black markets, tough deals, and the ever present threat of danger.

Despite the hardship, Teddy always admired her mother's grit and resilience, but it also made her fiercely independent. She refused to let her circumstances define her. While her mother managed to become a successful (if unconventional) landlord, Teddy focused on finding a path of her own.

Teddy took a different route and has always been resourceful, learning how to tinker with machines and tech that’s been discarded. By the time she was 18, she had become a somewhat skilled mechanic, fixing everything from broken down vending machines to illegal tech mods. Her ability to repair old tech has drawn her closer to a life she didn't want much to do with.

But, she had no say in the matter when money is survival. Now, Teddy's tiny workshop is set up in a corner of her mother's building, where she repairs everything from hacked security systems to salvaged electronics that her clients bring her.

While her mother is focused on protecting their small community, Teddy has become someone to go to when residents need repurposed broken tech for new uses. Her reputation has grown as someone who can fix things that shouldn't technically be fixable, and her skills have made her some powerful connections in The Wards. She's cautious about getting involved in anything too illegal, but she sometimes turns a blind eye when fixing up smugglers' rigs or reprogramming surveillance equipment for people who are evading Vanguard attention.

Teddy has a good heart and tries to help out wherever she can, but she's also learned to be tough, just like her mom. She's not one to back down when things get rough. She's aware that her skills also put her at risk, constantly walking the line between legality and survival in a place where rules don't always apply.

Teddy's relationship with Charlie is complicated. She loves her mother but resents the smuggling life that took her father away. She's determined to carve out her own path, but she can't deny that her mother's world has deeply influenced her. Teddy's sense of independence and resilience is what drives her, but it’s also what sometimes leads her into dangerous territory, especially when her skills make her valuable to the wrong people.

CONNECTION IDEAS:

Teddy helps/helped re-purpose some tech, unknowingly (or purposely ignoring) the fact it was intended to be used illegally. This could have malfunctioned with serious consequences and now she's drawn into something bigger.

She's lowkey a nerd so could have fixed something for fun on Equinox and now she's being sought out by someone who saw her, similar vibes as above but doesn't have to be illegal but it could still be serious or things that are a little above her knowledge.

Teddy helps her mom with the apartment building so someone could live there and she sees something she shouldn't have and has sworn secrecy.

Teddy needs help securing certain parts/components and seeks help from less than savory characters or from aboveboard characters despite the fact the tech might be used illegally.

[dumbass-extraordinaire]

You Say You’re Ok (You’re Faking, Fucked Up)

Bart Allen has perfected his happy-go-lucky persona.  After the Reach are defeated, little by little, his facade starts to crumble.

     Bart is fine.  Why wouldn’t he be?  He made it to the future, he stopped the Reach, he even has an honest-to-god best friend.  Everything is great, crash-tastic, amaze-balls, totes coolio!  So he’s fine.  Really.

     So what if he has a few nightmares?  That’s totally normal-like, everyone’s a little screwed in the head.  Especially superheroes.  It’s like in the job description or something.

     So, really.  He’s fine.

...

     It starts like this.  Bart and Jaime are playing Mario Kart in Jaime’s room after training.  It’s late, and Bart is kinda sorta exhausted, but he loves playing Mario Kart with Jaime so he doesn’t complain.  Not even when Jaime kicks his ass on Rainbow Road.  

     But then, uh oh, Bart falls asleep and he isn’t in Jaime’s room anymore.  He’s back in the future (can he still call it the future if it isn’t ever gonna happen?) and the Reach has him wearing an inhibitor collar.  

     It’s one of the ones that anchors into the skin of his neck, too.   Even with his speedster healing he still has scars from the little needle-blade-clamp thingies that kept the collar attached to his neck.  Sometimes they itch.  Sometimes they burn.  He’s good at ignoring them, mostly.

     But right now he’s back in a collar and he feels so so so heavy, like he’s got lead weights tied to his limbs and he’s panicking and he wants it offoffoffrightnowpleaseohgod.  He claws desperately at his neck, blind with panic.

     “Bart! Bart, stop, listen it’s just a dream!”  Someone is calling his name, and then his wrists are pinned and nonononono that’s bad he needs to get the collar off and he feels badheavywrongwrongwrong.

     “Hermano, please it’s me, it’s Jaime!  C’mon, man, wake up!”  The voice is there again.  Bart’s eyes fly open.  Jaime looms over him, holding his wrists against the floor.  His eyes are wide with fear and liquid with concern.

     “Jaime?” He croaks.  His throat and neck feel raw and tender, and the wood floor is hard and cool against his back.  He smells blood.

     “Yeah, ese,” Jaime says and his body sags, tension bleeding out of his frame.  He lets go of Bart’s wrists and sits back on his heels.

     Bart blinks up at him, “I- uh, what happened?”  He coughs, and the metallic taste of blood coats his throat.

     Jaime exhales, running a hand through his hair, “You fell asleep on the floor in the middle of the last round and then you must’ve had a nightmare because you started freaking out and scratching at your neck.”  Jaime looks shaken.  “I had to grab your hands, hermano, you drew blood.”

     Bart bolts upright, “I hurt you?!” he asks, frantically scanning his friend for injuries.

     Jaime shakes his head, “No, you were hurting yourself, I’m fine.”

     “Oh, okay,” Bart relaxes, “That’s good.”  He didn’t hurt Jaime.  Jaime can’t heal like Bart can, so as long as he only got himself, Bart isn’t all that upset.

     Jaime stares at him like he’s grown a second head.  “No, Bart.  Not good, es muy malo.  Dios mio, you nearly ripped open your windpipe!”  Jaime looks distraught, like someone kicked a puppy or something.

    Bart tilts his head, confused, “Yeah, but I’m fine.  It’s not like this hasn’t happened before.  You don’t need to freak out, I’ll just heal like I always do.”

     Jaime gapes at him, “That’s not better.  Just because you can heal doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter if you get hurt.”  He seems to process the other part of Bart’s response, “And what do you mean, it’s not the first time this has happened?”

     “I get nightmares sometimes, it’s no big deal,” Bart fidgets, wiggling his fingers, uncomfortable with Jaime’s overreaction.  Everyone has nightmares.  Bart’s fine, he deals with them.  

     He can tell Jaime is going to say something, so he cuts him off, “I don’t wanna talk about it,” he says, avoiding eye contact.

     Jaime’s voice softens, “Bart, correcamino...” he trails off with a sigh.  “At least let me help you get cleaned up.  You’ve got blood on your neck and hands, it’s not sanitary.”

     Bart nods, “M’kay.”  He still doesn’t look Jaime in the eyes, staring at his shoulder instead.  Jaime gets to his feet and extends a hand to help Bart up.

     They shuffle down the hall to the bathroom, and Jaime rummages around underneath the sink for some hydrogen peroxide and a small towel.  Bart hops up onto the counter, swinging his legs like a little kid.  He likes the thump thump thump of his heels knocking against the counter.  Jaime huffs a small laugh at this, and something inside Bart’s chest settles.  He feels safe here with Jaime.

     The older boy straightens up, setting the items on the counter next to Bart.  With Bart sitting on the counter like this, they’re eye-level with each other and nearly nose-to-nose.  Bart stares into Jaime’s warm brown eyes.  Jaime stares back.  I could kiss him, Bart thinks.

     Bart clears his still-sore throat, breaking the tension.  “Hey, what does it mean, that word you called me?  Core-ay-cah-meeno?”

     Jaime cringes at Bart’s butchered pronunciation, then rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, “Oh, it means roadrunner.”

     Bart grins, warmth blooming in his chest, “I like it.”

     Jaime coughs, “Oh!  Uh, good, that’s good.”  He trails off, seemingly embarrassed.  Bart thinks he can see a hint of red in Jaime’s dark cheeks.  His stomach flip-flops.

 ...

     The next time, they’re on a mission.  It’s not going great, to say the least.  The bad guys have some Apokolyptan tech and Jaime’s getting his ass kicked worse than Bart while playing Mario Kart.

     Not that Bart is doing much better.  One of these sadistic asshats snapped his right tibia in half and the jagged edge of the bone is sticking out of his skin.  It hurts like a bitch, but Bart has plenty of experience ignoring intense pain.  He looks up just in time to see Jaime get thrown into the wall Bart’s leaning against by a blast of energy.  He slides to the floor, unmoving. 

     Bart sees red.  With an animalistic snarl, he grabs his broken leg and forces the two halves of his tibia together with a wet snap.  His vision goes white with pain, but he grits his teeth and focuses his breathing as he lets his meta healing work its magic.  He needs to get Jaime out of here.

     Turns out, he doesn’t need to worry.  The boom of Jaime’s sonic canon echoes through the abandoned warehouse and the bad guy goes flying.  Thank god for Khaji Da.  Once the bone has fused enough for him to move, Bart scrambles over to Jaime.

     The older boy is staring at him with wide eyes, “What the fuck, Bart?!”  Jaime tries to get up and yelps, clutching his side, “Madre de Dios,” he hisses.  Then, “No shit, Khaji, I got thrown into a wall.”

     Bart is frantic, “AreyouokayohmygodJaime!”

     Jaime looks up at him, “Yeah, just cracked a couple ribs and bumped my head.  What the hell was that with your leg, Bart?”

     Bart flaps his hands dissmissively, “I just forced the bone back together so it would fuse faster.  It’s an old trick I learned in the future.  Pretty crash, right?”

     Jaime just stares at him.  “¿Está usted loco?” he says incredulously.  “Bart that is not crash!  Hermano, you could seriously mess your leg up with a stunt like that,” he says, sounding horrified.

     Bart waves away his concern, “It’s fine, dude.  I’ve done it like a million times.”

     Jaime gives him a flat look, “That doesn’t make me feel better, ese.”

     Bart sighs, “Look, I’m good, okay.”  He stands up and balances on his injured leg, “See, all better!”  He wobbles, wincing as a bolt of pain shoots through his still-healing leg, but manages to not fall on his ass.

     Jaime looks unimpressed.  “Promise me you’ll at least get it checked out in the med bay,” he pleads.  “It would make me feel better to know you’re really alright.”

      Bart’s heart does a funny little squeeze at Jaime’s obvious concern, so he agrees, “Fine, mom, I’ll go to the med bay when we get back.”

      Jaime looks relieved and Bart doesn’t know what to do with that.  No one’s cared whether or not he gets hurt in a long time.

...

     It all comes crashing down at a party at the Outsider’s headquarters.  They’re eating pizza and messing around.  It’s all fun and games, until it isn’t.

     Jaime’s gone to get them more soda and Bart is scarfing down his fifteenth piece of pizza when someone grabs it out of his hands.  “Dude,” he says indignantly.

     Brion is holding his plate, “You need to slow down.  You are going to get a stomach ache my friend.”  

     Panic pools in Bart’s gut, “Give it back.”  It’s irrational, but even after all this time, Bart is still possessive over his food.

     Brion laughs, like this is funny.  Like taking Bart’s food is a joke.  “No, no, you have eaten enough.  I will be taking this.”

     “Hey, man, knock it off,” Vic says.  

     Brion laughs again, then hiccups.  He smells like beer.  “No, no more pizza for the kleiner schneller,” he says, and ruffles Bart’s hair.  His fingers are clumsy and they tug just enough to set Bart off.

     Panic shoots through his veins, turning his blood into ice water.  Surging to his feet, Bart grabs Brion’s wrist and judo-flips him faster than the prince can blink.  He’s breathing hard and his skin is crawling with phantom fingers.  The room has gone silent and everyone is staring at him like he’s lost his mind.

     “Brion!” Violet yelps, their aura flaring as she rushes to their boyfriend’s side.  She inspects him for injuries before turning their dark eyes onto Bart.  “Why did you do that,” she demands.

     Bart doesn’t answer them, still trembling with adrenaline.  He runs out of the room as tears prick at his eyes.  What the fuck is wrong with him?

     “Bart?” Jaime is back with the sodas, but Bart just pushes past him without a word.  “Bart, wait, what’s wrong?”  

     Bart stumbles through the hall and into the training room; he collapses onto the mat, crying.  Why can’t he just be normal for one goddamn night?  Why is he so fucked up?

     Jaime isn’t far behind him, rushing through the door with the sodas still in his hands.  “Bart!” Jaime calls out his name, voice laced with concern.  He stops in front of Bart, “Bart, hermano, what’s wrong?”

     Bart hiccups, trying to get his emotions under control, “It’s stupid.”

     “It’s not stupid if it’s making you this upset,” Jaime insists, sitting down next to him on the mat.

     “Brion took my pizza,” he wails.  It’s stupid because that’s not even what he’s upset about, not really.  It’s not what set him off, what turned him into this feral, snarling animal that lashes out at everyone around him.

     Jaime cocks his head.  “I don’t understand,” he says slowly, “I mean, that’s a dick move, but why are you so upset?”

     Bart takes a shallow, shaky breath and doesn’t look at Jaime.  “If I did something bad, would you hate me?” he asks.

     Jaime puts his hand on Bart’s shoulder.  “Hermano, I could never hate you,” he says, and his voice is so gentle that Bart’s chest aches.  Then Jaime tilts his head, “Hey, what’s going on with you?” he asks, concerned.  “Y’okay?”

     “I just,” he gulps, “He touched my hair and he took my pizza and suddenly it was like I was right back there all over again and I freaked out.”  He flaps his hands around agitatedly.  What he has with Jaime is so good and he doesn’t wanna fuck it up by saying too much.

     Jaime sucks in a breath, “Bart, what do you mean by ‘back there’?”  His voice is tinted blue with concern and his hand is still heavy on Bart’s shoulder.

     Bart doesn’t look at him.  His skin is crawling and everything is too bright and too loud and toomuchtoomuchtoomuch.  He scratches at his forearms violently, trying to get rid of the buzzing under his skin and in his ears.

     Jaime grabs his wrist, “Bart stop!  You’re hurting yourself!”

     Blind with panic, he snarls, “Don’t touch me!” and flinches violently away from Jaime.  Jaime blinks at him, eyes wide and shocked, and Bart feels like an asshole all over again.

     “Bart,” Jaime says carefully, like he’s soothing to a scared animal, “Please talk to me.”  His hands are raised in the universal gesture for “I come in peace”.

     “I’m sorry,” he whispers.

     Jaime shakes his head.  “No, don’t be, ese.  I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that.  Lo siento, chiquito.”  Jaime is so good it makes Bart want to start crying all over again.

     “It’s just,” he starts but the words stick in his throat.  He tries again, “Y’know how in the future everything was super moded?”  Understatement of the century but it’s whatever.

     Jaime nods.

     Bart licks his lips and continues, “Well food was always really hard to find and some people would always have more than others.”  He bounces his leg, “And, um, I was always so hungry.  There was never enough to eat for normal people, so I was constantly starving.  Speedster metabolism and all that shit.”

     “I’m sorry,” Jaime says, sounding like he means it.

     Bart shakes his head, “Not your fault.”  Jaime looks like he’s gonna disagree, so Bart looks him dead in the eyes and says again, “Not your fault, Blue.”

     Jaime nods, “Okay,” mouth quirking.

     Bart inhales shakily, “And, um, so like I said there were people that always had more food than others.  And they would be willing to share, if you did them a favor.  And sometimes I would get so hungry and I just...did them a favor.”

     Jaime makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat, “Fuck, Bart, you mean...”

     Bart nods,  “Yeah, uh, exactly what it sounds like,” he says, refusing to look at Jaime, not wanting to see the disgust in his eyes.  His hands are shaking and his chest is tight, “So sorry!  You’re best friend’s a slut!”  He laughs, high and shaky, and starts crying again.

      “Dios mio, Bart, no,” Jaime sounds heartbroken, “Mierda, chiquito, I’m so sorry.”  

      Bart sniffles and asks, “You don’t hate me?”

      “Why would I hate you?” Jaime sounds genuinely confused and also a little bit like he’s crying.

      “Because I’m dirty and fucked up,” he says hoarsely, “I’m damaged goods.”

      “That’s bullshit,” Jaime snaps angrily.  Bart looks up at him in shock, eyes wide.  

      “You did what you had to to survive; the pendejos who decided it was okay to take advantage of a starving kid, they’re the ones who’re fucked up.  Not you,” Jaime says, voice steely with conviction.

      Bart blinks dumbly at him, shocked.  “You really don’t hate me,” he says wonderously.  He feels floaty and not all there, like when he’s running as fast as he can and his edges go all blurry.

      “I told you, I could never hate you,” Jaime insists fiercely, and Bart wonders how he could’ve ever been afraid of someone like Jaime.

      “Can I- can I have a hug?” he asks, and he hates how pitiful he sounds but he just wants someone to hold him and tell him everything’s gonna be alright.

      “Shit, of course,” Jaime says, and wraps his arms around Bart.  Bart buries his face in Jaime’s neck and it feels like coming home.

      They stay like that for a while, Bart clinging to Jaime like he’s drowning and Jaime’s the only thing keeping his head above water, which is truer than he’d like.  Eventually, Bart pulls away; his breathing is still shaky but he’s no longer crying.

      Bart exhales and smiles at Jaime.  “Y’know,” he says, “You were the first person I ever really trusted after I got here.”

      “Really?” Jaime asks, surprised.  “What about Barry?  Or Jay or Wally?”

     Bart chews his lip.  “No, see, cause I trusted them not to hurt me and stuff, but I didn’t trust them with my past.  I still don’t, to be honest.  You’re the only one who knows just how bad it actually was.”

     “Oh,” Jaime breathes.  “Wow, that’s...you’ve never talked about it?  At all?”

     He shakes his head.  “They know bits and pieces, but not the whole thing.  I didn’t want them to look at me like I’m just some tragic victim.  I mean, it was shitty, but I survived it.  It didn’t kill me, I’m still here.”

     Jaime nods, “I can understand that, I guess.  But Bart...I think you should talk to someone about it.  It doesn’t make you weak to ask for help, correcamino.”

     “I know that,” he snaps defensively.  “Sorry, sorry.  It’s just, I don’t wanna be pitied.”  He fiddles with the hem of his shirt. 

     “Black Canary’s a licensed therapist,” Jaime offers.  “It’s pretty much her job not to judge or pity people, ese.”

     Bart considers it.  “Maybe,” he says, “I just don’t know if I’m ready to talk about it with someone else.”  He shrugs, picking at his jeans.

     “Well, I’m here,” Jaime says, his gaze steady and his voice kind, “For whenever you need to talk.  Even...even about those favors.”

     Bart glances up at him, “You don’t wanna hear about that.  It’s gross.”  I’m gross, he doesn’t say.

     Jaime shrugs, “Doesn’t matter.  You ever need to talk about it, I’m here.  I’m not going to judge you or pity you or anything like that.  I’ll just be here for you, whenever you need me.”

      Bart stares at the training room floor.  After a moment, he speaks.  “I freaked out because Brion ruffled my hair.  He kinda tugged at it, and that...it felt like before.”  His throat closes up and he stops talking, glancing at Jaime out of the corner of his eyes.

      Jaime exhales sharply, “That sucks, hermano.”  He says it frankly and without condescension.  “That really, really sucks.”

      Bart squeezes his eyes shut, scrubbing at his face with the heels of his hands.  “Yeah, it does,” he says, voice cracking.  He doesn’t want to talk about this anymore, so he switches topics.  “Did I ever show you the scars on my legs?” he asks.

      Jaime shakes his head, “No,” he says, voice cautious like he still thinks Bart might run away.

      Bart kicks off his shoes and rolls up his jeans, angling his left ankle towards Jaime.  “There, see it?” he says, pointing to the neat lines of raised skin running horizontal across his ankle and calf with surgical precision.  “I’ve got matching ones on my other leg.”

      Jaime looks both horrified and fascinated, like he’s looking at a car wreck.  “How?” he asks, “Why?”  He makes an aborted hand motion, like he wanted to touch the scars but thought better of it at the last minute.

      Bart catches his hand, “You can touch them, it’s okay.”  It’s okay, he tells himself, it’s just Jaime.

      “You sure?” Jaime asks.

      Bart nods.  He trusts Jaime; he trusts him with his past and he trusts him with his scars.  He trusts him so much it’s honestly kind of scary sometimes.

      Hesitantly, Jaime reaches out and runs a finger along one of the scars.  His touch is feather-light and impossibly gentle.  Bart shivers.  After a moment, Jaime pulls his hand back, looking thoughtful.

      “What happened,” he says, more of a statement than a question.

      Bart shifts, “I was the last speedster, and the Reach wanted to know how my powers worked; what the limits of my healing were.  The Reach scientists would do experiments on me,” he taps his fingers in a staccato rhythm on his thigh, “That’s how I knew my bone would fuse on that mission.  They tested it.”

      “Bart...” Jaime trails off, like he’s not sure what to say.  Bart supposes that’s fair.  How are you supposed to respond when your best friend tells you that he had his legs broken repeatedly for “science”?

      “The scars are from when they would cut my hamstring and my achilles tendon to see how fast I could heal and if I could still run while injured,” Bart recites clinically, “I can, by the way, I’m just a lot slower.”

      “Jesus,” Jaime breathes.  His voice cracks, “God, Bart, that’s horrible.”

      Bart shifts, uncomfortable with the emotional intensity, “Well, if you look on the bright side, it’s not like any of it was permanent,” he says, trying to lighten to mood.

      Jaime gives him a flat, unimpressed look, one that says you are so full of shit but I’m not gonna call you on it right now.

      “I’ve got other scars, too.”  Bart’s never talked about this before, and now that he’s started it feels like he can’t stop.  

      The words just keep spilling out, “On my neck.  They’re from the inhibitor collars, the ones in the future.  They had little blade thingies that would stab into the skin, tomakeithardertogetoutofthem,” he gulps in a breath, the words blurring together at the end.

      Jaime buries his face in his hands, muttering in rapid-fire spanish under his breath.  He’s speaking too fast for Bart, with his limited understanding of the language, to catch anything other that a few swear words but the guilt in his tone comes through clear as day

      Guilt pools in Bart’s stomach.  Of course Jaime, with his too-big heart, blames himself for this.

      Bart reaches out and puts a hand on Jaime’s shoulder, “It’s not your fault, Blue.  None of it is.”

      Jaime leans into his touch, “I’m still sorry,” he says.

      “Don’t be, Jaime.  I never blamed you, not for a second,” he says, and he means it.

      Jaime inhales and sits up, “I don’t know why I’m freaking out, this isn’t about me.”

      Bart wraps his arm around Jaime and rests his head on his shoulder, “It’s fine, dude.  I just told you a bunch of really heavy stuff, so I think you’re justified in getting worked up.  It’s nice to know that someone cares.”

      Jaime wraps his own arm around Bart and squeezes him tightly against his side, “Of course I care.  You’re my best friend and I hate that any of this happened to you,” he admits, voice thick with emotion.  “You didn’t deserve it, Bart, I hope you know that.”

      Bart doesn’t wanna start crying again.  He’s so tired of crying.  But Jaime’s words grip his heart like a fist and squeeze.  For the second time that day, Jaime holds him as he shakes apart, whispering comforting spanish into his hair.

      Bart gasps, trying to regulate his breathing, “I’m just sick of this shit.  I’m sick of feeling like I’m flying apart.”  He grips his hair and rocks in place, an aborted scream clotting in his throat.  

      Jaime pulls him into a fuller, bone-crushing hug, “Hey, hey, you’re okay, I’ve got you,” he says, “Nadie va a volverá a tocarte.  No se lo permitiré.  Te lo prometo, chiquito.”  He presses a firm kiss to Bart’s temple.

      Bart pulls back and stares at him, eyes wide.

      Jaime scrambles away from him, “Shit, shit, sorry!  I should’nt’ve- lo siento,” he babbles.

     Bart giggles, slightly hysterical, “It’s crash.”

     “No, I’m sorry!  I overstepped,” Jaime’s still babbling.  “Dios, soy un idiota.  ¡Por qué hiciste eso, maldito bobo!" he mutters to himself, smacking his forehead.

      “Jaime!” Bart snaps, grabbing his friend’s hand, “I said it’s crash!”  Jaime still looks conflicted, so Bart continues, “You didn’t make me uncomfortable, you just surprised me is all.  I promise.”

      “You sure?” Jaime asks, deadly serious.

      “I’m sure,” Bart insists.  Not letting go of Jaime’s hand, he flops backwards onto the mat.  “Ugh, my brain’s all cottony from crying,” he complains.  “I don’t wanna go back to the party, I fucking judo flipped Brion and now everyone thinks I’m crazy.”

      Jaime snorts, “No shit, did you really?”

      “Yeah, dude.”

      Jaime lays down next to him.  “Hey,” he says, “If you’re feeling up to it, we could go get milkshakes?  Would that help?”  He sounds tentative, unsure of himself.

      Bart turns his head towards Jaime, “Y’know what, that actually sounds really nice.”

      Jaime smiles and gets to his feet, “C’mon, hermano,” he says, offering Bart his hand.  Bart takes it, pulling himself to his feet, and doesn’t let go.

[amoristt]

Just a Dare | Nathan Prescott x Reader

@trueloveknifefight asked, Also can I request Nathan asking you out?

here u are! i love writing convos w nathan UGH i adore his character.

as always, replies and reblogs are greatly appreciated1 i check all tags and comments <3

wanna support me for just $3? here's my ko-fi!

The lights were bright, vivid. Almost blinding. They dance LED accents into the reflection of your drink- a dull plastic cup filled to the brim with one part whiskey, zero parts mixer. The taste could bring a tear to your eye but you would be damned to water down such fine alcohol, provided by none other than Nathan Prescott himself.

Music reverberated along the pool rooms walls, laughter and hollers distantly rising with the tempos. Your foot absently tapped to the beat- you were never one for dancing. Never one for parties, either, actually, favoring drinking in the solitude of a small friend group.

If not for Nathan you wouldn't be here at all. Some would say it's a privilege to slip past those heavy doors, entering the dully lit world of the Vortex Club. You mostly just felt like it was all for show. Somehow securing a place among Nathan's friend group, and a good friend at that, it was almost duty to show up. He insisted on it.

So, here you were. Leaning against a wall in a suffocatingly warm, cramped pool room surrounded by a sea of faces you hardly recognized.

That was, until you saw Nathan's face peer through the small break in shifting bodies. You knew him all too well.

Strikingly handsome, equally strikingly pompous. Funny, crude, an absent minded party goer just as much as he was a fireball with racing, incoherent thoughts. A drinker, a druggie. Takes the edge off, he says, but you think he does it to take away his thoughts completely. You felt like his entire life was all edges, never sacred ground.

The poor bastard.

He lures your attention in as he saunters over with squared shoulders, narrowly avoiding spilling his drink when a random student cuts it a little too close. Normally Nathan would make a bigger deal, give him what for, but this time he just shoots the poor kid a menacing glare and grumbles, 'fucking watch it'. He's walking with purpose and intent, you can see it on his face. You must have a target on your forehead as he darts straight over.

When he comes to your side, his own alcohol dripping down the sides of his cup onto his wiry fingers, you raise a brow.

"Something wrong?" You ask, as he takes a spot leaning against the hard wall right next to you.

"Just wondering why you're being so fucking lame over here," He shouts over the music, taking a sip of his drink, grimacing at the taste. "We're all having a good time over at the lounge and you're over here acting like all the other wallflower nobodies."

You roll your eyes with upturning lips. "Maybe I like being a wallflower. I like people watching. I see things no one else does."

"Yeah, okay, fucking weirdo."

"I mean it," You push off the wall and grin. "Look-" You point to a student obviously wasted, drink held high over head while he lets the music take him away. "That guy is clearly trashed- he's having the time of his life. He's gotta be seeing double."

Nathan whistles at his state, taking in the guys goofy smile, half lidded eyes. "I'll bet it's the triplets. I could breathe on him too hard and he'd fall over."

"You should go try it." You tease. He shakes his head and takes another drink.

"Nah, he'll get it himself. Guarantee we'll be dragging him out by his feet by the end of the night." He shrugs. "Or, at least someone will. I sure as fuck ain't staying that long."

You snicker. "What, got a hot date?" Nathan glares at you. "Oh don't tell me," you cup your hands to whisper, a secretive gesture, "homework?"

"Fuck no," He scoffs, and you can just barely see that he's a little more than tipsy now. His pale cheeks dusted with red, the tip of his nose ruby under the harsh lighting. It's also then that you realize he's a little more tense than usual, even despite the drinking. He's standing straight upright, his right hand gripping his cup like a crutch and his left now shoved hastily into his pocket.

He hasn't looked at you dead in the eyes yet.

"So what is it then?" You ask curiously. He shrugs and stares into his cup. You frown. "Bro, are you like, good right now? Do you wanna leave?"

For the first time since he'd wandered over, Nathan looks up at you. His eyes are unreadable, but his composure seems stressed. He shrugs again. Before you can even open your mouth to ask him about his state, he sighs and downs an entire mouthful of burning whiskey. It makes you cringe just watching him.

"Fuck it," He huffs. "Look I got some stupid ass dare to come over here and put the moves on you, okay." He sounds almost annoyed, like it's a hassle for him, or maybe embarrassing. You cross your arms. "I was dared to come over here and try to get you like, to fucking, you know, leave with me, but now that I'm over here I'm starting to think maybe that was a dumbass idea."

"Leave with you?" You say incredulously, a brow already lifting. "You were dared to come over here and try to sleep with me? By our friends?"

"No, no, fuck," Nathan seems agitated now, rushing. "Like a date sorta bullshit. Ask you out." He manages to get it out in almost the worst delivery possible, meanwhile you're just trying to pick out who would put him up to this. Hayden? Victoria?

A laugh forces its way out of you. "Aren't we a little too old for that game?"

Nathan shrugs. "That's what I said but they insisted. Fucking babies. At least make the dare a little more fun than just asking some bitch out. That's like elementary level shit."

Your eyes widen, you scoff. "Excuse me?"

Nathan sputters. "You're not some bitch, I didn't mean to-... Fucks sake, I'm clearly a little drunk right now okay, if you could cut me some fucking slack that'd be awesome."

"Hey man I didn't ask to be a victim of bullying," You tease, and he can't help but laugh. You soften. "Never expected it from you, though of all people. As ironic as that sounds."

"I'm not even bullying you, come on. Don't be a bitch. I even admitted it and everything."

You grin. "Yeah. Gotta say though, I'm a little disappointed."

"Oh what, you wanted to see my moves?" Nathan hums. "You wanted some Prescott action?"

"Shut the hell up." You shove his shoulder, an action that would be a mistake to so many others, but for you, it was welcomed. "I'm disappointed that it was just a dare. I'd probably have said yes if it wasn't. But, oh well."

Nathan doesn't answer for a long moment. First, he stares into his drink, processing. Almost like he hadn't heard that right, or like you were messing with him. It's rare to see Nathan Prescott stunned into a momentary silence. He's thinking, wondering what he should say next. Suspicious that you're just playing with him, hopeful that maybe you aren't.

And, you hadn't been. Truth be told if given the chance you would allow him to take you out for the evening. Show you fancy things, try out something a little more intimate than just laughter and poking fun at classmates together. You enjoyed his presence, looked forward to it at times.

A small part of you had hoped that he felt the same, maybe. Somehow. While grateful that he respected you enough to cut the crap before it even began, you couldn't help but feel a little... Disheartened at the prank. You'd saved your pride by denying him beforehand, but, if it had been genuine...

"So if it wasn't a dare," He began, quietly, barely audible over the booming music overhead. Eyes barely visible in the sea of vibrant lights crashing like waves. "You'd have said yes."

You shrug, trying to play it casual to save your own feelings, just in case. "Probably. I mean, we're already friends. We have fun so it couldn't have been that bad." He nods along to almost every word.

"Well what if we did it anyways." He blurts.

"Did what?"

"Go out tonight. Like, you know ditch this lame ass party and have some real fun."

"You love this lame ass party, and plus," You shake your head in feigned annoyance. "I'm not sleeping with you, Nathan."

He glares at you. "Fucking duh. I'm just saying we can go and hang out somewhere else. This party happens all the fucking time so it's not like we're missing anything."

"But, wouldn't that make me the butt of our friends joke?"

He shrugs. "Fuck em. It was a dumb dare anyways."

"Now it seems like you're trying extra hard to convince me to say yes." You state, and he's frazzled, running lines through his brain to try and save the absolute failure of asking you out. You decide to spare him, take a little leap of faith for yourself. "But, alright. I'm in."

Nathan gapes at you. "You're in?"

"Yeah, why not. I'm not busy right now and if you're not either than," You smile. "Why not. You better wow me though, Prescott. I'm talking a night to remember. Fireworks, dinner by candle light, a serenade. The whole package."

Nathan's eyes light up, but he tries to hide it, rolls those beautiful blues. "Well considering I've had like no fucking time to prepare how about we instead go to the roof and chill out."

You toss the idea around in your head for show. You already knew the answer the moment he asked if you were being serious.

"I mean I guess that would work," You say. "I was looking for fireworks but I suppose that will suffice. Feel free to go tell our buddies their joke may have backfired on them."

Nathan shakes his head. "Nah, don't even bother. They're all drunk and probably don't even remember daring me in the first place."

"Alright then," You push yourself off the wall, feeling your cheeks warm. A flutter takes wing in the base of your chest, your heart picking up just a little faster. You can't stop the smile that graces you as you say, "Lead the way, Prescott."

Nathan does lead the way. He takes your hand into his own, your fingers tracing over his boney knuckles as he drags you through the sea of bodies, out to the school hall and up winding stairs.

You giggle like a child when he struggles to find the correct key on the janitors ring he'd snatched weeks ago just in case, tease him when he almost spills his drink all over himself. Nathan's hands are almost shaking, but you chalk it up to the alcohol. You chalk everything up to the alcohol- his trembling fingers, his red face, a shy, albeit goofy smile resting upon his lovely, angular face.

The night was cool and crisp, a stark contrast to the smoldering heat of the Vortex Party.

He looks amazing out under the stars, and underneath the scope of the vast, black sky dotted with trillions of perfect, twinkling lights, you feel at peace.

Looking at him, you feel like this may be the start of something you'd denied yourself the chance of ever even imagining.

Out there, alone but together, hearing the echoes of music mixed with the livelihood of crickets in the darkness...

it truly was a night to remember.

-----------

Days later, you sit atop your desk, feet tapping rhythmically on your chair, typing away at your phone.

"Love the top," A familiar voice pipes, and you glace up to find Victoria standing before you, books pressed to her chest. She takes in your shirt, a nicely fitted long sleeve with a rather low cut v-neck. "Why haven't I see that one before?"

You shrug and set your phone down. "Never got around to wearing it I guess. Not a big fan of V-necks."

"It fits you," She sets her books down at the table beside you and brushes a hand through her hair, making sure every strand is in line. "I'll have to get one myself."

"You know what, you can have it after today," You say, and she perks up in disbelief. "As a thank you for what happened at the party."

That disbelief soon turned to confusion. "...Meaning?"

"Y'know, making Nathan ask me out. He made a whole huge deal about it- said you guys were drinking and playing Truth or Dare of all things. Gotta say, I was a little surprised."

Victoria's brows knit. "We hardly drank at that party, and I wouldn't be caught dead playing Truth or Dare. That game is for kids."

It almost knocks the wind out of you.

They hadn't even been playing in the first place.

As the teacher walks into the room, the first period bell blaring annoyingly over the speakers, you climb off your desk and prepare for the day, hardly able to contain yourself. It hadn't been a dare, after all.

And, you and Nathan's official second date was merely a day away.