#but anyway this irks me to my core

[nobie]

A mutual of mine met Timothy Zahn at Comic Con Revolution last weekend. We scream about Thrawn all the time, so I was really excited for her to meet him! It was your usual fan interaction, but something that he told her really stuck out to me. It made me kind of sad too.

He said "If they [Lucasfilm] ever want to continue his story, I'm ready and waiting." (the context: my friend asked whats to come for Thrawn). Thats not verbatim, but the fact that Lucasfilm has not approached him about his OC confirms to me they wrote all his show appearances without even a glance in Zahn's direction.

You could come to that conclusion on your own bc of this "Heir to the Empire" characterization they've put him in. (The legends are great but not canon anymore and Filoni is back on his ignoring canon novels bs)

The fact that this came directly from TIMOTHY FCKN ZAHN himself makes it even more maddening.

[gladiatorcunt]

someone: yeah i like the dick cheating on kori with babs thing and i like writing him ooc-

yeah you’re banned

[ethereal-engene]

i dont think i like her anymore by charlie puth is almost a good song until you notice that the lyrics are demonstrating his loser behavior for not being able to get with a girl and the main lyric that gets me “all girls are the same”

as if men aren’t the same people telling us that we’re not like other girls LMAO

[stellacatus]

Flatland (The book) is pretty good!

I read Flatland not too long ago, I´m afraid to admit that I saw the 2007 adaptation before I read the book fully. I didn´t change the fact that the movie was a hot mess to me.

At first I chalked it up to be just an indie movie from almost two decades ago, of course the script would be messy and the visuals jarring. But the moment I gave myself the time to read the book in it´s entirety, I realized how bad Ladd missed what the book was aiming to teach, and make fun of. Bigots like him :^/

Not only that, but something that irks me so fucking bad is the whole Chromatists ark in the movie; not only is it extremelly inaccurate to the book. This being A.Square´s retelling of a historical event that happened so long ago, we can´t really take A.Square´s word for it, as it was probably altered to make the Chromatists as "irrational liberals" and the Circular Priests as "the voice of reason".

Bringing this very much innacurate retelling to the present day of Flatland feels to me, like a very poorly made strawman.

I need to mention too, the leader of the Chromatists, an irregular shape. Which could´ve been an interesting approach to the differences between both kindoms. But,, the way he´s characterized really hits me the wrong way, feels extremelly ableist. And just serves to further the point that Ladd Ehlinger didn´t comprenhend the message the book was trying to comunicate.

Or he did, afterall, the Chromatist movement was a in-book version of a human rights movement, as it seeked women´s and irregular liberation and individuality.

To be honest, It could be interesting to explore a Chromatist resurgence in Flatland, the book has plenty of worldbuilding and potencial to have new stories written about it. (I´m yet to hear of a good adaptation though, If you have any good adaptations around this world, I would love to read it!). But not by people like Ladd.

Another thing I would like to mention is how much Ladd butchered A.Sphere´s personality in this movie. I hope I´m not the only one who has this sentiment. A.Sphere is supposed to be humble, he scoffs at the idea of somehow being a supperior, perfect being. He´s also empathetic and patient, things A.Square mentions he associate´s with women, and therefore inferior. Something that is supposed to challenge his view, as he has this notion that A.Sphere is a godly entity.

I believe this was a counsious desition; by scrumbing this character of this personality, now he doesn´t have to challenge A.Square´s (and by proxy Ladd himself) bigoted views.

I can still understand people might´ve grown attached to the character, I trust you have two brains and understand the core message of Flatland regardless.

This just goes to show media literacy is a very crutial skill, specially as an adult.

Anyways, have this quick thingy before I run to my Uni because just now I realized I ranted too much and now I´m late lol

[thatfeelinwhenyou]

i didn't want to bring this up on my page because i didn't want the negativity to affect my readers who are just here to have a good time. but awareness needs to be spread.

admist the chaos of sasaengs not knowing how to respect enhypen's space, i would like to reiterate that enhypen is not my, yours, or anybody's plaything. the audacity of some fans to think that sitting beside them on the plane, or calling them repeatedly over and over again at 2am will magically make them fall in love with you is crazy. get a grip. the boys are already enduring so so so much, heck we all know they have nothing but genuine love and respect for their fans. the least we can do as fans is to respect their basic human rights.

it irks me to my core to see every single fancall/fansign interaction to be along the lines of pretending they're your boyfriend. fym you want them to praise you like a dog? what good did you do anyway? have some fucking respect, not only for them but yourself. the lack of appreciation for enhypen as artists is unfathomable. its always about how handsome or boyfriend material they are but never how talented and amazing these seven boys are at what they do. it just never ceases to surprise me when people don’t talk about their artistry and stage presence. it's to the point other fandoms know them as the "fan service group". fuck. these boys are more than your vampire boyfriend… yes i write AUs but i don’t expect myself to be dating any of them?? if anyone doesn't agree with this (for some unworldly reason), feel free to unfollow me.

if you have time, i urge yall to go on the X. there's a bunch of xhs and weibo accounts that you can report for appalling sasaeng behaviour towards enhypen. enhypen support is also mass emailing belift to get their shit together, pls pls pls do so too if you're capable!

[patheticallyinfatuatedwithu]

spider, pham hanni

you visit hanni after a terrifying encounter with a spider.

having lived and born in australia, you'd think pham hanni would be used to it. well, you're dead wrong.

it was the end of last period and you've bid goodbye to your friends and headed to hanni's classroom, where you found her to be the last one left inside and gingerly packing her things up. you let yourself in and strutted to where she stood, stopping right behind her. "why are you always the last one out?"

zipping her bag closed, she turned around and huffed, slinging her bag on her back and walking past you. "geez, i just asked. don't get all grumpy on me now."

she stayed silent and continued to walk in front of you, her eyebrows furrowed and arms crossed. you know that you should be concerned for your life, but you just couldn't bring yourself not to laugh at her adorable state right now.

she scoffed when the sound left your thoat, slightly glancing at you before looking back forward. it irked her that you could laugh at a situation like this right now when you should be fearing for your life. she parted her lips to say something, but it was cut short when a spider hung right in front of her face.

hanni let out a scream from horror movies.

if you weren't there and hadn't witnessed what happened beforehand, you would definitely thought that she was being chased by a murderer. the vietnamese jumped towards your arms, catching her with ease as she hid in the crook of your neck.

you stifled a laugh, "are you alright?" the question was choked and forced out and you had to bite your lip harshly to avoid laughter from erupting. you felt her grip on you tighten and just as how fast the spider appeared, your smile dropped.

"hanni..." you whispered and the girl just quivered in response.

it must've shaken her to the core seeing that spider.

"alright, don't worry about walking home, i'll carry you there." you felt her nod against your neck, feeling her warm breath against your skin, you blushed, mentally face palming that you had the audacity to blush while your friend was scared to death.

you started to move and her grip on you tightened again, and you couldn't help to think that she was cute.

it was the next day and hanni hasn't returned to school, which caused worriedness to wash over you and visit her after school. you knocked on her door and waited for a few moments before the door opened. you watched as her eyes went wide as an owl's before shutting the door on you.

...what?

"h-hanni," you stammered, greatly astounded as you reached to knock on the door again. before you could anyway, the door opened and she pulled you in. now, you were more confused than before. "are you okay-"

she pulled you in for a tight hug, stopping in the middle of the room and basking in your warmth, the back of your shirt crumpled under her hand. you hugged back, deciding to carry her towards her bed and place her down, but she resisted and took comfort in your lap instead, her hands now found way to your hair, tangling her fingers in it becoming one.

"are you alright?" your voice was quite muffled from her locks, but it wasn't as muffled as hers. "'m fine." you glanced at her, adjusting her in your lap as your arm held her waist to hold her in place. "you sure?" she nodded.

"how come your room's dim?" you questioned, gazing at the single lamp whose light is mostly restricted and towards the ajar positioning of her blinds. "i find it more comforting." she mumbles, further more hiding in your neck.

it was only then she shuffled that you realized what position the two of you were in, and you couldn't help but flush. you were sitting on the edge of the bed, back facing the wall as hanni straddled you, warm breath fanning your neck as you lightly shivered.

"y/n..."

you hummed, free hand sliding up and down her back to ease her fear. "i can still see the spider when i close my eyes." you frowned, and you felt her move away from you and stared at you, eyes travelling over your face, lingering the most on your lips.

"but with you here... i feel more safe." a warm smile replaced the frown, the hand that held waist unconsciously tightened and it was your turn to hide your face in her neck. she chuckled, fingers playing with your hair.

she can feel the warmth your face emitted against her skin, "you're embarrassed?" you nod against her, already knowing what she'll ask next. "you think too highly of me." she shook her head, "i should be the one embarrassed. i screamed so loud yesterday, and right in front of you too."

"what's wrong with screaming in front of me?" hanni stayed silent, and you were almost sure that you had made her uncomfortable, silently beating yourself up for it. as you were about to apologize, hanni had taken your jaw and threw it on the floor.

"i like you, that's why." the movements of her hands ceased, and the whole room was enveloped by silence. both your hearts beated erratically and was almost sure that the other could hear, hanni holding in her breath as she braced herself for rejection.

you pulled away, a smile on your face that brought a question mark above hanni's head. "i like you too." you replied, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. she tackled you in a hug, your back colliding with the bed's soft mattress and sheet as her hair created a curtain between you two and anyone who might walk in.

she grinned as she pulled away, which grew larger in size when you reached in to give her a peck on the lips, palm on her cheek as your thumb caressed it, before hanni leant down for a kiss. "that spider's a damn genius."

broken records i know i have requests but i wont be able to work on them yet since assessments are appearing and i figured that you all need to be fed so i've published this one in my drafts which has been here sinve day 1

[moremaybank]

Can you do a Christmas smut with Klaus X witch reader and Klaus fucks her out of jealousy/anger. Also, can he tie her up with his own black suit tie? Love your work! <3

TINSEL & TIES — k.m

pairing klaus mikaelson x fem!witch!reader

summary after an argument, you try to make klaus jealous. in return, klaus has to let you know just how wrong that decision was.

warnings 18+, unprotected sex, bdsm (reader is tied, gagged and restrained), clit-slapping, orgasm denial, face-fucking, cum-swallowing, klaus being tied and gagged at the end, i think that’s it

author's note merry (belated) christmas. this is six days late, but who’s counting? (me. i’m counting. and the guilt is immeasurable) but anyways please enjoy :)

klaus masterlist

the compound looked magical.

warm white lights were strung carefully around the staircases alongside garland that complimented the extravagant christmas tree. poinsettias were laced through the lights and garland. mistletoe hung in strategic locations, a part of klaus's holiday shenanigans. the sweet aroma of baked holiday goods roamed through the air, and fake snow — provided by a spell of your own making — was littered everywhere, making it feel like a white christmas.

everything was perfect, courtesy of you. so it really was a shame that you didn't get the opportunity to enjoy it.

"you're being ridiculous! i put this entire party together, down to every last ornament hanging on that gorgeous tree downstairs. i'm not gonna sit out on my favourite holiday just because you're being paranoid!"

klaus sighed in exasperation, "i'm not being paranoid! i'm playing it safe. excuse me for trying to protect you from the countless enemies i have roaming about this city."

"well, whose fault is that? all you've done over the thousand years you've walked on this earth is turn everyone against you. this is your own fault. i don't deserve to be punished for your mistakes, klaus!"

klaus takes a step closer to you, the aggravation growing more apparent as the seconds ticked by.

"i'd hardly consider taking preventative measures to ensure your safety to be a punishment, y/n."

you rolled your eyes. it was a regular occurrence for klaus to treat you as if you were helpless and weak. it irked you to your core, and tonight, you'd had enough.

"i am so sick and tired of you breathing down my neck. you seem to forget that i can protect myself against anyone who dares to come at me. i am one of the most powerful witches this city has ever seen. i don't need you to babysit me, and i certainly don't need you to treat me as if i'm defenceless."

you shoved past him, shoulder hitting against his as you tried to storm out of your shared bedroom. klaus's hand clasped around your elbow, though, preventing you from making your escape.

"and just where do you think you're going?" klaus questioned, giving you a look of warning.

"downstairs. who knows, maybe i'll meet someone who respects me enough to let me fight my own battles. it'd be ten times better than having my boyfriend treat me like a child," you respond bitterly, "and maybe they'll also be able to make me come, unlike some people here."

it was a low blow and an untruthful one at that, but you couldn't bring yourself to care. it was exhausting having the person you love to act as if you were a burden. and on top of that, it's even worse when you feel as though they constantly undermine your strength.

so, there you were, flirting with a random party-goer who had absolutely no chance with you.

to be quite frank, what you really wanted to do was spend time with klaus. you wanted to dance with him, your bodies pressed close as you felt his undead heartbeat thump against your living one. to feel his hand stroke the small of your back as you two whispered sweet nothings to each other. to bask in the simple intimacy of holding him close to you. but he'd spoiled your mood, and in turn, you refused to be near him.

klaus's eyes had been daggering you two all night, no doubt making good use of his vampire-enhanced hearing abilities as he eavesdropped on your shameless teasing as the hours went by.

he was angry with you, there was no question, but all he could think about was that handsome stranger kissing you in places only klaus had kissed. touching you in places only klaus had touched. breaking you down until you were a mess in his arms as you cried out his name. it was taking everything in him to not tear his heart out of that man's chest and serve it to you on a silver platter.

klaus watched as you stroked the man's arm, fingers lingering over the material of his far less fancy suit as you laughed at his poor excuse of a joke. klaus then slammed his empty glass down on the bar after he chugged the contents of it down his throat, walking over you to and clutching your arm.

"if you don't back off my girl within the next five seconds, your head will be on a spike for everyone here to see. understand?"

the man gulped, nodding without a word before disappearing into the crowd.

you turned to klaus, irritated beyond measure. he was causing a scene — a pointless one — all because of the jealousy that coursed through his veins. before you had a chance to say anything, klaus was dragging you out of the party and up the stairs. once you two had reached your bedroom, he slammed the door and shoved you against it.

"you want to fight your own battles? to force me to watch you lead on some imbecile solely because you're angry with me? fine. that just means you'll take your punishment like a good girl, doesn't it?"

as angry as you were, klaus's words were soiling your panties as he stared down at you. his angry side in the bedroom had always been something you considered to be a blessing, and this time it was no different.

his hand came up to your neck, fingers squeezing your throat when you failed to answer, lost in your own thoughts. "you'd do well to answer me, sweetheart."

"yes, klaus. i will."

"good answer."

and with that, he spun you around, your front pushed flush against the wooden door as klaus's hands ripped the corset of your dress apart with one swift motion. your dress dropped to the floor, pooling around your high-heel-clad ankles. klaus's thick digits wrapped around your hip bones, digging into your skin as he pulled you against him. you could feel his length, hard and throbbing through the material of his suit pants, and it sent butterflies into your core. he was so close, yet so far, and it already had you reeling.

in a flash, you were on the bed, your back against the plush duvet as klaus towered over you. his fingers worked to remove the tie around his neck. when he was finished, he clasped your wrists together with one hand, drawing them to the headboard and securing them in place with the tie. he leaned back to admire his work.

your dress had done wonders for your cleavage, so you'd opted to go braless for the night. you'd also decided against panties because pre-argument-you had hoped to eliminate as many obstacles at the end of the night when klaus would inevitably have you at his mercy. in hindsight, you'd wished you'd worn a damn chastity belt to make things harder for him. your anger was diminishing slowly, but it was still present.

klaus's gaze drank in the sight of you, completely bare and exposed for him. he could sense your arousal from his place at the edge of the bed, and he wanted nothing more than to ravish you in every way possible. he wanted to fulfill your every desire; it was just the way he was. but he also wouldn't let you get away with your attitude and teasing so easily. he was still klaus. he relished in taking his revenge, and it was no different when it came to your treatment in the bedroom. especially when you pushed his buttons.

"i don't think your restrained wrists are enough for me. i do need to teach you a lesson after all."

"jealousy doesn't suit you, mister mikaelson."

"oh, darling. you haven't seen anything yet."

klaus disappeared into the closet, quickly finding three more neck-ties to bind you with. he returned, watching your brows furrow in confusion as he grabbed a hold of one of your ankles.

"as angry as i am, these shoes look gorgeous on you. i think we'd better leave them on," he spoke, bending your leg toward you as he tied your ankle to the headboard. he did the same to the other, and when he got to the last remaining tie, he tied it around the back of your head, gagging you.

the sight of you tied up, your body practically bent in half with each of your legs on either side of your restrained wrists, ready to be used by him...it was all too much. he could feel the madness, the dominant and possessive side of him fully present.

"here's what's going to happen. you'll let me fuck you just the way i want to without using any magic whatsoever to your advantage. disobey me, and you won't get to come tonight. are we clear?"

you gave him a glare, nodding angrily at him. he had you bound and gagged, for christ's sake. it was all you could do.

"good."

klaus began to strip himself of the remaining pieces of his suit, hearing each thump of your heart grow louder and louder as he revealed every inch of his bare skin to you. he climbed back on top of you, fully exposed as his flesh pressed against yours.

goosebumps spread over your skin in anticipation as his lips adorned your neck, nibbling harshly as he sucked love bites into your skin. you tried to hiss through the gag that kept your mouth open wide but to no avail. all you could manage was to pant heavily at the contact. you ached to touch him. to run your hands through his curls. to claw at the flesh of his back. to wrap your legs around his hips and tug his bottom half further into yours as he expressed his love to you through his actions. but alas, you couldn't.

as if he read your mind, his hips ground into your exposed and dripping core. the tip of his length brushed past your entrance, both of you jerking at the near intrusion.

"i'm going to wreck you. i want you to regret even conjuring the thought of someone making you come as hard as i do. we both know that no one could ever compare to me."

his lips trailed down your chest, leaving more love bites across your bare chest. he sucked one of your nipples into his mouth, tongue flicking it as he created the same motion on the other with his fingers. your chest heaved, already so far gone.

unbeknownst to you, he sunk his tip inside of you, the relief not quite enough to satiate your yearning for him. then, he buried himself inside of you with a harsh slam of his hips. you whimpered around the gag as he started to move mercilessly, leaving you no time to adjust to his monstrous cock.

"bloody hell, that mouth of yours never fails to get you into trouble, but without it, i wouldn't be able to rip you apart until you're begging for mercy."

klaus's teeth were gritted, the anger bleeding through his expressions and rough actions. his hand found your throat, fingers squeezing as he rutted into you deeper and harsher than ever before. his vampire abilities were on his side now more than ever, the speed of his thrusts quite literally inhumane.

"you're mine. mine to protect, and to love, and to fuck. mine to punish as i see fit. and the next time you force me to watch you flirt with a man who could never own you like i do, i'll do a whole lot more than just tie you up."

his tone was raspy, coated with jealousy but also with a certain want, and it made your toes curl as you took all of him inside of you again and again.

your wrists and ankles felt ached already, the fabric of the ties rubbing your skin raw and leaving behind red marks around them. but you didn't care. you couldn't focus on anything else as klaus fucked your brains out, watching him angrily mutter things to himself as he pulled your body against his to meet his movements. immense pleasure coursed through you as klaus's cock plunged deep into your core.

klaus brought a hand down to your lower stomach, pressing down as he thrusted and thrusted. you could feel every ridge and vein that adorned his length rub against that sweet spot inside of you. your legs were trembling on either side of you, as much as they could while being bound to the headboard.

without warning, he slapped your clit harshly as he fucked you, your hips jerking at the sudden strike. your walls clamped down on his length as if to keep him inside, and your cream began to coat klaus's cock. you hadn't come yet, but you were damn close, and klaus knew that.

"always so responsive. you drive me absolutely mad, did you know that?" he spoke, his hand slapping your clit again repeatedly. you were writhing beneath him, though you were folded and restrained. klaus, who had memorized all your tells when it came to you reaching your high, knew that you were right on the brink, and he smirked as he pulled out of you. "it's too bad that you won't get to come tonight."

he then yanked on the tie that gagged you, casting it behind him as he crawled on top of you. in a matter of seconds, his hand was sliding his aching member down your throat. your mouth was stuffed with him, even though it was still sore from the tie. the corners of your lips burned as he began to fuck your face, balls slapping against your chin as he forced you to take all of him down your airway.

tears brimmed in your eyes as he now held your head in place with both of his hands, and you gagged around him. you struggled for air, but you couldn't bring yourself to care as you looked up at klaus with your big doe eyes.

he was biting his lip, fingers threading through your hair and tugging as he brought himself to his orgasm. he let out a groan, his hips starting to stutter as he let the hot ropes of his cum slide down the back of your throat. you could see his chest heaving up and down as he tried to catch his breath, and he pulled out of you slowly. he looked down at you once more, his thumb stroking over your wet lips.

he went to speak, but he was cut off when he heard you breathe out what sounded like a spell. he knew he'd heard you correctly when the ties that bound you to the bed gave out instantly. your limbs sprang free, and as soon as you could, you pushed klaus beneath you and used your magic to restrain his own hands. you also gagged him with the tie he'd used on your mouth, and you could see the fury in his eyes.

he mumbled something through the tie, much like you had earlier, and his frustration bled through his barely-formed words.

“i could tell you really needed that, so i let you have your fun. but now…” you paused, your hand coming up to his throat, “it’s my turn to take what i want.”

~

klaus tag list (join here!): @princess-charming-01 @maybankslover @trenchmaniac @techlipse @the-kaya-aa @catmikaelson20 @hopesdadswife @amournoir @skydisneylover @kittyqrt @Iluvniklaus @diyabhanushali1 @your_best_hoe

[cyanityy]

One plot hole that really irks me in Bully is the Help Gary mission. After how Gary boasts about taking over the school in front of all the clique leaders, with a reputation of being sadistic and untrustworthy beyond that of the usual teenage banter, why the flippity is there no resistance against his rumours?? Anyway, my two cents on the ordeal:

First, scrap Gary as a guide throughout the entire mission. Why are we still in tutorial mode while navigating the basement I see literally zero purpose for that. We could easily resolve the mission's rigid direction by making the betrayal happen moments before, instead opting to chase Gary for revenge - a revenge that remains unsatisfied when we realise we’ve been set up to fight Russel. I think it would’ve been much more elaborate while still retaining the element of betrayal bc as it stands, Jimmy just. Ignores these kids filtering in during Gary’s dialogue?? Jimmy being punished for wanting revenge, his core value, would be a more interesting narrative. Gary should exploit his hotheaded, impulsive nature and anticipate Jimmy will chase him to lead him to the Hole for public humiliation.

Second, if the decision is that Jimmy will not be encountering Gary for the rest of the story until the climax then his absence should've been enforced. For most parts of the story, we do forget about Gary because the story explores each clique, the only other times we notice him is maybe in two mini cutscenes but after that, it boils down to what Gary's already done/said (Like when Dr Crabblesnitch says he's been saying some "interesting things" about him, or when Pinky tells Jimmy she's told he's "sexually confused"). despite the choice to design him as a 'sneaking puppeteer', it makes for a severely passive antagonist until chapter 5. NPC Gary could've been spawned into certain locations close to or in correlation to the story mission's location to remedy that and it's up to the player to pay close attention to what's going on around them. It would make him an active character without diverting too much from the deliberately under-wraps role that R* assigned him because it's Jimmy's perception that Gary's not an immediate concern but the players themselves can see something is brewing. It would also exempt Petey from having to remind us about Gary throughout the playthrough.

And as an extension to that last point, Gary's word against Jimmy's should not have been as one-sided as the story let itself be. We're informed pretty early that the school consensus is Gary is sadistic, sociopathic and scares the rest of the students so it should have very little weight that his manipulation works. I understand the idea that leading by fear over love is a motto integrated heavily into the game, but it's also extremely complex and not touched upon at all. Jocks are tight-knit and acknowledge they're the reigning clique (until Jimmy slapboxed them too) so it makes sense to think that Gary mindgamed them because that's their weakness, the same idea that bribery might've yielded better with the preps for their materialism. I don't see that making Gary exclusively spread gossip is as sufficient as the game makes it out to be. The point is that we should've been shown how Gary managed to turn the cliques against him, using what he's observed from Jimmy, along with what he knows best: Violence and Apathy.

[diviinaee]

HHAHAHAHAHAHA OK SO THAT QUINN AUDIO WAS SEVERE HEALING FOR ME

obvi spoilers for Facing Your Cruel Vampire Ex

DAMN THAT WAS FUCKING AMAZING BRO

first off i imagine at the beginning darlin is on a lil patio/balcony of the department, looking over the horizon, thinking about how they could ever hurt quinn in the way he hurt them

SAM COMING IN WITH THE FUCKING COMFORT WE ALL NEED I FUCKING LOVE HIM

the way he asked if they truly want to do this.

(ignore philosophy div for opening her mouth):

Is it truly you who wants revenge, or is it the angry, young, broken part of you, just wanting closure?

AND THAT I SAY BOTH BITCH. Who says closure can't be beating the shit out of an abuser? 😻🫶🏽‼️

ALSO DAVID SLAYED THESE PAST FEW VIDS. LIKE YUH BRIBE THE GOVERNMENT ‼️‼️

thank FUCK that mf is magically bound AND has his core muted bc istg if he would've tranced them i think i wouldve needed a lobotomy to process that /hj

ight so.

his nickname for them still IRKS me

again. DID ERIK CONTACT MY EX FOR THIS DIALOUGE CAUSE OUUCH.

"I'd hate to think my favorite thrall was hurting, at least in a way they didn't ask for." - THE GASLIGHTING AND VICTIM BLAMING IS FUCKING ATROCIOUS

idgaf if it's pathetic to fight someone who can't fight back bc its pathetic to hurt others to make yourself seem stronger 🫡

OH OKAY.

"Even after years and miles apart, short-temper, volatile nature, a fury inside that you desperately throw to any direction to keep it from pointing inward again. I guess now that you can't use my fangs to punish yourself and your new toy won't use his, you've had to find other ways to work through your pain. Apparently by putting it on others. How articulate of you."

CAN I TALK MY SHIT AGAIN?

QUINN IS OUTWARDLY VICTIM-BLAMING THIS POOR WOLF LITERALLY EVERY MINUTE THAT HIS MOUTH OPENS.

What he is saying is that Darlin' is the true mastermind here. He thinks that claiming that they consented to everything suddenly makes him the victim in their want for vengeance. He even plainly states it in this quote:

"I never did a single thing to you, that you didn't ask for first. [...] I'm not absolving myself of anything Precious. Believe me, I am intimately aware of everything I've ever done to other people. I have more than my fair share of sins. I delight in them. But when comes to you, everything I ever did was at YOUR request."

He is ultimately saying, "Hey I'm not the bad guy because YOU wanted it." He physically harms them during sex and spins it off as an act of self-harm on THEIR part and is using it to emotionally hurt and shame them. NOT TO MENTION, he is deliberately excusing the emotional hurt he also caused during their relationship by making it seem like they consented to that as well. SO. I need all of you to see remember the FIRST EVER SOLO SAM VIDEO.

They are a lone wolf who is hunting Quinn because of the pain that he caused SOMEONE ELSE. HE attacked their friend and they want revenge for that friend. While yes, at some point that revenge became for them as well, Quinn misses the fact that this whole journey of being hunted by Darlin' was because he hurt OTHER people. But that doesn't excuse his reasoning for his behavior in his role in their relationship.

ANYONE. (with a sane mind at least) WOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT.

Sure. Let's say that Darlin' WAS a troubled person who asked for pain throughout the relationship. People have kinks. Whatever. BUT, at some point, (if Quinn was sane) he would have asked why Darlin' asks for some much pain. THEN he would have found out that Darlin' felt as though they deserved it, and then he would've told them that they didn't. BECAUSE THAT'S HEALTHY COMMUNICATION. INSTEAD, Quinn sees this broken soul who is "consenting" to pain so that he was an excuse to unleash that pain. It truly is giving, "Hey I warned you so now you can't complain."

wow that was alot for me to just do that section of the video.

ANYWAY.

SLAY QUINN GOT MAD. STAY MAD YOU ASSHOLE.

THIS. QUINN SCREAMING AT THEM TO COME BACK.

HE KNOWS. He knows his effect on them is slipping. He knows they're healing. He is actively trying to make them believe that they are nothing but their time with him. HE KNOWS ALL OF IT. Trust me. I've seen an abuser's reaction to the victim's healing. IT IS LITERALLY THIS. They get so mad that their effect is no longer working. That they can't have someone under them anymore. IT MAKES THEM FEEL WEAK. Quinn truly overestimated himself BECAUSE of the fact that he counted on Darlin's mind. He relied on the idea that they would forever be haunted by him.

OK THATS ENOUGH OF PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT DIV NOW MOVING ONTO CHEERLEADER DIV

WOOOOOOO SAM GOT HIS PUNCHES IN LETS FUCKING GOOOOOO

HE PUNCH FOR FRED. FOR BRIGHT EYES. FOR HIMM

also are we gonna ignore thats the first time that bright eyes was mentioned in a LOOOOONG TIME. CAUSE IM NOT. IM GONNA GO BATSHIT CRAZY OVER IT.

we love beating up abusive people. it should be normalized.

thank god for vampiric laws. WE GON WATCH THAT MF DIIEEEEE

LET IT DIE LET IT DIE LET IT SHRIVEL UP AND DIEEEEEE.

anyway anyone catch the fact that the "trip" David is planning is probably HBS.

THANK GOD JUNE IS HERE NOW BC I DON'T THINK I COULD TAKE ANYMORE OF THIS CANON ANGST.

also if anyone ends up asking me if i'm okay i'm gonna laugh cause I wrote some of this on a hospital bed LMFAOOOHDVBHDF

[carnivorousyandeere]

Erik with an Insomniac Darling

For Mazzy friend~ hope your day at work is going well @darling--core 💕

Erik is very particular about his sleeping arrangements.

Well… he’s particular about everything, but his sleep habits are on a whole different level.

They have certain shirts and sweatpants that they wear to sleep. Erik goes to sleep at a certain time every night, and spends about thirty minutes or so before that reading in bed. He has to have silk sheets, with the bed made, the fan on overhead, a glass of water on the nightstand, and, as of late, you next to him.

Any disturbance in these irks him greatly. So, of course, they’re perturbed when you wake them by crawling out of bed in the middle of the night and walking around the apartment. It takes him a few minutes to wake up fully and figure out what feels so off.

Erik stumbles out of bed, a headache beginning to gnaw at his temples, but his irritation dies out the second he sees you on the couch. The way you’re sitting with your arms wrapped around your knees, looking so upset… it kills him.

You just couldn’t sleep tonight. No matter how hard you tried to let go of the day and relax your body and mind, they just would not cooperate. You’d done your best not to wake Erik, but here he was, disheveled and staring at you blankly.

“Sorry,” you offered, lowering your gaze. “Couldn’t sleep.”

They hummed in acknowledgment. “May I sit with you?”

You think about it, and nod slowly, hoping he’s not going to fuss at you. He sits beside you gingerly, careful to leave a little bit of space between you since your body language is so closed off.

“Is there something on your mind?”

You snort at the absurdity of the question, stopping yourself short of a full, humorless laugh. What isn’t on your mind, honestly? Your thoughts have been going a mile a minute all day, with no signs of slowing down.

“Just… everything,” you sigh. “Everything is a lot right now.”

Erik shifts in his seat uncomfortably. He’s not sure how to comfort you yet, and he’s even less sure as to why he’s so compelled to try anyway. Erik isn’t one to take risks and brave the possibility of failure. And the chances of him cheering you up seem low.

“Is there anything you need? I have some melatonin, or maybe you could try some wine? Are you perhaps… thirsty, or hungry?”

“No, I’m alright. Medicine and booze haven’t worked in the past, anyway…” you pause, blinking away the frustrated tears that had been building up as a devious little idea strikes you. “Maybe… it would help if we cuddled and you read me a story?”

“That’s…” absurd, is what he intended to say, but the way you’re looking at him so hopefully tugs at his heart strings. He looks away and coughs lightly into his sleeve. “I… suppose I could do that. Just… choose any book from my shelf. I’ll be waiting in bed.”

With that, he stands and stalks his way to the bedroom, hiding his face. He can’t hide the way the tips of his ears are flushed pink, though.

[floatinginzerogravity]

I did an Analysis of the Murder Drones Pilot for my friends and am deciding to post it: Pt.1

Okie, It's Murder Drones explanation time

okay, first of all, I've waited LITERAL MONTHS to do this, and WILL be pointing out every tiny detail, and would very much love to do this with every episode. (I am happy stimming so much right now)

If you don't feel like reading all this, I can provide a condensed version. I will just send a wall of text, I will fill it with my theories and goofy bg details, I will send excessive screenshots of the characters, and I will not feel shame. Be warned

so, The year is 3000 something, and humanity has been colonizing other planets, using half-sentient worker drone robots to mine them. Humanity then blows up the planet by accident (oops)

Just for clarity, this is not earth, it's a completely separate planet around 70 light years away called Copper 9 (Side note, it's technically impossible for a moon to have rings. oops, the show is scientifically inaccurate, it's ruined now/j) Anyway, the core collapse killed all humans and turned the atmosphere into a "toxic death storm" (description lovingly borrowed from N) The Worker drones, now free from human control, discovered their sentience. They build a society based on the human one before it, with families, schools, and all the other stuff

The Robot Sentience side tangent: Liam Vickers, show creator, when asked about the Drone's sentience- "It was kind of a basic, limited version... the disaster that happened on their planet that kind of left them kind of stranded, kind of played into their adaptive AI abilities.... You need a sort of intelligence to not fall over... it expands to keeping them alive in various circumstances" Basically, they were programmed to do certain tasks, and when humanity was wiped out, their goals changed and they were given the space to find their own sentience. Sentience can also occur if they're in an environment that promotes sentience or if their damaged/corrupted in some way

JCJenson (in Spaaaaccce) (aka the company that created the drones and runs colonization. The name of the company is also, apparently, based on a cleaning company. BCBoston or something) Decides they don't like sentient AI running around and sends Disassembly Drones to Copper 9 to wipe them out

(Text: "CALCULATING, MOST PROBABLE DEITY TO PRAY TO)

The implication here is that the blue guy threw his child when the attacks started. (I think the fandom named him Bob or something similar) This is the first example of the A+ parenting of Murder Drones characters.

V's just perched on a lampost lol. Very Creature™️ of her

Bg text #3 I guess

[Text: Photo cred: some dead dude lol] [Text: "dying is stupid and also dumb" -me, idk]

[Text: How do we fix this in a complicated Sci-fi way] So, Uzi wants to fight, and everyone else wants to hide, basic plot stuff, moving on

Her railgun has stickers lol

[Text: "Violently opposed to biological life" The rest is readable]

Khan (Uzi's dad) being the worst™️, an image collection

Something that will forever irk me until the day I die is why a robot has Testosterone????? Don't they not even have biological genders, or biology, like, at all???? I don't think robots need hormones, bud

I once saw someone point out that this is probably one of the first times someone has been nice to Uzi, as she has no friends, is bullied, and her father is a bit neglectful <- Understatement (I do want to say that Khan isn't as bad as most of the fandom seems to think he is. Doesn't mean he's good either, though)

Baby's first "Bite me", I'm so proud. (Fun fact, in Spanish she says "Jodete", which translates to "Fuck you!" )

HSDHJDSFNJKDSHJDFHGJFGBKJDFDKJG WHY DO YOU HAVE HORMONES?????? YOUR FREAKING ROBOTS???!!!!!! WHYYYYYYYYY (Plot: Uzi says that she plans to sneak out to find the last part for her railgun, and in the next scene she is waking up at 3:00am to do just that) Now time for deciphering Uzi's sticky notes

[Text: To do: >Talk to source

>...

>(I can't read the rest)] [Text: RESEARCH: How to turn "REALLY sad all the time" into "Look really cool"]

[Text: LIMAL NO 4EYA!!!!!] <- I have no clue what this means [Text:Murder ??? Matter ???? really at c?????] <- Again, no clue what this means

[Text: Uzi Dos-] [Text: Yeaahhhh, I'm not reading that]

Location: Khan's closet where Uzi steals the "Door Master" key from

"Yeah, everyone has a picture of their family where one member is mysteriously ripped out in their closet."/s -Liam Vickers, paraphrased from a reddit AMA

[Text: WDF of outpost 9 [Having faithfully made a slab of metal that can be a wall but also not a wall, on the 11th day of December, three thousand and ???]

[Text: You cannot be murdered by scary robots when .... a door, (unless they open it) A scientific]

I find it interesting that the DD's are referred to as "Murder Drones," which is not their technical name. It seems to be something only the WD colonies use

Fun fact: this line is a bit of a meme in the MD community

Plot: Uzi manages to lie her way out of the WD colony, enters the Corpse Spire, and finds the required part for her railgun. As she goes to leave, she's attacked by a DD, who she defeats with her railgun, only for it's head to regenerate.

[bloomeng]

Watching Bojack and being ace and not liking Todd that much is quite an experience.

I really liked Bojack, I thought the writing was great and this definitely includes Todd. He’s some of the best ace representation in television.

But here’s the thing; the humor in Bojack…. I don’t like it. Not because it’s bad, I just don’t find it funny. To me it ranged from mildly entertaining to downright annoying. I remember sitting through the last season and hating the bit between the two journalists and the dawning horror of realizing it was gonna be a multi-episode bit. And the thing about Todd is that he was usually the front-liner for the show’s comedy alongside Mr. Peanutbutter. So yah he wasn’t my favorite. I loved his arc and the real moments he got to have. But the thing is… his ace experience doesn’t match mine at all.

This of course doesn’t make him bad at all. People on the acespec or just people in general are going to have different experiences. I didn’t get to have the sort of connection some of my peers did but that’s okay. Todd acted as a lot of people’s first exposure to aceness as a concept, which no matter what is super cool. My real issue is how people treat me when I say I didn’t relate to his journey.

I have a friend who had been telling me to watch Bojack for years. She watches once a year (the masochist) and she knows I’m a sucker for good writing about complex issues. So I watched it on her recommendation despite not loving the first few episodes. And yknow what yah I did really like it. I could go on and on about Bojack and Diane and Princess Caroline, but everyone already has so I won’t. Anyway, after I finished I came back to her and because she knows I’m ace she (in good faith) asked about how I felt about Todd, to which I answered honestly. She was genuinely shocked. At first she also took it as criticism of the show, but she couldn’t wrap her head around me being ace and not relating to him. Which really irked me.

Tons of people in the queer community complain about how media and culture in general act as if there’s a single narrative for what being gay or lesbian or trans is supposed to look like, yet the same queer people turn around and can’t fathom that an ace person might also have varied experiences. Not every ace person is sex repulsed and it’s especially laughable to me that it’s assumed that aceness only has one “mode,” when—unlike most other sexualities— the spectrum is always the core part of the discussion around asexuality. I’m not mad at my friend for not knowing this, it’s just frustrating.

[symbioticsimplicity]

So some of my friends have never seen Buffy and we're watching through it. I haven’t seen it since I was a kid, so there's a lot I don't remember.

We're on season 6 right now and I'm just-- what the fuck yo???

I know the show was technically supposed to end after season 5, but still, holy hell season 6 is a nightmare. I'm mad about everything honestly but I specifically wanna call out how Spike gets treated???

Cause like. What. The. Fuck???

They call this dude for everything. Like the moment something goes down they call him to help and he comes running every time. Makes sure Dawn is safe, takes care of anyone injured and makes sure they get to safety, is the other strongest fighter, knows a shitload about the supernatural world and if not where to find it. He's generally super fucking useful, and he's usually pretty damn cool and friendly with them unless someone's a dick first.

So WHY do most of the characters treat him like hes still horrible?? He literally spent the entire last season helping them. He took a freakin torture session from a GOD and nearly got dusted to keep Dawn safe. He also helped take care of Dawn after Buffy died.

Yet most of the group act like he's only out for himself and like he's just fucking evil all the time!

I remember being pissed when he got frozen out of Joyce's funeral too. They clearly had a friendly relationship, they watched soap operas together ffs. Spike routinely got called in to protect her and Dawn and did so without hesitation. There were plenty of times he and Joyce just shot the shit because he actually genuinely liked her. And yet he's not allowed to mourn her???

I don't get how you can depend on someone so obviously but then act like they're not part of the group??

Especially since its pretty fuckin obvious when they hurt his feelings. Its not like he tries to come off as cool and unaffected, he wears his heart on his sleeve. He's actually probably one of the only characters to routinely demonstrate actual emotional intelligence and empathy.

It just... irks me to see him get treated like dirt routinely when he's been doing his best to show them he's friendly for years now.

And like "he tried to kill them" isn't really a good enough reason in this story?? Anya tried to kill them, and is an ex-demon. She's still welcomed into the group. Angel too, tbh and he did FAR more emotional damage. But like even though he's not around for long after, they still talk about him fondly and Buffy keeps in contact with him over the years. Amy tried to kill them too and she got brought back with all the over looked just fine too.

It just feels massively unfair and it pisses me off because there's not a good basis for it based on how his character changed. Even Spuffy, as much as I adore the ship, went all kinds of sideways largely due to Buffy being deadset on the idea that Spike could only be bad for her and treating him like it.

Yes, he rose to the bait and he shouldn’t have. But like. Imagine how painful its gotta be to have someone you love telling you how awful you are and how they could never truly love you because you're wrong somewhere deep in your core, and then sleeping with you anyway because you're hot therefore good enough to fuck, just not to love. That's FUCKED my dude.

It don't know what the hell their beef was with Spike but I hate it.

[bowtiepastabitch]

Y'all remember this post about bratty Aziraphale?

I started a fic last week but idk if I have it in me to write actual smut right now, so have the intro as a suggestive ficlet instead:

He’s not sure where it started.

Crowley had certainly never wanted to do him harm, in all their years dancing around each other, but oh did he have a penchant for the dramatic. And if that drama involved shoving Aziraphale rather threateningly into walls and tables and such, commingling their breath and quickening the angel’s pulse, well, he wasn’t about to complain.

He’d first noticed his corporation’s, err, response in Rome.

It had been a rather delightful day outside, the kind that poets could prattle on about for hours without cease, but even more lovely by far had been his lunch with Crowley. The oysters had been incredible, of course, but he’d missed Crowley in the years since the crucifixion, even if he was a bit tetchy at the moment. The demon had been irked about something all day, and Aziraphale was determined to find out what. So after their meal, he’d suggested they take a walk. No one could be angry about going on a walk on such a sunny day. Well, nearly no one.

“What’ss the point in dragging me all the way out here anyway, angel?”

“Oh, no point at all, my dear. Just fancied a stroll. Good stretch of the legs.”

“Uh huh, yeah. I believe that.”

Aziraphale smiled.

“Not everything has to have ulterior motives, you know.”

“Course it does. I’m not an idiot.”

“Oh calm down, I never said-”

All of a sudden there is a hand at his neck and his breath is cut short as his body slams against the stone wall behind him. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough for him to release what air was left in his lungs with a surprised gasp. Two of Crowley’s fingers curl up around his jaw, forcing his head up and leaving his throat exposed, and his golden eyes seem to burn.

“Don’t. Tell me. To calm down.” His voice is low and taut, with the slightest hum of a growl, and Aziraphale’s skin prickles.

The rough-hewn stone digs into the small of his back, and Crowley’s body is so close he can feel the demon’s exhale tingling on his lips. Despite the warmth of the day, the hand is cool against the naked skin of his throat, and he can feel his heart beating erratically under the press of his thumb. He wonders if Crowley can feel it too, if he’s counting out the frantic pulse. He takes a shuddering breath.

“Crowley, I don’t think this is necessary.”

Good. His voice sounds much more composed than he feels, though he can’t put a name to exactly what he’s feeling. Crowley hisses in response but pulls his hand away, and Aziraphale stumbles forward slightly. The world seems unsteady and his knees wobble ever so slightly, but he tamps down on the feeling and looks the demon resolutely in the eye.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you really needn’t…”

“S’nothing, angel. Nothing for you to worry about, anyway.”

He turns then, and stalks off, hips swaying ever so slightly as he goes. Not that Aziraphale is looking. A strange but oddly familiar warmth is settled at his core, and though he feels thoroughly shaken up and still a bit worried, it doesn’t feel altogether bad. He touches his throat softly, the phantom of pressure remaining, and surprises himself with a stifled moan. That’s new.

(Hi, authors note popping in to say I've written a lot of emotions but lust is NOT one of them. If this sucks, I'm sorry.)

[deathinfeathers]

Collision

She still remembers how big his hand felt clutched about the back of her neck like a vice, dark fingers applying just enough pressure to her carotid arteries to make her head feel light and flimsy. But she was still alert and keenly aware of the mess she'd made. The trouble she was in. The looming threat of oblivion creeping in out of the corners of her vision, an abrubt and unceremonious end to a short and miserable story. Only appropriate, Eluthéria supposed—that she would find her end in the clutches of the man she was born to live and die for.

Commander Adam hoisted her Petite frame off of the shiftless cadaver upon which the dimunative soldier had perched like a peckish kerstrel. She heard him click his tongue through the thumping heartbeat in her ears, but she couldn't see him. He made sure to angle her head far away from his person, tapered talons digging deep trenches into the base of her skull. She struggled to find her footing. Skinny arms rose to cross themselves over her naked chest—the motion exacerbated the cat-o-nine-tail's latest object of vicious art stretching astride her pale back. A fresh, abstract portrait in the museum of suffering that is her frangible body.

"Drop it."

She'd only ever heard his voice booming from the Carmine pride skies on the eve of new years, the thunder which heralds the great annual slaughter of the wicked and damned. It didn't sound half as imposing inside this cramped stone chamber, but she would not make him tell her twice. Wouldn't dare—not inclined to make her suicide any more torturous than it needed to be. Spindly fingers uncurled from about the circumference of the spear-head she'd illicitly nabbed from the arms depot. Blessed. Deadly.

It clattered to the ground at her feet. The pool of ichor dampening the sound of metal meeting with stone but she flinched anyway. That made him laugh. It's was soft but pointedly derisive sound.

"Woof! Feisty little thing. A bit on the scrawny side. Are they skimping on your rations? For shame. C'mere. Let me look at you."

With that, his big hand slid Up along the meager curve of her neck, his fingers, thick and coarse, bunched her ratty bird's nest up into the hollow of his palm, which promptly balled into a tight fist, flush against her scalp. Adam turned her head on the axis of her spine so that she would face him, vis-á-vis, his gilded lightning against her ruby flames.

She remembers thinking that he had beautiful eyes. An odd thought to dedicate to somebody so vicious, maybe, but she always had a way with finding beauty in the macabre.

Those eyes roved her tremulous form, clad only in a threadbare pair of boxer type shorts.

She'd never felt so naked. Not because his gaze was overtly lascivious in nature but because it pierced and bored through her, like he was looking right into the core of her being. For a moment she wondered if he might be able to read her mind, but she banished the notion quickly. If he could see the playback of the events which had transpired inside this chamber, now tomb, he would not be so soft. This was his subordinate, after all, a trusted comerade in arms, and she had not been kind in her ministrations. She made him suffer, the same way he had made her suffer.

And she enjoyed every second of it.

If the commander had not barged in, she would've liked to spend more time with his body, looking at his insides, picking them apart, watching as every sign that this thing had ever been alive slowly evaporates, and chiseling it all into the deepest niches of her mind so that these precious moments might continue to bring her joy for the rest of her life—however short it might be.

But when does she ever get the things that she wants?

"You know, ordinarily, this type'a stunt might have left me a touch, hmmm, irked. But hell, i gotta tip my proverbial hat to you, pretty bird. Impressive work! Really! The cards weren't exactly stacked in your favor—I mean, obviously...look at you! Shrimpy little cherub looking ass! Hah! And yet here you are, alive and kicking. I dare say we might be looking at an act of divine intervention. What a world!Allelujah, amen and all that good shit!"

Swaying on her feet, Eluthéria looked up at this man, who was easily twice her size, with all the bewilderment of a toddler hearing a foreign language spoken at her for the first time in her life. She saw his lips move, heard the sounds but she couldn't by any means process what exactly he was trying to tell her. Adrenaline. Exhaustion. Fear. It all bore down on her like a big stack of cinderblocks, threatened to crush her frangible faculties under it's enormous heft.

Tears. First one. Then two. She blinked, and all at oncethe floodgates ruptured. This took him off guard.

"Oho, no,  no! None of this sniffling nonsense! You don't perform a top grade kill like that and then cry about it! Come on, girl, suck it up."

Adam swiped a calloused hand somewhat brutishly across her porcelain countenance, whisking away the brunt of the tears and the blood and the sweat. She didn't object. she wanted to, make no mistake. The touch of his skin against hers felt like needles in her brain, an absolutely vile sensation, she wanted nothing more than to be rid of it, but she hadn't the verve to make a fuss.

He shrugged his intricately embroidery cloak off his shoulders and draped it around hers.

Warm.

"Alright, come on, let's see if you've got any more fancy tricks up your sleeve, eh?"

His grip on her stark white locks slackened, and he ushered her towards the steel doors.

She remembers thinking that this was the day she was going to die.

In many ways, she supposes that wasn't an entirely inaccurate assumption.

[softquietsteadylove]

Thenamesh propsal AU

Thena needs her caffeine but in this house there is none. As a result she has terrible migraine!

"How is she?"

A loud groan sounded through the whole house in response. Gil winced as he walked in with a bag in hand.

He had completely forgotten that his mom didn't keep any caffeine or alcohol in the house. She wasn't one for it, Makkari simply didn't need any caffeine to be as brimming with energy as she was, and Sersi didn't drink unless it was socially. Kingo wasn't opposed to a coffee here or a beer there, but he considered visiting home like 'being on a cleanse', or whatever.

Thena needed caffeine.

She drank no less than four coffees a day in a regular work week. He was always telling her he was worried about her caffeine intake, but there was no arguing with the stubborn Goddess of War on that one.

It hadn't taken long for the lack of caffeine to cause an irreparable headache which shook her to her core.

Gil walked into the living room, where his very sweet family was being very useless at curing Thena's migraine. His friend - and fiance - was curled up in a ball on the couch, face pinched from the tension within her head. He whispered, "Thena?"

"Gil?" she whimpered back, not even moving at the sound of his voice.

Sersi handed him a cool cloth, freshly soaked and wrung dry, "none of the pain meds Mum has will help this. It's pure caffeine withdrawal."

"Did we try?" Gil couldn't help but ask, not that it didn't irk both his Doctor mother and his bio-chemist sister. He sighed, "sorry, just...I hate to see her like this."

Gil bypassed them, going right over to the ball of Thena and turning her over so he could put the cool cloth on her forehead. "Hey."

"Hey," she whispered back, just barely getting her eyes open to look at him. She looked even paler than normal. "You're back."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, lips pressed to her temple, unable to do much more for her. "I had to go out looking."

"It's okay," Thena turned over slightly with a smile, "Sersi and Makkari have taken wonderful care of me. And your poor mother is trying to find anything that will even simulate caffeine for me."

"Thena!"

"Quiet!" Gil glared towards the door to the living room, where Kingo was striding in without a care in the world. His arms tightened around her, "she's not feeling well, man!"

"Sorry, sorry," he chuckled much too light heartedly for Gil's taste. He swirled his hand in the air, "I made chai!"

Gil glared at his cousin--basically his brother. Chai was a strong enough blend of tea, and it probably would have just a enough caffeine to alleviate some of Thena's symptoms. "You had this the whole time and let her-?!"

"Come on, Gil," Kingo pouted at him, Thena still wrapped protectively in his thick arms. "I forgot I had it, okay? And anyway, I had the seed pods whole--I had to do actual work to make them ready for brewing."

Gil sighed a little more roughly, all but ignoring his loud cousin next to him, "whatever."

"I thought it might help," Kingo leaned blithely into Gil's personal space to get a peek at Thena. "I also suggested yoga to help clear her head, but all she wanted to do was lie around and wait for you."

Gil was already pulling Thena closer so he could carry her to the kitchen, "y'know, dude, I'd appreciate if you didn't do shirtless yoga with my fiance when I'm not around?"

"Who said it was shirtless?"

"I've never seen you do it with a shirt on," Gil shot back without hesitation. Kingo just snickered at his obvious annoyance (dick). Gil stood with Thena in his embrace, "I have something better."

"Something to put me out of my misery?"

"Something like that," he chuckled, kissing Thena's temple again just because he could. She was really funny, even if she didn't think so. "You know this is why I'm always on you about how much coffee you drink."

"Yes, yes," she managed to roll her eyes at him, although even doing that much seemed to reawaken her pain. She grimaced, "how long have you been waiting to bring that up?"

"Until I also had something to help."

"Gil, I--oh."

Ajak made room for them at the kitchen island so Gil could set Thena down in one of the plush bar seats.

"It's okay, mom, I found some," he sighed as he made sure Thena was settled. "Had to go all the way to that organic store where you fill up your own jars."

Damned retiree town and its hipster stores.

Thena forced her eyes open again, "what did you find?"

"Coffee."

Thena perked up like a dog offered a steak after being in the desert.

"I got the lightest roast they had," he held Thena's eyes, waving the jar of fresh grounds in his hand. She watched it, utterly entranced. "Just enough to keep the pain away, okay? This shit was still expensive, even as the cheapest stuff I could find."

Thena let out a faint laugh, in better spirits just at the promise of some relief. "Are you going to ween me off of it with this?"

Gil looked at her again as he set out the coffee grounds and french press he had to buy just to make coffee here. He could just tell her that he told her so and that this was probably for the best, to get her less dependant on caffeine to even function. But he sighed, "gently. I won't let you suffer if I can do anything to help."

Some colour returned to her cheeks, which was honestly more of a relief than anything.

"I'll make you just one cup to start, okay," he continued to speak softly, shaking out just enough grounds and then reaching for the kettle.

"Thank you, Gil."

He looked up, compelled by the gentle, almost musical tone in her voice. Some colour rose in his cheeks as well as he looked back down at his brewing, "anything."

"Hey."

Gil looked up once the grounds were starting to brew. Thena nodded him over to her, and he moved automatically, like a man possessed. Her knees made room for him and he had to stop himself from putting his hand on the other side of them reflexively.

Thena leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of his lips, just close enough to his cheek to be considered not actually 'kissing' him.

He blushed and his all his hair stood on end.

"You're a life saver," she said afterward, forcing a much lighter tone. She tucked some hair behind her ear and moved to watching the coffee brew. "Is it done yet?"

He had to laugh just a little. He gave above her knee - just at the hem of her skirt - a squeeze and moved away again, "will you just try having some patience?"

"You are not the one who has spent all morning with a jackhammer within your skull."

"If you took it even a little easy on the cold brew it probably wouldn't be so bad."

"I knew you were dying to tell me you told me so," Thena rolled her eyes.

Gil smiled; she didn't wince this time. He poured her cup, which really needed more time to brew than it had. Maybe he was just as impatient to cure her as she was. "Just put some shit in it to cover up the taste."

"Gladly," she sighed, although it was Gil who moved toward the fridge for said 'shit'.

They both completely forgot Ajak was still hovering at the edge of the kitchen.