#but that helps with making it horrific and memorable

[silentstaresfanficandfanart]

you know this post seems a lil sad to me, cause when I was stuck in a corn maze I only managed to get out because there was an enthusiastic effort amongst everyone in the corn maze to help one another get through it, pointing the way and offering hints and asking questions When I was in the dmv so miserably early the doors hadn't even opened yet people were bringing over big buckets for others to sit on, and when inside there were so many random acts of kindness between the individuals there and silly little interactions that by the time I finally got my driving test done there was an air of kinship in the air and I only got out so quickly because another person realized she'd gotten something wrong paperwork wise and gave me her place in line

And when I hurt my wrist as a kid everyone kindly held open doors for me at every turn When my mom and I got stranded in the middle of no where thanks to a car issue like 5 different people stopped by our car and asked if we were okay, offered to help, (we were waiting for the repair guys or something like that) and warned us "its a bad area so be careful" and yet not once did anything bad happen at all, every person we saw was kind and worried for our wellbeing...(which while that does make me wonder what on earth they were trying to warn us about it did give me the impression at the time that perhaps they just all had some sort of beef with other, but i was a little kid so I wouldnt really know, it seemed to me like it was in fact a much nicer than average area)

When tragedy strikes don't people rush out to help?

When there's a hurricaine, a fire, a tornado, an earthquake, don't neighbors rush to help and protect one another? don't we try to save each other? don't we express heartache and rage when the first response ISINT to help? Why is it that our first response is rage? grief? heartbreak? when the first response to a bad situation is to take advantage of it or to abandon those suffering, or worse yet, to yank them back down?

Because we are social animals Crabs dont likely understand why they cant get out or even that theyre forcing the other crabs to stay in the bucket when they yank and pull, they just think its a way to pull themselves up, they dont have enough going on to grasp how physics works or to be cruel and want others to suffer with them.

Selfishness does exist, but it's not the rule

it's the exception, and we shout and point when it happens.

Of course we notice, because kindness is the rule

do we know the names of every single individual to ever save another human life? let alone to save thousands? Have we memorized the names of heroes who eradicated disease or created safety guidelines or fought for rights and for goodness in this world? Is it not the names of those we revile that we focus on most

telling our children of their crimes?

Why don't we focus more on every hero? Because theres just too many of them, because being a good decent human being is the norm.

Maybe not perfect, maybe even a pretty messed up human being but with a good heart, goodness knows I know a lot of people who while you might not say "thats a great person" you'd also never call them cruel or evil, just that they could use some help or deserve better lives.

I truly believe humans for the most part are good, and I say this without denying the evil exists. I am vividly, horrifically aware of the darkness in this world, but I refuse to let that define our race because to do so would be to excuse those who chose to do the wrong thing.

I believe humans are above all else, defined by the fact we can chose right or wrong. I dont want those who do evil to be the ones who represent us, in my mind or in anyone elses mind

They are the exception to a kinder rule.

this is just a me ramble though , my opinion thats not more valuable than anyone elses, just one I felt like sharing, because maybe it will bring someone some relief...

I used to feel guilty as a child for being human, for being something as horrible as that, and I know maybe some others did or do too

But remember please like mewtwo once said, its not the circumstances of your birth which defines you, but what you do with the gift of life.

we are not evil we are capable of it.

we are not good

we are capable of it.

and we will do both in our lives.

but I have been pleasantly surprised now that I'm older and know more about the world to see that in fact the world isint just like in history books overflowing with grief and pain, and convinced that since everyone said children were naive and unaware, that it must be worse than I could ever imagine

but in fact the world is full of the mundane, and every day normal people go about their lives and chose to be decent to one another and often do much more kindness than we will ever know.

I'm glad we arent crabs in a bucket

i love you all

people are like "if you put crabs in a bucket they can't escape because they keep pulling each other back in, this is called crab bucket mentality and describes why people don't help each other" and never acknowledge that crabs do not naturally occur in buckets, a human with more power had to put them there

[velvetjune]

I wish I liked the silent hill 2 remake more from everything in the trailers, but at least there’s the original

[santsukii]

oh, how i love you (yandere! stellaron hunters)

cw: all characters separate, spoilers for penacony quest, violence, yandere, stalking, obsession

currently listening to -> shut up, we don’t care - syris

KAFKA •

her love is something violent and horrific hidden behind a pretty mask. she knows she’s a beautiful woman, but she’s already got such a large bounty over her head that it barely matters to her anymore. what’s just one more kill to bring you closer to her? she’s a traditional type of yandere, obsessing over even the smallest detail related to you, memorizing everything from the exact tone of your hair and skin to every single reaction you’ve had to everything she’s ever said or done. everything you like or dislike, she has it memorized. she’d send gifts to your location, though deranged in nature. she’d send you severed and bloody, half rotted limbs torn from her victims with hearts carved in them and your initials together. she knows she’s dangerous, as if the multiple guns and katana she keeps on her person at all times wasn’t enough of an indicator of that. anyone she wants erased from the equation will be gone in an instant, and she would only hesitate for a second to betray her comrades for your sake.

BLADE •

oh, bladie. oh dear, sweet, bladie. how can someone possibly be even more violent than kafka? well, blade doesn’t even try to hide it. he relishes the fact that you’re scared of him, half the time he smiles at all is the deranged giggle he lets out as blood splatters all over his body and clothes. it would clot in his long hair, and he wouldn’t even bother to wash it out until it begins to rot. he doesn’t want to gross you out, just to remind you that you belong to HIM. someone talks to you for even just a little too long, they’ll be gone before the end of the day. he doesn’t enjoy killing in front of you, he doesn’t want his poor baby to see how violent he can get, but he at the very least implies such violent acts of love and passion to you with the blood on him. he’s a stoic man, but he still manages to smile every time he ends another life out of passion for you. he can’t die, so it’s not like it matters if you try to fight back. he will always be back, and you just can’t run from him.

SILVER WOLF •

she chooses the stalker, parasocial route. seeing as she’s a hacker who just views life as a game, this is no different. how much of your affection can she win? how long until you block one of her accounts, and how long until she just begins to stalk you from another one instead? everything from your social media accounts to your damn search history, she has access to it all, so don’t try posting for help because she’ll just delete it. you don’t know how she does it, every time you deactivate an account and make a new one to make it harder for her to find you, she always does. she’s saved all the pictures you post, hell, she’s even made alternate personas just to talk to you sometimes. it’s creepy. she gave up the act of pretending she didn’t always want to see you on her timeline pretty quickly when she realized her obsession with you.

FIREFLY •

to die three deaths is nothing compared to seeing you with someone who isn’t her. never again would she allow herself to be far from you, always only feet behind you in crowds even if you didn’t see her. if someone dares even look at you the wrong way, they can say goodbye to their life in a matter of seconds. such a sweet and innocent girl, never failing to keep her darling close no matter the consequence. don’t you understand, it’s only because she adores you with all she has. her fellow stellaron hunters will simply excuse her actions, chalking it up to a show of affection. once she has you in her arms, she is NEVER letting go. even if she has to be forceful with it, anything for you. absolutely anything. she would never reveal her true identity as a mech-girl to you, because that would only complicate things. as far as you know, your girlfriend is the only one around anymore because all your loved ones seem to just disappear after you talk to them.

[dokidokitsuna]

GameSwap!AU

Just a random idea I had: what if Magolor and Hyness traded games with each other? Like, their character/personality remains the same, only now they each have the other’s roles and goals. I thought it would be fun~

-So making Magolor the main antagonist of Star Allies would be a trip; I feel it would change the whole ambiance of the game…probably in a detrimental way, from a gamedev point of view. You don’t really wanna put the super cute and charming new character with the most memorable heel-turn in the series…at the center of the “nostalgia” game. ^^; With the return of the Helpers and a dozen familiar faces cameoing as Dream Friends, Magolor’s theatrics would be too much of a distraction.

But whatever, let’s say we put him in anyway: now Magolor is the leader of Jambastion, trying to resurrect a god of emptiness and despair. I predict he snaps immediately. XD

I just think handing that kind of leadership role to an obviously power-hungry character like Mago would grow worms in his brain incredibly quickly. ^^; That isn’t to say that he’d do the cuckoo-4-coco-puffs schtick that Hyness does– I think instead he would be a sort of annoying “chuunibyou” character; constantly popping up to ramble about being Void Termina’s chosen one, destined to succeed because he’s the specialest and bestest ever, so you might as well give up now.

And he’d give off this completely unserious vibe like, “...Are you just making this up? Is this god you’re trying to resurrect actually real; or are you just a very lonely, understimulated, disturbed little egg…?”

And then by the end of the game we realize that he *wasn’t* making it up, and as he starts abusing the Mage Sisters (who probably hate working for him to begin with...) and rapidly becomes a real threat, suddenly we’re forced to take him seriously. ^^; We’ll rescue him from Void Termina’s innards anyway, though, because we’re nice, and similarly to his true character arc; he’ll probably realize that he got in over his head and beg to be saved.

-Hyness in Return to Dreamland would be interesting…primarily because he doesn’t seem like the ‘manipulator’ type to me. I think he’d be more of an ‘absentminded professor’ type: enthusiastic and silly but in an awkward, understated way. He’d just come right out and tell us he wants help to find the Master Crown, but he’d present it as a mysterious object of limitless possibilities that we should ALSO be interested in…y’know, just for curiosity’s sake. Conveniently leaving out the fact that he’s taking it for himself, and he’s more than just curious– he already knows exactly what he wants to do with it. ^^;

And similarly to *his* true character arc…I think Hyness would go all in. ‘_’ No hesitation, no regrets; he’d dive right into Mistilteinn’s clutches and become its twisted avatar, forcing us to literally carve him out of there if we want to stop him. This would probably call for a much tougher boss fight, with a more serious ambiance– none of Magolor Soul’s cutesy juggling; let’s aim for something more like Zero’s eyeball exploding out of his face, but in 3D~. Or all the horrific stuff Fecto Elfilis had going on, since we have the benefit of hindsight. XD

As for the end…this may hurt some folks, but I think it would make sense for Hyness to die, like the devs originally planned for Magolor before they decided to have mercy on him. The thing is, without the Mage-Sisters to highlight Hyness’ changes in behavior, there’s not as much to gain from redeeming him…maybe that’ll be part of his character arc too; seeking to become the instrument of the Master Crown because he has nothing and no one else. This version of Hyness still has his empty heart, devoid of care, but without Void Termina to pledge himself to, the tree-demon is the best he can do. ^^; And with a little fleshing-out of his backstory before he goes (perhaps a chance to learn more about the magic vs. science users…?) he could make a good tragic antagonist, the first of his kind in the series.

-...Seeing as RtDL was supposed to be like a fresh start for the Kirby series, though, all this lore and sadness would be a little heavy for that concept…from a gamedev point of view, I would reject the idea. But if we did go with it, I shudder to think how it would influence the rest of the games to follow…perhaps the franchise would actually have taken the grimdark turn that people like to think it has. ^^ Which would be cool to see, admittedly.

[sunshineandspencer]

Baby's first Hallowe'en

A/N: Angst? In front of my salad???!!! As if, happy endings all the way!! Bc angst makes me nauseous 😎😎😎 I’m also horrifically in a Marauders/Harry Potter phase rn because I got a 3D Knight Bus puzzle and the serotonin from completing it was the most scrumptious meal.

Pairing: Remus Lupin x Fem!Wife!Reader.

Summary: It’s their daughter’s first Hallowe’en, and she’s determined to make it memorable for her and her husband - with the most perfect costume, of course.

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: fluff, established relationships, slightly suggestive talk of having another baby (nothing mental)

I have redone the form for the taglist now that I’m apparently expanding from Criminal Minds

“Are you going to look all pretty for daddy, baby?”

Celeste couldn’t do much more than gurgle and try to gum at the tail of her costume, something her mum let her do. 

Letting her baby find out that the tail was, in fact, furry, is easier than trying to stop her. 

A little older than one, and her sweet girl has unfortunately developed her father’s stubbornness. Paired with his looks, there’s no hope of ever saying no to her precious face. 

Her and Remus had been together since their fifth year, and married right out of Hogwarts. 

Although, their ceremony was a lot simpler than James and Lily’s wedding. The wedding night, however, is the whole reason she’s got their baby girl in her lap right now. 

Celeste, because Remus spent the entire pregnancy calling the bump starlight, and also because of his furry problem anything related to the stars and moon made them giggle. 

In their defence, they were only nineteen when Celeste was born, but it’s better than Harry. And they stand their ground on that - obviously playfully - on every play date.

With the war, they weren’t going to be doing trick or treating. Lily and Harry are still downstairs, having apparated to their little village last night. Enjoying the quiet of the countryside compared to Godric’s Hollow, which was quickly filling with new people. 

James and Remus had been called out, with Sirius, on a last minute mission the night before but swore to be back for Halloween. 

Even though they can’t celebrate properly yet, they’re still going to be having a small party between them. It had been hard, since Peter was outed as a spy, and they’d all become a bit more guarded. But they wanted to try to make their children’s first holiday memorable.

And introduce Harry and Celeste to some lemon drops. 

While Lily had managed to find a golden snitch costume for Harry, which she was sure James would love, Celeste’s outfit is perfect.

Well.. her father may not agree at first, but thanks to that sense of humour of his, he’ll get over it. 

They didn’t sell it at any wizarding costume stores, probably because it would be a little insensitive. Thankfully muggles still assume that the wizarding world is all just a big story, so they have all sorts of insulting costumes. 

And, having found the perfect outfit at whatever a Sainsbury’s is, with Lily’s help, honestly the whole outfit looked amazing. 

Celeste, her and Remus’ daughter and the pure light in their life, has been dressed up all pretty as a werewolf. Granted, her daughter has no idea why she keeps breaking out into fits of giggles. 

With a few easy charms, the ears on top of the hood and the tail were able to move with Celeste, and it’s so unbelievably cute. 

Again, might be a little on the nose considering her husband’s condition.. but also it’s just hilarious and she couldn’t pass up the opportunity for this. 

The familiar sound of apparition sounded downstairs, quickly followed by James’ laughter and muffled joy at seeing his son - probably golden and winged. She gives it three drinks before he charms the wings to fly. 

Sirius, similarly, cheers at the sight of Harry before the familiar clinking of bottles in the kitchen tells her they stopped to get drinks. 

But Remus? He gives Lily and Harry a brief wave before bounding up the stairs.

Pushing the bedroom door open with a sigh, happy to be around the comforting warmth of his family, already hearing his wife’s giggles. 

“Where are my girls?! There they—“

He stopped dead in the doorway, looking between his flushed, near-hysterical wife, and the little wolf sat on the bed gnawing at their tail. 

Taking a cursory glance out the window, he made sure it’s not actually the full moon and he just didn’t change - which is absurd. 

Finally allowing himself to laugh when the cub turned and dropped the tail. His daughter reaching and cooing something soft for his attention. Dressed as a werewolf.

Joining them on the bed, he scooped up his daughter, crushing her to his chest as his wife had to lie back against the headboard and shut her eyes to try and stop laughing. 

“Hello there starlight, what’s mummy done to you?”

Mummy, still giggling and tears in the corners of her eyes, sat up and shuffled nearer. Leaning her head on Remus’ shoulder. 

“Mummy had a brilliant idea and it worked out so well. Don’t you think she’s all cute and fluffy?”

“I do.” He pressed a kiss to his wife’s hair and then gave a soft hum, looking at their daughter as she tried to reach for the tail again. “But what’s with the purple tutu?”

“She screamed whenever I tried to take it off. Werewolves can do ballet, you know.”

Poking him in the side, she tilted her head back and pursed her lips, asking for a kiss.

How he’d only known and loved this woman from the age of fifteen he’ll never know. Sometimes he forgets that they haven’t just always been together. 

He can’t wait for the day to pass where he would’ve finally known her longer than he hasn’t. 

Pressing his love against her lips, still relishing that he loved her. And that, honestly, she loves him just as much. If the faux-silver wedding band on their hands were anything to go by. 

“I love you.”

“You’re so sappy Rem.” But the smile on her lips became so bright it became hard to kiss. So she just pecked his cheek instead. “I love you too, hairballs and all.”

Sirius, as always having the most horrific timing known to man, decided then was a good time to burst through the door. 

Holding up some firewhiskey and excitedly talking about a movie Lily wanted to show them. 

“Apparently it has a talking skeleton and it’s about Halloween and Christmas and—“

His excitability ran its course the minute he saw Celeste. Nearly doubling over and having to put the bottles down, ignoring the warning to be careful of the carpet. 

Sweeping up his Godchild and bounding down the stairs to show James and Lily, unable to stop laughing long enough to actually say anything. 

With that distraction, Remus flopped them down on the bed, pressing his face to her stomach and releasing a sigh. 

Digging his fingers into her hips as her hands slipped through his hair. 

“Can we just stay here?” His thumbs slipped her shirt up and he pressed a tired kiss to the soft of her stomach, the scar from her C-section. “Make another one?”

That caused her to laugh again, and although that kind of bounced his head about, he didn’t care. The sound of her laugh slid away the nightmares he’d been facing only hours before. 

And with a rueful hum, she pushed them upright again. Much to his immediate dislike, but he allowed himself to be moved. 

“Not tonight, I actually want to see what Lily was talking about.”

Getting up with a groan, she raised a hand for her husband to take. A soft twinkle in her eye that still set his blood racing after all this time. 

Merlin, but he loved this woman more than life itself.

“But Sirius is babysitting both Harry and Celeste on the weekend, and we’ll have the cottage all to ourselves.”

That, at least, got her husband up off the bed. Pressing a hard kiss to her lips and then dragging her downstairs. 

Jokingly whispering that he wanted tonight over with already, so he could have her all to himself. Still, though, he treasured their baby girl’s first Halloween and the first - of many - holidays that they all got to spend together as a family.

Want more?! Good!

[jesuistrestriste]

Wait so I have this little dream scenario in my mind. HEAR ME OUT.

You’re needing some money and start displaying ads around campus for tutoring. Art needs help in (some random subject), so he decides to hire you. When you arrive at his dorm he’s just 😶 qhat the fuck shes so hot😶 in his head, and you notice so you start playing with him during the lesson (eg calling him a good boy when he gets an answer right)

😵😵😵😵😵😵😵😵😵😵😵

oooohhh he’d be so horrifically horny !!?

like yes, tell him he’s good for getting an answer right. and yes, praise him when he makes a study guide all on his own w/out ur guidance. and yes, please let ur hands wander down his athletic shorts when he’s practicing for a verbal exam.

make him stutter and buck into ur touch till he starts squirming and trying to warn you with little murmured words of “i’m close” nd “i think ‘m gonna cum”

and all you gotta do is whisper into his ear a simple denial—“no, art” or “hold it, art”—and he’ll put all of his energy into staving off his orgasm until you give him permission to let go

he’ll do whatever you tell him; memorize all of the textbook material, finish his 10-page double-spaced essay on blah blah blah, and anything else itll take to get your hand moving on his dick just a lil bit faster

he’ll let you keep playin’ w him while he groans and shifts in his seat on his dorm room floor, trying his hardest to remember the details from the lecture, but it’s no use ! ur touch is too good and it’s all he can manage to focus on. sighhhh.

did his grades go from C-range to B-range because of your help? yes. but does he also get unexplainably turned on whenever he sees flashcards now? also yes.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I've been trying to focus on thinking about things I enjoy about the idea of the TWST anime. And regarding overblots, I think an anime version would really help illustrate (even more) how terrifying the process is. I really like how the manga shows Riddle's OB, and I love anime as a medium, so I'm pretty hyped to see how it will be conveyed in it.

I really hope they accentuate the horror of it- I'm aware that they might not go all in w the horror like I would personally like, but the thought still excites me. What kind of music will they play? Will the animation change like it does in some animes when the characters are distressed (wobbly lines, glitchy effects)...? What sort of directions will the voice actors get? I mean, they already voiced the game, but anime gives them more room to do voice stuff. I'm really hyped for this aspect tbh...

And I'm also excited for the possibility of dubs, since I'm quite a fan of the whole dubbing world. (I know some ppl have their fears about this last possibility, but in my case even if it turns out to not be so good, I think we could still have a good time w something like that. Plus I've seen some popular eng dub actors hyped about the anime and wanting to be casted for certain characters)

I also wanted to apologize for my previous ask ᕙ⁠(⁠⇀⁠‸⁠↼⁠‶⁠)⁠ᕗ I already did so in the comments, but I felt bad about doomposting on your inbox. My mind's first reaction is usually to see the negative first and become anxious, and it's something I'm working on, but it sometimes goes out of hand. But now that a bit has passed, and specially thanks to your advice, I can sit down and try to focus on the things that excite me rather than the ones that scare me. Sure, building too much expectation could backfire at the end— but as you said, we have little to no information at this point. So I think focusing on the things I'd like to see is a better usage of my time. If they turn out to disappoint me... That's something I'll worry about next year, I'll suppose. I'm still a bit anxious and scared, but there's also lots of things I'm hyped for. I'll try to take your advice and focus on those. 🫂 Sorry if my previous negativity made you uncomfortable.

[Referencing this news! Asker’s prior post here.]

I’ve seen a lot of fans speculating that the OB transformation sequences will resemble magical girl ones! While that’s a fun idea, I do feel like it makes more sense for the anime to portray OB as something scary and all-consuming, similar to how it is depicted at the end of animated dorm commercials and in the manga. For the characters experiencing them, it’s not meant to be glamorous… All that agony, the dripping ink leaking out of their orifices and dripping like blood. Overblot looks incredibly horrific, and I think that should come through in the animation—whether they change the usual style for these segments or keep it the same.

I think the anime would reuse (or maybe do remastered versions of?) the Twst soundtrack for a lot of the show. The compositions are already there, so might as well. Maybe experiencing the anime will help to make the music more memorable, since it seems the game soundtrack alone isn’t doing it for some fans.

No clue about the JP voice cast; I did see some people worrying that they could replace the game’s voice cast for the anime, but as I’ve mentioned already, that’s an unfounded claim. If the usual VAs are there, surely they won’t just reuse the already recorded lines from the game?? 😂 I’d think they’d at least have to rerecord those based on how the script and its scenes are laid out, plus additional dialogue to fill in the gaps (such as new scenes).

No confirmation of an English (or other language) dubs yet either! (Again, this is another topic related to the anime that sparks worry, but I must stress that it’s pointless to get into a tizzy about something that isn’t concrete yet.) But yes, I’ve already seen English VAs expressing interest in certain characters; Daman Mills wants to audition for Malleus, Alejandro Saab has made it known he has Twst on his radar and wants to voice Leona, etc. (The latter has done Twst dorm leader impressions for fun before; I think Mr. Saab could make for a decent Leona or even Malleus!)

Don't worry about the previous ask ^^ I think it's better that we discuss these things with one another rather than post or tweet into the void and allow those negative feelings to fester. If you want to view it in a different way, think of it like the OB boys actually getting therapy/finding someone to confide in instead of being allowed to stew in their own emotions and risking OB a second time. Sometimes all it takes is that gentle nudge or a reminder to step back and take a deep breath. When we let our emotions get the best of us, we end up thinking and acting in irrational ways, and then that can lead to people--whether yourself or others--getting hurt.

[am-i-interrupting]

Pleasure of Your Company | Silco x Reader

Chapter 1 | Glass House

Summary: You are Singed’s child. It was with the death of his grandchild, that he became the man the Undercity knows. The man Silco hired. With the explosion of the lab leaving your father injured, you took his role until he could fill it himself once more.

Glass crunched as it broke beneath your feet. Purple liquid spread around it like gold in pottery you’d seen when you were far younger. You assessed the damage the best you could.

“Very little can be saved.”

A sigh, “I assumed as much. How long do you believe the Doctor will be out of commission?”

“His injuries are severe.”

Even thinking of them made your stomach turn. Pieces were missing. Things were gone. It was all so wrong, so horrific.

“It will be at least a year before he’s able to return full time,” you said.

“We can’t afford that.”

“A couple months before he’s back in the lab though,” you continued on. “He’s stubborn like that.”

“In the meantime?”

“I am more than capable of making your shimmer,” you told the man behind you.

“How do I know I can trust you?” he asked. “You’re rarely ever in the lab.”

“And it’s for that very reason you have someone to continue production.”

You lifted your head and spun it around from where you’d been using gloves fingers to sort through the broken vials, searching for the ones which could be saved.

Your gaze was met with your father’s employer and by extension your own. He was dressed in a two piece suit consisting of a black waistcoat lined in gold, and a white tie tucked beneath the cuff of a red buttoned shirt.

His eye matched his outfit, in the form of it being a bright orange flame surrounded by a black sky. It was an eye you’d had much familiarity with.

“As for trust,” you said, letting the lisp you’d inherited from your father curl around the words like a snake, “how did you know you could trust me with your eye, hm?”

He was silent as he remembered the protesting he’d done upon the first time you’d injected something in his eye. Your father insistent that you’d be more gentle than he would. He was right, of course.

Silco learned that only after he’d been left screaming and restrained. You’d had fluttered around him with a smug smile on your lips which he couldn’t see at the time but hear. “You should have listened,” you said, voice carrying a tune.

“Just do what needs to be done,” he said as a dismissal.

He spun around, a loud crunch of glass beneath his shoes. Then he left.

You sorted through the shards for the better half of the day. What couldn’t be salvaged was left but you were able to find a good two dozen or so which were still in tact. Quite honestly more than you were expecting.

You put them all in a box and brought them back to your personal lab. A cave by the water.

You got to work at making a batch large enough to fill the vials you had on hand. Silco would need to provide more when this inevitably was not enough but you were alright with that.

It was true, you didn’t spend many days in the laboratory which Silco provided. You were normally off doing something equally as important, finding the necessary ingredients.

You had a large stockpile sorted in categories of things which you could use. You looked down at your father’s notes, written in a shorthand only the two of you could read, making sure you were doing things properly.

You’d long since memorized the brand of shimmer which held healing properties. You’d been making it for two, nearly three years now. Silently, of course.

Silco didn’t question who made it just that it worked. You had no doubt in your mind that the man though your father made it in his downtime. When, no, you made it in yours. Occasionally, your father would come in and help, tweak it some to try and making the healing properties stronger and more efficient. Whether or not that worked would depend upon whether or not you changed your process of brewing.

“You should be in bed,” you said.

Your father did not answer because for the moment, he could not. The burns which would turn to scars covered more than half of his face and most of his torso. It was through an act of will that he was even able to stand, much less walk.

It’d only been a week.

He slumped into the chair beside you. He watched silently as you worked.

For others his gaze would be intimidating. It would be scrutinizing and stressful to be beneath. You were used to it.

You did not falter nor did you tremble. You simply carried on like you had before he was there.

You knew what was in the direction he’d come to you from. Only one thing, one door, one room. You couldn’t say you were surprised he’d come from there instead of his own bed. He was in there more so than you.

It hurt to go there. It was painful.

He went in every night to do their routine. It had been one you had been amused by years ago. A little girl with her grandfather reading to her instead of her parent. You’d asked her why one day that she preferred his reading to yours. She simply looked at you and said he could do better voices.

Some days you felt guilty you visited her less but he never once judged.

He had told you once if it were you instead, he didn’t know what he’d do. Watching you deflate and change after was painful enough but to lose you entirely?

You brushed debris off the page and with it went your thoughts.

When you were done making the batch and filling individual tubes it was dark out. You stood and stretched out. Multiple joints popped and cracked. You weren’t used to sitting in one place so long.

Your hand curled gently on your father’s shoulder. You shook him carefully.

“Papa,” you said, “let’s get you to bed.”

The only reason he let you help him was his exhaustion. You set him down on the mattress and grabbed the medical kit at the bedside.

You unraveled the bandages around his body. The skin was pink and puckered, bubbling with blisters in some places. You took a rag and cleaned the area with gentle swipes. Once done, you added some antibiotic cream and wrapped the wounds.

“Stay awake for just a moment longer,” you ordered.

You squeezed his hand as you stood. You grabbed a glass and filled it with water. You poured a packet of medication into the liquid and grabbed a pill. You used a straw to mix everything together.

Returning to the bedroom, you angled the straw towards his mouth. “Drink.”

He wrapped his lips around the straw as best as he could. However, cracked and burnt as they were it was difficult. That’s why you held a rag beneath his lips. When he was halfway through, you pulled the glass away.

“Pill.”

He let you set the pill atop his tongue. It wasn’t until the straw was returned that he swallowed.

Finished, you helped him lay down.

“Goodnight.” You pressed a kiss to the unmarked side of his face. “I love you.”

Although he couldn’t return the words, you knew the sentiment was shared.

You passed her door. You paused.

You should go in. She’d been without a voice all day. If she could hear you in there she’d know that something was wrong. Could she worry in this state? You should go in.

You went to bed and had a night of unrestful sleep.

[velarisnightsky444]

Tired

Angstober Day 15: Tired of Fighting with Neris

CW: Depression, allusions to self harm, angst with comfort.

Summary: Your struggles with mental health become too much to bear, and you finally confide in your mates.

Word Count: 912

October Masterlist

»»——⍟——««

You did everything you possibly could to drown out your thoughts. You always had. Because you couldn't stand being alone with them. You used wine, food, anything you could to keep from thinking.

The world would become too heavy, and even getting out of bed proved to be impossible. 

Your mother had been the same. You could recall times in your childhood when she wouldn't leave her room for a week--sometimes more. You hadn't understood back then. But as you got older, and you began to experience it, you wished you had been more understanding. 

In the last week, things had gotten much worse. Your thoughts were vicious and critical, your chest aching with a weight you didn't understand. You kept it to yourself as much as you could, not wanting to bother your mates. You didn't want them to worry, or waste any time fussing over you. Nesta and Eris were both very busy, and the last thing you wanted was to distract them.

Eris had a lot on his plate as the new High Lord. He'd been working very hard to reform the Autumn Court, and change all of the horrific ways his father ran things. He'd been spending a lot of time with his mother, and repairing things with his brothers. The boys had been pitted against each other their entire lives, and despite their love for each other, been forced to hurt one another. Eris wanted to change that.  

Nesta had been helping the Lady of Autumn recover from the trauma Beron had left her with. She felt a connection with the female, and the two spent time together, just talking for hours. 

So you kept to yourself, not wanting to bother them. They had expressed concern over the last week, but you shut them down. You hated pity, and you hated being fussed over. Your mates knew that about you, but they sometimes couldn't help themselves. 

The bond had snapped for Eris and Nesta when they'd danced together in Hewn City. When they came back to the Autumn Court, you had been hired to wait on Nesta. You dressed her, cleaned up after her, and helped her with everything she asked. Soon enough, the bond had snapped for you, as well. 

Eris killed his father soon after, knowing he would never allow him to accept such a bond. He knew his father would likely kill you if he found out. It was deemed an unsolved murder, but everyone knew it was Eris. The majority of the Autumn Court despised Beron so greatly that none of them cared. 

You sniffled, sitting up as a knock sounded from the door. It was three in the afternoon, and your mates had been up for hours. They'd asked if you needed anything, and you had said no. You knew they weren't convinced, and they would likely stage an intervention quite soon. 

Nesta let herself in, her gaze firm. She huffed when she saw that you were still in bed. She approached carefully, the bed sinking as she sat beside you. She leaned down, kissing your forehead. You savored the comfort, leaning into her touch as she wrapped her arms around your body. 

"I'm here, sweetheart," she murmured, stroking your hair. 

You could vaguely hear footsteps, the ones you knew belonged to Eris. You'd memorized their footsteps, your heart fluttering every time you heard them. You didn't look up as he entered.

"What's going on in here?" Eris mused, making his way over. 

He climbed onto the other side of the bed, his arms tucking around you, opposite of Nesta. You felt safe in the arms of your mates. As though even your thoughts couldn't hurt you. You felt the tears pooling in your eyes, your lower lip wobbling. Before you could stop yourself, the tears fell, sobs leaving your lips. 

"What's wrong, love?" Nesta asked gently. 

"I'm tired of fighting, Nessie," you cried, a weight off your shoulders as you voiced it for the first time. 

"I know, I remember the feeling well," Nesta admitted in a hushed whisper. 

"As do I," Eris confessed, his hold on you tightening. 

"How did you get through it?" you asked, voice shaking. 

"I found something else to focus on," Nesta spoke. "I threw myself into training, and I found a support system. We can be your support system, YN. And if you find something you enjoy, you can use it as a distraction." 

You nodded, swallowing a lump in your throat. Nesta's fingers traced up your sleeve, brushing the new cuts on your wrist. She frowned, loosening her hold on you and taking your arm. She rolled up your sleeve, fingers tracing the scars, surveying the damage. 

"Baby, you should've told us," Eris scolded gently. 

"I didn't want to bother you," you whispered. 

"You're never a bother," Nesta said sternly, her eyes lining with slight silver flames at the intensity of the words. "If you're hurting yourself, we need to know." 

"I won't do it again," you said, just to please them. 

"We aren't naive, YN," Eris said. "And even if you truly believe that now, it's not that easy. We know better than anyone." 

"Next time, tell us," Nesta said. "Preferably before so we can stop you. But if you let us know after, we can properly take care of it."

"I'm sorry," you murmured, feeling ashamed. 

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Nesta promised, placing a kiss to your cheek. "Never apologize for this, my love." 

»»——⍟——««

Kink/Fluff/Angstober Taglist: @serxndipity-ipity-blog @danikamariemain @book-obsessed124 @winchesterbbygrl @kissesfrommads @binnieonabike @fourthwing4ever @ghostslittlegf @mollygetssherlockcoffee @hawke1917 @nesta-houseofwindfantasy @wirdbeimaufhebengebunden @honk4emoboys @rogerbarnesxx @a-courtof-azriel @kodokunarisu-blog @dxjaaaa @secretsicanthideanymore @littlepippilongstocking

Neris Taglist:

General Taglist: @lilah-asteria @anneas11 @andreperez11 @isnotwhatyourethinking @effervescentbutterfly

comment to be added to any of the taglists!

»»——⍟——««

[strayheartless]

AGS and childhood teddy bears because I said so:

Angeal: His childhood teddy bear was made by his mother. It has lopsided ears and a wonky eye and his name is “Freddy”. Angeal did not name Freddy, Angeal’s dad named Freddy and really he wouldn’t have it any other way.

As a child Angeal took Freddy pretty much everywhere with him: to the market, do the beach, the doctors office. Even, on one very horrifically memorable occasion, to a funeral…. Now Freddy sits on his night stand looking a little worse for wear but no less loved. Angeal patches up every moth eaten hole and replaces any lost stuffing. He’s got a book on his shelf about Teddy bear repairing and no one is willing to make even the tiniest bit of fun of him. Freddy, to Angeal, is as important as the Buster sword.

Except Zack doesn’t really know what happened to Freddy after he is captured. He’d managed to rescue the little bear before Shinra came in to erase Angeal’s existence but now…?

Genesis: Genesis’ childhood teddybear sits in his bedroom on his bed and gods help you if you touch it. Genesis had many toys growing up, and all of them had backstories and personalities but Gigi was special. The bear had been given to Genesis by his mother after a trip to Junon when he was three. She had been away for weeks and despite the fact that she otherwise showed little interest in him past what he wore and ate, Genesis had missed her so much he’d thrown up crying the night she left. When she came back, bear in hand Genesis had been so delighted at the unusual display of motherly love that he’d completely failed to realise the bear had not come from Junon nor had it come from his mother. In fact the little bear came from a tiny toy shop in the market place and had been bought for him by his Nanny, who had accosted Genevieve Rhapsodos in the hall muttering:

“If he thinks it’s from you he may just be soothed better when you go away again.”

It did and Genesis was never any the wiser. All anyone ever had to do to get him to shut up was hand him Gigi and he promptly curled up either with a book or to sleep. Even when he burned Gigi to a crisp in his rage over the lie that was his life, he never knew his “mother” had not been the one to buy the bear.

Sephiroth: Sephiroth did not have a childhood stuffed animal or any kind. Hojo thought them inane while Gast fretted about the germs they carried, so Sephiroth went without. He had his locket and that was all that mattered to him for a very long time until….

Seeing Freddy and Gigi, Sephiroth is hit with unimaginable envy over what could have been. The loss he feels is stupid. It was an inanimate object for Gaia’s sake! He should not be bereft at the sight of it! Except he is, and he wants his own so badly it aches.

Sephiroth has a little ritual of patting Freddy gently on the head in greeting and nodding to Gigi when he sits on his friends beds. Angeal watches him with sympathy in his gaze while Genesis watches him like a hawk around his bear. But both of them know the reason behind the gesture and never point it out.

Until one holiday Angeal hands him a little brown paper wrapped package wrapped up in red and white twine, the way the shop owners used to wrap the toys in Banora. When Seph opens it he doesn’t speak, just touches the little tiger stuffy with reverence and lets the tears fall. Like Genesis, Sephiroth is very protective of teddy (he’s not imaginative with names leave him be). No one mentions that he stays on the pillow across from Sephiroth, and nobody mentions that most mornings Sephiroth wakes with teddy pressed to his cheek and subconsciously rubs its soft fur across his top lip soothingly.

Years from now HR will throw that same tiger doll into a black bag and into a land fill in the sector seven slums. Years from now a vendor will pick it out, clean it up and sell it to a tall man with a gun for a hand and a baby strapped to his chest who just rolled into town. He wants it for the baby, his daughter, and she sleeps with it every night.

Years and Years from now that same little girl will solomnly tell that tiger to watch over her brother while her uncle Cloud looks for a cure…

Years and years form now a winged stranger in a red leather coat with spy the little Tiger sat on the whiskey shelf for “safe keeping” and no one will know how to sooth him because no one knows what’s wrong.

[asongofstarkandtargaryen]

ASOS : Daenerys and her children

On her very first pov chapter of this book Dany refers her dragons as her children. What is more, she recalls maegi's prophecy of being unable to give birth to children and that strengthens her view on her dragons as her kids ( please note that she also refers to them as her children in previous book but since I'm focusing on Asos I won't include those quotes)

They are my children, she told herself, and if the maegi spoke truly, they are the only children I am even like to have

Asos, Daenerys I

She feels lonely because the prophecy makes her believe that House Targaryen will end up with her but she finds solace on her dragons:

House Targaryen will end up with me. That made her sad. " You must me my children" she told her dragons, " my three fierce children. Arstan says that dragons live longer than men, so you will go on after I am dead ".

Asos, Daenerys IV

However on the same chapter we start to see glimpses that the dragons aren't the only ones Dany considers her children. We witness Dany taking responsibility of the people who followed her after the sack of Astapor. That's what a just leader should do but the way Dany talks about her subjects (who are useless in the upcoming battles and will only delay her army, mind you) is so protective of them, and almost has a motherly tone:

The raggled-taggle host of freemen dwarfed her own, but they were more a burden than a benefit. Perhaps one in a hundred had a donkey, a camel, or an ox; most carried weapons looted from some slaver's armory, but only one in ten was strong enough to fight, and none was trained. [...] Yet Dany could not bring herself to abandon them as Ser Jorah and her bloodriders urged. I told them they were free. I cannot tell them now they are not free to join me.

Asos, Daenerys IV

At the end of this chapter, after Yunkai is liberated we have the iconic "Mhysa" scene. And Dany calls her new people, her children.

"They will not hurt me", she told him "They are my children, Jorah".

Asos, Daenerys IV

So, after this chapter the dragons aren't considered her only children anymore. Her people also occupy that place in her heart.

Which is why she's hunted by the image of the dead slave kids, the slavers crucified as a warning to make her not go to Meeren. The slavers knew that Dany is above all a rescuer of the weak and knew that this horrific action would affect her - and it did. Dany can't stop thinking about those poor children and at the same time she wanted to look an every crucify child and memorize them all.

Because to her those children facing this horrible end wasn't just a casualty of the war between her and the slavers. It was more personal, as those slave kids would also become her children once she liberated their city and would be under her protection. So ofc, her fury against of those who hurt them is gonna be huge. It's the fury of a mother or "mhysa" if you prefer it.

When she arrives at Meeren she also makes it clear that she wants a victory without endangering her beloved children ( aka the people who follow her). It's a paradox bc most leaders sacrifice their followers to gain more territories. But for Dany the good of her people is her first priority:

"No" she said. " I will not march my people off to die". My children. "There must be some way into this city"

Asos, Dany V

What angers her the most is that inside Meeren the slavers have luxurious feasts while her people - her children as once again calls them- are hungry. And that's something that she's not gonna let pass.

As she camps outside Meeren some of her people are calling her "Mother" once again and she doesn't dislike the familiarity they show her, on the contrary she enjoys it.

Some of the freedmen called her " Mother," while others begged for boons or favors[...] Many of the freedmen believed there was good fortune in her touch. If it helps give them courage, let them touch me, she thought.

Asos, Daenerys V

Later on, as she performa justice to the slavers but doing to them what they did to the poor slave kids we see her falter. Because Dany has a tender heart and she doesn't enjoy inflicting pain not even to the ones who deserve it. To strengthen her resolve she brings the poor children on her mind and does what she must do to honor their tragic memory.

Dany put the glass aside, frowning. It was just. It was. I did it for the children.

Asos, Daenerys VI

[steamed-yakosobaa]

Cute Yumiko oneshot with the rest of the ADA before I post the most horrific traumatizing shit ever!!!!!!

FEATURING: Osamu Dazai , Doppo Kunikida , Kyouka , Edogawa Ranpo , ATSUSHI MY BELOVED, AND KINDA KUNIZAI IMPLICATIONS BUT IDK…??

Onion’s notes: Can I have a brother like Atsushi please (No Arcturus you don’t count.)

The streets of Yokohama were alive with color and light, lanterns glowing softly above the bustling crowd, the scent of festival food wafting through the air. The Armed Detective Agency was out in full force, each member dressed in traditional kimonos, blending into the sea of festival-goers.

Yumiko was practically glued to Atsushi’s side, her eyes wide in wonder as she took in the sights. It was her first festival, her first real glimpse of life outside the sterile confines of the lab where she had grown up. She hadn’t even known about holidays like this, where people gathered to celebrate with fireworks and food. The vibrancy of it all overwhelmed her senses, but in the best way. Suiren was so wrong. This was amazing.

“Are you okay, Yumiko?” Atsushi asked gently, looking down at her with his usual protective concern.

Yumiko nodded quickly, her kimono fluttering slightly as she moved. “Yes! It’s… it’s amazing. I didn’t think the outside world was this… alive.”

Atsushi smiled, relieved to see her enjoying herself. “It is. But if it gets too much, let me know, okay? We can take a break.”

Yumiko was about to respond when a certain suicidal brunette voice chimed in. “Wow, Atsushi, you’re like a real big brother now, huh? All responsible and everything.”

Kunikida adjusted his glasses, giving Dazai a sidelong glance. “Stop teasing him, Dazai. We’re here to make sure everyone has a good time, especially Yumiko.”

“Oh, come on, Kunikida, lighten up! It’s a festival! Let’s make the most of it before we go back to all that boring paperwork.”

Yumiko looked up at Atsushi, tilting her head. “Is it always like this with them?”

Atsushi sighed, giving her a knowing smile. “Pretty much.”

Nearby, Ranpo was already munching on a bag of festival snacks, giving Yumiko a casual wave. “You’ll get used to it. Trust me, this is a normal day.”

Yumiko blinked at the display of odd behavior, unsure whether to laugh or be confused. But before she could dwell on it, Kyoka approached with a small smile, holding out a candied apple. “Here. I thought you might want to try one.”

Yumiko hesitated before accepting the treat, her eyes lighting up at the sweet taste. “It’s really good,” she said, her voice filled with excitement.

Kyoka nodded, standing beside her. “There are lots of good things here. You should try the takoyaki next.”

“We’ll get you all the snacks you want,” Atsushi promised, watching her enjoy herself. He glanced at the others, feeling a warmth in his chest as they all came together to make Yumiko’s first festival a memorable one.

As they moved through the festival grounds, Yumiko found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. Maybe for the first time ever, even. Dazai attempted to win a plush toy for her at a game stall but ended up failing spectacularly, much to Kunikida’s exasperation. Ranpo gave her tips on how to win at the goldfish scooping game, while Atsushi and Kyoka helped her try out different festival foods.

“Are festivals always like this?” Yumiko asked as they found a quiet spot near the waterfront, where they were planning to watch the fireworks.

Atsushi chuckled. “Not always this chaotic, but it’s always fun.”

“Especially with this group,” Kunikida muttered, trying to keep Ranpo from wandering off.

Yumiko smiled softly, feeling something warm and comforting bloom in her chest. It wasn’t just the festival itself that made her happy—it was the fact that she was here, with people who cared about her. She had spent so long feeling isolated, like she didn’t belong anywhere. But now, surrounded by her new family at the Armed Detective Agency, she finally felt like she had a place.

As the fireworks began to light up the night sky, Yumiko practically jumped before she realized that it wasn’t what she thought it was. Her eyes widened in awe. She had never seen anything like it—colors bursting across the sky, reflecting in the water below. It felt like magic.

“They’re so beautiful,” she whispered as she shifted back into her fox form and jumped into Atsushi’s shoulder pikachu style.

Atsushi smiled at her. “I’m glad you like them. I knew you’d enjoy this.”

Dazai, lying on the grass nearby, grinned lazily. “It’s the perfect ending to the night, don’t you think?”

“Except for all the noise,” Kunikida complained, though there was a fond smile tugging at his lips.

Yumiko looked around at them, feeling a deep sense of gratitude. She turned to Atsushi, her voice soft but sincere. “Thank you, Atsushi-nii. For bringing me here. For… everything.”

Atsushi’s expression softened as he reached out to ruffle her hair in a brotherly manner. “You don’t have to thank me, Yumiko. I’m just happy you’re here with us.”

“Yeah!” Ranpo chimed in, still munching on snacks. “You’re part of the family now, Yumiko. No more labs, no more bad guys. Just us.”

Kyoka nodded in agreement, her quiet presence reassuring. “You’ll always have us.”

Yumiko blinked, her heart swelling with warmth. For the first time in a long while, she felt safe. She wasn’t just surviving anymore—she was living. And as the final firework burst into a brilliant display above them, Yumiko knew she had found something even more precious than freedom.

She had found her family.

@probably-haven

@thetasteofbeautyandlove

[soullesscoffee]

heaven.

{ karlach x gn!tav }

rating: everyone

warnings: light spoilers, mild gore, death, angst

word count: 1499 

like with most of my writing i rarely re-read and go over it. i am mediocre writer with heavy bg3 brain rot after finishing my first playthrough of the game.

Your body felt cold yet hot at the same time as you felt life drain out of you. You stare blankly at the ceiling of the foyer in the House of Hope, a demonic spike going through your chest. “You dare to mess with me, steal my from me! Look how piteous thing you are. Let this remind your friends- AH!” Raphael hisses in your ear, his new form causing nothing but the smell of flint and death before he was slain. You barely realize how far your own body was flung until you hit the last soul tower, it crumbles over you as your body splatters on the ground. The horrific roars coming from the devil himself only deafen your ears more. You can’t hear anything. Just the ringing from your head and the screams. You couldn’t tell if it was your scream or your adventurous friends. Maybe even your lovers.

The hot weight of the stone was being ripped off of you. It’s a warm hand that turns your body over. “Oh gods, no, no, no, no…” The warm, honey-like, voice soothes through the ringing. You were saying the same thing as your body began to get so increasingly cold that even turning your joints brought splintering pain. “Hope, please! Help!” Wyll cries out but Hope can only stand over you with a distant look on her face. Karlach ripped off your armor to see where the damage was starting, “You’re not dying here soldier!” Her voice cracks, it makes your blood-stained lips curl slightly. Your bare hand grasps her bicep, “Karlach… No,” you choke out. She doesn’t listen to you.

With your body being moved you let out a blood-piercing scream that even the tadpole in your head couldn’t stand as it vibrated in your cranium in reaction. It was losing its life source. You. Karlach settles you on the sigil glowing in the foyer marble flooring. It was so cold for a place that was burning in one of the levels of Hell. The shiver sent down your spine only made a reaction in your body to spasm, cough up more congealed blood that was threatening its way through your system. Everything was shutting down on you. You couldn’t feel your lower half anymore. 

“We’re going to get you to Shadowheart-” Karlach choked out, her tears being burnt down her cheeks. Something she hasn’t been able to do in gods knows how many centuries. She was supposed to be the first one to go with her infernal engine only being a ticking time bomb. Not you. Not her deepest of love. Not her very own heart. She covers the puncture wound with her own hands, trying to stop the blood from seeping through anymore. She could only wince at your whimper from the pressure. 

“Please, this isn’t how it’s supposed to go!” Karlach begs you, her forehead resting on yours. The warmth comforted you as everything around started to get dark and fuzzy. Yet Karlach was the only thing shining bright for you. In this moment her words of confession roamed in your head. It just wasn’t meant in the stars for the two of you but to go out with a bang was all she needed. 

You weakly feel your hand raise to her cheek, your thumb gently tracing over her features to memorize them one last time, “Out with a bang, right?” You couldn’t even recognize your voice, your hand slid from her cheek to her soft hair, feeling the locks one last time. Death was knocking on your door but you were fighting every second to be with your love. “You're going to go to Avernus,” you hiccup to get air into your lungs, “fix that damned engine of yours and make that bastard pay for what he’s done.” Your body spasms again as the sickly iron-tasting crimson splatters from your throat. “Don’t bring me back… Don’t ask Withers. You save the city. Save yourself. Then come and get me…” Your lower lip trembles as your world starts to crumble around Karlach her glow shining brighter as her sobs become more violent. She was shaking her head at your request. She didn’t even want to think about going through this alone, without her solider by her side. It couldn’t be done. Not without you by her side. 

“Please, don’t go.” Karlach whimpers against your cheek while she peppers warm kisses all over your cold skin, burying her face in the crook of your neck. “I can’t do this without you!” Her voice increases in volume and the flames dancing on her burgundy skin glow blue. All you can do is hold her close while her body curls around yours, rubbing her back with numb arms. “I love you,” you whisper in her ear but before you were able to place one last kiss on her beautiful face you slipped away. Your soul knew deep down that everywhere would be hell without Karlach by your side in whatever afterlife there was as it dissipated away.

Her back felt empty as your strength faded. Her body could nearly melt you away from how cold you were in her arms. “Tav?” she whispers noticing your arms fall by her side, caught on her armor. “Tav, wake up!” She lifted herself from your body, hovering to look you over. The sight horrified her. No longer did your eyes glimmer with life, they were dull. Lifeless. Your skin is pale and clammy from the damned heat of hell. Karlach gently cupped your cheek, her long nails gingerly brushing hair from your expressionless features. Your eyes were staring at the damning mural in the foyer ceiling. Karlach gently closed your eyes. Her warm lips pressed on each eyelid. Strong arms curl under your body to bring you close.

She stood shakingly, weak in every joint as a part of her had fled this realm. Tears flowed down her cheeks yet she was stoic. Unable to rest until your body was at peace. “I love you, **ph myirz.” 

You wake up in a familiar stone enclosure. Withers stood over your body watching you closely to make sure everything went right to his ancient doings. All you could do was blink up at the forgotten god. “Breatheth. Thee wilt beest did confuse and has't many questions. Howev'r, holdeth onto those folk and liveth again f'r tonight.  Th're is a celebration happening and many art waiting to seeth thee.” His dried hands help you sit up and bring your feet over the stone bed. 

Withers only gives you a nod towards the archway where you can hear music playing and chatter dancing in the air. You take in recognition of your own hands first, this is your body still. Nothing changed. Until you notice how quiet your mind is. Slipping off of the stone bed you run a hand through your hair, gripping the roots to set the reality that there is no more tadpole squirming in your brain.

As you walk across the tree bark others turn silent and watch you emerge from the shrubbery.  Eyes all new and foreign greet you with a softness only few could recognize as relief, their mourning was gone. Yet your eyes only searched for one flaming person. Then you see her around the bend of the stone. Karlach stood over the fire, her arms crossed as anxiety rippled over her features. Gold glowing eyes pierced into the bonfire as if she was silently praying to whatever god would listen to bring you back. Yet the sharp gaze stopped when she noticed you, standing afar. She could smell you again. 

The lost expression on your features made her grin fasten wider. Both of your bodies slammed into one another as you ran towards each other. This was your Karlach, not some twisted hell. It was her. The same scent of vanilla and ember came off of her heated skin. Tears blurred your vision, you buried your face in her neck. “You did it.” You whisper against her skin. Karlach only rocks the both of you. It seemed as if the world around the two of you didn’t matter anymore. “I did it,” she repeats after you before gently pulling you back to get a good look over you.

You could feel your very own heat rush to your face as her golden orbs take in your features. You hadn’t known how long it had been since she’d last laid eyes on you but from the looks of it. Too long. “Are you just going to keep staring or kiss me Karlach?” you quipped at her which broke her concentration. Her soft solemn smile turned into a cheeky grin as her hand landed just above your lower back and pulled you close, “You don’t have to ask me twice soldier.” 

With her lips planted on yours and the intoxicating smell of her scent, you knew this was heaven. She was your heaven.

** ph myriz = my heart (infernal)

[cql-hungergames]

In honor of Jiang Cheng ending his long, tortured streak in the CQL Hunger Games, a recap of his memorable run!

Round 1: Early rounds, Jiang Cheng beats Xue Yang based on skill with relatively little fanfare. Xue Yang uses his one lucky escape, though, and will return to face JC again in the future.

Round 2: Jin Guangyao reduces Jiang Cheng to a puddle of tears with psychological warfare and an epic diss track. JGY doesn't even need to kill him; JC, a sobbing wreck, is moved to the elimination rounds.

Round 2.5: Jiang Cheng faces Xue Yang again, the one who got away! This battle is far more contentious, but, as before, Jiang Cheng's superior cultivation and battle skill sees him to victory. He's still a puddle of tears, though, because no one can bully like Xue Yang can.

Round 3: Jiang Cheng realizes he is in superhell as Yu Ziyuan sacrifices herself for her son, intensifying his mommy issues and causing lasting trauma for him in the CQL Hunger Games timeline just as in the canon timeline.

Round 3.5: Jin Zhu and Yin Zhu, YZY's girlbosses, consecutively sacrifice themselves for Jiang Cheng according to their duty and loyalty to Madam Yu. Jiang Cheng is left with even more trauma and guilt at the end of this round.

Round 4: Jiang Cheng faces off against Lan Xichen, who he defeats through the power of Zidian, pent-up rage, and unprocessed trauma from the last four matches.

Round 4.5: Jiang Cheng cannot bring himself to kill Wen Qing, the woman he loves gave a comb to one time. Wen Qing feels regret about it but kills him, for both her own survival and to put the poor guy out of his misery.

And thus concludes:

This post is in honor of Random.org and you, the voters, who helped make this bracket and truly horrific hellscape for Jiang Cheng happen! JC you are forever in our hearts <3

[aziraphales-library]

hey this might be kinda weird but i just got out of the psych ward and i’m really not doing great post discharge and need something to cope

i was wondering if you knew of any psych ward/mental health hospitalization au ineffable husbands fics?

thank you for these lovely fics you share <3

Here are a few fics along these lines, but please mind the tags on most of these!...

Asylum AU by ZiraD (M)

Crowley was closed in this asylum for ages after his parents sold him in a need of money with a mad doctor who did experiments on humans. This asylum wasn't like the normal ones...this was an old abandoned building. Big enough to get lost in it if you didn't pay attention and memorize your way around. One day Crowley managed to run away from his room and from that day on he's been hiding from the doctor and killing anyone who dared coming closer to him. One day a new boy was added to doctors collection which Crowley didn't know about he had a beautiful blue eyes and a pale skin with cherubic features...he looked like an angel...but one day the doctor wanted his beautiful eyes... wanted to take them out and keep them in a jar for himself and maybe use them later. But what will happen next? Is there a way for them to survive? We shall find out and see

Doubtful Hysteria by Lord_O_Googoo (T)

Is madness a divine punishment? Is wanting the vote as mad as Victorian doctors would have you believe? Aziraphale becomes invested in these questions, especially as they pertain to her new friend, Emily. Meanwhile, Crowley attempts to tempt Aziraphale to leave the wretched place behind.

I Want To Break Free by TakeItEezy (M)

Anthony Crowley, a drug addict, doesn’t like being put in a box, especially if that box included doctors and psychologists. However, Solomon Aziraphale makes him realize that this could be his chance to break free from the life he had before. But, will Aziraphale be stuck in his old life forever? Would he ever allow himself to get better?

The Protector and The Prophet by ranguvar82 (M)

Ever since he can remember, Anthony Crowley has been plagued by horrific nightmares of the world ending. His twin Anathema tries to help him, but when they are sixteen, their fanatically religious parents have him committed. Sixteen years later, a severely traumatized Crowley returns home with Ana, still plagued by the nightmare. Then a man shows up, claiming to be an angel, and Crowley's life will never be the same. Aziraphale had a deal with Heaven. Leave him alone unless it's important, and well, a True Prophet is important. The angel's not fully sure what to expect, but the brilliant, beautiful, and traumatized Crowley is definitely not it. Damn these pesky feelings.

The Secretary by tuddles (E)

Fresh out of a phycological institution, a tormented Anthony Crowley tries to deal with his issues of self abuse as he looks for his place in the world. Things take an interesting turn when he sees a vacant job opportunity to be a secretary for a local bookstore.

- Mod D

[oncillabrigade]

I feel like I see a lot of fan authors/artists depicting Jason and Tim (and sometimes Steph) as unrelentingly mean to Damian in public, and that doesn't ring true to me. I haven't read the comics since before Damian was introduced (Wayne Family Adventures pulled me back in, and oh man there are fun DC comics these days!) so maybe I'm missing some canon examples of that... but I feel like every single child in that family gets how awful it is to be in the spotlight at a young age. They remember how awkward and exhausting it was to always smile for the camera, always be perfectly behaved, always uphold the ideal of what a Wayne adoptee should be. It didn't matter how you felt; you had to act the part. And they wouldn't make that harder for anyone.

Detailed thoughts below the fold!

Acting like a Perfect Wayne Kid™️ must be easier for Tim than for his siblings, because he was already playing that game as a Drake. But that doesn't mean it wasn't excruciating, especially for someone as introverted and wonderfully weird as Tim. Honestly, I think he'd be a mine of useful information for the later additions to the family!

I can see him at a charity dinner next to Cass, indicating which utensil comes next, murmuring, "I know, it's ridiculous. And there's no real reason, which makes it so hard to remember. But you're doing great." I can see him helping Duke practice the "right" laugh before a party: "Not too loud, not too real, not too many teeth showing. These people are terrified of genuine emotion, but in a shittier way than Bruce is." And I can most certainly see him talking Damian through how to leave a room when there are TOO. MANY. PEOPLE and the walls are closing in, showing him escape routes at different venues, explaining, "you don't want to use the bathroom excuse too many times in a row. People notice and tabloids start saying you have an eating disorder. I'll text you a list of alternate reasons to leave a conversation."

What I cannot see is Tim leaving anyone out to dry in the hell of high society. Even if Dami were driving him NUTS, I don't think Tim would call him a brat, insult him outright, or badmouth him to others. I think the worst thing he'd do is roll his eyes with humorous exaggeration and say, "okay, Damian, you've done your little brotherly duties--go talk to your friends, okay?" He could be SEETHING about a horrific fight 30 minutes before their appearance and play it off as, "haha, well, all brothers bug each other sometimes." And then he'd pivot, flawlessly, to a positive comment about the whole family, Dami included. Tim Drake, world champion of compartmentalization, fiercely loyal and kindhearted, is not giving the press a single bad word about his siblings. He is smiling and saying all the right things.

And then... then, there's Jason.

Jason understands, firsthand, how hard being inducted into the world of Perfect Wayne Behavior™️ is. Can you imagine Jason Peter Todd going through that? It's not just that he was in a new world, where money and food and clothes were a given, not a hard-won prize. It's not just that there were a million new rules to memorize (how to wear a suit, inscrutable dining etiquette, passive aggression instead of speaking your mind when angry, etc.). It's not just that he was suddenly thrust in the limelight at a young age, thrown in at the deep end of child stardom. It's not just that he was inevitably compared to Dick, who's naturally charismatic in a way that made his rambunctiousness forgivable by Gotham's elite. It's not just that he was simultaneously learning to be a Wayne AND a Robin, which was both mentally and physically exhausting.

No, it was all that PLUS who Jason was when he had just been adopted. Picture him: a kid from Crime Alley, recently out of a school for troubled youth, mourning the loss of his mother, and WAY too fucking smart not to see the condescension in the eyes of his new dad's peers. He was treading water constantly in every aspect of life, occasionally managing to float... all while the press and high society watched intently and judged him like he was swimming in the Olympics. Being Robin gave him magic, but god, he must have used so much of it up on just getting through public appearances.

I refuse to believe that someone who went through that would belittle or humiliate anyone doing the same. Especially when it comes to Damian. Damian, who comes from a world where physical prowess is the ultimate trump card, now trapped in a conversation where mentioning that prowess means he loses status. Damian, who knows the worst physical pain you can imagine and takes it as all in a day's work, struggling to contain his disdain for someone complaining about their tennis elbow. Damian, who was exposed to the worst aspects of humanity before he could form permanent memories, staring in disbelief at a kid his age saying the teacher who gave them an hour of detention is SO evil. Damian, who had mastered the rules of the League, discovering that the rules of Gotham high society are SO different that his prior knowledge is actively disadvantaging him.

I cannot imagine Jason seeing Damian as anything other than a fellow kid trapped in the pool with all eyes on him.

So Jason will do what he's always done: stand up for someone in need. Because Damian IS in need, no matter how much of a pain-in-the-ass he might be. That means Jay is telling the press about how smart Damian is, how good he is with animals, how proud the whole family is of his art. It means he's wearing suit pants with deep pockets so Damian's emotional support plushie is on hand at all times. It means he's using his bulk to clear the way to the balcony when the kid needs air and quiet. It means he's verbally eviscerating the posh knob who called Dami a brat, because NO ONE outside the family gets to say that shit about Jason fucking Todd's baby brother.

I don't care how annoyed they are with each other--bat kids hang together in the face of danger. And make no mistake: being a Perfect Wayne™️ is one of the most dangerous missions they face.