#but the theme and organisation and removing some posts

[twofacedbelief]

ongoing fics

Faith and trust and pixie dust

Teen and up, not using archive warnings Second person POV + POV alternating Relationships will change (currently only platonic) Angst, unsympathetic sides (not Janus or Remus) Disordered eating, self-harm, non-graphic violence Traumatised, mentally unstable, and brother-obsessed Remus In the beginning, there was Emotions, Curiosity, Creativity, Caution, and Belief. Then things change. And Belief changes the most. A story about growing up, growing apart, finding yourself, and rebuilding broken relationships. (the belief!Dee au) Last updated: 2022-06-15 Next expected update: Beginning of 2024 Companion fic: Between the acts Extra scenes, optional to read

Photophobia

Mature, no archive warnings apply Second person POV (Janus), third person POV (Remy) Janus/Remy Captivity, temporary amnesia, references to childhood trauma Dehumanization, master/pet Masturbation The term photophobia is a misnomer and not quite accurate. It comes from two Greek words: photo- “light” and phobia “fear or dread of”—hence, “fear of light.” It is defined as an “abnormal sensitivity to light, especially of the eyes”. There can still be fear due to the light if the room is bright enough. Marked as complete, due to being written for Promptober, more chapters expected

Current project: finishing Promptober (written 13 of 31 prompts, intend to get all of them before the year ends)

Next project: Wrap up prologue of rewritten version of bnha fic (hopefully before the year ends, realistically beginning of next year)

[cozycottagetarot]

How Can You Manifest Your Wishes?

 Notes:

This is not one of my favourite readings, but I hope you find something useful in it!These types of readings are always slightly difficult to keep organise but I tried my best. I'd love to know if you prefer paragraphs or bullet points as well! Shout out to the anon who recommended this reading!

‼️ This reading is in no way shape or form meant to act as or substitute professional advice of any kind. Please use your discretion, think carefully before you act and only take what resonates be it a little, some or none at all. ‼️

This PAC Includes:

This Might Resonate If Your Wish Is...

The Energy You're In

The Energy You Need To Be In

Extended Reading Includes

How Can You Open Yourself Up

What's Working vs What's Not Working

Additional Messages

Dividers From X

Reading Masterlist | Patreon | Paid Readings -- Open 🥂

PILE 1

This Might Resonate If Your Wish Is...

Wishes for a full-life makeover. If it’s a wish (or goal) you feel blocked or burnout pursuing. A wish you keep coming back to or feels like a ‘higher calling’. A wish of the heart. A wish around love (of any kind).

The Energy You're In

It feels like you’re in this bright, playful energy and you’re just absolutely ready to go! You see all the possible laid out before you and you’re getting excited about it. You could be coming out of a rough period and you’re trying to rebuild your sense of positivity. You’re trying to move on to the next version of you. You’re expecting the best (or you should be) and are in this very attractive and magnetic energy right now. You have a card here the Flamingo which is all about fun and the vibes of this section make me think of Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter. The vibe of the music video feels very playful and fun and the line “my give a f*cks are on vacation” reminds me of the energy you're in at the moment. It all feels very warm like I can almost feel the sun on my skin.

HOWEVER, you may be focusing on these possibilities through the eyes of others… living vicariously through others. What I mean by this is viewing people through social media, books, even in person and believing you can do what they do (which is fine) but through their experience or as them rather than you… I hope that makes sense. You may hold onto the super intense aspects of love or pleasure. This can be especially important regarding relationships! I will make a post on this a little later (it’s drafted), but the energy you’re in requires you to take a look at what ‘work’ you’re asking others to do for you. You need to focus on how you’re channeling the vibrant passionate energy you’re embodying at the moment.

The Energy You Need To Be In

As beautiful as your current energy is, you need to slow your roll a little bit here. Yes, hold onto the belief that things are going great for you— but you also need to ground yourself and savour the small moments too. Enjoy ALL the good things… right down to the perfectly crafted beverage. Take chances but double-check your trajectory first. Don’t just rush in, you’re in need of a balance right now. You’re in a phase of transition but divine timing is also at play. However, I feel like if you try to force things then you might end up bringing a 'tower moment' on yourself (if you’re about to panic, relax!) where you’re forced to take a look at what is truly important to you.

Thank you for making it this far! If you're interested in extended reading which includes how you can open yourself up, what's working vs what's not and more then you can check it out here!

PILE 2

This Might Resonate If Your Wish Is...

 Of personal strength. Wishing your wish will come true. Balance. Employment (especially self employment). A wish to remove a known block or a wish for a solution of any kind. Relating to being in between phases. Something that will bring you a sense of safety or stability. Gaining your wings. Wishes involving social connections.

*Relationships are such a strong theme here, but it seems as though it maybe experience from childhood that come up a lot in this reading

The Energy You're In

I think you’re in an energy of waiting and surveying your surroundings... Like when someone’s wounded and retreats to regroup and tend to themselves. Main themes relate to boundaries, relationships and self care. You’re trying to find allies but I think it’s a little bit hard right now. Very analytical mind, trying to determine what stays and what goes. Things are definitely shifting and you’re just kind of keeping to yourself. Communication is such a big thing for you here. I feel like you’re really just on the sidelines taking things slow. You want to ally with others but you need to tend to yourself first or at least that’s your focus right now. You’re mainly in an energy of taking stock it seems… on alert in changing circumstances. You might be ruminating on how you communicate with others? There’s a suggest to look at how you experienced communication growing up? You might be stuck in your head… seeing “people” as not safe.

Idk guys, like are you good? Usually Pile 3 is the one that messes with me but the energies here feel sooo off. Kind of wondering if you're fatigued, hung up over someone even? Not necessarily romantically but someone who was/is supposed to have your back and you’re just hitting a wall or something at the moment. The energy literally disappearaed once I moved onto the energy you need to be in so take that as a positive sign!

If it ain’t me — Dua Lipa kept coming to me and disco balls stood out from the cards.

The Energy You Need To Be In

I feel like you need to be in an energy where, yes you’re surveying/assessing your surroundings, but you have to get up and do so instead of sitting around. You need to take action and expand your horizons. Be bold and go for it... I think you’ve got what you need. The consistent message is that doing nothing is not an option. Take a chance on what will fulfill your desires. Accepting endings is important and being able to move on. Allow yourself to transition to a fresh start.

Consider your image and how you show up as/interact with authority. Leadership. Especially emotional leadership. Parenting oneself and/or setting the example for how you want others to treat you. Create a safe home ‘base’ (internal or external) but don’t get stuck in it. Maybe ask yourself what creates home? Makes you feel safe/secure? You also could need to take a look at sibling relationships or any with a sibling like dynamic and factor in how you those affect how you show up is important to look at too. I think this could relate to blocks. But you need to place your roots first and then explore.

Trust yourself and make a move. Focus on your strengths and believe that you have gathered enough data to move forward. Structure and strategy are going to be your friends. Honor those ‘above’ you but hold onto your power. Set boundaries and hold other accountable (and yourself too).

Thank you for making it this far! If you're interested in extended reading which includes how you can open yourself up, what's working vs what's not and more then you can check it out here!

PILE 3

This Might Resonate If Your Wish Is...

Travel, adventure, family, community, friendships/found family, creative projects, diving intervention, exploring new interest, work-life balance.

The Energy You're In

Closing out cycles and actively transforming. Seeking out messages from the divine. You're open to receiving messages and guidance. Very calm and zen feeling. Maybe feeling like you're going through or have recently gone through a rebirth. You're ready to make moves. Strong willed. "What do you want to do?" is a question that should be potentially on your mind if it's not. Taking inspired action. Bring play into your life/how can you do so? This can even apply to relationships. Healing. Compare and contrasting how past events influence you and if how you're showing up matches your intentions. Heavy on the "level up" energy but this is a kind you're actively seeking. Exploring relationships, mentorships, ideas. Leaning on love ones. Generally being in good vibes.

Feels like a combination of pile 1 and 2 so if you were drawn to one of those as well I recommend checking them out.

This also feels like a very spiritual pile? I'm not sure how describe it but I kept saying 'the Universe' alot while I was doing this reading so of course just adjust it to whatever suits you and your belief best! 

The Energy You Need To Be In

It's slightly hard to organise the messages here. There's a need to ground yourself. Don't stop working on healing, but also maintain your stability. Expansion & communication. Abundance is coming in. Remember you're worthy of abundance and your manifestation skills are heightened. Big things are coming for you. Expanding your perspective as well. Where do you need to speak up? You can and should try to lean on others. Open your heart... you don't have to have an armored heart. Cultivate your wishes, the things you want to grow. Nurture your wishes and your heart. Make sure you're clear on what you want to manifest. Keep your motivation up by focusing on short term steps. Look to mentors for guidance.

Thank you for making it this far! If you're interested in extended reading which includes how you can open yourself up, what's working vs what's not and more then you can check it out here!

PILE 4

This Might Resonate If Your Wish Is...

Nostalgia. Happiness. Needing motivation. Heavily charged emotional wishes. Something relating to others… not necessarily currently though. Like a wish that was formed because of someone years ago. If you have a vision board. Looking for a break. Or for a break to end. A wish where you’ve heard divine timing is at play. Direction. A waiting period to be over. Trying to break something you know isn’t good for you.

Pay attention to words, phrases or songs that come up often.

The Energy You're In

You’re very guarded. You’re wanting to break away from whatever is just weighing on you and you’re working hard at it but at the same time I feel like you just won’t let go??? Despite you working to break the chains or get a move on, it feels like they’re never ending but they are ending!! Don’t be fooled by appearances.

I think you’re very future focused and all about recreating yourself (I heard in entirety). You’re trying to expand your pov and I feel also kind of just nurture yourself internally. Very introspective trying to figure out who you are and what you want to do or who you want to be.

The Energy You Need To Be In

I didn’t really get anything specifically about money regarding wishes but I think it at least revolves around some kind of stability heavily. You need to be walking away from what isn’t serving you. Realise that you can create just about anything right now... anything goes.

You need to be doing what’s best for you regardless of if you hate it. Your day to day life is super important. I don’t know if rainbows are important to you but also I’m feeling like you need to fill your life with colour too. You need to become clear on resources and what they mean to you such as money, you body, other material possessions etc. get your financial life together. Do some deep cleaning. Like normally these readings are a matter of mindset and mental work but this pile feels very physical. Beautify your life and make it aesthetically pleasing without breaking the bank. How can you use art as well to make a masterpiece out of your feelings? How can you make your day to day life more enjoyable?

Thank you for making it this far! If you're interested in extended reading which includes how you can open yourself up, what's working vs what's not and more then you can check it out here!

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

The Ineffable Con Event with Rob Wilkins 2023 - SUMMARY

There will be Ineffable Con 4 this year - online! :) in October - link here :). Peter Anderson will join to talk about the Opening Titles! ❤ :). The Ineffable Cons if you haven't experienced are absolutely brilliant. Here is my recap of the second one in 2020, and here of the third one in 2021 :) (our wonderful organiser Bethany and Rachael got married in 2022 so there was no con but they had an ineffable themed wedding ❤! :)).

There is a charity auction for Alzheimer Research UK with Good Omens goodies Rob donated: Ineffable Crew Hoodie, Ineffable hat, Terry's biography signed by Rob, Good Omens book signed by David Tennant, Michael Sheen and Jon Hamm, and Good Omens bag (it's the wrap bag you could have seen cast posting :))

I loved this exchange :D ❤ -- Rob: You can ask me anything. -- What happens in Good Omens Season 2? -- Rob: Oh, I walked right into that one :).

Terry's favourite curse word: bugger

In Season 2 there will appear the Good Omens book first edition - a character who is not Aziraphale will be taking it from the shelf

Rob loved talking with David Tennant about the Dragon Con where where there was more Crowley's than Doctors

Rob about S2: You will love it and it will break your heart in equal measures. 👀👀👀👀

Rob loves the Ineffable fandom :)❤.

Rob showed us:

Crowley's Devon watch from S1 and his new watch from S2 (Rob was wearing it :)) Crowley's Valentino glasses, Crowley's present glasses from S2 and some ?historic? Crowley glasses with the removable dark parts NIAT RUC sign and War's Ducatti, he has all the vehicles from Season 1 - and not the Bentley (Mary, she is still owned by the owner), but another Bentley. A big box with Agnes Nutter doll made for a BBC showcase exhibition that you press a button and get a prophecy. Connected to Season 2 - a signed mandoline by Neil. A new a Collen Doran painting for the Good Omens Graphic Novel - In The Beginning The Crowley painting by 'Leonardo da Vinci' (Paul Kidby) And also painting by 'Leonardo da Vinci' connected to Season 2 with a bird on the mountain - perhaps the scene with the bird sharpening it's beak will be there? :)❤

[katy-133]

Rick Prime's Leitmotif

[This post is copy/pasted from the Rick C-137 & Prime Masterpost I reblogged. I'm reposting my thoughts for organisational purposes.]

Imma bout to be destroyed by a literally 823 year old song.

Prime's Leitmotif (Music)

A favourite of mine to talk about: Leitmotifs.

A leitmotif is a piece of reoccurring music that is associated with a particular person, idea, or situation.

Because of how animated tv series are produced, giving each episode a new and unique soundtrack is hard because of the limitations of time and resources. So series will often reuse music and start to create patterns and associations (both on purpose and sometimes by accident) that the audience will start to pick up on. These patterns and associations become leitmotifs.

You can even use leitmotifs to do things like create foreshadowing, remind the audience about a previous idea, and to give a previous scene a new emotional perspective that changes its context. There's a great video on how motifs are used in the musical Hamilton by music theorist Make Stuff that includes examples you can listen to.

Rick and Morty uses various leitmotifs throughout the series.

For example:

For the first episode Evil Morty is introduced in (season 1 episode 10), the ending song that plays is "For the Damaged Coda." It's a very recognisable song in the show because of its unusual use of the piano and vocals. It stands out. (YouTube clip)

It's never reused again... until The Ricklantis Mixup episode that reveals Evil Morty has taken over the Citadel (season 3 episode 7). This establishes the song as "Evil Morty's theme." (YT clip, at 1:25)

Then it is used a third time (this time it's remixed as an epic orchestral version with strings) when Evil Morty escapes the Central Finite Curve (season 5's season finale). (YT clip)

So, does Prime have a leitmotif? And if so, what does it say about him?

For the first question: The short answer is yes. It plays during the scene where Prime shoots Jerry. Right when he fires:

This theme also plays:

During the beginning of the scene (more subtly).

When C-137 and Morty are in Prime's lair (remixed to sound more like an action sequence) in season 6 episode 1. (YouTube clip)

During the end of the season 6 season finale (during C-137's rant about hunting Prime down).

On the second question, the longer answer is:

Dies Irae.

As in

THIS mf:

So, this was something I didn't realise myself, but 4shame pointed out in this video (at the 15:04 mark) that Prime's theme uses a variation of Dies Irae (the go-to music to introduce a villain or kill off a character). Thank you to @fanbun for introducing me to this video in a post.

You have likely heard this motif, even if you didn't realise it. Dies Irae is used in the darker moments of The Lion King, Home Alone, The Shining, Jurassic Park, Frozen 2, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Good Place, and Star Wars, just to name a few examples. (YouTube compilations: 1 , 2 , 3 )

Dies Irae was originally a 13th century (circa 1200) Gregorian chant created by Catholic monks. For more information on its history (and more examples of its use in media with on-screen note visuals), here is a video about it by Vox I watched 3 years ago:

For the purposes of this discussion, I'll sum up the Dies Irae ("Day of Wrath") motif as a set of 4 deep notes that are about the Catholic church's belief in a day of judgement (where God judges the living and the dead and decides whether they go to heaven or hell).

Dies Irae was used specifically for funerals and has an association with death, facing a grim reckoning, and an overall sense of dread.

It's also worth noting that historically, some more stuff happened to this song prior to it being used in film:

French composer Louis-Hector Berlioz took Dies Irae and removed the words (the version we recognise, since the vocals are rarely used in film--The Hunchback of Notre Dame is the only example I recognise that included the monk chanting). This resulted in the movement (a self-contained part of a musical composition) "Dream of the Witches' Sabbath" located in "Symphonie Fantastique" (1830 symphony), which is about a man whose past lover comes back to torment him.

The music is associated with obsessive love.

4shame's video points out that Prime's theme ALSO uses a variation of the Rick and Morty opening theme song (aka C-137's theme), removing only one note and slowing it down to make it sound more sinister. You can actually hear this best/clearest when Prime's leitmotif is played during C-137's rant in the season 6 finale, near the end, because the scene has to transition to the ending credits music (C-137's theme), which is cut off in this clip, but you can still hear the beginning of it:

The Rick and Morty opening theme is blended into Prime's theme.

So in conclusion, Prime's theme is an evil-ifed version of C-137's theme, making the two characters very very linked. More linked than any other alternate version of Rick. Using a very specific set of notes that represents death, obsessive love, and facing a day of judgement. Something C-137 will have to reckon with when he reunites with Prime.

[tyrannuspitch]

thor meta directory

hello and welcome, i'm lucian and i've been analysing mcu thor in excruciating detail since march 2022. this directory is intended to help me and anyone else interested to navigate my backlog of thor posts, which were all initially grouped under one umbrella tag.

a few notes:

my main focus is on the asgardian royal family, and my favourite portrayals of them come from 2011-2013. i have a bit of a loki-centric bias, but i do my best to be self-aware. i think all members of the family are terrible people and i love them for it <3

older posts should be taken with a pinch of salt. my opinions have developed a lot since i first started posting, but i've left pretty much everything up for archival purposes.

sometimes my opinions are strong, but they're never personal, even when i express them in hyperbolic ways. i promise i don't really hate you because of a marvel movie :3

to prevent clutter, source, character, relationship and theme tags are only applied to posts that also qualify for a meta or concrit tag.

some of the theme tags overlap a lot, but i'm doing my best.

most of the theme tags don't have an immediately obvious "thesis" post, but hopefully you'll get a sense of them by scrolling through. i'm also happy to answer any questions on this!

at the point when i organised this archive, it contained 1600 posts, so please excuse any tagging mistakes or typos, and let me know so i can fix them :D

finally: my inbox is open and i love talking about thor! comments, questions, suggestions, discussion, and lighthearted/friendly debate are all very welcome :D also, if you send me music associations or fanart, i'll love you forever - i probably haven't seen it, since i hardly follow anyone in this fandom. (just please no th-rki - i'm firmly in the familial relationship camp.)

okay that's all. have fun! 💚💙💜

main tag (textposts, almost all of them original, ranging from liveblogs and off-the-cuff jokes to meta. 2000+ posts)

asgardian art (umbrella tag for visual fanworks: art, gifs, graphics, etc. almost all reblogs. 1000+ posts)

by post type:

meta (800+ posts) - meta highlights (100+ posts) - concrit/negativity - text reblogs - fanart - gifs - stills - jokes and silly posts

by source:

thor 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - avengers 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - loki tv - other mcu - comics - thor: tales of asgard (cartoon) - other marvel - myth + history - fandom - other

by character:

thor - loki - odin - frigga - laufey - hela - malekith - thanos - the other - sif - warriors three - heimdall - valkyrie - jane - erik - sylvie - mobius - kang - avengers - fury

note: tumblr has a link limit! i've had to remove the links to supporting characters' tags to stay within it, but the format is: /tagged/ch:%20laufey, /tagged/ch:%20hela, etc.

by relationship:

thor: frigga - loki - odin - sif - w3 - jane - erik - avengers - fury

loki: frigga - odin - laufey - sif - w3 - thanos - the other - sylvie -mobius - kang - erik - jane - avengers

odin: frigga - laufey - hela - kang - fury - bor

house of odin (for when it's really the entire family at once - not an umbrella tag)

by theme/topic:

abuse + empire - fate + hierarchy - suicide + sacrifice - imprisonment + exile - devotion + treachery - honour + villainy - cycles + scapegoats - manipulation + mind control - order + chaos - war + apocalypse - undeath + afterlife - the threefold death - trickster loki - jester loki - servant prince

childhood + immortality - gender + sexuality - ergi - sorcery - prophecy - disability - ethnicity - godhood - monsterhood - playing the monster - mirrors + masks - eye motif

expressions of love - love as horror - neck/throat motif - grief - codependence - odinsons as twins - redemption - mjolnir - saint thor - thor's sinister side

worldbuilding - modern psychiatry - etymology - mimesis

and finally, my ao3 is here. i'm not as active as i'd like to be, but i'm working on it!

[rock-and-compass]

Precursor - I wrote about the fifth season of Angel many years ago - probably around the time that the season 8 comics were first being published. I originally published these meta essays over on LiveJournal and I've decided to re-post them (as written), mostly for archival reasons. I love season 5 of Angel. It's such a shame it got axed before it could get the envisioned 6th and 7th series

Angel 5.5 - Life of the Party

After four powerful episodes that situated the series in its new context, showed us where our characters were ‘at’ within themselves and introduced themes of particular importance to the series in its entirety, we get a breather with the stand-alone episode Life of the Party.

The story is quite simple. Lorne, as the head of the entertainment division of Wolfram and Hart is in charge of organising a huge Halloween party for staff and clients. Trouble is, no one seems very enthusiastic. Angel, Fred and Wes would all rather avoid it entirely and the invited guests aren’t much better. The clients of Wolfram and Hart aren’t all that big with the trust of the new regime and suspect that the party is a trap that will allow Angel to have them all killed. Bottom line, nobody’s coming, well no one that matters.  Lorne convinces Angel to accompany him on a visit to The Archduke Sebassis in order to issue a personal invitation to the shindig. Sebassis is highly esteemed in the demon world and will assure a good turnout. Angel does his duty, begrudgingly and only because of his loyalty to Lorne. Sebassis reluctantly agrees to attend.

Once the party starts, weird things begin happening. Fred and Wes are drunk despite not drinking anything, Gunn is urinating all over the place, Spike is suddenly extremely positive about everything, and Angel is having sex with Eve. Wes concludes that they must be under a spell of some description. Turns out that Lorne has had a little procedure done, he’s had his sleep removed so that he can use the time usually spent sleeping to meet all his work and social commitments. Trouble is:

Wesley: "The effects of long-term sleeplessness on the subconscious mind of an empath can be catastrophic." 

Fred: Catastrophic sounds not good. 

Wesley: Under normal conditions, Lorne has the ability to read people's destinies. But now I think he's writing them. 

Fred: So, what, instead of receiving, he's transmitting? 

Wesley: And that's just phase one. "If you sever the empath from his subconscious for too long, that subconscious can — it can manifest. 

Fred: What do you mean, manifest? 

So, in a nutshell, everybody is acting out of character because Lorne told them to. Innocent comments like; “stake out your territory”, “be positive”, “get a room” and “you two should be three sheets to the wind” have all been taken literally resulting in very strange behaviour from all. And yes, that manifest has made an appearance too. A big, bulked up version of Lorne has offended Sebassis by killing one of his posse and increasing the likelihood of the party degenerating into a bloodbath. Luckily, Fred and Wes locate Lorne’s sleep and are able to reinsert it before the manifest can do much more damage.

 In amongst the fun and frivolity there are a few interesting things to note:

Team Angel, for the most part, are not party people. They see themselves as outsiders in the company and in society in general. Fred, Wes and Angel all allude to the fact that they don’t like parties and are not very good with small talk. It also suggests that those who don’t want to have any fun are the ones who are not really happy at Wolfram and Hart, Lorne and Gunn being the only exceptions. 

Lorne by contrast is brilliant at schmoozing but also sees this as his contribution to the team: 

LORNE: Yeah. You know, Angel, I— I don't have superhuman strength, and I'm not a fighter. Quantum physics makes me nauseous, and I barely made a passing grade at mystical studies, but I'm on your team. This is something I can do. I believe it has a purpose that can help you, even if you don't. 

Lorne has apparently lost his true purpose amongst all the Wolfram and Hart work commitments. He is no longer playing the role of the spiritual guide, which surely is his ‘power’ and the strength he brings to Angel Investigations.

There is a very strange scene between Eve and Angel in which she asks how he’s going, and he replies: 

“I don't know how to answer that question. I—I don't know. Good? Bad? Look, I spent years doing everything I could to bring this company down. Now I'm the CEO, and I have to question every move I make because any one of them could be exactly what the Senior Partners want, so, no, I have no idea how it's going.

This conversation seems very out of place as we know that Angel doesn’t trust Eve and would be hardly likely to confide in her. Lorne, at this stage has not given any ‘instructions’ to Angel so it cannot be explained away by the ‘transmitting futures’ that happens later in the episode. 

From the conversation with Eve, it also seems that Angel is not only running Wolfram and Hart but also going out at night to undertake traditional ‘helping of the helpless’. Angel is, in essence trying to hang on to the past and be what he’s always been – ‘Champion of the People’ as well as 'Chairman of the board'

Fred and Knox are very cosy, and this does not make Wesley happy.

Excellent continuity with Spike being scathing about Halloween celebrations. See Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes Halloween and All the Way for other examples. 

The party is symbolic of the ‘ethical tightrope’ that they are being asked to walk at Wolfram and Hart and as individuals. They must associate with evil in order to fight evil and are routinely called upon to pass judgement in ‘grey' areas.

The Archduke Sebassis returns with significance later in the season and the fact that he drinks the blue blood from his minion's arm is very important.

The Sleep removal is termed as a ‘procedure’ highlighting connotations to plastic surgery. This is L.A after all.

It is Spike’s positiveness that succeeds in convincing them that they are under a spell. Well, Spike saying that dance music is the ‘greatest’ song ever written is highly suspicious. That music is hardly The Ramones’, the Dead Kennedy’s, Sex Pistols or even Nirvana, the kind of music we have become accustomed to Spike preferring.

Morale really must be a problem at Wolfram and Hart if people are having their ennui (boredom or tedium) removed.

Angel observes: We've been so focused on the dangers outside that we didn't see the ones within. This place is trying to change us, Gunn. We can't ever forget that.  Well duh...

Angel is resistant to what he sees as imposed change, but really, he needs to realise that they can’t be the same as they were and be at Wolfram and Hart. The circumstances engender change that can’t be resisted.

Life of the party pays homage to The Forbidden Planet, which in itself is a re-telling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

An interesting observation was made at (the now defunct) Tea at the Ford discussion of this episode that questioned the long-term motives of Lorne. They point out that by looking at their enforced behaviours, Spike, Wes, Fred and Angel want connection while Gunn and - surprisingly Lorne - turn out to want power. Considering Lorne’s relationship with Sebassis, doubt was thrown over the events of "Spin the Bottle" as something much more sinister: “Where did he get that stuff? Is he REALLY 'just observing', or has he been making things happen, spinning the bottle for some time? A lot of his actions can be read both ways, right back to sending Angel to the false T'ish Magev. He also sent Angel and Darla to A2.09 The Trial, which you might say resulted in the birth of Connor (viewed as the life Angel won and couldn't give Darla). Interesting stuff. 

If the hulk-Lorne is his subconscious attacking then it makes sense that he would attack Artode, Sebassis and Angel. Artode boasted about killing a Pylean while wearing a jacket of green demon skin, Sebassis made him grovel to come to the party, despite their apparent long association and Angel, well, there must be all kinds of subconscious resentment there, bringing them to W&H and perhaps, even subconscious recognition of the memories robbed.

All actors do a wonderful job of their out of character behaviour. The plot is a little silly but the high calibre performances from all save the episode from being simply absurd.

Next up: Angel 5.6 – The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco

[prnanayarquah]

Removing taxes on sanitary pads would serve the greater good of girls, women - SA NDC Women's Wing to government

New Post has been published on https://plugzafrica.com/removing-taxes-on-sanitary-pads-would-serve-the-greater-good-of-girls-women-sa-ndc-womens-wing-to-government/

Removing taxes on sanitary pads would serve the greater good of girls, women - SA NDC Women's Wing to government

The second phase of the South African National Democratic Congress (NDC) Women’s Wing Sanitary Pads project visited Effiduasi Asokore Constituency with a call on government to waiver all taxes on sanitary pads.

This, according to the NDC SA Women’s Wing, would reduce the cost of sanitary towels which invariably would improve women’s menstrual hygiene.

In a shared value of assisting the less privileged and also energising the base of the NDC, the donation ceremony was held at the Tijaniya Senior High School in Effiduasi Asokore on Sunday, March 3, 2024. The programme was themed “Empowering Girls Through Menstrual Hygiene – Victory for John Mahama”.

Delivering a speech at the function, Madam Wilbertina Buxton, SA NDC Women’s Wing Organizer underscored the urgent need and the reason why government must adhere to their advocacy of waivering all taxes on sanitary pads.

This, according to her, would not only lower the prices of the pads on the market but, encourage more girls to use hygienic sanitary pads to improve their well-being and enhance their confidence as well.

Madam Buxton noted that this particular activity started last year and normally was done in August to coincide with SA Women’s Month. “But, because this year is an election year, we’ve decided to run the project across the entire country. We’ve been to Oti Region and this is the second region we’re visiting”, she stated.

Dovetailing into politics and justaxposing the cost of sanitary pads to the economy, she emphasised that the era where rags and other unhygienic materials were used by girls during their menses were over. But, the current bad governance by the NPP has made it difficult for girls to procure pads hence, their decision to step in with the project to help.

She paid glowing tribute to Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie, NDC SA Council of Elders Chair, for being the main sponsor of the sanitary pad project.

In the company of Madam Buxton were Mr. Benjamin Quashie, Gloria Huze, Ashanti Region Women Organiser and her deputy, Ibrahim Adams, Effiduasi Asokore Constituency Chairman of the NDC, Efiduase Asokore Constituency Women Organiser and the Constituency Executives.

The others were Stephen Atuahene, Ayensuano Constituency Vice Chairman and some of Ablekuma West Constituency Women’s Wing Executives.

[tetley1173-igb220-blog]

Wasteland Wayland

By Shannon Tetley

This post I'll be introducing the game that my team and I will be working on for our final assignment this semester, along with the team whom I'll be working with.

How did I find my team?

In one of our tutorial we dedicated the day to forming teams for assignment 3. Because I was planning to continue building on either my own game described in assignment 2 or one that a team member had I decided to show off my Sell Sheet that I created for that assignment.

Generally my idea had a good reception, in particular with my future team mate Sam. Both of our games were top down racing games with shoot 'em up elements added. Each game had a boss battle at the end with the main difference being that my game included a upgrades shop and a selection of cars for the player to choose from. This coincidence combined with my previous interactions with Sam testing each others games made him an excellent candidate to form a team with. Later our third team mate Liam, asked to join in as he was familiar with us from having also participated in playtesting each others games.

We decided to call ourselves the Wastelanders keeping with the theme of our game. It was decided that Sam would work on the boss and creating assets for player vehicles, the boss, and some basic enemies. He would also work on bringing the boss to life as he already had a working prototype from his game. I would be responsible for organising our playtesting as this was similar to the user experience testing I had done in previous units. I would also be working on menus and the upgrades shop including the discrete structures that would be needed to make it all work. Liam volunteered to make the sound affects for the game and he would work on the generic enemies in the game including some visual assets and their behaviour.

Having discussed what we believed should be the minimum viable product for this game and after making some assets we formalised our design concept by turning it into a One Page document. Following the advice of Tracy Fullerton in chapter 14 of the book, Game Design Workshop, I decided that using my old One Page document wasn't a good idea as it hadn't been made as a team (Fullerton). The version 2 that we would use was an updated version worked on and approved by everyone on the team. This way everyone was familiar with its concept and it was able to grow into something better than what I was able to create on my own. Anything left unchanged on the document was done so after the team considered it and decided it was good enough to keep it as is.

This One Page poster is used by our team to help us work in a unified direction and reminds the team of what our goals are. With our design goals well established we set out to make a basic version of our game. Liam was able to make some cool sound affects for us by recording sounds at a car show that he then converted to 8-bit sounds. Sam made our first set of assets as mentioned, and started adding them to the game.

My first contribution was to make a 'game skeleton' that had all the scenes we planned to create for the game. This way when a team member made something we could just copy over their work into the blank scenes. I also discovered a new way to add UI (user interface) elements to the game. Gdevelope calls these external layouts, these are visual elements that are created separately from a scene and are called in using the game events. This framework has all sorts of useful applications, my first use of this was to create a temporary main menu.

This menu could easily be removed or added back into the game as needed for testing purposes because it is an external layout. To do this you simply comment out the event that calls it into the scene. Later Sam will use an external layout to add a health bar to the race scene. The advantage of this is that he can make changes to this health bar as we balance the game and improve visuals. The health bar can then be reused if we add more level, saving time, and any changes will update across every scene it is used in. This saves a lot of time and functions similar to making a game object into a global object. The main difference is that an external layout consists of several objects and saves their arrangement relative to one another.

Aside from these additions I also added as many objects that I could to the game and added variables to both them and the scenes in the skeleton game. These variable were based on what I anticipated would be needed to make future game mechanics function and would mean that any events made by the team could reference these instead of using magic numbers. This process was followed with the intention of speeding up later development as if changes were needed for the sake of balance, they could be done quickly as all we would need to do was change the values of the variables which would affect all of the events associated with them. This way we would need to change one variable instead of refactoring the entire game.

In my next blog I'll show off what we're able to produce including an example of how thinking ahead with setting up variables has affected development.

References:

Fullerton, Tracy. Game Design Workshop. 3rd ed., A K Peters/CRC Press, 2014.

[jayblanc]

Hi. Thank you for your kind thoughts.

However, this isn't a "west vs east" culture clash. The fans in China have also been expressing their outrage at the way the Worldcon and the Hugo awards were handled, having been taken over by corporate interests. They removed it from the Fan organisation that had been running it, changed the date and location to better suit them despite having already sold tickets, and turned it into the basis for multi-billion property development, theme parks and media deals. And being a big money backed corporate interest they were entirely willing to "not rock the boat" and exclude anything "problematic" from the award presentation. And the Chinese Fans were livid and felt betrayed over it.

People were even willing to speak up about it on Weibo

Of course, as so often happens, these posts are only temporary, so as not to harm social standing. But be assured, this isn't Westerners meddling in China, this is Chinese (and state backed) Corporate Media and Real-estate interests meddling in Chinese Fandom. The Hugo Awards are just what made it an international incident.

I understand the instinct to decry Sinophobia, but it should not turn into a patriarchal infantilising. Let the Chinese Fans have a voice too, because that voice is way way way angrier about how they got treated than westerners have been.

Further news on the Chengdu 2023 Worldcon Scandal

The more we know, the less honest the Hugo results look. And there's some questions about how the Chendgu 2023 Worldcon was organised.

First of all, the Numbers Don't Add Up. Literally.

Second, it appears that the Chendgu 2023 Worldcon might have been coopted by Chinese Publishing companies. And that their corporate promotion lists might have been used as voting slates. This comes after a game of musical chairs, relocation and alterations from the original winning bid organisation to a new holding company. I have asked Kevin Standlee, chair of the WSFS Marks Protecttion Committee, to clarify what due diligence was taken to protect the Worldcon and Hugo trademarks. (Information via Arthur Lia and other commenters.)

Third, Chinese fandom is also upset over this. Using carefully selected phrasing to express their displeasure at "unspeakable factors". (Via Ersatz Culture at File 770)

Finally Hugo Administrator Dave McCarty categorically declares that the Ballot was conducted properly. He also declines to explain any of the discrepancies, or explain the precise reason for the unexplained disqualifications. He also stated that those who had any further questions "can't understand plain English" and "are slow".

This all strengthens my concerns, and widens them to the possibility that the name of the Hugo Awards and the Worldcon was deliberately coopted by a publishing business group in China. There's the strong possibility that this means that an unfettered licence to the trademarks that protect the Hugo Awards might have slipped into the hands of people willing to abuse them.

I note that Saudi Arabia, Tel Aviv, and Uganda all have bids for future Worldcons.

[fernevent]

5 Reasons to Rent Furniture for Your Next Event

Renting a furniture can be a great idea. It makes sure that you arrange furniture easily without investing much. Well, that’s just one advantage. Let’s look at the other ones:

Easier Set-Up: Event rental companies understand the preferred layout and theme of the upcoming event. Accordingly, they suggest the best furniture, do the timely installation and help you save from the struggles of transportation.

Saves Time: Many rental firms set up the furniture at the time of the event and remove them after the event. This lets the host concentrate on other aspects of the event.

Saves Money: Nowadays, the price of furniture is rising day by day. So, just for a day, investing into furniture is not at all a good idea. Availing of furniture rental in Dubai is always better as around fifty percent gets reduced.

Good Quality: Renting is an excellent idea. Furniture rentals in Dubai provide items that perform well and look incredible, leaving a remarkable impact on both you and your guests.

Style Options: Every special event has a party theme. In order to match that party theme, it is important to ensure that the furniture matches as well. With furniture event rental companies, one can get updated with the latest décor equipment and use them to make events extravagant and dynamic.

How does the furniture rental service work?

Furniture rental startups are gaining popularity these days. The major reason behind their relentless growth is that people want to adorn their events with new décor items without much investment. Furniture rental companies earn money through the monthly rent paid by the customers who book their furniture — chairs, tables, beds and sofas on rent for their upcoming events and exhibitions.

These companies manage the entire process from design to delivery to installation and take them back post-event. The team takes care of furniture in terms of its shine, polishing and durability. Particular resources are allocated who ensure that the quality of furniture remains untarnished or discolored and looks new for every new event.

Why rent furniture in Dubai?

Furniture rental is one of the quickest yet most affordable ways to the event successful and special for every visitor. The rental event companies cover all the event’s seating needs from designer sofas to benches to bar tools to lounge seating to bean bags and dining chairs. Even, they have some of the trendiest and unique variety for event tables, design props, décor and linen.

With years of experience, research, and expertise, furniture rental is reliable and hosts can procure furniture rental services from Dubai without any doubt. The team understands the requirement of clients deeply, collaborate with you and walk you through the entire process. After finalising the right furniture items, they safely transport them to visit the destination and infact assist with installation. The transit team makes sure that the furniture items arrive in excellent condition. For this, they tightly package the items, so that they remain protected from dust and damage.

Rent Chairs 24/7 With The Fern

Commitment, Loyalty and Quality — These are the 3 pillars around which we dedicate our services and help you organise impactful events and exhibitions that leave a remarkable impression on your audience for a longer period of time. We have earned a great reputation in Dubai and UAE for our bespoke furniture rentals in Dubai. You can get in touch with us today to elevate the seating arrangement of your upcoming event and leave a positive experience.

Here at Fern Event Rentals, we rent furniture around the clock. We advise you on the best considering your need and pricing constraints. See you soon! Happy Eventing!

Source:- https://www.fern.ae/5-reasons-to-rent-furniture-for-your-next-event/

[cckbvd]

Revamping a Rental: Temporary Bathroom Renovation Ideas

When it comes to rental properties, making permanent changes to the existing structure can be a challenging endeavour. However, that doesn't mean you can't give your rental bathroom a fresh and updated look. Temporary bathroom renovations Central Coast offer a fantastic solution to transform the space without violating any lease agreements. In this blog post, we will explore some creative and practical ideas to revamp your rental bathroom without making permanent alterations. These ideas will help you create a stylish, functional, and personalised space that reflects your taste and makes your rental feel like home.

Fresh Coat of Paint

When choosing a paint colour for your rental bathroom, consider lighter shades such as soft whites, pale greys, or pastel tones. Light colours create an illusion of a larger space and make the bathroom feel airy and bright. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also opt for a feature wall with a bolder colour or even create a geometric pattern using painter's tape. Just ensure that you use removable paint or request permission from your landlord before proceeding.

Removable Wallpaper

Removable wallpaper is an excellent option for adding visual interest and patterns to your rental bathroom. It comes in various designs, from intricate patterns to textured finishes. Before applying the wallpaper, make sure to clean the walls thoroughly and ensure they are dry. Measure the walls accurately, cut the wallpaper accordingly, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation. Removable wallpaper is easy to peel off without causing damage, making it an ideal choice for temporary renovations.

Upgrade Hardware and Fixtures

Replacing hardware and fixtures is an effective way to give your bathroom a modern and personalised touch. Swap out outdated cabinet knobs and drawer pulls with stylish options that match your aesthetic. Consider selecting coordinating towel bars, robe hooks, and faucets that elevate the overall look of the space. Choose hardware and fixtures that can be easily removed and stored, allowing you to reinstall the original ones when you move out.

Add a Statement Mirror

A statement mirror can serve as a focal point in your rental bathroom. Look for a mirror with an interesting frame, such as a vintage or decorative design, to add personality and style. If the existing mirror is fixed to the wall and cannot be removed, you can use adhesive hooks or mounting strips to hang a lightweight mirror over it. This temporary solution allows you to enjoy a decorative mirror without causing any damage.

Creative Storage Solutions

To maximise storage in a rental bathroom, think outside the box. Utilise portable shelves or stackable organisers to make the most of vertical space. Over-the-toilet shelving units provide additional storage for towels, toiletries, and decorative items. Adhesive hooks are handy for hanging towels, robes, or shower caddies, while hanging organisers can be placed inside cabinets or on the back of the bathroom door. These temporary storage solutions offer convenience and help keep your bathroom tidy.

Bathroom Accessories

Accessorising your rental bathroom can enhance its visual appeal and create a personalised atmosphere. Choose a shower curtain with a pattern or colour that complements the overall theme of the bathroom. Consider adding a plush bath mat and coordinating towels to create a cohesive look. Plants are an excellent addition to bring life and freshness to the space. Opt for low-maintenance varieties that thrive in bathroom environments, such as snake plants or pothos. Additionally, artwork, decorative trays, and scented candles can add a touch of elegance and create a relaxing ambiance.

Remember, when implementing temporary renovation ideas in a rental bathroom, it's crucial to respect the terms of your lease agreement and communicate with your landlord. By using removable and non-destructive methods, you can revamp your bathroom to reflect your personal style and make it feel like your own, all while ensuring an easy restoration process when it's time to move out.

[imaginingmarvelandeverything]

All These Things That I’ve Done

Request: Hi! I absolutely adore your story Convenience.  I was wondering how they would react to Damien when the time came? Like Y/N is aware of what happened w/ Talia and that's kinda water under the bridge between her and Bruce. It's not like he had control over it. I feel like she would obviously not like Talia but would understand Damien is innocent.  I think Damien probably wouldn't like Y/N because "Shes just an obstacle between mother and father." He's also on the fence about Grace because hes supposed to have been the "First born." But perhaps something were to happen at a gala and people speak disrespectfully about Damien. So Y/N tells them off and Damien hears it. Or someone were to break in to the tower and she tries to protect Damien and in the end he realizes she isnt that bad and she views him as another of her children no matter what. Idk man. Its been bouncing in my head for a while. 😂

Pairing: Bruce Wayne x F!Reader

Warnings: SEXUAL ASSAULT (not explicit, but it is a main theme!), violence, blood, death

Word Count: 6761

A/N: I cannot stress this enough, PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS! For those who are not aware of Damian’s conception in the original comics/some of the other media, Bruce is drugged! I really didn’t know if I was going to post this because of the subject matter, even while I was writing it I wasn’t sure. But here it is. The title is from this song, I really struggled naming this one

Ko-Fi

Series Masterlist

Masterlist

Headcanon Requests Open!

That night would haunt Y/N for the rest of her life, she had never felt so helpless. It had started like any other. Bruce left at dusk, planning to investigate rumours of a new organised crime gang moving into Gotham. She made sure all the kids were in bed, checked in with Alfred and disappeared down into the station for the night. She spent the time working on her new blueprints. But then the charger came screeching back into the station and she knew something was wrong, he was back far too early. Her worries were only confirmed when he threw open the door, fell out of the car and emptied the contents of his stomach on the floor.

“Bruce?” She ran to his side as he fell backwards, his panicked breathing scaring her. “Are you hurt?”

He did not reply, only made a pained noise when she touched him and pulled him back against her to stop him collapsing to the floor. She freed him from the cowl first, noticing the tears streaming down his cheeks and the panicked, glazed look in his blue eyes. He leant his full weight into her as she systematically stripped him of the rest of the suit, checking him over for injuries as each piece was removed. But her confusion grew as she found none. She had never seen him like this and she did not know what to do. So, she held him against her and let him sob into her neck as she carded her fingers through his hair and tried to tell him everything was okay.

Every time she thought he had calmed down, another round of sobs would rack through his chest and it got worse when she tried to ask what was wrong.

“Bruce, we can’t stay on the floor all night. You don’t have to tell me what happened, but let’s just go upstairs.” She said into his hair, resisting the urge to sigh in relief when he nodded against her.

He was almost boneless as she pulled him off the floor, leaning heavily on her and letting her lead him to the elevator. Luckily no one else was awake yet to question them as she led him through the main room and up the stairs.

“Shower.” He mumbled when they reached their bedroom. It was the first thing he had said since coming home.

“You want me to come with you?” She asked, giving him the option.

He shook his head, more tears sliding down his cheeks as he bit his lip to keep the sobs trapped in his chest.

“Okay, but let me grab you some fresh clothes.” She watched with worried eyes as he nodded and shuffled into the bathroom.

She grabbed his comfiest clothes and folded them into a pile. He had not shut the bathroom door yet so she walked in and set them on the counter. His hands were shaking violently as he tried to take his contact lenses out.

“Hey, let me.” She said softly. She washed her hands in the sink before walking over to him. He still had not looked at her, but he let her gently pull the lenses from his eyes and store them in the case. He moved it out of her grip the moment she was done. She did not press, he would tell her when he was ready. “I’m going to be right outside, call if you need me, okay?”

He nodded, his eyes screwing shut as more tears slipped out.

She did not want to, but she left him alone, pulling the bathroom door closed behind her. She changed into comfier clothes herself as she tried to stay calm. There had been many breakdowns over the years, for both of them, yet he had never been this bad before and she was terrified. But she would deal with the fear, he needed her and she would be there for him no matter what. She climbed onto the bed and laid down on top of the sheets, listening to the sound of the shower through the bathroom door. It shut off and it was a while before he emerged wearing the clothes she had laid out for him. His eyes were red and his hair was damp, but she did not care as she opened her arms for him and he curled into her.

He buried his head into her neck again, breathing her in as she wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his damp hair, gently working out the knots. It was a long while until he moved and spoke again, his voice just as quiet as before as he pressed the contact lens case into her palm. “Wait until I’m asleep.”

“Okay.” She promised.

***

Y/N had never been able to watch the entirety of the footage. As soon as the woman had drugged Bruce she knew what had happened. She shut the footage off and threw up just as Bruce had. They only ever spoke about it once. When she eventually convinced herself to go back upstairs to check on him. He had been waiting for her, tears in his eyes again. Terrified, he would tell her, terrified that she would not want him now. It took hours to convince him that she would always want him and that what had happened had not been his fault.

They never told anyone else, kept the knowledge solely between them, and he never asked what she had done with the contact lenses after she had wiped the footage from the computer. But if he did she would tell him that she had hidden them away, where hopefully no one would ever have to worry about them again.

It took eight years for them to find out the woman’s name. Talia al Ghul. It was Jason who told Y/N, after he had been raised from the dead. He had described the woman and the crime gang so perfectly that there was no doubt it Y/N’s mind that it was her. But it just caused conflicting emotions in her chest, because she wanted that woman dead for what she had done to Bruce, but she had also given Y/N her boy back. It took her weeks to build up the courage to tell Bruce. When she did, he just shrugged and never brought it up again.

But it was over eleven years later that everything changed. Bruce had spent the night out on patrol while Y/N spent it checking in with Dick and Jason, drawing blueprints and trying to find out where would be best to take Grace junior prom shopping. Bruce came back looking dead on his feet and promptly fell asleep next to her on the sofa with his head in her lap.

“I take it dad had a long night.” Grace said from the door, watching Bruce sleeping soundly while Y/N ran one hand through his hair and flicked through sketches with her other.

“He only got back about an hour ago.” Y/N smiled. “Dick asked if you wanted him to come dress shopping with us?”

“Yeah, that would be good.” Grace nodded. “Alright, I’ll see you later.”

“Have a good day.” Y/N said as Grace walked out again.

Y/N had no idea how much time had passed when Alfred walked in looking ruffled. He looked at the peaceful the position they were in and a pained look crossed his face.

“What’s wrong?” Y/N asked, fear already settling in her stomach.

“Commissioner Gordon is here. He said this matter was sensitive so he wanted to handle it himself.” Alfred said.

“Handle what?”

“He hasn’t told me, just that he needs to speak to Bruce.” Alfred explained before walking out to keep the Commissioner occupied.

Y/N ran her fingers down Bruce’s cheek. “Bruce?” He groaned and turned to bury his face in her stomach. “Bruce, you need to wake up, Gordon’s here.”

That captured his attention and he turned onto his back, his blue eyes questioning as he looked up at her. “What’s he want?”

“I don’t know. Alfred said he has a sensitive matter to discuss with you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. So you better not keep him waiting.”

He sat up, his eyebrows pinching together. “You’re coming too, whatever he has to say to me, he can say to you too.” He did not wait for an answer before he was pulling her down the hall to the main room.

Gordon looked uncomfortable, like he would rather be anywhere else, as he rejected Alfred’s offer for a drink. He had neglected to sit down as well, which they knew from experience meant he had bad news.

“Commissioner.” Bruce greeted

“Mr and Mrs Wayne.” Gordon glanced warily at Y/N. “Mr Wayne, I was hoping we could talk alone.”

Bruce tucked Y/N into his side. “Anything you need to say to me can be said in front of Y/N and Alfred.”

“Very well.” Gordon sighed. “An eleven year old boy was dropped off at the station this morning. He had nothing but the clothes on his back and a letter. A letter that said his name was Damian Wayne, and that you were his father.”

Both Y/N and Bruce went rigid and Alfred dropped the teacup he was holding.

“Obviously we would need a DNA test to confirm, which is why I’m here.” Gordon set a swab on the table

Bruce bolted. They all listened as the living room door slammed shut. Gordon and Alfred were both staring at Y/N, neither of them knowing the gravity of what Gordon had just said.

“I-I-” Y/N forced herself to take a breath. “Can you just give us a minute?” She did not wait for an answer before grabbing the swab and running after Bruce.

He was sat on the floor against the sofa, his breathing ragged. But he reached out for her when she walked in. She complied, letting him pull her down into his lap and bury his head in her chest. She ran her fingers through his hair as his grip on her hips tightened.

“We don’t even know if he is who he says he is. It could just be a scam.” She tried to convince them both.

He shook his head. “You don’t believe that. The timing is right. It fits.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I’ll have to do the test. To make sure.”

She sat back on his thighs and handed him the swab. “You do it and I’ll go and give it to Gordon. But Bruce, we’re going to have to tell Alfred.”

“I-I don’t think I can.” His hands shook as he pulled the swab out of the bag and swiped it on the inside of his cheek.

“Do you want me to do tell him?” She rested her hands over his to stop them shaking as he put the swab into the tube.

He looked up at her with glassy eyes. “I-I can’t ask you to do that.”

“Yes, you can.”

He let out a breath and nodded. She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips and took the swab from him before walking out.

Gordon and Alfred were exactly where she had left them; Gordon looking more awkward now than before, and Alfred looking murderous. But his eyes softened as she walked back in.

“Here’s your DNA sample. We would like to know as soon as you do, and Commissioner, you can understand our need for discretion.” She told him as she handed over the swab.

“Of course, Mrs Wayne. I hope you all have a good day.” Gordon did not hang around any longer than he had to.

She was aware of Alfred’s eyes on her as soon as Gordon left. “If he-”

“It’s not what you think.” She cut him off. She took a deep breath to steel herself. “I think you should sit down.”

***

Bruce did not leave the bedroom for the next three days, even to go out as Batman. The kids started asking questions, even Jason called to comment on his absence in the city, but Y/N just told them all he was not feeling great and would be back soon. Grace was more worried than the boys because unlike them she knew her dad was not even leaving the bedroom. Y/N was worried too, but she was holding onto hope that he would come back to himself when the test results came back.

She was in the living room reading on the third day when Alfred informed her Gordon was on his way up.

“Mrs Wayne, Mr Pennyworth.” He greeted as he stepped out of the elevator with a white envelope in his hand. “I have the test results if you would like to inform Mr Wayne.”

“He’s-he’s not feeling too well. I can take them up to him.” Y/N said, holding out her hand for the envelope. Gordon looked uncomfortable, but he handed the envelope over. “I take it you know what this says?”

“I do.” He nodded, shifting on his feet.

She opened the envelope with shaky hands. POSITIVE. She swallowed down her panic and closed it again. “Thank you, Commissioner. We’ll be in touch shortly to make arrangements.”

He nodded and climbed back into the elevator.

Once he was gone, Y/N’s legs gave out and she fell to her knees on the floor. She felt Alfred’s hand on her shoulder and handed the envelope to him. He took a sharp breath as he read the result and sat down in one of the chairs at the main table. She had no idea what to say to Bruce, but she knew it would be worse the longer she left it.

She pushed herself to her feet and took the envelope as Alfred held it out, already knowing what she was doing. She went slower than normal as she ascended the stairs and walked down the corridor to their bedroom. She hesitated outside the door before taking a deep breath and walking in. The room was dark, the curtains drawn, and Bruce was curled up in bed. She would have thought he had not moved since she got up this morning, but his hair was damp from the shower.

She put the envelope down on her bedside table and climbed into bed, pressing her chest up against his back and wrapping her arms around him as she pressed her lips against his bare shoulder. He moved a hand up to cover hers on his chest and leaned back into her.

“I think you should talk to a therapist.” She told him. “You obviously don’t have to tell them everything, but they could help you work through everything, like Dr Kline helped me.” He did not reply and she sighed. “Can you just think about it? For me, please.”

“Okay.” He promised, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles.

She took a deep breath and pushed on to the real reason she had come upstairs. “Gordon just stopped by.” She whispered and he went tense against her. “The test came back positive.”

He did not make a sound, but his body shaking gave away the fact he was crying.

She tightened her hold on him. “I Love you. And I’ll support you, whatever you want to do, Bruce, I’ll support you.”

***

They decided to take the boy in, after all, they had already taken two boys in, what was a third. But before they brought him home, they had to tell the kids. Bruce could not face it, so Y/N sat Grace and Dick down in the living room one day and told them. She did not give them the full details, but they were both old enough to understand what had actually happened. Grace went to find Bruce and immediately hugged him. Dick promised he would be there for whatever they needed.

But the news broke in the papers before they had a chance to tell Jason. Gordon apologised profusely and told them he would not stop until they found the leak in his department. The papers were not kind to Bruce or Y/N. They all assumed he had cheated and subsequently that she was a coward for not leaving him. She knew that hurt him more than anything else, that they were coming after her.

Y/N and Alfred were sat at the table in the main room discussing damage control when the elevator doors opened and Jason walked out in his full Red Hood getup, minus the helmet. Telling him had completely slipped Y/N’s mind after the story broke that morning. Her and Alfred just stared at him with wide eyes, he had not stepped a foot in the penthouse since he came back.

“Where is he?” Jason practically growled.

“Jason, it’s not what you think.” Y/N shot out of her seat and placed herself in front of him before he could get any further into the room.

“All his talk about honour and code! I’ll kill him myself!” He was shaking with rage.

“Jason, listen to me, please. It’s-”

“What’s going-”

She turned her head as Bruce walked into the room, clearly coming to find the source of the shouting. He froze as he laid eyes on Jason, radiating rage a few steps in front of the elevator.

“You had some nerve, spending my childhood lecturing me about how to be a good man, about honour, and yet you were clearly doing none of those things.” Jason pulled one of his knives out of the sheath on his hip.

“Jason.” Y/N kept her eyes glued to the blade; she had seen what he could do with a knife. “Jason, just let us explain.”

He flipped the knife and lunged towards Bruce. Y/N moved on impulse, doing exactly what Bruce had taught her, stepping into him, using one arm to push his arm holding the knife away from her as she slammed her other hand into his shoulder. She tried to sweep his leg out from under him, but he had been taught by the same people who taught Bruce now, so he just grabbed her and shoved her to the side.

“Y/N!” Bruce shouted as she ran at Jason again.

She went for his knife hand, but he just twisted out of her grip. However, in doing so, the blade caught her forearm and ripped into her skin. She was shifted backwards as Bruce grabbed her, putting as much distance between them and Jason as possible. He turned straight back to Jason, keeping her behind him as he faced the boy he had trained. The wound felt like a scratch but when she looked down, blood started to bead from the line before it started freely running down her arm. None of the others noticed, too focused on each other.

“Bruce?” The tone of her voice caught the attention of the three men in the room, all of them turning to face her and their eyes getting wide as they noticed the blood starting to drip onto the floor.

Bruce reacted first. He ripped his shirt over his head and wrapped it around her arm, applying pressure. The pain hit her all at once and she grabbed at Bruce’s arm, her fingers digging into the skin of his forearm. He looked at her, blue eyes filled with worry, as she took deep breaths to steady herself.

“Kitchen.” Alfred ordered, although they had done this so many times now, he did not actually need too. He led the way, Y/N and Bruce following quickly after him as Jason stood frozen in the main room.

She sat in the chair Alfred pulled out as he moved to get the first aid kit from under the sink. Bruce did not let up the pressure on her arm until Alfred motioned him away, taking his blood stained shirt with him. Alfred sat in the chair in front of her and took her arm in his hands as Bruce hovered next to her.

“It’s going to need stitches.” Alfred said, pressing gauze against the wound to slow the blood flow as he started getting everything ready.

“Mom?” Jason appeared in the doorway, the anger in his blue eyes replaced by fear.

“You should leave. I think you’ve done enough.” Bruce said coldly, his hands balling into fists by his side.

“Bruce, it was an accident.” Y/N said through gritted teeth as Alfred used alcohol to clean the wound. “But Jason, you have got to stop jumping to conclusions without giving us the chance to explain.”

Jason nodded. “I’m listening.”

She glanced up at Bruce, noticing the apprehension in his eyes, and turned her other hand into a fist as Alfred inserted the needle for the first stitch. “Not right now, I can’t think straight. Why doesn’t one of you make some tea? And then we can talk when Alfred’s finished.”

They both moved for the kettle, the awkwardness obvious as they glanced at each other and quickly looked away. Jason grabbed and filled the kettle as Bruce pulled out four mugs and the teabags.

***

Damian was standoffish from the start, especially towards Y/N and Grace. Grace was more than understanding, even when the boy told her he was supposed to be first born and heir to Wayne Enterprises, she was nothing but calm and collected. It seemed to work because while he was still pretty cold to her, after a few weeks, he stopped with the constant comments. But no matter how nice to him Y/N was, he was angry and borderline cruel to her. He liked to tell her that she was an obstacle to his parents’ relationship, that Bruce really loved his mother. Bruce barely saw the kid, keeping himself out of the way as much as possible.

Y/N tried so hard to keep it together in front of Bruce, only letting herself breakdown whenever he left for the night. Tonight was no different, the kid had been making comments to her all day and she tried so hard not to take them to heart. But after Bruce left for the night, the emotions that had been building spilled over and she found herself sat against their headboard sobbing into her knees. She just did not know how to get through the boy. She had got him and Grace into therapy as soon as they brought him home, but so far it did not seem to be making a difference.

“Y/N?”

She looked up to find Bruce stood in the doorway, wearing the underlayers of the suit. She hastily wiped at her eyes, but no matter how much she did, the tears kept falling. “I thought you’d left?” She choked out.

“I forgot my other phone.” He said, but he made no move to grab it, instead he moved to the bed and sat in front of her. He opened his arms and she folded into him; burying her head in his shoulder as his hands rubbed up and down her back. “Talk to me. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” She said, not wanting to cause him another reason to stress.

He pushed her back, his hands moving to her face and brushing her tears away with his thumbs. “I know you, it’s not nothing. Honey, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Damian.” She screwed her eyes shut as he went rigid. “He just makes constant comments and I know none of them are true, but it still hurts.” She confessed, pulling back from him and burying her face in her hands.

He sighed, his shoulders dropping. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I know how hard this is for you, I didn’t want to add to the stress.”

He tugged her back into him, not finding the words to say and just holding her instead.

***

Bruce started taking an active role in Damian’s life after Y/N’s breakdown. He made sure she was never alone with the boy and shut down any and all comments immediately. Y/N encouraged him to spend more time with Damian, after all, the circumstances of his birth were not the kids fault. Damian calmed down a lot and started spending time with them as a family. She tried to treat him the same way she treated the other kids, but he was still cold towards her. He had also stopped being hostile to Dick whenever he came over. Jason had not been back to the tower since he accidently sliced her arm open. She now had a lovely new scar on her forearm and the sight of it made Jason look guilty each time she went out to see him.

Y/N ran her finger over the scar, healed but still angry and red, and tried to focus on the random programme playing on the TV. Her stomach dropped, the same way it had the night the Joker had broke in. She muted the TV and sat bolt upright on the sofa. She listened carefully and could hear footsteps in the hallway. It’s just Alfred or one of the kids, she tried to convince herself, trying not to let her mind take her back to that night. She gripped her panic button in her hand as she walked down the hallway into the main room.

There was a man in a ski mask half way up the stairs.

She hit her panic button. “Hey!”

The man ran up the stairs and she followed, her only thoughts being for the kids. She caught up to him in the hallway and tackled him to the floor. It was only then that she realised he had a gun as it clattered across the floor. She lunged for it, but the guy grabbed her leg and pulled her backwards, his elbow connecting with her jaw. She tasted blood as she punched him in the nose and wiggled forward again. The sounds of fighting had clearly woken both the kids because Grace and Damian opened their bedroom doors and looked out. She kicked the guy in the face and managed to wrap her hands around the gun. She stood up, making sure the safety was off as she placed herself between him and the kids and pointed the gun at him.

“Leave me and my kids alone, walk out right now.” She warned, her hands not even shaking like she thought they would.

“We both know you’re not going to pull that trigger, princess.” He said condescendingly as he took a step towards her.

“Trust me, you don’t know what I’ll do when it comes to my children.” She warned again.

He lunged at her and she squeezed the trigger on impulse. Grace screamed and Damian made a shocked noise as the guy crumpled to the floor. Y/N switched the safety back on and dropped the gun to the floor.

“Are you both okay?” She asked, wiping the blood from her chin that was spilling from her lips.

Grace ran over and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around her and looked up at Damian. He was hesitating in his doorway, clearly shook but not willing to show it. She opened an arm in invitation and, to her surprise, he took her up on it. She wrapped the arm around him as she carefully walked them backwards out of the hall and into Grace’s room because it was the closest. She held them both close, willing her heart rate to slow down.

“Y/N?” Bruce called from downstairs, clearly panicked.

“Stay here, alright?” She told the two kids.

They both nodded and she ran back out into the hall and forced herself to ignore the man bleeding on the floor. She hit the top of the stairs as Bruce walked to the end the main room, Alfred slightly behind him.

“I’m here.”

They both spun to face her, Bruce taking the steps two at a time and wrapping her in his arms. He was still in the suit and the coolness of the plates against her took the edge off her panic slightly. He pulled back to look at her, raising a gloved hand to her face and rubbing away the blood from the corner of her mouth. “What happened?”

“There was a man.” What she had done was finally starting to set in. She glanced at Alfred as he joined them on the landing. “He had a gun, I wrestled it from him. I shot him, I think he’s dead.” She spoke almost robotically.

“Where?” There was an edge to Bruce’s voice that had not been there a moment ago.

She pointed to the hall and he started walking, taking her hand and pulling her with him. The man was still lying in the hall and a pool of blood had accumulated underneath him. Bruce crouched down, the suit creaking as he did so. Alfred joined him, resting two fingers on the man’s pulse point. He sighed and she knew he was dead.

They both stood back up and Bruce pulled the cowl off. He glanced between her and Alfred. “You’re going to call the police and tell them what happened while I go and get changed. If they ask, I’m asleep in the library. The kids?”

“They’re in Grace’s room.” She told him, her body starting to shake.

He nodded. “Call the police, I’ll be back up as soon as I can.”

It was her turn to nod, and he pressed a kiss to her temple before walking back down the stairs. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked towards Alfred. He nodded and she dialled for the police.

***

“Are you-” Y/N stopped, trying to figure out what she was trying to say. “Are you mad at me?”

Bruce’s head snapped up to look at her, his blue-grey eyes confused. “Why would you think that?”

“I-I killed someone.” She was still trying to get her head around it. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ward off the guilt and the cold. They were sat on the tower’s balcony for a change, the sun just starting to peak over the horizon as they tried to wrap their heads around the night. The police had only left about an hour ago.

“You shot a man in self-defence. You don’t know what he would have done to you or the kids. So, no, honey, I’m not mad.” He shifted forward in his seat and took her hands in his, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. He was sitting in one of the chairs at the balcony table while she was sat cross-legged on the outdoor sofa. “How do you feel?”

She shrugged, running her fingers over his palms. “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s properly sunk in yet.”

“I want you to keep talking to me okay, or your therapist, I don’t want you bottling this up.” He kept his eyes on hers.

She nodded. “I won’t.”

They both looked up as the balcony door slid open. Grace walked out rubbing at her tired eyes.

“You okay, sweetheart?” Y/N asked.

“I can’t sleep.” Grace admitted.

Y/N opened her arms and shifted on the sofa, making room for Grace to sit down. Grace folded into her, resting her head on her shoulder. Y/N ran her finger’s through Grace’s hair, meeting Bruce’s eyes as he watched them. They sat in silence for a long while and Y/N honestly thought Grace had fallen asleep until she spoke again.

“How do you both do it? Deal with those feelings every night?” She asked, her voice a whisper.

“When I first found out what he was doing, not very well.” Y/N confessed, noticing Bruce’s eyebrows raise; they rarely talked about the early days anymore. “That’s why I designed the suit the night I found out. And everything else that followed. I don’t worry as much when I’m working on something, and it helps that I know he’s safe with everything I build because I test it all myself. But even then, the worry is still there. I guess, you just learn to live with it, and when problems arise, we deal with it.”

“Yeah, we just take everything as it comes.” Bruce agreed. “But there are still some nights that are worse then others.”

They all looked up as the door opened again. Jason walked out, wearing a baggy hoodie and trousers, clearly to cover his suit. He had black eye and a busted lip that looked fairly fresh. Grace shot up from her seat and practically jumped into his arms, which was to be expected because it was weeks since Grace and Jason had last seen each other.

“I heard over the police scanner but I didn’t want to come up until they left.” Jason explained, setting Grace back on her feet and turning to wrap his arms around Y/N, who had stood from the sofa. “Are you all okay?”

“Yeah, we’re all fine.” Y/N sent him a small smile as she pulled back.

“I’m going to help Alfred with breakfast.” Grace said before turning to Jason. “You’re staying right?”

“Of course, peanut.” He ruffled her hair, his smile growing as she playfully glared at him for the childhood nickname. He watched her go before turning back to Y/N and Bruce. “They said what happened on the scanner. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Currently, I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.” Y/N told him.

“We’ll get through it.” Bruce stood from the table and rested a hand on her hip.

She nodded. “Dick’s probably on the way, I imagine the story’s broke online by now. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a family breakfast.” The look of guilt on both Bruce and Jason’s faces did not escape her.

“I’ll go and wake Damian.” Bruce said, pressing a kiss to her temple before walking back inside.

“You should take the suit off. I’m sure we can find you something that fits, even if you are a foot taller than everyone else now.” She rested a hand on Jason’s arm.

He nodded. “But before we go back in, how is everything?”

“Getting better.” She smiled.

“Good. You did what you had to do last night, you know that right?”

“Yeah, I do.”

***

After that night, Damian started to warm to Y/N. She thought it probably had something to do with the way she had kept saying my kids as she tried to protect them both. The police had no leads on who the man that broke in was and what he wanted. Bruce seemed to have taken it as a personal challenge, especially considering the man had the elevator code. After the Joker, they started changing the codes weekly, which meant someone in the building must have been working with the man. But it meant Bruce was spending almost all his time trying to find out who they were and what they wanted, leaving Y/N with Damian.

“That wasn’t the first time you shot a gun.”

Y/N looked up from the papers in front of her to find Damian stood in the entrance to the study. “What?”

“The other night, it wasn’t the first time you’d shot a gun.” He repeated.

She studied him carefully, noticing the way he was trying to look casual. “No, it wasn’t. It also wasn’t the first time someone broke in here. The first time I couldn’t do anything, so I made sure I would never be that helpless again.”

“Bruce,” He still did not call Bruce dad. “he’s Batman, isn’t he?”

“Yes.” She said, because she knew from his face that Damian already knew the answer to the question.

“Dick’s Nightwing, and my mom told me that Jason Todd is the Red Hood.” Y/N tried to not let her face fall as he mentioned his mom. “You build everything for them, because you were an engineer.”

She nodded. “To keep them safe.”

“My grandfather made sure I was trained. I could help, like Dick and Jason used to.” His face lit up at the thought.

“No.” Y/N tried to banish the image of Jason lying in her lap, bleeding out from her mind. “I already lost one kid to this. He might be back now, but he’s different. I can’t stop you when you’re older, the same way I couldn’t stop them, but for now I can.”

He seemed to accept that and nodded. “Can you- can you teach me some engineering things? I’ve always been interested, but my mom and grandad just wanted me to take over the family business.”

“Of course.” She smiled softly, finally realising that Damian had probably not had the easiest childhood. She hoped to change that going forward. “I’m going to start doing up the old Aston Martin in the garage next week because we’re donating it to a charity auction next month. You can help me with that if you want?”

“I’d like that.” He nodded.

“Alright. You better get to bed, you’ve got school in the morning.” She said, the smile still on her face.

“Goodnight.” He said before turning out of the door.

“Goodnight.”

***

Y/N glanced up from the new batons she was working on for Dick as the charger pulled into the station. She looked back down at what she was doing as Bruce walked over and started stripping out of the suit.

“Good night?” She asked.

“Not much happened.” He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and buried his face in her neck. “What about you?”

“Damian knows everything.” She told him.

He hummed. “I figured. I was just waiting for him to bring it up. What did he say?”

“He asked to help you, like Dick and Jason. I told him no, that I can’t stop him when he’s older, but I already lost one kid to this and I won’t lose any more.” She locked the mechanism into the baton and twisted the end. It buzzed with electricity before she twisted it again to turn it off and placed it down on the bench.

“I agree.”

“He then asked if I could teach him some engineering things, that he’s always had an interest but he never thought he’d get to do it. I said he could help me do up the Aston for the auction.” She twisted in his grip to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. “Are you okay with that?”

“Yeah, I am.” She gave him a small smile. “He’s warmed up to me since that night.”

“I noticed. Although it’s impossible not to warm to you when someone gets to know you.” He smiled.

“It’s all worked out now, I think.” She tangled her fingers in the hair at the base of his neck as he nodded, noticing how tired he looked. “I think we should go to bed.”

“Yeah, it’s been a long day.”

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[whumpbby]

You know what? When I wrote this post I wasn't aware that some people would pull the strangest take sout of their asses to try and 'prove' it wrong and I'm yet to see one that makes sense.

Yunmeng Jiang has need decimated. They rose from the ground, yeah, but it didn't happen overnight and it didn't happen painlessly. And it didn't happen because "Many conscripted because of Wwx being awesome, so JC didn't have to work as hard as people assume!" because while Wwx was awesome, someone had to take care of everything else. Feed, clothe, house, train these people. Organise them into some sort of order.

"Yunmeng was a rich sect, their lands were still there!" And all of their admin force has been murdered in Lotus Pier that was besieged for months and, if you don't know what people do with spoils of war, then I don't know what to tell you. Yeah, the villages around were still there - and who exactly was going to gather the taxes? Who was going to provide protection the villages paid for? Who was going to even enforce taxation (in any form it existed)? Lotus Pier was, for all intents and purposes, the centre of Jiang political and economic power (because that's how it works) and everyone there was slaughtered without a days notice. If there was more than a handful people left able to effectively manage that mess for JC, I'd be surprised.

And in the political situation the book shows us - managing that mess and fast was in JC's best interest, because hunger for power was an established theme during sects meetings.

And we are shown how JC trying to speak for the Wens once ended. And we are shown how Wei Wuxian's erratic behaviour helped other sects to spin the favour away from Jiang Cheng as a leader.

"He owned Wen the debt of honour!"

He owned his sect and family to murder every single Wen that crossed his path. That was the filial debt he laboured under. The same one that turned Wwx into a cruel killing machine. The "debt" JC was aware of was the Quins helping him for about 20 seconds he was aware of and Wen Ning bringing his parents' bodies back. For which JC didn't murder them on sight and tried to speak for them during the sect meeting. That 'debt' was a drop in an ocean of what was expected of him as the last male member of a slaughtered sect. To turn away from that would make him unfilial and dishonourable - his debt to Wen Quing was nothing compared to that.

As a sect leader at the end of Sunshot, he had nothing to offer others that would sway them to his side. He could not outbid Jin Guangshan, he could not cinbince Nien Mingjue on moral ground and, because Wei Wuxian was a heretic and his behaviour was atrocious that point, the Lan would not support him either.

I am curious to know what the fuck could he have done there? Realistically, what could a more "politically savvy" character do in his place?

"They were afraid of Wei Wuxian, he could have used his power to be heard!" at the point where Wei Wuxian was slowly going insane and started to push Jiang Cheng away? And if JC called on his brother's name to scare others into stepping back - the opposite of what he was struggling to do, because he saw the tide turning and knew people were afraid of Wwx and knew that was going to get his brother killed?

It's like people keep ignoring the fact both JC and Wwx were aware of how the sect politics were shaking out - they both knew it wasn't looking good. Except Wwx thought that by removing himself from the equation will calm the waters a bit, and JC, by the grace of being around the sect leaders, knew it will only make him a bigger target - once they could detach Wwx from the Jiang, Jin Guangshan could call the hunt.

They both tried to stop their sect from being dragged into this mess - hence the mutually agreed on decision to let Wwx leave.

That's the tragedy of their situation.

The whole situation was set up without an exit route, because the author made it so. No amount of preceived political acumen could have helped JC to get out of that corner with both Wens and Wwx in his hands.

It's not "If Jiang Cheng tried harder for his brother, Wei Wuxian and the Wen wouldn't have to die!" Because in that scenario there was no way for them to outmanoeuvre older, wealthier and more established sect leaders around them. There was no way for them to come up with a plan of action - due to the way Wwx couldn't come clean and couldn't back JC the way he needed.

On emay as well argue "Well, if Wwx came clean about his missing core (even blaming it on Wen Zhuliu) then they would be able to plan around it and find credible excuses to get sect leaders off their back!" And yet that argument isn't something that comes up often. Or even "If Wei Wuxian didn't go in blind like an idiot fighting Jin cultivators, and spent a moment planning an extraction for the Wen" it even, god forbid, "If Wei Wuxian didn't take them to the one place that carried no chance of survival for anyone and made them all a convenient target".

But then we wouldn't have a story.

Every time I see the "Jiang Cheng should help the Wen remnants!" I want to ask: fucking how??

With what political clout???

For all we know his sect at that point counts 50 men and a chicken, he has to dance to the music the Jin play for him, because that seems to be the only support he has - extremely conditional, but support nonetheless.

It's very telling he's not a part of the Brotherhood between three out of four Great Sects. His Sect is not doing great. And Wei Wuxian is not helping him in that political game he's forced to play, the opposite in fact.

Yeah, he has a debt towards Wen Quing and Wen Ning - and no way of paying it off from the place he's in.

The author tells us these things. It's the plot.

You know what would also help the Wen remnants?

Changing their names and leaving the area, and blending in with the populace - that should be extremely easy in a post-war situation, as they were mostly just folks that no one knew. Leave the country. Leave. Don't go and camp in one place like a bunch of chickens waiting for the fox to close in.

I know, right? Exactly as probable as JC somehow saving them all single-handed.

[littlemissnoname13]

Fortunate Misfortune (D.M. x Reader)| Chapter 9: Enough! All of you (vol. 2)

Summary: Its his last year at Hogwarts and former Hogwarts bully, Draco Malfoy just wants to clean up his act and get through the year. Maybe even apply for a potions fellowship and date Astoria Greengrass. His plan seems perfect on paper except for a minor hiccup in the form of a feisty Hufflepuff girl…

A/n: This multi-chapter has been in my Drafts since before I started posting on here and I’ve taken out so many scenes from it and turned them into one shots in the past. The series is almost completed and ill just be dumping it on my blog over the next few days because I don’t know what to do with it. Please do not feel pressured to read it. 😅🥲.

The first draft of this chapter was way too chaotic so I had to remove some bits. Thats why it took a while for me to update. sorry.

Reblogs and Feedbacks are always welcomed :)

Warnings: mentions of food, coarse language, making out, some slight suggestive themes but nothing too explicit, reader discretion is advised tho

Word count: 1925

Chapter 9 Vol.1| Masterlist| Chapter 10

I hate this.

I hate it here.

How could you have forgotten about the picnic at the lake? And the fact that Blaise of all people was there to see you wearing nothing but Malfoy’s sweater of all things. 

What must they be thinking?

“You know, we can always rain check if you want.” Astoria mumbled, observing the compromising position she’d found you and Draco in. “Seems like we may have…uh..interrupted something anyway.” 

“No.” You replied, and Draco suddenly remembered to put you down, dropping you on your arse flat to floor in the process. 

“Ow—Please, come on in.” You said, rubbing your elbow as Astoria walked into the room alongside Draco who awkwardly made a beeline towards his precious kettle to pour some tea for Astoria. 

Blaise kneeled on the ground so his face was leveled with yours before putting his right hand forward. 

“I guess I know why you ran away that night.” He said with a playful smirk etched on his lips. The calming smell of bergamot and sage engulfed you as you reached for his hand to allow him to pull you up. 

“No it’s not like that. I just—Draco is just—”

“As stubborn as you are.” Blaise held your hand in his for a brief minute. 

“He is?” You asked when Blaise gently pulled you towards him, placing his fingertips on your lips to quiet you. 

“Shhh…”

Only retrieving his hand back for a second, Blaise settled on tucking the strands of your damp hair away from your face so that he could lean in and easily whisper into your ear.

“Don’t look now, but Malfoy is looking at us right now.” 

“What?” 

“If my observations and calculations are correct, he is probably going to break the mug he is holding if he grips into it any harder.” 

“Blaise what are you talking abo—”

“Three…two…..one….” 

As if on cue, you heard the sound of ceramic breaking, followed by a bunch of different swear words that would make your mother put you on time out for a week straight. 

“Told you.” Blaise chuckled, sauntering into your room. 

~~~

Howling winds, rustling trees, sporadic raindrops and thunderclouds slowly approaching closer and closer. 

Leave it to you to organise a picnic in the worst weather imaginable, with the oddest bunch of people imaginable. 

Blaise was pouring fire whiskey into a thermos from his flask, Astoria was unpacking the food and you were passing it around, still wearing the sweater you stole from him on top of your white dress. 

Worse of all, Draco now found himself sitting on a picnic blanket, uncomfortably squished in between the Weasley twins. 

“Some muffins George?” Fred asked, passing a tray of muffins to his side, holding it right in front of Draco. 

Those muffins don’t look half as bad. It wouldn’t hurt to take a bite. 

“Don’t mind if I do.” Greorge answered, taking the whole tray away before Draco had the chance to even take one. 

He let out a sigh and began counting to a hundred again. 

“Nice day for a picnic, huh?” Astoria joked from the opposite end of the picnic blanket and everyone turned their heads to look at you. 

“Sorry, I can’t control the weather.” You shrugged. “Besides, this was Fred’s bright idea.” 

“You flatter me too much, y/n.” Fred waved his hands dismissively before standing up. “If everything falls into place, Pansy Parkinson should be here in about…..” 

“Ah, there she is.” George completed his twin’s sentence. 

All heads turned to find Pansy, stomping towards them with Tracey and Daphne by her side. Her hair, a bright yellow, her left and right forearms covered In tiny yellow feathers. 

“What…did you do to her?” Draco muttered under his breath, looking at the grinning redheads next to him. 

“Canary creams.” Fred mouthed in a low voice. 

“Only, we changed a few things to prolong the transfiguration. We also have an antidote with us at this very moment.” George whispered back to Draco.

“Enough! All of you!” Pansy screamed. “I’m so fucking done with this. Just make it go away!”

Everyone either looking horrified or biting back a laugh watched you slowly raise your arms to remove the sweater you had on.

Then, you reached for a glass of pumpkin juice and walked up to Pansy. 

“Truce then?”

“Truce.” Pansy screamed. “I call Truce! Just turn me back to normal already—I am getting my pictures for the yearbook taken today!”

You held your free hand out and either Fred or George (Draco was still learning to differentiate between the two) placed a muffin on it. 

Pansy quickly reached for it, and ravenously gobbled it down in one breath. 

Some sparks, a round of collective gasps and within the next minute, Pansy was no longer a half-canary-half-human—although, a strand of her hair black hair was still a bit yellow.

What you did next, surprised everyone though. 

“Here.” You sighed, handing Pansy the pumpkin juice. “It’s only fair.” 

“Why, this is unexpected.” Pansy said, reaching for the cup and dunking the entire contents of it on your head. 

“Wait, those muffins were antidotes?” Draco rubbed his face in confusion. 

“Only some.” The twins replied in unison with their eyes still fixed on the exchange taking place in between you and Pansy Parkinson. 

“You know, Pumpkin juice also stains quite a bit.” Pansy broke into a small smile. “And your dress, just so conveniently happens to be white.” 

~~~

Pansy Parkinson was many things. 

She was a prefect back in fifth year, she was one of Draco Malfoy’s many ex girlfriends, she was glamorous, polished, ruthless and sometimes outright mean.

But the way she behaved all cold and conniving was just a means to hide how vulnerable and insecure she really was.

Her pretty coffin shaped nails and designer boots only managed to hide so much. 

In those rare moments where she smiled her true smile, the idea of being friends with her didn’t seem so preposterous. 

“100 points to Slytherin.” You gave Pansy a half smile in return before picking up Draco’s sweater from the ground. 

“Where are you going?” You heard Draco call out as you proceeded to walk away from the group. 

“To clean up.” 

“You know, you are right next to a lake right?” He pointed out, jogging behind you to keep up as you walked farther and farther away from the group till you were at a mossy and secluded lake shore. 

“I can’t swim.” You muttered, kneeling at the sore to splash some cool water onto your face. 

Draco was around all the time and it was starting to mess with your head.

He brought you food from four broomsticks and gave you his sweater. He stole decorations from the Muggle studies club just so you could have a perfect night with Blaise. 

He kissed you. 

He kissed you several times. 

“Draco, I know you are a stalker but you don’t have to follow me all the time.” You sighed, turning your head up to look at him.

His eyes matched the dark grey sky that was now starting to roar.

“Go back to the picnic, it looked like you were enjoying Fred and George’s company and may I remind you that Astoria is there too?” 

He just stared at you, hands shoved into his pockets, without blinking those blue-grey eyes even once.

“You can’t swim?”  He finally asked.

“Seriously? You are just going to ignore everything else I just said?” You threw your hands up in frustration, splashing droplets of lake water his way. 

He didn’t say a word, just took a step forward and kneeled down next to you. 

“Go back, Draco.” You said firmly. 

Leave it to Draco Malfoy to do the exact opposite as you observed him quietly kick off his shoes. 

“What are you—”

The rest of your words were drowned out by the sound of the large splash in the otherwise still water when Draco threw himself into the lake.

Before you could find the time to panic or hyperventilate, he quickly emerged from the water and slicked back his hair.

The wet fabric of his cotton shirt was sticking to his body and your mind was suddenly reeling at the sight.

Draco brought his left hand above the water and you found yourself instantly wanting to reach out—to reach for him.

“Trust me on this, y/n.” He said, and you couldn’t figure out if it was a statement or a question from his side.

Even though you knew better than to grab his hand, you allowed your fingertips to gently trace his arm and Draco took that opportunity to pull you off the shore and into the cold water. 

You found your head submerged into the blue-black water and it suddenly felt like the lake was swallowing you whole until he finally pulled you up, wrapping your legs around his torso. 

“I told you I can’t swim!” You accused, coughing and wrapping your arms around his neck for extra support. “I could have fucking drowned!” 

He just let out a quiet laugh and it made you furious.

You cursed.

you swore.

you complained.

You even whined and he just waited patiently, using one of his hands to plow the water till you were done. 

“Are you done throwing your tantrums, Catastrophe?” He chuckled, and you scowled at him before reluctantly resting your head on his shoulder. 

The distant cawing of crows was signalling the upcoming storm from the heavy clouds all around you.

Even though you knew a storm was close, there was just something about him that made you feel peaceful and still.

 It was like he was your own patch of sunlight through the cloud. Your own crepuscular ray.

“You think I’d ever let you drown, hm? He whispered softly into your earlobes, pulling you back into the present moment by running his hands up and down the exposed parts of your back.

“I’ll know when I safely make it safely to the shore.”  

He left a blistering sort of heat everywhere he touched—Your arms, your sides, your back, your thighs.

 His touch was a sharp contrast to the coolness of the water.

You closed your eyes and held in a breath when you noticed that his face had drawn in closer and closer to the base of your neck.

When he finally attached his damp lips to the pulse point of your throat and started to suck softly on the skin, you released that breath you were holding in the form of a soft whimper. 

You dug your fingernails into his biceps as he continued to place slow, soft, open mouthed kisses along your jaw, your neck, your shoulders and décolletage.

Just when you were convinced the areas he kissed, the places he’d carelessly marked in blue and purple were about to burst up in flames, rain started to pour.

Soon, those livid bruises on your neck were covered in glistening raindrops.

Those rain drops even caught onto his eyelashes, his lips, his hair, his jaw making him look like he was a celestial being.

You backed away and pressed your forehead on his.

You noticed that his top two shirt buttons were undone like always and you found yourself wanting to run your fingers along his buttons and the exposed parts of his chest.

You even went so far as to let your fingers ghost along his flesh before quickly retreating. 

“You’re doing it again aren’t you?.” He breathed, inching his face closer to yours. 

“Doing what?”

His right hand met your shoulder, and he slowly trailed them upwards till his fingers could grasp the hairs at the base of your neck. 

He was close.

So very close. 

“Pretending like nothing is happening between us.” 

“But this would change everything, Draco..” You began with your fingertips brushing across his chest and resting on the left side. Right above his heart. “You know it would.”

Just hearing the palpitations of his heart made it seem like it would be utterly wrong of you to assume nothing was going on. 

Nobody’s heart pounds that way when there is nothing. 

“Que sera, sera.” He said in a hoarse whisper.

You nodded and your lips finally met his.

~~~

🏷 Series Tag-list: @sycathorn-slush @badass-yn @louweasleymalfoy @writeandtranslate @silentkiller2374 @lilmissquackson @mzmalice3 @mvdbldd @emptycanvasthings @likediamondsandgold @hey-asstown @dr4cking @flacalatke @beautiful-y/n @i-have-my-issues @daniellarogers

~~

End of chapter notes: in the original Draft, Draco was the one who was going to say “Enough! All of you.” Not Pansy. You’ll understand why in the next part.

[hart-feathers]

PSA for writers who post on Archive of our Own (Ao3) :

If you are not a creator/moderator do not approve invitations to add your works to a Collection!

It gives moderator/s some control over your fic, they can hide it from anyone outside the collection and have your fic listed as 'anonymous'

[Above screenshots taken from this Ao3 Tutorial Page]

If you have already approved an invitation you can change it to 'rejected' and it will remove your fic from the collection - more info

You can view and amend in the Collections section under Manage Collected Works

Also double check your settings in Preferences.

Make sure 'Automatically agree to your work being collected by others in the Archive' is not checked.

Collections were created for gift exchanges, events and challenges, I see no reason for them to be used outside of that, that's what Bookmarks are for.

I am absolutely not saying don't use Collections at all.

They are great for gift exchanges or themed challenges/events that are organised by a group, especially if they are people you trust.

I'm advising to be careful of Collections that are created/moderated by one person and just appear to be an assortment of fics they enjoy.

My advice is unless

- you are a creator/moderator

- the collection is created/moderated by a person/group you trust

-the work is part of an exchange/event/challenge

I would advise you reject the invitation.

I just want people to be aware that creators/moderators of collections have some control over the visibility of your story/name.

[nymphiess]

Bruh it is too late to keep an hp url/theme/posts, like normalizing/spreading content of Rowling’s is just a red flag now. There’s no separating art from artist when she’s using her popularity for money and then funneling that money into anti-trans LEGISLATURE. Continuing to create content or spread content is just normalizing her presence in fan spaces regardless of your own support or presence in trans spaces. If you say “fuck jk Rowling” now is the time to put your money where your mouth is. You can’t value a fictional universe and it’s characters more than you value the comfort of trans people who may cross your path.

Honestly anon, you're kinda right. I am trying to distance myself from it. But also keep in mind there are like some people like me who genuinely just care about 2 characters purely because of the stories they give them and that's it. The reason why I could love Tonks so much was because she's - 1.) Not even famous character, and 2- Has a really good actress. I know Rowling could never profit from me personally cuz I took media without ever paying for it. The books were like 6 years old and from a library when I read them. I have literally never bought anything else.

So here's my probably kinda immoral but my answer -> fuck her world now. Can you distance yourself from her media in such a way that you can actively go against her and yet never cause her profit even if you do occassionally dabble in it? You can? Then ok ig.

My reblogs against Rowling and support for Trans people outweighs the amount of reblogs I've ever made for hp. Natalia Tena actively donates to Trans groups and Women in Need. I donate to Trans organisations. In the end, I might never actually fully come to hate Tonks or Remus cuz they were both incredibly huge for me.

Can I keep myself away from Rowling's world if I just stay in my head? Am I allowed to daydream about 2 characters if they're just in my head and nowhere else? I'm trying my best to stay conscious of whatever I do.

So to answer this, maybe let's try to distance ourself from her work. Her world is like 90% fan content and I try to do whatever I can to not support her.

So honestly? Idk. I value my Trans community above what she created. But please realise that sometimes it's hard to quickly completely remove yourself from ideas if those ideas were kind of like you're childhood. I'm trying my best.