#but woo!! them!!

[inkwell-and-dagger]

[Silence Speaks Louder.]

Synop: Madison breaks into Foster's home to rescue Rayan, but not all goes as expected. Turns out not everyone is tired when the sun goes down.

CW: home invasion ig, implied team whump, failed escape / rescue attempt, lady whump, stabbing.

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Frigid midnight air seeped into Madison's hoodie as she picked the lock in the backdoor; infinitely thankful she'd remembered how to do it from when she'd watched Vanté do the same. As she nudged it open with her shoulder, careful to make as little noise as she could, she could only pray everybody in the house — except for Rayan — was asleep.

Quickly peeking around the corner, the photographer sighed in relief when she was certain that the house was silent. Silence was good. Silence meant nobody could watch as she fetched Rayan and got out of this hellhole. Carefully slipping past the door and closing it behind her so the wind wouldn't slam it shut and alert the inhabitants, Madison winced as the floorboards creaked under her weight; her jaw set tight as she blindly made her way through the eerie, dark building. It was clean and strangely normal looking inside, but despite the serenity of each room she felt a looming sense of dread in her stomach, growing more prominent with each step. Not enough for her to change her mind and not rescue her own brother, though.

Madison looked through every room she came across, hands feeling around every drawer and cabinet, every surface, trying to find anything that gave away that Rayan hadn't been moved somewhere else. She eventually found his phone, cracked and bloodied, which was something. Stuffing it in her pocket, she made her way back into the hall and to the staircase that led to the basement.

The darkness was unsettling her by now, so she hastily sneaked down the creaking stairs. But the closer she got to the door, the more the air grew cold and the putrid smell of decay lingered around the woman more than ever. She rattled the doorknob when she was in arms length of it, only to realise it was locked.

"Crap," Madison hissed, rattling it again to make certain that it was locked and that her arms didn't just felt shaky and weak. Foot tapping on the ground nervously, she fished in her pocket for whatever lockpicking tools she'd brought with her.

But Madison's body went rigid when she heard a low chuckle from behind her. "Are you having trouble there, милый?"

Madison couldn't stifle a yelp of pain as she was pulled backwards by her hair and pressed flush against Esrana, who was suddenly holding a kitchen knife dangerously close to the older woman's throat; as expected, Madison stopped fighting against her grip. "Move a muscle and I will give you and Rayan matching neck scar." Esrana warned in a low, dangerous tone, her broken English prominent and accent strong. Pulling the knife away, she moved to unlock the door and shove Madison in. The latter whipped around after she stumbled, eyes wide before squinting as the swaying, hanging light in the room flickered on.

"Now, ah," Esrana sighed, shutting and locking the door with a grin. "What's this little intruder doing here at night, hm?"

Madison couldn't respond, too distracted staring at the trembling, curled up form of her little brother against the wall. A blanket, dried blood coating its once probably fluffy surface, was tugged tight over his shoulders, his prosthetic discarded somewhere where he couldn't reach. It's not like he could reach too much, anyway, since his wrists were bound together with rope that rubbed against his pale skin, and a short string of it came down in a noose loosely around his neck, tied to a hook attached to the ceiling. Rayan couldn't move unless he wanted to risk being choked. He looked like a trainwreck; probably why she couldn't seem to look away.

"...Maddie...?"

"Quiet, thing." Esrana snapped back, causing the poor boy to flinch away and fall silent again.

That regained Madison's attention. She glared over to the shorter woman, hands tightening into white-knuckled fists. "Listen, I don't wanna have to hurt you, kid. Let Rayan go."

Esrana just smirked. "Why should I? It is monster, for God's sake."

"No he isn't! He's trying to be better, plus the whole incident was years ago. This has gone on for too long, Esrana, just let him go. This is petty."

"Incident? It is serial killer. It ruined the lives of so many people, and you're calling the ordeal an incident as if it were all some accident?"

"He wasn't in the best mental state, but he's getting better. He's improving, but this—" She gestured broadly to the basement, shoulders tensed. "Isn't helping. Let the guy go."

"And what do you propose I do with you?" The knife pointed to Madison's chest. "I'm not letting both of you go."

"I..." Madison was stumped. On one hand, she wanted the best for her precious little brother; even at her own expense. But on the other hand, she had a wife now, not to mention she wanted to be there for Vanté, and Tadhg growing up, and to keep Zuriel and Aarin company on sleepless nights, and to welcome the newly revived Vesker back home. But...

"..Cat got your tongue?"

"I- No, just take me instead."

"What?!" Rayan exploded, voice cracking and weak. "You can't take her! I—"

"Shush!" Esrana hissed angrily through gritted teeth, and that immediately quietened the immortal down again. Raising one hand, she held it out to Madison, who reluctantly shook it. "Deal. We will keep you."

Madison was going to respond, before a sharp cry was ripped from her throat as she felt something sharp stab into her leg, piercing through the fabric of her trousers. The knife was ripped out again, and Esrana managed to hold her up against the wall as she stabbed it back into her other leg. "I'm glad it hurts, Madison." She said cheerily, relishing in the teary glare Madison gave her in response.

As soon as Esrana let her go, she sank down the wall with a whimper. She grunted as the looming figure of her captor kicked her in the ribs, clutching onto her injured side with a scowl.

As Esrana sauntered across the room and placed the bloodied kitchen knife on some sort of drawer, Madison held her distressed brother close to her chest. "We will let the creature go tomorrow," Esrana stated in an almost reluctant tone, before flashing a grin as she flicked off the light. "If we remember."

The door closed and locked within a matter of seconds, and Madison groaned in frustration as she rested her head back against the bloodied wall. She gently pulled Rayan against her chest, rubbing his arm soothingly.

"She's not gonna remember, is she...?" He managed to mumble in her ear.

No, she wanted to reply. But she just shrugged in response, biting back another pained noise as the wounds in her leg throbbed painfully. She fished in her hoodie pocket and placed Rayan's phone in his lap as she felt her consciousness slipping.

—> —> —> —> —> —>

(Vantè and Vesker both belong to @er0s-1s-whump1ng / @paranoia-exe!!!)

[jackalopescruff]

That girl with the fat tummy and loud laugh will save you

[remxedmoon]

yknow i think their cloak should be a little stained actually. just a little.

[kazehita]

This is only the beginnings of my have-you-played-ISAT propaganda so be ready

[iamacolor]

Some of the ways in which Sol and Sunjae are similar ✨

Kim Hye Yoon and Byeon Woo Seok in LOVELY RUNNER (2024)

[starzgaze]

"DARLING NO ESCAPE♡♡"

"i swear this is the last time I'm leaving them alone with you"

"oh it was just one time! and the chase was pretty fun don't you think?" -S.JW & L.Z

I'm actually insane over these two ahhah........ save me... anway reqs open hah...

[doodle--den]

2 am brains and brawn doodle!!!

(Pretend he’s yelling at Leo)

[sketchy-tour]

I need him to bury me in affection right now

[welcometogrouchland]

ANOTHER SKETCH DUMP! Featuring more of me playing with lineless art. Batman reborn era trio (dick, damian and steph) I miss you...when will you return from war. Also featuring Steph designs bc I've seen ppl dissatisfied w/ her current look, some good mom Talia, and Jason Todd poetry club. Duke is confused not that Jason would start a poetry club but that he'd have such mid poetry opinions. (ID in Alt)

[herebutnotpresent]

Royal Fire Academy era girls

炎炎炎炎炎炎炎₊·*◟(˶╹̆ꇴ╹̆˵)◜‧*･炎炎炎炎炎炎炎

(individual images under the cut)

˚₊*(ˊॢo̶̶̷̤◡ुo̴̶̷̤ˋॢ)*₊˚⁎

[nibbelraz]

Here's to a New Year where we actually communicate 🥂

[super-marvel-dc]

Bucky, holding a rock: Y/N just gave this to me and said "I feel like you deserve the moon but all I can give you is a rock."

Thor: If you don't marry them, I will.

[dukeofthomas]

Here's my controversial opinion; if you're trying to write Bruce as a non-abusive, good parent, you should also write him respecting his kids' privacy, boundaries, and not stalking&surveying them.

[stark-lord]

Constantly plagued with thoughts of Edwin now knowing he enjoys being courted and Charles (compulsive charmer) with a whole new arsenal up his sleeve (laser focus on Monty’s whole deal)

“I mean, my smile is prett-y convincing” yeah yeah okay I can see where this is heading. Outlook not so good (for me)

[ratsname]

WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD WILL WOOD

[iamacolor]

Casual touches between Sol and Sunjae 💛

LOVELY RUNNER - EPISODE 16