#can already tell he's gonna have people acting foolish

[sionnach-uaine]

Knowing how some people on tumblr can be about the fictional men they like I'm so scared to check the IDV tag for the next like 5 months lmao

[rationaliity]

gonna just drop a bulletpoint story out there because this aint a lot to go off of but you're soooo right, speak your truth i love you. you're putting two of my favorite things together, ratio and kitsune / foxes

♡ kitsune! ratio who got eight tails, some joke its one tail for each subject that he's graduated college with a master's degree for

♡ he's really is far more playful than people give him credit for, although in his own deadpan kind of way

♡ like, no, he doesn't outright make jokes, but he'll say stuff that goes over people's heads and then loudly exclaim " why do i even bother ?! " with a feigned annoyance, but it's okay because its ratio and it's cute

♡ he really takes the ' sly fox ' thing to heart. i mean, he already works in the shadows, sly is just a part of who he is

♡ but he is still a good person !! people may often assume that he's not because of how he acts and they attribute that to being a kitsune, but he really does care about humans

♡ especially one stupid little human who likes to visit the shrine he lives at a lot

♡ yeah, you caught his attention, but he would much rather die than admit that to you

♡ he doesn't say anything when you offer him the good tuna while he's in his fox form, even though it irks him a little bit because he's a fox, you moron, not a wild cat

♡ shouldn't you be trying to run away from him anyways ? why are you so brazen about walking up to a fox ? don't you know that they're wild animals and they can hurt you if they wanted to ?

♡ you're so lucky that he doesn't want to, otherwise it would be a problem on your side

♡ he eats the tuna every time you bring it for an offering, enjoying it even though he bites back a snarky comment every single time

♡ he's smart enough not to bite the hand that feeds him. his shrine is so far out into the woods that you're really the only one who comes to visit him from time to time, something that he was silently grateful for

♡ he's not tied to the shrine, he can leave if he wanted to, and he's often out and about doing whatever he wanted to, usually finding a hapless human like you and quietly guiding them towards a better solution

♡ but you liked to visit the shrine every wednesday, so he made sure he was there every wednesday

♡ why ? because he wanted to

♡ when he finally revealed his true form to you, it was purely to educate you on something stupid that you had done, at least that's what he told himself

♡ you'd gotten cut by the bramble out in the forest while making the trip to him, and so of course he had to show his true form to bandage your wounds, that was only proper of him

♡ while biting your ear off about not even worrying about the wound until you were at the shrine. what if it got infected, or worse ? you truly were a foolish human

♡ all eight of his tails are angrily flicking the ground below him as he patches you up the best he can, meanwhile berating you for your idiocy, something that he cant stand

♡ and you're just smiling like a moron, too, despite being injured ! he can't wrap his head around you !

♡ finally, once youre all taken care of, he has to ask why you offer him food, when he just looked like a regular fox to you at the shrine

♡ possibly the most annoying thing ever, you don't have a good answer. no profound understanding, just because you want to

♡ he's so frustrated with you he's sure he may pop a blood vessel, and you offer to leave, but he tells you to stay. it would've made the trip and your injury meaningless if you left so suddenly without staying for anything

♡ and when the sun begins to set, you find him... following you away from the shrine ?

♡ ask him what he's doing and he's just going to give you a simple answer, and if this should've been common knowledge to you all along, and you were an idiot for asking

♡ " of course, someone has to watch over you to make sure you don't accidentally get yourself killed. "

— ♡ rationaliity 2024

[euniexenoblade]

I debated if I wanted to mock this post/screenshot for a couple hours and i decided I was just gonna go in line by line and dissect it

"being poly is a choice you make. not an identity you cannot change."

I disagree. I struggled with this through most of my teens and early twenties. The desire to be with multiple people was strong and the concept that I couldn't be with all of them was very confusing and hurtful not just to me, but the people I was with. Had I been taught what polyamory is younger and had known that monogamy is not actually the only way you're allowed to be, i'd have probably been able to stop struggling with this much sooner. Do I think this was as big of a mental struggle as being gay or trans? Nah. But it was certainly an issue that ate away at me.

As much as polyamory was a choice, so was me being trans was a choice. I would say both are inherent to who I am. Just because something isn't inherent to your identity, doesn't mean it isn't inherent to mine.

The second paragraph is a gross misinterpretation of what was said. I said abused poly people in relationships they cannot escape will likely cheat when they do find love. The same is true for monogamous people who cannot escape relationships. This happens all the fucking time. To women. To gay people. To trans people. To poly people. This is so utterly common it's an overused trope in story telling.

"OBVIOUSLY abusive situations aside"

The post was about abusive situations. You're already throwing away the core concept to the post.

"why are you staying with someone you are completely incompatible with"

This shows how this person has no value for relationships. Just because you realize you're poly doesn't mean your feelings for an individual disappears. You want to see if this relationship can still work, whether monogamous or polyamorous. Not to mention so many people would find themselves homeless or penniless by just leaving. There's no actual understanding of love and relationships and the heart here.

"you don't need to pursue any kind of relationship ever"

And gay people don't have to be in gay relationships. Trans people don't have to transition. Doesn't change the longing to experience what you want to experience.

"where exclusivity is agreed upon"

I know poly people who entered relationships under the premise the other person was poly, just for that person to decide "actually I'm monogamous, and I'll kill myself if you leave me." You have no understanding or empathy.

"wanting to be poly does not excuse cheating what is wrong with you people"

Look I agree cheating sucks and violates trust, but acting like it's the worst thing in the history of ever is just childish. I get it hurts but at the end of the day, you do not own another person's body and sometimes shit happens. I just do not care what other people do with their own bodies and you cannot make me believe I'm supposed to care. If my husband goes and fucks someone without my permission (which he commonly does) then that's rad. I hope he has fun. If my wife goes and fucks someone I don't know (which she regularly does) then fuck yeah I hope they both had fun. Y'all are too fucking uptight.

Also the tags

The "monogamous people are losers and shouldn't get a say in anything" was something I said in reply to a heckler on my 'monogamous people often abuse poly partners' post. To take it solely as 100% serious opinion is foolish and childish.

"I cheated cuz waaa"

I've never cheated on any partner. The post isn't even saying it's ok cheat, it's saying that poly people get branded as cheaters whether they do or don't. But I'll say it here just because it's so controversial that it pisses losers off: it's ok for polyamorous people to cheat on monogamous partners. Get out before they abuse you.

[outivv]

That stupid doctor and his stupid favoritism. His idiocy causes for you to have twice the work that normal just to keep up with his schedule on top of your own! You’re already Dottore’s assistant, but now you also have to go along to all his meetings, supervise new clones with him, sometimes go on trips with him, and do your own research. He truly thinks you can do it all, and have no problem either- but you’re not like him. You can’t casually make a fake god out of some trans boy and a chess piece, you don’t even know why he hired you for this job, you were kicked out of the akademiya for… poor grades, and then Dottore just scooped you up and gave you a job here. It’s baffling, really- but… to be fair the job pays well, and Dottore gives you special treatment. “Don’t touch that. It’ll melt your face off.” Dottore warns sternly, because if you were anyone else- he wouldn’t warn you.

“But what if I wanna be an odd, oblong goo face?” You say, almost smug as you look at Dottore- who promptly looks… disgusted.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s foolish, and a waste of your time.”

“But anything that makes me happy isn’t a waste of time in my opinion.”

“Would that really make you happy?”

“I dunno, would it?”

Dottore looks unimpressed. He just looks at you, and you can feel his annoyed glare from under his mask- especially as you play with the vile of face melting liquid. He can’t help the sigh that comes out of his mouth, getting a headache from you… damn you, and being his favorite. “Must you always be so difficult?” Dottore grumbles, his sharp teeth showing off for just a moment as he returns to what he’s doing. “I think you quite like my difficult-ness.” Your smug attitude is not helping the situation. “I mean, I heard from Pantalone that you asked for quite a large sum of money for a ‘gift’ of some sorts. Course, he wouldn’t tell me the details.” Fuck you caught onto him. Dottore curses, and mumbles under his breath something about that ‘stupid banker and his stupid fat mouth that won’t shut up for two goddamn seconds’. Yes, well- Pantalone is known as quite the gossiper and chitchatter, and you have tea with him on the weekends. Unbeknownst to Dottore.

The sigh that escapes him again is one of defeat, and would put any other person into a coffin just at how frustrated he sounds too. “Yes? What if it?” Oh, now look at Dottore trying to be all nonchalant about it, well- luckily for you… you’re nosey. “I heard it’s a new creation, hm?” You say, examining your nails a bit, before your eyes flicker up to the doctor, and he just taps his fingers against the table in… such fucking annoyance. “Mhm. I usually go to Pantalone for funding. This time was no different.” Dottore says, acting like he’s not about to explode- but he could never do that to his favorite assistant. “Did you not hear me when I said that Pantalone specified that it was a gift?” Your snark is gonna get you nowhere yet… everywhere with Dottore, as he pushes away from the table he was standing at, and starts walking away. “Come now.” He beckons, not even looking back, but soon hearing the tap of your shoes following him. You simply go over to Dottore’s main workbench, and he sits down- pulls almost a billion little things out of drawers, and then… he assembles a box.

“What’s this?” You say, just curious, really. “Well you open it, and you look inside.” Oh, now he’s gonna be snarky back with you, huh? You roll your eyes, before gently lifting the lid of the box, and you’re disappointed to find a music box. How cliché of him. As if expending that, Dottore gently slides the box over to himself, simply twists the knob and then… a whole projection appears. The room, turns to an elegant ballroom, with figures dancing elegantly across the floor, and with you and Dottore in the middle. You’re stunned, shocked… other words for surprised- and you reach out to try and touch one of the projected people. Your fingers go right through them, until Dottore reaches out through the person, and grabs your hand.

“At the last… fatui event, I noticed you were rather… shaken up. I assumed it was because of the people, considering you seem most comfortable around the lab even when it’s just the two of us. No segments, no people, no distractions. And now, it’s the same in the ballroom…” Dottore says, taking his mask off, and nearly holding his breath as he looks down at you. Dottore has never been a man that you’ve known to be nervous, let alone reveal his thoughts to you in any way… he’s always been some kind of enigma, but that’s probably because he pretends to be this complicated man of extreme power and science. Now, he seems like something simpler, with his red eyes staring at you, as if begging for you to approve- and express some kind of gratitude. He’s arrogant, but even he needs validation.

“Dottore… this is fucking insane.” Is all you can say, you your hand ends up holding his, so… he’ll assume that it’s good? “That’s what people usually say to me.” He says, almost… playful?! Who the hell is this man and what has he done with Dottore who you one time saw eating straight up mayonnaise out of the container. “I mean, when you have elaborate ideas like this, I suppose I wouldn’t blame them.” You mumble, curiously looking at Dottore. What’s his aim here? What does he want from you? What is he trying to get. Before your mind can ask too many internal questions, Dottore clears his throat, and closes the music box, making the projection stop in the blink of an eye. “Well, there? Satisfied with knowing your gift before you were supposed to even get it? Brat.” Dottore says, almost angry, while he glares at you- and puts his mask back on. “Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you, this is my favorite gift I’ve ever gotten…” you genuinely say, holding the box as Dottore practically shoves it into your arms and he starts dismissively walking off. He pretends to not hear you, but you can see the burning red of his ears. Damn him and his favoritism towards you.

[threepandas]

Bad End: Games Played

As children, we learn to play the Quite Game.

It's rather simple. You scrunch down real small, ball yourself real tight, and find the bestest most hard to reach hiding spot you can! Then? Oh THEN, children, we all get really, REALLY quite. Until mummy or daddy find you. And no matter what, no matter WHO, you Do Not Move, until THEY come and find you.

Not for treats. Not for hugs. Not for threats or scary noises.

No. Matter. What.

To the others, it was a game. But to me? Born just a bit... different? I looked my parents in the eyes, saw the fear that lived there. That hunted them and haunted their dreams. I watched the way they acted. Guarding me. Never letting me wander. Keeping me between them as they slept. Holding me, shielding me. Both whispering their lessons, their love, each moment they could.

And I knew it was no game.

I was an obedient child. Perhaps that is why I lived, where others did not.

Or perhaps? It was my vague, half remembered, knowledge of this world. To be more exact, the chronological series of Otome games, set in this world. Endless streams of political and social clusterfucks, that cast the map into conflict after conflict, all for the selfish romances of a few. Pseudo-historical straight to pseudo-modern magical realism.

Clans of mages. Elves, werewolves, the whole shebang. All trapped in an endless cycle of conflict. Sometimes silent, sometimes open. Always, soaked in blood.

But hey... at least the Protagonist is happy! Right?

We should be furious. We should HATE them.

Our Clan? Did shadow magic. Unfortunately. Because unsurprisingly, Otome troupes ran true, and we? Have a complete Edgy Little Fuckboi as our Clan Heir. Worse still, I RECOGNIZE that Edgy Little Fuckboi! The fucking chuunibyou is a romance target!

I'm sorry, I was under the impression the Clan Heir's job was to KEEP US ALL ALIVE! Not get your DICK WET! But, my bad! My fucking MISTAKE! How COULD I have BEEN so foolish! You go on, then! Just piss RIGHT off, and leave the rest of us to suffer, while you chase SOMEONE ELSE'S GIRLFRIEND!

Fuckwit!

Ha ha.... oh god. We're all gonna die. Aren't we?

We should trust Alphard. No one else understands us.

Everyone? Absolutely fucking EVERYONE? Waves it off. 'Just a phase' and 'he's young, he'll get it out of his system'. As though the problems doesn't run deeper. As though the Clan Head isn't an old man, barely holding us together. As though he isn't planning to hand it all over to a chuunibyou who refuses to sit still and LEARN ANYTHING. Who picks fights he expects US to win for him. Expects US to die for him.

So he can look 'cool'.

Alphard is basicly running this place. But does the Clan Head care? No. Because Alphard is a 'half-breed'. Because ALPHARD has the audacity to be, what? Fire Mage?! Oh dear god! Not ANOTHER GROUP OF HUMANS!? Gasp! Shock! Someone call the fantasy church! Fuckers.

Ooooh but their TEMPER! Everyone knows how UNSTABLE they are!

We should show them 'Unstable'. Make them regret what they've done.

'Bout to see up close and in person MY 'temper' and 'unstable' fuckin BOOT, old man!

No, I don't care if that made sense! Shut up! Fuck you! I get to be upset, okay!? This is nepotism and it's dangerous! And... and NO ONE LISTENS TO ME! It's like they're merrily marching towards a cliff and calling ME paranoid for pointing it out! Telling me to calm down. To stop exaggerating. It's a CLIFF!

The only one who listens? Is Alphard.

Alphard is our friend. Alphard listens to us. We should Trust Alphard.

Storming towards his office, shadows writhing in my wake, I seriously wonder. Would I have gone completely apeshit by now with out him? Left the clan? I don't know how he can bear it. The weight of their stubbornness. Their wilful blindness, which IS going to get people hurt. Killed. Probably already fuckin has.

How many more clansmen do we have to LOSE?

They'd tucked him away in some side wing, like some dirty little family secret. I'd always hated it. Big whoop! He gets two powers instead of one! Jealous ass little shits. It was fear and politics. I KNEW it was! He refused to say so, but I KNEW. And no amount of pained smiles and changing the subject would make me drop it!

It wasn't RIGHT.

God, the more time went on? The angrier I felt about it. The more it burned me. Ate me up inside. It's like my temper just...? Gah! Fuck this and fuck THEM! We don't need them! We should leave! Just the two of us. Go and never com-!

.....wait a second... that's not... right....

My head pounds with the worst sort of migraine. Shadows hissing like angry cats, as they crawled viciously around my head. Chasing whisps of something they can't seem to catch. I stopped between hallways. In one of our Clan's many, MANY shady areas. Leaning more into the darkness... helped. Made my head hurt less.

God, I've got to talk to talk to Alphard about this. It's starting to really worry me. The anger, the snarling flare ups, the dark moods. Not to mention the obsessive thoughts. It wasn't like me. Might be a curse? Maybe. Could be fire magic or related, so he would know. And if not? Well, nothing beats Fire for burning curses away.

....actually, Light, might. But we are A PROUDLY BIASED household here, thank you. So like? Not gonna SAY Shadow magic is BEST magic... BUT it absolutely, totally IS. And Alphard? OBVIOUSLY the greatest Fire Mage alive! No I will not be taking questions, thank you and goodnight.

We should see Alphard, we miss him.

Yeah... yeah I do really miss him, dont I? Where is he?

My head throbs viciously. Ow. It's been getting worse. My control too. My shadows fighting me at every turn. Which? Scares me more. Because YEAH, others? Have been big on the 'beat them into submission' tract of Shadow Mastery. But ME? No, no. I know for a FACT. You can not rule through fear. Not for long.

Bribery and alliances work wonders. Friendships and love. My shadows get FED. They get CUDDLES. I take my shadows for enrichment walkies and give them interesting puzzle boxes to play with. They fuckin LOVE me. Would meat thresher through CITIES if I asked.

So to suddenly Stop Listening?

It means they think I'm... I'm not myself. They are making the executive decision to act on my behalf, to protect me, even if they have to do so FROM me. And... and I don't know what's causing it. Don't know what's wrong or how to fix it. I'm getting scared.

Because something is very wrong.

Everything is fine.

Another wave of vicious hissing, of throbbing pain in my head. This time though... THIS time? I think I felt that. The discordant thoughts. The contradiction. That isn't me. There's something in me head that DEFINITELY isn't me! No there isn't. No WONDER my Shadows are so pissed! Fuck!

I stick to the darker hallways. It helps with concentration, the pain. Whatever is in my head? Is like sticky, burning, spiderwebs. Like trying to grab at thin lines of super heated metal, covered in tar. How... how LONG has it all BEEN there?

You should leave it. You don't know what you're doing. You could get hurt.

Oh fuuuuck YOU. Get out of my HEAD! Where is Alphard?

I stumble down the final hallway to his so called 'office'. It was a guest room once. As a kid, I helped him convert it. Back when the old fuck refused to step down, despite his son and heir, the next clan head, being DEAD. And? AND!? That Heir's fuckin chuunibyou kid being a tiny, insufferable, brat.

We get it! You're hurting! EVERYBODY'S hurting! Your fuckwit parents got HALF THE WARRIORS KILLED! We STILL haven't recovered from that. And Edgy pants goes on and ON about the 'glory of his ancestors' as though? He's not talking about his PARENTS. One generation fucking BACK!

That family ORPHANED me. But do you see ME starting shit? No!

Yet? God forbid the Old Bastard do what's RIGHT for the Clan! No, no! Between a literal infant, a FUCKING ZYGOTE, and a fully grown adult? Better pick the baby! Who CARES that Alphard was the better choice!? Chuunibyou brat is BLOOD! And we CAN'T have the 'half-breed' nephew in charge!

Better connections? More accomplishments? Fully trained and, once again, AN ADULT? All irrelevant. He's too fucking well liked! Too TRUSTED! Too much a THREAT to your precious little legacy and hold on power. So hey, fuck the rest of the Clan! Right? Why would WE need competent leadership!? You can just shove all the work you can no longer DO, on to Alphard.

Force him to rule in all but name. All but honor and title. Spit in his face then tell him to thank you.

Bastard!

He isn't there, in his over crowded office. Piles of paperwork. Empty tea cups, long cold. Mismatched pillows I'd stolen from around the compound, to make it feel less depressing. His classy art pieces mixing with my cheap, shitty ones. The souvenirs I'd brought back, again and again, because I do not forget my friends.

My head hurts so bad. How long has it been building?

Another wave of pain, as my Shadows hissing and growl in outrage, writhing like electric snakes around me. Safe and stronger, here in the unlit office of a friend. They want 'it' out. Hunt and hunt, but can not catch hold. How strong must the caster be? Older then me, probably. Far more experienced. I've been pretty diligent.

They'll stand no chance, though, against Alphard.

He's the best curse breaker I know. Honestly? He's the best at a lot of things. It's been great to learn from him. And he's? Gonna lose his SHIT. He already worries when I go out without him. But to find out somebody slipped a curse on me? Ooooh, shit. I'd almost laugh, if my head didn't feel like it was in a VICE.

Man's gonna feed them their KNEES.

As a PASTE.

.......I wonder, now that I think about it? Looking around the crowded office space? If Alphard has any pain meds? He SHOULD. There's no way in hell, he deals with chronic stupid all day without headaches. He should? Definitely have something for this. Probably. Might not actually FIX it, since it's magic based, but it can't HURT.

Decided, I get up. Slowly. Spread my shadows out. They love doing simple, achievable, tasks. Like 'find the box!' Or 'open this puzzle!', usually for treat rewards. (Cup time, usually. Or bits of my food. But honestly? They LOVE cup time. They like to hide under it and push it around the floor. Each group of them have favorite cups.)

Nothing but paper, cups, snacks, a couple piles of pillows, and a coat I had forgotten. Huh. Maybe his desk? Would make the most sense I suppose. It'd be on hand. Head and neck, one big regret, I stiffly shambled over. Organized chaos. More nonsense and damages caused by chuunibyou and his sycophants, in the name of luuuuuv~. God damn it.

At least no one died... this time.

I tear my eyes away from the top page. The one next to it? Shouting reports. Elves: pissed, werewolves: pissed, everybody: pissed. Guess who's fault? Oh fantastic! So THAT'S why he's not in his office. Probably trying to keep us all from dying. Another report after that. Protagonist-chan.... wow that's unflattering. Word it a little harsher, why don't you?

My eyes absent-mindedly keep scanning, as I look for a med box. Some sort of pill bottle. Something that might hold headache medication. Nothing on top of the desk. Drawer? Should be top right one, right? Since he's right handed? Easiest to reach. Let's see... pens, pens, spellwork paper, brushes, mints, bottle! AaaHAH! I hold it up to what little light there is and squint.

Wow. That's pretty strong. And not just for headaches.

.....should I have a talk with Alphard? Probably. Maybe? Definitely keep an eye on this. Don't wanna be jumping to conclusions, here. Still! Helpful. Down the hatch!

I pop back one of his pills, stealing one of his fancy tea in a can. He may complain, but we both know he won't stop me. Nor does he even mean it when he does. I'm like this sorta needy, demanding, housecat. I wander in, eat his food, tell him to pay attention to me, then wander off. Should have known better then to feed me, that first time~! He got stuck with me ever since.

Briefly a burning wire escape my grip. We should-Stop THAT! I beat it back down. Violently. It's taking a lot more concentration, more pain, then I'd like to admit, to fight it. Damn near wack a mole in my brain. There's no-CEASE! Desist! You are NOT welcome! Get! GET!

The pain meds are definitely helping. A LOT.

In fact...? Huh. Looking around? Without the pain to distract me? Those... aren't my shitty art works. Not the meme-y ones I bought, that I thought he'd like, nor the pieces I made in various art classes. They're just...? Random cheap art.

What the fuck?

Was Alphard ROBBED? Also? Where are HIS pieces? That one with the lady and the clearing? The couple dancing near the lake? That little statue? It's all random snobby fake art. Like someone wanted to give the IMPRESSION that nothing had changed, but had cleared out everything personal...

Alarmed. I looked down at the can I grabbed. It was the kind he offered to guests. Kept for me. Because... because he couldn't STAND it. Too sweet. Tearing the mini fridge back open? Nothing but cheap tea cans and teas he hated remained.

I slammed it closed. Urgently reached for the tea cubbies. Fancy LOOKING teas. The kind Alphard always makes fun of. Quality is in the tea, not the pretty pictures on the box, he says. His tea is GONE. Worse? MY drinks are gone! Why are MY drink-? The coat!

My hand snaps out. The coat flung into it by my shadows. The instant it touchs my palm, I know it is wrong. Too rough and too new. Some modified mimicry that my shadows could tell apart from the original. It's not their fault. They don't have senses like mine. I stare at it, feeling a building sense of panic, before look back up at the room around me.

Is... is ANYTHING where it should be?

Gaze snapping from place to place, shaking as the panic starts to swallow me whole, I realize... No. Not a single thing. It's all staged. Made to LOOK like nothing's wrong. When... when everything IS. Oh god. Where is Alphard? What the FUCK have they DONE to him?!

I drop the coat. The drink. Adrenaline slamming into me like a truck. Slamming the door open, I flood the hallway beyond with writhing, furious night. I AM Shadow and it IS Me. We run. Hunting, hurting, FURIOUS. If they have hurt our friend? If they DARE have-!

A howling whistle splits the night, closer, Closer, BANG. The compound rocks with the force of the explosion. The wards hiss to life like great titans of black sand. Ink dark, they nerely block out all light. Casting eerie spell light over the buildings below, as lights flip on. More whistling. Booms.

We are under attack.

For an instant, I am torn in two. Half of me? Demands I find my friend. They other half? Knows that I must protect the Clan. We stand together or we DIE together. Loyalty wins out. My parents, Alphard, the people I care about, they would never forgive me, if I abandoned my post now.

I turn from my hunt. Race towards the ward stones out front. I'll have to help the others reinforce them. Lend the Clan my strength. As long as they can't get in? We should be-

The wards SHUT OFF.

Even as I run, fast as I can, I watch with horrified eyes... as they slide back away. No. No no NO! They should do that! That CAN'T DO THAT! That's IMPOSSIBLE! Those are SEIGE Wards! Built over generations! Hundreds of mages poured power into them! Went over them with pin prick combs! They don't 'malfunction'!

Oh god. Please, God, NO!

Did someone SHUT THEM DOWN?!

Ahead, the sounds of violence and chaos draw near. Above, I can finally see what's raining down on us. It's war magic. FIRE war magic. Thrown from air ships, who's spotlights bathe the compound in a terrible, all consuming light. All the better, to prevent our Shadows from reaching even a single one of them.

Someone told. They didn't know about that limitation to our powers before. Our front gate! Open! Traitor, traitor, TRAITOR! WHO!?

Across the chaos, the bloodshed and death, familiar color catches my eye. Explosions and spotlights light him from above. The airships blades, kicking up leaves and dust. That familiar, familiar color. From his Father.... the fire mage.

Alphard stands so calmly, one hand still resting on the command stone for the wards. As chaos reigns around him. The pleased little smile on his face, the one he wears, when all his plans come together, ever so nicely. No. Please. No.

His eyes are so cold. So flat.

He feels nothing as they die. Doesn't even glance, at the kinsmen desperately calling his name. Dying at his feet. He... he doesn't look away. Just raises one hand, one finger, and...

"Shhhhhh~ Be. Good." He says, utterly silent in his betrayal.

My world shatters.

I run.

Slamming my palm against the evacuation alarm, sirens begin to blare. It's over. It's all... all fucking over. How could he? H-How COULD-? Grief wants to choke me, blind me, but I don't have the TIME. I have to get out. Survive. I.. I can cry later. Mourn for the friend I THOUGHT I had, later. I trusted him. FUCK, I TRUSTED him!

I skid around the corner, heading towards the closest exit. Gotta grab my bug out b-!

Shadows in the darkened hallway surge, up and over, like a heavy hand slamming down. I barely drag myself out of the way. Lose my footing as I do. Go crashing to the floor. Scrambling, I turn as my shadows hiss, only to be met with deeper rumbling thunder. Shit. No!

I try to get up. Fling my self up into a run. Only to meet a shadow formed backhand. Smashed, thrown. Finding myself slammed back, onto the floor, wheezing. The air knocked out of me. Lightly, dark shapes takes form. Alphard stepping through blank and barren wall, using the Shadows under his control as a medium.

Not a hair out of place.

Just the two of us.

Alone.

"Why the rush, mischief?" He teased lightly, as though my world was not collapsing, all around us. As though my best friend had not betrayed me, betrayed US, to our doom. Up and down the hall, sirens blared. "You look upset."

I snarled. Grief and betrayal twisting into something ugly in my chest. Hand whipping out, I aimed for his fucking throat.

"Ah~, you're mad. Is this because I didn't consult with you first? Mischief, there was so much to do! You know you hate all those boring political meetings. Alliance work and archival research. Sweetie, there were stake outs! You hate those."

Effortlessly, he leaned out of the way of my attacks, looking amused and unbothered as he continued to speak. I RAGED. Screamed. Taking chunks of the wall behind me, to use as projectiles. Anything. Anything, anything, ANYTHING! Just HURT, damn you! TRAITOR! How COULD YOU!?

In the distance... the haunting, damning, final cries of my kin, as the died.

I Trusted You!

"I know~" he laughed, as though nothing had changed. As though this were a fucking GAME! "It was so easy, too."

His voice became two toned in a way that could only be magic. One that was heard, one that was felt. One that... that I had...! Realization did not crash. It seeped, like the cold and fatal poison it was. His betrayal was not NEW... was it? Not SUDDEN.

I... I had been betrayed long, long ago.

No you weren't. Alphard loves you~

How long had he been in my head? He was my magical instructor. I had hated the Clan's main teachers. Right? DID I? Could I even know? H..How much? For HOW LONG?! I was a CHILD! Had no defenses against the manipulations of my mind! Would you really stoop so LOW?! Was ANYTHING real!? ANY part of out friendship-!?

I choked, on the sob I refused to let him have. He... he didn't have the RIGHT.

"Oh, Mischief." He said, sounding mournful as he strolled easily through the ruins I had created around us. "Don't cry. Shhh, shhhh. It's okay, dear. You're upset. This is upsetting, I understand that. But we will preserver, overcome, and together? We will get through this."

We? There was no 'WE'. N-Not anymore. Not after THIS.

"Oh but that's where you're wrong, Mischief." He breathes out, like the confession of the truely insane, his voice soft. Yet, somehow? Bonechilling in how loud it seemed.

"I get you."

"That's the first thing I demanded, after all! No more idiots. No more dead weight. No insults, fools, or brats I can't break! Ha ha! Just me and my Mischief! Free at last! And all it cost me? Was my chains. Best of all? All the idiot Fire brat wanted for it all? Was his 'competition' out of the way! Ha ha ha! Gods bless, usefull fools!"

He stood before me now. Head thrown back, hand over his eyes in disbelief, as he laughed and laughed. Unhinged with his euphoria. With the machinations, that had lead to his victory. And... and I could not recognize him. This... this monster wearing the face of my best friend. I felt numb. Cold and far away. I... I just... I wanted to go away... please, God. Far, far away.

Stop it. Please, Alphard... Stop it...

P-please...

My shadows curled around me. Battered, torn, but ever loyal. They would not leave me. Not even now. Not even to save themselves. Weakly hissing. Thrashing, trying, in their own small ways, to appear bigger and stronger threats then they were. In... in the vain hope that... that the thing that was hurting us? Might believe them.

Might leave me alone.

I had never felt so unsafe, surrounded by the shadows sworn to my once friend. How many times? How many times? Had I fed and played with these very Magics? Snuck them charcoal? Interesting toys to burn? Creatures of fire and shadow. Massive and rumbling, the very Shadows that once played with my own... now tore them apart.

It burned. Hurt. Who...? WHO was this man? This monster? That wore my best friends face? I couldn't... I can't... please! God, please! Don't make me do this anymore...

My mind, somewhere between delirious and screaming, for some god forsaken reason? Reminded me of the Quite Game. I... I wondered, terrified and full of grief, if the children would know to run. Not to wait, for parents that... that would not be coming. Not this time. Not ever again. All because of this man.

The smoke on the breeze terrified me. Everything terrified me. How? How could I possibly hold so much fear? How could there possibly be MORE? Just as I think I can not feel it anymore deeply. Once again, Alphard teaches me I am wrong. This... this is not how he, is... is supposed to be... how WE are...!

"Oh sweetheart, mischief, darling..." He again attempted to sooth, hand slipping away from his face as he rolled his head down to peer at me. Kneeling with almost boneless fluidity. "None of that. No more tears. Alphy's here, okay? I know change is scary. And you're upset and confused. But Alphy loves you just like always, and nothings gonna happen to you, alright?"

"Remember how you wanted to travel before? See those festivals? Go abroad? We get to do that now! Alphy can take CARE of you, now. Properly. Get you all the things you deserve. It'll be great, Mischief. No more stress or tears. Cuddles for days. You'll love it, I promise."

From beneath his feet, spreading like a terrible rot, black fire spread. It didn't touch me. Couldn't, as it seemed to reach, with greedy hands, down the halls. Consuming the only home I'd ever known in this life. Consuming everyone it touched, if the distant sounds of panic, were any indication. He was killing them all. Friend, foe, what difference was there?

Everything burned.

Numb, I could only sit there, before the stranger I thought I'd known.

"Our love story's been a long time coming, sweetness. My perfect, beautiful, Mischief~♡. Once we're free? We'll never look back. Have the happily ever after we deserve. Let the rest of the burn."

"I'm so glad I found you, Mischief. So glad I made you mine. It's going to be beautiful, darling. I promise. You'll thank me."

"Now come here, to Alphy. We're gonna play a game~♡"

[a-heart-of-kyber]

Whenever anyone bitches about Reid in Proof I'm just overhere like, "I would've been worse."

I'm not gonna beat around the bush and both sides this; imo Reid had a right to his anger and JJ was in the wrong.

Whenever I see the anti Reid arguments for this episode, it's always "Reid's anger was valid, but-" and then they proceed to invalidate his anger....

Now this is very Anti JJ, and not exactly pro Emily or Hotch either, and I am not looking to be convinced otherwise. There are tags and a readmore and now a warning. If you are bothering to read this any further and you disagree... you made that choice, not me.

Starting with s6 Emily. She literally put them all in danger and Knew it. She never would’ve prepared them until Doyle did what he did despite knowing they were threatened even before meeting with Doyle. Meaning one or more of them could've died probably without even understanding why. It's only because Doyle was looking to trap her that none of them were hurt.

Now, Proof opens and we immediately find out that JJ had already been bugging Reid to hang out before the episode. Which she clearly had been doing despite her knowing he was actively avoiding her. "He hates me." Makes it clear this wasn’t a one-time ask.

Hotch then, ignoring the tension, pairs them up.

Is Reid passive-aggressive? Yep. Is his passive aggressiveness based on her (JJ's) actual actions and the breach of trust and deconstruction of character caused by those actions? Also, yes.

Not once does JJ open one of these potential conversations with "I'm sorry." Because, guess what, even things you view as Necessary and Right can genuinely Hurt People. Best way to handle it? Take Accountability for your damn actions and apologize.

Hotch takes accountability in 7x01 and the first words out of Emily's mouth are "I'm sorry."

Instead, JJ puts the onus on Reid to open up because, to JJ, she is entitled to know his feelings. To JJ, she is entitled to his forgiveness.

During their period of grief, JJ should have steered him elsewhere to grieve because she was Lying to Him. To Reid, she spent months lying to him and play acting at a grief that he perceived as mutual. That would be mortifying to discover. It'd make someone feel foolish and betrayed. It's incredibly fucked up.

Then JJ goads Reid into a fight by insulting his intelligence and essentially calling him arrogant by suggestioning this was all just the result of a bruised ego, after spending the episode clapping back instead of apologizing. Their fight's foundation is steeped in a feeling of broken trust and manipulation/betrayal on one side and righteousness on the other.

And people have the audacity to say that Reid telling the Truth is being manipulative....after literal months of JJ doing that to him. The only difference being that she was Lying.

Frankly imo, when you push for a fight by hurting someone Even More (Reid had been actively trying to leave), you do not get to play victim when their truth hurts you.

And only after that does she even think to say "I'm sorry."

Plus let's not discuss the bit of this necessary secret where no one seems to actually consider the safety of those who didn't know if Doyle came knocking. Reid, Morgan and Garcia were potential and unwitting pawns/sacrifices the entire gd time. (Rossi says he figured it out....swell.)

In 7x01, Reid wasn’t requesting reinstatement. He would've quit/taken the fall. He was at the very least considering it.

He can't be mad at Emily because she came back to life and said sorry. He can't be mad at Hotch because that's his boss, and he didn't melt down in front of him.

But JJ acted as if his forgiveness was assumed, mandatory almost. That was his Best Friend who let him drown right in front of her....again.

I would've told All of them to get fucked and ghosted because I wouldn't have been able to trust them ever again. And while I have abandonment issues, I don't have them to the extreme that Reid does. The fact that he stayed is a miracle.

[glassesntea]

Levi and female!reader developing a relationship (Canon Universe)

Part 2/2

How your foolish idealism land you into the Survey Corps

After your guard duty he invited you to a tavern where he has gathered some of your comrades. Sat on a bench with other soldiers you listened to Floch musing about the situation of the island.

"Commander Hanji shows too much trust in these outsiders. She is far too lenient and for what? A technological advancement? As if it can erase a century of being nothing else but meat for Titans."

The others grumbled an agreement. Many in the army were not happy about the government's plan: working with the Marleyans was challenging at best and you were wary about Hizuru's involvement.

Mikasa hadn't said a thing to you regarding her official meeting with Kyomi's delegation, but the somber shadows in her eyes suggested that they weren't the allies you all hoped for. In the end, the island was alone against the world. Pretending otherwise would have been stupid.

Was it really possible at this point to really trust anyone who didn't suffer as the people on the island?

Floch invited you out with his group several other times.

You hung around with them, exchanging the same worries, and it was during one of your convos that you first met Levi Ackerman.

You all were in the mess hall, finishing the supper before the afternoon drill. It seemed that the new recruits would've been training with the infamous Captain of the Survey Corps.

Up to this point you and the others have never met him. Floch and some other soldiers that followed him religiously knew him pretty well.

"He really is that strong?" You asked, and you saw Floch's face produce a tiny grimance "What?" You tilted your head but his expression turned neutral once again.

"He is." He said, drinking from his mug "But not enough, if you want my opinion."

You frowned "What do you mean?"

"I mean that letting your personal feelings play a role in life or death's situations could potentially waste other's sacrifices," he looked at you "and doom everyone else as a result. That's his weakness: he cares far too much. "

"But he effectively guided the soldiers through difficult times. And since he joined the military the percentage of death outside the Walls has decreased a lot. It seems to me that he knows what he's doing and he takes objective decisions."

Floch pressed his lips together, abruptly turning his head to the side "And yet a single foolish decision may have changed everything. And what are we gonna do at this point?"

It seemed something personal, this veiled distate tinged with anger, but you didn't have the time to pry further that a scuffle broke out at your table.

Two boys of your cadet's regiment that participate to Floch's little assemble have started to push one another after shotting up of their seats. You have heard their mumbled conversation getting progressivly more heated while speaking with Floch. One was your friend but the other you couldn't stand him since the training day.

"Oi!" snapped Floch "Quit it, already!"

You stand up, gripping your friend's arm and putting a hand on the other's chest "Stop it, you two, you want a squad leader to put you on stable duty?"

"This moron has the gall to feel pity for fucking Marleyans POW when you Wall Rose people looked down on us when these fuckers brought down Shiganshina. You left us starving in the street!" He pointed at your friend "And now you talk about pity?!"

You lightly pushed him when he tried to come closer "Cut it, Otto. He isn't guilty of what happened then. We shouldn't..."

"Mind your buisness, Y/N! Always getting in the way, alway flaunting your good nature bullshit act as if we don't see how much of a poser you actually are."

You rolled your eyes "Wow, straight for the throat? Tell me something you haven't already said to me in training."

"Gladly." He hissed, ignoring Floch's call for order "You and Franz pretend to be, oh so good, but you know nothing of real suffer. You are nothing more than a Sheena bitch" he shoved you "that grew tired of fucking rich boys and wanted to see misery like it's the next exciting thing before sweeping in and proclaim to have the solution for everything. We are not your fucking playground for you to feel pleased with yourself!" He shoved you harder and Franz shouted and bolted forward just for him to be hitted by a punch.

However you were able to intercept Otto's arm when he retracted it and you twisted your body to slam him on the table, back first.

Otto spranged to his feet, ready to retaliate. Your fist closing, your arm pushed back ready to collide with his smaug face, but someone clasped your wrist thightly and before you knew, Otto was sent tumbling on the floor by a swift kick in the stomach.

You turned around, startled. A short man with a dark undercut, dressed with the old Survey Corp uniform, was looking at Otto weezing in pain. The mess hall was eerily quite.

He lifted his eyes, letting go of your wrist "Care to explain why you three were bawling like lunatics?"

Levi Ackerman. You have seen his portrait on newspapers. He was a legend in the military. And you realized that he must have seen your three make a fool out of yourselves and throwing fists like foolish children.

"I asked you a question."

You composed yourself "My apologize, sir. I didn’t mean to cause a ruckus.”

You looked down at Otto, rolling on the floor and groaning, holding his stomach as if it threatened to spill out. You winced, bringing your eyes again on the Captain’s.

“He… uh… he started to insult me and my comrade. I…”

Levi crossed his arms “And you body slam him onto the table because of it?” He turned to Floch “What did he said?”

Floch was less than thrilled to be dragged into the mess and he shot you a dirty look before answering “He said Wall Sheena’s brats shouldn’t talk about how hard life is since the Fall of Maria.”

It was a pretty sanitized version of the truth, but the core was legitimate. You winced again, fuck I’m such an idiot.

“So you hit him because he badmouthed you,” his voice was dry as a leaf “that’s a pitiful excuse, if I’ve ever heard one.”

“Captain, I…”

“You three are soldiers now, not tugs ready to rip each other apart just because your pride got hurt.” He lowered his stare to the groaning figure “Get up. I fully expect you all to be this lively in today’s training as well.”

He called for everyone in the room “Everyone out. Start with ten laps around the perimeter.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Regarding you three, I hope you don’t mind the smell of horse shit, bacause you will shovel it around for two weeks.” He turned his back to you after your response and you ran outside the mess hall with your cheeks burning in hot shame.

That was humiliating, but served you right for not thinking things through.

Your first meet with Levi went on like this: as a mumbling brutish idiot who kept on smelling manure on the clothes for the following weeks.

To be continued...

[theadventurerslog]

Quest For Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness | Part 5

The Adventurer's Log

I was going to head straight to bed, but then I figured since I was up anyway, why not check around town a little more? I went to visit Dr. Cranium again.

I came just in time to witness "a magnificent scientific experiment!" He'd harnessed lightning and would use it to create life itself!

It... didn't quite work out.

He wasn't terribly fussed though. Just a momentary setback in the annals of SCIENCE! He'd readjust the Magnetic Electrical Stimulation System (M.E.S.S. He has quite the names and acronyms) and try again another time.

He's convinced the primal force of life is electrical in nature. But water and pizza are important too.

Gotta have that pizza.

There have been more storms lately so he was able to harness and store more lightning.

I had some new options like telling him about my adventures in Spielburg. He'd been there a few months ago on an Antwerp gathering expedition. There was an Antwerp population explosion last Spring--I...I can't imagine why cough. Actually I have no idea what that timeline has been so far so I might not have been responsible for that particular population boom. But I'm still taking credit.

The people were still talking about my adventures. He wasn't impressed with the other details like Baba Yaga being turned into a frog. Poppycock! He claimed there was a perfectly straightforward scientific explanation for all that and I'd really like to know what he thinks happened. FROG. Like her house flying away could be some kind of propulsion, but. FROG.

He noted Nikolai isn't as old as he appears. Been very unhappy since his wife's disappearance 15 years ago. He understands his disappointment; she never brought him back the berries he needed for an experiment. Hmm...

As I left he decided he'd better wait a day or two before continuing his "Frankie"--yep, yep there it is--experiment.

Oh, I also got a second flask from him, too.

Then I went back to the inn to sleep, only to hear voices...

I was being spied on...

A man and a woman. I think the woman was Katrina but I'm not sure if I'm remembering her voice correctly for sure, but sure sounded like we'd met already so I'm gonna assume her unless proven otherwise.

The man didn't understand why she didn't just capture me. Foolish charades. She thinks they'll be best served if I act under my own free will.

This implies the man is Ad Avis to me?

What are you trying to get out of me though?

She thinks I'm quite capable, but has ways to make me cooperate but will only use them if she needs to.

So I have plotting going behind my back at my expense! Not surprising, but the plot thickens.

I, however, had a Domovoi to somehow save. Though I wasn't sure how. Maybe just get some water? Maybe water from Erana's Garden even?

I stopped by Igor and this time was able to tell him about Dr. Cranium's request for the fluid.

"Doctor ask Igor do strange things like dig up bodies. Igor bury bodies and doctor make Igor dig them up again."

Yeah, gotta reanimate them... but bring the fluid?

Ah well.

There was a stream just outside town so I filled a flask with that and tried it on the Domovoi. It did cause a stirring of life, but wasn't enough. I'd need a more 'intensive' form of liquid.

Water from Erana's Garden didn't work either, though while there I got another fruit, watered the bonsai tree and learned my glide spell let me float over bodies of water.

So I got a bit stuck. I didn't get anything useful out of Dr. Cranium though I did pick up another poison cure and healing potion.

I talked to Olga and she told me to tell Boris that if he'd ever gotten work done instead of spending all his time carousing at the inn, she wouldn't have had to complain.

I guess I'm gonna be going back and forth between them to carry their complaints until we can sort them out. Hero or marriage counselor?

That didn't help with my Domovoi problem.

I stopped and slept on it, by which I mean I thought of more ideas while getting ready for bed and had to resist booting everything back up.

I remained stuck and cautiously searched online only to see that it seems like something I can't do yet anyway! Forum post I saw acting like it could be done the second day, hmph. Serves me right for trying to be aware of any potential problems first. Anyhoo, I already suspected I'd need Dr. Cranium's help and indeed I would. Just not yet I guess.

In the meantime, I'm just going to try to pretend I never saw that warning to begin with that made me all paranoid and continue on my merry way hoping everything will be fine.

I went off to talk to Boris again about Olga's latest message to continue my role as messenger... marriage counselor... something.

I found 5 crowns in a stump just outside the town gate I'd missed before. That was nice.

Boris claimed there was nothing to do at the shop with no customers anyway. So, he'd sit at the inn and talk with the other men. Why dust with so few customers? She was always giving orders.

He came out here to get some peace and quiet from her nagging.

So back to Olga for me I guess! I'm in this spat now, might as well see it through as far as it'll let me...

She just wanted the shop to be neat and clean in case someone did come in. Why should she do all the work? It was his family's business to start with anyway, oh ho. Drama.

He said there was much to do to keep it running and his family used to work together to do so. If only Olga wouldn't nag him all the time. They used to enjoy running it together, but what's the point with no business?

Me! I'm business now!

I'm glad this route between them is short and easy.

There are things to sell! Sandwiches! Avocado and garlic sandwich mm mm mmm.

I did buy several of her sandwiches myself but they don't sound good...

Back to Boris and the key back to his heart was found I guess as he started reminiscing on those sandwiches. They had them on their wedding night. The wedding cake she baked herself was decorated with avocado and garlic flowers. He was reminded of how much he misses her and would go back to visit her. Success?

I went back to Olga and this time had to ask about her husband. He did come back to visit her and would come again after work. Given I went straight back that was an incredible stealthy and fast visit! Jokes aside he said he'd visit again after work and she thought it was nice to see him. Reminded her of old times.

I guess that's resolved, at least for now. Yeah, I went back for a last check-in with Boris.

All seems well now.

I still had a chunk of day left, so it was time to explore more.

I had another fight trying strategy mode where you just seem to tell the computer what to focus on more with sliders between stuff like aggressiveness, defence, magic and special attacks. I'm not sure if I like that either! But I'll stick to it for now.

I found... bushes... meowing bushes?

I poked the wiggling meowing bush.

I had to guess at a name.

Obviously this is Rumpelstiltskin. Or Nikstlitslepmur. Or Ifnkovhgroghprm!

Of course, it's Leshy. But I had to then try the Wild Guess option.

"You take a wild guess: Your name is Cedric!" Heehee.

The Leshy was not happy with that and vanished along with the rest of the bushes. In fact when I tried other options he at least responded with a rhyme before disappearing. With Cedric the bush just shook violently then vanished... That's mean. Everyone's mean to Cedric. I'm bugaloo-ing sadly. I mean, I snorted too (sorry Cedric), but still.

That little aside...aside.

"Leshy Leshy look up a bush or a tree." Could I solve his riddles every time? Then he vanished so I can only assume I had to keep hunting him down. Turned out that wasn't much of an assumption; I just had to leave the screen and come back. This time he was in a bush that would run to another bush and I just had to 'use' each bush he was at one by one until there weren't any left and he appeared to ask another riddle.

He asked about who lived in the lake and I had some confusion and worries because there was no seeming way to answer. He would linger for a couple seconds then vanish. Turned out after he vanished I had to use the talk icon on myself to answer, but I assumed I had to answer while he was still there, but there was no cursor to use until he was gone. That was a 'fun' little bout of confusion and worry that something was bugged, but I got there...

He next brought up a witch living in a hut of sticks with another clue. That has to be Baba Yaga.

"Bushes hear! Now Disappear!" Maybe? Like the "Hut of brown now sit down" rhyme?

I was sure that'd come together once I found my way over to Baba Yaga's hut area. It didn't seem like I could do more with the Leshy now, so I continued on.

Some meandering southward brought me to the area where I'd first spotted the hut on the cliffs so I made a more conscious effort to find a route and found some suspicious bushes.

Just as the Leshy spoke of. I got to tell them about myself in a long-winded tale of my exploits. They weren't impressed. I could also repeat the phrase Leshy told me. That made them disappear.

And here we are. Baba Yaga's hut.

About the body:

It's a dead body, artistically laid out for maximum shock effect. (Actually, it just happened to fall in that position, but please don't tell anyone.)

And a familiar skull:

The nearest skull is fixed in a perpetually sour expression. One eye socket is empty, the other filled with a brilliant gem "like the flare of the frost flame."

Like the gem from a frosty giant! I know that skull and gem. And further narration made note of that familiarity.

It was time to say hello to my old skull friend.

Baba Yaga actually did come back later to pick him up.

Half his conversation was unvoiced and the text boxes were zipping by even with my speed lowered... I may read fast but not quite fast enough. Thank goodness for screenshots. Something buggy there I guess?

I told him about the gnome and he thought I'd be more likely to end up in her frying pan, but he was willing to help if I helped him. He wanted something useful that would also "add a certain dash" to his appearance, something to keep the sun out of his eyes maybe. Then he'll tell the other skulls not to crispy fry me. So I guess I need to be on the look out for a hat.

A few other tidbits: Baba Yaga is back to her old self. No more froggy witch there. No more rhyme for the hut, just walk up and it'll squat and let you in if it wants. He's still enjoying his gem.

I tried going toward the hut anyway and the skulls did shoot at me but only for a bit of damage and bounced me back. I hoped for a death. So, I just kept doing it until I died. It took many tries while Bonehead laughed at me every time.

I was hoping I'd get a bit more of a reaction from him too, but oh well.

I decided to make my way back to either the garden or town if I could make it. On the way I ran into the Leshy again and was able to answer his question about Baba Yaga this time.

He had another one for me:

A berry bush with an attitude? No idea about that one yet. I'm certainly curious to find out what that's about.

Okay, I was going to try to find my back to a rest spot (my mapping has been hit or miss), but I ended up not too far from Gypsy Camp so I went for it.

"Surely they won't mind just one visitor." They did.

This guy had multiple wolves and nothing I said could get anything out of him except telling me to go away and threats of the wolves attacking me.

I guess I need something more to convince them? At least I hope that's the case and isn't another Dr. Cranium situation where I did have everything I needed available to me already to open his door.

Back into the forest... and the night...

[imtrashraccoon]

Do you have any romantic headcanons or headcanons in general for dirk, maul and reven? Dovovan can be added into the mix too! Just curious on those three since we've only seen how they interact with somebody who they are fighting against, being soulmates with their boss and joining the team. :o so curious on how they would do with somebody they fall for.

Oh boy, oh boy, do I?! So, I'm actually gonna just spitball some general headcanons as well because I love these guys and need to write for them!

The Dark Fortress: Headcanons

Dirk

- He's a really crass kind of person. You've never heard so many different ways to curse before meeting him and most of the time, you have no idea what half of what he says even means. He's also loud, obnoxious, and endlessly flirtatious towards anyone remotely attractive in his eyes. No one is safe, even those in commited relationships, but his advances aren't ever serious. Well, except for when they are.

- He struggles to feel much of anything most days. Which is why he acts the way he does most of the time. He needs stimulation. He needs to stay busy. He needs to interact with people or he'll go crazy. Depending what phase his soul is at the moment also impacts how he responds to people. He doesn't really like talking about his soul though.

- Despite what you might think, and what he insists, he's not from high society. He had very simple beginnings, think a farmer or something to do with physical labour, but he never talks about his childhood. If it ever comes up, he gets deathly quiet and withdrawn. You get the sense that whatever actually happened to him was pretty bad if the guy who never shuts up suddenly refuses to talk.

- He doesn't really talk about anything before he joined up with the band of brigands actually. He likes to boast about all the heists he took part in and how much he made from them. He doesn't talk about what happened to cause him to snap completely and kill the people he used to call brothers, but considering how much he values loyalty, you suspect it's somehow related.

- He's a huge flirt but somewhat surprisingly, he won't pressure you into anything that you aren't comfortable with. If you clearly tell him to stop, he will, no questions asked. He mostly flirts for his own amusement since he finds other people's reactions incredibly funny. He does get up to his own escapades whenever the opportunity presents itself, which isn't as often anymore now that he works for Donovan.

- As for how he'd react towards something more long term? You'd think a guy with a penchant for messing around and flirting with anything that breaths might be a poor choice in a partner. His unyielding loyalty means that he'll be there for you through anything and everything, providing you do the same for him. He's your ride or die, but woe to anyone foolish enough to betray his loyalty.

- With Dirk as a partner, you will never be bored as he won't allow it. He struggles with any type of emotion that isn't passion or violence, but once you become close with him, you'll begin to see an entirely different person.

- Dirk is oddly sweet when he's alone with you. He loves snuggling, usually he'll insist on being the big spoon, and will often find excuses to stay in bed with you. He's a physical touch kind of person already, generally giving it, but he would love it if you did the same for him.

- He's really good at giving compliments and if you're feeling down, he's quick to try and cheer you up. You're his rock and if you're sad, he's gonna be sad and neither of you want to see that.

- He's still a really dangerous person though, even with all his obnoxiousness and flirting. No matter how long you're in a relationship, he's still scared of accidentally hurting you. Oddly enough, being around you does calm him down if he's worked up, so unless he's in an actually dangerous state of mind, you might get shoved into the same room as him if any of the others need him to calm down quickly.

- While he enjoys killing people for the chance to get more EXP, Dirk has a couple of more "normal" hobbies. He likes to "collect" weapons and cool looking armour, even if he won't actually use most of them. He just likes having dangerous and shiny things. He also likes animals, especially cats, but most animals don't do well around the corruption from the dark fortress. If you somehow find him a pet that can survive, you'll be his best friend for a while.

- He knows how to properly use most types of weapons, even some obscure ones, but he prefers a dagger since it's easier to sneak into places he's not supposed to have weapons. He's totally the type to have multiple knives hidden on his person at all times, sometimes even while sleeping.

Maul

- If Dirk is the loudest and most energetic, Maul is the quietest and generally the calmest. He speaks pretty much only when spoken to and when the question can't be answered with a simple yes or no. Even then, he keeps his answers brief and moves on to whatever he was already doing before being interrupted. This changes when he realizes that he likes you though.

- Maul generally keeps to himself when Donovan doesn't have need of him. He's basically a brick wall most of the time anyways, but he does show some emotions at times. This is mostly the occasional grin, raising a bonebrow, or frowning if he's annoyed. It's rare for him to emote since he doesn't want people to know what he's thinking, but occasionally he'll catch himself reacting to something genuinely funny or express some of his frustrations.

- Maul mostly spends his free time doing chores like sharpening his greataxe, maintaining his gear and armour, or working on his hobbies. He enjoys cooking, especially baking, and often is the one in charge of meals. Except for maybe Donovan, who is at least competent in the kitchen, he's the only one who can cook well. Maul also likes taking care of animals or gardening, although it's harder to do either of those now that he's staying in the dark fortress.

- He doesn't talk about himself, at all. If you can somehow start a conversation with him, he'll talk about literally anything else but his past or the things he's done. Just be patient, as his idea of a conversation is letting you do the bulk of the talking while he listens, usually while doing something else, and occasionally answering with grunts or one word answers.

- The thing is, while Dirk is immediately up front if he likes you, Maul isn't really, at least not to any outside observers. He's just doing normal things that anyone would do for others, right? He'll randomly make foods you like, bring you something to drink or eat if you've been busy for a while, and come see you just to "hang out". To the others, it's very, very obvious that he likes you as he pretty much ignores them most of the time, but you might have a more difficult time figuring it out.

- He even starts to engage with you about topics he's knowledgeable on. He knows exactly how to sharpen any weapon or tool and while he may not have as much martial knowledge as Reven, he could probably still teach you a thing or two about throwing your weight around in battle. He doesn't do sneaky or small weapons though so if you want tips, you're fresh out of luck with him.

- He'd love it if you joined in on whatever he's working on. Making food for others is one of his ways of showing he cares, so to do it with a partner is a great way to bond with him. You'll get bonus points if you have experience cooking/baking already, especially if you've memorized recipes or have made up some of your own.

- Maybe when you get really close, he might let you in on his backstory, although it'll take a while to put together all the pieces since he isn't gonna sit you down and explain everything at once. Instead you'll get little comments here and there randomly like how he learned to get meat to stretch as far as possible or how much he despises tyrants. He definitely didn't come from wealth but it's hard to tell if he had a simple upbringing like Dirk or if he was enlisted into military service at a young age. He doesn't care how anyone perceives him anymore but he struggles with believing that anyone could find him anything but scary.

- His head injury has impacted his memory and changed a lot about how he processes emotions and approaches situations. He sometimes takes a bit to respond to questions but at least combat still comes as naturally to him as breathing does. He's much more patient as a result and takes his time doing tasks so they're done correctly the first time.

- He's a very doting lover. All he wants is to have a calm, relaxed life without having to fight for survival each day. If he had his way, you wouldn't have to lift a finger for anything. Things like breakfast in bed and cuddles in the evening by a fireplace are a regular occurrence. He also loves physical touch, both giving and especially receiving, but his larger size makes it a bit difficult for him to be the small spoon while cuddling.

- He's also majorly protective, almost like a guard dog. If he thinks someone's bothering you, he'll come up to you, wrap his arms around you, and frown at them. To you, he doesn't look that scary, but to anyone else outside the dark fortress, he's downright terrifying. He's not above growling at people if they don't get the message but unless you're in an actually dangerous situation, he's more likely to pick you up and leave than actually start a fight. Not that it would be much of a fight for him, but he doesn't enjoy needlessly killing people, especially in front of you.

- He experiences nightmares and zoning out fairly often. He's been through a lot before joining Donovan, including a coup that overthrew the monarchy which resulted in a famine and caused many citizens to suffer. He stood by as people starved and did nothing but follow orders like a good soldier should. It took his own brother attempting to stand up to the tyrannical general for him to act. In the resulting conflict, he was mortally injured although he survived. The head injury left him with a memory gap so that he isn't certain who walked away from the fight or who was dusted. He doesn't even know if his brother made it out or not.

Reven

- Reven is somewhere in the middle, although he tends to be a bit more quiet rather than chatty like Dirk. He generally likes to sit back and observe the situation before injecting himself. He's a schemer by nature and thanks to his incredible observation skills, he often notices details that others won't. If he's approaching you to talk before you have a chance to approach him, it's likely because he thinks he can get something from you.

- He's prone to random outbursts of laughter, especially if the room has been quiet for a while. If asked what's so funny, he usually attempts to brush the question off by claiming that you wouldn't get it. He's aware that it probably makes him look insane but it's the truth.

- He won't readily admit it but he hears the voice of his dead brother constantly as he's haunted by him. It's unclear if it's actually his brother's soul or just a figment of his insanity, but Reven fully believes that he literally has his brother haunting him. While his brother normally has murderous tendencies, if that behaviour isn't directed towards you, then Reven is gonna pay extra close attention.

- You catch him staring a lot, like a lot, a lot. His face is almost always hidden by his hood but you can usually still see his eyelights and feel the intensity of his gaze. Even when you catch a glimpse of his face, it's like he's wearing a mask. His expression rarely changes but when it does, he tends to grin with unknown glee or glare at whatever has irritated him in the moment.

- It often takes a lot to make Reven actually angry, but when something tips him over the edge, you better hope there's nothing particularly valuable or fragile nearby. He wouldn't dream of actually hurting you but there isn't any guarantee that you won't get caught in the crossfire. Most of the time, Dirk is the target of his anger but he likes to purposely rile Reven up when he's bored, which is fairly often.

- It's true that Reven used to be a paladin before snapping. He and his brother were raised in a dusty backwater kingdom that has since collapsed but when they were young, they decided to join a holy order to defend those who couldn't defend themselves. They were brave and noble paladins until disaster struck of course.

- Reven doesn't talk about what actually caused him to snap. It's possible that he was responsible for his brother's death and doesn't know it, or he is very much aware and just refuses to even think about it. Either way, he abandoned the order after this and eventually his insanity led him to become the serial killer responsible for the Crimson Stabbings. His obsessive nature led him to never actually be caught, although he was spotted often enough to become known for his red cuirass.

- He occasionally gets the itch for more EXP and will look for opportunities to kill again, for this reason he isn't usually left alone on stealth missions. He's good at what he does though and with the proper motivation, will complete any mission perfectly without anyone even knowing he was there.

- His obsessive nature can lead to concerning situations, especially if you haven't figured out that he likes you yet. You'll start receiving gifts from an unknown admirer that are very obviously tailored to your preferences. Sometimes you even get the feeling of being watched but there's never anyone there. Hopefully, you already know him before he makes a confession of love and hopefully you accept his affections. Otherwise, well, he doesn't do well with rejection and there's no telling what he'll do.

- He's really sweet when you're in a relationship though. He enjoys spoiling you with little gifts and lives for your gratitude since it makes him feel oddly fuzzy inside. He's also super cuddly and will find any excuse just to sit with his skull on your shoulder and arms around your waist. He also likes PDA and will shamelessly hold your hand in front of others. He may not actually kiss you in public but if he does, it's probably because he thinks it'll upset someone or make you embarrassed, which he thinks is really adorable.

- It goes without saying that his mental state is unstable but just be patient with him. If he's having a bad day, give him some space to calm down but if you approach him later on, he'd love it if you comforted him. You'll probably get confined to the couch with him holding onto you. He's not that heavy as he's a skeleton but it's a bit difficult to move around with a whole person hanging off of you. Best to wait it out.

Donovan

- Donovan is an interesting case. He claims that he can't feel emotions beyond negative ones, which is technically true. Once he finds his soulmate though, he starts to question everything that he knows about himself. While he isn't the person he used to be anymore, maybe there's a semblance of his old self still there?

- No matter how much you look or how many people you ask, there is no information on him. It's as if he just popped into existence or something. He's not exactly one to talk about the past either, which seems to be a running theme by now, but maybe someday he'll tell you what happened to him. He wasn't always covered in corruption or had tentacles protruding from his back after all.

- He's really not a nice person and while he's generally very patient and reserved, even his patience has limits. He tries not to get upset at you but there are times when he inevitably snaps and says something he shouldn't. He usually regrets it immediately afterwards but sometimes he won't notice how upset you are for a few hours.

- Most of the time, he acts cold towards you and the boys but he does care in his own way. He makes sure you have anything you could need to survive and be happy as he struggles with anything more. He's fiercely protective of those he calls his own, which may come as a bit of a surprise at times, but he really does consider you and the boys as his "family".

- He has no patience for foolishness or people trying to deceive him. This is why he might lash out at people and harshly punish those who wrong him. Of course, he's also rather selfish and isn't above just taking what he wants. He very much sees himself as a god and everyone else as being below him.

- He has genuinely sweet moments, although these are strictly reserved for his soulmate. Something about the closeness with an uncorrupted soul seems to almost "heal" his own very damaged one. Maybe there's hope for him after all?

- He's actually a little shy about PDA, although he doesn't mind holding onto you if he can excuse it away with being protective but behind closed doors it's an entirely different story. He loves touching you. He loves how warm your body is, how soft you are, and especially the little noises you make when he touches a ticklish or sensitive spot. He's super mindful of his claws and his own physical strength as he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he seriously hurt you.

- He will gladly snuggle with you and will often drag you into bed if you're taking too long for his liking. He wouldn't force you to do anything you aren't comfortable with but you may have to get firm with him if he's distracted and not listening. His tentacles are basically an extension of his own body and mean he has an even easier time hanging onto you. If anything, he prefers to touch you with them since they are soft and squishy, as well as cool to the touch.

- He was very lonely before the boys and you especially came along. He collected them because their souls ooze negativity and he enjoys having an easy source of it nearby. He also wanted to have henchmen to facilitate his own plans and spreading more negativity. Over time though, he's come to kind of see them as his own and not just pawns. It's an unconventional arrangement at best though and they butt heads a ton, but he's provided a place for the destitute, the lost, and the vagabonds to stay.

- When you've earned his trust and been together for a while, you'll learn about who he used to be and where he's from. This could be through an ancient book that he keeps locked away for safekeeping or through bits and pieces of what he tells you. However, you learn a few things such as how he was once a prince of a lost kingdom, had a twin brother, and barely survived an assassination attempt.

- There was a massive tree at the center of his kingdom which bore two kinds of magic fruit. It was rumoured that if you ate one, you would gain knowledge beyond all measure and the power to defeat all foes. The fruit also had the power to influence your emotions but this wasn't of much interest for those who lusted after them. Donovan ate all of the negative fruit in an attempt to survive a mortal injury and protect the tree. However, he was overwhelmed by the power and failed.

- He aimlessly wandered the world for many years before he grew into his powers and decided to make a move to create his own kingdom. This is why he created the dark fortress and collected the boys. At the moment, his goal is to spread the corruption and his influence, but contrary to what some may think, he isn't all powerful. There are many powerful people out there who may take issue with him if they heard about everything he's done.

[icycoldninja]

Can you write the DMC men with a reader who’s usually be seen as selfish and spoiled and narcissistic

As in if you dare put your dirty dishes in the sink while she’s washing and then expected her to wash it for them, she would say nothing, only massive side eyes but moments later, their dishes can still be found laying inside the sink and her dishes are already cleaned and stacked on the shelf

Or spoiling herself (99% the time) as in shopping, bowling, etc… and hardly ever spend on other people

Because of this trait, a lot of people usually see her as a narcissistic and selfish person, always prioritizing herself and her needs above others

But the truth is she was tired of trying to appease other people and accommodate to other’s need, like a literal people pleaser (she felt guilty when they’re upset when she have the right to decline) so therefore, she’s just:

“fuck all of ya’ll, my needs will always come first”

But because of enabling her over-prioritization of needs, she became quite a narcissistic:

“i mean it’s bad…but…they did me dirty first…and it’s my right to turn down other’s need for help”

So the boys just kind of give her a reality check and help her know how to establish boundaries healthily while not letting her not caring about those around her in need

Absolutely, here you go.

Sparda boys + V x Narcissistic!Reader headcannons

¤ Dante ¤

-Dante is a lazy man, as we can tell by the state of his living quarters. He doesn't mind that you refuse to do the dishes and all that--he's perfectly fine with splitting the chores.

-But the fact that you're such a jerk to everyone around you, blowing insane amounts of cash on yourself and pretending to be broke when others need your help seriously pisses him off.

-He hates people with these traits, and would sooner die than let his girlfriend stay like this.

-He understands that you're this way because you used to be a serious people pleaser who finally grew a backbone and stood up for yourself, but this is the wrong way to go about it.

-He will firmly, but not insensitively explain to you that you're a narcissist and that your behavior is awful and detrimental. You're heading down a short road to debt and poverty--he knows, because he's been there.

-He will work with you to correct your behavior, don't worry, and does occasionally buy you gifts every now and then.

■ Vergil ■

-Vergil puts his foot down the moment you start acting up, akin to the way an experienced, no-nonsense mother would handle her disobedient child.

-If you refuse to do the dishes or start spending extravagant amounts of money on only yourself and no one else, only to give him serious sass when he talked to you about it, you're getting it.

-He chastised you, quite angrily so, and told you that what you're doing is foolish, self-destructive, and will only result in your downfall. You'd better listen to him or he'll whip out the Yamato--but instead of stabbng himself to summon V, he'll smack you with the hilt.

-He knows you only act this way due to a past full of trying to please people who didn't care about you, and that your narcissism is a result of you "breaking free" from that, but refuses to tolerate such inconsiderate behavior.

-You are special, yes, but not the center of the universe, and Vergil will drill this fact into your head until you understand. You will be disciplined under his hand.

-Thanks to this extremely MOTIVATED man, your behavior is corrected in under a month. No one can believe how quickly and drastically you changed, but they love it, and you love it too, because now you see that with Vergil around, you'll never be used or manipulated again.

□ Nero □

-Nero can't stand narcissistic behavior, no matter who the narcissist might be.

-He really does love you and wants only the best for you, but your attitude is despicable. He's not gonna enable you because he knows if he does, you'll only get worse.

-He tried talking to you kindly about your behavior, but narcissists will be narcissists and refuse to listen to anyone, citing that those who are trying to help them are in the wrong, and that they are right.

-Nero eventually gave up and switched to a firmer approach--that is, holding you hostage in your own house until you listen to reason.

-He doesn't want to have to do it this way, but it's the only method he can think of that will actually work. He's gonna have to terrify you into submission and make you see the light. You will be corrected.

-Nero unleashes his inner Vergil, the terrifying power that he'd inherited from his dad, and uses this power to force you into doing chores and other things that you normally wouldn't do. While this sounds abusive, he rewards you whenever you do your chores without complaining, usually with a kiss, a present, or something of that sort.

-Your behavior improves drastically as a result, but even so, Nero still feels guilty for what he had to do and still spoils you with gifts and affection to make up for it.

● V ●

-V didn't like how you refused to do anything except for yourself.

-He wasn't all that concerned about the dishes since he was perfectly capable of washing them himself, but the fact that you were out late at night going bowling and shopping and doing God knows what made him quite upset.

-He wanted to talk with you about it, but he knew people like you wouldn't listen, so he decided upon an unethical way to get you to listen to him.

-He understood your situation and wished he didn't have to do it this way, but V was not a strong giant like the other boys. He didn't have the heart nor the strength to hold you hostage or discipline you even if he tried.

-He used his tears, which were not all forced, to convince you that your behavior was making him feel bad, and since V crying has the same effect on you as a baby crying for his mother, you actually gave in and promised to change.

-V feels very guilty for manipulating you like that, but...was it really manipulation if he truly was sad about the thoughtless way you acted?

[ask-codeearasure]

The Outer Realms --- Chapter 6

<-[Previous Chapter]

[Next Chapter]->

—-----

Chapter Six:

Conversations

—----

“I am constantly trying to communicate something incommunicable, to explain something inexplicable, to tell about something I only feel in my bones and which can only be experienced in those bones. Basically it is nothing other than this fear we have so often talked about, but fear spread to everything, fear of the greatest as of the smallest, fear, paralyzing fear of pronouncing a word, although this fear may not only be fear but also a longing for something greater than all that is fearful.”

― Franz Kafka, Letters to Milena

—-

There were many things that Ink could admit to himself. Many. Many he didn’t like to acknowledge but had to in order to keep up his work that was his survival. Many that he had no problems with. But this… This was a problem to the highest degree. A degree he’d say he feared if fear was an emotion he had no choice but to have. But he didn’t have emotions quite like everyone else. He didn’t have emotions, not without his paints.

Ink had to admit this when he finally found Error. His Error.

“The creators are a dying species.” Ink said sitting down next to Error.

“I figured. It's about time.” Error huffed. The portal he used to watch Undernovella from was nothing but static. “It tore itself apart before anything got good.”

“Someone that looked a lot like you showed up and,..” Ink shook his head, he didn’t see the logic of anything anymore. “My paints are running dry. I can’t… feel much of anything anymore without risking draining the rest of them.”

Error rolled his eyelights. “It was bound to happen. How many anomalies tore themselves apart over the years… It wasn’t like they stood a chance against themselves. It’s why I’ve stopped to watch instead.”

“I just don’t know why…” Ink mumbled, “Every creation was so different and fascinating, then many creators abandoned them, then the AUs became repetitive or strange copies of those first ones, and then they just… stopped. I've been trying to keep Dream from noticing because with so little AUs—”

“Nightmare would have an easier time finding him?” Error huffed.

“Mmhm…” Ink solemnly nodded, then pulled his knees to his chest. “Got any idea why the creators did all this?”

Error shook his head, “Nah, but I do have a small theory.”

“What's that?”

“Infighting.” Error said simply, “They've been arguing with each other, fighting for control over the AUs, so the initial creator would be attacked, chased out, and those who take control think they can do a better job only to find they're already doing a sucky job.”

“That is so… illogical though.” Ink stated, burying his head into his knees.

“It’s foolish, all of this was destined to be destroyed one way or another.” Error laid down onto the ground, “You, me, everything here, even Dream and Nightmare themselves are destined to all fail in everything we did. Destruction and nothingness are inevitable.”

“There has to be a way to get everything back to the way it was before…” Ink said. “But… I can’t–”

“You're gonna drive yourself crazy thinking about it.” Error said bluntly, “In the state you’re in now, you either take what's left of those paints you have left and make it worse, or you will yourself to act without them. Either way, squidhead, it's a lose-lose situation..”

Ink shook his head. He knew Error was right. He didn’t have much else left. He looked at his scarf and read many of the things he wrote down. Warnings for himself, travel diaries, list of people’s names, fun activities, definitions of words. Why emotions were important. Why he had to fight for the creators. “I don’t want to become a husk.”

“And I’d rather not die.” Error sat up, “But it’s not like we have a choice in the matter.”

“Why would the creators do this?” Ink asked.

“Hell if I know.” Error shrugged, “It’s not like you can convince them. It’s not like we can stop them. It could be a dominance thing, or a power trip, who knows.”

There was a long silence between the destroyer and painter, only for Ink to suddenly ask, “What is it like?”

“Hm?”

“Having emotions. What is it like having it, naturally?”

Error seemed surprised by the question, he thought about it as he stared into what used to be Undernovella, “It depends. Sometimes I envy you, wishing I didn’t feel anything. Other times, it can be euphoric. Heaven.” he turned to Ink, “The best way I can put it for you is, it can be painful, like every bone being broken for no reason. Other times, it can be those days where you are able to just lay down on the softest bed you can think of. Every joint relaxing and resting. No pain. Just comfort.”

Ink nodded, “That sounds complicated… Wonderful, but complicated.”

“It is.”

“Do you think the creators know what they're doing?” Ink asked.

Error hummed in thought for a second before nodding, “Yes and no.”

“So there could be a chance they’re hurting each other?”

“I wouldn't call it a chance, Ink, they've been doing it since day one,” Error stated in a fit of manic giggling.

Ink gave him a blank look. “But none of this makes sense.”

“What do you mean?”

“Every single AU has the exact same message,” Ink stated, “Every single one opposes genocide and murder. And yet… Yet the creators did all of this.” he gestured to the space around them, “They are destroying everything, hurting themselves and each other. Why?”

Ink looked to Error for an answer but the glitch didn’t say anything. He couldn’t.

The creators were killing off their own species, destroying each other the same way the player did in every single genocide route, every other neutral route, as they were the ones with the worst outcomes for each AU. Horrortale, Dusttale, and Something New, they all showed the destruction they caused. But the creators had learned nothing. Even Error’s story was not something that was generally processed as it was supposed to, but it was understood that it was tragic and destructive nonetheless.

“Every universe holds the same morals, but the creators themselves never learned from them.” Ink held his head and curled up and mumbled, “I’m going to die, and there is nothing I can do…”

Error glared. Not at Ink, but at the pain his friend had to carry. He was tempted to reach out to Ink, knowing that the artist, in his possible last moments, would appreciate the gesture, but he knew neither of them could handle such a thing. Not now. Error put a hand to his scarf and just fidgeted with it.

He knew Ink loved the creators, admired them. But they didn’t give a shit. They never did.

—-------------------------

Dream had been walking through the multiverse for an unknown amount of time. Only after he had had his breakdown had he realized Undyne could have heard everything, given she placed cameras all over the Underground and he had the camera pin on him.

What could be done was nothing. He felt himself weakening, perhaps rotting more and more as he was becoming delirious. He could barely stay walking. But of course he’d trip and fall to the ground.

He laid there and felt his consciousness start fleeting. Coming in and out of consciousness he could see a purple blur, smokey and calming. He caught the faint smell of apples and lavender.

–

Dream jolted up, panting, clutching his chest as if trying to grab at his soul. He looked around to see a rather sparkling room. There was a wall of glass to his left where he could see countless galaxies and stars. It was almost a comforting sight. The room had several glowing grassy plants, there was a table with medical equipment, several golden arrows and glowing gold apples and bags filled with some sort of glittering substance. He looked at his arm finding an IV drip that had the same substance coming down from the IV bag.

The bed he was on was beyond comfortable, he would stay there forever if he could.

He was about to rip the IV out of himself but before he could after sitting up there was a loud shhhhkt! sound.

“Ah! You’re awake, I was worried you were going to stay dormant for a while longer!” said the stranger.

They were very tall and had on a silky orange cloak, having the hood up.The cloak itself – rather the fabric of it had galaxies and stars in them, moving constantly like the very window that looked out into space itself. They looked to be the Papyrus of this AU. With the light blue scarf tied to his arm it was easy to tell he lost his Sans.

“You feeling alright, kiddo?” the stranger asked.

“Um… yeah…” Dream nodded, “I…” he couldn’t find his words.

“Look just relax, I already know about your situation.'' The stranger said with a small smile, “Your name is Dream, you were shot with a venom coated bullet, and because of that, you need positivity to survive because your aura and life is what give stories and universes positive emotions. The moment you die, we all do.”

“How did you know?” Dream asked. He was just a little bit creeped out, but figured the stranger had good intentions.

The stranger frowned, “Izanagi told me. He was the one with the mask and kimono that was there that day. You don’t have to worry about your job, the source of the arrows that are giving off the positive energy is going around doing your job for you. I’ll go get you something to eat.”

“I uh–”

“My name? I’m sure you can guess, but my friends call me Occultatum.”

Occultatum…

That man was something, that's for sure.

He didn’t return to the glowing room for a short while, when he did he had an entire breakfast platter with him, with orange juice to wash it all down. He put the platter on a hovering table for Dream. “Take your time, I don’t want you getting sick.”

“Thank you…” Dream mumbled, “I… I don’t know what else to say.”

Occultatum smiled, “Then don’t say anything.”

Dream had to admit the man was a wonderful cook. The eggs, bacon, pancakes, and even the hashbrowns were all cooked to perfection. However, Dream knew that feeling that he was getting from Occult.

Nostalgia.

Occult wasn’t here, mentally. No. He was looking at Dream, the same way every single Papyrus outcode saw him.

As a Sans.

He wasn't Sans though. Not really. Not even to a small degree. The only thing he and every Sans in the multiverse shared was a similar appearance. But he could also feel a bit of regret and understanding. Occult knew what he was seeing wasn’t something real. When he finished, Occult teleported the dishes somewhere else and moved the table. “Alright, now I have to do a bit of a check up on you.”

Dream got a bit worried. “I’m sorry, I can’t stay here–”

“Yes, you can.” Occult insisted.

“I can't.”

“...” Occult glanced at him in a deadpanned fashion. He went over to the table with all the arrows and strange apples, “We have everything under control for you. You can stay here long enough to heal up. After all, the only thing that can take on the job of the guardian of positivity is another being of positivity… relatively speaking, that is.”

Occult started breaking the arrows into little pieces, then crushed them up in a mortar and pestle. Dream leaned to the side to get a better view at what his host was doing. He had sensed a source of concentrated positivity once he woke up, but didn’t think it would be tied to leftover remnants of his arrows. Or… were those his arrows? He didn’t think anyone would collect them- not when the only person they could hurt was Nightmare. The apples were the most suspicious part, unless they were ordinary yellow apples. Careful not to tug on the IV, Dream scooted to the side of the bed closest to the table. He could swing his legs over the edge, but the bed itself was still too comfy for him to consider getting off just yet. “May I ask what those apples are for?”

“They’re pure positive desires collected from humans from another AU.” Occultatum said, “The person currently substituting for you was the one who donated them. He’s the one helping keep you alive.” he tossed one gently to Dream, “He also gave us the arrows. Apparently, Izanagi and his little friend group stole as many of his arrows as they could to make those weapons to attack that brother of yours.”

Dream stared down at the apple in his hands, but no part of him desired to take a bite. He hadn’t eaten an apple in centuries- not since the incident, and not since he was freed from his stone prison. But still, he could feel the positivity beaming from the apples, both on the table and the one he was holding. They were so similar to the ones he remembered, but also not at all. And if he were to go off what Occultatum was telling him, these were created by someone similar to himself, positivity powers and all. Maybe this was good. Perhaps he wouldn’t be alone in supporting the multiverse from this point onward. Maybe he’d have help in getting his brother back- but this sounded too good to be true, almost wishful thinking. If there was someone else like him out there, why didn’t they show up earlier? How were they faring on their own? Was Nightmare hunting them down too, and Dream was too occupied to realize they existed? Could he meet them?

“What’s with that look?” Occult asked, smirking, “Curious about him?”

Dream nodded cautiously.

“His name is Dream Morabito, he’s not much of a guardian like yourself,” Occult shrugged, “He’s more like… someone that helps people process things in their sleep. His job relies on it, not giving the multiverse a consistent source of happiness. Nightmare DeVille, his… rival of some sort, I guess, does the same thing, but with nightmares and negative desires.”

“So he just… collects desires…?”

“He eats them.” Occult stated, “His AU is literally starving him and DeVille, something about a law there, Morabito has been collecting from other worlds–”

“Why haven’t I seen him before? Why haven’t I heard about him before this?”

Occult gave him an odd look, “Well we’re in the outermost realms, you’re from the inner circle, of course you wouldn’t hear anything about him, or any of us. I mean, how are you going to hear about an AU where a Sans lives in a military state with Ice Magic and guns? Where in the Multiverse are you going to hear about an AU where Monsters live in space for so long our blood coagulates and glows purple?” he snickered, “I mean don’t be ridiculous, the innermost realms are all more alike. The further out you go, the less alike they are.”

Dream let his body flop against the pillows to his left, going over this new information with a kind of shock he didn’t think he’d experience again, the basic ‘huh’ kind of shock. He fiddled with the apple’s stem, then slowly breathed in and let it out the same way. So, there are outermost realms and innermost realms. He is most familiar with the innermost, and the outermost are farther away. It was so simple a concept, but how come he was learning this information only now? Considering his ties to Ink, whose role is to help creators with all their creations and even directed Dream to a few once or twice, did he keep this information to himself? Why? Dream was certain he could have given the outermost realms the same aid he did the innermost ones. “Does Ink know about this?”

Occult shook his head, “I have no idea who that is.”

“You don’t?” Dream asked. He couldn’t sense any sign that the man was lying. “Do you know anyone with a paint brush and likes helping people make universes?” Okay, maybe not the best wording, but he hoped Occultatum knew what he was referring to. Ink used to talk a lot about his work, before he started closing himself off. Dream’s concern for him grew with each passing day he was gone.

Occult genuinely thought before grimacing, “Sort of, we call him Sketch. He’s an emotionless creature. I don’t even think the word monster applies to him in any way. He can use potions to feel emotions, but even then he actively refuses to take them. He stays at Asylumtale, though. And even then, he’s far too busy keeping Digital Klezmir from destroying AUs, but there's little else I know because… well…”

Hate wasn’t a strong enough word. He continued working on the arrows and medicine, crushing the arrows to dust almost violently. Before that moment, it was instantly obvious to Dream that whoever this Sketch person is, Occultatum loathed him.

“Onto a different subject,” Occult with an eerie calmness, “You need to rest. If I let you leave, I’ll never hear the end of it from Doctor Toriel. She’d probably lock me back in the asylum just to make sure I’m not stupid enough to let you go.” he grumbled under his breath a “Stars knows she did that when I left Cy home alone for an entire day…”

Dream didn’t dare ask who Cy was. There was a knock on the large door to the room.

Occult used magic to open it only for a wave of negativity to practically explode off of him. It was Izanagi, who was holding a bundle of scrolls, and looked like he was ready to run as far away at the drop of a hat.

A long silence between the two followed.

Izanagi was almost shaking as he spoke, “Ohayō gozaimasu, Occultatum-Senpai, Dream-sama.” he fiddled with the scrolls, “I… um… I have those scrolls I mentioned, and um… I um… I bought food…. Not-... um…”

He left them. The door shutting.

Occult glared at the door.

If Occult simply loathed Sketch, he absolutely detested Izanagi’s very existence at least twelve times over. Dream flinched at how intensely hostile Occultatum’s emotional state became in that moment, and how it only continued to intensify as each second ticked by after seeing that other skeleton.

Dream subconsciously squeezed the apple in his grasp, inching further towards the border of the bed. “Are you okay? You’re distressed…”

Occult glanced at Dream before sighing, “Never. Not with that guy around… But a deal is a deal.” He got out a cellphone and quickly typed into it, before saying, “By the way, we’re trying to find a way to figure out where the signal to your little camera is going.”

“Oh,” Dream mumbled, “That goes to an Underswap timeline.”

“They friends of yours?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright.” Occult sighed, “I’m going to make sure that waste of space doesn’t destroy anything. Toriel should be here in a bit. If you want to go in there, the IV drip can be rolled around, just… don’t tear it out or else you want to be forced back into this room violently – Toriel doesn’t have much patience.”

Occult hurried out of the room. The door opened and shut very quickly. Through the door and walls he could hear yelling. The most Dream could pick up was “You better not pull anything.” and “One fuck up and I’ll toss you into the blackhole!”.

Dream sat there with the apple, the negativity was able to be felt from the two monsters but the IV drip seemed to numb it, now that he thought about it. Like a constant sort of listless, soft positivity, like a heavy blanket wrapped around him, shielding his body from harsh winds. The apple itself was like a hot coal in such a situation. 

For the first time in weeks, he finally had a semblance of comfort, a fragile sense of peace. But now that he had it, he couldn’t help but think of his friends. Ink was still missing in action, last he could check. He knew Carrot, Blueberry, Undyne, and Edge more than likely hated to see him go, and were apprehensive for the next time he showed up. Dream sighed, placed the apple on the closest side table, and tucked himself into bed again, laying back so he could stare at the galaxies shining through the transparent ceiling. There was no doubt this… Outertale? Outerswap? Was an impressively beautiful reality, but at the same time, was nothing like the usual space-themed AUs he was used to visiting, and Dream realized he was obsessed with the sight. For a few minutes, he’s okay with this.

When he shut his eyes, Dream picked up on the dripping of his IV, the cybernetic buzzing of the technology and lighting, and the near-silent swaying of the plants near the foot of his bed. As much as he wanted to believe Occultatum that he didn’t need to do anything but rest while in his care, Dream wasn’t used to not doing anything. There was always something that needed attention, even things that didn’t include Nightmare or Killer, or any mode of danger whatsoever.

Dream sat up again, taking in his new surroundings again. It was in no way dull, and the trinkets on the shelves against the wall piqued his interest. He carefully slipped out of bed, minding the IV and the baggy clothing he found himself in, and made his way to the shelf at his left, ignoring the dizziness and slight nausea his body’s movement caused. 

He damn near tripped on the sleeves of the pajamas he was in as he limped over to the shelf. He found many different trinkets there. The closest one was a crystal ball that showed a universe inside of it, constantly spinning ever so gently. Sadly though, the center of the universe was a big black dot, a black hole slowly eating everything that dared to come near it. Putting it back, he found a small picture of Occultatum and a Sans that was probably from the same AU as him – his brother. They were in front of a small building holding a small plaque that was hard to read because of the slight glare, but Dream could catch the words Celestial Guard on it with a messy signature that started with the letter ‘U’; could have been signed by Undyne. It must’ve been the day this Sans was able to join the Royal Guard.

There was a small pain in Dream’s soul. He related deeply to Occultatum’s grief.

He sighed, moving over to the desk with all the apples and arrows. He still found it hard to believe that there was another version of himself— or a close equivalent to one. He picked up an arrow to admire its design. The arrows themselves weren’t made of pure light or energy, rather completely solidified positivity compounded into a physical magic form, like his own. Even the feathers that were at the end of the arrows themselves were made the same way, just softened to keep the arrows flying straight and true. A part of him distantly wondered if he could do that same ‘venom’ thing that this Dream Morabito could do. Would it make his job of getting his brother back easier? What if he tricked Nightmare into eating one of these Positive Desire Apples? He wasn't sure if that would work.

In fact, he doubted it.

He doubted it so much.

[1lostsoul0fishbowl]

here’s the rest of that steve chapter especially for you @the-unforgivenn since you wanted more! 😘

(part one is here if you missed it)

“I gotta say, I’ve been threatened with plenty of violence over the last couple weeks, but you’re the first one who’s actually hit first and asked questions later.” Gareth huffs out a sharp, angry sigh. “You gonna give me ‘the talk’, now, too? ‘Cause believe me, there’s nothing you can say that I haven’t already heard from Eddie and Chief Hopper and my sister and Max and Dustin… you’ve already demonstrated remarkably well that if I break her heart you’ll break some other part of my body. I wish I knew why everyone’s already expecting me to break her heart though.”

Steve remembers all too well how it felt to be the guy who nobody thought deserved to be with the amazing girl.

Gareth gingerly prods at his nose. “Jesus, that hurts. Look, I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure I never break Janie’s heart. I know we’re both way too young and we don’t know anything about life or how the world works or any of that shit but I don’t care, man, I love her. If I ever broke her heart I would die before any of you could actually kill me.” He scoffs. “What am I telling you all this for? What would you know about it? You dated a different girl every month in high school. I’m not like you, man, I’m not used to actually getting the girl that I want. But now that I did there isn’t anything that would convince me to let her go. And if I screw things up I’ll go ask Janie to help me fix them without anyone needing to come in and kick my ass to make me, because that’s bullshit.”

It bursts out, filling the room, bouncing and reverberating off the cold echo of tile. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. It knocks the wind out of Steve, punching him in the gut just as hard as he’d punched Gareth in the face. Bullshit.

“I’m sorry,” Steve gasps. “I’m so sorry.”

Without waiting for a reply, he bolts.

*

He’s not crying, when Dustin and Max find him shivering outside the club’s back door. He is definitively and categorically not crying. He’s just getting some fresh air after a heavy conversation stirred up some bad memories. There’s nothing wrong with fresh crisp night air. Maybe the cold is making his eyes water a little, but that’s all. That’s all it is.

“Finally! We’ve been looking all over for you,” Dustin shouts, rushing to his side, and there— at last— there’s the hug he’s been waiting for. And if he muffles a few soft sobs in Dustin’s curly hair, well, nobody else has to know that.

“Steve,” Max says gently, “I never thought I’d find myself actually quoting Eddie, but… what the actual fuck, dude. What happened to you in there?”

“I don’t know,” he groans. “I don’t know! It’s like I’m not back to my own mind yet, I’m still in Parent Pleasing Mode. I acted like they would’ve, and I hate it. I hate them.”

“If you hate them so much, why’d you even bother going to all those boring parties and doing all that stupid stuff they wanted you to do?” Dustin inquires, and it’s not an unreasonable question, but the answer only makes sense to a few people in a certain way. Max looks like she understands, though Steve wishes she didn’t have to.

“It’s the only way I can get them to notice me at all,” he explains miserably, feeling incredibly foolish. “They didn’t come home because they missed me or wanted to see me. They came home because they needed something from me. And if I gave it to them, then at least for a little while, I wasn’t a disappointment to them.”

He can’t pretend he isn’t crying anymore. “But once they got what they needed they went ahead and left me anyway. They’re always leaving me behind. Everybody leaves me behind.” He hiccups, loud and embarrassing like a little kid, but he can’t even bring himself to care. “Nancy left me behind. Robin’s gonna be leaving me soon too, she might be transferring to University of Illinois Chicago starting in January instead of waiting til next fall. Even you guys are starting to leave me behind. I clearly have no idea what’s going on in your lives anymore, and why would I need to? You’ve got Eddie for that now. A cool big brother is much more fun than an uptight babysitter.” He hiccups again.

“Steve, don’t be ridiculous,” Dustin immediately protests. “Just because we hang out with Eddie doesn’t mean we forgot about you. You’re still my best friend! I’ll always need you around.”

“Since Robin’s inside, I’ll call you ‘dingus’ for her,” Max adds. “We love you, you big dingus. We can love both you and Eddie too, you know, you don’t have to be jealous of him.”

“I’m not!” Steve bursts out. “At least, I didn’t used to be. Maybe I am. When he first started hanging out with you guys and we were getting to be friends, I kinda thought, wow this guy’s as lost as I am. I thought it might be kinda cool if we could help each other figure life out. But he went ahead and got his life together without me, he found a job he loves and… he knows exactly where he’s going and I’m still just stuck at stupid Family Video. All of you guys know where you’re going and I feel like I never did. Except when I was with Nancy.”

“Nancy broke up with Jonathan,” Dustin (un)helpfully supplies.

“But she’d never in a million years come back to me. And she shouldn’t, y’know? I made everything in our relationship all about me. I didn’t look out for her the way I should’ve. Gareth already takes better care of El than I ever did of Nancy, and I punched him in the face for it. And I don’t know why I did that! I didn’t think I was that kind of guy, but maybe I am. I don’t know who I am. Maybe I never did.” He’s sobbing again, not even trying to hide it, and Max and Dustin are both holding him now, trying to soothe him, but he can’t calm down. “I don’t know who I am or what I want, and everyone else does, and you’re all gonna end up leaving me here alone.”

“Steve,” Dustin squeaks out, his voice hoarse since he’s begun to cry, too. “You’re my best friend. You’ll always be my best friend. I could never forget about you. None of us will ever leave you alone.”

“No way,” Max agrees. “And we love you for who you are, not what your job is or whatever college you might or might not get into. We love you because you’re our friend, you protect us and take care of us and even though you grump about being our babysitter you’re always here for all of us, no matter what. None of us could’ve survived the last few years without you. Not even Nancy. You looked after all of us, and you never left any of us behind, so how could we leave you?”

“We never could. We’d never want to.” Dustin sniffles. “You took me in when I didn’t have anybody else. You looked out for me and gave me advice and tried to help me make good decisions. And you listened to me, at a time when nobody else was. You made me feel like I was still important. I wanna do the same thing for you now, because you’re still one of the most important people in my life and you always will be.”

Steve, wrapped up warm in the middle of a tight squishy group hug— Dustin’s specialty— finally manages to get control of his tears again. He doesn’t feel cold or aloof anymore; he feels cozy and safe and, for the first time in a very long time, like it’s okay to simply be what he is in this moment. He draws in a deep breath, which he can’t remember the last time he was actually able to do.

🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂

[lunarcry]

did a foolish thing and went through my libertaria screenshots. teehee (none of the very important loki parts tho thats for later

Fenrir: Ugh, I've had it, Loki! Can I take this stupid stuff off now? Loki: I thought we discussed this already. A little modesty goes a long way. Fenrir: I'm a primal beast! B-e-a-s-t! Why should I give a crap about showing modesty to mortals! Lyria: But, Fenrir… It looks so nice on you. It would be a shame to take it off now. Fenrir: It does not look nice on me! My natural looks are all I need!

Lyria: Oh, Fenrir! What do you think of this ribbon? If you let me tie up your hair with it, I just know you'll look— Fenrir: Stay away from me, and mind your own business! I'm not a doll! I don't care how many primal beasts you have, I can devour you in a single gulp! Lyria: Okay… Sorry. Fenrir: Ugh… Listen! I'm not part of your crew, so—

conversations im obsessed with (also again how weak fenrir actually is LOLLLLL

Loki: Then I'd like to offer my services. I know I'm an Astral, but wouldn't you rather have that over no one at all? Lyria: A-are you really okay with that? Fenrir: I'm not!

'i consent' 'is there someone u forgot to ask?' meme

The guard prepares to usher Lyria away, when a voice sounds from behind them. Fenrir: Sister! Where the he—I mean, I'm over here, dear Sis!

Loki: I'll star in the lead role this time, Fenrir, do what you did before. Fenrir: … Lyria: Gosh! Fenrir's tail is standing on end! Loki: Excuse me, I'm looking for my little sis— Fenrir: Raagh! Istavion Soldier: Awagh! Loki: Fenrir! That's not how a graceful lady should act! Fenrir: Shut up! I'm done playing along with your little games! Sneaking in this far was good enough. If they want to come at me, then I'll take them all out.

Lyria: Oh no! The door is locked! Fenrir: Move! I'm gonna smash it down! Lejos leaps out of the way just in time—the door, its frame, and parts of the surrounding wall suddenly implode into the room.

SCENES IM ALSO OBSESSED WITH

White Knight: Though I ask that the viceroy make no further movements. That youngster is most likely the Astral the True King spoke of. Loki: What do you know, Fenrir? We're celebrities. Fenrir: More like infamous fugitives wanted for interrogation.

thinking about that before nalhe scene w/ true king.....i rlyyy wish theyd talk about loki & true king... (but also fenrir recognizing that white knight is strong

anyway knowing white knights real name. help. out of all names.

Fenrir: If you plan on making me do more things I hate, I'll bite your head off in front of all these people. Loki: Show some class, Fenrir. The world is finally getting a view of your cute side. Fenrir: Okay, you just said your last words. Who do you want me to tell them to? Loki: Just deliver it to whoever would be most saddened by my passing. You can decide that one for me, Fenrir.

i lvoe them so so much

The White Knight trails off while looking at Mikaboshi, hoping she'll fill in the blanks about the mystery Astral but she pouts instead. Mikaboshi: I don't know anything. I'm still not complete yet. My power might be stronger than Loki's, but his nose is sharper at sniffing out weird stuff. White Knight: (Judging by their responses, even Loki finds the presence of another Astral irregular?)

aurgh i love them. i love them.....

Mikaboshi: Well, I wanted to go watch a fight in the coliseum…

Necesaria: (Of course, the real reason is because my orders from the higher-ups are to collect data on Mikaboshi. Trying out different perfumes, foundations, and makeup was a ruse to test an Astral's resistance to poison.)

Vyrn: Loki mentioned you guys split off. Sounds like everyone found something fun to do. Necesaria: Nothing wrong with that. After all, our crew is a collection of misfits. Mikaboshi: I'm not having any fun! I don't care about cosmetics or whatever. And if there is another Astral here, I don't want to go near them.

I LOVE THEEEMMMMMM still loving how loki just picked necesaria up. like ok yeah u can join welcome!!!!! obsessed with lokis crew

[springcatalyst]

*FACE AGAINST THE GLASS OF YOUR SCREEN* Bound, break, hate, midnight for Julian?????????????? 👁👁💕💘💗💘💗Please💗💕💞💞💘💞💗💞

YESSSS THANK YOU BESTIE!! I HATE HIM (I LVOE HIM)

Bound: Has your OC ever been imprisoned or captured? What happened? How did they get out? Did the experience leave any scars?

Ok not conclusively... but maybe? The only reason anyone has to fuck with Julian is to get at Liliana, because sorry he's just not that important. You have to want something to capture someone, anything else and why not just beat him or kill him, ya feel? But I think it'd be fun for me personally.

Break: What would cause your OC to break down completely? What do they look like when that happens? Has anyone ever seen them at their lowest?

It would take something... something that he wouldn't expect to matter. Losing himself, or losing one of the few people he genuinely cares for, would destabilize an already unstable foundation. Real fear, too, gets at him. He's not afraid of pain and he's not afraid of death, which means he usually looks fearless or foolish or both, but it also means he doesn't really know what to do with genuine fear. He thinks he's invincible, thinks that he's mastered the art of remaining unaffected, but that's not even a LITTLE BIT true. Unfortunately for everyone around him, 'breaking down' now looks like getting really, really defensive. An already short fuse gets shorter and shorter the more unraveled and/or upset he becomes, which makes it impossible to deescalate. He lashes out at anyone in the vicinity, but if given the chance, he will retreat away, alone. Alone is his natural state, and the one he's most comfortable with, and it means unobserved, which is integral to the kind of breakdown he's privy to.

Arguably the only person that's ever seen him like this, though, is Diana, just because they grew up together. She was there before he was quite so defensive, before he protected his pride with his life. Still rare, though, because he always ran away.

Hate: What does your OC hate? Why? How do they act towards the object of their hatred?

God. He hates people that wound his pride, he hates people that condescend and patronize and it doesn't even have to be directed at him this time, he hates people who act like they follow different rules than everyone else which is HILARIOUS because HE does that!! He's such a fucking hypocrite and you know what? He also hates hypocrites. He hates cruelty without purpose which, also funny, because he is far from a nice person, but there's a certain line to cross. And depending on the severity of who he's dealing with, he ranges from a little harsher than usual to a straight up knife fight. There are many a man with whom he does not get along, but is in a situation where he can't just say fuck em and leave, so he's just really blunt and snippy and short when necessary interactions do happen. Like, you can tell he doesn't like you, but what are you gonna do about it? He's begging for them to start a fight.

Midnight: What keeps your OC up at night? Do they have nightmares? Fears? Anxieties? What do they do in the small hours of the morning when they should be sleeping?

Ah, well. He's kinda haunted but in a way that he doesn't even really know by what. It's more a feeling, he's not self-aware enough to connect the dots. He's restless, like there's something left incomplete. He constantly feels like he needs to get away from everything, it's part of the reason he never stays in one place, or even on one ship, for very long. Being around one group of people for too long feels like they're gonna start noticing things, patterns, pieces of something he'd rather stay secret. And then in those wanderings he finds himself amidst crews of people who are actually dangerous, actually cruel, and what was once just an itchy instability of character becomes caution and uncertainty and an odd sort of alienation. It reinforces the idea that he is safest when he is alone, and nighttime is a period where he is guaranteed that.

[omentranslates]

Villain chapter 6 conclusion english fan translation

Hiiiiiii, sorry I'm a month late shit was crazy. Anyways! Please remember to look at the beautiful art to fully understand the story as this is a text only translation, and thank you for reading ;3

Takitou: Hey, it's me. Yeah sorry I let it get so late. I'm on my way home now.

Takitou: ...what? Don't worry about what, what are you talking about??

Takitou's Little Sister on the Phone: How should I know? He just told me to tell you, but then he left right away. Wasn't he your underclassman or something?

Takitou: ....and did this underclassman have a name?

Sister: Said it was Orio.

--

Kurema: I truly pity you, Adzuru Nii-san. Did you really think something would change if you just told our father everything? Did you think you could get him to understand?

Kurema: I mean, are we talking about the same father!!? There's no way in hell!

Kurema: He has no tolerance for anything that doesn't match up with his personal values, so of course there's no way he'd ever acknowledge you for who you are, he won't even try.

Kurema: And it's not like our father is an unusual person in that respect, I'm sure you already know that. But Nii-san, isn't that just it? Even if you never receive their understanding, isn't it good enough to just play the part of being normal?

Kurema: You can grin and bear it just a bit longer, control your expression properly so that the things about you that are "different"* never get found out. That's it Nii-san, there's no need to ever show your true face to another person.

Azuru Narration: My younger brother Kurema...

Kurema: I'll go talk to our father on your behalf, ok? Let's act like you just misspoke.

Azuru Narration: He's not like my father who can never accept me, he probably knows more of the real me than anyone else. He understands. He understands, and more than that he so clearly--...

Kurema: It'll be alright, I'm on your side.

Kurema: I'll be the one to protect you.

Azuru Narration: He wants to make it so "who I am" never happened.

*smack*

Kurema: ....I see. This is his bad influence, isn't it. Midou Renri.

Kurema: Nii-san, you haven't been right since you met that wretch. Since you started running away over to his place rather than just come home...That's what's irritated our father too, you're making your own situation worse...and it's all his fault, right?

Azuru: Renri isn't a bad person, Kurema. It's just that I....I selfishly made him my place to return to...

Kurema: A place to return to?

Kurema: DON'T YOU THINK YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN RELYING ON ME, NII-SAN, RATHER THAN SOME RANDOM ASS PERSON??

Kurema: Sorry for shouting, but seriously what can he offer you?

Kurema: What is a life with him besides having no permanent place in any group and making only enemies? No one needs people like him, there's no place for someone who can't be normal. But you're not like that, Nii-san. You have someone on your side, someone who understands you.

Kurema: You'll choose the place you belong, right? Niisan

Azuru: ...you're right, Kurema.

Azuru: But it seems like that place isn't here after all. Whatever Renri is, I'm the same.

Azuru: When you look at us, I'm sure you must see nothing but mistakes. I always thought the same way, that I was born by mistake. Every time I smile while pretending to be like everyone else, I feel like I know who I actually am less and less. There is no place for those of us who are no one....but even so, I want someone to hold hands with. Me and Renri, in the end we're both only human.

Renri: Maybe you think it's foolish to even think that, but if you would call it a mistake

Azuru: Then by all means, call me the villain.

--

Renri: *unintelligible grumbling*

Renri: What the fuck was that exit, Azuru!?

Azuru: ...Renri...

Kurema: Midou...MIDOU RENRI-!! DON'T TOUCH MY BROTHER!! NII-SAN, GET BACK IN HERE!

Renri: ...is that gonna be ok?

Azuru: Yeah.

Kurema: WHY?? WHY HIM??? NII-SAN!! WHY...WHY!!??

Kurema: Why wasn't I enough...?

--

Renri: That was pretty extreme for you, huh

Azuru: It was not, I knew there were a lot of bushes under the balcony.

Renri: That still wouldn't make most people ok to jump off it!!

Renri: So what now?

Azuru: Um...I haven't thought about it.

Renri: See what I mean? Extreme.

Azuru: Well...I don't regret it. For the first time, I'm going to choose where I belong.

Azuru: Oh I know, maybe I'll see about going to another town far away from this one.

Renri: Sounds nice! In that case, I guess I'll tag along.

Azuru: What?

Renri: What?

Azuru: Uh, it's just-I mean, I didn't mean to get you tangled up in my mess against your-

Renri: I'd be going because I want to though?

Azuru: And your sister would probably worry

Renri: Phones exist???

Azuru: .....

Azuru: I- I said that I like you, Renri......how..do you feel about that?

Renri: Like I like you too, Azuru.

Azuru: ...uhm...Renri

Azuru: I'm not sure if we mean the same kind of 'like'-

Renri: Far as I'm concerned...any like is fine.

Azuru Narration: I've always wanted....to be able to touch and be touched easily, without having to fear. I always wanted to try holding hands with the person I like. That's why...

Azuru: Yeah

Azuru: Why does it feel like we shouldn't be doing this

Renri: Haha

*the word used here I've written as different, but it also means "wrong." I believe Kurema is trying to imply both here but I had to pick one.

[songbirdtayler]

Im posting this here since no one will see it and I don't want my brother to find it in my journal. I still want to die. I keep thinking about it every day. It's been this way for months on end and it's at the point where I'm not scared to die. I already have things mostly planned out. I know when and which day would work best, Im gonna write a will soon and then letters to everyone and maybe do some videos in case the letters are unreadable. I just need to get that all done and choose how to go out. I do want a bit more money before I go so my family has less to worry about but they can sell all my stuff im not giving to people. They won't have to worry about another mouth to feed or the upstairs being too hot, they can move my fans downstairs to help keep things cooler and hopefully make the electrical bill go down some. They also won't have to worry about another person getting COVID. I won't weigh them down anymore. I won't weigh anyone down. I won't ever have to be in pain or cause anyone more pain again. It will be my last act of pain. Sure it's a big pain but they'll be okay. Everyone I care about has people there for them. They won't see me become a bigger monster, they'll be able to have some good memories of me. I don't want them to have more bad memories of me. I don't want to hurt them anymore. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to hurt. Everything hurts so much. My heart hurts so much. I'm not strong enough to keep going on. I'm so tired of being hurt all the time. Things just keep getting worse. I've managed to hurt my best friend so much that he doesnt even love me anymore. We're still friends but it hurts ya know. And it hurts more knowing that I'll never even be close to the one he likes. I can't make him comfy anymore, I can't make him happy or laugh or support him etc. I just hurt him it seems like:/ he used to really love me but I ruined that. I ruin everything I touch. That's the other reason why I gotta go. I don't want to ruin more things. I just want everyone to be happy and okay. I don't want to make the world a darker place. I think I've done all I can, I don't see what Im needed here for anymore. I don't think I really matter. Its hard to see why I would. How can a monster matter ? Not only that, people don't really talk to me...I'm ignored a lot so I stopped really reaching out. I'm pretty lonely most of the time tbh. I'm not someone people really check in on or want to spend time with. I'm just here. Im not even good at what I used to be good for so I don't even have people really reaching out for those reasons now. It's pretty funny people always tell me they love me and care but they don't really reach out or try to talk to me one on one yet they always will for other people. I can't even be treated kindly when I'm clearly worried about someone else yet they love me. The irony of it all. If you care then why don't you try with me!!! Do you see why it's so hard to see why I matter? If I matter why don't people try..I don't get it. People know I'm going through a rough time yet they still don't even reach out. IM NOT THAT STRONG IVE BEEN THROUGH THE RINGER OF PAIN I NEED SUPPORT AND CARE GODDAMNIT. So I gotta be a monster it's what makes sense. Maybe I would have been stronger if I had more support and if things stopped getting worse all the time. But I don't have either of those things. All I have is more pain and suffering and loneliness and seeing myself further descend into being a bigger monster. I try so hard to do good and be kind and happy and a good friend but I keep fucking up. I can't even do something simple. I was too greedy letting myself live this long. If I was gone noone of the pain I caused would have happen and I wouldn't have to experience all this pain. I would be at peace and people would be happy but I'm foolish and hopefully. I won't let that get the best of me now tho. I'll be gone soon enough