#convo: marley

[thatschuesterguy]

Unfortunatly it is, but I like a challenge. And if all else fails, there's always the option of starting my own party. I did say that, yes. I moved here about a month ago. Both of my siblings moved here not so long ago, and that got me curious about what it is about this town that had them move here. Hello, Marley. I'm Chris Schuester, nice to meet you.

Is that so? Well, I wish you luck on your quest and pray it comes to a conclusion soon. As for if we've met or not... I suppose it's possible that we haven't. You said you were new to Bearcreek, yeah? I'm Marley.

[tcmbcy]

closed starter for: @poetsprophecy

"what's it gonna take to get you to actually come back to dallas with me one of these days and catch a stars game?" jaxon spoke as he sat next to wyatt with a smile plastered on his face. wyatt was one of his close friends that he made a point to meet up with any time he was in california for work meetings. "i'll put you and your little one in my box so you'll have the best view of the ice."

[starlooove]

Idk how to explain it but the whole yn thing irks me so bad like. Even when it’s something that has racial connotations like the word ghetto or ratchet it’s all connotative and ig. Even tho it SHOULDNT be extended towards nonblacks in a way there’s still that illusion of ‘well we could be talking about anybody’ but the whole yn is literally saying ‘young black CHILD! BOY! TEENAGER!’ (Bc y’all forget) and having an entire set of racist stereotypes on that alone. Like ur literally saying I think this this and this about you on the basis that you’re Black and young idk it’s weird.

[ethanmontgomery]

Wait, you sometimes hook up with people? I can't remember the last time I did such a thing... the last time must have been in college, I think.

Not since college. I tend to get a little further out from town if I'm going to possibly hookup with someone.

[tcmbcy]

closed starter for: @poetsprophecy

"you have no idea how excited i am that we finally get to work together," emma crossed her legs as she sat herself down on the couch in the studio she'd met veronica in. her label had been begging her to consider more collaborations so she knew the person she immediately wanted to work with first. "i'm such a huge fan of your stuff, seriously."

[gortashs-skidmark]

Master List <3 if it says "edited" it means i've looked for grammatical errors and color coded with warnings. !!!!MNDI +18 CONTENT, SMUT, NSFW, NOT SAFE FOR CHILDREN!!!! Unfinished, in the works: - !!He Who Was Headcanons!! NSFW - !!Astarion Headcanons!! NSFW - !!Beloved Tieflings Headcanons!! NSFW - !!Zevlor Headcanons!! NSFW - !!Gortash Headcanons!! NSFW

<3 <3 <3 Existing Fics: - Single Astarion Headcanon NSFW - Single Astarion Headcanon - Gortash x Durge Headcanons (edited) - Enver Gortash Headcanons (short) NSFW (edited) - Single Durge Headcanon - !!Kar'niss Headcanons!! NSFW

Enver Gortash x Reader SMUT 18+ MDNI NSFW (edited)

Enver Gortash x Reader Drabble SMUT 18+ MNDI NSFW (edited)

The Gate's Mouth - PARTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

Biggest fucking Lore Dump about Bhaalspawn's timeline

<3 <3 <3

Popular;

! Tiefling Canon Facts for writers and artists to spice things up! (edited)

! Single Astarion Headcanon

! BG3 Blurb Headcanon

! Zevlor whereabouts

Not fics or headcanons, but thoughts

<3 BG3 Act 3 thoughts + BG3 Raphael thought

<3 Wizard thought + Faerun Geography Lesson

<3 Gortash fic idea + link to voicelines

<3 Gortash drawing idea

<3 History that applies to Durgtash

<3 Orin Becoming Bhaal's Chosen , sarevok thought

<3 cute kar'niss fanfic idea

<3 Astarion convo

<3 Beyond Impressive (Gortash)

Other:

- The Tepid Bard: House of the Dragon X Modern!Reader 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐯 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐝

- Differences: Larys Strong X Reader (Quotev: ciggysn’milk) (Wattpad: sensorycarrot)

- The Gate’s Mouth: BG3 X Modern!Reader (Quotev: ciggysn’milk) (Wattpad: sensorycarrot)

- Moon: BG3 X Thorm!Reader (Quotev: ciggysn’milk) (Wattpad: sensorycarrot)

- Devils of Marley: AOT X Ghoul!Reader (Quotev: ciggysn’milk) (Wattpad: sensorycarrot)

- Absence: AOT X Modern!Reader (Quotev: ciggysn’milk) (Wattpad: sensorycarrot)

<3 <3 <3

Key:

Orange - Canon - it's written about in DND lore

Purple - Headcanon - made up, just for fictional fun.

"!! !!" - Headcanons, though, includes Canon history beforehand. ALL INCLUDE NSFW, eventually.

[shiorihyuga]

Tides of Fate

So I was inspired by a convo I had with @kiwi4b to create these Headcanons/ What-If Scenario for Tides of Fate.

What if…Eren and Levi swapped mates??

Luna as Levi’s Mate:

Quiet Power Couple Vibes: Imagine Levi actually smiling, just a little, because Luna just gets him. They’d be that couple who communicates with just a look, and honestly, it's kinda intimidating how in sync they are.

Chill Dates Are Their Thing: They’d totally have dates just reading or chilling in silence. Like, Luna would be all poised and regal beside Levi, and they’d just sit there, enjoying not having to talk because the peace between them is just that good.

Levi Opening Up?: Luna would be one of the few who could get Levi to talk about his feelings. Picture them at night, Luna casually bringing up deep topics, and Levi actually engaging. They’d share more with each other than they ever would with anyone else.

Stargazing Goals: They would definitely sneak out to watch the stars. Levi might play it off as tactical recon, but really, he’s there because Luna loves the quiet of the night, and he loves...well, Luna.

Luna Keeps Levi on His Toes: Luna is mysterious, and Levi would never fully know what she’s thinking. She’d throw him curveballs all the time, like randomly disappearing for a few hours, only to return with just the thing Levi didn’t know he needed. He’d never admit it, but he finds her unpredictability... exciting.

Levi, the Secret Softie: Luna would absolutely bring out the secret soft side of Levi. Like, one day, the squad finds him and Luna sitting on the couch, and he’s brushing her hair while they talk about the ocean. Cue everyone doing a double-take.

“Do You Ever Sleep?”: Luna would definitely catch on to Levi’s terrible sleep schedule. She’d have to sneak into his room at night, curl up next to him, and force him to sleep by simply being there. Levi would never say it, but after Luna, his nightmares get a lot less frequent.

The Silent Protector: Levi would go into overdrive protecting Luna. Marley? Titans? Siren hunters? Nope. He’s slicing them up without hesitation because no one touches his siren. But it’s cool because Luna’s just as fierce—she’d protect him just as much with her voice and powers. Power couple.

Aria as Eren’s Mate:

Aria Driving Eren Bananas: Aria would absolutely drive Eren up the wall at first with her teasing and button-pushing. It would be hilarious because Eren’s all grumpy, and Aria’s just dancing around him with this cheeky grin.

The Jealousy Is Real: Aria flirting just for fun would make Eren so jealous, and everyone would know it. The squad would definitely have bets on how long Eren’s going to take before he snaps and drags her away from some random dude.

Adventure Time: Aria would be the one to pull Eren into the most random adventures. “Hey, Eren, let’s go climb that extremely dangerous cliff because it’s fun!” And Eren, after a lot of grumbling, totally would.

Softening The Edge: Over time, Eren would definitely start showing his softer side. Aria would have him doing all sorts of silly things he’d never do with anyone else, like attempting to dance or sing. And let’s be real, he’d secretly love it.

Protective Much?: Eren being super protective would be a sight, but Aria being all carefree would just throw him into overdrive. Yet, she’d handle it with a laugh and probably tease him for being such a worrywart.

Flirting 24/7: Aria would flirt with Eren non-stop. She’d totally catch him off guard all the time. “You know, Eren, you look kinda hot when you’re angry.” Cue Eren turning red and snapping back at her while she just laughs it off.

Eren Tries to Act Tough But…: Aria would do that thing where she playfully smacks Eren’s shoulder and suddenly, the tough Titan boy is smiling. Like, Aria’s the only one who can get him to relax, and he’s kinda low-key embarrassed about how much he’s into her teasing.

“Who Needs Strategy? Let’s Have Fun”: Aria would 100% drag Eren away from serious business. If the squad’s trying to plan a mission, she’d be like, “We’ll figure it out, let’s go swimming.” Eren would resist at first, but you know after a while, they’d be goofing off in the water.

Eren Is So Whipped: Eren would act all annoyed, but the minute Aria’s in danger or someone disrespects her, it's on. He’d go full “nobody touches her” mode, and it would be the first time anyone’s seen Eren get that emotional about someone else. Aria, of course, would smugly say, “Told you I was your weakness.”

They’re That Couple: Aria and Eren would absolutely be that couple who bicker like siblings in public but are super soft and sweet in private. Like, everyone’s used to them teasing each other, but behind closed doors, they’re all cuddled up, with Aria making Eren laugh like no one else can.

Fun Fact:

In the original draft of this story, Luna was supposed to be with Levi and Eren was supposed to be with Aria. But I eventually swapped things around because I think Luna has better chemistry with Eren and Aria has better chemistry with Levi.

~

Masterlist:

[carguynoel]

So you're double familiar to me. I know Natalie, kinda, I bug her in the hallways anyway. You got any tips on how to crack that thick shell of hers or so I gotta just keep chippin away at it? Marley Rose, yeah, I know your voice, I've seen you play a few times, even follow you on socials. You're talented. You got any shows coming up?

Possibly? But I'm also a triplet, so you maybe met one of them instead, Delilah or Natalie. But I also make music and I play the local bars a lot, so you could've seen me around at some point. I think you look familiar too, now that i think about it.

[marleysfinest]

i hope that i am not late for the lovefest and even if i am i have snacks and copious amounts of alcohol so PLEASEEEEEEE let me in!!! pelase please oewijaflsijdfasdjf

okay anyway i love that you're doing this to begin with, it speaks to how wonderful you are so let's kick things off with the woman of honor - you!

muva marley, you are one of a kind in the most spectacular of ways. your heart is enormous. i would trust you with my keys, my banking app password, my social security number, my life...anything. you have a heart of solid gold and we are all better because we get to benefit from being around you. seeing the way you love your family, your friends, all the compassion you give, it makes me want to be a better person and i'm sure i'm far from the only one. as beautiful on the inside as you are out. i love you! so much! thank you for being in my life <333

and now i have a few more people i'd like to mention, i apologize for the length of this ask in advance:

@wyvernslovecake - oh cas, your inner light shines so bright. you are hilarious and clever and just an all around outstanding human being and it's my privilege to get to call you a friend. we went from anonymously talking about papa reiner (long may he live....) and grimmjow to now having the friendship we do and i'm so grateful. thank you for the fun! thank you for the laughter!

@sailorspica - we were destined to cross paths and i know it because how else would i find a fellow pisces with the best taste in toxic old men and music both? nowhere but here. it's so fortunate that we met here where we can truly match each other's freak. and as for that houseboat? i think we should. i think we could be like mob and reigen but somehow even better.

@quiveringdeer - nat! you have been with me for the full two years i've been here and while we've both come and gone and had our struggles and triumphs and time off and here both, it's like coming home to get to talk to you when i do. i truly feel rejuvenated even if it's just a short little back and forth about life and whatever. you have the biggest heart and the best vibes and i hope you know that about yourself and believe it.

@bloompompom bloomy wooms where do i begin?!!!!! you are the most beautiful soul! your heart is so big! you are creative and hilarious and so down to earth. you're the person i know i could get coffee but also tell my tragic life story to and be met with empathy and wit and something to carry with me after the convo is over and we've parted ways. you are a star! spectacular! i love you!!!

@ssslime - my home state mate <333 every time i think of you i get this fond little warmth in my chest because you are so good. inside and out, just good to your bones. thank you for being the most honest, kind, and hilarious person out there.

@pavloves-dog - the human equivalent of sunshine to be sure. you are supportive. you are intelligent and so funny and so easy to talk to. you have so much wisdom and im proud of you and proud to know you!!! thank u for being my friend and for being yourself

@p00pdev1l - jazz!!!! you are the best!!! never has a presence been mourned more than when you left and when you returned it was like the gates of heaven opened and granted us an angel again. just a person we should all aspire to be more like because you're grounded and patient and good to everyone and just ugh. thank u!!!! for returning to us

@daryascurse - what if we...held hands and kissed...what then...LSDFLSJDFJSDF but also hiiiii <333 you are awesome. beautiful, bold, talented, gonna change the world and probably pretty effortlessly although your work ethic is also beyond admirable. like idk how i even stumbled upon the luck that gave me the opportunity to have you in my life but i won't complain.

@neiptune - oh v!!!! oh beloved! you have the biggest heart and you do so much just by being yourself. you have a healing presence and i know that's a lot of pressure to have as a person but you wear it well and you are just wonderful. thank you for being in my life <3

@pisspope - genuinely the most clever and creative person i've ever met. you are a riot and i love the way you see the world and other people and i admire it very much. you see everyone for exactly who they are, no projections or frills, and i love love love that. you are awesome.

and finally, my belovedest @blondeboyfriend <333 tbh i don't even think i'd still be part of this community if it weren't for finn. like sometimes in life you meet a person that like completely changes things for you and even if we don't talk every single day, finn is that person for me. i love you and i'm so grateful we exist at the same time and someday we will indeed enjoy our creamsicles together watching a sunset.

okay that's all for me they're playing me off! i love everyone! i love you guys soooo much!!!!

we got KENDY in here with the luv!!!!!!!!!!! I love u so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

spread the love with muvva's feel good 500!

[sailorspica]

🔥 topic: pieck

(drop a 🔥 for an unpopular opinion)

tbf i don't super know what's popular with her Specifically, but my complaints apply to how most female characters are treated in fandom, chiefly that the ships i see for her most do not compel me at all!! and i say this as a forever rarepair/crackshipper in several fandoms over. she has plenty of rich relationships in canon that need not be romantic and offer tons of insight into the position of eldians in marley (see these convos), shipping is the least interesting thing we can offer her

zeke? i think she's never trusted him for a second, and zeke isn't close to anyone/his canonverse anti-natalism is sex averse. jean? tons of people get tucked into armpits in battle here. porco? maybe my only really unpopular take, but imo she sees him as a taller warrior candidate—field experience matters more than similar age, i think her softness toward him is pretty much how she treats the kids. yelena? pieck's flirtation in liberio is mostly a means to an end. hange? idc they meet as adults, i think hange wouldn't be attracted to someone of an age with the 104th, and nothing they say about the cart is all that different to how they treat eren early on

my favorite favorite pieck interactions are with falbi and magath, the odd, cross-generational camaraderie that doesn't get emotional until magath's death, but i'm not a total killjoy who needs to justify every relationship with canon: at the end of the day i see her and connie as buddies who bond over elder care and unexpectedly remind each other of sasha and porco bc in general i hc the alliance fitting into/easing each other's losses imperfectly

[proxythe]

can i get your top glee headcanons??

or any glee stuff you just CANNOT stop thinking about

infodump pls king

i yapped so bad omg i’m serious … anyways here you go!!

i don’t have many specific hcs just kind of general stuff but let me get into this…

- bpd quinn fabray and bpd blaine anderson will always be famous to me

- bisexual finn & sam just real as hell… dare i even add bi4bi hudevans…?

- finntana bffs is literally my favorite thing of all time i fear </3 technically not completely hc since they’re actually friends but in my head they r Best Friends… its a need

- fuinn endgame 🙌 yall gotta stay w me on this ship fr hold on wait-!!!

- also technically canon friends but needed more quinncedes bffism ?? i still picture theyre very close. theyre occasionally lovers in my head as well

- i imagine college finn when i draw him but i love teacher finn bc i would die without the unique & finn dynamic in my head. hes her number 2 fan (kurt and mercedes are number 1). she is his favorite student TO ME!!!

- finn actually being protective and a good brother and friend is technically somewhat of an hc to me. they love acting like he’s an awesome friend but i always feel like it was never properly shown (aside from a few times, to my memory). needed him to whoop some ass protecting kurt at least once i fear!

- artana bffs… artie my beloved lowkey! i know him and santanas convos & texts are Crazy as hell… they love to talk shit it’s true it’s true…

- tina staying emo style wise is huge for me… i loved it so much on her… let her queen out idk.

- same w rachel lowk. her early season looks and outfits were soo cute, i always picture a similar style on her even when she’s older 😭 (honestly a lot of the characters s4-on i thought had kinda basic outfits ?? maybe it’s just me but idk. felt like they had more individual&unique styles in s1-3)

- honestly i mostly have so many friendship thoughts with no further elaboration. blaine/finn, britt/rachel, more mike/finn, more kurt/quinn, artie/mercedes, quinn/blaine ?!?!? def more but my mind is blanking…

- anything furt related i inject directly into my head and heart … siblings hit me in my chest like a bullet every time

- a more unserious one but kurt and quinn are literally sues gay son and thot daughter. her favorites i know this to be true

as for stuff i just can’t stop thinking about… oh you already know the first thing i’ll be bringing up…

- “can i show you something?… it’s my girlfriend. i used to have another photo but i like this one better” “why? she looks terrible” “cuz i think it’s the first one where you can really see her” TURN IT UP!!!😭😭😭

- “you’re the most beautiful girl i’ve ever seen in my life” …yall could never make me hate fuinn im sorry like look at the material

- finntana hugs, fuinn s4 hug specifically, furt hugs … its simple… finn hug = cinema

- quinn wanting mercedes there when she delivered her baby. this was serious for me

- “you’re gonna dance it with me dude” + him singing to kurt will forever live in my heart. mhm mhm lemme not forget my furt

- marley jake & unique. just pure bffism. theyre unique defenders 4L & i think thats beautiful as fuck

- “sam just tweeted that i smell good” “i wont stop til its trending” SAMCEDES!!! 😭😭😭

- sam’s “bring it” & finn’s “brung”

- samcedes, fuinn, brittana, klaine … my ultimate beloveds really. + jarley :-)

- and, lastly: “there’s only one person in this world who can tell you what you are” “me” “no, me. sue sylvester.”

[carguynoel]

Spicy tacos make her dance. Or she just likes the emojis. Old people are always just sending emojis 'cause they like 'em.

my mom has discovered text message signatures about 20 years late and now signs off all of our texts with this series of emojis:

🌶🌮💃

i'm confused, but like, i am also very entertained. what do you think she's saying?

[pandasan-power]

Zeke is my favourite fictional character. He's just so... fascinating. He's initially presented as weird and mysterious but he turns out to be a giant dork and a huge loser with the most severe daddy issues I've ever seen.

I love him so much. Here's a very long ramble that's kinda sorta a character analysis (it's bad though).

He gives off Reddit mod energy (then again, Eren has Discord mod energy (disclaimer: I love Eren too)), has the sense of humour of a 12 year old, hangs around people who are quite a bit younger than him (granted, his only other option is creepy old military men), has smoked since he was probably like 15 and spends his life "pretending" to be stupid.

And yet he genuinely cares about other people in his own way. He really did just want to make it so that Eldians didn't have to suffer. He assumed that because he had a shit life and was treated terribly (as were his parents), everyone else was in the same boat. It never occured to him that other Eldians were happy, because, like, why would they be?

He's willing to go to the ends of the earth and beyond to fulfill his mission, which he's held on to since he was a teenager. Even though Ksaver did plant the seeds for Zeke, Zeke came up with his plan himself. Ksaver never mentioned anything about reproduction, just that the Founder could be used to alter Eldian biology.

He's devasted when Eren goes "lol jk bro" and betrays him, because he finally found someone he thought he could trust (his first mistake was trusting Eren of all people). He couldn't understand why Eren went against his plan, or what Eren was even trying to accomplish in the first place.

Also, I think it's worth mentioning that Zeke's euthanasia plan undermines everything Ymir Fritz went through. She suffered severely, but I like to imagine that she really did love her daughters to the best of her ability. Zeke saying that Eldians would be better off not existing in the first place and that he's going to get rid of them is telling Ymir Fritz that all her suffering was for absolutely fucking nothing. Whereas Eren wants Eldians to live on, because that way, Ymir can be freed, and she can see that there is beauty in the world (which she did via Mikasa, as badly explained as it was lol).

Zeke never saw that beauty. He was brainwashed and abused and taken advantage of his entire life. By his parents, by Marley (yes, even Ksaver), and, later, by Eren. To him, there was nothing redeeming about the world.

Hence his final line where he talks about what a lovely day it is and how nice/clear the sky is, but that it ultimately is too late to realise that (? I haven't read the chapter in a while, I don't remember the exact wording). That's him acknowledging that he was wrong about the world lacking beauty.

Yes, Ksaver did care for him and did love him, but he did also use Zeke for his own gain. He was projecting his son onto Zeke, as he said so himself in canon, and he was also hoping that Zeke could accomplish what he (Ksaver) wasn't able to. Zeke may not have been as determined to save the Eldians (in his own way) if he hadn't spent time with Ksaver.

Zeke and Eren are fascinating to me, because Eren threw away his humanity in order to save the world/his loved ones, yet was very upset that he had to do so (given his paths convo with Armin), yet Zeke... was stripped of most of his humanity before he had a chance to even embrace it. My personal interpretation is that he never realised he was lacking humanity (which is something Levi kept trying to point out, especially in the forest with reminding Zeke about his Rakago crime) because death and killing were so normalised to him (and to him, his enemies weren't human because they were mostly Eldians and he, as an Eldian, wasn't considered human -- or at least he may have used that as a justification for his actions), and it wasn't until the very end that it hit him.

Lastly, part of why I love the dynamic between Zeke and Levi is that they're two sides of the same coin. They're both admired and feared by people (for different reasons), are traumatised in every possible way, and are similar yet also very different.

When they're interacting, neither of them give a shit about the other's status or powers or whatever. They fight like equals on par with each other and don't hold back. Warchief Zeke? Captain Levi? Nope. They're just Zeke and Levi to each other. (And they'd be friends if they were on the same side, maybe.)

ANYWAY Zeke Yeager is a great character and I love my monkeyman so much. He had such good character development and his backstory is really well done. The "I love you, Zeke" paths scene is my favourite since in all of SnK just for how much that means for both Grisha and Zeke.

[quill-pen]

A Father's Regret

Based on one of the many, many, many impromptu RPs/character convos @rom-e-o and I get wrapped up in.😅 Honey, I've RPed more in half a year with you than I have my entire life of fandom. I suppose there's no stopping now.

Warnings: Depression mostly, I guess; nudity and implied sex, but nothing at all graphic. Um... hauntings maybe?

Summary: Marley returns to the Scrooge household to deliver a very important message.

Theme:

Jacob Marley was a damned soul, doomed to wander the ends of the earth for all eternity; no rest, no peace. A soul riddled with regret for things he hadn't done, things he had done, and things he was now unable to do as he traversed the world and witnessed its many horrors and hardships.

Not among the least of these regrets were the ones he had in terms of his attempts at being a husband and a father--i.e. attempts he hadn't made. And for his folly, the pain and suffering in the world had only grown and claimed yet another innocent victim; that victim being his own daughter. If he possessed any right to call her that or think of her in such way; he'd abandoned her after all.

Perhaps that was why the ghost had decided to return to London, yet again, on this stormy, August night; making his way through the gloomy, rainy streets of the old city to the familiar, three-story, brick house on Craven Street, his chains and safes rattling and clanking behind him.

Scrooge Manor, as it was called now, was a thriving and bustling home compared to what it had been the first time Marley had ever seen it and the first time he'd visited old Scrooge on that fateful Christmas Eve just a few years ago. The roof was repaired and leakless, perfect for this dreary, stormy night; the windows were all replaced and unboarded with new, freshly painted shutters; the chimneys, one now spewing out a lazy curl of gray smoke, had been torn down and built back up with new brickwork; old crumbling places of the walls of the house had been rebricked as well. And the front flowerbeds, though looking dull at the current moment, were chocked full of a variety of flowers and growing shrubbery. The building actually looked like a place someone might actually want to live in from the outside.

When Marley glided ethereally through the front door, leaving an icy impression of his visage around the doorknocker as he did so, he found the inside to be even more homey than the outside. Floorboards had been replaced and were polished to a sheen; new wallpaper had been put up; the railings and staircases had been repaired and polished; the chandelier above looked cared for and regularly used--extinguished but slightly melted candles adorned it now; a large, plush, round, timelessly stylish carpet graced the floor Marley hovered above. Not only did the house look like a place someone might want to live in--it looked like a place somebody did live in. Or rather somebodies.

Jacob slowly floated up the stairs to the second floor and down the hall. His chains softly clinking, the ghost slowly swept down the hall, gazing about him at countless more changes and repairs that had been made since he was last there, everything bearing a soft and lovely feminine touch. The biggest change of all was that a number of the rooms were now occupied. As he poked his head through a wall or door in investigation of the snoring he heard on the other sides of them, Marley found children in each room, boys and girls of varying ages. They were all soundly asleep, snuggled into big, warm beds under cozy quilts, most of them smiling happily as if right in the middle of wonderful dreams. The littlest girl cuddled a soft, stuffed toy as she slumbered. All of their faces were scrubbed clean, the girls' hair braided neatly back for the night, their sheets looked tidy, their pillows fluffy: They all appeared well looked after and tenderly cared for. Even in his dismal state of existence, it was enough to bring a little smile to the specter's ghoulish face. When he found good, old Prudence deeply asleep at the end of the youngest boy's bed, his smile broadened. The sheer amount of love and affection in this house was palpable, tingling through Marley's phantom body and warming it ever so slightly.

The spook moved on down the hall, past pictures new and old to the next set of stairs. He came out on the top floor. He paused for a moment, gazing at the large, mahogany door in front of him, listening intently both for sounds and to the energy in the air. There was just a hint of electricity lingering in the air that had nothing to do with the storm outside. But overwhelmingly the energy was steady, smooth, warm, mellow, happy, and deeply ensconced in sensations of love and devotion. Ah, that meant to proceed with caution. Marley slipped silently through the door and, for the first time, found himself in the master bedroom of the home, the master and mistress of the manor asleep in their large, impressive, rosewood, four-poster canopy just feet away.

The pair laid tangled together, Bess almost directly beneath Ebenezer as his large, lanky frame curled over and around her smaller, stouter one. Her bare back was flush against his furred chest as the man's long right arm curled about her waist and held her close, Bess's own curling up against her belly to hold his hand on her ribcage. The woman's freckled face was burrowed against the feather pillows, while her man's face was nuzzled into the crevice of her neck, his long silvery locks mingling with the sea of her coal black waves. Their left hands were woven together at the fingers among the tangle of sheets and blankets, their matching wedding rings and Bess' moonstone ring glinting in the strobing flashes of lightning that managed to come through the breaks in the curtains. While the storm raged outside, the couple slept, completely undisturbed and as peacefully as their wards downstairs. Small little smiles creased their faces as well.

Marley couldn't help but notice how perfectly the pair fit together, as if they'd be crafted precisely for each other. Nor did it escape his attention how happy they looked. Terribly, terribly happy.

Though they were quite covered by the swirls of their sheets and each other, it was obvious the happy couple was in the nude, and Marley suddenly felt quite awkward. It seemed seeing one's daughter naked in bed with a man was just as awkward for an absentee father as any other. In all rights, he probably should have left, but he couldn't quite manage to pull himself away from the scene. It was... beautiful; his daughter and the man he'd considered to be a son and a friend, wrapped up together in pure, sweet bliss having finally found much-needed happiness and love in each other's arms. After his actions had helped to sow bitterness and pain in their lives, of course. Particularly Bess'.

The guilt and woe that beleaguered Marley every moment of his forsaken afterlife swelled up in the ghost and made him want to wail out his shame and sorrow, but he held it in. Such a peaceful, happy, and love-filled space as this was no place for such despairing cries, even if that was how he felt. This room, in this moment, deserved to be treated with as much reverence as a cathedral.

What had he done? Much more than damn himself to this misery for all eternity, what had he done to his own child? His selfishness and ignorance had spawned bitter hatred and hardship for the girl her entire life. Of course, much of that blame could also be shared with her mother--not even Marley was woeful and blind enough in his guilt to believe the blame lied solely upon his shackled shoulders; but there was no denying his actions had set the ball rolling down the path.

If only he'd snapped to his senses and realized what a blessing he'd had in Beatrice--a beautiful, young wife who had, beyond all accounts, honestly loved him and wanted to make him happy--and what a blessing he'd had in his daughter--now a clever, lovely, compassionate, strong woman who seemed quite capable of taking the very world by storm--things would have been so very different for all of them. He might never have been in these blasted shackles; Bess would never have grown up to be so scarred, both mentally and physically, and bearing pain no person should ever have had to bear; and Beatrice... she would never have taken that razor to her wrists or been doomed to her long-desired legacy of being a good mother being forever tarnished by her own daughter.

Yes, things would have been very different. Better. But even in his guilt, something told Jacob that a better ending would not have been the best ending for his daughter. And she deserved the best. Looking at her curled up so snuggly and happily in the embrace of her beloved, Jacob was sure this was the best for Bess.

Consequently, it was the best for Ebenezer, too, and he deserved it just as much after working hard to turn around years of ruin and earn his redemption. A redemption he perhaps might never have needed if it weren't for Marley, as well. Yes, many of Ebenezer's past hardships were all of his own doing, but, again, there was little argument Jacob had given that ball a significant push as well.

The chains around the spectre tugged, warning him it was drawing time to be moving on. There was no denying the chains; they commanded all. So, with the urging of the shackles, Marley did what he'd come here to do. It would not lessen his burden or change much of anything, but it was something that needed done regardless.

Moving down, closer to the bed so that he was just hovering above the sleeping couple, the ghost reached out his bony, clammy hand and stroked it ever so gently over the woman's dark crown. A few, faint ice crystals formed on the coal-black strands of her hair, creating a hauntingly beautiful effect: A tiara for the daughter of a ghoul. Then Jacob brought his hand down to just barely caress the backs of his fingers against Bess' cheek. If phantoms had been capable of shedding tears, Marley would have shed them as the regret welled up ever more greatly inside him.

"I'm so sorry," he declared in a ghostly whisper. "I am so sorry, Bess, my most blessed child. I know an apology from beyond the grave from a fool you never knew and have no reason to hold any regard for will mean little to you, but I am most heartily and humbly sorry for the heartache I've helped bring upon you, my girl. If it is any consolation at all, know that abandoning you and your mother is my greatest regret. There is nothing but regret in me--regret and sorrow and shame."

He bowed his head closer to kiss the woman's temple, leaving more frost on her hair. "But also know," he rasped right into her ear, "that, in the brief moments between regret, sorrow, and shame, is nothing but the most brilliant pride for you, my daughter. Pride for the woman you've become; pride for how you haven't allowed the world to corrupt you as it has so many others; pride for the strides you have taken and those I know you will take in making this harsh globe a better one. You've already made a decent start--keep going and, for the fear of rattling chains, never let the momentum stop."

He kissed her once more. "Goodbye, my Bess. I doubt you shall ever see me again, but I shall see you. And I shall be filled with greater pride each occasion I do."

With that, Jacob turned his attention to the sleeping man wrapped almost double around his daughter. "You've done well, Scrooge, old boy," he said. "Very well done indeed. I see no chains. For the sake of everything good and decent, keep that weight off."

Jacob's gaze fell back to his daughter, and he thought of all those precious little souls asleep downstairs. "Take care of them, Ebenezer," he murmured. "Take care of them and cherish them forever. Take it from a regretful old fool: You never know what you have until it's gone."

The chains jerked, pulling Jacob away from the bed and to the windows. The phantom let them take him and wailed for misery as he passed through the curtains and glass back out into the torrential night.

At a particularly loud crack of thunder, Bess stirred and cracked open her eyes with a moan. The vague impression of a ghostly voice whispered through her sleep-addled mind as she slowly rose up onto an elbow and blearily gazed around the darkened bedroom. She saw nothing. Could it have been nothing more than a dream? Perhaps mixed with the sounds of the storm? Possible. However, Bess had never experienced any such dream before.

The sensation of cold--bitter cold--finally registered in Bess' mind as it came more into the present and out of the warm darkness of slumber. She reached up and touched the side of her face where the sensation seemed to emanate. It, in fact did emanate; her cheek was frozen and numb to the touch, as if she'd been standing out in a blizzard in the dead of winter. But it was only isolated to the left half of her face--the rest of her was snug and toasty, tucked into the cocoon of her sleeping hubby.

Peculiar. It all got even more peculiar when Bess felt ice crystals in her hair as she brushed her finger through it. Frost? In August? And just on her hair in a couple different spots?

She had to be dreaming. Surely she had to be dreaming! This had to be some sort of lucid dream-state where she only thought she was awake but was actually still sound asleep. Yes, that was it--lucid dreaming.

Her sleepy brain satisfied with that explanation, and with Ebenezer sleepily tightening his grip around her to draw her back in again, Bess rolled over and lay back down. Snaking her arms about her man, she snuggled as close as possible into his broad chest and closed her eyes as she nuzzled into his chest hair. A deep sigh of contentment left her as her lungs filled with his scent. She lazily pressed kisses to the man's sternum, her mouth curving slightly into a soft smile again. By the time Ebenezer had enclosed his arms around her again, Bess was already slipping off to Dreamland to rejoin him. But even as she did, in the back of her mind was the voice she could have sworn she'd heard, whispering great regrets, but also great praises in equal measure. And, somehow, that made her feel even warmer and more content than ever before.

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[tcmbcy]

he instantly saw that fire he was silently asking for behind her eyes and it lit the one behind his own. it was like they were two flames, battling to see who was brighter. that feisty side she had was what drew him in to begin with -- what caught his eye despite the fact he was obviously spoken for. jax's eyes stayed trained on andrea as she moved to sit down against his lap which in turn caused his breath to hitch. the man was dying to have her close again, but definitely not in these circumstances. "but you'd be able to see through my bullshit. you always have." his words were pointed, but he needed andrea to know they were honest. if anyone could call him out -- it was her. hands moved to grasp her hip, but as she got closer, his grip tightened. "there she is." he muttered softly, followed by a breathy groan. without another word, jax let his free hand travel up her back with his fingers carding through her locks. together, the two of them were dangerous, but he simply couldn't get enough of it. enough of andrea. "you do a damn good job of reminding me, don't you?"

"  coming  isn't  enough.  you  clearly  manage  that  just  fine  whether  I'm  around  or  not  .  "  𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 ,  and  a  fire  raging  behind  her  eyes  ,  that  was  hot  enough  to  burn  his  skin  .  her  voice  was  sharp  enough  to  cut  ,  but  she  knew  mere  words  weren't  the  weapon  to  truly  pierce  his  armor  .   it  was  the  reason  he  cheated  all  along  wasn't  it?  deliberately  ,  she  sauntered  towards  him  ,  each  step  a  calculated  move  in  their  twisted  dance  .  her  leg  swung  gracefully  over  him  ,  and  she  lowered  herself  to  straddle  his  lap  ,  reclaiming  the  upper  hand  with  seductive  dominance  .  "  I  wouldn't  put  it  past  you  .  "  tone  swathed  in  velvet  as  her  fingers  traced  the  contours  of  his  face  ,  her  gaze  drowning  in  the  depths  of  his  blue  eyes  .  "  if  you  want  me  back  ,  you  have  to  earn  me  .  "  she  whispered  ,  pink  lips  hovering  close  to  the  corner  of  his  mouth  .  her  hips  shifted  forward  an  inch  ,  a  reminder  of  the  friction  she  could  create  ,  the  spark  only  she  could  ignite  .  "  she  can't  do  the  things  I  do  —  don't  forget  that  baby  .  "

[ourmondobongo]

If you read Levi and Zeke’s narrative during Shiganshina Arc, during timeskip, Attack on Marley, the 30 days in the forest, Zeke’s su*cide attack, the WHOLE global chaos bc Eren's is doing the Rumbling on the World bc SC "failed" to provide them a solution...

and then suddenly starts ignoring that Zeke’s character means to represent a certain philosophy that clashes with Levi’s, and the weight of Levi’s monolog in 136 being just before Zeke & Armin’s convo in 137, and the fact Zeke literally CHOSE to die by Levi’s hand bc he acknowledge what THAT meant for Levi, and that Levi acknowledged what Zeke was choosing to do right there too...

Idk, man.

Talk about selective, biased reading, huh?