#dad is what other people call their father

[iwtv-theories]

Similarities between Daniel & Armand (analysis)

In the iconography: 20 y old Daniel is on his knees (and 20 y old Amadeo is on his knees in the painting). I also have to point out that young Daniel has a startling resemblance to the white-washed Amadeo painting as well. A visual cue that they’re more alike than meets the eye.

"Bartering with desire" vs "in kind". At 20, both were 'rent boys'. Daniel 'bartered' himself for dr*gs. While Armand was 'donated...in kind' to pay for art work . "In kind" = payment in goods or services as opposed to money. "Bartering"= trade by exchanging one commodity for another. 

At the end of Louis' interviews both get their heads shoved into walls.This could be visual symbolism : both their ‘minds are broken’ because both of them can’t recall a decade’s worth of memories. Ironically, Louis may know more of his own story , than Daniel or Armand .

"curiosity"

“An instinct to self efface" . Effacement :“to erase oneself from a situation (to keep oneself in the background ) ” . Cough Armand literally erasing himself from memories & his Rashid disguise. Interestingly, out of all the traits Armand lists about Daniel this is the one trait Daniel agrees is true about himself. Both of them use ‘self-effacement’ as a manipulation tactic to find connection with others. Armand does so to stay with Louis. Daniel uses it to "get angles” and get people to "open up" to him. Literally right after Daniel said this he almost got Armand to open up about his life story

Armand:" That warrants investigation" vs Daniel the "investigative journalist".

Daniel & Armand lounging on the couch and saying Louis is being overly dramatic XD

being turned while having terminal illnesses : Parkinson's (Daniel) & in the show an unknown illness (for Armand) . Similarly , in the books Daniel was turned due to alcohol poisoning and Armand due to being poisoned.

Armand says in ep 4 his memories as a human are “fragments” vs Daniel saying his memories from the 70s-80s were a “blur” .

Both are called “boy” despite being old men. Santiago, the youngest coven member referring to the oldest : “I don’t know what the boy sees in him.” Louis: “he looked like a boy masquerading as a gentleman.” Daniel: “I’m not your f*cking boy! I’m an old man with all the triggers that come with it.” Daniel : “save it for the rent boy.” Armand looking visibly triggered by the comment then asking to leave the room . Armand to Marius (who often called him “boy”) : “I hate you! I’m a man and you deny it!”

As a human , book Amadeo had a drinking problem while book Daniel almost died of alcohol poisoning. Young Daniel (in the show) may also have drinking issues like his book counterpart /book Amadeo. Armand to Daniel in episode 5 : “a genteel drinking problem , like your father .” Armand’s dad : “Ivan the drunkard… Ivan was hopeless. Ivan would never see another sober night or day .Ivan would die soon poisoned by liquor./ a soft prayer for my father that he would not freeze to death tonight as he had almost done so many times, falling down drunk as he did in the snow. (*this echoes human amadeo getting so drunk he fell into the canal)”

Show Armand says Marius called him his "beloved Amadeo", which seems like foreshadowing/an easteregg of 70s dm since "beloved" was his nickname for Daniel in the books. Armand tries to emulate the Marius/Amadeo dynamic in his future relationships since he still equates it to love. Like how he tries to put himself in the Amadeo role with Louis as his 'Maitre (master) '. But for d.m he put Daniel in the Amadeo position (partially because it’s his first relationship with a human , since becoming a vampire and his relationship with Marius is the only vampire/human relationship he’s had) . So at least on some superficial level he recreates some aspects of the Marius/Amadeo dynamic, with Daniel .

In the books Marius feeds human Amadeo his blood, like Armand does to human Daniel. In the books amadeo says Marius’ blood tastes like “honey”.Cough- Louis describing Armand's blood as tasting like "honey" and Armand saying to Daniel in ep 5 "like honey on your tongue" (*this could be foreshadowing he will drink Armand's blood in the 70s/80s… or simply when he was turned).

Armand , during their first encounter, says “it’s okay it’ll be like a bath ” after he uses a rag (to remove the dried blood from his neck). This reminds me of when Marius first met amadeo and used a rag to clean his face / give him a bath. “He bathed me slowly . He had a soft gathered cloth with which he wiped my face.”

Human Amadeo/daniel were incredibly sarcastic and snarky to their future vampire makers

And both of their makers abandoned them

The parallels between Armand/Daniel persist throughout ep 5 , Daniel says he’d be a good companion to Louis because he has traits similar to Lestat and Claudia . 

But the IRONY is throughout the whole episode we see Daniel has A LOT of similarities to Armand . Possibly laying the groundwork for devil's minion in the 70s-80s.

I think while Armand was reading Daniel’s mind -whether it was as subconscious or conscious - it irritated him even more that they had so much in common. Or at least how similar Daniel was to Amadeo. Especially because he was trying to discern why Louis found him “more fascinating” .

For Example , all the other traits Armand lists out about Daniel’s could also be attributed to himself

'Dirty'

'deceitful'

'Enterprising'

'A splinter of coldness ' .

“He wants you in pieces for the privilege of putting you back together “

There’s also other more superficial similarities like Daniel saying he’d do night swims if he was a vampire (similar to Armand who swims often). Or the fact they both read the newspaper often.

I feel one of the MANY reasons Daniel and Armand were probably constantly butting heads and being snarky to each other in the present timeline is because on some subconscious level they remind each other of themselves (and they don’t want to acknowledge that). Especially Armand who is constantly playing a new character to placate his lovers . Young Daniel definitely reminded him of Amadeo . Similar to how Claudia reminded Armand of his past self as well .  

If I missed anything feel free to add to the comments or in a reblog :P

[reallyromealone]

Title: party

Fandom: DC

Characters: DC characters (justice league flavoring)

Fic type: fluff

Pairings: superbat wallydick

Warnings: male reader, reader insert, child male reader, fluff, good dad Bruce

Notes:

Summary: Bruce begrudgingly invites the league and by proxy their children to his house and his three year old does not know what to do with so many new people

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

It was quite uncommon for Bruce to allow the league to his home, his home being the only one big enough to deal with both the league and the children that came with due to being friends with Bruce's children. (Name) Watched from the railing to the second floor, the toddler shy about the new people though he did recognize a few faces from cartoons and the friends his brothers brought around.

"There you are..." (Name) Looked up with his pacifier in his mouth, his papa smiling with a tall man with glasses on "I have people I want you to meet" lifting the tiny boy up, (name) looked at the stranger curious "oh he's adorable!" Clark commented and waved at the tot who glared at him when he got too close "oh I definitely see the resemblance now" he chuckled while Bruce sighed fondly "he doesn't play with stranger danger"

"(Nickname), this is clark" Bruce whispered to his son who looked back curiously "he's daddies boyfriend and I heard... He knows superman" Bruce whispered and (name) looked curious at that, the three year old LOVED superman much to the delight and headache of the rest of the family "I do know him, you a fan?"

(Name) Nodded and Bruce took out the pacifier knowing what was going to happen.

The three were walking down the stairs as (name) spouted utter nonsense, the Wayne family knowing what the boy was conveying based on context clues but everyone else watched in fascinated confusion.

"(Naaaame)!" Wally called out to the boy, saving Clark from nonstop toddler talk "wee!" (Name) Immediately disregarded Clark and wiggled out of his dad's hold to run over while dick stood behind his boyfriend, pleased with how close the two have gotten.

Bruce and Clark watched the little one cling to the speedster "he's an angel" Clark commented, happy to finally meet the youngest Wayne "we work hard to keep him out of public eye and... Out of the line of work we do" Bruce didn't get much of a say with his other kids but (name)... " I want him to have as normal as a childhood as I can" Clark admired that, looking around to see the rest of the league and by proxy the titans and young justice league chat and have fun, snacks and finger foods set around for people to enjoy and games to play for the younger ones to play.

"You're doing great so far"

"I try..."

Though Bruce was curious how long it would take for the tot to have a tantrum, he was a sweety but he was still a child after all.

(Name) Eventually wandered off from Wally and Dick, looking for his other siblings who were chatting away but being so small and so many strangers made it difficult to say the least. "Are you alright?" A voice asked and (name) looked up to see a tall woman with black hair "I'm Diana, want me to bring you to your father?" Her voice gentle and (name) fidgeted at the other, she seemed trustful enough "I work with your father, do you think you would let me pick you up to bring you over?" He's just by the fireplace"

Hesitantly (name) let her lift him, at this height he could clearly see his siblings chatting away and Tim nodded at him, as to say 'youre safe' which calmed the boy down "(name), are you alright?" Bruce asked when he caught sight of him and (name)s lip wobbled, clearly overwhelmed and reaching towards his dad "papa..." He whined, Bruce knew it was a matter of time and took the boy who clung helplessly "come on... Let's go somewhere quiet.."

Clark watched on while (name) was taken away, the boys eyes watery.

"No more tears, little bird" Bruce whispered, swaying slowly to comfort the boy "that was overwhelming wasn't it?" (Name) Nodded against his shoulder "how about we get a snack and you and I go watch your show..." A good Segway to bed time if Bruce thought so himself. "Oweo?" (Name) Asked softly and Bruce chuckled "of course, baby" going to the kitchen, Damien and Jon were hanging out and eating snacks "is he ok?" Jon asked, worried over the teary eyed tot and Damien looked the boy over "he dislikes crowds, his lack of height is a great disadvantage" he explained simply, watching his brother with a softer expression.

Damien was soft to the little one, (name) looked at him like he hung the moon and frankly that boosted Damien's ego enormously. "We're just grabbing some snacks and having tv time before you know what" code for bedtime which all Wayne's knew to never bring up because little (name) hated nap and bedtime. Grabbing the treats and a carton of chocolate milk, the two went to Bruce's room where he changed the boy into one of Bruce's old shirts, too lazy to go get him some pajamas. (Name) Snuggled into his dad and enjoyed the treats, the cartoon playing in the background and not a single care could be had.

Bruce texted Clark while his son's breathing evened out, the kriptonian making his way up to check on them.

At this point (name) was tucked in and asleep, clinging to Bruce's sweater like a stuffed toy "oh he's too cute" Clark cooed and Bruce looked at his son with pride "he liked you"

"He did?" Clark was a little surprised and Bruce nodded "he liked your glasses" Bruce teased and Clark gave that sweet farm boy smile "well I think he was pretty great too, has your glare" Bruce huffed amused and the two left, letting (name) rest.

"Before you know it, he will want your attention too" Bruce teased and Clark grinned "can't wait" he was gonna step dad the shit out of that tot, treats and all.

He just needed to get a ring first.

[firefighterkinard]

Here's my take on why so many people got so attached to Tommy and his story:

Buck's story is wish fulfilment while Tommy's is more likely to be/have been the reality for people.

Buck realises he's bi in his 30s, and it's a happy experience. His sister is accepting. His best friend is accepting and actively encourages him. He gets a boyfriend through some mildly weird behaviour. Buck already has a circle of friends he knows will be totally fine with his queerness because said circle of friends involves multiple gay people already. The bigot who bullies people over their race/gender/sexuality never targets Buck.

On the other side of it, we have Tommy. Even before we know he's gay, one of his earliest scenes is him being mocked for being perceived as gay. What little we get of his backstory establishes that he grew up with a father who was like Gerrard and then went into the army when DADT was in effect. We know Tommy doesn't really talk to his dad but we don't know if that's because his dad is an asshole or because his dad doesn't want a gay son. His journey to accepting his sexuality took years. And even then, he still gets called a slur in public by Gerrard, who doesn't fear any consequences (and never faces any.)

[witch-from-a-block-of-flats]

The first half of episode 2 deserves more attention.

Warning! Yapping ahead!

(Also sorry for any potential english errors, it's not my first language)

He brings that up so casually. Honestly I don't blame him, because who would believe you if you said you have some sort of special ability? Only other people who know that superpowers actually exist. It's was kinda smart of Liu Xiao if you think about it. Dropping the word superpower and then watching people's reaction to it.

Now that's interesting. Because Liu Min is our villain from season 1. You know, that guy:

If you remember season 1 and begging of season 2, you know that Liu Min had a difficult relationship with his father (Liu Jing) who wished he "had half the ability of his younger brother" - younger brother being Liu Xiao. Does Liu Jing know that his younger son has superpower or was he just talking about his intelligence?

Also how on earth Xiang had met Liu Min when LM was a kid? Was he babysitting or something? Why does he mention Liu Min when Liu Xiao says "You know boss Liu (Jing)?". You know, his DAD.

Superpower user spotted?

I still don't know how to interpret this moment. Just an artistic representation of deduction/prediction? But the eye... the eye color change... Are they doing this on purpose? Are they trolling us? Powers related to the future finally appear? Am I reaching? Will we learn more about Xiang? I hope so, since he knows about Cheng Xiaoshi's dad.

Ok ok I know that this moment roughed some feathers and almost no one is buying that Liu Xiao's power is just hearing other people's heartbeat. I'm not sure what to think either. I mean his song is literally called "Manipulator" I wouldn't be surprised if that was a lie.

But let's say he is telling the truth. You may ask why would he revealed his power to someone who clearly doesn't like him and could use this info against him? I think that this isn't a stupid move. His power is simple and not as powerful like time travel through photos for example but... you can't really do anything about it. Like what are you going to do, stop your heartbeat? We don't know the exact rules and limits of this power yet. Is there a distance limit? Does it work through phone calls? Does it work on recordings?

After thinking about it, personally, in my humble opinion, I think it's good for the show that we have someone with less spectacular power. Because:

It shows how diverse powers can be.

It forces writers to be more creative about how Liu Xiao deals with the obstacles.

There is certain charm to a character who is "weaker" on paper but is going toe to toe with someone who has a powerful ability. Sometimes it's not about pure power, it's about creativity.

I am genuinely curious how this man looked at his power [hearing heartbeats] and thought "yes, I will be the one to merge all the parallel lines".

Besides, we already had a power not related to photos - Li Tianchen can possess people he touches - so I don't think it's doing much harm to the series.

And now we go back to CXS's dad. There are so many questions. Why is he so important to Liu Xiao? What's his connection to Xiang? Is he still in Bridon? IS HE STILL ALIVE?

Xiang was terrified when Liu Xiao mentioned him so maybe he had/has a powerful ability? I think Xiang had something to do with Cheng Weimin disappearing. My current theory is that someone dangerous was after Cheng Weimin and his family (maybe the superpower police?) and Xiang helped him in some way but that's just a gut feeling. It's just as likely to be true as a version when Xiang helped people who wanted to get rid of him (or maybe capture him and use him? so many questions, not so many answers).

And to end this post that is already way too long...

WHAT DOES THIS BEETLE THING MEAN? P.H.? DO WE KNOW SOMEONE WITH P.H. INITIALS? If it was H. P. I would pull out my lovecraftian hat but it's not (unfortunately).

Paris Hilton is that you???

[jjscrybaby]

A request for JJ!!

I was thinking something kinda angst. So JJ hates the reader and she hates him. They both think each other has a great life and is jealous. But maybe one day on her usual bike ride around the cut, y/n sees JJ’s dad get aggressive with him and realises how JJ’s life is hard. But she doesn’t go to help because she was scared. Feeling bad that she didn’t help she wonders around and she goes home late which results in an argument with her mom. At that time JJ was doing a delivery with Pope and hears and sees everything and when y/n is outside walking around trying to calm herself down and distract from the pain she accidentally bumps into JJ and they have a talk.

jj maybank x fem!reader | hurt & comfort | (luke maybank being an ass, reader’s mom is also an ass, overall just bad parents!)

not proofread and written at 6am so my bad if there’s any mistakes 🤗

︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶ ୨♡୧ ︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶

One of the main differences between you and JJ were your social status’. JJ came from the Cut, he grew up catching his own food, roaming the streets at the age of seven without a care in the world, stealing just to get by. You grew up on Figure Eight, you never had to lift a finger, your parents never had to worry about where their next pay check was coming from. He was jealous.

JJ grew up with freedom, with a group of friends he called his family, he never had to worry about grades or being perfect because no one cared if he was. You grew up with snobby rich kids as the only people you could hang out with, your mom dictated everything you did down to the clothes you’d wear to the mall, you felt embarrassed to even leave the house if your hair was slightly greasy. You were jealous.

You’d known JJ Maybank since you were a kid, you went to the same Elementary school and then over the years you’d see each other at parties or at the club where he worked. There wasn’t ever something that happened that gave you both a reason to hate the other, you just did.

Something your parents were definitely not aware of was the route you’d take on your weekly bike ride. You needed an escape from the ‘perfect’ life, so at least once a week you’d take your little pink bicycle and you’d ride around the Cut. You weren’t sure what it was that drew you to it in the first place, especially after the horror stories you’d grown up hearing, but you always felt calm when you rode around with your AirPods in.

It was about six o’clock, you were supposed to be home for dinner in an hour because your father had some clients coming over and you were wanted as well. You were about to head back home when the sound of yelling caught your attention. You turned round the corner, standing still at the end of the street.

“You smell like a damn bar!” It was JJ. You didn’t know he lived here, but then again why would you? You weren’t friends. There was an older man stumbling after him, following the blonde down the porch steps.

“Ain’t that rich comin’ from you?” The man, who you assumed was non other than Luke Maybank, snorted.

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?” JJ scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned to look at his dad.

“Means you ain’t better than me, kid. It’s in your blood, you’re a Maybank,” Luke mocked.

You could see JJ shake his head, a scowl on his face that was hiding the hurt he felt. “I’m nothin’ like you. And I never will be.”

“Say whatever you want, don’t make it true,” Luke shrugged, taking a sip from the beer that you hadn’t noticed was in his hand. “Where the fuck you goin’, anyways? Ain’t been home in weeks.”

Weeks? You had heard the stories about Luke, the robberies and the bar fights, but you didn’t think he’d treat his own son like this. He spoke to him as if he was a stranger, as if he couldn’t care less about him.

“Yeah, and I shouldn’t have bothered coming back at all,” JJ stated, turning to continue walking away. Luke grabbed his arm, yanking him back and holding him in place. “Get the fuck off me, man!”

“Gotta show some respect, Jay!” Luke yelled, making you flinch.

Why were the neighbours not coming out? Why hadn’t anyone done something about this? You felt sick, and you felt even worse when you got on your bike and rode away before you had to see how this ended.

︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶ ୨♡୧ ︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶

“You alright?” JJ hated that question, especially when he knew why it was being asked. The shiner that he sported now. Pope looked at him sympathetically, a sad smile on his face.

“I’m fine. Ready to get some good tips,” JJ shrugged, taking the grocery bags from his hands. “Who orders food at eight o’clock?”

“Rich people,” Pope muttered. “Don’t lose any of that shit.“

“Yeah, yeah.”

JJ walked to your house, he knew it was yours from the last name above the slip of paper Pope had given him. He was starting to walk up the driveway when he heard the noise coming from the open front door.

“I told you to be here by seven! It’s half past!” Your mother exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

“I— I got held up, I’m sorry.” He’d never heard you sound so small. Usually, when the two of you got at each other’s throats at a Kegger, you’d stand your ground without a care in the world. It was one of the only things he respected about you.

“Held up with what?” Your mom scoffed. He could see through the cracks in the bushes that she was shaking her head, looking disappointed.

“It’s just dinner, mom. I don’t need to be here,” you tried to argue.

“Well, I’ve already told the Henderson’s that you aren’t home. So, therefore, you will not be home. Don’t come back until they’re gone,” she stated.

“What? Mom. I haven’t got anywhere to go,” you exclaimed, voice wavering.

The door closed in your face and you let out a shaky sigh. You’d been preoccupied, feeling guilty for not sticking up for JJ, so you’d gotten home a little later than planned. Was it really that big of a deal? Tears fell as you wandered back down your driveway, trying to think of where the hell you can go.

“Uh, hey.” You flinched in shock, turning to see JJ lurking by the bushes with two grocery bags.

“What’re you doing here?” You asked quietly.

“Delivery,” he explained.

“Right, well, I can’t take it,” you muttered. “Just go knock.”

“Wait there.” You weren’t sure why you did what he said, but it wasn’t like you had anything better to do. You stood and waited, watching as he left the bags on your front door step and knocked before coming back; he didn’t even wait for a tip. “C’mon.”

The two of you walked through Figure Eight in silence, him puffing on his vape every now and then whilst you tried not to burst into tears. “I saw you and your dad, earlier.”

“What?” He turned to look at you in confusion.

“Outside your house.”

“Why were you outside my house?” He asked.

“I wasn’t, I just happened to be going past,” you explained. You bit your nails before speaking again, letting out a quiet sigh. “He’s an ass.”

Surprisingly, JJ let out a chuckle. He nodded his head. “Yeah, he is. So is your mom.” You giggled, agreeing with him. “Guess we both have shitty parents, huh?”

“Seems like it,” you shrugged. “Never thought we’d have something in common.”

“You know, my friend, John B, his house is sorta the hangout for kids with shitty parents. Did you want to… you could come over, until you can go back home,” JJ offered. He sounded anxious, as if he was asking you on a date.

You found yourself nodding your head, shyly smiling at him. “Yeah, just until I can go back home.”

You didn’t go home, instead you spent the night chatting shit about your mom with JJ whilst he rambled about his dad. You ended the night in his bed, laid on his chest as the two of you shared a joint. You didn’t feel so jealous anymore, and you were certain he didn’t either.

[angelic-writer]

The town of Crestwood began their day like any other. The townsfolk woke up and began to get ready for the day’s work. Their businesses opened up, people greeted each other when they walked in and girls and boys alike awoke to get ready for school.

Mavis Mallard was already struggling to get into his clothes - a simple grey hoodie under a black T-shirt with a band logo and blue jeans. He hadn’t slept well last night so his movements were sluggish. It didn’t help that his dad was calling to him from downstairs. “Mavis! Come downstairs and get your breakfast!”

“I’m coming!” Mavis called back. After finally putting on his hoodie, he quickly went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. After combing his hair to look somewhat presentable, he hopped down the stairs, seeing his dad and sister in the kitchen. Mavis could never miss her bleached hair and band get-up. He could probably spot her from a mile away. “Ah, there you are. Finally on time for breakfast.”

“Sorry. Didn’t sleep well.” Mavis sat down on the chair.

“You’ve been having that problem pop up more recently, huh? Maybe we should take you to a doctor.”

“Dad, I’m fine. I just have nights like that sometimes.”

His father sighed. “Alright. If you say so.” He put the eggs, bacon and biscuit in front of Mavis which he gladly ate.

"Well, look who's finally up." Charlie said with a smirk, flipping her biscuit around in her hand.

"Yeah, yeah, you say that like, every day now. Can't you come up with something different?" Mavis asked, exasperated.

"Maybe. Maybe not. All depends on the weather."

Mavis blinked. "Huh?"

"Y'know, my mood."

Mavis rolled his eyes. "Right." Although he couldn't help but smile a little.

"Alright, kids, settle down. Eat your food before the bus gets here." Their dad lightly scolded.

After breakfast, Mavis and Charlotte dashed out the door, slinging the backpacks over their shoulders. Their father made sure to remind them to be home by 6 PM. Charlie, as usual, responded with the usual "Yeah, yeah." A phrase Mavis picked up from her.

Once they were out, Mavis pulled his phone out and texted Carter.

Cerfew’s over. You still alive?

Yep. I still am. :)

Meanwhile, Cathy was also getting ready. But unlike the rest of the kids, she had a somber look on her face. The kind that made you think “What happened that caused her to be like this?” She looked at herself in the mirror. She was in her scene kid wardrobe. Torn, black jeans, white shirt and denim jacket. She hoped she looked good.

Project Mimicry (Vol 1) - Chapter 1

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth." - Genesis 1:1

1983

"This is a test. This station is conducting a test of the Emergency Broadcasting System. This is only a test."

A long, screeching noise blared from the old TV. The Markson family had a different program on when they announced the test. It was some cowboy show their dad loved so much. For eleven year old Jade, it made her stomach churn. It was an odd sound, different from the sounds of horses and gunfire that came from the living room while they were doing family worship. It made her want to jump into her mother's arms and pray to Jehovah for the noise to stop.

Her mom, dad and brother were silent as the attention signal droned on. After a minute, it stopped.

"This is a test of the emergency broadcasting system. The broadcasters of your area in voluntary cooperation with federal, state and local authorities have developed this system to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, the attention signal you have just heard would have been filed by official information, news or instructions. This station serves the northern Alabama area. This concludes this test of the emergency broadcast system."

Jade fiddled with the pages of her book, trying to think of the right words to say. Her brother, Caleb had resumed work on his drawing, seeming to not care about anything. Her mother let out a small sigh. "I swear, can they not scare the kids like that?"

"Mom..." Jade quietly said. "Why do they send out something like this? What if it hadn't been a test? Are... Are we gonna die?"

Opal got up from her chair and pulled her into her arms. "Oh sweetie, we're not gonna die. Everything's gonna be okay. This whole thing will blow over in no time."

"Well Jade," Opal's husband, Simon, chimed in. "They played the test on our TV because they want to inform us on what's happening. The world is at a very turbulent time at the moment so they are doing their best to keep us informed. If we were actually under attack, we would've been hiding in the basement." He let out a small chuckle.

"Well, what can we do to make it better?" Jade asked.

"Pray to Jehovah, of course. Our safety is his priority and if we pray to him, he'll protect us."

Jade smiled and snuggled into her mother. Jehovah is the only thing she knew. She may not be like the other "worldly" kids, but she didn't need all those material goods. She didn't need to see the latest movie or buy the newest toys. As long as she had her family and Jehovah, she can get through anything.

Caleb let out a soft coo.

"Oh, we didn't forget about you!" Simon lifted him out of his baby chair and gently rocked him. The whole family began to giggle.

This was their life. This was their routine. Jade was determined to be a good older sister to Caleb. And soon, he will be baptized.

-------

December 24th, 1983

"This is an important message from the Crestwood police department. This is not a test. I repeat, this is not a test. The Crestwood police department has issued a Shelter-in-place Warning for the county of Crestwood until further notice. Reports of unknown figures have been confirmed by law enforcement and the Department of Babylonian Crusaders. For your safety, until 5 PM to 6 AM, stay home, lock all doors and windows and, in the event of a break-in, have access to a loaded weapon at all times. Do not call 911 unless you need to report an emergency. The Crestwood police department and the Department of Babylonian Crusaders thanks you for your cooperation.

Stay tuned for a message from the representative of the Department of Babylonian Crusaders."

"Hello. My name is Dr. Lloyd Evans from the Department of Babylonian Crusaders. We have been receiving reports of unknown organisms that we've decided to call mimics. You may have already gotten the alert from the EBS about this phenomenon, but we're here to tell you about what those mimic types are and what you can do to protect yourself.

The first type are the defensive mimics. They are a sub group of mimics that take on the role of a protector when they find a human. Some pose as aggressive mimics to ward off other humans or they deceive humans they perceive as harmful with their harmless look and kill them. Think of it as a predator camouflaging itself in order for them to eat their prey.

There are three types of defensive mimics. There are Batesian, Mullerian and Emsleyan or Mertensian mimics.

Batesian mimics are harmless. They pose as a harmful mimic to ward off anyone they tries to hurt them or their human.

Mullerian mimics are two or more mimics that advertise themselves as harmful to ward off predators. These mimics often work in groups of two or three.

Emsleyan or Mertensian mimics take the form of a less harmful mimic to deceive the predator and kill them.

These ones can be considered safe, but you should still be wary of them. Aggressive mimics are the ones you need to watch out for. Now, aggressive mimics are the type of mimic that pose as humans to kill them. These types use mind games to toy with their victims. If they haven't committed suicide, the mimic will finish the job.

Predators are a mimic group where they take the form of a loved one, deceive them into thinking they are the real person and then use psychological manipulation. Those are the most dangerous types of mimics and we strongly advise to avoid them at all costs.

Parasites are [REDACTED DUE TO SIGNAL GLITCH]

Now, here's what you can do to keep yourself safe. Stay in your homes after 6 PM, lock all windows and doors and keep a loaded weapon with you at all times. In the event of a mimic attack, follow the S.A.F.E. principle.

S - Secure yourself in a room.

A - Access the situation. Learn how the mimic operates.

F - Fire your weapon. If the mimic attacks, do not hesitate. It can mean life or death.

E - If possible, escape. Do not let them win.

We hope this message keeps you safe. We're very sorry for the interruption and we hope you have a Merry Christmas!"

Though this message was broadcasted to most TVs, some of them reported the S part saying something different. According to reports, it said "Surrender yourself to the Lord."

--------

1987

The young man's back was pressed up against the wall. The shotgun he had in his hands had one shell left. The creature that was at his door kept calling out to him in a mockery of his wife's voice.

"Ralphie... Please let me in... I'm sorry for sca-a-a-aring you back there. You know how I am."

His grip tightened. That wasn't her. That wasn't his wife. She was dead. And now, he was going to die too. His eyes started to fill with tears.

Marla... I'm so sorry... I couldn't protect you... I couldn't save you from these things.

The image of his wife sprawled out on the kitchen floor flashed in his mind. Her neck that was gushing blood... He swallowed, trying to hold back his vomit. They had followed the rules. They had done everything the broadcast said. What did they do wrong? They had to have done something wrong for something like this to happen.

He gritted his teeth. Pondering over this won't help him now. Remember the S.A.F.E. principle, Ralph. Remember.

He secured himself in his bedroom, grabbing his shotgun so he could protect himself. He analyzed the situation. The creature, the mimic, was trying to use his wife's voice to lure him out, using his nickname. Ralphie was what she would call him when he came home from work. The way she said it made his heart soar. However, when it said his nickname, it felt like nails on a chalkboard.

The high school sweethearts had moved into the rural Alabama town after they had gotten married in New York. They thought getting away from the bustling city life would help them. They were in the talks of starting a family when the broadcast came on, talking about reports of mimics.

"Talk about bad timing. On Christmas too." Marla had said while bringing out the cookies and milk. "Let's hope Santa gets there okay."

"I hope so too. But hey, look on the bright side. This lockdown will end at 6 AM tomorrow. We've still got time to celebrate, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Besides, anything's fun with you." She gave him a light peck on the cheek.

A low sob escaped him. There was so much they wanted to do together. So many things they had planned. Their entire life... They were now gone.

Oh Marla... Why did they have to take you? What did we do?

God, please... Please help me.

He wiped his face. No, crying and pleading to some higher being isn't gonna solve anything. I have to survive. I have to live on for Marla! If I can get out of here, I could alert the police.

With a sense of courage taking over, he pointed his shotgun at the door. The mimic had begun to claw at the door, no doubt leaving scratch marks in the wood. "Ralphie... Please... Let me in. It's so cold. My neck hurts. Help..."

"Shut up... You're not her..."

The doorknob rattled.

"You're not her. You're not her! You're not her!!"

There was a sudden loud banging making him jump. "Ralph, open the goddamn door! You'd really leave me out here with these things?! How could you?!" The thing screeched.

"You're! Not! Her! Leave me alone!! You killed her, you monster!! You're not- You're not her!" He screamed, tears streaming down his face. "Just try and get me! I dare you! I'll fucking shoot you if you try anything!"

"Ralph..." His 'wife' had begun to cry. Normally, it would cause him to go over and hug her, but he will not be swayed. What it was doing, it was disgusting. It's desecrating his wife's memory, his image, his everything. The nerve of the creature...

The door flew open, allowing Ralph to see the monster. Though it was hard to see through the darkness, what he could see made him freeze.

Its form was tall and lanky, its arms and legs stretched out to an almost inhuman degree. What little hair it had on its head was beginning to fall off. Its skin was beginning to sag. Ralph could swear he was beginning to see bones. The mimic looked at him with empty eyes yet it pierced his soul with an intense glare. It opened its mouth to speak, but all that came out were rasps and gargles.

Ralph began to shake, his aim wavering as he stared at... He didn't even know what he was seeing. It was human, but at the same time, it was not. It looked like his wife, but it was like looking at a decomposing carcass. The smell... It smelled like rotten eggs left out on the hot sidewalk. Bile threatened to come up his throat, but he held it in.

One shot. He had to make it count. If it failed...

The creature began to laugh. It was the kind of laugh that made you cringe. It was an ear-piercing, gurgling laugh that was like if you tried to imitate a toy clown on its last legs.

Ralph pressed his finger on the trigger. Taking a deep breath, he screamed out.

"I will not let you kill me!!"

The gun went off.

--------

2017

The group of kids stared at the small house as their two older brothers talked to the movers. The smallest one of the bunch hugged her teddy bear. Though leaving their home state of Florida didn't seem like a huge deal at first, Catherine still had her doubts. Sure, they were free from all the hurricanes, but they still had friends there. They still had people they could talk to.

But now, she and her brothers moved to a new town. There was no one she knew there. And there was... an abundance of churches. Lots and lots of churches.

@chibisrpblog

[writhyv]

⋆｡°✩ tfw your distance closes in...

tfw... | nishimura riki x male!reader

pairing: niki x male!reader genre: fluff word count: 1.5k warnings: drinking but not too deep okay its just they're very drunk

Is it really okay to admire someone from a distance? Or do you take the chance to take a step forward and inch closer towards them?

“Ni-ki!” A loud voice echoed through the bustling streets, where pedestrians strolled and cars zipped by.

The young boy sighed, turning his body towards the source of the call, setting down his trusty broomstick and pan. “Can you lower your voice, man?”

“I was calling you for the tenth time, man!”

“For what?”

“Did you get the mechanic? I need them right now. The damn faucet is leaking over here.”

Ni-ki scratched his head, placing the items he held aside. “I’ll call them up.”

As he ambled towards the store, he bumped into someone, causing the stranger to drop their belongings onto the pavement.

“Aish, sorry!” the guy blurted out, frantically picking up his things.

“It’s okay, I got you,” Ni-ki replied, glancing at the other guy.

In that moment, Ni-ki realized he had made a fatal mistake. Though the morning sun shone bright, casting an appealing glow over the guy, Ni-ki could see that he looked utterly disheveled. His messy hair and glistening forehead gave him an oddly captivating aura.

As Ni-ki’s gaze flickered down to the guy’s neck, he quickly turned away, his heart racing. What was happening to him? Was he under some kind of spell? Why was a simple office worker affecting him like this?

Lost in thought, Ni-ki watched as the guy reached for a fine orange that had rolled to his feet. Instinctively, Ni-ki grabbed the guy's wrist just as he was about to pick it up.

Their eyes met, and an unexplainable connection sparked between them.

“I... I was just going to—”

“Oh! Sorry!” Ni-ki exclaimed, realizing the intensity of the moment. He quickly withdrew his hand, but the other guy seized the chance to grab the orange before standing up and awkwardly bowing.

“Really sorry!” he smiled, his demeanor betraying a hint of embarrassment. Ni-ki couldn’t help but laugh internally, charmed by the guy’s unintended cuteness. The stranger then hurried out of the convenience store, leaving Ni-ki staring after him, still feeling the warmth of their brief connection.

Ni-ki stood frozen, thoughts racing in his mind. Why couldn’t he shake the guy from his thoughts? Why did it feel so unsettling yet exhilarating? Why was his chest tightening with something he couldn’t quite place?

“Hey!” A familiar booming voice jolted him back to reality, plus a hard-hitting chop to his nape got him.

“Yah! What was that for?” Ni-ki snapped, a bit disoriented.

“Can’t your sister hit you, huh?” the voice, unmistakably his sister’s, called again. “Spacing out on the job?”

“No…” he protested weakly.

“Whatever.” She sighed. “By the way, Dad needs you early at the studio today.”

Ni-ki's head shot up. “Help?”

“Just get there before lunch; he needs people today.”

He nodded and removed his working apron, still unable to shake off thoughts of the guy he had just met. The memory lingered, making it hard to focus.

Ni-ki was a diligent son, juggling his responsibilities at his sister's convenience store, attending an arts college, and coaching at his father's dance studio. Yet, despite all his hard work, love had always eluded him.

He wasn’t one to engage in social gatherings, and his quiet demeanor didn’t help. Though he enjoyed the attention from friends and admirers, he often felt isolated when it came to matters of the heart.

The prospect of cherishing someone, of satisfying someone he adored, was a beautiful thought. But it felt safer to admire from afar, to appreciate the joy in seeing them live their life happily, without imposing himself on them.

As he got home late from the studio, he found himself contemplating whether it would be okay to stop by your workplace. He knew you always and most often leave work so late at night. Just a quick glance couldn't hurt, he thought.

For months now, he would go on and on inside his head about how he should approach this, but he can only do so much thinking when it involves you.

Unfortunately, as much as he wanted to stay at a safe distance, he found his feet leading him toward you. There he stood at the bottom of your office building, admiring the view from down below.

As he moved to the side, he noticed you exiting the fancy establishment. He walked idly, contemplating where you were headed. Since you lived in the same area, it wouldn’t hurt to hitch a bus ride with you, he reasoned.

But then he saw you late at night, making your way to a bar. The generic-sounding name on the sign did little to impress him. Stepping inside with hesitation, Ni-ki made his way to follow you.

There, he observed you interacting with a guy. As he sat in the corner, trying to avoid the gazes of others, he felt a mix of annoyance and jealousy stirring within him.

But those feelings were unexplainable, so he kept them buried deep inside. Watching you get drunk was amusing, and he couldn’t help but laugh at your clumsiness, which brought him unexpected joy.

However, as the night wore on, the atmosphere between you and the guy grew increasingly tense. Ni-ki felt compelled to keep watch over you, having no idea who this guy was and what his intentions might be.

Moments later, Ni-ki spotted the guy approaching you inappropriately while you were clearly intoxicated. This fueled something inside him. Rage boiled as his feet moved on their own.

“Hey! You bastard!” he shouted, throwing a punch that sent the guy sprawling to the ground. The impact echoed through the alley, drawing the attention of a few nearby passersby.

The guy quickly scrambled to his feet, eyes wide with shock and fury. “Who the hell?” he snarled, wiping blood from his lip.

Ni-ki didn’t hesitate, charging forward with renewed determination. “Get away from him!” He landed another punch, this time connecting with the guy’s jaw, sending him staggering back again.

The guy swung wildly, trying to retaliate, but Ni-ki was quick on his feet. He dodged to the side and countered with a sharp kick to the guy’s side, causing him to double over. “Try that shit with me, I dare you!” he shouted, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

The fight intensified, with Ni-ki darting around his opponent, throwing punches and dodging blows with a fierce intensity he didn’t know he possessed. Each strike felt like a declaration of his resolve to protect you, to be there for you in your moment of need.

“Pretty boy, can’t wait for the prize, huh?” the guy taunted, regaining his footing.

Ni-ki’s brow furrowed in anger. “You pig!” He charged forward again, landing another solid punch that sent the guy crashing into a stack of crates. With a primal instinct to protect, he followed up with a flurry of punches, each one fueled by a mix of anger and determination.

Finally, after a series of blows, the guy collapsed, groaning in defeat. Ni-ki stood over him, panting heavily, fists still clenched, ready for any further aggression. But the guy lay still, defeated and unable to rise.

Breathing heavily, Ni-ki turned his attention back to you, who was still sitting on a pile of cardboard boxes, looking dazed. As he approached, he felt a wave of flustered concern wash over him. You were clearly drunk, your eyes glassy and unfocused, and he couldn’t help but feel a surge of protectiveness.

“Hey, are you okay?” Ni-ki crouched down beside you, his heart racing as he took in your state. “You’re… you’re really drunk,” he said, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice.

You blinked slowly, trying to process his words. "Mmh..fine…” you slurred, but the way your head lolled to the side told him otherwise.

Ni-ki’s heart raced as he reached out, brushing a stray hair from your forehead. “No, you’re not. You need to rest.” He took a deep breath, steeling himself. “Let me help you.”

Carefully, he slipped an arm under your shoulders and the other beneath your knees, lifting you gently. Your weight felt surprisingly comforting against him, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of vulnerability that washed over him.

“...oohhh?” you murmured, your voice soft and slightly confused.

“Just relax, I’ve got you,” he replied, trying to sound steady despite the fluttering in his chest. As he adjusted his grip, you nestled your head against his shoulder, and he felt a rush of warmth spread through him.

“Why ...arhm ... you help..ing ... me..?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Because… I couldn’t just leave you,” he admitted, a hint of shyness creeping into his tone. “You deserve better than this.”

He carried you through the alley, heart racing not just from the exertion, but from the closeness between you. He felt a mix of protectiveness and admiration, something he had never experienced so intensely before.

“Where are you going?” he asked as you rummaged through his room, searching for something.

“My phone! My bag!” you exclaimed, a hint of panic in your voice.

“What?” Ni-ki tilted his head, confusion written across his face. “You never had one.”

You froze, realizing you must've left it at the bar.

“Ugh…” You slumped into the nearest chair, messing up your hair in irritation. “I’m late for work!!!”

Ni-ki let out a light, airy laugh, the kind that made your heart skip a beat.

“Why are yo—”

“It’s Sunday today,” he replied, beaming.

Suddenly, it clicked. Your mouth dropped in realization, relief flooding over you.

“Oh…” you said softly. “Oh my god.”

Ni-ki laughed again this time with a bit of a more deep cadence, yet still an airy tone of amusement toward you.

Ahhh its here! Ni-ki won't let you catch no stray 🙈💙 My Masterlist!

[dearstvckyx]

I do’s and surprises - OP81 (ft JB9 + other players and drivers)

summary: At her wedding to Joe Burrow, Oscar Piastri’s older sister, Mia, is surprised when Oscar shows up for an emotional first look. Overwhelmed by the presence of F1 drivers and family, the day is filled with tears, heartfelt moments, and joy. The night ends with everyone celebrating as she and Joe sit at the head table, holding a special picture and embracing their future together.

pairing: older sister! oc! Mia Piastri x Younger Brother! Oscar Piastri / bride! Mia Piastri x groom! Joe Burrow

. 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . . 　⁺ 　 .

The morning sun peeked through the bridal suite, casting a soft glow over the chaos inside. Mia Piastri, soon to be Burrow, stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the lace of her wedding dress for what felt like the hundredth time. Her younger sisters, Mae, Edie, and Hattie bustled around her, fussing over details while trying to hold back their own tears.

“Stop fidgeting!” Mae scolded, smoothing the veil over her older sisters curls. “You look perfect.”

Edie grinned. “Joe’s going to pass out when he sees you.”

Hattie giggled. “And if he doesn’t, I’ll make sure he does.”

Despite their banter, her mind was elsewhere. Specifically, on Oscar. She had knew his schedule was insane—F1 races, media obligations, training. Mia had tried to accept that he wouldn’t be able to make it to hers and Joe’s wedding, but it still stung. She was his older sister, the one who taught him how to tie his shoes and cheered him on at every karting race. Not having him here felt like something was missing.

A knock at the door snapped Mia out of her thoughts. Her mom poked her head in with a wide smile.

“Ready for the first look with your father?” Nicole asked.

Mia responded with a small, “Yes Mum.”, grabbing the hem of her dress and following her mother out. The hallway was quiet, the sound of heels clicking against the polished floors. When they had reached the courtyard, Mia was told to close her eyes.

“I’ll call you when it’s time,” her mother said.

Mia smiled and shut her eyes, heart pounding with anticipation. The sound of approaching footsteps made her grin.

“Okay, Dad, I’m ready,” she said, turning around.

But when she opened her eyes, it wasn’t her dad standing there—it was Oscar.

Mia’s breath caught in her throat. He was in a sharp suit, his trademark shy smile breaking through as his eyes darted between his older sister and the ground.

“You didn’t think I’d miss this, did you?” he said, voice cracking slightly.

Mia bursted into tears, throwing her arms around her baby brother. “You said you couldn’t make it!”

“I lied,” he admitted, hugging her tightly. “I wanted to surprise you.”

The oldest two Piastri siblings stood there for a moment, wrapped in the kind of sibling bond that didn’t need words. Finally, Mia pulled back and wiped both her tears and Oscar’s, laughing.

“Now you’ve ruined my makeup,” she teased.

He smirked. “You’re welcome.”

. 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . . 　⁺ 　 .

As she prepared to walk down the aisle, Mia noticed something that made her stop in your tracks. Sitting among the guests were all the F1 drivers, past and present. Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, even Logan Sargeant and Frederik Vesti from Oscar’s F2 days.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered, trying to keep it together. “Oscar invited the entire paddock?”

Hattie leaned in, whispering, “They said he threatened to put them in the wall if they didn’t come.”

Mia laughed, shaking her head as tears threatened to spill again. The sight of so many people who meant so much to her brother, and by extension to her, was overwhelming.

. 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . . 　⁺ 　 .

The ceremony was beautiful. Mia walked down the aisle alongside her father, heart soaring as Joe’s eyes met hers. The vows were heartfelt, and by the time the two said “I do,” there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd.

During the reception, Oscar stood to give a speech. He cleared his throat, glancing nervously at the microphone before starting.

“I’ve always looked up to my sister,” he began, voice shaking. “She’s been my biggest supporter, my best friend, and the one person who always believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself.”

His voice cracked, and he paused, visibly trying to hold back tears. The room was silent, everyone hanging on his every word.

“I’m so proud of you,” he said, his voice breaking completely as tears rolled down his cheeks. “And I’m so happy you found someone who loves you as much as you deserve.”

Despite it being short, it was sweet to those who knew Oscar. Mia was already crying as she rushed up to hug him. “I love you,” she whispered.

The father-daughter dance started, Chris leading his baby girl gracefully across the dance floor. But halfway through, Mia looked at her father and he understood, as Chris let go and backed away, Mia had turned to Oscar.

“Come here,” she said, holding out her hand.

His eyes widened. “What? No, this is your moment.”

“Get over here, Ozzie Bear,” Mia insisted.

He reluctantly joined her, taking her hand as the music continued. It wasn’t long before he started crying again, and Mia had to blink back her own tears.

“Stop crying,” she teased, though her own voice was thick with emotion. “You’re making me cry.”

“Sorry,” he sniffed. “I can’t help it.”

Hattie, Edie, and Mae joined you on the dance floor, wrapping their arms around the two of you. The rest of the night was a blur of laughter, dancing, and love. F1 drivers, Bengals players, family, and friends all mingled, creating a night to remember.

You and Joe sat at the head table, watching the scene with matching smiles. He reached over, taking your hand in his. You glanced down and smiled, your free hand resting on the small sonogram tucked inside your bouquet.

“Ready for the next chapter?” Joe asked softly.

You looked up at him, eyes shining. “I’ve been ready my whole life.”

. 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . 　⁺ 　 . ⁺ 　 . . 　⁺ 　 .

Part 2 maybe? Where Joe and Mia keep their pregnancy a secret and after having their baby surprise Oscar, with the help of the f1 drivers, at the Vegas Grand Prix.

[ghouljams]

why is calling them dad so much hotter than daddy? i feel insane

IMHO it's because "daddy" has become so mainstream that it's lost all the original kink that used to follow the word. It feels unearned when men in fic are like "yeah you like when daddy touches you" because like... I guess?? Who said you had any authority over me??? Cringe.

Also because so often the "daddy" title is used in conjunction with a reader that is basically just untagged age-play so they always feel really "innocent" or childlike, and there's always some aspect of "little girl" play but again it's untagged. Idk it just squicks me out like you cab call yourself "daddy" but that doesn't mean I have to be a little y'know?

"Dad" commands authority. There's no buttering up to it like "daddy." Its adult, and unquestionable what the power dynamic is. You aren't a "little" but you're definitely not an equal partner. There's less of a caregiver aspect because the implication is that you can take care of yourself, but this older man is around to help. Whatever that means. "Dad" is what a lot of people call their actual fathers as well so there's that taboo feeling to it as well. Idk "Dad" implies(for me) that you're of age and able to fight back, which makes the "taking advantage of you" aspect feel a lot more... real.

[hellokittyboww]

Just so you know I did just rewatch the show but probably forgot a lot of details haha so if anything in the show contradicts my theory don’t be afraid to call me out haha

Honestly I have a crackpot theory (which idk if anybody else thought of?) and it’s that “Pappy” was their dad or (or their grandfather maybe?) but whoever their father was also the current court jester and their mother? Well I think it was the queen of Runic. Why? Well in “Forget You” Mephisto pulls a crown out of nowhere, specifically the crown of Runic which is either some evil black crystal artifact that helps turn people evil + gives them back crystal magic in the first place and that’s why Praxina returned to being evil OR it’s their family crown.

(Also to note the appearance of the crown. It has both Prax and Meps colors and a dark purple crystal like they have used in the past plus it kinda looks like Gramorrs mask? Hmmm intresting..?)

The rest of my little theory is that basically during their childhood they were raised as royal children in Runic but were not treated as such by other people/nobles (I imagine Prax may have been bullied by other nobles/princesses for not being a “real princess” and they’d why she kinda hates the princesses). Since their mother the current princess/queen has them with the royal jester so they are kinda “illegitimate” children and their dad is a jester so ofc some people will laugh at them.

I imagine that Runic might have been a country/realm that sided with Gramorr and that’s why Mephisto and Praxina work for him or similarly so and this makes more sense for me that Gramorr conquered the kingdom instead of an alliance. Since Mephisto and Praxina were not treated well by the people of that kingdom (or other kingdoms even) they agreed to work with him + I doubt Gramorr actually harmed their parents since they don’t talk about them like they are deceased. (They also don’t show much of a grudge towards him, more like their boss they sometimes smack talk, mainly Mephisto but sometimes Praxina does too and they also did betray him once they had power/ don’t listen to him full and goof off so they don’t fully care for him)

As for the reward that Mephisto asked for in the season finale? Maybe they wanted to be recognized as more legitimate or something so Gramorr may have promised them something along those lines? Like how Praxina was obsessed with the Ephedians “bowing before them” so maybe recognition or this is just what she wants as revenge? (It’s kinda a weak reason but oh well)

As for Prax being a princess but not having a magical outfit? I think she may have not gotten one for some reason and that’s another reason why she got bullied. I think it’s related to the reason she’s more for the destruction/enslavement of Ephidia since I feel she would face more scrutiny from people for being illegitimate/not having a magical dress + the focus on this show is more on women being in power so she would probably be the target for more bullying (it also can added onto by how she says Mephisto is always in her “shadow”)

Mephisto may not have the same amount of hate towards the world because he wasn’t bullied as much/didn’t realize it too much + may have just not cared.

Them also being involved in the royal court makes sense for how Gramorr could find them in the first place since he was also in that circle of society.

Wow that turned out longer than I thought.

TLDR-

Mephisto and Praxina are semi-Illegitimate children of Runic. Their mama was the queen/princess and their papa was the court jester.

(MIGHT COMEBACK TO ADD MORE LATER SINCE IM REAL INVESTED IN THIS AND CAN STILL THINK OF THEORIESSS)

Pappy and The Staff: Thoughts on the Twins' Past

Following up on my previous post,

This scene in Lucky Star was super short and not that meaningful, but it was literally the ONLY time in the show where the twins mentioned something about their past or family (if you don't count the time Mephisto got hit in the head by a lobster crystal monster, and started asking "mommy" when they were going to the merry-go-round or whatever)

So they got a special powerful artifact in their family that is only passed down to the men. mmhh

Which could mean nothing, I know. Maybe it has nothing to do with misogyny, and it's simply a "harmless" family tradition. Maybe the female line in their family also has stuff they pass down, and this was just a regular Praxina moment because for once she couldn't have something her brother had. Which is a very sibling thing to do actually. Also, she was definetly jeaulous in this scene. And maybe a bit mad (hurt??) he didn't tell her about it.

Or maybe not. Who knows.

Plus, Mephisto rubbing salt in the wound, you gotta love him.

Still, this moment is definetly giving "Whoever Pappy was, he liked Mephisto better, and Prax is still bitter about it" vibes.

I think I heard somewhere that Pappy was their uncle (did he just visit sometimes?? did he live with them??? who knows) and if he has the staff, he's probably their mother's brother, or their father's older brother, who didn't have sons. That would make Mephisto the heir of the staff.

Totally unrelated to the original point of this post but that man was definetly the fun uncle (he was a court jester, c'mon) and he DEFINETLY preferred Mephisto over Praxina. Like, 1) the boy was gonna get the staff from him so it's obvious he would want to teach him and spend more time would him, 2) as a court jester, I'm assuming he preferred Mephisto's more bumbling personality, and 3) homegirl Praxina was not happy at all when Mephisto talked about the staff's origins, and she spoke about the man with a lot of disdain (mostly because of his position. which could also be her rejecting her family's "lower" or "unbecoming" status). also she was clearly jeaulous. So definetly not a big fan of him.

We know she's "always been an overachiever", as Mephisto put it in Home Pt1, while being yeeted into the stratosphere by Amaru, so i imagine she was already pretty good at magic when she was younger (good for her age, and better than Mephisto, at the time). And I headcanon she also wanted Pappy's approval at some point, and he... well- didn't care for her that much/as much as Mephisto.

To be fair, Praxina definetly strikes me as being that one child that works really hard to be impressive, but the adults around her are just like "Eh- that's nice. Anyways look at the other one who just did a cartweel and fell face flat into the concrete, omg awwwwww, so adorable and fun".

I don't think she was ever very "socially adept", I mean we saw Forget You!Praxina, and she was a social disaster. Maybe she didn't really know how to connect with people very well or people found her to be too abrasive or difficult to get along with, so she just- convinced herself she didn't need anyone else anyways.

Nothing too dramatic, but it can really shape a child.

And then Gramorr came along and their family went POOF somehow, and suddenly magical ability was all that mattered and not how "likable" or "sociable" you were, and it made her feel validated in a way. Maybe that's why she seems more interested in taking over Ephidea than Mephisto.

Maybe deep down she thinks that she's just naturally "unlikable", so it's easier to be "evil" on purpose, because then at least people have a reason to dislike her. She doesn't want to acknowledge the fear that if she did ever try to be nice, or to genuinely be herself without filters, she isn't sure she would ever good at it or accepted.

Or maybe this is just cause she gives me Azula vibes and I'm trying to project my Azula obssession onto her but whatever. MOMMY ISSUES. And UNCLE ISSUES. FUCK YEAH.

And the opposite goes for Mephisto, who Gramorr seems to have less patience for, despite him seemingly being at an even magical level with his sister.

Because while I think Praxina's struggles and insecurities come from a difficulty in forming connections, I think Mephisto's own issues also stem from comparing or being compared to her in terms of magical ability, cunning and ruthlessness. Which could've come from the parents (though we don't know anything about them or what the family dynamic was like while they were alive), or just one of them, or only started with Gramorr himself.

Honestly, the twins' backstory has got to be one of the most well kept secrets this show has.

Welp- that's it for today, i'm all out of brain power. Super interested to learn more about Ephidea and the twinss

[not-so-superheroine]

Jesus is my older brother, not my dad.

other christians don't seem to feel the same?

am i missing something where he insists on such a thing except perhaps with actual little children?

[the-owl-tree]

i am proposing pawpaw as an affectionate term for grandparents in the cat world. thank you.

[famewolf]

i will genuinely never understand my dad!!! and i feel guilty for being confused and angered by him!!!! i don't know what he wants and i doubt i ever will

i guess he's known that he's had cancer for over a month now but never told me. and i dont know if it's because he wanted me to reach out/pay attention to him, as he's done in the past or if he just didn't think to, or if it's some other third mysterious reason that i can't think up

we aren't close since he was rarely in my life but i feel like that's something you tell your kid.

and the only reason i found out is because i went to go check and see why he hadn't replied to my message about asking if he wanted to hang out for the thousandth time without getting a response

[enarien]

being in a fandom is amazing but also depressing

like reading all those character x reader fics make me !!! :( big sad!!

will I ever have a supporsting father figure? No

will I have a good job that won't make me wanna off myself? No

well will I at least ever be thin, beautiful and attractive? No

ok how about being smart, witty and funny? ... listen..

[implied-divinity]

i’d never imply you serve me, rather that i’d take your eucharist. i think i’d make a pretty good drunk, pliant servant to a willing god

fair enough, i may not have time to serve all my disciples! id need someone to step in! i bet youd be real good following my instructions while all drunk and pliable <3

[lesenbyan]

Scientists: want so badly for adult children who are friends with and/or still dependant on parents for money or a roof to be Bad that they are intentionally looking for detriment in the study results

Study results: so overwhelmingly positive they can't actually find the data needed to twist the narrative

Scientists: >:|