#embrace the unknown (meme)

[of-earthandlight]

𖠷 ig @of.earthandlight 𖠷

[marshalforgotten]

How well do YOU know Alkebu-lan?

[dreadbornesaint-moved]

General (1/2)

[hatfulldrecms]

₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ Tag Dump

( ic. ) a magician. inventor. chocolate maker ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( ask answer. ) embrace the unknown ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( hc. ) a hat full of dreams ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( ooc. ) the candy lady can ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( musing. ) what's that now you're talking nonsonants ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( aesthetic. ) humbugs. gumdrops. and aniseed balls ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( art. ) some people don't and some people doodle ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( music. ) singing this song will improve your moodle ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( candy. ) you've never had chocolate like this ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( meme. ) haunted by a little orange man ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( crack. ) willy wonkas wild and wonderful wishy washy wonka walker ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( open. ) we'll begin with a spin ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( closed. ) come with me and you'll be ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( drabble. ) take a look and you'll see ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( save. ) read the small print ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( dash comm. ) off your rocker wonka ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( queue. ) close your eyes and count to ten ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( psa. ) scratch that. reverse it ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( misc. ) my travel chocolate factory ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

( wonka film. ) my name is willy wonka ₊˚⊹ʚ𖦹ɞ

[standreamy]

What-if... AU where there's no ship wars and Bluey is in a poly marriage with both Jean Luc and Mackenzie!

Kiddo that for now I'll just call Berry. While it's unknown who is the biological father between the two, Mackenzie somehow definitely got his kiddo to embrace his Border Collie nature.

He is very chaotic and energetic. Like Mackenzie, he also sadly has some abandonement issues, due to the constant bullying he has to deal with. His family isn't seen as traditionally fitting, so many kids take after their own parents. However, many of his parents' friends' children instead welcome him.

The last one is just meme pff

[thewertsearch]

CURRENT carcinoGeneticist [CCG] RIGHT NOW opened memo on board TEAM ADORABLOODTHIRSTY. […] CCG: THE BARD OF RAGE IS ON THE LOOSE.

Bard of Rage, eh?

I don't see how it matches his Land, but it's becoming abundantly clear that it does match him. It probably means that the murderous frenzy he's about to unleash is aspect-enhanced, just like Eridan's Hope Wand.

This, I'm fairly sure, is the first time we've ever heard of Rage. We have no idea how Gamzee weaponizes his Title - nor what boons it might grant him, now that he's fully embraced its Aspect. His powers are a complete unknown, and a Rage attack could take many forms.

CCG: HE'S COMPLETELY SNAPPED, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU FURTHER AHEAD ON THE TIMELINE, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU HOW DANGEROUS HE IS. CCG: REMEMBER WHAT HE DID TO THE BLACK KING.

We didn't know there was something off about Gamzee, but the trolls did.

His power was only hidden from us, as we laughed at the funny dancing clown, completely unaware of what was under the surface. Who would suspect the juggalo parody of being dangerous?

CCG: NOBODY COULD EXPLAIN IT, AND THEN HE JUST WENT BACK TO SPACING OUT FOR THE REST OF THE BATTLE. CCG: I MEAN SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT. CCG: I DON'T EVEN THINK THE KING COULD FUCKING BELIEVE IT, FRANKLY. CCG: DID ANYONE'S ATTACK DO AS MUCH DAMAGE? I DON'T THINK SO.

His power is definitely applicable in combat, then. This is just a guess, but maybe he can store and release his repressed emotional energy?

Perhaps there was a moment where all of Gamzee’s latent Rage was released at once - and for one awful second, it was aimed directly at the King.

CCG: I DON'T EVEN THINK VRISKA'S DID, ALTHOUGH IT'S HARD TO SAY SINCE THAT WAS THE KNOCKOUT BLOW.

Typical. That girl's a born kill-stealer.

CCG: I GUESS WE THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE A SECRET JOKE POWER OR SOMETHING?

Well, there’s no reason it couldn't be. The problem is, joke abilities are often extremely effective when used strategically. Do you really want to face someone who’s using their meme powers competently?

PTC: nOw wHaT ThE MoThEr fUcK WiLl i bE SuPpOsEd tO Do? PTC: i'M nOt FoLlOwInG. CCG: PAST GAMZEE, GOD DAMN IT. CCG: I AM TRYING TO WARN PEOPLE OF YOUR MURDEROUS FUTURE SELF. CCG: THIS PRACTICALLY DOESN'T EVEN HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU. CCG: NOW GO BACK TO GROPING YOUR HORNS AND BEING DISTRACTED BY COLORS YOU USELESS FUCK.

Karkat, god damn it, you have to respect him now! His future self will remember this when he’s sober, and he’ll be coming for you!

[roleplay-world-memes]

✨ FANTASY & SUPERNATURAL RP MEME ✨

Send a number (or multiple) + a character for a themed interaction in a fantasy/supernatural setting!

🩸 ANGST & DARK PROPHECIES

"The prophecy says one of us must die… but I refuse to accept that."

A forbidden magic surges out of control—what price must be paid?

One character is cursed—slowly losing themselves to corruption.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance."

A betrayal revealed under a blood moon.

One character sacrifices themselves to save the other—but at what cost?

A forgotten past comes back to haunt them—literally.

"I am not afraid of monsters. I am afraid of becoming one."

A prophecy foretells disaster—can it be stopped?

One character walks away from everything, leaving the other behind.

💜 ROMANCE & STAR-CROSSED LOVERS

A love that defies fate—do they fight destiny or embrace it?

A stolen moment in a world falling apart.

"No matter how many lifetimes pass, I will always find you."

One character is immortal, the other is not.

A first kiss under the glow of magical lanterns.

One character carries a token from the other, never knowing its true meaning until now.

"I would defy the gods for you."

A dance at a fae court where every step could be a promise or a curse.

A love potion goes horribly wrong.

One character must kill the other—but they can’t bring themselves to do it.

⚔️ ACTION & ADVENTURE

A battle against a monstrous foe—will they survive?

A stolen relic must be retrieved before it's too late.

"Run. I’ll hold them off."

Hunted by bounty hunters for a crime they didn’t commit.

A swordfight on a crumbling bridge—who wins?

Breaking into a high-security vault filled with enchanted traps.

One character saves the other from drowning in a cursed lake.

"We have one chance to make it out alive."

A dragon wakes from its slumber, and they are standing in its lair.

A shipwreck leaves them stranded on an island filled with ancient magic.

🎭 MYSTERY & THE UNKNOWN

A town where no one remembers arriving… and no one can leave.

A message from a long-dead sorcerer warns of an impending disaster.

An enchanted mirror shows glimpses of a possible future.

A stranger claims to know them, but they have no memory of meeting.

A lost ruin holds secrets that should have remained buried.

One character wakes up in someone else’s body.

"There’s something in the shadows, watching us."

A book that writes its own story… and it’s about them.

A masquerade ball where none of the guests are human.

They find an ancient key—but where is the door?

🕯️ MAGIC & THE SUPERNATURAL

One character loses control of their powers with catastrophic results.

A spell gone wrong traps them in a time loop.

"Don’t eat anything from the fae’s table."

A demon offers them a wish—but at what price?

A magical storm tears open a rift between realms.

One character is revealed to be something more (or less) than human.

A sacred artifact chooses its wielder.

A vampire offers to turn the other—do they accept?

A deal with a forgotten god must be fulfilled.

"Magic always demands a price."

[nanshe-of-nina]

Women’s History Meme || Virtually Unknown Women (6/10) ↬ Vera Nikolayevna Figner (1852 – 1942)

Vera Figner was supposed to die in 1884. A tsarist court declared it; Vera herself expected and even welcomed it. Although she would have been only the second woman in more than a century to die on the scaffold by decree of the Russian state, her notoriety and prominence within the terrorist group the People’s Will was such that few people expected leniency for the condemned criminal. If the sentence decreed by an imperial military tribunal in October 1884 had stood, newspapers across Europe would have noted Vera Figner’s execution and most likely recounted the dramatic and seemingly tragic turns that the notoriously beautiful young woman’s life had taken in the previous decades. Journalists would have found it hard to resist regaling their readers with the details of this beguiling revolutionary’s life, as it poetically seemed to symbolize the fervor, promise, idealism, and desperation of a generation of Russian radicals. In childhood Figner seemed destined for a life of privilege as a member of the Imperial Russian nobility. But amid the turbulent decade in which she came of age, Vera exchanged privilege for political radicalism; abandoned legal, professional aspirations for a life in the revolutionary underground; and foreswore marital ties for a desperate plot to assassinate the Russian tsar. She certainly was not alone in her beliefs, her dedication, or her willingness to die for her cause, but she was exceptional for the seamless manner in which her life and commitment personified her age of political radicals and exemplified the ideals to which her generation aspired. In the late 1870s and early 1880s, Vera Nikolaevna Figner was at the center of a movement and a series of events that transformed the political landscape in Russia and ultimately changed the empire of the tsars irrevocably. If she had died in 1884, Vera Figner’s life would be significant for what it conveys about Russian noblewomen who came of age in the twilight of the era of serfdom and for what it indicates about those among them who pursued education as a means of intellectual and moral autonomy and a path to economic independence. Even if it had ended when she was thirty-two, Vera’s life would have historical importance for the insight it provides into the motivation that drove such a significant number of young, privileged Russians to embrace terrorism as a solution to the country’s ills. As a leader of the revolutionary organization the People’s Will, Vera Figner helped to change the course of Russian history through the 1881 assassination of the most powerful man in the country, the Tsar Liberator, Alexander II. Yet Vera Figner did not die in 1884. After Alexander III, the son and heir of the man she helped to murder, commuted her death sentence to life in prison at hard labor, her life continued, as did her revolutionary influence. Although the tsarist state resolved to bury her alive in Shlisselburg Fortress, a notorious prison known as the Russian Bastille, Vera’s two decades of incarceration became an essential element of her revolutionary identity and infused the subsequent narrative of revolution both before and after 1917. Vera survived Shlisselburg; in fact, she lived for almost six decades after her death sentence was declared and survived the regime that she had sought to topple. — The Defiant Life of Vera Figner: Surviving the Russian Revolution by Lynne Ann Hartnett

[myth-blossom]

How about “Challenge Me” for 47/Diana? It could be any theme you like😁

47 didn’t stir when she slipped out of bed. He slept better when he stayed with her, a habit she normally came to share when falling asleep in his presence. But while he continued to dream, she found herself fighting sleep, her mind in need of peace but settling for a glass of whisky instead. She returned with her remedy and leaned against the doorframe, watching his muscular torso gently rise and fall as her thoughts tumbled over one another about her revelation.

Don’t fall for me, she warned him that first night long ago. Meet at neutral locations. Use aliases. Never, ever grow too attached. Simply have fun.

They managed their arrangement and its terms well enough. Months passed by with the thrills of forbidden sex and their colleagues remained none the wiser, the risks ever so enticing and seemingly taken on without consequence. It was a foolish game to play, but it was fun, and Diana never planned for there to be a problem.

She never expected to be the one to break.

The chill of the emptied glass came to rest against her thigh. She thought back to how it happened, why it happened, when the terms lost their meaning and the line was long since forgotten. The night 47 called her at the safehouse, his voice strained by the pain of deep wounds, warning her of the compromised mission and for her to find new shelter. She didn’t hesitate to offer him the security of her personal flat, to meet him there and care for his wounds in the middle of the night. Her heart pounded anxiously until she captured him in her tight embrace, thankful that he was mostly whole, still alive, and finally safe.

Your place or mine?

It was so casual a question, and one Diana never considered asking of a partner before, not until 47. It became a natural part of their routine after that, planning for a night’s stay or two at one of their homes, keeping a toothbrush at his place, stocking his favorite drink at hers, and so on. She didn’t realize how much further she had fallen until earlier that evening. She called his name in the throes of passion, hugging him to her chest and lifting his chin to meet her eyes, and nearly confessed her love for him before her remaining bit of sense captured him in a kiss instead. 

Did he notice?

She hoped not. She didn’t know what that would mean, if it meant anything. What if it meant something to him? Or, perhaps worse, what if it meant nothing at all? It was too much to consider at three in the morning.

There was something different about their relationship, she knew, hidden carefully beneath the surface. It was a connection unlike anything she had ever felt with someone before. She and 47 were tied together somehow, not bound by fate or mere attraction, but by an understanding, an unyielding loyalty to each other, a willingness to burn everything—even themselves—if it meant keeping the other safe. It’s what prompted their involvement in the first place and what fed her hesitancy of admission that evening, a deep sense of caution to protect the greatest fire she had ever known.

Diana didn’t like the vastness that was the unknown. She wanted answers, she wanted certainty, a guarantee of all factors to ensure the move she would make would be the best desired outcome. But the universe wasn’t so kind, and instead she exchanged the cool touch of glass for the heat of his unconscious embrace, and tried once again to sleep.

Prompt Meme

[yourimaginationrealm]

Final Fantasy XV Noctis x reader x Prompto __________________

Well, this is something I found on another data storage device.... It's been a while I have written it and I have more... ____________________________ Part 2: How you met his father, the king….. ____________________________ ________________________________

How you met him… 

Noctis was known well. The prince of Insomnia. The son of King Regis. The handsome prince…. And so on. More importantly he goes to a regular school like commoners. Anyway while everybody and every of your friends were swooning about him, you were different. There you stand on the bottom kneeling and swooning about a puppy. ,By the six, nobody could be cute like this!‘ your thoughts run wild as you pet the fury. Only if you can send this to Prompto! Yes , Prompto is a friend to you. And the only one you fantalk about animals. At evening you send each other’s memes or photos of cute pets . Sometimes even he shot themselves. Once you meet him in middle school. He had a little more weight as it should be but he was totally alright as a human. He got the heart on the right place!  And then your father got a small Job outside of the town and you slowly lost contact to the precious boy. Few years later you came back to high school and boom! You bumped into someone tall and thin with freckles on his cheeks and messy hair. Holy your eyes were wide.

„PRO-" Suddenly you were in his embrace and he yell loudly.

„Y/N!! How long has it been?.“ A smile came to your face as you felt the familiar warm and smell of the boy.

„Too long?“ you mumbled in his shirt. However you missed something on him. What it was you noticed as you got a good view on him without his arms around you. That was definitely impressive ….. His overweight or any fat which was on him wasn't on the place anymore.

„What?!“ you screamed. „ Prompto you workout?“ You winked at him while he got flustered and stumbled on his words. „ You look even cute now!“ you smirked at him as he got redder.

„N/N STAAAHP! You say embrassing things . You too!“ He yelled back with eyes closed. Even you felt slightly warm around your cheeks. Because he was the first boy who complimented you. Suddenly, he changed the topic in your chitchat. „Mhhh maybe we got same courses ? Anyway I need to go now and find my friend. Next time or at lunch I introduce him to you.!“ He eagerly told me and hurried into the building.

„Ooookay….. must be urgent.“ 

The first day ended positive in high school. Definitely, because of meeting your old friend. Outside, you watched how the club activities started. Still, you could not decide which you should choose. After while, watching the others play some sports, you felt eyes on you. You look around but couldn't find the person who you thought were watching you. There, you shrugged the feeling away. Again, after a pause, you felt yourself being looked at. With more confidence, you looked around as you still didn’t find someone. Then suddenly, you tripped over something and fell flat on the grass.

„ Ow!“ you exhaled as you saw the culprit was a leg. With black pants. The male who it belonged to is asleep (or pretended to be at this time)  against a tree. You couldn’t make out his face because of his dark blue bangs hiding the most part of his. „Sorry….“ You whispered as you stand up again. And while you stand up, you fucking recognized that your unwanted school skirt was from the fall dragged up. Thank God, the boy was in deep slumber or he had seen your panties with red hearts on it. Tomato red, you hurried from the unconscious one away. Unknown to you, he had the same blush on his face and held back a laughter. ( This incident, he refers later to you on the journey.)

Next day, first classes were chemistry. Oh god, how you hated it. And the worst part, it was with Prompto who only couldn't sit with you because you came a little late due to the traffic. There, you had the table for you alone until someone later than you came to the class and took the seat next to you. Well, it was direct on the door…. With second glance risked, you recognize him to be the boy from yesterday. Only, to saw his eyes now. Bloodly hell and by the gods, what had you missed?! He was hot ….. And beautiful. You directly looked to the teacher with heat on your cheeks. The teacher must often hush the girls from the back seats for a reason as you steal sometimes a glance to the handsome boy next to you. Luck was on you as the teacher gave you teamwork to do with a paper sheet. And, as you shyly asked him about the answer from the third question when he showed it to you lazily. Slowly, you reached the end or your work:

„Finally ! We did  it.“ You let your body fell back into the seat. The bell rang. He huffed and spoke up relieved

„Can get my less sleep from the morning  back.“ With closed eyes he almost dropped his head on the table.

„Not enough sleep huh?“ He smirked as he mocked

„There would be never enough for me….“ You laughed and introduced yourself while giving your hands out to shake it

. „My name is Y/N.“ He took it gently as he gave you a small smile .

„Nice to know you Y/N.“ you waited for him to give you his name but somehow he kept silent.

„ uhm …“ you tried to find the words and asked him nicely. He rised one of his eyebrow. „How is your name?“ Well, that is an ordinary question right? I meant, he blinked multiple times at you and had a slight open mouth. A little did you panic. What was wrong? The blue haired was just speechless. Why could she not know? But would explain why she was so casual with him. That was definitely what he liked . No formal adressing and speaking with him like a normal student. There, you almost asked him what’s wrong as he closed his lips to speak.

„ I am Noc-"

„Y/N!!!“ a whiny voice shrieked through the room as some slender arms hugged your waist. Prompto's head is on your tummy as you looked down at your friend.

„Woaaah Prompto !!“ Still, the nameless boy was utterly confused as the blonde male is holding you and watched the scene in surprise.

„I missed ya! Morning you need to come earlier!“ you rolled your eyes. Like a kid. Before you could ask the boy again with his name he was surrounded from females from your class and they squealed loudly enough for you to leave the room from the annoying girls. Prompto just looked back and muttered

"I believe he is not coming any sooner there out. Come we already go to the next lecture!“ 

The next weeks, you met the pretty boy only on few occasions. Like getting food on your break time and leaving the school while he waits outside leaning on the walls from your school to get picked up. There were some greetings there and here.  However, once you dripped over something on the large staircase and almost fell down the hundred steps as he suddenly appears in front of you and stopped your falling. How he was suddenly there to your rescue is a big question for you until you went with him outside the town. This is going to happen in a few years . You thanked him puzzeled as he held you on place . Some of your female classmates would glare daggers on you because of your closeness with him. He just nods and you start to apologize for leaving him. Somehow your were quite shocked what happened and needed air. Outside, you couldn't just explain yourself why this felt so familiar. He just grapped your both arms as he tried to hold you and says

" Be careful !“ something in your memories just popped up as you recalled the events from the fifth may ten years ago.:

Flashback 😏

Your cat was missing. And you went after school directly to search him. Sadly, you couldn't know where it had gone as you just strolled the streets down. Your already had puffy eyes not only because you missed your cat. You really didn't know were you are. Some people asked you if somethings is wrong and you shook your head. No, no, no, you gonna end this and find her. You wiped your tears away and stamped forwards.  There was a large building which reaches the clouds. There lives the king like always your dad  mentioned to you. Maybe, you can ask the king for help. With confidence, you reached the front door from the palace. The soldiers just watched you amused.

„ I wish to speak with the king" you demanded. In movies you already know how to demand the royal presence. They gawk at you and just laughed.

„Dude, did you hear that?“ his friend nodded and they almost make their pants wet. You pouted.

„Hey if you search your parents asks the guy over there in green clothing he helps you.

„... but my father said the king would help for any crisis and be there for the people?“ You questioned the man who has now a puzzled face.

„ Because he has no time for child’s play.“ Then you walk disappointed away. ‚Why…. I thought he would help me….‘ suddenly you hear a loud ‚meow‘ as you turned around. There, you saw something red gushing into a bush. This could be your cat! You just run after it without thinking. You have to got through a fence . Thank good that you were small and could press yourself through it. Then, you got near to your cat as you called out to her but she just jumped away and run deeper into the garden with various plants. Suddenly, you see people and just hide behind a big tree. ‚Where am I? And who are those people with weird clothing?“  Scratch this, you need to catch your cat.  Slowly, you tip-toed to the next tree. This went on for a while until someone from the building was walking into the garden and looked around what for a noise he heard. There, you lied flat under a bank with you hand on your mouth and you heart beating strongly. You didn't felt when the man disappeared as a voice called out in hush

„You can come out. He is away..“ You looked to the voice came from and found dark blue sneakers. Then, he bends down and held a hand towards you for helping you to get out. A little confused, you took it and stand up.

„ What are you doing here in our garden?.“ A boy in the same age as you (you assumed ) asked you curiously. Suddenly, you got sad and mumbled.

„I was searching my beloved cat… And, I saw it here playing around and yeah somehow I just run after it and….. got here….“ The stranger just stared at you with concern as he offered

„Then, we search together?“ 

With his aid, you somehow managed to get your cat and held it in your arms. Anyway, you both reached even outside the garden and took shelter under an old roof. You squeezed together with the stranger to keep yourself warm.

„ It seems that it goes down for a while.“ He mentioned.

„ But before it gets dark I must return home!“ Silently, you started to sniff as he turns and patted your head.

„ Don’t worry, we somehow get back. I believe we need to get soaked to find back…. The weather is not going to change for a while….“ With wrinkled eyebrows, he watched the sky. Without a warning, your cat scratched you as she jumped from your arms and disappeared into the wilderniss of town.

„Oh no!“ you yelled and started to cry. Your new friend began to calm you as he hugged you and motivated to keep going now. You nodded and sniffled a bit. He reached out his left hand to you.

„We must stay together.“ He smiled and you returned his. Drenched in rain the boy and you run towards the large to tower as he knows that was were you both started your search. After a while running, the boy asked someone for the way and you already took slowly the steps down from a park. Cause the rain, they were so slippery and you began to slip and fell down.

„ Ahhh!“ you screamed as the boy called out.

„ Hey!“ And in no time, he jumped in front of you to stop your falling. You just could make out some blue glitters around him.

„Wha- thank you!“ He smiled and said.

„Just be careful.“ As the sun went down, you and the boy were picked up from a policemen who searched you both. As the police car parked in front of your house, you turned to your new friend.

„I don't wanna go in…. They must be mad…“ You whispered. He nodded and said.

„ Me too. I think my father is over worried too but Gladio is going on a rampage!.“ He remembered the last time, he snuck out and his face got pale.

„But thank you for helping me. I was glad to meet you.“ He turned his face to you and nodded hastily.

„Yes! Even all was a bit scary,  It was even fun with you! Like a real adventure.“ Your eyes lit up.

„ Oh yeah let's do it soon again!“  Then, he smiles widely and laughs a bit. He was more silent over your stroll but now, he opened up and his blue eyes are showing how happy he is.

„Not before you are old enough! You can go on adventure when you old enough.“ The policeman scolded you as you flinched.

„Yes….“ You said. Then you jumped out of the car and waved happily the boy good-bye. Before you knew it, the car followed the main street down and you just realized. „ I forgot to ask him about his name!“ At home your parents were angered but even relieved you came back safe. 

So years went by and you heard nothing from the boy or see anything.

------

You realized, it must be the same boy from ten years and him. The hairstyle was back then more wielded and his bangs didn't covered his eyes. Definitely, you must speak it up next time. As you thought about how you  should approach him, you walked to your next course. ‚Damn does he even remember this time? And does it not sound creepy?  Maybe, I better ask him again about his name to start this conversation. Yeah that is right!.“ With new motivation and plan, seriously who thought about someone to approach ? You swung the door open to enter the room. Unfortunately, the door crashed against someone who grunted in pain. 

„Noct!“ an all to well known voice rang out worried. Wait….. As you look behind the door, you saw the boy on the floor sitting on his butt. He held his nose as he glared at your direction. His glare softens as he realized who it was.

„ I am sorry. My fault I shouldn't have-" Then red liquid quilled from his hands like water . OH HELL YOU BROKE HIS NOSE. Prompto searched eagerly for tissues. As he wanted to lay his head back you rushed to him. „No, you should let it all out. Or the blood runs down your throat!“ Your right hand reached his neck as you held him down. A little did he flinch at your contact as he blinked to your side. „Come I bring you to the nurse!“ The blood ran as you helped him to stop it but you just dirtied your hands with it. This was a little embarrassing from the young man as you held the bloodied tissues (thanks to Prompto) softly on his nose. „Really I didn’t mean to swing the door open like that!“  Totally worried, you opened the door to the nurse room. He chuckled and mumbled

„ Don't worry. I didn't pay attention either.“ The nurse in the room just called who it was. „Sorry for disturbing but we have someone here with a bloody nose which can't stop!“ The nurse chuckled behind the curtain.

„Put him on the bed. I help you in an instant.“ Like said, the male sit on the soft bed and waited until the nurse helped him. You just waited with him too. As she puts aside the curtains, she registered who just sat in her room. Her eyes went wide as she bowed. ‚What….?‘ you questioned her weird behaviour. ‚ I apologize I didn't know who entered the room.  There she still bowed her head to the floor. Really now?

„I am sorry but your patient is bleeding like hell and if you don't stop your bowing, he ends up dead from blood loss!“ you mentioned pissed. How stupid is that? The male watches your reaction amused as she almost tripped over her feet and started to stop his bleeding. Like order from you she apologized for her late reaction... Okaaaaaaay.

„Should I inform the king from your injury?“ the nurse asked as she wrote down the report with shaky hands.

„Oh god, please no!“ the male speaked up almost freaked out. „Don't worry him about this little fuss.“  ‚Why the king?‘ you asked yourself.  As you both left the room, the nurse again bowed down . Weird woman…..  You paid for his meal during lunch time as an apology .

„ Really you don't need to. I have plenty food enough from home.“ He reassures. The last words, he muttered inaudible for you. „ Ignis would kill me if his cooked food is untouched.“ Then, like a lightning it struck him. „ Do you eat vegetables?“ he asked you.

„ Huh? Ehm … sure?“ Suddenly, he opened a fancy bento box as a dream sight of arranged food enters your eyes. You gaped at it.

„ There“ he held the delicious food to you. „ You can eat it up. Just give me the box back.“ 

„ You don't wanna eat it?“

„No, I hate carrots and there is a lot of another things in it I hate.  I am happy with the bought food.“ You took the box and start to eat it.

„Thanks…“ Hell whoever did this has a real talent in cooking. „How’s your nose?“ you ask him.

„Better. It stings a little but not broken anything.“

„ Thank the six gods.“ You sighed.

„Hey you two!“ The blonde male waved as he hurried to you.

„ What a surprise  you already known each other for a time?“  You shake your head.

„Well we met on occasions but really known not why?“ Prompto laughed as he said .

„ This is my best friend who I wanted to introduce to you.“ He said proudly.

„ Oh nice. And…..?“  His shoulders dropped.

„AND WHAT?“ he yelled. „You know that it is something.“ The boy warned his blonde friend.

„ Please Prompto. I introdu-" You took another large bite as Prompto let the bomb fall. „ He is The prince from Insomnia . Noctis Lucis Caelum.“ He gestured to your male you sat next to. ‚ What…‘ your mind went blank. You looked back at the called one as he rolls his eyes annoyed from his friend.

„Can you not wait and made everything dramatic,  Prompto?“  Noctis….. Wait you remembered Prompto called him Noct so this can not be a joke. And Noctis is the name from the prince who belonged to the royal Lucis family who rule over Insomnia. And the name of the king’s son. The prince. Bloody hell. That explains why you met him in the royal gardens. You helped at this time that the prince went missing. This explains even the crazy fangirls. And that he was always alone somewhere. You talked him so casually all the time. And didn't recognize the prince of your town. Hell, he must think that you stupid. You almost broke his nose and accused the poor nurse of her behaviour. And ….. eat up his lunch….. You pale. „ Look what have you done now she feels uncomfortable around me!“ He bickered at his friend.

„ But how could she not know?“  Yeah how could you? Maybe you never believed your were able to befriend with the King’s son. You set down his half eaten lunch box.  You turned to Prince Noctis as you fall on your knees as  you exclaimed.

„ I apologize for my treason, majesty!  I accept my punishment. “ Prompto directly took his camera out as he oogled you with wide eyes. Noctis now begin to feel ashamed as all eyes land on him.

„ Treason? What? No , majesty ? I am not my father when you must say ‚ your highness but please stand up!!! Prompto don’t you dare-"

„Too late.“ He giggles as he watches the new shot photos.  You looked up shakily. Noctis sighed relieved as you were on the same level like him again. Prompto snickered as he said

„ This is not how you do it. You need to bow slightly and say ‚your highness‘.“ Like fast you did as said.

„Prompto…..“ The prince groaned

. „I apolgize for my rude behaviour.  I am not to know well with all the royal concept.“ You looked down to avoid his eyes. Again, he sighed as he caught one of your shoulders to get your eye contact. „

Y/n" he remembered your name. „ Believe me I am happy you actually don't. All this royal adressing makes me sick. Please call me just Noctis without prince or highness. Treat me like a normal mate here in school.  I have this enough at home…“ You nod as you still progress that the prince talked to you. Prompto smiled as he touched your other shoulder.

„ Told you he is nice!“ He laughed and added „ But totally lazy.“

„IDIOT what have just said?“ he glared at his best friend. The blonde put his tongue out. After while, you all sat again in silent and eating your foods. Somehow, you finished the royal fancy food. Then, Noctis received a call. „Hello? Oh , it's you  Ignis. Yeah…. Hmm…. Yeah I did eat them. What? Of course, why should I lie? He sneaks a glance to your holding his empty bento box. No. Did you just call because of this?“ he mumbled annoyed. Prompto just broke into his conversation

„ Say hello from me to Iggy!“ You could not believe how casual Prompto was with him and maybe others. As the phone call has ended, Noctis opened from his phone the camera app as he took a photo from the empty food box on your lap. „ That makes him shut up now.“ He smirks evilly.

„Dude…..“ Prompto shakes his head. „Did you just have on your photo the delicious legs from Y/N?“ he arched  an eyebrow.  You blushed at the compliment and the description from your legs. Noctis turned beet red on his ears.

„ Yeah why?“ „Have luck that he believes you.“  Like it was planned a sudden tone signalled  that Noctis got a message.

Your highness, Like it seems the bento box I made is empty. You were right with the food. Please asks the female how the the various creation from vegetables tasted.  I would like to hear her recommendation. And introduce me to her at the evening. If she likes I set up a fine meal for you and her.  Congratulations for your first female friend.😉 Greetings, Ignis

Noctis rolled his eyes as he reads the message. He questioned why Luna doesn't count as female friend but anyway:

„Hey, Y/N Do you have time after school?“ he just asks without looking at her.

„ Uhm..  Yeah a little time I have? Why?“ he shrugged his shoulder as he said.

„ Ignis is ready to make more food  today.“ You nodded as Prompto yelled.

„ Hell yeah, warm prepared food after school!“ He dreamily looked to the sky as Noctis declared annoyed. 

„Did I invite you?“ 

Another beep sound:

Hey sleepy head, Just had meet Iggy, fine legs those you photographed. You got taste. Eager to see her face😏 How far are you with her😚? No wonder you were so motivated to get early in school, hehe. Don’t forget training today! Gladio.

Noctis can only sigh about this and shut down his phone. "Great.... Let's go back to class..."

____________________________ Part 2: How you met his father, the king….. ____________________________

[catbountry]

It has been 22 years since 9/11; I was 15 years old in second period art class when a kid, who'd been running down the hallway, opened the door and announced a plane had hit the World Trade Center, and then ran off down the hall, leaving everyone confused. The principal advised teachers not to turn on televisions for us when this was happening, leaving us in further confusion as he tried, feebly, to carry out the rest of the day. We were dismissed before lunch, before fourth period ended.

There are people who are able to legally drink that weren't born yet when this happened and let me tell you, the actual event was fucked up but what happened afterwards, the decisions made in the wake of this fucking event, are a big reason why everything is so fucked up now.

I remember the color-coded terror threat chart, explained by Tom DeLay, who would become a minor internet meme just because of a weird photo of his face. I remember the phrase "known unknowns" in regards to justifying the invasion of Iraq. The "yellow cake" uranium. Being assured that there were weapons of mass destruction. Shock and awe. Bush in a flight suit in front of that "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" sign. The 2000's was the decade of neo-conservatism and 9/11 was a glorious and golden opportunity to have what America had lost with the fall of the Soviet Union; an ideological enemy that hated us because of how great we were. A perfect vessel to pump patriotic sentiment into the public. And it worked... kind of. Not so much for us younger people, those of us who were teenagers or in our 20's. You have to understand that we were at a point where Jon Stewart, the host of the Daily Show, was considered to be some sort of beacon of truth. We would rather get our news from a satirical news program than the actual news, because Stewart would at least recognize the absurdity of it all. A lot of artists did. Green Day's American Idiot is considered to be their most important album and the whole thing was a protest album. I've always had a soft spot for Radiohead's Hail to the Thief for the same reason. Counterculture was dark and bitter and cynical and brooding, and often incredibly edgy, flying directly in the face of the propaganda about how great America was. Counterculture was more queer, more atheist, dressed in black and online, making memes about 9/11. 9/11, this day that was supposed to be symbolic of the nation's greatest modern-day tragedy since the assassination of John F. Kennedy or the bombing of Pearl Harbor, was being photoshopped to make it look like Hulk Hogan was taking down the Twin Towers through sick wrestling moves. 4chan seems to have since been infected with reactionary brainworms over the course of the 2010's, but in the 2000's, counterculture wasn't conservative. It was making conservatives upset. We saw destruction and mass human death played on repeat over and over and we grew numb to it. Desensitized. We saw the obvious emotional ploy that was being used as an excuse to inflict even more violence and oppression on people on the other side of the globe. We reveled in shock sites, in edgy jokes, in transgression, in scaring the normies.

The young men who fall into the alt-right rabbit hole, who might not even be old enough to remember 9/11... I can't help but wonder what they think of it. Because they still want to be edgelords, but now to own the libs. To work in service of the very same people that we were trying to piss off 20 years ago. Trump spoke on 9/11 about how now, the Trump Tower, which had once been the tallest building in Manhattan, was now back to being the tallest building in Manhattan. He's a completely different breed from Bush, Cheney and company. Completely self-interested. Not even bothering with the pretext of things like conviction or truth. Truthiness incarnate. Embrace it. Feel it. Be it.

I think back to a few years ago, I posted a doge meme with the child doge in front of the Twin Towers, with a joke about how great the future was going to be in the coming decade. I had a teenager try and educate me on how insensitive this was. They hadn't even been born yet and I snapped at them that the meme was a real sentiment, that all of us who were old enough to remember essentially watched our futures explode on television, over and over, in a fireball of jet fuel.

This went stream of consciousness again. It always does. It's hard to summarize 9/11 and its aftermath in a cohesive way because we're still living in the shadow of it. COVID-19 is now the big historical event that traumatized us all that we will have to reckon with for decades to come, and how it affected young people growing up at the time. The new scar on our collective psyche. But 9/11 will continue to be that formative scar. Before that for me, it was Columbine, but only because the aftermath did directly affect me. Before that? Princess Diana's death, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the O.J. Simpson trial, and of all of those, the bombing was perhaps the most actually impactful on us. Before 9/11, it was the largest terrorist attack on the United States, carried out by a far-right racist retaliating against the FBI firebombing a compound because a pedophile cult leader with a bunch of guns refused to give up and used his child brides as human shields. That'd be Waco, by the way.

There was another bombing of the World Trade Center that happened in 1993. It was much smaller, using a bomb inside a van in a parking lot underneath; it's the reason Biggie rapped about "blowing up like the World Trade." Osama bin Laden was also behind that one but that wouldn't be fully realized by us until 1996. It only killed six people. It was considered a failed attempt; it was supposed to take down the entire North Tower. It didn't come out of nowhere. The CIA knew that this was in motion since Clinton was in office, and this ball got rolling because of training the United States offered to resistance fighters in Afghanistan against the Soviets in the 80's. I remember the shock I felt first seeing that photo of Donald Rumsfeld shaking Saddam Hussein's hand, knowing about the Gulf War and living through the War in Iraq. All these puzzle pieces are scattered on the floor and my brain is making connections between all of them as I try and fit them together. I'm looping red string around push pins and asking who Pepe Silvia is, except it's not a conspiracy, it's just me trying to fully grasp this event that happened in my lifetime, before I was an adult but after I'd started paying attention to the news regularly and had developed an interest in politics. Just as I was forming my own political beliefs. 9/11 and its aftermath has informed so much of who I am politically, and what my values are. George W. Bush is my Nixon, and yet, somehow, things got so much more cartoonishly worse as I entered my 30's that I was in denial about it until COVID. Trump's presidency felt like a clown show. How on earth was I supposed to take this man seriously? This motherfucker made the neoconservatives appear restrained and reasonable by comparison, and those motherfuckers are actual war criminals.

I can only really tell people who are too young to remember what this era was like what it was like. It's hard to explain if you weren't there in that moment. We're seeing Y2K nostalgia become a thing, which fits, because of the 20 year minimum big nostalgia cycle, as those whose childhood was 20 years ago are now young adults. And some of those adults were born after 9/11. They never knew the world before it. I knew, but I was a child and couldn't really fully grasp it. The 90's felt very distinct from the 2000's, with it's very open cynicism and even nihilism in the very first years of a society with no Soviet Union.

If only we knew how bad things really would become.

[6-maranatha-scours-the-universe]

Loving the Angels of Kill Six Billion Demons

I'm just going to use examples from the earlier volumes of KSBD (from a limited area because I haven't read much). I can't help but love the angels in KSBD not just from the fact of the intense creativity of the artist (Tom Parkinson-Morgan) working on the webcomic but from the fact that it kind of embraces the duality of angel depictions that internet culture has been meming about for a little bit. You know what I'm talking about. The biblically accurate angels memes. (Also I'm largely unaware of the pronoun conventions of the angels in KSBD but I'll just use nonbinary pronouns for them all.)

As much as I enjoy these memes because they are funny, they actually create a pretty inaccurate image of what angels look like in the Bible because they just choose to over-represent angels like the Ophanim and Cherubim from the Book of Ezekiel.

Depiction of Ezekiel's Vision from the first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel (there are four angelic figures in the chapters but this one only shows two) by an unknown artist. But in the Bible, the majority of angelic figures other than these ones are just... dudes, I mean that in that they are non-cosmic horror-looking figures. While the majority of angels aren't particularly well described we can tell who are, and who aren't angels because of the Hebrew word Malakh which means "messenger." And it sort of makes sense that the majority of the time these messengers sent by God would generally be amiable-looking humanoids when interacting with humans as opposed to always looking like cosmic horrors inspiring nigh madness-like awe. I think a good example of an angel is the(or an) angel of the Lord who appears multiple times in the Bible at key points to relay messages from God to humans at multiple key points. For bringing Manoah's barren wife, then Manoah, (Judges 13:12-18, 13:21) that she's going to give birth to Samson and instructions as to what to do with Samson. This dude probably looked normal to them, or normalish in their context. Look this isn't trying to be professional because I just want to give some proper appreciation for KSBD for towing that line between cosmic horror and normalish looking human (or humanoid) in the context they live. The specific points in KSBD that I want to bring attention to are 82 White Chain (full name "82 White Chain Born in Emptiness Returns to Subdue Evil") and their form in the Void. With the more recognizably "biblically accurate" angels appearing as their true forms in the Void while they await reincarnation or release from their banishment.

Incarnate

In the Void

Some other angels in KSBD also at the very least have the appearance of "maybe they're just going to say hi and not kill me" in their incarnate forms (in the context of the multiversal world) of KSBD. Like 2 Michael.

Incarnate

Form in the Void 1 Metatron and 6 Juggernaut Star Scours the Universe are imo the angels that are universally the most alien (even in the context of the multiversal reality they inhabit). Juggernaut for being metal as fuck looking in all forms and Metatron for their size to be representative of their closeness to divinity

In the Void (Juggernaut)

Incarnate (Juggernaut)

Void (Metatron)

Idk. This isn't meant to be a professional examination of these characters in relation to biblical angels. Hell, the angels in KSBD aren't even directly relatable to biblical angels in a metaphysical sense because of the mix of Gnosticism and Dharmic religious theology influencing worldbuilding. Fuck it lol. It's good art..... also I stole some of Juggernaut's name for this Tumblr account name lol. Sources for the Art: https://knowyourmeme.com/editorials/guides/what-are-biblically-accurate-angels-and-why-are-they-a-meme https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/biblically-accurate-angels-be-not-afraid https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ezekiel%27s_vision.jpg https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/wielder-of-names-1-8/ https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/ksbd-1-14/ https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/wielder-of-names-1-5/ https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/wielder-of-names-3-56/ https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/wielder-of-names-1-10/ https://orbitaldropkick.tumblr.com/post/82091686323/the-angel-called-6-juggernaut-star-scours-the https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/wielder-of-names-2-24-incarnate/

[marshalforgotten]

She Would Slay as A Mermaid

[queenofthieves]

Nadezhda / Nadya

I saw @lavampira leave an open invite, and similarly couldn't pass up a gothic lit meme. So I had to do it for my DnD necromancer. Anyone who wants to do it, have at it and tag me so I can see <3

BOLD what applies to your character!

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

cobblestone streets / lamps shining out of the fog / the warmth of a fireplace / unopened bottle of wine / the tension between what things seem to be and what they truly are / the heady thrill of freedom / the panic of losing control / blood on the pavement / guilty vices / top hats and walking sticks / self-destruction / old documents tucked away in safes

Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus

rain hitting a windowpane / candles burning low / mountain ranges of white, snowy tops / frenzied obsession / a cemetery at dusk / slaughterhouses / all-consuming thirst for revenge / compassion turned to bitterness and hatred / a sense of duty weighing on your shoulders / inescapable guilt / the frozen wastes of the arctic circle / the feeling of someone breathing down your neck / lighting sparking through the sky

The Picture of Dorian Gray

erotic longing / paint on a palette / golden curls and rosy cheeks / the desperation to cling to youth / bees lazily drifting through the grass / hedonism / the blackness of a soul / a dusty attic / hiding secrets / blood pooling on the floorboards / gut-wrenching jealousy / a dimly-lit stage / temptation into corruption

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

cliffs rising up into the clouds / someone ambiguously supernatural always lurking / edinburgh's winding streets / religious zealotry / careful manipulation / family rivalry / a bible written in an indistinguishable language / a face that's always changing and shifting / scottish lairds / something demonic masquerading as something pure

Dracula

letters and diaries / suitors courting a lady / castles nestled deep within forests and mountains / terror of the unknown / the howling of wolves / aristocrats from olden times / a consuming hunger / the dead rising / horses' hooves thundering along a path / blood staining the snow / crucifixes warding off evil

Wuthering Heights

fog over the moors / embracing one who is already dead / a cycle of abuse / vicious, snarling dogs / a house left to ruin / a thorn among the roses / toxic love / ghosts / the howling wind / flowers that have died and begun to rot / wasting away / a voice you can't identify

[qwertacius-ashuriah]

Embracing the Catalyst Versus Supporting the Reaction

Who are we to judge? What right are you given to choose how well you treat someone based on their appearance rather than their actions or intent?

You. The right answer is that you are you. Judgement is not only a human right but a biologically developed trait. Our ancestors learned to avoid those who were different; the difference in such barbaric times was often deadly. And so it was biologically encoded in us to avoid the ugly, the broken, the other races. Deformity and injury were weaknesses, and they exhausted the pack. Other races, tribes, and peoples often fought over resources or land. Their practices were strange, often displeasing. But they felt the same about the others as well. Difference was both a weakness and a threat and it always led to conflict. Everyone learned to either avoid or eradicate it. 

But times change and so do the people. We have entered new eras and intellect grows. People learn to accept and embrace differences because it is no longer an endangerment to their group to do so. We are stronger and smarter because of it. 

In this day and age, the general standard of how to look, how to dress, and how to act, varies so wildly that an individual from just six generations ago would be driven mad with the sheer nonconformity found in the general public. 

Those who don’t grow and change with the people become racist, homophobic, and cruel to the younger generations, limiting societal growth.

With that said, judgement on appearance is entirely an instinctive trait and it is up to us as people, not as humans, but as people to use our sapience to learn and qualify what is and is not a threat. Being different is no longer the danger it once was but there are many that choose to ignore that. 

When a gunman assassinated Brian Thompson on December 4th, 2024, he remained unidentified for over a week. With both his physical appearance and his identity unknown, the media and the populace in a craze over his true identity, and law enforcement working around the clock to find him, our unknown assassin became quite a popular fugitive. Why? With his identity and motives unknown, what entitled this murderer to such celebrations?

He was the spark; a catalyst starting a chain reaction that has spread through our country like a flame feeding on gasoline. A symbol for hope against the oligarchs and their empire built on the heads of so many individuals abused by the system. People finally saw someone fighting back! As people are, memes, edits, jokes, and sexualizing followed suit. This would only grow worse as the government found and prosecuted a suspect less than two weeks later. 

The internet dissected his life and laid bare every detail and photo to be found of him. Not only was he wealthy, smart, and showed good spirits and intentions in all accounts from friends and family, he was attractive. The allure increased tenfold.

While this sweetened his public image, it muddled his story and his cause. People lost sight of fighting for what Luigi fought for and instead the buzz became all about his personality and looks. Those who knew him or had met him before began milking their connection for content and attention. 

With this made clear, it begs the question of whether ethical journalism is such a thing anymore. 

One example is made clear when I attempted to contact writer Paul Skallas with critiques on his article, ‘Luigi and Me’, published in GQ Magazine. I noted that it was heavily self-centered and biased, and the fact that he was blatantly wrong on several statements of fact and was immediately told to “suck his cock”, and blocked. The fragile ego proves people like these are only after a quick buck and a moment in the limelight– the exact opposite of what we need in the media today. 

While some are milking connections to the alleged shooter for fame, others are basking in that glow with people who strive for a change, and yet they do little to fight for it themselves. 

I don’t think the populace today understands the genuine importance of their participation in today’s politics, or how little they could do to make a large difference. 

The American people’s greatest strength is not individual power, but the power we have when we rise together. One body is hardly noticeable, a thousand are hard to ignore.  In summary, human beings are still animals; but what matters is what we can do with our minds, ignoring our instincts and focusing on what matters to make a difference.

[ccaptain]

@predvestnik: "What about us?" Who is this us — a future of theirs with Kaeya of now or a past with Kaeya of then? If the azure of a summer afternoon darkens into the navy of a hollow sea at the first hours of nighttime, it's because Ajax does not know. Thus the answer from the one whom he questions becomes all the more essential. What about them? ( meme source. )

   he should have known. he should have known from the start that no deed goes unpunished- no matter the good intentions behind it. 

   the vengeance justly finds him from the pits of hell to come and reclaim his lover's body from him. he has ginger hair, deep pool of empty oceans watching him in the agony of a dying animal, a plethora of scars that he knows as his own... 

   Ajax had come face to face with his lover once again.

   but his lover was no longer. now, deep oceans met a pale diamond full of recognization and terror and shame- a blade was drawn against the tender neck that Ajax once graced with his lips, and the same voice who once dripped with affection shakily told him motivations and explanations that didn't stood on earth nor in the sky. 

   and when it left their meeting, it felt like it could never be satisfied again.

   Ajax kept finding it, self-aware and hungry.

   over and over, the impostor kept careening into the lover of his avatar, and knew why the muscle in his chest started beating faster- why its hands grew clammy with sweat, why the hollow of its back did the same. not fear- pain and longing. the agony of solitude, the pain of wanting known and unknown company all the same.

   it stopped running away, only to stop seeing the dull pain in deep ocean hues search for him without finding anyone. it kept inching closer to the man who knew its body and considered it his lover- it kept staying out of selfishness, two sullen silouetthes side by side, lost in the memories of long-dead things.

   there's the feeling of being dirty behind the want to sit beside him. Ajax would allow him to- Ajax would allow anything that looked like Kaeya the intimacy, the tenderness. when humans grow desperate, they grow delusional- they grow hungry. 

   beings grow hungry, too.

   what about us?, he asks to the being donning his lover's looks, and all the air gets knocked out of its chest like Ajax hit the impostor full force. it would have preferred him to.

   the shimmering of the night sea glitters in the emptiness of dead hues. empty and hollow just like their future. pale diamond shrinks, looks at him like he has grown insane, and like he has set Kaeya's chest ablaze.

   ' ajax, ' it has no right to use the name- but it does, the agony of the word bubbling in its throat the one of a dying animal.

   ( the scar splitting the corner of his lip, a tender detail noticed- he has kissed it many times. it comes back to him in a slap to the face, in his body freezing as memories keep assaulting his mind. 

   Kaeya drags it back by the same hair they share, and tells it to stay here and help solve the mess its made. he can picture him- a frown on his face, hands on his hips, his eye mercilessly telling it to help Ajax, fix it, fix it- even if it kills you. you owe this to him. come on, now. )

   and this is where it refuses to become Kaeya again.

   that much he owes to the man looking at him like he's the world- melancholic, corroded by sadness, the question desperately calm on his lips. there's nothing else he has to live for- everyone he has ever loved is long gone, and the ghosts are merciless. 

   he would know. he's one of them.

   long-cold fingertips dare to touch him- the impostor's fingers slide over the broken man's chest, join his arms to embrace a broken man that he knows, and holds him.

   ' i can't be him, ' he whispers, the bile of disgust bubbling in his throat, ' i can never be. but... '

   the sound of the sea is calm as the impostor wishes he could be. unfeeling, freezing fingers close around the clothes he's wearing. 

   ' we can be. we will be- this journey needs to come to an end. '

   ' i have known you for so long, through him- and now that i can see you, i recognize that i have missed you- Aeons, i have missed you terribly... '