#even better if he doesn't know you bartered and one day gets let go

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

Random silly idea that came up in my random silly head again(i cant believe i just typed that)

A reader that used to work for the Tsaritsa and was practically like a harbinger despite having no connections to the harbingers aside from maybe a couple interactions with the top 3. The Tsaritsa used them as a spy and an informational collector, and they are also pretty strong(as imaginable from someone who steals important information from dangerous sites 24/7)

However, after getting more and more information about such disturbing things, they of course start disliking and soon, hating such a job. However, if they are to ever leave or quit, they would be killed as they hold too much important information and cannot be trusted to wonder around with such knowledge. So they escaped from the fatui and are actively hiding from agents so that they don’t get killed.

Childe had known about them when they worked under Tsaritsa but just like any harbinger under the rank of top 3 he didn’t knew much about them. After being stuck as FL, he is also actively on the run from the fatui, but unlike the reader he would probably just get captured and sent to some sort of cage while reader wouldn’t face any less than a death penalty. When FL and Reader meet, needless to say they understand each other’s situations more than well. So they hide together and try to get out of the mess which they are both tangled in.

I thought of pretty angsty stuff with this scenario, but i guess where it leads us to goes to you :)

- 👻anon

ohhh dear anon can i just say, i LOVE your random silly head so much :D

you swore you'd never get close to anyone- not while you're in this position, anyway, hiding and running from the Fatui. it's not a life you'd wish on anyone, constantly having to move and watch your back, never trusting anyone since they could be a spy in disguise just waiting to drag you back to the Tsaritsa for your looming execution. it'd be a cause for celebration, you're sure, the death of a Snezhnayan traitor. so you keep your distance from everyone, interacting only when you need to and leaving at the first sign of trouble

until you meet Childe one day in the woods of Liyue

you didn't plan to take him with you, only patch up his injuries and see him on his way, because despite being a Fatuus you couldn't bear to see any creature in pain. it breaks your heart to hear the strange, horned beast whine and gasp when you bandage each wound, and afterwards he turns and collapses, head on your lap and crystalline eye looking at you pleadingly

he purrs when you hesitantly pet him, weak but steady, and you sigh and know that you're a pushover

even after you tried to leave him to his own devices, he just keeps following you, never even trying to disturb anything but eagerly fluttering his wings and chirping when you turn to look at him. once it was clear he wasn't just going to leave you reluctantly learned his name, the monster happily nudging your hand towards scratches on the ground that spelt "Childe". admittedly it is quite nice to have a companion after all these months alone, especially one who presses his cheek into your hand, purring and trilling whenever you give him attention. late at night Childe holds you, stroking your hair and letting out soft croons and whines as you struggle against the grasp of the nightmares that come whenever your eyes close, clawed hands gently wrapped around your own smaller fingers in comfort

one day, you find out he's Tartaglia, the Eleventh Harbinger, and oh, he hates the look of fear in your eyes, the pure terror you emit when you're normally so steeled and determined. he whimpers desperately, lowering his head to seem smaller and less intimidating, crying out when you instinctively back away because you're going to die, you've messed up and you can't escape oh Archons-

Childe's head softly presses underneath your chin, careful not to prod you with his horns, and your hands land in his thick ginger hair. he's sitting now as you stand, petting his fluff nervously, his claws clinging to your shirt as he coos. he won't betray you, he promises- he's being chased and hunted too, like an animal. you can be chased together so please, please stay?

he loves you too much to handle your absence

[all-purpose-dish-soap]

1k / 39 / post-apocalypse au, part 3

...

By the time Soap eases himself off of Roach’s back and Ghost hauls him into what must be the infirmary cabin, you turn around to find the camp’s gates shut tight and fortified in preparation for nightfall. One way in, one way out, as with any smart semi-permanent settlement. You’re locked into the squad’s camp. Not on purpose, Price tells you. But you swear there’s amusement behind his eyes.

No good deed goes unpunished.

It’s more of an encampment than a settlement, with log buildings and structures everywhere. Looks like something they fixed up into someplace livable. Nicer than most hovels you’ve seen since society crunched under the boot heel of chemical warfare. You’re tempted to root around the place, get a better look around inside, too, but going inside somewhere enclosed makes you feel itchy now. You sit outside at the campfire instead, leaning back against the massive, furry flank of your snoozing dog.

Price looks at you over the fireside, a cigarette hanging from his mouth. His blue eyes seem to be analyzing you.

Roach sleeps next to you, one of his front paws flopped over your leg. It must be nice to be able to go to sleep that fast, no worrying about what the morning could bring.

You don't look at Price for a long time. But the more you concentrate on looking away, the more irritated you get. You pull at the grass. Finally, you glance back. He doesn’t politely avert his eyes. That irritates you even more.

"What?" you snap at him.

Price shrugs, not at all bothered. "Just checking you out." He takes a drag of his cigarette, leans back, and eyes you. "Smoke?"

"Where the hell are you getting cigarettes? You live in the middle of the woods."

He chuckles. "Trade with some of the settlements a way away. Cigarettes always make good bartering chips."

"Not if you smoke 'em all up."

"Gotta indulge where I can." He blows a stream of smoke away from you. "Here."

He's right, too. He hands you a cigarette.

A few minutes later, you're enjoying it, letting the nicotine soak in after a long day. That's still one favor you owe Soap and now one to Price.

"Your dog got a name?" Price asks as he lights his own next cigarette."

"Roach."

"What's his deal? Mutie hound?"

"He was my dog before he went all..." You square your hands. "Big. So he listens to me."

Price eyes the beast. "Sure he does. Must be conveneint, being able to tell him to sit there and keep your feet warm, huh?"

You take another drag, leaning forward a bit more toward the fire. "Sure is. Slobber everywhere, though. And the farts he rips..."

"Worse than the mutagen?"

"Exactly. Chemical warfare."

He chuckles. "Soap mentioned you once or twice. Never a dog, though."

"I thought I lost him to the forest." You glance at Price sideways. "What did Soap say?"

"Eh. He says too much."

"Right."

"Just said you're scrappy for a civvy. Pretty scrappy, period." He takes in another drag. "Seemed fond of it."

You scoff. Civvy. Is that what you are? But you don't pick a fight about it. The cigarette is good. You feel like you could lay down in front of this fire and sleep. Maybe you will.

Price doesn't say anything more. The silence is comfortable. You take in the atmosphere. It's peaceful, really: the fire warm and bright, the forest sounds and the smell of smoke mixing pleasantly with the cloud of nicotine in your lungs.

Price takes another drag. "Soap's a good lad, even if he can't quite stop shooting his mouth off."

"How many of those you got?"

"Cigarettes?"

"Mhm."

"How many you tryna borrow?"

"Another one."

"You'll get hooked if you're not careful."

"Indulging where I can, aren't I?"

"You are at that." Price hands you another with a smirk. "And a handful. You know, that dog of yours is a lot of muscle. We could use that."

"You're not the first one to think that, old man. He only listens to me, so don't get any nasty ideas about offing me and stealing him."

Price smirks. Sounds like you have experience dealing with other survivors. "Wouldn’t be a bad trade-off," he says, shifting into a lazier position as he stares into the fire. "Might anyways. Can't imagine keeping a dog that size just for a foot warmer. That beast's gotta be put to use. Turn him into a war hound or something." He takes another drag. "Can't imagine Soap'd be happy about you gettin' killed, though. Or the other lads, for that matter."

You smirk. You can tell he's got a dry sense of humor. You do, too. "Can't kill civvies, can you?"

"You're hardly a civvy," Price mutters under his breath. "Civvies're tame."

"Shame. Guess you're not getting my dog."

"Pity." Price taps his cigarette ash into the dirt. "Got a lot of cigarettes and nobody to smoke 'em."

"Thought you bartered them."

"Just getting a head start in case the trading starts to slow down. Keeps the supply low." Price takes in another drag. "But suit yourself. Best to leave before you get hooked."

He flicks the cigarette into the fire and walks away. You watch the flames and feel the warm lure of sleep pull you closer. It's like another favor for a favor, isn't it? Roach's aid and yours in exchange for a full night of rest and another day of cigarettes and food. Maybe two days. Just enough to recharge and get enough sleep. Enough for Roach to recover.

You curl into Roach's side, closing your eyes. Just another day or two. That's all. Then you'll vanish.

Roach nudges you as you nestle into his fur. You're exhausted, but you're also safe and more or less relaxed for the first time in days--weeks--and your mind finally starts to slow down.

The fire crackles gently in front of you. Roach snores quietly, content to keep you company through the long, quiet, dark night.

For the first time in a long time, you feel warm and safe. It's not much. But it's enough.

You let your eyes close and finally succumb to sleep.

...

part 1 / part 2 / [part 3]

more Price / more Soap / masterlist

[woodsfae]

B5 s04e03 The Summoning previous episode - table of contents

OK. I saw a spoiler saying that Lyta blew up a planet with her mind. And now every episode I'm like "IS SHE GOING TO BLOW UP A PLANET NOW" and she hasn't done it. This episode title isn't exactly planet-explosion material to me. And also, planet-exploding sounds like season finale type of shit to me. But I'm getting very impatient for the planetary explosions.

Love Susan's new mission, but am worried that she's going to get picked off out there alone, like G'Kar. 

And she taught herself Minbari uh. To a degree. lol!! Assigned translator politely, but firmly. 

"Tell the crew: anyone who laughs answers to me personally."

I am personally impressed that Delenn and Marcus both contained themselves. 

Wow, G'Kar is not having a good time. Ooof. fuckin. Too tragic! Give G'Kar a few wins to balance out the entire lifetime of extreme shit. 

Delenn voiceover after the credits. They are leaning hard on recapping every character's whereabouts at the beginning of each episode. I am assuming they didn't want the audience to be too lost if they missed an episode or two as it aired? 

Zack Allen is feeling authoritative! Telling Delenn what must be done. An unfortunately for my dislike of him, he is right, and they ought to go look for G'Kar. 

Londo got a haircut, looks like. That crest is definitely shorter. I find Londo and his storyline to be sad and tired. 

Torturers are unionized on Centauri, lovely. 

And this is an excessively awful fate for anyone, let alone one of my long-term faves like G'Kar. 

Vir: Emperor Cartagia needs to be stopped, but I don't know about regicide. Cartagia: Tried to chop G'Kar's hands off, lol. Vir: Londo, you have my murder blessing.

Zack Allen vs a rogue faction of PsiCorps? A Shadows-collaborating wing? 

not-Kosh has robbed Lyta of all but one of her belongings! Did he even let her keep a change of clothes? Everyone's got such unique problems. Lyta's is that she's being terrorized by a god having a meltdown over realizing mortality is a thing that applies to themself.

introducing the one, the only, psipuppet!Garibaldi. He has had repeated interest in PsiCorps and has investigated them, has contacts in them. I wonder if that's going to help him resist or anything.

Dang Lyta. I don't remember seeing the gills before. not-Kosh is a dick. 

Partner: "Dark Garibaldi! Dark Kotch!"

His memory of B5 is imperfect. 

fuck off, Londo. 

G'Kar won't oblige their oppressors...and he doesn't let a single hitch hit his voice when speaking with Londo, either. Speaks volumes. 

"I hope she appreciates it," & "Me too, *glances at Susan*" is toooo funny. 

There is no end to the drama Cartagia is into. 

The torture is gratuitous. The way G'Kar's story and later writing is handled is definitely my most major gripe. I don't find it to be well done for a lot of reasons I might write an essay about one of these days.

I'm afraid I don't have any theories about who was able to override B5's security. Sheridan? And reveal his escape in a dramatic flashback later? 

lol, yes. And to disprove Delenn's naysayers so immediately and firmly. 

Protester: "Captain we thought you were dead." Sheridan: "I was. I'm better now." 

Sheridan's plotline on the other hand really tickles my fancy. His legend is fucking wild, and now he's bartered for his life with the eldest of the elder gods, and returned from the dead and promised Delenn he'd do it again. 

Lorien is there! On B5! lmfao. I guess when you've hung out with two gods, fought and killed other gods, it ain't no thing to have the elder god hanging out. 

Oh fuck, the Vorlons destroyed an entire planet and it's 4 million inhabitants in order to remove the Shadows and their influence. That is an extreme position and escalation. It kinda just makes sense to me that this is an ideological struggle between the Vorlons and Shadows. That's a lot of lower order races caught in a really big vice. 

And the League knows much less about Vorlons and their weaknesses than the Shadows and theirs. 

epic! It is continually impressive how much this sci-fi feels like high fantasy, and how correct and exciting it is for the main characters to create their own great deeds that rival the gods and all their powers. 

Also....I cannot believe I was excited about planets blowing up at the beginning of the episode. I didn't mean blow up planets like that!"

and another!

[slashingdisneypasta]

Lady Tremaine x AFAB!Fem!Maid!Reader || Smutshot

Plot: You try out a new contraption with Tremaine that your maid friend recommended- but your repressed horny Lady decides that she prefers good old fashioned tribbing better.

Warnings: SMUT. Strap-on use (I know they probably weren't a thing back then, but let it go! This is for the horny! 🤣), older woman/younger woman age gap, maid/lady of the house relationship, tribbing, etc. Unedited.

Tagging: @disney-android-foundation , @marinerainbow , and @ryantryan6969 .

She's glaring up at you, those pretty green eyes a couple shades darker from arousal and one corner of her nose pulling to the side in disgusted irritation as you line up the appliance with her pathetically slick, throbbing entrance. Usually, you love to taste her first - She always acts so high and mighty, your lady, but she always wants you back in her bed. And she's always dripping for you, - but you really want to try this, this time.

Your annoying friend - a maid, like you, who you see every day at the market, - told you all about this Thing. Using this Thing, and how it felt so dirty to be the one stretching out someone else for once. The Master of her house, a widower with intriguing interests, introduced it to her and at first he let her use it just on herself- in her room alone- at night. And she told you it was amazing, having full control of your pleasure. She went into maddening detail, which is absolutely not something you need to be hearing when you're bartering with farmers for dinner.

Then her master asked for her to use it on him, and she really couldn't shut up about it.

So eventually you asked her if she could get you one to try if its really so good, to shut her up and also- fine- you were affected. Thoughts of your Lady's pussy had broken loose in your mind, and the mental image of thrusting into her with something thicker then your fingers was an enticing option. In fact its all you could think about the rest of the day cooking and cleaning; Lady Tremaine's pretty cunt squeezing up and down on a rod of marble, leaving that delicious juice all over it, that annoyed look of pleasure written all over her lovely worn face.

Your annoying friend said sure- her master had a spare just in case they wrecked the first.

So here you are an evening later, Tremaine's daughters off on a trip and Cinderella downstairs fast asleep by the fire, prepared to make your fantasies a reality. Theirs that lovely worn face with irritation scrawled all over it, her nightgown is pulled up to her stomach - tempting you to push it up further and feel her perfect breasts under your hands, - so her pussy is totally bare in the candlelight and the contraption tied to your hips. Ready to slide in.

"Don't say I never give you anything." Your Lady tells you, rolling her eyes; completely unimpressed by this experience you've got your silly little heart set on. "If I wanted this I'd look for a new husband."

And yet, you think, she's here. Laid down for you. And when you slide a finger through her folds, you're pleased to hear a very telling wet sound. Hmm.

"I'd never. I know." You appease her, refraining from teasing her on this- she knows, though, what that mischievous grin on your face means. "Can I start?"

She just wordlessly flashes you a sharp, poisonous green-eyed look, like she doesn't even want to have to tell you. You should know exactly what she wants, when she wants it. Thats a good maid. Do it. You know this look from the first few weeks of your household duties, and it gives you a rush to see it again; a gentle grin quirking at one corner of your mouth.

"As you wish my lady." You nod, giddy, slipping your hand into the crook under her right knee and lifting her leg up and to the side slightly, the sound her pussy makes opening up telling you even further that she's ready for you. Then with an easy and satisfying thrust of your hips, you insert the tip of the toy into her sweet, slick hole.

She immediately hisses, closing her pretty eyes and turning her head to the side, and you watch her carefully. Its been a while since she's been stretched out so fully, you know, and you want her to be okay. When after a moment she cracks her eyes open again and gives you that look, again, her dark hooded eyes driving you crazy she's so damn pretty, you take your cue to really start. Her eyes close again, a calm washing over her.

Moving your hips further in to hers, you push the appliance deeper into her until she's completely filled up and your pelvises are practically flush; making you wet and tingly knowing her perfect cunt is so so maddeningly close to yours and yet painfully separated. Then you pull out again, seeing the rod covered in her slick, and start thrusting in out of her at a steady pace.

Quickly you're fucking her roughly, abusing her clit with the smooth-feeling instrument and getting more and more worked up yourself as it knocks against yours every time you press into her. You can imagine the attachment if it were actually you- the feeling of her slimy meaty walls all over you and throbbing around you, squeezing you for your cum, and it drives you crazy. You're feeling desperate. You want to make her scream with this instrument, but when you see that her lips are parted, you cant help leaning down pressing your lips to hers, your tongue against hers; her under-knee still in your grip as you grind your hips against her in shallow thrusts.

Your tongues play together passionately, full of dirty filthy secret lust. Feeling your lady's tongue in your mouth fuels you even further to fuck her tight cunt with the strap as hard as you can, taking her other leg and raising it as well to make more room for yourself between her milky thighs.

Its at least half an hour of this until you give up, she's not going to cum like this, and besides you'd rather feel her anyway. Quickly, rashly, you slip out of her and rid yourself of the contraption- discarding it over the bed. Then immediately you touch your over-sensitive, unattended-to cunt to hers and start to grind your clit against the old woman's.

Immediately her face twists into that familiar look of frustration and overwhelmed pleasure switches across her face and you feel prideful- only the feeling of your pussy can do that to her.

You grind you cunts together rough and dirty, your wetnesses making a sloppy filthy mess all over you both and at some point you reach down and part your lips for her so you slot together closer. And, Tremaine's not one to do much for anyone else- ever, and sex is certainly not an exception, but you can feel her hips slightly rising off the mattress below her and into yours. Not wanting to lose delicious contact for anything. Pants fill the room from her as well as vulgar moans from you so loud you're half worried that Cinderella will hear.

But you're too close to your crashing orgasm to care, the knot inside you pulled so goddamn tight you think you might burst with every brush of her folds on yours.

Out of desperation, you lift up the woman's night dress, needing to see her. Her. All of her. Her cunt, her breasts, her pretty face twisted into frustration wanting her climax from you. You cant help yourself- you have reach and touch them, her nipples soft under your thumbs and the taboo of this whole situation hitting you hard with your old employers tits in your hands.

She's your master, she's a woman, she's over 50- and yet here you are fucking her, your slippery cunts pressed together and sliding all over eachother in a most obscene way, and you wouldn't want anyone else. Only this old bitch.

When her orgasm hits her like a falling boulder, her clit having become harder then ever against yours, you immediately follow behind; releasing directly on her lips.

~

When you're left straddling her, having calmed down from your wonderful high's, you watch your Lady for her reaction, first. When she looks at you, obviously wondering what you're waiting for, you perk up an eyebrow and smirk. "... so? The contraption?"

Rolling her eyes upwards into her skull, she makes a tut sound with her tongue and the roof of her mouth. "Well it was a good start." She gives.

"I think it made it better, don't you?"

"It was a good start." She repeats, giving you a serious look. Thats all you're going to get from her.

Sighing and shaking your head with an amused grin, you move down her body until you're in a position close to her lovely pussy, so you can taste her. Pushing your hair back behind your ears, you give a shrug. "So we'll have to try again. Experiment some more, so you can come to a fuller judgment."

"... I'm impatient for your mouth to be occupied. Hurry."

"Yes ma'am."

[eruhamster]

Hi....! If you don't mind, can I ask, who are your top 7 favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series/etc (can be canon or non-canon) and your top 10 favorite characters ever from any media? Why do you love them all? Thanks if you want to answer....

THIS WAS REALLY FUN TO WRITE!!! Thank you! I spent like an hour and a half writing. I thknk that these answers would vary from day to day but at least the top couple answers for each have been pretty consistent.

It is skewed from me recently reading tons of BL...

Favorite relationships:

1. Gutsca/Guts and Casca from Berserk: This one has a stranglehold on me I don't think really fades. I think it's the one M/F couple that truly feels equal without it being sidelined. Guts and Casca know each other's pain more than anyone else and accept each other for who they are, fully. They would both do anything for the other even if the other doesn't know it. They hurt each other but it isn't toxic; they are actively trying to get better together, and help the other get better. They fall apart when they're separated, and yet at the same time the narrative refuses to let them be together. It's painful but you can really feel their devotion to each other. And unlike other M/F, there isn't some kind of feeling of a power imbalance. Guts isn't Casca's owner. In fact, he's depicted more of her loyal dog. He has no control over her, and he knows that due to her trauma, there's things he as a man cannot do for her, so he steps aside and allows the women in her life to assist her. She was his first step toward breaking from toxic masculinity and understanding women not as an other species, but as other people. He treats her as an equal. Not a thing he owns, not a child. Even when she is catatonic and acting like a toddler, he treats her the same as anyone deserves to be treated. He has demons just like she does, but even at his worst you can tell he respects her deeply and doesn't ever want to wrong her. It's breathtaking to me. It's so rare in media to see a relationship like theirs. It's why I can't give up on Berserk even with Miura's death. I need to see them succeed.

2. Bongchun and Soongap from Bongchon Bride: I think this is still my all-time favorite romance story. For a million reasons outside the main couple. Read Bongchon Bride if you have time, it's beautiful. But yeah; I like two genres of romance pretty evenly- noncon stuff and romances where people fit together like puzzle pieces. And they're the latter. No matter how Soongap thinks he's not truly married to Bongchun, they are 100% married. They act exactly as a marriage should be. There is no selfishness between them; they always think of what is best for them together, as a team. They lift each other up and fill the others' shortcomings. They heal each other and comfort each other and keep each other safe and out of trouble. A lot of romances will have a sort of one-sided romance where one person is the giver and one person is the receiver; not with sex, but in general. One person has all the wealth, power, emotional stability, etc, and the other is essentially pampered. This manhwa starts out like that but Soongap is not the kind of person to take without giving. He isn't just a trophy or a toy for Bongchun, he fits himself into his life and makes Bongchun's life substancially easier. He helps him come out of his hermit shell, he makes things for him, he takes care of his mother, he handles the finances and bartering, and he lends Bongchun his advice and warnings, which helps Bongchun when he is so naive and lacks Soongap's critical thinking skills. They fit together like puzzle pieces. :)

3. Hee-ryang and Yeonjo from Steel Under Silk: These two are sort of like the anti-Bongchun/Soongap. You can see how perfect they are for each other. They think very, very similarly. They get along so well when things are going good because they're so similar to each other. In a different universe, they would make a conniving power couple that could take on anything. But instead, they're stuck in a situation where they're both miserable and refuse to allow themselves happiness because that would hurt their pride too much, and their pride is all they have. There's this feeling that if they were in opposite scenarios, they'd end up doing exactly the same as the other did. So it feels equally toxic and heartbreaking instead of other noncon stories like it where it's an abuser and an abusee. They can hurt each other so deeply because they're mentally on equal playing fields, and because technically Yeonjo was the initiator of all of this. Hee-ryang was going to buy him out of slavery. Yeonjo at every step of the way has gotten himself into a situation to crush Hee-ryang's heart to pieces, and that's why it ends up spiraling and why Hee-ryang goes for really deep-hitting insults like saying that Yeonjo's body 'betrays' him and loves sex. He says stuff that Yeonjo told him in confidence just to hurt him because he's got nothing else and because he feels the same way about himself; he had to use his body to survive too, but in a way that left him littered in scars. I know if they can turn from each other to a single villain, they can be a strong team because they clearly understand each other so deeply.

4. HuaLian/Hua Cheng and Xie Lian from Heaven Official's Blessing: This one's hard on the mind since I've been on a kick for this series but it's more of that puzzle piece thing. Hua Cheng is only the rich, powerful man he is because Xie Lian believed in him. He was part of the reason Xie Lian went through 800 years of suffering, but Xie Lian never once thought of it that way. Never in all those books did he ever regret saving that little boy. He only wonders what happened to him. And when he finds out that that little boy was Hua Cheng all along, he isn't upset. Because all Xie Lian ever wanted in his life, the thing he lacked even as the pampered crown prince of that perfect kingdom, was a person who understood him, including his faults, and still believed in and accepted him. His parents didn't understand him, even if they loved him unconditionally. Feng Xin cared for and believed in him but could not accept his faults and ultimately left when Xie Lian told him to. Mu Qing understood his faults but was so petty that he misunderstood and twisted his intentions and fucked off when things got bad. Hua Cheng believes in Xie Lian strongly enough to not budge even when Xie Lian is at his absolute worst. He only leaves Xie Lian through no fault of his own. Because he knows Xie Lian needs someone. Just one person. To be there and believe in him, like Xie Lian was the one person to believe in him.

5. Beefleaf/He Xuan and Shi Qingxuan from Heaven Official's Blessing: A more doomed version of Hualian. They get along like two peas in a pod. As much as He Xuan tries to act like he hates SQX, you can tell he doesn't. He keeps him safe and throws joking jabs in ways only a friend does. He Xuan is a good actor but there's no reason for him to act that was as long as he did. And even at the end of the story, when he's trying to appear as Hua Cheng, he treats SQX the same way. Because it wasn't an act. He genuinely cares for SQX, even despite everything. But he is such s resentful ghost who sits atop a mountain of bodies and still has the fucked up mindset of a hungry ghost, so he can't let it all go. He can't. He hurts SQX by killing his brother, who deeply wronged him. He feels he had to. For his family. And yet he still carries SQX back to the capital, where SQX loved to go. And drops him off safely, and without changing his fate. And keeps his distance. But SQX does not seem to hate He Xuan. He knows his brother wronged him deeply. He knows he doesn't deserve godhood, so he doesn't want it. Even before his brother is killed he was dead-set on ditching godhood when he found out the truth. His brother had to tie him to a bed and sedate him to stop him. And even after it all, he makes sure Xie Lian does not wrongly blame He Xuan for things he didn't do. He takes responsibility for the situation he ended up in. And while he's afraid, as the coward he is, when he realizes He Xuan is there again, he doesn't react badly. He wants to ask him something. But he's gone before he can. I'd like to think when the story ends, they do rekindle their friendship, and maybe become more. There's time for it. And SQX is a cultivator, and a good one. He could continue cultivating and live a long, long life, even without godhood. There's time.

6. Sylhan and Gjord from Antidote: This manhwa is still ongoing but so far I've really enjoyed their dynamic and I think they'll end up a favorite. There is a power imbalance here but ot wasn't always this way. You get glimmers of it from talk of the past and Sylhan's occasional dreams. As Lord Khallak he was a genius who was good at what he was, which is why Gjord, a king of a people that hate Khallak, has devoted himself entirely to Sylhan. He accepts Sylhan even at his worst, unconditionally, and is clearly doing his absolute best to work in the shadows to give Sylhan the life he deserves after he was wronged by people who hate them. I'm eager to see more because you can tell they were that puzzle piece kind of relationship with how Gjord tells him how they used to argue all the time over political and governmental things, and how Sylhan used to be very strong-willed. Sylhan is weak and confused now, but you can get glimmers of the past. Reminds me of wedding vows. In sickness and in health.

7. I don't know that I have a very specific 7. This probably fluctuates with time. But I'll point out the one I've liked and am still mad about being sidelined; No Name and Jihwa from Painter of the Night. They're complete opposites but their personalities seem reversed. You would think that twinky, soft-hearted son of a nobleman would be the more gentle one, but it's the nameless criminal. No Name takes all the abuse Jihwa throws at him and just does not care and responds kindly in turn; he pulls his hand away from his face when he's chewing his nails raw, he drapes him with robes when he's cold, he gives him advice, he drops by and warns Jihwa and then saves Jihwa's life. They feel to me like a curly-haired, yippy little pomeranian and a big, tired wolf. To be honest, I would have preferred a story with them as the main couple. They're far more interesting. And they act this way even when they don't actually care for each other yet, by the author's own words. There's some kind of natural pull there.

Favorite characters:

1. Casca - I could go on for ages about her character. Anyone who insults Berserk is a moron. Casca is handled phenomenally. She is a woman with trauma and people who care about her enough to try and help her through it. She is not treated as a fridge, she is a main character as much as Guts is, and her trauma is not magically solved. It's even acknowledged that Guts is centered in her trauma and it's other women that help her the most. But she still cares about that man, and appreciates both what he did for her, and what he didn't do - what he understood he could not do.

2. Sansa - A girl dealt a bad hand who doesn't have to become 'masculine' to fight back like you usually see in fiction(including ASOIAF itself with characters like Arya). I think any girl who was in a bad situation can relate to her.

3. Miquella - God-twink who is not evil no matter what Twitter tries to make you believe. He genuinely wanted to fix his mother's warcrimes and make things better for everyone. He cared too deeply and that was his downfall, as to become a god you have to remove that caring part of you. I like to think the Grace leads you to him to kill him specifically because he is the ultimate threat to the Greater Will, far more than Ranni, and could have legitimately ushered in an age of peace and prosperity.

4. Kaji - The one character who had any sense in Evangelion who is largely ignored. He cared deeply, deeply about Misato even when Misato was too fucked up mentally to accept him, and he fought for what he believed in. He isn't the kind of character to just let things be.

5. Bulma - Obsessed. She's smart but she's also stupid and she is the worst person to exist on the planet. I know she is all kinds of isms and wouls be insufferable IRL. Compells me though

6. Hange - She's been a constant even though I don't like AoT anymore and hate the ending. A genius who cares deeply about things. The anime flanderized her.

7. Shi Qingxuan - Obsessed with how unapologetically flamboyant he is while also just being the most generous and common sense person in the story behind Xie Lian. He was somehow consistently the only one with his brain attached and would call others out on their stupidity - and was always correct.

8. Yamcha - He was hot in the original, before Toriyama made a laughing stock of him. Also, I gotta say I'm obsessed with the sort of long-haired, tan-skinned, silly, muscular guy that's obsessed with love that you see in stories every now and then. Yamcha, Sokka, the main character of Golden Boy, the wolfy boy tertiary character from Inuyasha, Casey from TMNT, etc. That kind of guy.

9. Bada from Dreadful Night - I love green-haired, long-haired boys with no-nonsense personalities.

10. Gwyndolin - Man, I am obsessed with that design.

[leyllethecreator]

Rigamarole: Section 2: Bubble

We’re playing that game again. Mom’s pretending to suspect nothing. I’m pretending not to notice that she’s pretending not to notice, while Riley’s pretending to check texts to get out of eating his breakfast.

He’s texting me.

I keep the sound off, watching the text bubbles appear on my blue wallpaper one after another - forcing each other upwards on the screen like little drowning men pushing each other toward the surface.

It feels like we’re playing monkey in the middle - lobbing messages over mom’s head through cyberspace.

“Just cut the act and let’s go. I’ll tell mom we have to leave early so I can find parking, but I’m not helping you out of lunch.”

“Leia…”

I look up and glare at him, so I won’t start screaming.

I’m so sick of being the middleman - girl - the land bridge between the three islands I call my family - trying to play damage control-

But I’d hate saying something even more. I’d hate breaking Riley’s trust, and I’d hate what mom and dad would say and do if they found out.

It has to be better this way, right?

I talk until my face hurts - anytime mom asks a question - just so that Riley won’t have to-

He’s so much worse at lying than I am. But I’ve had more practice.

“Look, if you just eat whatever fruit mom packed in our lunches today, I won’t say anything else about it for the whole day. I promise. Deal?”

He doesn’t look up but I feel his expression quaver with a wash of inexplicable fear so palpable I can almost taste it. I feel sick to my stomach, and the bubbles spam the screen.

“Please don’t, Leia. I’ve got a plan. I’m working on it…”

No, he’s not.

I flip my phone onto its face, making it breathe in the table cloth, as Mom leans a little too hard on the counter.

“Do you guys want mustard or mayo on your sandwiches?” 

I can hear her exhaustion, but I don’t know why she’s so anxious and tired when she has no reason to believe that she doesn’t know anything.

I’ve been careful.

I wish she would just let us make our own sandwiches. 

I foresee gaining a whole lot of weight before graduation, but at this point I’ve forgotten how to properly care about my image, my weight, my public perception…

I’m too busy trying to get Riley to school in a state we can pass off as “normal” at least until we get to the car.

I can make sure we’re both out of the front door in time so there’s no need for mom to question anything. 

But there’s still our lunches to think about.

It’s crazy that she still insists on packing our lunches herself, even at our ages. If she didn’t this would be a whole lot easier-

At the mention of sandwiches Riley flinches visibly like someone said ‘fire.’

It doesn't matter. Her back is turned.

Still I can’t avoid this slimy feeling as Riley glances in my direction, and I resist the urge to put my head in my hands.

I’m disgusting. 

Because heaven knows, I’ll be the one eating his lunch - just so there won’t be any questions. Heaven knows, I’ll be bartering with him to eat a half portion until that half portion becomes an apple or an orange, and then half an apple, and then just the juice. Then, I’ll stuff my own gullet until I feel like I’m going to puke, because he doesn't want to throw it away.

Because apparently it’s “right as rain” to eat something and then puke it up again, but throwing away food would be wrong.

“I can’t rationalize it, I guess…” 

“You know we both prefer mayo mom,” I say brightly, hating the taste of my tongue in my mouth. She smiles a little warily.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a little out of it today. I’ve got such a headache.”

I just smile a little because I don’t know what else to say. Riley looks up, thanking me with his eyes - and I want to spit at him - tell him not to dare thank me, and to hurry up and quit this insanity so we can stop living on eggshells-

But I just reply to his last text, “I’m done waiting for your ‘plan,’ Riley. Don’t try to argue with me and grab your backpack so we can go.”

I give mom a little hug as Riley picks up his own backpack and mine. I grab my keys, yank the backpack from his skeleton-thin hand, and shove him toward the front door - before he can say anything - look at me-

I’m not in the mood for anything. For nonsense. For talking. For thinking.

I hate you so much.

And I can't do anything but beg you to stay alive.

“…There are so many hungry people in the world.”

“There really are.”

But the one I’m worried about right now is you.

(This story is making it's official debut on my Patreon May 27th!:

[welcome-to-oslov]

I'll throw in a defense of "Gersha, the early years". 

Yes, Gersha was self-absorbed. Dear god was he. He did annoyingly lean on Tilrey which is like "whut?" given who's the person who should actually be needing support. 

But it's not like Tilrey was telling Gersha to support him, telling Gersha to protect him, crying to Gersha wanting to talk, etc. 

In fact, in the beginning he told Gersha he was in the job b/c he accepted it, that he could've quit -- but that's not true, and he gave himself away by saying he was chattel & could've quit to be thrown in jail or a brothel (what a choice!), and Gersha should've picked up on that. He told him what happened at Election Night never mattered the next day -- that's not true either, it did matter, to Tilrey himself (his "stupid victim body" was racked w/PTSD symptoms and he was emotionally fragile, as he knew he would be after these things). When Gersha brought up the IntSec report detailing his past was angry at being forced to talk about it, acknowledge it, pity. Tilrey thought, "Okay, so he needs me to play the helpless victim needing saving, fine I will" -- when in fact that IS the truth, and Tilrey knows it; he's "manipulating" Gersha by NOT lying. 

He'd just reached a point in life by then (apparently?) where he'd given up on getting help or support or kindness. (I'm scared/excited/sad to see what happens over the second half of his time in All Kinds of Broken to get him there 😭)

I mean, he still longs to get out this, to be free, and sees/hopes that maybe Gersha can make that happen. But he's not the same boy anymore as the one who still had hope (and so much courage) when he ran from Krisha into the bowels of Redda and tried to barter a new coat from folks down there to help him get back to Thurskein. When he had the courage to accept Adelbert's offer of help and wrote down his testimony for a judge. When, as we saw in this latest chapter, he asked the "therapist" if she would help if someone told her they hadn't chosen this and wanted out. When he timidly but courageously told Malsha on that bed, "If you're going to do this, you should know what you're doing."

He gets back to that boy, but it takes awhile. 

It does make me sad Gersha doesn't see all of that. That Tilrey's so vulnerable. Gersha does see this better later in life, and feels bad for how he let Tilrey down (a difference from just feeling ashamed for how it makes him/his peers look, or upset with how what happens to Tilrey hurts his own feelings, like the pics). Gersha's definitely a work in progress who grows over time. 

Work in progress is the perfect way to describe him! I think he was intimidated by Tilrey’s pose of jaded sophistication, which you analyze so well. Even when Tilrey’s asking for help and comfort, which makes sense in his situation, he tells himself he’s just cynically playing the victim. He’s internalized the attitude of the Councillors so intensely that he can’t even recognize his own feelings anymore or tell them apart from the performance. And that same performance fools Gersha, who should probably have known better—but he didn’t know Tilrey in the early days, the way Bror (for instance) did, so this is all he has to go on.

[janis-1987]

The Accident (Fizz x Blitzo Angst)

Tw: Mammon, Fire, drugs, hospital

"Blitzo, baby, I really don't think you're ready to add this fire stunt to our show yet. I know you've been practicing and you've gotten better. But I just don't think you have it down, just yet." Fizz says softly, nervous to upset his temperamental partner.

Blitz rolls his eyes, "Fizzy, I've got this. Trust me, we've done plenty of rehearsals with it. It'll be fine."

"But most of those rehearsals you missed a catch of it and it hit another performer. Or worse the stands." He argues, his tail flicking nervously.

"It'll be great Fizzy, don't worry so much." Blitz retorts, "Come on, we're on in five. You know how Mammon gets if we aren't out in time."

Fizz sighs heavily, knowing there was nothing he could do to sway him, "Okay Blitzy."

At first the show goes great, all of the catches are on time and everything is running smoothly, easing Fizz's nerves but then the fire stunt comes up, as Blitz tosses the flaming baton into the air, it hits one of the beams that holds up the tent, setting it ablaze. At first no one notices, but that quickly changes as the tent fills with smoke as the fire spreads. The beam snaps in half as people rush to get out, running across the ring, in the process Fizz gets knocked over, falling to the ground, and the beam falls, crushing his legs. He screams but isn't heard over the crowd and he's sure this is how he will die, his horns and arms get broken by the crowd running over him and he sobs and screams, trying desperately to be heard. He coughs as smoke fills his lungs, his vision becomes blurry and then, black.

Blitz looks around desperately for Fizz, screaming his name, as he gets close to the tent he hears him screaming, "FIZZY!" he yells attempting to run back in, but he's held back by other performers, "LET ME GO! FIZZ IS STILL IN THERE!" he wails.

"Blitzo, it's not safe," one of them says.

"If you go in there, you'll die too!" Another says, holding him back.

All the commotion gets Mammon himself out there, he counts his performers, "We're missing one." He says with a shrug, but then he realizes who is missing, his star performer, "Fuck. Fizz is the one still in there?!" He groans and tosses the tent to the side with ease, though not bothering to put out the flames. He sees Fizz on the ground out cold and lifts the beam off him.

Blitz finally breaks free and runs to Fizz's side, sobbing, "Fizzy! I'm so sorry!"

Mammon sighs and picks up the broken imp, listening, he hears a heartbeat. "I'm going to get him to a hospital and try to do some damage control." He says angrily, opening up a portal and stepping through, leaving Blitz with the other performers.

It takes 3 days, but Fizz finally wakes up, he groans, in so much pain even with all the morphine he's on.

Blitz sobs in relief and hugs him tightly, "Fizzy! You're awake!" He cries.

Fizz screams, "Ow!"

Blitz instantly let's go, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" He sobs.

Fizz looks down at his body and sees his legs are gone. He then realizes he can't feel his arms. "what...what happened?"

Mammon walks in, "Good you're awake. They had to amputate all your limbs and cut down your horns, the doctors said you're lucky to be alive."

Fizz's face pales, "So... I'll never perform again?" He asks, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I didn't say that Fizz. I have some of the best prosthetic makers in hell. They can give you robotic limbs, you'll be a better performer than ever. But they're expensive, and I know it's money you don't have. So I'll make you a deal, I will buy the limbs for you but in return, you have to sign a new contract. We can discuss and barter the details after you get them. That is if you accept." Mammon says, trying to make sure he doesn't lose his star. This was an opportunity, Fizz could become a sensation, a star all over hell. But for that to happen, he needed to accept.

Fizz looks at Mammon in astonishment, he was never kind or caring towards anyone. Fizz swallows nervously, "I- I accept."

"Fizzy no! You can't sell out like this!" Blitz cries.

"Can it Blitzo." Mammon growls, "I'm giving him an opportunity to become famous known throughout hell. He'll be better off without you. After all you caused this."

Fizz blinks, "Wait... Without Blitzo? But we're a duo. We always have been."

"You really want the one who caused you to nearly die to continue working with you? I already fired his ass for this." Mammon says with a smirk.

Fizz looks shocked trying to remember the accident and when he does he glares at Blitz, "I fucking told you, Blitzo!" He screams angrily, "We're done! I don't want to see you ever again!"

"Fizzy, please! It was an accident!" Blitz begs.

"Yeah an accident that nearly killed me!" Fizz says bitterly. His voice filled with angry venom, "Get out!"

Blitz breaks down into sobs and runs out of the room.

Mammon puts a gentle hand on his shoulder, "you made the right call Fizz."

[multistoty]

He had more story than time to tell it - but she supposed that's true for all of them. Grief is forever. It doesn't go away; it becomes part of you, step for step, breath for breath. But she wouldn’t go too far, too many kind hearts turn cold every day. Why did Aemond have to say it? Husband and lost should not at all fit in the same world. Aegon shouldn’t lie unbreathing on the floor because he was some predestined king he had never wanted to be. Alicent had made her always self conscious though she had confidence who she was. Now, she had to be a queen even when that role was Thusnelda. Someone to keep it all from crumbling even if she felt bone tired. Plus, she was terrified of hurting him further. It had taken everything to get her sister in the bed roll next to her husband. But the silence until he woke again had bothered her. The silence without Aegon’s nagging. The silence of a brother so broken she had been terrified he was lost to it all. She needed Aemond. Needed her first confidant. Thank the gods for both of them. They needed this. She would not bring up the bartering of marriage on their first conversation without him. Without. Such a hard word to realize and have living in your skin. But there was a standard with which she expected of herself. Sometimes she feels as though there are two helaena's, one coasting directly on top of the other: the superficial her, who nods when she's supposed to nod and says what she's supposed to say, and some other, deeper part, the part that worries and dreams… Most of the time they move along in sync and she hardly notices the split, but sometimes it feels as though she’s two whole different people and could rip apart at any second.It's like a razor blade edging its way through her organs, shredding her, all she can think is: It will kill her, it will kill her, it will kill her. But maybe happiness isn't in the choosing. Maybe it's in the fiction, in the pretending: that wherever we have ended up is where we intended to be all along.Who knows? Maybe they’re right. Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings. Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.But we have chosen a different road. And in the end that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.We are even free to choose the wrong thing. She’d learned to get really good at this - say one thing when I'm thinking about something else, act like she was listening when she was not, pretend to be calm and happy when she was really freaking out. It's one of the skills you perfect as you get older. Now though, she stepped further into his line of sight. Letting the soft blanket of his words help create the torrent at bay for a moment. It had taken so long to convince her sister to sleep that she should have known better, but caring for someone else and doing something only helped when her world felt so meaningless and unchanged and different.There were so many people relying on them. Yet, he was speaking with her like a brother and not a king. “I don’t want to hurt you further by my closeness. I am uncertain how badly you are injured and I need to hear you drone on to me for years to come.- I’m shared. But I am a mother and a sister and Rhaenyra knows that my husband- that Aegon is now free. Even if she isn’t behind this,I have to figure out how to stop her from descending upon us. Upon you. Thusnelda is ready for revenge. As much as I want it, I am struggling with allowing myself it. I want to be stone though I feel like sand dragging us to different places with only the picture of solidity lost to despair. I guess the eye bags and swaying were still in your repertoire of cataloguing. I will take care of myself - soon, brother of mine. I feel as if I failed him. That sword could so easily be buried in my chest. I could have fought harder even though I know it was useless. They weren’t leaving without his heart ceasing beating. Thusnelda has kept me going. And you standing. I had to hear you speak coherently.”

@power-over-one-eye

[lord-of-the-hobbits]

If you think yesterday was a win sign up for foster parenting now.

If you think yesterday was a win you're going to want a strong stomach in the coming months because there will be an uptick and news reports in protests and related injuries and d3@th, su!c!d3s, r@pes, reports of body mut!lat0rs, medical malpractice, and maybe even m¿rd3rs of mothers and babies. If you think yesterday was a win you need to tell your daughters, grandaughters, sisters and cousins under the age of 4 that the youngest ever recorded pregnancy was to a little girl who was 5 years 7 months and 21 days old. You need to watch every man and boy who comes in their lives and never leave them alone becauae either they won't know better or they will and they might do it anyway. You need to understand that if your loved one is disabled they may not survive the pregnancy and that if they do the baby might not and they'll still lose their life because they'll be going to jail for m¿rd3r.

You need to be aware that, before long, the laws will criminalize birth control which doesn't just prevent babies. I use mine to stop a crippling and overflowing period that would prevent me from working and even still it doesn't stop it completely which tells me it may not be effective at stopping a pregnancy either.

You need to learn what goes in and out of your loved one's and your own, if you are a woman, reproductive health. The fact they pierce and yank at our cervixes to place an IUD, which may become illegal soon, without pain medication because they think we are dramatic and don't feel pain like some Marvel comic mutant just being one of them.

If you think yesterday was a win you owe it to us to be responsible for your urges and advances. You OWE it to us to take no for a fucking answer without asking questions, without bartering, without whining or pushing yourselves on us or trying to get us drunk to change our minds or k!lling us.

You owe it to us to reevaluate medical procedures we endure for improvement and at the very least to recognize pain is universal not just a reserved thing for the rich or male. Reevaluate who is responsible for pregnancy because it is not just that woman who likes sex, or just that little girl who was at the wrong place but the man that decided not to wear protection because he wanted it to "feel better", has a breeding kink, or whatever lame ass fuck all excuse that is given. Also if you lie about putting protection on the only reason I don't hope she cuts your d!ck off when she finds out is because she'd go to jail for it. Reevaluate what men are allowed to walk away from, get away with, shirk responsibility for. You owe it to us to take your 50% all the way to the end for these kids who will be sources of hate and fear for their mothers, who will get teenagers kicked out of their homes.

Women are scared, mothers and daughers are scared, I AM SCARED by the precedent this set. Your pets and corpses have more right to their bodies than me and my sister and my two beautiful nieces do right now. And it terrifies me. I was willing to fight for this country. I was willing to lay down my life for this country. Now I'm afraid to leave my apartment. I'm afraid to let my sister send my nieces to school or daycare. I have never once regretted being who I am until today and even then I know I still have it easier than some women because I can live happily without sex. Barring anyone assaulting me I can control that. So if THIS was a win for you enjoy it and watch it closely without ever turning your eyes away.

I hope God is watching too. I hope he sees every second of the things that have happened in the last 2 years alone from politicians who said death to the weak populace who would catch covid is a better alternative than death to the American economy, pastors starting new witch hunts and taking counsel from "demons" in their head and still calling themselves godly men, to the ones saying that we should round all the gay people up and put bullets in the back of their brains like we are N@zis and this is the Holocaust, the "good" Christian folk willing to send bombs and anthrax into buildings serving mother's of unborn babies that "needed protecting" so much that this happened in the first place, to "good" Christian parents who will be throwing kids out on the street or beating babies out of them and turning them in for reward money in Texas. I hope God is watching and I hope when judgement day comes there is a silence so deafening that the almighty can hear a pin drop and not a protest to be voiced as the fall comes for those people who cause suffering and pain for anyone.

[fragileizywriting]

Hello love, I have a question to ask:

When did Marinette/Adrien realise how possessive/jealous Luka could get? And how does Luka express that jealousy/possessiveness? (And I'm not talking about the pillows, although it does amuse me to picture him being upset and just refusing to give them back even though they apologized.)

hi hi~~~ i love this question so much 🥺 i haven't stopped thinking about jealous luka, it's so cute

marinette finally officially announces it In Person in color coordinatin' that luka actually gets really jealous! but she'd suspected it multiple times before, honestly. the way he always seems to be in her shadow whenever they're in public, just close enough to make it obvious what he wants, which is her attention... he gets more upfront about it afterwards, because she's convinced him that he's not annoying her with it.

there's that whole tik tok audio "walking around alone but feeling safe because i have a big scary dog"-- it's hard for anyone to really approach marinette without extreme amounts of guts, idiocracy, or straight-up lust in their body when there's a giant six foot three / 195cm dude behind her, refusing to stop making eyecontact with anyone who gets close by. he makes it worse by wearing stompy boots that have a ridiculous amount of buckles on them-- now that luka has enough money (adrien) to buy all the clothes he wants, luka is slowwwwly making his way into more alternative attire. he has the entire outward appearance of a guard-dog at this point. literally no one has a chance against him. he doesn't mean to look so aggressive, he knows it causes people to stay away, but sometimes it pays off-- marinette finds herself with lots of people coming up to her when she's alone, so she's so thankful that luka doesn't mind following her around for errands. in fact, he loves walking with her around Paris. he likes being out of the house a lot-- she uses that to her advantage always, dragging him by the wrist to go day shopping with her.

he doesn't even have to do much, honestly, in order to show that he's jealous. a simple "are you ready to go?" when marinette is trying to get out of a conversation, with an arm wrapped around her, is enough for someone to get the memo.

he's never been aggressive to anyone, so he doesn't actually start fights. occasionally when he hears desires from other people about her, he gets really fidgety about it, but the most he'll do is show fangs or anything of the sort. maybe pull marinette a little closer. if he really needs to, he'll kiss her until she gets dazed out-- by the time he pulls away, the person is gone.

both of them refuse to let her sit on the outside part of the booth. they like being in her space. adrien especially likes to tease her, squishing her against the wall when they sit, just to annoy her-- luka does the opposite. he sits with her but doesn't do anything to show he's in her space-- most likely just an arm around the back of wherever she's sitting. and of course, the staring. luka always wins whenever he finds himself in a staring contest with whoever it is that's trying to get marinette's attention.

as for adrien, it's somewhat the same thing too. adrien is already far less approachable than marinette, so whoever it is doesn't stay long, but those who keep trying usually find themselves under the impression that perhaps yet another attractive man showing up is a sign of threesome-- they have no idea. they don't know any better. it isn't until adrien says something of "my boyfriend doesn't like it when strangers hit on me" that they realize that oh. those glares of sexual tension don't exist. those are just... glares. they hightail out of there almost immediately. luka is a lot more friendlier than adrien is, but he has such an aggressive appearance that the poor dude ends up scaring away anyone almost 90% of the time.

and of course. they either wait until luka is asleep to take their own pillows, or attempt to barter-- marinette suffocates into his chest when she tries to snag one and he ends up snatching her by the wrist while asleep and wrapping her up like he's hugging a stuffed animal-- and adrien sometimes just loses when luka looks at him with just so much disappointment. it's fine. sleeping without a pillow is in style, anyway.

[border-spam]

Leech Lord - Beginnings and regrets

The single least Seifa thing Seifa has ever done, is probably also the most actual Seifa thing she's ever done, and that's extremely Seifa of her.

It was going against every lesson survival had beaten into her so far in her life, and helping Tyreen instead of walking away all those years ago.

(Pre CoV)

Pandora is a terrible place.

The whole Galaxy is, Pandora just has a reputation that's honest about it.

The Edens, Athenas, Promethea, Tantalus, every city on every settled planet is built on a foundation of bones, nowhere's really safe or actually wants the humans that settled uninvited and ruined the neighborhood. Can't really expect an ecosystem to welcome you with open arms when you immediately start destroying it for profit, and life ain't easy anywhere. Nowhere is good. Nowhere is nice.

You can't live for long without finding out how dangerous "caring" is.

Small family units survive, yeah, clans scrabble out a living on rock plains and migrant space-rigs, but if you hold out a hand to a stranger in need you need to know the risks, need to really understand how likely it is that there's a knife behind their back and a couple of crosshairs already trained on you.

You have to be harsh, you have to be cruel. Everyone who makes it on the border planets knows the unwritten rules.

Unless you've the backing of a town militia or a hell of a lot of weaponry, you can't afford to risk your own safety for others - and Sei has walked past more people who gasped out a desperate plea for help with one of the few breaths they had left then she could ever, ever let herself acknowledge. Fuck man, everyone has. It's one of the sad truths of living at the knifepoint everyone balances on out here at the fringe.

...It's no different really on the corporate ones, the blades waiting to land in your back are just better dressed there.

So, when Seifa went to walk away from that filthy kid in the junkyard with the busted SMG and found herself stopping as the girl pleaded for medicine, that was beyond out of character.

That was weird. That was impossible to justify, and she lost plenty of nights to trying to do so after - long ones, with tears and far too much whiskey.

It's hard to think back on, how unsettling and stomach turning that first month had been. The whole thing feels like a blur, some grease smeared memory that's mostly lost to the desperately anxious conflict that was going on in her head the entire time. She can remember specific points, but they're half images half feeling, nerves and worry all tangled together into something she hates dwelling on.

She remembers the heat mirages swirling above the desert sands as Elpis set on the horizon, driving the girl out across the salt flats as Ty panicked and urged Sei to go faster, all while she was trying to explain to herself WHY she hadn't slapped this stranger out of her buggy and throttled in the opposite direction. What had gotten into her?

She doesn't remember anything that the kid had said as she was lead by her into that dark shack, still battling with why she wasn't turning around, why she was gingerly picking through debris to reach what looked like a hastily set up camp surrounded by rusting sheet metal and pieces that used to be the hovel - but she remembers the stink of fever sweat that wrinkled her nose and that sad mound of sharp angles heaped at the center by a burnt out fire pit, and the shock of realising it was a man when Tyreen had dropped to her knees and begged through sobs for him to keep breathing.

That she had "Found someone to help."

Recalls fighting back the equal disgust she felt with herself for helping carry the nothing he weighed out of that shithole, and for the fact he was still alive in this state. Covered in filth, blood, chunks of.. something, and reeking of puke and god knows what else. How she chewed at her lip till she tasted copper as the buggy engine rattled in complaint under them, flooring it when she knew the shoddy weld job on the left axle wasn't going to take this strain and would need another couple of hundred dollars she didn't have in repairs by the time she got these pathetic kids back to her ship - and she remembers wincing hours later at her empty medical cabinet after gutting it to keep the boy alive.

Saline stock sucked dry, bactum wasted, and she was saving those health kits for when she might need them...

It was a bad decision. It was a stupid decision, and she'd spent that first night when the girl had cried herself to sleep and he'd finally stabilised, sitting on the cold floor of her quarters with her back pressed against the repurposed mag-lock door, cradling her pistol in her lap as she gnawed at her nails.

They were Sirens.

Sirens.

Moron. Stupid fucking twat, If Boss found out, he'd kill her before these two could get the chance.

Helping them had been idiot move enough, had gone against every fiber of who she'd built herself into, but she couldn't have known. Tyreen had been covered in rags, and Troy's markings too dim and caked in muck to even see before they'd gotten him cleaned up and stable.

She hadn't known. She didn't know, nothing about Sirens anyway, just that you didn't fuck with 'em in the first place. Sirens were bad news, Sirens were the bane of Pandora in the last few years and everyone knew the stories. They were monsters who could turn you inside out or roast you alive without needing to point a gun first, and now she had two in her home with no defenses bar a shitty Jacobs she knew damn well she could barely aim, and hopefully enough faux confidence to seem in control of the situation.

That first night had been the worst.

The twins slept fine, Troy out cold and Ty having cried herself unconscious shortly after his heart beat had become something possible to confuse with normal if you squinted at the scan display from the right angle, but Sei didn't close her eyes once.

Sat awake all night in the clunking, humming, rattling silence of her home as she thumbed the revolver's cylinder slowly, considering how each click marked another second she'd left them both alive instead of doing the right thing and emptying a round into each of their skulls. Pandora would take care of the bodies and she'd fix a serious mistake she was walking straight into... but the suns rose in the end, and the twins were none the wiser about how close the decision had actually been.

It didn't really get better. The fear did, that passed over the next couple of days, but not the worry, not the regret. Two more mouths to feed when she only had the funds for herself? The girl was going to have to learn how to work. The cash she'd put aside was for her junker colony, not strangers, and the boy still couldn't even stand... and how were things going to pan out even if they so far didn't seem to be quite as monstrous as she'd been told so many times in no name dive bars in settler towns?

What if she took Tyreen out on a barter run and her markings got noticed? That mad corporate fuckwad Sexy George or fuckin whatever had just been running some reward scheme for Sirens, right? Would the lowbrows she dealt with on a daily basis here comprehend that wasn't a thing anymore, or would Sei be shanked and Ty abducted within hours of setting foot in a trade dock?

And him...

What the fuck was she going to do with him.

He wouldn't talk, wouldn’t even look at her, just some massive, gangly, awkward, nervous child that ghosted around the edge of her vision and scurried out of the room like a panicked Skag pup if she made the mistake of looking directly at him.

Sick still, even if he was trying to stay in his crew cubby for less every day, the one she'd told him was his and still had not a word of thanks for yet. Shaky, delicate, and in no physical condition to be able to help around the ship yet alone have a chance of bringing in some extra dollars, even if he hadn't been missing such a huge chunk of himself. Pity wasn't going to keep him fed, and she was pissed with herself for feeling it for him in the first place.

She figured that's what had done it really... them being siblings.

That raw desperation in Tyreen's voice as she'd begged Seifa to help when she'd turned to walk away. That her brother was so sick and she didn't know what to do. Siblings gut punched her in ways she knew were a weakness out here. The twin thing? That had just cemented it really. Helping wasn't in Seifa's nature, but leaving kids to die wasn't in her bones.

Still, she'd make it work, she always did. They'd survive, and she'd come out of this in profit one way or another, that was as sure as an Athenian monk lowballing an offer.

She'd train the girl up and run some deals with her, cover the costs of helping them out with a tidy margin for herself - then she'd leave 'em with the tools to survive, a couple of hundred bucks to get started and never have to see them again.

She'd be fine. She was always fine.

That's very Seifa of her.

Asks are Open!

[mindthebulletso]

What?! No I'm not !! the only side I am in is that of my way of seeing the world, my conscience, my cynical character and experience. Because I am very selective and I have chosen people to follow. I don’t follow you because you are a Louie but because I consider you a smart girl, so seeing how easily many have fallen into this, imo, manipulation hurts me. For Louis above all else. Because I remember being one of the first in 2018 to speak openly about Sony Sabotage in HS2 favor and I perfectly remember what and how it was answered to me!!

Because I remember Why I looked for the Rads ....and how the world has turned upside down 🤣 Having moved away from Styles for other reasons, having taken a different approach before this perhaps affects my thoughts and reasonings but how can you not understand that you are doing exactly what Sony wants (regardless which Label we will discover has louis now) years of Larries VS Anties hasn't really opened your eyes? How is it possible? Have you ever noticed how many Louies (not larries) always write "team" and never "Sony" Have you ever noticed how full their accounts are with everything Harry does / doesn't do in real time? Twenty-five years of Kardashian (Hello Uncle Irving) did not help to understand StarSistem is based on chatter and not only on good things? They often update before Larries! if you want to know what happens in Harry Styles life follow a Louie. nice no? If you watch MV to "see how shabby it is" and then talk about it on social, however, you contribute to creating curiosity, chatter, comments, quarrels. If you always complain using Harry as a yardstick, you keep Louis in this funnel that L is crushed in one way or another. If you look back and you don't see how much 2015!Louis was tired and only blame Xander for that , thinking that he was happy for singing a bit more because Zayn was gone or for the water fights with Liam it is you who considers him half of a ship!! If you confuse his nostalgia and humility for lack of ambition or trust , you consider him half of a ship. If you love Louis and have decided that Harry is an active part of his sabotage why don't you get to completely ignore him, always, in the most absolute way after having clarified your position? And if you have decided this, how can you accept Niall and Liam, whom you consider his brothers do not take sides with him but rather, as soon as they can, they raise Star!Styles? Have you ever thought about how he can feel seeing that his fandom, while insulting Styles' new life, spends days asking for OneDirection!Louis? And the braces, and the hair, and the beanie, the headband, and the tank top .. he had to admit this is frustrating but nevertheless Louies continue and if you point it out the answer is "Old!Louis receives more likes " 😒

anyway let's go.. “Because I loved Styles anyway and I have a past with him” Ok. Let's start from here then. Azoff and Sony in 2013 begin to seriously plan H solo career. Azoff has a story, a very clear story, but you voluntarily ignored it at that time, only to blame Styles for choosing them (being chosen) now!! Like three silly kids Louis Niall and Liam until 2016 believe in an 18-month hiatus 😂 . Do you really think they are so naive? Seriously? Louis William Tomlinson who at 20 sees a hole in the writing process of the band and turns everything upside down does not understand what is the destiny designated? Among other things, the same for all boyband before 1D and info easily accessible on google But “he was in love "ok. But then you have to admit you start from the starting point that you now strongly reproach Larries. You have to admit you are living in Young & Beautiful Spin Off because instead I see a strong, smart, brilliant man, who for 10 years has been fighting tirelessly for his individuality. I think this passive Louis is the result of the FF you read because you are the first who make everything go around Styles, even before Sony. Someone stuffing your head saying Harry doesn't need Larries anymore. Are you Sure? Because business is brutal and Labels don't exist for your enjoy. They don't invest in you leaving you power. It is quite the opposite. The more you make money, the more you are a puppet. Just check the difference in numbers between H and Justin, Ariana, Selena, Ed, DuaLipa to understand what I mean!

the Direction taken is the right one, it is having a good success - well deserved - but, believe me, not enough to justify the investment made. And do you really think Azoff, manager since the barter still existed, evaluates the point of view of a 25-year-old who even made almost deny the first album? Who no longer took his mommy on holiday when Harries started complaining about her presence? Do you really think these guys signed contracts to their advantage (I'm not talking about money of course)? Do you really think Styles can say in Sony -I don't do this-? Based on what? Do you blame Harry for his ambition but do you really think he has alternatives? Especially in Sony that has no other icons of this generation? Someone make you believe Harry is loved by everyone but have you ever come out of the fandom bubble to read what so many locals write about him? don't you read how much hate he receives? Azoff arrives in 2013, from that moment on did you see his life change for the better? Less work, more attention to his health or did you see him arrive at the end of 2015 without voice? or do you think "better life" is going out with Taylor Swift and Kaya Gerber Because in that case you love the life Louis says he hates 😟 And considering the type of music he produced, do you think his 2021worldtour is to safeguard his voice and health? Really!? And how is it possible if Azoff loves Harry person and not Harry MoneyMachine? Do you really think Harry is so naive that he doesn't know this? Do you often notice how bad it is aging, How dull are his eyes.. Isn't this already an answer? And if you want to say "that's what he deserves" wow do you remember that you don't really know them and that they are only singers / strangers you love? They are not really your son? that you've never been to their room and their songs aren't a gossip magazine?

Same talk about Louis Fam. Louis Tomlinson openly lashes out against Euphoria chatting with his HetStalkerNumberOne creating more promo or against Zayn when he drops GY but is unable to tell his stepfather / sisters to stop using his life like that? Really? Or do you think he did this but Mark ignored that ? Everyone uses him but he, passively again, cannot do anything. Do you really think Louis is this? Why? Look Louies focused on commenting What Harry is doing in istagram? Look how much power they are giving this stupid thing? They put Harry at the center of Louis' life, they considered him Mrs L. Styles weak and closed in the suitcase with the only ambition to jump on his cock. why this daily need to highlight how disappointed you are with the person who has become? Are you more concerned that Harry cheated on Louis or that Harry cheated on you? Because if you think Louis has a new life why you don't go on too? The position is clear, why keep playing the Sony game? How do you think Louis feels when he sees his fandom has absorbed that his pubblic life has been closely linked to his girlfriend for years now? When you read that H's lunch with stringer was cruel and nobody mentions anymore three days later he was paps with El and the dogs? Just because The Sun canceled? What does it matter he had to undergo this, he had to get out of bed, go out and go to the pap (in 2020 only if you are 12 you can think that the paps are not scheduled) You can also think that there is a friendly relationship with E but why you accept that she is also present when a month later they go to GoKart? Why can't only Louis spend The first Christmas without Fizzy and Jay with his sisters? Why can't Louis alone participate in the B.L.M. march? We told ourselves that the cause was more important than the company and it is true. But important for whom? For us or for him that of B.L.M. did speak before everyone when it wasn't “trendy” ? Why doesn't even his fandom fight for his freedom? from everyone?! Why Do you think this imposition is healthy for him? Or do you think he chose this, because if you think this then all JLYMV was a joke for you and it's okay but I ask you, do you really believe that it is no longer hard for him suffer the presence of Eleanor than a Harry Styles SmileyNails ? Are we talking about what's harder for him or for you? Does Louis individual really care about anyone? Because my heart breaks to see how, even if it were reality, his pubblic life is linked to this girl as if she were the star! Everyone has a girlfriend but not even Kilye Jenner was so present in Travis Scott's career, private life. Why don't you rebel against this? Why "thank you Eleonor" ? Why is your selfishness more important than he has to live this actively? Why do you think it is easy for him after 10 years? Whatever your opinion about , Louis has not interacted publicly with Freddy since 2018. Why don't you get angry with Louies who do not care about this and clog social with his pics not respecting Louis' will? Why do you only get angry with a certain part of fandom and not with those who help a small group of people to spread this child's face wildly despite Louis not doing it? Why don't you ask yourself "louis does not do this, it is the case that I do it"? Who is your Louis landmark or the baby's family? Why is Louis never enough? Why don't you see Louis' individual freedom is not seized by Harry Styles but by Sony which is who should protect him from Azoff / Styles? If your answer is "Sony does not believe in him enough" I'm sorry I have news for you, you believe Louis tomlinson is not worth enough .. and while you continue this useless fight between Louies Larries Labels will continue to use Harry, Louis for their bank accounts and only for that laughing at us whatever the real personal situation between the two of which I honestly care zero but, as you can see, in one way or another it is still at the center of our attention and if Larries have the justification "I believe in them" what excuse do you have?

[dukereviewsxtra]

Duke Reviews Xtra: A Kid In King Arthur's Court

Hello, I'm Andrew Leduc And Welcome To Duke Reviews Xtra Where We Continue Our Look At Disney...

And Last Sunday, I Reviewed The Sword And The Stone, So, Since There's No Direct To DVD Sequel Or Remake To This...Yet..., I'm Reviewing The Only Other King Arthur Film Made By Disney That Wasn't Made By Jerry Bruckheimer, A Kid In King Arthur's Court...

This Film Sees Merlin's Ghost Sending A Dude From The 90's To Camelot To Save It From King Arthur's Evil Advisor Who Wants To Marry Rose From Titanic...

And Believe Me When I Say Billy Zane Was The Better Suitor Compared To This Guy...

Will Calvin Be Able To Save Camelot And Get Arthur Back To His Heroic Self?

Let's Find Out As We Watch A Kid In King Arthur's Court..

The Film Starts With Merlin's Ghost (Played By Fagin From Oliver) Summoning A Great Knight Which Is When We Cut To The 90's Where We Meet Calvin Fuller, A Nerdy Young Boy Who Plays For A Baseball Team Called The Knights...

But As We See He's Not Quite The Best Player On The Team...

However, An Earthquake Happens Causing Calvin To Fall Down...

(Singing)

Down...

Deep Below...

To The Late...1800s....

Landing On A Black Knight, Calvin Scares Him Off And Gives Back The Money The Guy Stole To Some Of Arthur's Knights As He Runs...

Arthur (Played By DeNomolos From Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey) Wishes To Thank The Boy So He Sends The Knights To Find Him, Eventually Finding Calvin In The City They Bring Him Before Arthur And His 2 Daughters, Katie And Sarah (Played By Winslet)...

Who Invite Him To Have Dinner With Them, But Arthur's Aide (And Our Villain For This Movie) Lord Belasco Believes Calvin To Be In League With The Black Knight, So Giving Calvin A Chance To Defend His Honor By Combat...

But While Belasco Chooses A Sword, Calvin (Realizing He's Not Good With Weapons) Uses The Only Thing He Does Like, Rock And Roll And Wins...

Dubing Him Calvin Fuller Of Reseda, He Discovers The Round Table Is Non Existant As Sarah Asks Her Father To Let Sir Kane (Played By James Bond)...

Which One?

Daniel Craig

Oh...

Train Calvin In Fighting, And He Agrees, And Let's Calvin Stay In Their Castle...

But He Doesn't Exactly Get Any Rest As When He Goes Exploring The Castle, Belasco Nearly Kills Him, So He Practices His Karate Only To Catch Arthur's Daughter, Katie Watching Him...

They Get To Know Each Other Through A Bunch Of Exposition...

Before Katie Takes Calvin To Merlin's Quarters In An Effort To Get Him Home...

Hearing A Noise, Katie Leaves With Calvin And Has Him Escort Her Back To Her Room, But He Returns To Merlin's Quarters Afterwards And Merlin's Ghost, Who Believes He's Made A Mistake When He Looks At Calvin..

But Realizing That He's The Knight He Summoned, He Tells Him That Arthur Is In Trouble With His Kingdom Being Shattered By The Fist Of Lord Belasco, Who Intends To Steal Camelot From Arthur And It's Now Up To Calvin To Stop Him...

I Bet He Wishes He Was Obi Wan Kenobi...

With Calvin Believing Merlin Has The Wrong Person, Merlin Makes A Deal With Him That If He Helps Arthur He'll Send Him Home...

The Next Morning, Calvin Begins Training With Sir Kane By Starting Out With Attacking On Horseback, (Where He Throws An Axe Out Of A Window) Before Moving On To Archery Where...

Well, Let's Just Say Calvin Won't Be As Good As Oliver Queen Any Time Soon...

Meanwhile, Lord Belasco Talks With Sarah To Try To Seduce Her In An Effort To Drop The Tournament And Marry Him, But Sarah Refuses, Stating That The Tournament Will Decide For Her...

Visiting A Blacksmith, Calvin Asks If He Can Make Him A Pair Of Roller Skates For Katie, And In Doing So, She Absolutely Loves Them...

Meanwhile At The New "Round Table" Belasco Talks With Arthur To Make Him Cancel The Tournament And Let Sarah Be His Wife, As Katie And Calvin Arrive To His Displeasure...

Later At Training With Kane And Katie, They Are Interrupted By Belasco Who Is Tired Of Calvin And Decides To Fight Him Again, But When Calvin Is Basically Beat, He Kicks Belasco In The Jewels...

Giving Him A Grand Supper For Winning, Calvin Says Fine As Long As He Does The Cooking...

Yeah, Even I Admit That Pork Head Can Get Tiring After A While..

So, He Makes Them 2 Big Macs...

Meanwhile, In The Throne Room, The King Tells Katie That She Will Marry Lord Belasco, However Sarah Is Determined To Let The Tournament Decide But The Next Day It Is Revealed That Katie Is In Love With Sir Kane...

I Don't See James Bond As Your Type, Sarah, But I Can Suggest An Artist Named Dawson For You...

With Katie And Calvin Seeing The Entire Thing, She Makes Calvin Swear Not To Say A Word To Anyone On Her Honor...

With Kane Believing That Calvin Is Ready To Joust, Calvin Isn't So Sure, So He Places Super Glue? On His Saddle And When He Hits The Target, The Saddle Falls Off The Horse...

Katie Goes To Check Calvin Who Looks Injured Only For Calvin To Slip Her A Kiss, To Her Displeasure...

Realizing He Might Have Made Katie Mad...

No, Really?

Calvin Visits The Blacksmith Again, Only This Time Calvin Wants Him To Make A Bike For Katie...

While Katie Talks With Sarah Who Figures Out That She's In Love With Calvin Even Though She Doesn't Realize It...

(Start At 9:52, End At 10:33)

Really, Man, They're Sisters! Get A Grip!

Anyway, The Next Day, After Calvin Teaches Arthur How To Eat Bubble Gum, He Tells Belasco That The Tournament Is Still On And That If He Wants To Win Her He Must Do It There, But Not Wanting To, He Moves To Plan B...

But Before I Go On To That, Let's Check On Calvin And Katie...

Seeing Calvin In The Garden, He Gives Her The Bike So They Can Go On A Picnic Together...

On Their Way Back To The Castle Calvin And Katie Discover That The Black Knight Is Actually One Of The Good Guys, When He Gives The Townspeople A Cart Filled With Food...

Taking Katie Back To Her Room, We Meet Belasco's Plan B: Kidnap Katie As A Barter For Sarah To Marry Him...

After Telling Sarah About Katie, Belasco Visits Calvin And Frames Him For Kidnapping Katie (Oh, Sorry Murder), But When Calvin Gets Away, He Runs Into Sarah Who Tells Him What Happened To Katie And What Belasco Wants...

Eventually Going To Arthur's Chambers, Calvin Tells Him Everything But He Still Believes That Belasco Wouldn't Hurt A Fly However, When Calvin Shows Arthur Something That Sarah Gave Him, He Buys The Story And Protects Calvin From Belasco...

Escaping With Calvin Into The City, They Go Undercover, As Arthur Discovers That He's Not As Loved Throughout The Kingdom As He Thought As Belasco Has Been Stealing From Them For Years...

Vowing To Be A Better King, Arthur And Calvin Go To Save Katie From Belasco's Dungeon, But Before Going In Calvin Renews Arthur's Will To Fight By Giving Him Excalibur (Which Was Given To Him By Merlin)

However, When They Release Katie, She Gets Kidnapped Again By Belasco's Second In Command And Is Held Hostage Over A Moat, This Leads Calvin To Use The Laser On His CD Player To Blind The Guard And Cause Him To Fall To His Death...

Now, I Hate To Say This But I Got To Agree With The Nostalgia Critic When He Said That A Laser On A CD Player Doesn't Work Like That...

Escaping The Castle, Arthur Knights Calvin As A Knight Of The Round Table, Before Returning To The Castle And..,Letting Belasco Go?

Yeah, Even I Kind Of Think Letting Him Is Kind Of Stupid...

However, Arthur Has A Point, With The Guards Loyal To Belasco And The People Believing Arthur To Be An Idiot, The Best Thing To Do Is To Bide Their Time So When The Time Is Right They Can Nail Him...

Later At The Tournament, Arthur Makes A Speech That He Never Betray His People Again And Declares That The Tournament Shall Be Open To All Free Men (Mainly So Kane Can Enter The Competition)...

Defeating Every Opponent That Comes His Way, Kane Ends Up Facing Off Against Belasco In The Final Battle, But Using The Crystal On His Armor, Belasco Blinds Kane And Knocks Him Out...

But Seeing How Kane Did Not Fall Off His Horse, He Is Still In The Competition, However, When Kane Returns The Joust Continues....

But Everyone Soon Gets A Scare, When Belasco Hits Kane In The Head And Discovers He Has No Head...

Well, How's He Going To Have His Vodka Martini Now?

With A Now Headless Kane Continuing, He Ends Up Winning And Knocking Belasco Off Of His Horse...

Which Leads To It Being Revealed That It Wasn't Kane, But Calvin All Along. Pissed Off At His Defeat, Belasco Attempts To Kill Calvin, But Luckily, Calvin Is Saved By The Black Knight Who Is Revealed To Have Been Sarah This Whole Time..

So, With Calvin Forfeiting His Victory To Sarah, Arthur Grants Her The Right To Choose Whoever She Wants To Marry And Banishes Belasco From His Kingdom Forever As Merlin Keeps His Word And Sends Calvin Back To His Time, Saying Farewell To Arthur And Katie..

Arriving Before The Earthquake, Calvin Goes Up To The Plate And Hits A Home Run. Arriving Back On Home Plate, He Is Greeted By His Teammates, Including A Girl Who Looks Like Katie, As A Spectator Who Looks Like Arthur Watches In The Crowd As Our Movie Ends..,

And That's A Kid In King Arthur's Court, And While It Does Have It's Stupid Moments, It Is A Decent Movie...

The Story Is Good, The Comedy Can Be Funny At Times, And I Liked The Fighting Scenes In It, So, Yeah, I'm Going To Say See It...

Tune In To Duke Reviews Next Week As We Look At The Jungle Book, But Then, This Is Duke, Signing Off...

[coldtomyflash]

What is your take on Barry and Joe's relationship before the Flash powers? We know Joe loves him, but the issue of Barry's father's innocence looks like it had been a sore spot between them for a while. Do you think Joe resented any of his efforts to find the real killer (he made a comment about Barry making people think he raised a weirdo or something in the first episode)? He's also called Barry son, but he doesn't seem at the same level as Iris or Wally, like losing them would be worse.

Oh man I forgot I never responded to this. This ask is actually what spawned me thinking about Barry’s characterization / narrative arc recently.

Man, their relationship is complicated, IMO. And I’ve gotta preface this with saying: I love Joe West. He’s one of my favorite characters on the show. He’s one of my favorite characters to write. People say I make him a sort of villain in some of my fics but if I do, it’s not from a place of dislike but from a place of recognizing that Joe West is a goddamn realist who’ll do anything for his kids but damn if he isn’t also just human.

So that being said... YES. I think there was resentment and exhaustion from both sides for a long time. I’ll lay out my headcanons on this, with some tangential canon evidence.

First off, you’ve got Joe bringing home his daughter’s bff who is now traumatized. Probably a knee-jerk decision but he sees that kid on the crime scene and he knows him, knows this family, and he doesn’t know what else to do because he’s seen a lot of shit, and he’s tired, and he’s a single dad and shit’s piling up but this? Things like this aren’t supposed to happen. Not in his neighborhood with people he knows and a kid he’s probably had over for supper more than once. Not with Dr. Allen and his wife.

He knows that’s not how the world works, and that evil doesn’t stop at an invisible line between his home and anywhere else in the world, but even for him, this case was rough.

So he takes in this traumatized kid, and he does his goddamn level best to be patient with him. He gets that the kid is going through hell. He gets that he needs to process, and that denial is a natural part of grief and loss. So if he’s in denial about what happened, and made up a story that makes it easier for him to cope, Joe’s gonna accept that and just help him out. Accept that Barry’s going to do things like run to Iron Heights and scare him half to death because he misses his dad and he’s still in denial and he’s just a kid. He lost his mom and his dad that night, just in a different way, and Joe gets it. 

So he gives Barry a talking to and establishes firm boundaries but he starts to allow the kid visitation access to his dad because maybe it’ll help him come to terms with things. His dad can’t hurt him from prison, after all. Joe knows how dangerous manipulation can be, but he keeps an eye on their visits and it seems okay. He hates Henry Allen for putting him, Barry, all of them through this, for being such a damn snake in the grass, but he accepts that Barry needs to see this man if he’s going to move on, and is going to keep running away if Joe doesn’t let him do this.

He makes concessions. He tries. He raises Barry like he’s his own, and loves him like he’s his own.

But years are starting to pass and Barry’s not really processing it any better than he was at 11. He’s still holding to the fabricated story about lightning that he made up, and people are starting to look at him weird when he talks about things. The kid’s been bullied enough and lost so many friends after what happened, got branded in a way that ain’t fair, and he’s kept a stiff upper lip through so much of it, as much as a kid can. 

But after those first few psych visits in the first months which Joe let go by the wayside because Barry was adjusting to life in his home and back at school, if sullen and angrier than he used to be, Joe’s starting to wonder if they should’ve kept it up. Barry’s getting in fights at school and defending his father still and has a trigger temper.

So Joe sends him back to a psychologist. And then another. And probably another. The social worker on Barry’s case thinks Joe is doing great, but Barry hates every counsellor and therapist he sees and starts to clam up and hide things more again. He actually leaves town under false pretences and pretends he’s on a school trip for his AP science class when he’s actually tracking down a lead on an ‘impossible’ thing. Joe doesn’t even know it was all a lie until he gets a call from the school, and then of course it’s a matter of panicking and finding Barry and finding out what the hell he was doing leaving down and why.

Barry agrees to stop his behavior. He stops talking about his dad being innocent, agrees to stop doing crazy things and just altogether stops talking about his dad aside from his monthly visit. He barters for an end to the psychologists if he can keep his behavior up, and Joe agrees.

Barry learns to hide more, especially hiding his anger behind smiles. It works so well he sometimes forgets just how much anger he ever had, and his moods vacillate between sullen and chipper, but it’s an ‘improvement.’

Joe finds a scrapbook under his bed one day and it’s full of newspaper clippings and ‘evidence’ for things related to his father’s case and to other strange and unexplainable occurrences. Thankfully, no bus tickets tucked between the pages, so Joe debates even bringing it up -- he was just cleaning Barry’s room because it stunk, he wasn’t actively trying to snoop -- but eventually has to when Barry has one of his moods.

They really have it out. Iris hates seeing them like this. Barry tries to run away again but Iris stops him at the bus station, in tears, and Barry feels like an ass. She shouldn’t have to be the peacekeeper between them. He caves first, then, and Joe tears up when they hug and make up. Joe feels like such an ass, but he’s drowning and doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t know how else to help this traumatized kid.

Barry’s grades are top notch. He uses them as leverage for Joe to let him leave town to track down a lead properly. Joe knows he’s still going after that stuff, and he hates it a little, but Barry’s a good kid. Doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, barely has any friends. He gets Barry a flip phone and makes him check in almost hourly, but he lets him go to Opal City for the weekend, and a few months later, all the way to Coast City. No way he’s letting his kid go to Gotham or Bludhaven though.

He’s got another issue at home, which is that Iris is pointing out how damn unfair it is that Barry gets to go on adventures alone and he gets her a cellphone to even the pot but he knows it’s not enough. He’s told her under no uncertain terms that she’s not allowed to become a cop, and Barry’s talking about maybe being a CSI one day. It’s a playing field he can’t level. He loves Barry but he’d never ever forgive himself if anything happened to Iris. Barry has always been a stubborn little brat who pushed himself outside the orbit that Joe could protect him in, and suffered more before he came into Joe’s house than Joe suspects he’ll ever suffer again (Joe would be wrong about that, but he can’t yet imagine how). He can still protect Iris, so he comes to terms with the fact he treats them differently, and waits for them to as well.

He starts to call Barry ‘son’ long before he even realizes he’s doing it. He has been for years, by this point. Barry’s never called him ‘dad’ or anything close to it, but when he realizes he’s calling Barry ‘son’, he notices the way it makes the kid’s heart swell, so he keeps doing it, and neither of them ever comment on it.

Barry goes off to college with a ton of scholarships and a bit of leftover cash from his father’s house. Criminals don’t lose everything, even in jail. Henry, via some lawyers, sold the old place and had a lot to pay in taxes and legal fees, but what he didn’t lose went to taking care of Barry and putting away a nest egg for his college fees.

Joe almost wonders, sometimes, if Barry could be right about him. Not about his crazy vision of a man in lightning, but of the fact that Henry wasn’t the one who killed Nora. But there was no one else, no other evidence, and no motive for anyone besides Henry. It was an open-shut case, and he has to believe in the hard truths of reality. It he let himself think like Barry, he’d never make a half-decent cop, let alone have made detective as young as he did.

Barry’s sunshine smile is brighter all the time, and so is Iris’s. It wasn’t all bad. Mostly good. Mostly family dinners and fun games nights and taking the kids out to a movie, having a son to teach how to shave and how to drive and how to throw a football. It was mostly good, even if it was hard, sometimes.

But it’s still exhausting when Barry’s spending his college weekends traipsing across the country to track down Big Foot instead of coming home for a family meal. It’s still tiresome to hear him talk, more candid again and Joe’s trying not to crush that, about this blog that he started and how he’s meeting people ‘online’ who think like he does. He doesn’t approve, especially not of people validating Barry’s very warped perception of reality, and has to be the asshole who reminds him he’ll never make it into the force as a CSI if he keeps on with shit like that.

Barry doesn’t stop, but he does get quieter about it. Joe notices he’s filled out that scrapbook about his dad’s case a lot more when he visits his college dorm. He doesn’t comment. Barry moved out so fast, as soon as he started college, whereas Iris was happy to save money and avoid the dorms. She took a year off to work and figure out what she wanted, to enjoy life and do a bit of travelling now that she was old enough that Joe would let her, and found her own legs and path in a different way. He couldn’t be prouder. He worries, but knows he doesn’t have to worry with her, not in the same way.

Barry eventually graduates, does the grad school work required to be a CSI, and does it all fast, really. He’s on the fast track for sure, completely dedicated. Joe knows his motives. They piss him off. Being a CSI should be about helping people, not just helping his father. And Barry says that, he does, but Joe’s seen his murder scrapbook and that stubborn, fervent look he gets in his eye whenever Henry Allen comes up in conversation. Joe’s taken to trying to stamp it out again, not because he wants to see Barry hurt, but because he doesn’t. Barry can’t talk and think like that in a police precinct. He’ll be eaten alive, and he’s already gonna be the youngest one there and an outcast just because.

And maybe... maybe Joe resents it, a bit. How the man who murdered his mother still gets to have the role and title of ‘dad’ for Barry despite everything, and how Joe’s raised him now for longer than Henry did, really, and doesn’t get that. He thinks it’s petty of himself. As a parent, as someone who sees himself as Barry’s dad, he won’t ever let it interfere with doing what’s best for Barry. He loves that kid more than life itself. But as a person... it smarts. And he’s tired of it, eleven years later. He wonders what he did wrong, that Barry’s view of events became so entrenched. He wonders what he could have differently. Should he have been firmer, harsher? Pushed the therapy more? Kept him away from Henry more staunchly?

It’s not worth thinking about, really. His murder scrapbook has become a murder board hiding behind papers in his lab. Yes, ‘his’, because he doesn’t play nice with the other CSIs. Joe had to snort when he noticed. Barry had his smiles down pat but that sullen resentful attitude was still there and it wasn’t long before the tension caused him to look for a new workspace. The Captain was already exhausted by the kid, and Joe was catching heat for it, something creating tension between him and Barry too. He was damn good at his job but not the most reliable and not the easiest to share a space with. 

The Captain gave in and Barry rewarded with him with one of those blinding smiles and Joe threw his hands in the air in defeat. He wasn’t the only one to cave to Barry, at least. The kid got to retrofit a filing storage room with a leaky ceiling into a new lab. It was an old lab really, just no one had used it in over 10 years. But he moved all the boxes to the basement and helped the girls down there organize them and cleaned it out and made it his own.

And yeah, they still had arguments. Barry ran off to goddamn Starling City on one of his ‘impossible’ stories and damn if the kid didn’t lie his way on to an investigation. Joe was ready to kill him for that. The Captain was liable to suspend him. He didn’t, but it was a near miss. For such a good kid, Barry sure had a problem with authority.

But then he got struck by a bolt of lightning and everything changed.

Joe’s whole world stopped. His kid, his son--

He was already grieving Chyre, his partner, when he got the news. His partner and his son in one night-- was there really no God? Not one who loved Joe West, he was suddenly certain.

Hope felt painful. So much was suddenly put in perspective. He knew he loved Barry as a song but this, losing a child...

Except he wasn’t dead.

He didn’t trust Harrison Wells for a second, the man who caused this, but he let the man take his son because it felt like the only option and Joe spent months grieving what happened. He knew he shouldn’t blame himself but he was supposed to protect his kids. Protect that kid-- the stubborn little fool who always needed it so much more than he’d ever admit. The one Joe let get away with so much more because he’d suffered enough to earn it, and it couldn’t be worse than what he’d already--

Losing nine months was bad. Barry waking up and acting as if nothing had happened was a blessing and a curse. He didn’t understand how much had changed, or what Iris and Joe had been through, the long hours, the despair and exhaustion. He was right as rain and bright and whole and Joe prayed again for the first time in 40 weeks, to give thanks.

But he felt responsible, too. A renewed sense that he had to protect Barry, both from the world, the impossible that came in the form of lightning strikes, and from himself. His own delusions about this father, still cropping up, maybe more than ever.

Except.

Except then he saw his son chase off after a tornado in a streak of lightning and the world literally tilted on its axis.

And it took an argument, about powers, about Joe’s role in Barry’s life, and some apologies and hugs on both sides, in their own way, but Joe came around to realizing that... 

That the only mistake he’d really made was not believing Barry for all those years before now. It keeps him up at night. There’s nothing he can do about it now, but the world isn’t simple and it maybe never was. And now there’s nothing left to do but try his damn best to protect his kid who’s a superhero, to keep his other kid safe and as far as this mess as possible, and to stop the man who killed Barry’s mother. He owes his son that much, alongside all the unconditional love he has for him.

And their relationship improves dramatically, once they’re on the same page. Barry’s resentment for him, which he knew was there all those years, between the psych visits and the running away and the way Joe always had to be the bad guy... it falls away. Just melts, like it was never there. All it took was telling Barry he believed him. And that smarts, stings a little, really, but he lets it go, too. His son the superhero, who still needs him anyway. That’s gotta be enough.