#guilty vanya

[just-b-wilde]

Okay, I just saw S02E07 and I have so many thoughts and feelings about this episode!

Many people write that Five would do anything for his family and they build his entire personality on that. Which is definitely true, he has done so much for them! But at what cost? Also, what did he get from them in return?

When Five accepts The Handler's offer and kills the Board of Directors, you can literally see that he's trying to exhaust all other options. He doesn't want to do it, and his frustration comes through with the food vending machine scene, trying to stall the moment as long as possible... and when the chocolate doesn't fall out of the machine, it's the imaginary last straw of his patience.

Is the axe scene cool? Visually? Absolutely! But otherwise, it's deeply disturbing and you can see on his face many times that he's ashamed of that he did it. He did it, he was a professional at this, of course. But he never really wanted to do it. It certainly wasn't an act he was proud of himself for.

You know, his sarcasm and scenes like these make him a beloved character. But you know, sarcasm is a defensive gesture in many, many cases. I'm pretty sure that he's so uncomfortable at many points in his life and doesn't feel comfortable opening up to anyone that he just operates in that mode of his.

And his family? All they do is tell him all the time how it's his fault they got where they did! But neither of them realize that without him, they'd all be dead. Both Allison and Vanya are experiencing their equivalent of the "strawberry greenhouse", Vanya in particular is very selfish about this and doesn't want to give up her happiness. She even stands up to Five, she has no idea what Five must have done for her and the other siblings and in his face it's just - pain and frustration.

Diego and Luther see him covered in blood and just ask what he did. But no one actually asks… I don't know… are you okay? Sure, he'd probably tell them to fuck off for asking that question, but I wonder if anyone ever really asked him. Sorry, I don't quite have a memory for every dialogue.

I think part of the reason he did what he did was because he felt guilty that everyone had gotten into the past at a different time and that he was constantly being blamed for it. But he doesn't take the blame for how his siblings live their lives.

Both Allison and Vanya would take their partners with them no matter what. Diego never once mentioned that he wanted Lila to leave with him (he just said he wanted to say goodbye to her before he found out the truth) but more on that later. If Klaus could have been with Dave, he certainly wouldn't have hesitated a minute either. Luther's heart is broken, so it probably doesn't matter where he is. But if Allison told him to run away together to who knows where, I think he wouldn't hesitate either. So - Five is bad for wanting to be with someone he loved and was happy with? Literally any of his siblings would do that!

And then if his family doesn't get together and he loses his suitcase? He is so very angry and frustrated because what he did was ultimately unnecessary! God, seriously, I don't think his family has ever been able to appreciate what the Five have ever done for them (again). Yes, he's often quite hard on them, but I actually don't blame him in many ways. And yes, they don't know many things. But why might that be?

Five has done a lot for his family, but you know what? I don't feel like they've ever given back to him in any way. Or that anyone would be willing to do something like that for him. Often his family sees him as just a crazy man who foresees the coming apocalypse and disrupts their lives.

And Lila (and Diego)? Well...

I'm pretty sure that if Diego left and never saw Lila again, he wouldn't have any deeper problem with it. Yes, I'm sure he liked her in a way - but at the same time he didn't know her. When he found out the truth, he wanted nothing to do with her. But still, everything else was more important to him. He wanted to save the president and be a hero, that was the main thing that drove him forward.

The fact that Lila kidnapped him was simply a rebellion against her "mother". By the way, I'm really sorry about how Elliot ended up... because that was just really bad and he deserved to at least be buried, Lila, really... Well, back to topic... Lila is scared of her and repeatedly talks about her fears for her safety and literally not sure if The Handler's plans include making sure nothing can happen to her. Maybe that was part of the reason she wanted to get the job that Five got. To show her that she was useful and necessary in her plans.

Honestly, I don't think Lila "enjoyed killing" any more than Five did, but I think it was her way of defending herself because she knew how dangerous her "mother" could be, even to her. Yet, at the same time, it's quite odd that she dragged Diego into this situation, as if perhaps he could be some sort of shield, which he most certainly is not.

This arc isn't actually very well grasped, and seeing it again, it just strikes me as odd. Yes, that was an interesting reason why Diego didn't come. But other reasons? And the foundation of their relationship is questionable at the very least (even more so than I remembered).

Well, I'm gonna go watch another episodes...

[waitingandwishing]

(Cross posted on tumblr and AO3)

Prev - Next Chapter

"Y/N... You haven't aged a bit." Y/N heard Allison's voice. She turned to see her other sister wearing a blue top and... Her hair had been bleached?

"Nice to see you again, Allison." Y/N smiled.

"You as well, sister." Allison came to the porcelain girl and gave her a tight hug. Y/N breathed in and out, she was slightly nervous to see all of her family members. As Y/N let go, Allison peaked her head out to see Vanya. “Vanya? You’re actually here.” Allison walked up to the shorter woman.

“Hey, Allison.” Vanya said quietly.

“Hey, sis.” Allison said, the both of them standing awkwardly in front of each other before the actress chuckled softly and gave Vanya a tight squeeze.

“Ah… What is she doing here?” Diego asked as he walked past Vanya and Allison. Y/N scrunched her face before rolling her eyes, “You don’t belong here, not after what you did?”

“You came in through the window upstairs?” Y/N asked.

“Yes, I did.” Diego smirked before patting Y/N on the back, “Good to see you, Y/N.”

“Nice to see you too, Gogo.” Y/N said jokingly as Diego scoffed at the nickname.

“You’re seriously gonna do this today?” Allison asked her brother as he walked up the grand stairway, “Way to dress for the occasion by the way.”

“At least I’m wearing black.”

“We all know dad doesn’t deserve respect at his funeral.” Y/N said.

“You know what? I- Maybe he’s right.” Vanya doubted herself, “I shouldn’t be-”

“Forget about him. I’m glad you’re here.” Allison reassured her. Y/N put a hand on Vanya’s shoulder.

“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Y/N said with a smile, “You’re a part of our family, whether he likes it or not.”

Allison left to go up to Reginald’s office and Y/N and Vanya wandered into the parlor, passing by the old newspaper articles and magazine covers that depicted Y/N and the others - of course with the exception of Vanya.  

Vanya glanced wistfully at the group photos before turning to the book shelf, and her hand brushed the dark cover of a book. She turned the book over to see her own face on the back cover. "Did you ever read it?" she quietly asked. Her shoulders were hunched and had her gloomy frown on.

"It was... Sad." Y/N said, staring at it with a bittersweet look in her eyes. "Knowing how you felt probably felt like a punch in the face for everyone else. And knowing that the truth was set in their faces also felt like a kick to the gut... Vanya, if I had known that you were feeling that way then I would've-"

"Y/N, it's fine." Vanya smiled slightly.

"Well, other than feeling guilty, I suppose the book was also nice." Y/N smiled, “It was the truth. And you’re right, that trait was always my downfall.”

Vanya nodded, still hesitant but clearly a bit relaxed. "The others certainly don't feel the same way, they've made that much clear."

"It'll take much more than the truth to make me hate you." Y/N nudged her shoulder, "They're all great, but you're one of my number one favorites."

She laughed in response. "So you really don't mind the book?" she timidly asked.

"They hate you because you told the truth. That's why they're so defensive about it" Y/N shrugged, "People always get defensive when they're told the truth."

"People always say the truth hurts."

"A lot of things hurt. There are worse things than being told you were a bad father." Y/N smiled, "Doesn't matter since he's dead but... I think you'll be the most memorable of us all."

"Really?"

"Yep! I can already picture it, 'Vanya: Spilling the secrets of Umbrella Academy'." Y/N turned to her with a smile, "I'd have to say that you're probably the only one who can have a normal life. And... that’s pretty lucky I suppose."

"Yeah... I guess I can..." Vanya smiled wistfully, “You’ve always made all of us feel better.”

“Maybe that’s my superpower.” Y/N joked.

"Miss Vanya, so glad to see you here again," A familiar voice said warmly to the woman beside Y/N as she approached the talking monkey and embraced him. When they broke apart, he noticed the book in her hand. "I see you've found your book."

"Did... Did Dad ever... Y'know, read it?" Vanya asked.

Pogo thought for a minute. "I couldn't say with utmost certainty.”

She nodded and glanced at the giant painting above the fireplace. She sighed and turned to Y/N, "How long has it been since Five left?"

Pogo looked at Y/N. "Sixteen years, four and a half months." She said. Vanya gave Y/N a pointed look, to which she shrugged.

"It's not like I've been counting. It's just... There's really nothing else to do." Y/N frowned, looking at the portrait of Five. When he went missing, Y/N cried for a few days. And then ‘died’ two months afterward. Wow, looking back, her life was kind of shitty.

"Y'know, I would leave the lights on for him when we were little, in case he ever came back." Vanya sighed. "I worried that he wouldn't be able to find us if the lights weren't on and that he'd run off again. I would leave him little sandwiches too," she added, smiling wistfully, "And then on the nights that I couldn't, Y/N would do it."

"Yes, indeed," Pogo replied, smiling as well. "I recall happening upon quite a few of those. I would end up washing peanut butter and marshmallow fluff off of my slippers for hours. Miss Y/N used to sleepwalk and step on them as well."

"Ugh, I still remember the feeling." Y/N sighed.

"Sir Hargreeves always waited for him," Pogo added. "He never stopped believing he'd return."

" Didn't do much for him," the short brunette mumbled.

Eventually, the six of them met in the main hall. They all sat awkwardly apart, choosing to keep to themselves for a while. The ragged individual whom Y/N identified as Klaus was in the back at the bar, most likely pouring himself some mind-numbing, hangover-inducing concoction.

Allison sat quietly drinking what looked like rum by the fire, with Diego across from her. Luther sat across from Y/N and Vanya on a couch, her leaning in towards the girl for a bit for comfort. 

For a long time, no one spoke. It felt like hours upon hours of simply staring at each other, examining how each sibling had changed - some had quite obviously changed more than others. 

Y/N hadn't seen any of the others for years, but apparently some of them had met up at Allison's wedding to some guy she knew as "Patrick." Whether Allison was still slightly salty for Y/N not coming to her wedding, she'd never know.

Finally, Luther stood and cleared his throat.  "We should kick this thing off," He said with uncertainty. "I was thinking about holding a little memorial service, nothing huge... Out in the courtyard when the sun's setting. Maybe we say a few words in Dad's old favorite spot."

"Since when did he have a favorite spot?" Allison asked.

"It was near that oak tree," He said quickly. She frowned a bit. "The two of us used to go there all the time... Didn't you guys do that too?"

"Not... Not all of us." Y/N said quietly.

"Are there gonna be any snacks?" Klaus asked, walking over with a generous amount of alcohol in his large cup and a lit cigarette in his hand. "Simple things, like tea? Maybe some biscuits or those cute little sandwiches." He plopped down next to me.

Luther's face scrunched up. "Klaus, this isn't a- hey, hey! Stop smoking! Dad didn't want us doing that in here!"

Allison interrupted, "Klaus, are you wearing my skirt?" Y/N looked down and sure enough, Allison's skirt was around Klaus' waist.

"Oh yeah, I found this lying about," He replied. "It's certainly not in season, but it offers some nice... Ventilation." Y/N chuckled slightly as Klaus looked at the porcelain girl in shock, "Y/N? Oh... You're back!" Klaus giggled and gave me a big hug. Y/N savored it, even though he smelled like smoke and literally every drug in the world.

"Missed you too, Klausy." Y/N chuckled.

"Oh man, at least another insane person's with me." Klaus sighed.

"Guys, knock it off," Luther said over the duo’s small exchange. "There's still a lot of stuff we have to talk about."

Diego stood up challengingly, "Such as?"

Luther rolled his eyes, "Maybe like how Dad died?"

He sat back down, "Oh, jeez."

"Wasn't it a heart attack? At least, I think that's what the coroner said," Vanya replied.

"Sure, but that's what the coroner said," Luther replied.

"Wouldn't a coroner know this kind of stuff?" Allison asked. "I mean, in theory."

Luther sighed, seeming to grow more and more exasperated as time went by. "I'm just saying, something weird was going on." After witnessing everyone's doubtful looks, he added, "The last time Dad and I talked, he sounded kind of... Off."

"And that's such a surprise, why?" Klaus exclaimed sarcastically.

"What do you mean?" Allison asked.

"He just didn't sound like himself; He told me to watch who I trust, to stay on guard." Luther explained.

Diego groaned, standing up again. "Luther, he was a hateful, testy old man who was whatever senses he had left."

"That's not it," Luther insisted. "He had to have known something was going to happen to him." He glanced at you. "Y/N, she probably saw something! I mean, she visited him just about three months ago!"

"He was just as distant as he always was." Y/N said, crossing her arms. "I came for repairs my repairwoman couldn’t do but that’s it."

Luther sighed, turning to Klaus, "I know you haven't done it in a while, but we need you to get Dad over here." Allison scoffed from across the way.

Klaus leaned forward in his seat. "It's not like wishing on stars or something," he sputtered. "I can't just call him up in the great hereafter like, 'Dad, stop playing croquet with Hitler and Ivan the Terrible and pick up my call!'"

"Why not? That's literally your ability," Luther countered.

"I'm not in the proper mindset for something like this!"

" You mean you're under some kind of influence," Allison stated.

"Of course! How are the rest of you not drunk off of his delusions?"

"Then get into the right mindset," Luther insisted. "This is serious. We also need to find Dad's monocle."

Diego turned. "Why would anyone care about that dusty old thing - and I'm not talking about Dad."

" That's my point. The monocle is useless to anyone else, so this must have been something personal!"

Klaus frowned. "Where exactly is this conversation going?"

"Can't you tell, Klaus?" Diego rounded on the burly male. "He thinks the murderer is right here in the room."

He stood there awkwardly until Klaus spoke up in awe, "You're not kidding."

"I have a question.” Y/N interrupted. Everyone looked to the girl as she crossed her legs and looked up at Luther.

Her eyes stared into his soul, giving him an uncanny vibe. “If it was one of us, what exactly would you do?” Luther stayed silent and Y/N took that as a sign to continue, “Would you… Enact revenge? Kill us? Either way that won’t change that the old man is dead. Why are we still letting him control our lives even when he’s gone?!”

Everyone stayed silent and Y/N stood up to face Luther, “If dad’s validation was so important to you, then remember, he wanted us to be a team. He wanted us to trust each other and the fact that you’re insinuating that one of us killed him means that he failed. We shouldn’t even call him dad! He used us as tools. We’ve all faced the truth, the real question is, have you faced it?”

Everyone stayed silent before Klaus clapped, “I think Y/N should be a lawyer.” Her said and Vanya sighed. 

Luther watched as everyone exited the parlor room, the tension even thicker now that Luther brought up the idea of Reginald being murdered.

"Hey, you know how Luthur is. He's just..." Vanya's voice trailed off, “You were great back there. I don’t know how you can just come up with stuff like that.

"I’ve been thinking back on our childhood ever since you made that book. And I realize that…” Y/N flexed her hand as it clinked together, “We weren’t raised to be people.”

A loud rumbling of thunder interrupted Y/N’s moment with Vanya. The lights flickered and her and Vanya looked at each other curiously. Y/N turned to Vanya. "C'mon."

The two of them met up with Diego as he was heading out towards the courtyard. The rest of our siblings filed out behind us and were all met with a wavering blue vortex. "What is that?" Vanya yelled.

Allison grabbed her arm. "Don't get too close!"

"No shit!" Diego sarcastically hollered.

Luther shouldered his way to the front. "It looks like some temporal anomaly. Either that or a miniature black hole, one of the two."

"That's a pretty big difference, Paul Bunyan."

"Get outta the way!" Lurching past the group, Klaus hurled a big red fire extinguisher at the anomaly.

"What is that gonna do?" shrieked Allison.

"I don't know, do you have a better idea?" He retorted. A sound something like lightning or thunder - maybe even a combination, sounded off, and sent Klaus scurrying backwards into me.

"Everyone get behind me," Luther boomed.

Diego shouldered him, "Yeah, get behind us."

Klaus screeched, "I vote for running, c'mon!" He tried to grab Y/N's arm, but she gripped his wrist and anchored him in place.��Someone that looked like an old man pressed against the blue vortex, the figure melting into a much younger one as he fell to the ground.

As the male came through, the vortex faded, and so did the crashes of thunder that came with it.

The six of them approached the boy - who was wearing clothes much too big for him - when Klaus opened his mouth. "Does anyone else see little Number Five, or is that just me?"

The male in question looked at the group, then down at himself, and then looked back up. He made eye contact with Y/N as she peered out from behind the lean body of Klaus. "Shit," Five mumbled.

[fivelilas]

Rant:

The only reason five fell in love with a mannequin was because there was nobody there for 45 years. He was literally hallucinating out of desperation for any sort of connection and it happened to be a marriage. Five needed love for his character and I hate people thinking that because it was a mannequin or because he loves his family, that means he’s somehow aromantic altogether and doesn’t need or desire romance. The whole point is to give him someone he can OBVIOUSLY relate to while fulfilling his romantic vacancy.

Lila clearly has a huge attachment to him as well. I love the enemies to lovers trope she adds in a way that five killed her parents because of the handler manipulating them. And they basically fight, then tease each other, then save one another, and they become friends and respect each other, so the finale of them falling in love and becoming intimate makes complete sense in that direction (to me). They didn’t write this season properly of course and it was a cruel way to end the show, but this is one of the few things that actually made sense and I’m actually grateful for.

“Five wouldn’t do that” he’s an assassin and so is she, nobody’s fav is perfect in this show so that’s dumb. But Five is obviously attracted to people. And he’s made multiple mistakes. It makes sense to fall in love with an equal and a companion in isolation. I’m glad there wasn’t a sexual scene because I like his asexual interpretation. I love how soft he became for her. I love that he held her at the end in the subway. This season sucked, but it’s not because of what was written, it’s because of how it was written and the pacing. Like if they had more time, they should have stretched these plot points across two more seasons at least. It will have made more sense and felt more reasonable and deserved. And it would’ve given them more time to stop treating it like Lila cheated and Five was a home wrecker. (She didn’t and he isn’t). Especially given the hyper specific scenario.

Diego could’ve processed better that she waited 6-7 years before kissing five and always wanted to go back and they could remember that Lila told Diego she wanted a break before that anyway. Five probably would’ve wanted children, probably not, doesn’t matter, and things would go from awkward to understandable between five and Diego. Like five would feel guilty for a long time and cause problems in the relationship because of that, but they obviously have chemistry and belong with each other in a huge way.

I totally agree with you.

I always saw Five as someone sensitive, in search of the affection he didn't have during 45 years he spent in the apocalypse, the trauma that was for him all that, seeing all his closest "family" dead. It couldn't have been easy. He obviously looked to Delores for some emotional support. But he realized that this was not real. Her cold, selfish and murderous character was partly a result of that whole experience.

For a long time these years I believed in the possibility that his romantic arc was Vanya (Viktor now) (In fact according to Aidan's words it was, with Vanya he brought out his sensitivity more than with the rest of the people and he said they were in love, I'll take that and I'm happy). I understand that because of Viktor's arc it was no longer a possibility.

But really with Lila I loved it! And now that I think about it, yes. The love-hate tension was always there since season 2. In season 3 more scenes and time together, and season 4 delivered.

[ravenkings]

A journalist targeted by a Russian spy ring said it had a list of "assassination methods" to kill him that was "beyond any imagination".

Christo Grozev told the BBC the group "fantasised" about his death, and talked about using a sledgehammer and even a "suicide bomber" to target him.

The Bulgarian, who has published several exposés on Russia with colleague Roman Dobrokhotov, said several incidents showed the pair were tracked across Europe and had agents "breathing down our necks".

He was speaking after three Bulgarian nationals were found guilty last week of spying for Russia one of the largest foreign intelligence operations in the UK.

Mr Grozev said that since the court case, Austrian police had reassured his children that this not could not happen again, adding that initially his family had been "shocked".

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme, he said the "list of imagined assassination methods" on his life "reads like a film noir".

He said one of the ways the spies "fantasised about killing me" was hiring an Islamic State group "suicide bomber and having him explode himself next to me in the street".

Mr Grozev said there was also a plan to kidnap him and "send me to a torture camp in Syria" while another man wearing a latex mask resembling him would fly to Russia on a commercial flight and be "arrested in front of cameras for full deniability".

"Another way was bludgeoning me to death using a sledgehammer", he said before adding that "the fantasy and imagination of these wannabe spies is beyond any imagination".

Mr Grozev said failures of Russian intelligence in the past meant that spying was being "outsourced" to non-professional spies.

He told the BBC that the fact they were using "non-professional" spies did not take away from the "intent to kill". The issue was that "wannabe spies" did not necessarily know how to de-escalate situations, he added.

He said he felt lucky to be alive given that he and his colleague were tracked by the spies for so long and the operation had been so well-funded. He and Mr Dobrokhotov were never on the lookout for EU citizens spying on them, but they had expected that Russian operatives would be observing them, he added.

The pair's work includes exposing Russia's role in the nerve agent attacks on then-Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020 and Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018.

Jan Marsalek, who instructed the spy ring on behalf of the Russian intelligence services, wrote in a message in December 2020 that Mr Grozev was the "lead investigator in the Navalny case".

A message sent by Marsalek to Orlin Roussev - who ran the UK-based group from a former guest house in Norfolk - said: "Personally I find Grozev not to be a very valuable target but apparently Putin seriously hates him."

After 2020, the spy cell followed the two journalists throughout Europe, spying on them on planes, in hotels and private properties.

On Friday, three spies were found guilty of spying for Russia in one of the largest" foreign intelligence operations in the UK.

In court, it came to light that operatives from the spy ring entered Grozev's flat in Vienna in 2022 "when my son was playing a computer game in his room", the journalist said.

He added: "I just don't want to think about what would've happened if my son decided to go out of his room during their burglary."

On Friday, Vanya Gaberova, 30, Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty of conspiracy to spy. While the trio had day jobs as a beautician, a healthcare worker, and a decorator, the cell they were part of plotted to kidnap and kill targets, as well as planned to ensnare them in so-called honeytraps.

The methods they used were the sort of thing you would "expect to see in a spy novel", said the Metropolitan Police's Cdr Dominic Murphy.

[allthegeopolitics]

Three Bulgarian nationals based in the United Kingdom have been convicted by a London jury of spying for Russia on what police said was “an industrial scale”. The trio was accused of putting lives in danger as they followed orders on behalf of Russian intelligence to carry out surveillance across Europe on Kremlin opponents, including journalists, diplomats and Ukrainian troops. A jury at London’s Old Bailey court on Friday found Bulgarian nationals Katrin Ivanova, 43, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, guilty of spying for Russia on what police said was “an industrial scale.”

Continue Reading

[zmwrites]

OC Kiss Week Day 1: Desperate

WIP: Remnants

Pairing: Radka x Damir

CWs: suggestive, but only kissing is shown

Words: 427

Notes: I cannot comment on the canon-ness of this scene, but I hope you enjoy :)

Radka gasped awake, eyes flying open and limbs flailing in the blankets. Her heart thundered in her chest as she took in her surroundings: lavender walls, dark wood furniture, dusky pink and purple bedding. The guest room in Vanya and Miran’s penthouse. She was safe. She was alive. Damir was—

Panic gripped her throat again and she twisted to find him. He was sleeping next to her, wedged against the wall, brow furrowed despite his even breathing. She exhaled. Damir was alive and safe and next to her, where he belonged.

She reached out and put two fingers to the pulse point in his throat. She counted his heartbeats until her own slowed down.

“’M I still alive?” he asked, voice groggy. His hand wrapped around hers and he pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist.

“You are,” she replied. “By some miracle, you are.”

“Thanks to you,” he said.

The familiar wave of emotions—fear, helplessness, and many others layered and mixed until she couldn’t tell them apart—rose in her chest and threatened to drown her. She’d been so close to losing him. She had lost him, technically, and had reversed the natural order of the world to get him back. She couldn’t even bring herself to feel guilty for it; she would break the world if it meant he was safe.

“Damir.”

He finally opened his eyes, searching her face in the dim light. “Radka.”

“You died.”

“I’m not dead now.”

Her voice cracked. “I lost you.”

“I’m right here.” He moved her hand to his chest, right above his heart, so she could feel its steady beat. “I’m right here.”

It wasn’t enough to quell the anxiety churning within her. She needed him closer. She pitched forward and crashed into him, desperately bringing their mouths together. He was alive, he was alive, he was alive. His skin was warm beneath her hands, his chest rose and fell with his breathing, his heartbeat was strong. He was alive.

Damir pushed himself up, not breaking away but guiding her onto her back. One of his knees slipped between hers, which was all that was needed for her anxiety to give way to something warmer, something hungrier, something needier. 

She reached for the waistband of his pants.

He laughed.

“What?” she demanded indignantly, not pausing her attempt at undoing the tie on his pants.

“Almost crying to horny in two seconds,” he said.

“Do you have a problem with that?”

He shook his head, smiling fondly down at her for another moment before recapturing her lips.

[erzherzog-von-edelstein]

Kiss prompt 16 for ruspru please!!!

The cold wind whipped through the bare trees, and Prussia put the collar of his coat up to protect his neck.

He glanced down at the mud that was caking his boots before he said, “Strictly speaking, I should not be talking to you at all. We don’t have an armistice.”

Russia sighed and glanced over his shoulders, “I told my commanders it would be a short conversation. I don’t know what you told yours.”

Prussia had been avoiding looking up at him, since he was not sure what he was going to see. He had heard so much about the state of his enemy and he didn't know what to believe. But it was cowardice, and he knew better.

He looked up at Russia and had to suppress a gasp. He had guessed it would be bad from the reports that he had heard about the state of the Russian provisions. But he had not expected the man to look so tired and thin. Under the imperial officer's cap, there were hollows in his cheeks and circles under his eyes.

Prussia had to clear his throat to avoid the emotions that welled up in his chest before he said, “I told them that the war was not going to be won or lost in the next ten minutes. I doubt this will get back to Berlin.”

Russia was fidgeting with his gloves, though it was far too cold to take them off. He glanced down as he said, “Of course, your brother in Berlin. You have to listen to him.”

Prussia could hear the bitterness in his voice and felt almost guilty about it. He had not ever intended to make a choice between his lover and his brother. But he knew that a good soldier would never admit that. Nor could he say that his brother was in France, not in Berlin.

Russia’s melancholy couldn’t move him to undermine Germany, even if it made his chest feel heavy. He said, “You’ve known that for years. You know me well enough to know that I will not mutiny, even for you. What did you want to talk to me about?”

Russia looked around like he was searching for the words. Then he turned his face to the sky and took a deep breath. Prussia had never seen him look so outwardly nervous before; he usually quietly simmered.

Finally, he met Prussia’s eyes and said, “I wanted to see you one last time.”

He stepped closer, but nothing about his manner made Prussia want to reach for his knife. The look in Russia’s eyes was unsettling, the kind of sadness and exhaustion that mortal men were rarely capable of. The closer he got, the more clearly Prussia could see it.

Prussia said, confused, “What do you mean the last time?”

The other man answered, “Do you know that the first time we met was somewhere around here. On a lake in the winter.” His lips twitched like he was about to smile, “Do you remember?”

Prussia was distinctly aware that he had dodged the question. He said, “Of course I remember,” before repeating emphatically, “What do you mean the last time?”

Russia sighed and ran his hand over his arm like he was trying to warm himself up, “I have this feeling that something terrible is about to happen. I am aware that I cannot win this war, but it feels like there is worse in store.”

Prussia shook his head, “Then surrender and go home and rest. It is not that dire.”

He meant it to be comforting, but he realized how hollow it sounded the moment he said it. He tried to add, “Losing a war isn’t the worst thing. We have both done it before.”

Russia shook his head, “No, Gilbert, no. It doesn’t feel that way.” He continued to rub his arm like he was chilled.

Cold? He never felt the cold.

He continued, “That damn mystic said something to me about seeing a shadow hanging over me. I thought it was a lie. But he’s dead now and every day I feel it getting closer. There's an ache.”

Prussia shook his head. He sincerely did not understand what was happening. He’d never known Russia to be spooked by anything. He let some of his old tenderness break through his discipline, “Vanya, you’re not well. Tell the tsar to make peace. You need it.”

Russia shook his head again, “No one can tell Nicholas anything. I think that I will see Hell before I see peace.”

Prussia saw the movement as he swallowed heavily, like it was something terribly painful. Then, like he was gathering courage, Russia said, “I asked to talk to you alone because I want to touch you one more time.”

Prussia could not believe what he was hearing, “What?” Russia’s gaze was completely sincere and pained as he said, “Just one kiss, that's all I'm asking for. Give me one more moment before…”

He trained off, not making clear what exactly it was that he was so afraid of.

Prussia’s discipline told him to say no to an enemy. His heart knew this man beyond that, and he could tell it was no ploy. He looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was close enough to see.

Once he was sure that not a soul was near, he said, “Only one.” Russia needed no further permission. He closed the space between them and put his hand to Prussia’s cheek gently. He leaned in and kissed him.

It wasn’t deep or lusty, but Prussia felt his heart skip a beat at the feeling of those chapped lips against his.

Something else was troubling him though. As they parted, he said it, “Your fingers are cold.”

He had felt it even through the gloves. He had spent much colder winter nights with the man and never felt the chill on his skin like that. It was strangely mortal and so unlike him.

Prussia felt a chill pass over his own skin. Something was actually wrong.

Russia pressed his lips together like he was trying to hold onto the sensation before responding, “I told you. There is something coming.” He pulled away, “Thank you for indulging me, Gilbert.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

[ollypopwrites]

If you're open to doing the flower asks: Hellebore, Mistletoe (but NOT a kiss with Emmrich), Marigold, Bergamot.

Prompts are from this post! Feel free to ask about Vanya (MW!Rook) or Rhyea (LoF!Rook)

VANYA AGAIN. (I’ll spare you the screenshots because I just have so many lmao)

Hellebore: What are some of their triggers? Would anyone notice if Rook was exposed to one?

Vanya feels a slight panic anytime someone gifts her something. It’s one of those things that’s gotten better with exposure, because it’s not something that can be completely avoided and you’re very prone to offending someone by outright rejecting something they give you.

She just feels guilty someone spent time or money on her.

She feels deeply like something is fundamentally rotten about her that people can just sense but she can’t really pinpoint. That’s why her parents left her, that’s why she’s had these awful relationships — exposure and all those Mourn Watch breathing exercises have helped her deal with triggers, but depending on the situation sometimes criticism and perceived rejection can really get under her skin.

Mistletoe: Describe a kiss that meant a lot to Rook.

Her first kiss was at twenty between the shelves in the Grand Necropolis library.

Daphne was from Tevinter, sent to study there by her parents. They were supposed to be researching a basic reanimation ritual (all necromancers have to start somewhere!) but they had both let that fall by the wayside for some other course that had a huge paper due.

They were exhausted, the kind of sleepy that makes you a little loopy and giggly, trying to stifle their laughter. The Necropolis Library gets tense and shockingly quiet during the end of season stretch, and they were at risk of being kicked out.

Daphne had pointed at a perfectly normal anatomical drawing of a skeleton showing some kind of range of motion and said,

“That’s you.”

And because Vanya hadn’t slept in twenty-four hours that was the funniest fucking thing she’d ever heard. She had snorted, hissed, gasped for breath and tried desperately not to howl like a dumb ass in the library which, as you may know, only ever makes you laugh harder.

“Shut up!” Daphne had giggled and whispered.

“I can’t —“ she wheezed.

Daphne tugged her by the collar of her apprentice robes and tugged their lips together. Tense, uncertain, and a little painful at the sharp way their lips just smashed together. Vanya wasn’t really sure what to do, but it shocked her enough that she stopped laughing.

They pulled away, looked at each other, and Vanya started giggling again. Daphne grinned, and pulled her in again.

They barely got that ritual figured out in time, by the way.

Marigold: Is Rook capable of cruelty?

Vanyas been in a romantic relationship where they often devolved into verbally eviscerating each other, so yes. She won’t throw the first stone, but she will go for the throat if someone cuts her deep enough.

She feels really fucking awful about it when she does go there, whether or not the other person “deserved it.”

Bergamot: Does Rook drink? What sort of drunk are they?

She does drink, not super regularly, but she likes a glass of wine and getting a little silly with it sometimes.

She’s a very happy drunk. Everyone is her best friend, she’s lovey-dovey but not weepy. She giggles a lot and forgets that not everyone wants to cuddle with her drunk ass. Good luck making her get to bed, she is pretending to be asleep and then sneaking out the moment you walk away.

[eternal-armin]

ii. SO, HOW SHOULD i begin this?

part two woo. hopefully i'll be able to catch up on this and maybe publish some other stuff now that i'm home a lot more often (yay pain and mobility issues), maybe some arcane stuff since that would be fun, branching out into my last hyperfixation again lol. i've proofread so it should be good :>

pairing : five hargreeves x male/transmasc reader [he/him pronouns]

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where : after trying and sort of succeeding to get on the hargreeves' good side, five and [y/n] try rationalizing the situation and figuring out something, anything, to do about it.

─────

warnings : mentions of trauma, threats [of physical violence and murder], reader is still totally exhausted because how could he not be, depression, dissociation, pain, bits of shouting, not necessarily a warning but viktor is always viktor in the multiverse because the boy deserves it okay, existentialism, philosophical nihilism, family issues.

five adjusted his clothes in the mirror. although he wouldn't be able to have a proper retirement, he could look like a retired old man, couldn't he? who would've thought that someone could get so excited for beiges and tans. he got an amused look of subtle approval from you. beyond that, it wasn't very hard to look past your façade if he was being honest, you looked hesitant; though could he blame you? there were probably millions of worlds where his family fucked you over or just straight-up killed you. and yet, you also looked too tired to care. he couldn't blame you for that, either.

he touched your shoulder again. in a flit of light, which once again made you feel horribly nauseated and woozy, you were downstairs. surprised exclamations roused from his family.

"anyone know where vanya and allison are?" five asked, glancing with narrowed eyes across the lacking table.

"nope." and after that short reply diego went back to finishing off his meal—for someone who often scarfed his meals down, he seemed to be taking his sweet time. either that or your fun conversation with five had not taken as long as you'd thought; either possibility was equally likely at this point, really.

"nuh-uh... sorry."

"not a clue, unfortunately. something wrong, tiny dancer?" klaus asked.

"well, we have a new problem."

"who's this guy?" luther pointed at you wish his thumb, not caring to cover his mouth; your nausea was worsened to see someone talking whilst eating. diego looked at you then, and you hated how his glare bore straight through your soul. he really, really didn't seem to appreciate your presence. how both of them could so willingly ignore the phrase 'we have a problem,' especially from five, was unknown to you.

"this is [y/n]. he's one of the sparrows."

you waved once to everyone. whether the sluggishness of the motion, and the weak smile which accompanied it, was due to shyness or exhaustion was incredibly murky and unclear.

"so now we're getting all buddy-buddy with the enemy? do you know how stupid that is?"

"i'm sorry, diego, did you not hear me say that we have a problem?"

"well, you say that a lot, little brother!" klaus leaned forward to see you clearer, giving you a smile. it didn't really placate your anxieties or your strong desire to run, however it was appreciated. he waved, and you again waved back politely, still feeling very... guilty for your earlier flub. it wasn't a new thing, either, and that made you feel even worse. "hello, little enemy! how do you look so young? do you use those, like, '10 years younger' face creams? i didn't know they worked that well—"

"that is not a relevant question, klaus, now can someone please tell me where allison and vanya are?"

you cleared your throat slightly. "vanya is most likely getting a haircut. allison is trying to get to claire, but she's... not going to find her." it left a bitter taste in your mouth to refer to viktor in such a disrespectful way, but you couldn't take that from him. upon receiving suspicious stares from the younger hargreeves brothers, you mumbled a quiet "maybe."

"mind telling us what the hell is going on before i deck this mini-muffin across the lobby?"

"hey, hey, do not use mini-muffin as an insult! those are beautiful things, there's nothing better than mini-muffins when you're on a bender at, like, three in the morning!" klaus got a confused and heavily judgmental look in return for that... beautiful insight.

"[y/n] has the ability to see all other timelines, so he can usually find out the most probable events. okay? good. now i need to find allison, so can one of you fetch vanya, please?"

"no, not good, and no thanks! after all we've gone through, we deserve a proper explanation!" klaus objected. after a second or two of awkward silence, and a scowling glare from five, he gave in with a curt sigh. it sounded more like a groan. the brothers looked at you; klaus was the only one to seem patient, showing the approval of a parent understanding a kid's fear of giving a speech; luther stared at you with a puzzling mix of intrigue and subtle impatience; and diego stared at you with a raised eyebrow, leaning his head in slightly as if to say 'i'm waiting.' five's glare, although still quite characteristic, was a bit softer when aimed at you. you could never feel more put on the spot.

"you've gotta say something, little man, we can't read your mind," klaus encouraged.

"well, uh... i don't know exactly what it is yet, but something is wrong."

"aren't you omniscient or some shit? you can see literally every reality!"

the shouting scared you quite a bit and certainly made your headache worse. you put one of your hands to your head, mumbling, wishing you could just get some painkillers. if only five had given them back.

"don't shout, for fuck's sake," five grumbled, annoyed in his own right.

"i'm not omniscient. if no other worlds know something, then i can't, and... no other world knows yet. but something is wrong." your quiet voice was juxtaposed to diego's, still loud and stubborn like back in the academy. around 79.4 percent of every single alternate world which had diego in it found him like this, angry and short-tempered; it was very interesting. "you aren't supposed to be here. you guys, as you are, don't exist here. i don't think reality appreciates you showing up all of a sudden. and if versions of yourselves already exist in this world, then something will need to... iron out the wrinkles, i guess." you pursed your lips for a second. "not to be too brash or anything, but, to really, really dumb it down, you're a mis—you're mistakes."

"seriously? five, i thought you said that this timeline would be safe to stay in." luther looked like a scolded puppy. you felt bad. he was far too sweet—naive? yes, naive—for this kind of life.

"yes, that's what i thought, but second opinions are pretty valuable in my line of expertise. turns out it was sorely needed." his brows pricked up a few times while he spoke. "but, like you said before, it may be a problem we can solve."

diego remained, unsurprisingly, unswayed. "you better not be including this wad of chewed gum in that 'we,' five."

"what is with you and insulting him? he wants to help. jesus christ."

"last time i checked, his entire family just kicked our asses out of our own house, i have a right to be pissed, and he's lucky i'm in no killing mood."

"i don't agree that he should be killed," luther began in solidarity, "but we have a reason not to trust him, right?"

you took a little breath and exhaled it in a quiet sigh. "i know my family can be... extreme. and bad sometimes. trust me. and i totally understand how you can be angry with them and with me and think that i'm not honest. but i never hurt anyone, and i want to help you guys. you're eccentric yourselves, but usually you're good people. you're, like, an actual family," you added, trailing off, "not a group forced to stay together for monetary gain."

five squinted at you slightly. was that one of the reasons you chose not to grow up? you couldn't be associated with the sparrows if you were half their age. throw on a pair of sunglasses and nobody could recognize you.

jeez. didn't that sound nice.

"you guys really deserve a place to rest. a stable place to live, even. and if we can figure this out, then maybe you won't have to live in constant fear of coming into contact with your doppelganger or something. live, like, normal lives. as normal as they can be, anyway."

diego, much to your surprise, seemed to listen to what you were saying. sure, he still looked quite ticked-off and impatient, but you couldn't really ask for too much from him, could you?

"and you're sure that this is a problem we can actually solve? for good?"

"i'm not exactly sure what the problem even is yet. all i know is that something is wrong. but every problem has a solution, even if it seems impossible sometimes." there was a twinge of sage, melancholic hopelessness somewhere in there, some subtle disbelief. "five is quite the expert in timelines and time travel-related problems and paradoxes, and i'm an expert in alternate realities and manipulating reality itself. if anyone can figure it out, i'm sure we can. and i have no doubt that all of you will also play large parts."

luther's face was screwed into an expression of brazen confusion. "so... we're, like, completely blind, and need to fight an enemy we know absolutely nothing about."

"pretty much," you mumbled.

"surprisingly poetic way to put that, luther, i'm impressed," five mused rather sarcastically. "unfortunately, however, it seems we're gonna have to do something terrible and unprecedented." perhaps for dramatic effect, perhaps to quell his own annoyances, he paused and sighed out a breath. "we're going to have to work together." he did not need to specify the parties specified in 'together.'

"well, personally, i think this is a splendid idea. perfect opportunity for family bonding, i'd say! we're surrounded by decent chinese food and competent beds and cable television. decent music, too! and diego can finally figure out some self-discipline by not constantly threatening to kill [y/n]! marvelous idea little ones." admittedly, klaus's unique way of talking and gesturing was quite calming to you. you were very grateful for him. oddly enough—maybe you should've stopped saying that when it came to the umbrellas—klaus seemed to be that pillar of tranquility for you. viktor as well.

"calm down, calm down. you know that he won't turn against us or whatever? you're sure?"

the question was directed at five but you answered for him. "i'm not strong and i've never been in good health. even christopher, without his powers, would be better at fighting you than i would."

"the fucking cube?" you nodded. he plastered a grin over a pouting scowl. he sighed, giving into the plan. perhaps some remaining distrust still lingered, however, he could deal with it. "we've gotta clue allison and vanya in now. i'll go get vanya."

"finally," five huffed, shaking his head. "i'm going to find allison. you said she's going to try and find claire? i'll go to her old house." and then, the next second, he was gone. a few seconds of... incredibly awkward silence passed, where luther was staring at you whole-heartedly.

"go on and take a seat, young whipper-snapper. do you have any dietary restrictions? or allergies? we've probably got something here you can eat, if you want."

you had asked to walk back home with five.

"why with me?" "it's a little bit selfish, but i really don't want to be alone right now, and you're the number one person i trust right now." "flattering," he muttered. "then why walk?" "i think better when i walk."

admittedly, walking was taxing for you right now, so it may not have been your brightest idea, but after this entire day you needed a nice break; the picturesque city sunset was nice, the breeze was subtle and sweet, and it smelled like food out there on the streets. viktor had offered to talk with marcus and try to make a deal; you'd asked him to be very, very careful. "i don't know if purposely seeking out the anomaly would be more effective, or if allowing it to reveal itself would be better. maybe we should seek it out."

five nodded slightly. "allowing it to reveal itself could mean that it becomes too powerful to stop."

"that's kind of what i was thinking. we don't know how it would reveal itself. what if it destroys something, or changes something? what if it hurts people?" your voice was quieter with that last proposition. it was the worst possible option in your mind; buildings could be rebuilt. changes could be undone, with enough time and patience. but people could not be undamaged, and they could not be brought back to life.

well, not permanently, anyway.

five's pace slowed a bit and he peered at you, strangely, for a moment. you avoided his eyes.

"surprisingly enough, i don't think this is the... worst outcome." "forgive me but i don't really believe you. we've got jack all on either side. essentially, we're alone." "you're used to it, five." "hmph. and you aren't?" "not in this way, i guess." there was more he wanted to say but you would not give him the opportunity to dig too deep. "there are worlds where your family is on board. trusts me, even, after some convincing. and there are also some where we narrow the options down. i'd love to be in one of those. but at least we aren't at each other's throats again, or diego's choking me to death." your voice soured. if you got too close, you could feel that pain. there your mind went then, trying to save your other selves out of some ethereal desperation you could never claw yourself away from.

"ow!" you hissed, clapping a hand to your neck where it had stung, sharp and sudden. "what was that?"

"you were seriously so spaced out you didn't see me?" five asked, though it barely sounded like a question. he sounded just barely concerned. you had looked like a glove without a hand. "jeez," he scoffed, shaking his head. "did you see anything helpful, at least? anything at all?"

your mind was still seared and shattered across uncountable realities and he could see that struggle to ground in your eyes. hear it in your breath. you had little mental fortitude left to respond. "sorry? can you repeat that?"

five didn't roll his eyes. unfortunately, he knew dissociation. he carefully took your hands in his, rubbing your knuckles like he'd seen you do before, and that seemed to give you... some amount of usable energy. it was also sort of difficult not to notice him, of all people, doing it, even while he sported an expression of general distaste for the situation; you couldn't tell if it was falsified or not. slowly, you were returning to your body, and it felt heavier than ever before. "what did you see?" he repeated, just as you asked, meticulously annunciating each word and using a decent pace.

you nodded slightly. "i saw a few other timelines. less fortunate ones." you didn't need to elaborate for five to understand what you were referring to. the broad strokes, anyway. "nothing really useful, though," you added after a second in total defeat.

"shit. well, that's alright." and though it clearly wasn't, you didn't say anything.

"how long have we been standing here?"

"... a minute or two."

"oh, great," you mumbled, shaking your head to yourself. your record was around two hours, sure, but it still sucked. "the... we should seek it out."

"wow. you remembered."

"we were having the same conversation a whole lot. given i was still alive and actually grew to trust you." it was a half-joke but it succeeded in getting a bare grin out of five. "we can't risk hurting other people."

"or destroying something," five added.

"or destroying something," you agreed, then furrowing your brow slightly. a cafe nearby was playing pleasant music; that was something keeping you tethered to this world in particular, as if five wasn't enough, but even he was quiet sometimes. "the only problem is we don't know where it is."

"or what it looks like. if it even looks like something at all. it could very well be invisible or incomprehensible." he scowled for a second, though not out of irritation, thinking rather loudly to himself. "we should start where we appeared, i think." you nodded in agreement. "if your... 'family' decides to work with us, all of us, then we can search a whole lot more. but we should get the basics out of the way."

"the beginning is always the most logical place to start."

"quaint way to put it, did you write the sound of music in another universe?"

"what part about 'literally any possible, feasible universe' do you not understand?" you joked, managing a small smile of your own, and five would be lying if he said he didn't feel a little bit relieved to see you humoring yourself again.

"i deserve that." he paused for a second. "i know you said that walking helps you think, and you definitely need to do that more, but you look like a dead man standing right now. i'd rather just drop you off at the academy and get back to my own family. are you okay to teleport?" you did not respond at first, taking careful account of how you felt and how you may feel after. eventually, and rather subtly, you nodded.

"my room is klaus's old room back in your universe."

"wow, that... makes it easier. safer, probably." that was the closest you were going to get to 'thank you' so you took it. you shut your eyes tight and breathed deep through that half-second nausea-bomb. you were happy to see your room when you opened your eyes; smelling like home, looking like home, feeling like pure comfort. five glanced about your room. somehow it looked exactly like what he expected from you, which was a compliment. it was cozy. well-lived—especially the bed. there were many blankets and pillows and a few stuffed animals, unmade, probably because you barely left it. he couldn't blame you, either.

looking at you, you seemed totally relieved and excited to be back home.

"are you going to let go of my hands now?"

five stiffened for a second, mumbling a hushed apology before letting go, shoving his hands in his pockets. you couldn't help but grin a little, tiredly, and he scoffed when he saw it. "don't look at me like that. i was helping you ground, since you evidently can't do it yourself sometimes." not that he could blame you, really. he couldn't imagine what it would be like to be... you.

you ignored the jab. "i'm surprised you're willing to wait to take care of this," you mumbled, hanging up your scarf and sweater, lazily rifling through your dresser to find something decently comfortable to pass out in. "you always insisted on getting things done quick. if not immediately."

"i'm desperate for one damn moment of peace. the world isn't being decimated just yet. i just want to sleep decently for once."

you smiled slightly. no one could work while exhausted, especially not when it came to your quandary. "go on and sleep then. i'll meet you at the obsidian again tomorrow."

"yeah. oh, uh, just remembered something. close your eyes for a few seconds."

"why?"

"just do it."

you scoffed, though without any sort of animosity or annoyance, shutting your eyes tight like he told you to. you heard the familiar sound of his blinking once, twice. "alright. you can look. here." he held out to you your bottle of painkillers. "nearly forgot to give them back."

"oh, sh—thank you." the relief on your face was quite plain and sort of comforting as well. he mustered a slight hum in response.

"good night."

"night, five. sleep well."

"hmph. we'll see."

[fafayayarhen]

Have you considered

France x Austria

Austria x England

Austria x Russia

and much more?

AS A MATTER OF FACT YES I DIDDLY DOODLY HAVE ANON, hear ye as one of the connoisseur of APH Austria we have this knack of multi-shipping our princess for reason that he makes such good material for it backed by the historical precedent, never forget Matthias Corvinus' "Where Mars gives other kingdoms, Venus gives to thee," in regards to the Habsburgs' renowned marriage strategy!

✨ Now buckle up anon ✨

France x Austria : historically the most disastrous and problematic and terrifying nightmare fuel for the rest of the continent. In fact, some 80% of the conflict had been because of these bitches' rivaling houses having beef with each other. Think the popular pretty girl VS the other popular pretty girl type of dynamic but when they're working together it's both the worst thing possible for everyone and each other because both will stab the shit out of one another. I love them.

It's very possible on a more intimate level the two are able to get along for the fact they're very much two sides of the same coin and are simply dressed differently is all. Both would know the worst of each other and their most vulnerable, I feel their intimacy and bed related activities would be wild — smth smth sex is the rawest form of expression to relinquish control and they'd delve into it. Romantic wise I can see the two being the type to go, "Love doesn't suit our rotten souls."

England X Austria : they're quite an interesting one to me! Anon and everyone will notice a pattern here that I go more for a historical basis route and damn it it's because I remember them better than having to go search through canon material sO — anyhow, Anglo-Austrian relation is a real thing as much as it was quite a... Unique situation between the two. There were the Austrian Anglophiles who insists an alliance with them is efficient to oppose the French (it's always the French)

As much as both had the knack of not fulfilling their end of the bargain to each other as promised because of "changing circumstances". Like we saw in that one episode where England upped and left Austria be during the war of the Austrian succession because he just wanted to beat up France, yeah? That example was demonstrated several more times between the two in the course of their supposed alliance. Roderich and Arthur would have this dancing around one another type of thing going on because they strike me as the type to be more calculative before ever getting personally close when both were the huge superpowers in that time period. And given the British and Spanish had already existing beef whilst the Spanish and Austrian Habsburg branch were united as is, you can see the conflict of interest that created the "they'll be good if we need to kick the French but also our Spanish relatives are important but hurm,"

Personally it was that incident during when the Spanish forces were trying to recapture Gibraltar from the English that lends to this complex dynamic because they asked helped from the Austrians for support only for, whatever REASON, they backed the English forces. This was in the 1700s I believe? I'd like to think England may have bedded the pretty Austrian for that LMFAO.

Russia X Austria : Whew. Okay this one has been quite the guilty pleasure for me ngl. Smth about the domineering force that was the Russian empire, the menacing bear that is Vanya and considering the number of fairly decent alliances the Austrian maintained with their Russians (partitions, holy league, etc.) Roddi and Vanya would have an amicable relationship. I'd think Roderich would have had the sense of walking on eggshells around this person for reason he can just tell at first glance to thread carefully or be at the mercy of whatever Russia would choose to impose of him.

Something like a faux compliance from the most dangerous beast for the pretty sweetling, giving Roderich this false sense of control that maintains the apparent "harmony" of the relationship. They're actually so interesting ngl that I'm sure there's a number of pretty good historical references to grow them with!

Honourable mentions that have been lingering in the back of my mind that aren't the big popular ones —

• Turkiye X Austria : COFFEE CULTURE!! also coughs they have the kind of enemies to lovers vibe I dig

• Poland X Austria : wouldn't you know it that not only during the partitions were the Austrians most lenient towards their polish citizens but consider many times, they had been allies too — I believe marriage arrangements between their monarchs were planned as well but unfortunately couldn't come to fruition

• Netherlands X Austria : Okay here we go babes before they were Netherlands they were the low countries and under whose house if not the HRE and then the Habsburgs by way of claim through marriage to the Spanish for inheritance, and if not ship material why did they have good relations including an Austrian monarch marrying into the Dutch to help them fix up governance and they flourished? Also tallest man bagging the prettiest princess who was once married to his rival (Spain) is the single funniest addition to this

• Denmark X Austria : Listen. I haven't seen many touch into this but not only do they share actual pastry influence with each other, during the second Schleswig-Holstein conflict, it was by the Prussians recruiting the Austrians they managed to beat the Danish and I imagined it was the princess straight up stabbing the shit out of Denmark that had the Dane be horny at first sight and well, when you're the winner of the war you'd want to get your spoils, no?

[yohohonabottle]

5-Disaster foolery nonsense compilation + The four nephylims

Or, the cryptids lot from Project "harbringer" being unserious/unhinged and having goofy dumb fun. Very crack shitpost vibes, meme-like. This is 100% nonsense most likely instigated by the Knave or the Damoiseau, and the rest are rolling with it since they're off-duty/just want to lark.

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Newest moment:

Playfully arguing, and why's the bawdy gag still running?

Florent: I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Pirin: Damn, that sounds like a marriage proposal. Florent, getting down on one knee: That's 'cause it is. -Or-

Florent: "Since we're in a relationship now, your clothes are my clothes too. Don't ask me why I have your shirt on, this is our shirt." Pirin: "Fine, but when I come strutting in with your fuzzy socks I don't want to hear shit." (Being sarcastic.) Rila: *giggling with these skits, made them play along with the scripts.*

Being a brat. Or that one time Berial showed through..but Pirin is also known for being a goofy and petty lil brat as well.

Kidnapper: We have your child Florent: I don’t have a child? Kidnapper: Then who just asked for warm milk and made us cut the crusts off their sandwich? Florent: Oh god, you have Pirin

The zoo problem.. Or Florent being reckless. (Huh wonder which component of the fusion this one comes from..)

Florent: "Every zoo is a petting zoo unless you’re a coward." Pirin: "I’m worried about you." Pirin: "You’re insane!" Florent: "Sure I am, what’s your point?"

Kill 'em! -With kindness!

Florent (Pirin/Ludovic fusion): "I'm going to kill you." Pirin: "Joke's on you- get in line! I got 99+ enemies!" Florent: "....With kindness. Sheesh, why's it always about literal murder or violence with you, Vanya?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh no! - Or poor Ludovic completely forgot to write/meet with his musician friend and has mini panic moment + guilt. @elesdecroisa Sorry if mischaracterized Briar! I tried to get their interaction right! ....Ludovic sure got some.. tea to spill with his friend.

Florent (Fair Gentleman), minding his business trying to blow off steam after the whole rollercoaster of... events. (His bestie almost dying for real, rushing to save him and getting fused together + being team healer and kind of also DPS/Carry now...and the recent bout of fights were hectic & really heated.

Florent (Fair Gentleman):

"Oh stars." The Ludovic part of the fusion, and since he's literally fused into one singular entity with Pirin, the other gets panicked too internally both being like--

Cue poor man rushing to find Briar and apologize to her for going completely radio-silent.

Briar: "You look older. What happened, Ludovic?"

'Vic/Florent: "....It's..a very long and complicated story." Briar: "....." Likely waiting for elaboration. Ludovic: "...You remember the night nymph I had told you about in our last conversation..yes?"

Briar: "Yes. I remember him, Ioan-- Your other dearest friend." Ludovic: "He..almost died due to near complete loss of magic. And I rushed to help him....However nothing worked, until a Syndicate member offered me to join their project. ..And we...ended up getting fused together into one."

Briar: "....."/"...What."

Ludovic: "I am not proud of my deed... however had no other choice left." (However would still do the exact same mistake again countless times if re-winded to that cross-road.)

Briar: "....I can't fault you, considering I devoted myself to my craft to death. However I am not very pleased hearing you sacrificed yourself so recklessly, even if I understand your cause and circumstances."

'Vic: *gives a very weak shrug with a strained smile of guilty apology.*

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The "couples" - When the gang is being a bunch of chaotic idiots.

Tyr/Odin: Ah, yes. Here we have a beautiful couple... Le Honnête élève: I really care about your feelings! The Debt-collector: I really care about YOUR feelings!

Tyr/Odin, turning his head: ...and then there's the disaster couple... The Kuker: YOU NEED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO ME INSTEAD OF BEING AT THE HOSPITAL!

Harlequin: I WOULDN'T HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME AT THE HOSPITAL IF YOU STOPPED INSISTING ON FIGHTING EVERYONE WHO COMES WITHIN A FIVE FOOT RADIUS OF YOU!

-----------

On Valentines, and once again the ''shipping'' gags keeps running.

Tyr/Odin: "God, if only someone loved me…" Le Honnête élève: *standing behind them with roses* The Debt-collector: *holding box of chocolates* Harlequin: *has balloons and a card* The Kuker: *facepalms then signs with one hand* 'This is sad.'

"This is why I have trust issues. >:( " a.k.a "Betrayal"

Tyr/Odin: If I fall… Le Honnête élève: I’ll be there to catch you. The Kuker: *looks at Harlequin* 'What if I fall?' Harlequin: Then I’ll fall with you, never leaving your side. Pirin : *watches these two interactions*

Pirin , to The Debt-collector: And if I fall? The Debt-collector: I’ll be the one who pushed you. Pirin: "....Well damn. Thanks mate." >:/ (Knows Sinbad won't do him dirty like this, and Marionet is just joking.)

"Confessions" shenanigans to play others like a fiddle

*The Squad when asked about their earlier confession of love* Pirin : Yeah, you're lucky. I like you. The Debt-collector: I'd understand if you didn't feel the same way...

The Kuker: *has a panic attack* What confession? Le Honnête élève: *winks* I know, Love. You like me too. (Totally not serious, trying not to laugh at the absurdity)

Harlequin: So what? Are you going to date me or not? Tyr/Odin: It was a dare.

Putting the "unhinged" in foolery. Absolute insanity, and Fair Son is trying hard to stay in-character with the script instead of loose it at how stupidly nonsensical it is.

Le Honnête élève: "Pirin kissed me! (No I didn't. >:/)" Harlequin: "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" Le Honnête élève: "It was unbelievable!" (...Why're you rolling with this?) Harlequin: "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" The Kuker: 'Okay, we wanna hear everything. Harlequin, get the wine and unplug the phone. Florent, does this end well or do we need tissues?' Le Honnête élève: "Oh, it ended very well." (Didn't know bawdy humor was on your list. >:/ ) Harlequin: "Do not start without me! Do not start without me!" The Kuker: 'Okay, alright, let’s hear about the kiss. Was it a soft brush against your lips or was it like a, you know, “I gotta have you now” kind of thing?' (The whole gang's trying not to laugh at this point)

Le Honnête élève: "Well, at first it was really intense, you know? And then, oh God, and then we just sort of sunk into it." ;) The Kuker: 'Ohh... So, okay, was he holding you? Or were his hands on your back?' Le Honnête élève: "First they started out on my waist and then they slid up and then they were in my hair." Harlequin and The Kuker: 'Ohhh. Pfft, this is the worst skit-'

"Atrocious, I know. Of course I would not dare do such debauchery, let alone entertain the notion."

*meanwhile* Pirin eating pizza in their house: And, uh, and then I kissed him. The Debt-collector: Tongue? Pirin : Yeah, no. Can't you get sarcasm? Tyr/Odin: Cool.

-----------

"Slander. Blasphemy." -Or the gang is chilling after a fight & chatting casually.

Et tu Brute.

Le Honnête élève: You know, when The Debt-collector comes over, The Kuker can get a little… Tyr/Odin: Psycho? Pirin : Scary? Harlequin: Drunk? Le Honnête élève: All three.

The Missing: >:(

The teacups

*the Squad at Disneyland, in the teacups* Le Honnête élève, Tyr/Odin, and Pirin : *spinning a little and talking* The Debt-collector, Harlequin, and The Kuker: *flying past them, spinning as fast as they can, screaming*

The future perhaps not so distant...

*after the Squad has been separated for a few years* The Kuker: 'So what have you been up to recently?' Harlequin: Leading a revolution with Tyr. The Kuker: 'Good for you two! Me, I've joined the mob.' Harlequin: *nods* Oh, how cool! That's awesome! The Kuker: 'I know! Anyway, have you heard from the others? Pirin ?' Harlequin: Happily living as a hermit in the woods. Le Honnête élève? The Kuker: 'Wrongfully locked up in an asylum, which reminds me, we need to break him out later. The Debt-collector?' Harlequin: Cult leader. The Kuker: Yeah, that sounds about right.

Florent/The Fair Gentleman, showing up with slightly ruffled hair and clothes: "Pardon my tardiness, the guards were unreasonable. ...And the doctors almost cut me open in attempted lobotomy."

A grave emergency indeed.

The Kuker, walking into their house: 'Hello, people who do not live here.' Harlequin: Hey. Le Honnête élève: Hi. Pirin : Hello. The Debt-collector: Hey! The Kuker: 'I gave you the key to my place for emergencies only!' Tyr/Odin: We were out of Doritos.

----------------------------------------------------------

The Nephylims shenanigans

Oh? - Or just pure larking and messing with Athelric.

Athelric: Why are your tongues purple? Maria: We had slushies. I had a blue one. Iliya: I had a red one. Athelric: oh. Maria: Athelric: OH. OH NO YOU DID NOT- Amene: Amene: You drank eachothers slushies?

Sibling moment - Mari and Athe edition feat. the Maulers

Athelric and Maria: *making loud, shouty gorilla sounds at each other* Amene: Iliya, exasperatedly: We have a guest.

Drunken nonsense, or why they should not be sloshed. And Ame isn't having any of it.

Athelric: Wait, if baby oil dissolves condoms, what does it do to babies? Iliya: Believe it or not, babies and condoms are made of different materials. Maria: It’s like rock paper scissors. Baby oil defeats condom, baby defeats baby oil, condom defeats baby. Amene: Rock also defeats baby.

Friends -Athe and 'Liya slander

Maria: You have friends and I envy that. Amene: You're welcome to share my friends. Maria: *looks at Athelric and Iliya* Maria: I don't want those.

The squad and bridges being burnt.

Maria: Alright, what pizza toppings should we order? Iliya: Anchovies and pineapple. Athelric: I like beets! Amene: Have you guys ever had a cheese-less pizza? Maria: I’m disowning all of you.

[thornedclover]

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[beardedmrbean]

A journalist targeted by a Russian spy ring said it had a list of "assassination methods" to kill him that was "beyond any imagination".

Christo Grozev told the BBC the group "fantasised" about his death, and talked about using a sledgehammer and even a "suicide bomber" to target him.

The Bulgarian, who has published several exposés on Russia with colleague Roman Dobrokhotov, said several incidents showed the pair were tracked across Europe and had agents "breathing down our necks".

He was speaking after three Bulgarian nationals were found guilty last week of spying for Russia one of the largest foreign intelligence operations in the UK.

Mr Grozev said that since the court case, Austrian police had reassured his children that this not could not happen again, adding that initially his family had been "shocked".

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme, he said the "list of imagined assassination methods" on his life "reads like a film noir".

He said one of the ways the spies "fantasised about killing me" was hiring an Islamic State group "suicide bomber and having him explode himself next to me in the street".

Mr Grozev said there was also a plan to kidnap him and "send me to a torture camp in Syria" while another man wearing a latex mask resembling him would fly to Russia on a commercial flight and be "arrested in front of cameras for full deniability".

"Another way was bludgeoning me to death using a sledgehammer", he said before adding that "the fantasy and imagination of these wannabe spies is beyond any imagination".

Mr Grozev said failures of Russian intelligence in the past meant that spying was being "outsourced" to non-professional spies.

He told the BBC that the fact they were using "non-professional" spies did not take away from the "intent to kill". The issue was that "wannabe spies" did not necessarily know how to de-escalate situations, he added.

He said he felt lucky to be alive given that he and his colleague were tracked by the spies for so long and the operation had been so well-funded. He and Mr Dobrokhotov were never on the lookout for EU citizens spying on them, but they had expected that Russian operatives would be observing them, he added.

The pair's work includes exposing Russia's role in the nerve agent attacks on then-Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020 and Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018.

Jan Marsalek, who instructed the spy ring on behalf of the Russian intelligence services, wrote in a message in December 2020 that Mr Grozev was the "lead investigator in the Navalny case".

A message sent by Marsalek to Orlin Roussev - who ran the UK-based group from a former guest house in Norfolk - said: "Personally I find Grozev not to be a very valuable target but apparently Putin seriously hates him."

After 2020, the spy cell followed the two journalists throughout Europe, spying on them on planes, in hotels and private properties.

On Friday, three spies were found guilty of spying for Russia in one of the largest" foreign intelligence operations in the UK.

In court, it came to light that operatives from the spy ring entered Grozev's flat in Vienna in 2022 "when my son was playing a computer game in his room", the journalist said.

He added: "I just don't want to think about what would've happened if my son decided to go out of his room during their burglary."

On Friday, Vanya Gaberova, 30, Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty of conspiracy to spy. While the trio had day jobs as a beautician, a healthcare worker, and a decorator, the cell they were part of plotted to kidnap and kill targets, as well as planned to ensnare them in so-called honeytraps.

The methods they used were the sort of thing you would "expect to see in a spy novel", said the Metropolitan Police's Cdr Dominic Murphy.

[zenjiiejiie]

Ask time! Questions for your OC Jurian ♥ 1. What kind of life does he want to live? 2. Does he believe in the concept of good and evil? 3. What does he feel most guilty about? 4. What is something that always helps to comfort him? 5. If he can change one thing about himself, what would it be? 6. What was the most unexpected thing that happened to him in the past twelve months?

No I didn't forget to post this you did. Anyway this one is a bit longer bc I can't not yap about him <3

Answers for my OC Jurian ♥

Tw for um well- well Jurian is just really sad and probably has undiagnosed major depressive disorder so. yeah.

¹ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇ?

He just wants to make the world a better place. He wants to be loved and to make sure the people he loves are loved and he wants what's best for the people around him. He wants to live a life of happiness and love and experiments. He doesn't care so much about saving people in the short term but rather the long run. He's the kind of guy who wants to spend his life finding a cure for cancer rather than learning how to set a broken arm.

² ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ʜᴇ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴏꜰ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠɪʟ?

Yes, but to an extent. He's grown up in an environment where even things some people deemed evil weren't evil but necessary and with someone who lives off the belief of, while yes it exists, it's not a definite thing. He feels very strongly for his versions of good and evil but looks at things and analysis everything before deeming something evil, and he tries to understand when or why someone does something "evil" or has a different perspective on something.

³ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ɢᴜɪʟᴛʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ?

Not staying. Not staying in Kerch where his parents were buried and leaving them behind. Not staying in Shu Han with Mijan and Mi when and choosing to move to Os Alta even though he didn't start taking classes until 3/4 years later and leaving them behind. He feels guilty about falling for someone when he knows he's not gokd enough to love or be loved (he is) He just feels guilty for being and choosing himself rather than the people around him (as the creator of all the people mention I want you to know that they would've been/are so proud of him for having chosen himself and they aren't upest)

⁴ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ʜᴇʟᴘꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛ ʜɪᴍ?

Quiet hangouts and cuddles. He doesn't like physical touch all that much- most of the time. He wants to be cuddled and loved without being forced to talk when he's upset but talking just makes it worse because when he talks he has to think and when he thinks he gets lost in his own head panicking about whatever was wrong.

⁵ ɪꜰ ʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜɪᴍꜱᴇʟꜰ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪᴛ ʙᴇ?

The easier question would be what would he keep the same. While he doesn't hate himself (really he doesn't) he doesn't like must about himself either. He likes his intelligence and his kindness and he knows that he has good taste in partners and friends but other than that? He'd change everything about himself. From small things like the shade of his eyes to big things like his Grisha Order. :(((

⁶ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴜɴᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ ᴛᴡᴇʟᴠᴇ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜꜱ?

Okay, are you trying to get me to talk about Vanya here? Sneaky xD /lh

Falling in love. Seriously, when he came to Os Alta / the little palace he thought it would be just like his life before, with him being completely alone with the exception of one or two people- and then he met Vanya and he realized the difference between having a crush on a pretty boy and falling in love. Now if only he could get his head out of his ass long enough to confess bc it's so obvious to everyone else BUT him that Vanya is into him >:/

[ownedbyaborzoi]

Family meals are a little tense, with the girls grieving the loss of their father and Vanya feeling a little guilty for not trying to save him.