#happy kill caesar day

[solargeist]

you were never supposed to know !!!

[aroacedevilcake]

Happy Ides of March🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

[camille-lachenille]

Happy Stabbing of the Witch King Day!

Let’s not forget that, on 15th March it wasn’t just Julius Caesar who got stabbed to death by unexpected opponents! On this day, Éowyn daughter of Éomund and Meriadoc Bradybuck killed the Witch King of Angmar, chief of the Nazgûl, during the battle of the Pelennor Fields.

[missadangel]

The Heart of Rome (Marcus Acacius x Ofc!Princess Reader)

All Chapters List

XIV. The Ambush (+18, Smut, MDNI)

Ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt

Fate leads the willing and drags the unwilling.

H.

First day of the Funeral Ceremonies.

In the event of the Emperor’s death, his body was twice cremated. First, the body was burnt in the environment closest to the family, leaving this moment in the private sphere. After burning the corpses at the stake, the remains of the bones were laid in a mausoleum.

The second cremation had a symbolic dimension and was a public demonstration of the emperor’s apotheosis. Ceremonies of this type usually took place on the Field of Mars, outside the city. At that time, the wax effigies of the Emperor were burned, imitating the deceased.

On the first day of the ceremony, in the temple of Julius Caesar, you were standing right next to Marcus, and found yourself feeling somewhat sorrowful as you witnessed Caracalla's body being burned on wooden stakes. The flames soon rose, and some of the people attempted to discreetly add more wood to the fire, despite the presence of soldiers who had formed a circle around Caracalla's body. Some expressed their frustration, while others paid tribute to the deceased emperor. However, there was a notable absence of words of love, with the exception of those by Caracalla's mother, Julia. While her words may have been perceived by some as lacking sincerity, many others believed they were not, and thus, it was not seen as a significant issue.

As you held Marcus' hand at the top of the temple steps, you felt nauseous of the strong, unpleasant odour. Marcus put his arm around you and helped you down the stairs. The ceremony was already drawing to a close. When you got down the stairs, Geta and Julia came over to you while you were catching your breath. Now it was time for the evening ceremony to announce the emperor's will. All members of the senate were due to attend Domus Severiana in the evening, but this seemed unnecessary given that Caracalla would now be declared a tyrant and therefore any word or will would be invalid. However, rituals had to be honoured. Julia was reluctant to do so, as she had been closely involved with the members of the senate in the absence of Macrinus and had managed things well. And she could guess that Caracalla's will wouldn't make her happy.

But you were all taken aback when Macrinus showed up at the funeral. It was as if nothing had happened. Geta was so angry that he ordered the guards to arrest him, but it was no use. He wasn't trying to escape yet he was a member of the senate, so he was legally entitled to be there. There was no legal basis for the charges, despite Geta's desire to see him dead. Marcus was also furious, his hand on his sword ever since he saw him. But he couldn't kill him in public or even in secret. Well, not yet anyway. That is until Geta was officially declared the sole emperor and Macrinus was officially punished. He was running out of time, but instead of being afraid and running away, he was on the battlefield. This was his best move since he still held the vast majority of the Senate. Marcus had upped the number of his soldiers around the Palatine Hill as a precaution against any move or possible attack by him.

That evening, all the senators got together in the great hall for the reading of the will. Women weren't allowed, but you didn't seem to mind much. Julia was a bit of an exception though. You were in the courtyard when the scriba (chief clerk) announced the will. After a while, you heard a few murmurs and looked in that direction. The senators were now leaving. Your eyes seek Marcus. He was heading your way, adjusting the shawl he wore over his black toga. He looked pretty annoyed. Geta was right behind him, muttering and swearing under his breath.

“We need to get the Council together as soon as possible! I must stop this nonsense now!'

“I agree,” Marcus said as he approached and sat next to you.

"Is there bad news?" you asked, looking at them both.

“Acacius, that will have no force. I'll make sure of that and then that cunt will have no more excuses.” He waved his hand to the slaves. “Wine!”

“I am starting to have some concerns,” you whined.

"I wish I could say,  'no need,' but..." Geta said, throwing himself at the other lectus. His wine was served, and he drank it in one gulp and requested another. You put your hand on Marcus' back. He turned his head towards you, with a faint smile.

"Could you tell me what happened?"

"Caracalla. He’s sending him into exile," Geta replied for him. He took another sip of his wine. "And worse, he has suggested that the court order be issued for the offense of treason, which would result in the loss of his citizenship."

Your eyes widened. "What did you say?"

Marcus's expression confirmed what he had said. "They can't do that, can they?" You asked Marcus, but he covered his face with his hand.

"He couldn't get him killed, after all. He won the games and well earned his freedom, but he decided to exile him, also he said that day. But the denaturalization thing is ridiculous, it is too much. I am certain that is Macrinus' idea. According to law, your marriage will be annulled and you will be considered a widow.”

Your heart felt like it was squeezing, Marcus grabbed your hand.

"I told you that already!" Julia suddenly appeared next to you. "I told you how valuable you are, Aurelia, even as a widow."

"Don't get started, Mother! We're all on edge enough here!" He warned her, looking at Marcus, who was clenching his jaw in anger.

"If Macrinus had killed Geta, he probably would have got the will approved and your marriage would have-"

"Cease the nonsense!" Marcus yelled. He then stood up and pulled you with him. Julia stood dumbfounded.

"I warned you," Geta mumbled to her mother.

Marcus was so angry as he walked with you towards the stairs. He was holding your hand so tightly that it hurt. It seemed like he didn't realize that. He didn't say a word until he came into the room with you, and that upset you. You couldn't bear to see him like that, you wanted to lift his spirits and see him smile again, no matter what. He was still angry as he took off his bracelets. "I hate this!" He growled. "There's always someone or something trying to take you away from me. It is my deepest fear, like a curse that haunts me." He was taking his shawl off in anger but couldn’t do it properly.

You looked into his eyes as you grabbed the hem of the shawl he had wrapped around his waist, lifting it over his shoulder. "No one can take me away from you, my love. You need to have a bit more faith in that."

"If the Council agrees, they can exile me from Rome. Then I'll no longer be a General, I'll be a commoner. Being a soldier is the best I can do. I don't know what else I'm good for, but none of these is worse than being separated from you, my lady."

"Who said you'd separated from me? I would do whatever it takes to be with you." You said firmly. “I would exile myself from Rome if I had to.”

Marcus raised his eyebrows. "But you're a princess, and I'm sure you realise that giving up your fame or your title isn't an option."

You embraced him, your arms encircling his neck. "I would be willing to make that sacrifice for you. After all, what use is being a princess if I'm not going to be with you? You must remember that I was not a princess when we first met, my name was not Aurelia, but Aya, an orphan."

Marcus smiled and wrapped his arms around your waist. "That's right, Aya. You were. My beautiful, innocent Aya."

"Innocent? Do you think I've lost my innocence? Or have you changed your feelings towards me?" You frowned, pursing your lips.

Marcus laughed. "I'm curious how you manage to be jealous of yourself. It must be a special talent of yours, my lady." He laughed again.

You shrugged. "You said 'Aya' so adoringly."

"You are truly astonishing. Once again, you have amazed me, princess. I'm left speechless." He leaned in and kissed you on the lips. "But would you truly consider going into exile with me as Aya?"

"I would be honored to do so if you would have me. With you, I am whole, without you, I am lost. We made a promise to each other, did we not? Where you are Marcus, I am Marca."

He nodded. "Where you are Marca, I am Marcus." His eyes sparkled as his fingers stroked your hair. "You're far too incredible to be ordinary. You must be a goddess." He kissed your temple, his lips brushing against your skin. "My goddess, I worship you. I love you, divine." He then kissed you passionately, adoringly.

"You know, this colour suits you, although perhaps not as well as your white armour, though," you murmured as you broke the kiss.

"Is that so?" He smirked. "Would you like me to share my thoughts about you as well?"

You nodded, smiling.

"I love you in every color of dress, I really do…" His hands worked skilfully, removing your stola and bracelets in a slow, deliberate manner. "However, my favourite look of yours," he said as he slowly removed your tunic, "is exactly like this." His brown eyes traced in your bare body from head to toe. "Your natural, pure beauty." His gaze soon became more intense, you could feel your cheeks flushing and your heart starting to beat faster. The light from the oil lamp illuminated your body, making your hair look more golden than ever, which he found very seductive. Marcus took you gently in his arms and laid you on the bed. He lay down beside you, put his arm around your waist, kissing your cheek tenderly. “Da mi basia mille, deinde centum, dein mille altera, dein secunda centum, deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum. dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, conturbabimus illa, (Give me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, then another thousand, and then another hundred, and, when we've counted up the many thousands, let us confuse them so as not to know them all).” He whispered, and he kissed your chin, then your nose, then the corner of your mouth. The poet and romantic Marcus was here. “Catullus,” he explained.

You smiled. “It's a beautiful poem,” you murmured.

He ran the back of his hand along the line of your collarbone and shoulders. "You're the most beautiful, my love."

His words were so lovely, soft, and arousing, and your body was already writhing to be his. Just as his lips were about to meet yours, he pulled away and got up from bed. Before you had a chance to ask what was going on, he walked over to the desk and opened the drawer. "I almost forgot," he said, holding out a key and showing it to you. "I simply want to ensure that we have some privacy." He walked to the door and locked it. When he turned to you, a childish smile appeared on his face. "It's better to be cautious."

You giggled. "I don't blame you.”

He put the key on the desk and stepped towards you. "Now," he said, putting his knee on the bed. "Where were we, my lady?" He crawled closer to you, with a predatory look. You bit your lower lip and put your knees together, in a teasing manner. "You still haven't taken off your tunic, general." His big hands gripped your knees. "You said you loved it," he whispered, his eyes travelling down your legs.

“I did, but I also love you most when you are not wearing any clothing."

He chuckled. "Do you really, my lady?" He glanced down at himself. "I believe I am in rather good shape, but my body bears many scars from the years. This is a soldier's body, after all, not a pleasant one, I suppose."

"That's not true." You said and got up on your knees. You helped him take off his black tunic. Marcus sat on the bed on his heels and watched you carefully as you ran your fingers over his body. You started with an old wound on his shoulder, then moved on to another. Each one had a memory, and you admired him again as he told you one by one when it happened. The most noticeable of his scars was the one on his abdomen. It was the one that almost killed him, the one you healed, and the one that made you two meet. Now it looked like it had always been there, like the others. You looked at his face then kissed it on the cheek where the wound was. "Your scars show how strong you are, how wonderful you are, how you can overcome anything. They make me love your body more, my love. The first time I saw you, I was struck by the scars you bore. I was really amazed." Your cheeks blushed.

He considered your meaning. "When I was lying unconscious in the tent?"

You nodded. "That's true."

"You never cease to surprise me, my love." He laughed. "Should I cut myself again then?" He teased.

"Marcus, don't be silly." You put your hand on his cheek. "I don't want to see you get hurt again.”

He smiled. ‘'Forgive me, my lady. Perhaps I'm a bit spoiled because I already have the magical cure." He grasped you by the hips, pressing his length against your entrance. "You are such a medicine, healing my body, my soul, my senses, my heart." He whispered into your ear. "My need for you is eternal. I'll never get enough of you." You wrapped your legs around him with a little moan as he laid you back. He was right - he could never get enough of you. Every time he kissed your lips, drank from your mouth, or tasted your skin, he did it with incredible need. You weren't complaining because you couldn't get enough of him either. It was something you couldn't put into words. You wanted it the same way every time, felt satisfied with it, then wanted it again and again. It was like a necessity for your survival. His lips met yours hungrily, and he pushed his length against your walls, making you moan from the sudden pressure on your most sensitive spot. You broke the kiss by arching your back backward. But it gave him the chance to play with your breasts as he pleased. They were already hard before his tongue even touched your nipples. As they'd been quite sensitive lately, just a gentle touch was enough to send you over the edge. However, he was licking, sucking, biting and nibbling them like it was the first time he ever did it, and he was clearly enjoying himself. After a while, no matter how much you resisted, he made you reach your climax with a loud moan. When Marcus felt your heartbeat quicken under his lips, he put his cheek between your breasts and listened to it. He then lifted his head to look at your face.

"As impatient as ever." He murmured. “You couldn't wait for me, could you, my lady?”

"You made me," you panted. "You were aware of how sensitive my breasts were."

"I'm afraid I cannot apologise for that," he said. "But you've been rather impatient lately, I don't think that's the only reason."

"Do you think so?"

"Hmm, I shall prove it," he said, making you roll easily. Your face and knees were turned towards the bed. He guided your hips up towards him, positioning himself accordingly. He put his hands on the bed, on either side of your body, since your walls were already rather slippery, allowing him to slide into you from behind easily. You let out a loud moan as you felt incredible pressure on your most sensitive spot. His muscular chest brushed against your back with each of his intense thrusts, but he was careful to avoid putting too much weight on you. Marcus gathered your hair at the back of your neck and rested his chin on your shoulder. He kissed your cheek and his lips slid from your ear to your neck, then to your shoulder, licking and tasting your flesh on their path. You traced your fingers along the strong arm he'd put on the bed to support himself. And finally, he managed to prove his point, making you come for him a second time. He wrapped his other arm around you and buried his face in your hair, reaching his own climax with a loud groan. He collapsed, and you liked his strong pressure on your vulnerable body. It made you feel like he'd just conquered you all over. Keeping his arm around you, rolled onto his side. Your breathing quickened again, but Marcus's lips were soft against your skin, helping your breath to settle.

Second day of the Funeral Ceremonies.

The first thing you heard when you woke up was the soft murmuring coming from the courtyard and the knocking on the door. And then you heard the door handle being forced.

"Did you lock the damn door? How rude!" Geta's voice came through from the other side.

You opened your eyes and noticed Marcus was not in bed. You looked up and saw him sitting at the edge of the bed, wearing his burgundy tunic.

"I knew I couldn't trust him. It was no surprise. Wasn't it a good idea to lock it up?" He winked at you.

You sat up in bed and smiled. "I'm blessed with a man who is so handsome, so protective and so intelligent. Should I give you a kiss to congratulate you?"

He smiled and leaned towards you. "Yes, please."

You reached up and kissed him on the lips.

Before long, Geta's voice became more subdued, and the footsteps receded into the distance.

"I guess you'll be wearing your armour today."

"Yes, my lady, the second day of the ceremony will be held in the Field of Mars, so I need to be there with the general outfit of mine." He gave you a quick kiss on the shoulder and stood up. You reached down to pick up your tunic from the floor but you felt dizzy and fell back on the bed.

"Aurelia?" Marcus came over and sat on the bed next to you. "My Love, are you alright?" He put his hand on your forehead.

"I think I'm quite hungry, I didn't eat much yesterday."

"I will ask them to bring food for you. Please stay in the room and rest today. I may be back later this evening. I have to pay a visit to the governor afterwards." He said, helping you put your tunic on.

"The governor?"

"Yes, I need to find out where the slaves are and then I will go to check the villa."

"I'd better come with you." You were insistent.

"Aurelia," he shook his head in disapproval. "You simply stay here and rest. I'll find them and have them return to the villa, then we'll go home together, I promise." He took your hand and kissed the top of it. "I have to leave now." He stood up.

"I'll be awaiting for your return."

"Stay safe and rest well, my love." He smiled at you before leaving the room.

Marcus closed the door and made his way downstairs, calling out to Octavius as he walked. Geta heard him and came over. Marcus gave him a nod.

"Acacius, could you tell me where Aurelia is?"

"She's resting in her room, Your Majesty."

"I need to see her," Geta said, heading for the stairs, but Marcus grabbed his arm. Geta looked at him, squinting his eyes.

"She is not feeling well today, you know her condition. Let her get some rest." He spoke in a firm tone.

“Or she is not coming with us? But we'll be leaving soon for the ceremony. Is it safe to leave her here on her own? That wretched Macrinus is still on the loose."

"My soldiers will be waiting outside. The Praetorian guards are inside the palace, and they're loyal to you and the princess."

"I'm not sure, Acacius. Some of the senators are on Macrinus' side, which concerns me. It would be ideal to start ruling officially as soon as possible. I've been informed that the council can meet as an emergency no later than the day after tomorrow. So we must proceed with caution."

"We will, Your Majesty. Now, please allow me to dress properly and then be ready to leave.”

Once Marcus had left, you ate the food that had been delivered to the room and spent a little while resting there. But you soon found the room a bit boring, so you got dressed and left. It was getting late in the afternoon, and the slaves were busy with their daily duties. You went to the tomb in the palace to pay your respects to your father and then went back to the courtyard. Julia had returned from the ceremony and you observed her entering the great hall accompanied by a few people following her. Geta was not present, but it was possible that he was in the great hall as well. It seems likely that Julia was now providing guidance to her son in the running of the empire. You decided to ignore them and go to Cato to check his wounds. However, he was nowhere to be seen, so you walked to the entrance of the great courtyard. There you found him, standing by the gate with another soldier. Upon recognizing you, they saluted you.

“My lady.”

"Cato, I was looking for you. Are your wounds healing well?"

"Thank you, my lady. I am feeling better now. I am truly grateful for your help." He smiled.

"Have you two been standing here all morning? Have you had a chance to eat yet?"

They gazed at each other.

"My lady, the General's orders are clear. We shall eat once he returns." Aris said.

"Sister!"

You turned to Geta's loud voice. He was staggering a little as he walked towards you. Aris and Cato bowed to him. Geta came over, taking your arm.

“I didn't realize you were here,” you said, looking at him.

He let out a sigh. "Well, two funerals for our brother are too much for me to take. I left as quickly as I could. How are you feeling now? Acacius mentioned that you were feeling a little tired this morning."

"I am alright, now." You walked together towards the courtyard. The wound on his forehead was still a bit bad. "I guess no one has treated your wound yet?"

"Hm yes," he said, touching his wound. "Our insane brother has made sure we don't have a medicus here anymore." He let out a sigh. "Even my favourite slave died because of him, poor girl." Then he sat down on the lectus. "It hurts," he murmured.

You approached him. "I am truly sorry brother."

"I meant my wound, silly." He pointed at his forehead.

You smiled at him. "Let me bring you the ointment I prepared earlier." You said and walked towards the palace clinic.

Geta grinned. "If you insist that much."

When you returned with the ointment, you saw Julia sitting next to Geta with a few other women. You recognized some of them – they were your relatives from Leptis Magna. You figured the rest must be the wives of senators. They were all looking at you in a curious way.

"Princess Aurelia, is the child a boy or a girl?" One of them asked.

It was a bit of a strange question to answer yet you didn't want to be too friendly with them. "I suppose it's difficult to tell so soon," you said as you applied the ointment to Geta's wound.

"I have heard some people say that you will give General Acacius a son." One of them said.

"It is necessary to continue the General's family name after all." Another one said.

All of them looked at you, seeking to ascertain any information that might satisfy their curiosity. Julia laughed hysterically. "Aurelia's mother gave birth to a girl, just like her aunts. Given that she has so many girl cousins, I'd say this one will be a girl too.”

One of them, whose demeanor you found to be friendly, made eye contact with Julia and then with you. "After all, Lady Aurelia's mother gave birth to a princess, not an ordinary girl. It is always a possibility that you may give birth to a prince of Rome, my lady."

They all fell silent and glanced furtively at Geta. You put your hands on your belly and smiled. You were almost sure it was a boy, but you had no intention of sharing it with them.

"Stop the nonsense now! You gossipy old women! What difference does it make if it's a boy or a girl? It is going to be my nibling after all. Don't you have a home to go to? I've had enough of you today, so get out of my sight at once!" He waved his hand in a shooing gesture.

They all got up at with murmurs and headed towards the entrance. Julia squinted at you and Geta before following them behind.

"Thank you," you mumbled.

"Don't mind them, they must all be jealous of you."

"Jealous of me?" You asked as you applied the ointment to his wound.

He sighed. "I don't think you realise how splendid and significant you are." He said in a serious tone, like scolding you.

You looked into his eyes but he looked away. "I mean, you're a princess, that's what I mean."

You were startled by the sound of a deep, masculine voice clearing his throat. When you looked in that direction, you saw that Marcus was standing there. You were curious as to how much he had heard. He did not appear angry, or perhaps he was simply trying to keep his promise to you. You stood up and went towards him. You smiled when you noticed the flowers he was holding. They were golden-coloured trollius europaeus (globeflower).

"Or are those for me?" You asked.

"I thought of you when I saw them, my lady. Their colour reminded me of your hair. Did you like them?"

"Yes, they're so lovely, thank you." You said, taking the flowers from him.

"They're overshadowed by your beauty." He said, smiling. Your cheeks flushed.

"Oh, Acacius, you're so romantic!" Geta chuckled.

You both ignored him. "Are you hungry?" you asked. "Come, let me feed you." You said, taking his hand.

"Acacius, where have you been?" Julia asked, walking towards you.

You'd already seen enough of her arrogant face today, and it was starting to bother you.

"I could not see you after the ceremony. We need to talk.’

"I have been preoccupied with personal matters, Lady Domna. What is it?"

Julia looked at you and Geta. "Not here," she said, "Come to the great hall."

“You're so persistent, Mother,” Geta said with a sigh.

You gave your flowers to one of the slaves to take them to your room. Then you followed Julia and Geta to the great hall with Marcus.

"I've been keeping an eye on Macrinus' consuls for a while now," Julia said. You all gathered around the desk with some papers and maps on it. "I've been thinking about how we can get them on our side."

"We? There's no such thing as 'we'." Marcus said firmly.

You smiled when he said exactly what you said before, to the same person.

"You do want to finish Macrinus, don't you? I told you before, that if you had been made a consul by now, maybe we could have stopped him from becoming powerful."

"And I said I'm a soldier, not a politician."

"Yet here we are General. Don't you see how dangerous he is? Caracalla died because of him. Geta and you were close to dying too.”

He put his hands on the desk. "Once the Council declares Cracalla's death a rightful tyrannicide, his will, and all his acts become null and void. Macrinus will be nothing, and I will surely kill him then."

"Even if he dies, his consuls might still support him and not support Geta. I need to get rid of that threat. 'We're on the same side here. He wants something you and I have, right?'

Geta interjected. "I think Acacius is right, Mother. When I rule, Macrinus will lose everything he has. Then we'll kill him easily."

"You're underestimating him. Macrinus has been preparing for this for years, he is so smart yet close to his end now. We just need to give it the final push. I've already won over some of them, but a few are still on his side. I don't know what he's promising them, but if they vote on whether to honour Caracalla's will, he could win."

"We can convince them," You said. "If we tell them the truth; what he's done to Caracalla, how he manipulated him. Then there will be those who want to side with Geta, won't there?"

"You seem pretty sure you can convince them, Aurelia," she said, crossing her arms. "Do you have any idea how tough it is going to be?"

Marcus let out a sigh.

You decided to talk back to Julia. "Maybe they need something to believe in then? If we present Geta's possible policy of rule to them and if we can convince them that we need their support to build Rome's future together, those who are truly willing will accept it, won't they?"

"Aah! If they refuse, we'll slaughter them and do it for Rome! Remarkable, sister!" Geta clapped his hands.

"Is killing really the only solution for you?" you said, squinting.

"With your approach, we can only hope, Aurelia," said Julia.

"Lady Aurelia is right," Marcus said. "Emperor Geta needs to convince them." He looked at him sincerely. "They need to see that Macrinus has no power compared to the emperor himself. Show them that you are your father's son, Your Majesty. It's time to behave like a true emperor."

“Acacius, how dare you say that to me?” Geta shouted at him.

Marcus approached him with a stern look on his face. "You must show them, to your people, that you have changed, that you are capable of more than simply acting as a spoilt emperor."

"Don't cross the line!" Geta pointed a finger at him.

"Maybe later Acacius, we do not have time for that. My son is right," Julia said, crossing her arms. "Anyone who supports Caracalla, anyone still backing Macrinus, we must butcher them and seize all their assets. It will make the others fear and obey."

"This is insane,’’ Marcus growled. He looked at Geta. "Then how would you be any different from your brother, the tyrant?"

Geta thought for a moment, looking a little indecisive.

"That's why you wanted to speak with my husband, isn't it? This was not about politics. You want him to do your dirty work!" You walked over Julia. 

She ignored you. "If you don't, the Praetorians will, Acacius."

"I will not kill Roman consuls." He said firmly.

"Well, that's the last resort anyway. It might not be necessary. I've spoken to the consul Albanus' wife." Julia looked at Marcus a little weird way. "If all goes to plan, she'll help us get more than half the council on Geta's side. You must know her Acacius, she was your former wife after all."

Before Julia could say more, Marcus grabbed her by the throat.

"What are you trying to do?" Marcus yelled.

“Acacius!” Geta shouted. You froze.

Julia was having trouble breathing. You grabbed Marcus's arm with both hands and tried to pull it away from Julia's throat, but he was too strong, and you failed. There was pure anger in his eyes, the kind that always makes you feel scared.

"Marcus, please, you'll kill her!" You begged.

But he didn't. The guards drew their swords.

"General! Release the Lady Domna at once!"

"Acacius, are you mad?" Geta shouted. "Take your hands off her now!"

You knew you were the only one who could calm him down, so you touched his face. "Marcus, please, please! She's not worth it. Please! You promised me," you reminded him.

That's when he looked at your eyes and pulled his hands away. Julia started coughing violently. Geta put his hand on her shoulder. The guards sighed with relief and sheathed their swords with his signal. You grabbed Marcus' hand who was still looking at Julia with a deadly stare.

"Enough talk. We're going to retire to our room now." You said, looking at them, tugging Marcus to the outside. Julia was too shaken up to speak, rubbing her throat. Geta wrapped his arm around her, but he wasn't angry as he looked at you.

"Get out of my sight you two!” He said, hoping his voice sounded sharp. He then gave you a wink. You rolled your eyes.

Marcus was still visibly angry, but he didn't resist your tugging. When you left the great hall, it was his turn to tug.

"That's enough! We're not staying here any longer!" He yelled, his voice echoed across the courtyard. Cato and the others came running towards you.

"Where might we go?"

"Sir!" Octavius called out to him. Marcus stopped him by raising his hand.

He then looked at you. "I've spoken to the governor, and we now have some idea of where the slaves are. We must await the council's decision, however.”

"Have you seen them? Are they alright?" You asked. Marcus looked at Octavius, and so did you.

He didn't seem down anymore. "They'll be fine, my lady," he said with a half smile.

Marcus gave his shoulder a little tap. "I sent Octavius to check them. They'll be out of there soon and we'll return our home, together." He smiled.

"We will," you smiled back.

Marcus turned his head to Octavius. "I need you to get the horse ready a bit earlier than planned."' He said.

"As you wish." He nodded and left.

"But if we're not staying here, and if we're not staying in the villa either, then where are we staying?" You asked Marcus curiously.

He touched your face. "Can I ask you to be patient, my lady? I want to surprise you."

"Surprise me?" You raised your eyebrows.

Marcus smirked. "Make sure you get your things from the room because we're not coming back here again." He said as you walked to the room together.

It was fair to say you didn't have much stuff anyway, given that you were brought here by force. Your old clothes were in a bad state, so they were thrown away. Marcus told you to wear ordinary clothes, and you did. He dressed similarly too. Then you both put on your black cloaks to avoid attention outside. The bad memories you had of this room in the last few days had turned into good memories with Marcus there, so you never thought you would feel a little bit sad when you were about to leave the room.

"My love." Marcus wrapped his arm around you. "If you're not feeling well, we can stay here another night."

"No, I'm fine, we can leave, now," you said with a smile. He put your things in his pera bag and hold your hand. You looked around one last time before leaving the room, noticing the flowers he had brought you on the table. "Marcus! My flowers!"

He stopped you from going there by pulling your hand. "Why don't you leave them here? There are plenty more where we're going. Come."

"What kind of place are we going, I wonder?" You asked as you walked towards the stairs.

"Patience is a virtue, princess." He said, smiling cockily.

"It wouldn't be very virtuous not to answer the Princess's question, would it, General?" You teased him.

He laughed. "So as a princess, you're going to rule over your husband, are you?"

"Can't I?" You asked in a sweet voice.

He stopped and looked at you, his eyes were buttery and intense. "As if you had not already conquered me, as if I were nothing but your humble servant." His voice was really deep, and you could feel your heart beating faster. As he spoke, he brought his lips close to yours.

"Gods above! Are you abandoning me?" Geta's voice interrupted you.

You both looked back at him, his lips twisted like a little boy.

“We can't stay here any longer, brother.”

"But isn't your villa still under repair? And isn't it dangerous out there, Acacius? Where do you think you're taking her?"

"My wife, Lady Aurelia, will be with me. So there's no need to worry, Your Majesty." Marcus spoke in a firm voice. "The soldiers will stay here with you, please do not leave the palace until the day of the council."

Geta kept his eyes on you as if he couldn't hear him. "Make sure of her safety," he muttered.

Marcus squinted at him. "I will."

You sighed. "I'll be fine, brother. I wish you the best of luck with Lady Domna, though." You said quietly.

"I suppose I'll just have to hope that God Fortuna is on my side on that one.” He laughed. He then stepped closer and hugged you. Marcus tensed but remained still. "Take care of yourself and my nephew, or it'll be bad for you."

You smiled and nodded. Marcus squeezed your hand. "We'd better leave now. Your majesty." He bowed his head and turned around, pulling you with him.

The sun was about to set when Marcus stopped the horse on the slope of a hill. It had been quite a long and jarring journey for you. While you were on the horse, he walked the other half of the way so as not to tire the horse out with the weight of the two of you. Thankfully, you arrived soon after.

"My lady." He held out his arms and helped you down. It was a wooded area, with the city silhouetted in the distance, and the Colosseum was the most prominent silhouette.

"We need to walk the rest of the way. Do you think you can make it?"

"I believe I can manage, but this is the middle of the woods."

He smiled. "We're not quite there yet, princess." He took your hand, holding the horse's reins in the other. The path was uneven, with many stones and bushes along the way. After a while, you were sweating and out of breath. Marcus tied the horse and slung the saddle bag over his shoulder.

"We're almost there, let me carry you.” He carefully lifted you in his arms. He was considerate and careful when carrying you. After a little while, you became aware of a rumbling sound, which you thought might be water, and turned your head in that direction. After walking among a few trees, Marcus carefully set you down.

"We have arrived."

Your mouth opened in awe as you looked around, taking in your surroundings. Beautiful meadow field with fresh grass and multicolored flowers in nature against a blurry blue sky with clouds. A waterfall was cascading on mountain rocks ahead, the trees with flowers blooming in heavy clusters all over their branches. The gentle chirping of birds and the soothing sound of the waterfall blended together, creating a harmonious ambiance. Could this be what Elysium on Earth is like?

You were blown away by the view. Marcus' arms wrapped around you from behind. "Are you pleased, my love?"

"Marcus, this place is incredible." You murmured.

He leaned down, rested his chin on your shoulder, and whispered in your ear. "A place where no one can find us or bother us. I think I've kidnapped a beautiful princess from the palace for myself." He laughed.

You turned your head towards him. "Oh, that can't be. I'll have to call for help," you teased.

"Do as you please, my lady." His hands grabbed your thighs and pulled against his crotch. "But I must say, no one can hear you here." He grabbed your chin, turned you around and kissed you passionately.

The kiss became heated and all-consuming. Marcus' eager hands quickly found the belt of your dress and quickly undid it. For a moment, you realised you were overexcited and then you tensed up.

"Marcus, are we really going to make love here?" you asked, glancing down at the grass and flowers.

He shrugged. ‘Why not? No one could come here. Besides, I have come prepared." He bent down and opened his saddle bag. "I must ensure my princess is comfortable." He took a linen blanket out of it and laying it down on the grass. Then he held out his hand to you. "My lady.”

As soon as you touched his hand, he pulled you to him, making you gasp. "Relax, my love. Only the birds can see us here." He slowly he lowered the straps of your dress down your arms. "Let them bear witness to our love." He gave you another kiss, and then he carefully slid your dress down your waist let it fall to the ground. Then he took you in his arms and carefully laid you down on the blanket.The gentle breeze from the waterfall caressed your back, but as your body was filled with a sense of desire, burning with lust, you felt no chill. Marcus removed his shawl and tunic with haste and lay down next to you. As his warm hands explored your body, you shivered with excitement at the change in atmosphere. It was unlike anything you had ever experienced before, a blend of primal and seductive.

"You look absolutely breathtaking lying in the meadow among the flowers." He said it in a husky voice. He took your face in his hands and kissed you deeply. His hands explored every inch of your body, while yours travelled over his shoulders. His warm and inviting lips traced a path to your chin, and his knee pressed firmly between your legs. He sensed your unease and knew how to ease it. He slowly moved his lips from your knees to your hips, and you opened your legs for him, your nervousness now replaced by desire. His strong hands gripped your hips firmly and he smiled triumphantly. All you could feel was his wet tongue, his lips and his beard tickling you as he continued to devour you, all of you. You let out a loud moan as Marcus licked, sucked and bit your aroused folds, most sensitive spot, taking you to the edge. You gripped the hem of the blanket and grass, as moaned loudly not caring if anyone could hear. Gasping for breath, you were surprised to feel the grass between your fingers that you had unintentionally plucked. Marcus wiped your wetness from his chin with his fingers and licked it and settled between your legs. You put your arms around his neck as he kissed you adoringly, hungrily. Both of you savoring the unique feeling of him having you on the meadow under the dark sky. His eager thrusts got deeper, and your back arched, making you look up at the sky. The light was fading, and the birdsong had given way to the sound of crickets. He placed his big hand tenderly under your head as if it were a special pillow for you. His other hand gripped your thigh possessively. His lips traced over your flesh more tenderly and possessively than his hands as he made you his. After a few wonderful thrusts from him and a cry of pleasure from you, his hand grasped the nape of your neck and his mouth found yours. He groaned loudly, almost animalistic as he filled you with his hot liquid, accompanied by the sound of water cascading in the darkness. It was a rather blissful sound to hear. He rested his sweaty forehead between your breasts and remained until your breathing settled. As you ran your fingers through his hair, you felt his lips curl into a smile on your belly. Then his lips moved from your sternum to your collarbone, to your chin and finally to your lips. When his big body was pulled off of you, the cool night wind licked your damp body and made you shiver.

"You must be feeling cold, my lady," he said, standing up.

"A little," you said, hugging your arms, and rubbing them.

Marcus returned with another blanket. He wrapped it around you quite tightly.

"You came well prepared, General," you giggled.

"I told you so," he smirked. He put on his tunic and started picking up some twigs. "I need to start a fire, so you won't be cold anymore." He said.

You watched him as your whole body was wrapped in the blanket. He picked up some stones from around and put them on the grass. He put the twigs and woods he'd collected in the middle of the stones and opened his saddle bag again. He picked up a flint with a sharp point and a piece of steel, the materials needed to start a fire. He put the flint in the thin bushes and struck the flint with the steel in his hand, and after a few strokes, a spark appeared. Marcus blew on the twigs and it burst into flame. You smiled and clapped your hands. "Impressive, General.”

"The perks of being a soldier, I suppose." He said, smiling, as he threw a few thick sticks and pieces of wood on the fire. You wanted to move closer to the fire to warm your body up, but Marcus had swaddled you like a baby, so you couldn't move. He laughed at your stubborn effort and came to you, wrapped his arms around you and pulled you close to the fire. You tugged the blanket and spread your arm to the side, inviting him in. "My love, the fire is good but I need your warmth, will you?"

He smiled. "Whatever my lady wishes for I shall treat as a command." He said and sat down next to you and snuggled up to you under the blanket. His arms wrapped around you and made you lie down with him. "There's no moon tonight, so you can see the stars clearly," he said.

He was correct in his assertion, that the sky had a marvelous sight, akin to a feast of stars. The wood burning with crackle and the sound of the waterfall cascading, as if determined to flow forever, the crickets and the two of you breathing, and the stars themselves—all these elements combined to create a scene that was nothing short of sublime. You simply enjoyed gazing at the stars until you felt your eyes growing heavy.

The day before the Council.

As the first light of the day began to illuminate the meadow with its gentle yellow light, the birds had already started their cheerful songs, welcoming the new day. You continued to listen to the sound of the waterfall and the song of the birds without opening your eyes, and after a while, when the bright sunlight filtered through the trees and fell on your eyelids, you closed your eyes tightly. However, you then became aware of a certain darkness, as if a shadow had fallen, and you decided to open your eyes. When you did so, you were somewhat surprised to see that Marcus's big hand was right above your face. Had he perhaps been protecting you from the sunlight? You took his hand, brought it to your lips and kissed it.

“Morning.” You murmured into his palm, his thumb tracing the curve of your lips.

"My lady, I've decided to forego making a list, but I wonder if I might call this morning the best morning ever?"

"You may do so, General." You smiled.

He smiled back, then locked his eyes on yours. "Your eyes shine almost green in the sunlight like an oasis in the desert, so beautiful." He touched your face with his hand and leaned in to kiss you, with love, passion, and devotion. "You must be hungry," he said after breaking the kiss. He lifted the blanket from around himself and stood up. You sat down and looked at him curiously.

"Did you bring food too?" You asked while you were fixing your hair, taking a few leaves out with your fingers. You got up, found your tunic in the grass and put it on.

"I need to make sure my princess is well-fed." Marcus returned to your side with the bundle in his hand. He sat down next to you and undid the bundle's knots, taking out a few pieces of bread and fruit. He popped a piece of bread into your mouth and then into his own. He peeled the apple for you and made sure you ate it all.

"My lady, I must give this back to you."

"Hmm?" When you looked at him he was holding your scabbard in his hand. You opened your eyes wide and grabbed Marcus' wrist with both hands. "Marcus! This was poisoned!" You shouted.

"Calm down, my love. I've washed and cleaned it. Look." He pulled the knife out of its sheath with a sharp metal sound, it was shining brilliantly in the sunlight.

"Then, you know what I've done." You mumbled. You bowed your head, that tormenting feeling was there again. He put a finger under your chin and lifted your head to look at him.

"I know, and I'm proud of you. Honestly, I'm impressed, I don't think even I could have thought of such a thing." He kissed the tip of your nose. "I've fallen in love with you once again, princess."

You raised your eyebrows. "Really?"

"Indeed. I think it's an act quite befitting the wife of a Roman General, so you needn't feel guilty, my love."

You wrapped your arms around his neck and buried your head in his collarbone. "Thank you. I don't feel guilty anymore, I guess."

He wrapped his arm around you. "Good. It's a relief to know that he died in the same pain I suffered before.”

You felt a pang of sadness when you thought about how you'd seen him suffer the first time you saw him.

You heard a horse approaching, its hooves striking the ground with a sudden, startling noise. Marcus quickly stood up and reached for his sword. "You stay here," he said, gesturing with his hand. It sounded like it was coming from where you first came from. Marcus drew his sword and made his way forward with caution. You got tense, but then he put his sword back in its sheath.

"Octavius," he said quietly, looking at you and then walking over.

"Sir!" You felt a sense of relief when you heard Octavius' voice. He gave you a salute from a distance.

"Why have you come? Is something wrong?" Marcus asked.

"The Council has decided to meet urgently today, sir."

"How? It was scheduled to meet tomorrow."

"Sir, I believe it was a unanimous decision, although I'm not entirely sure. I am here to inform you and also..." Octavius looked at you hesitantly.

"Continue."

"Lady Aurelia must be in the palace, as Caracalla's act has not yet been invalidated and she is therefore still under house arrest. The Praetorian guards are looking for her everywhere."

Marcus clenched his jaw. "Damn you Caracalla." He hissed.

You stood up and approached the two of them. "If that's what it takes, I must go, Marcus. I will be free after the council declares so, right?"

"No, something doesn't feel right. And I can't just trust the guards with Macrinus still out there. That cunt will surely do something to disrupt the council."

"So what do we do, sir?”

"It would be best for her to wait elsewhere until the council has made its decision."

"Where else can I stay for the time being?" You asked, looking at him.

"Somewhere where he or the guards can't find you easily," he murmured. Then something must have occurred to him because he smiled and turned to Octavius. "Inform a few men and station them by the poorhouse. Lady Aurelia will stay there until the council is over."

"Yes, sir."

"Off you go, quickly!"

Octavius nodded and rushed towards his horse.

"Will I be staying in the poorhouse?" You were surprised.

"Yes, my lady, it is safer for you to stay there. Most of the Praetorian guards are still on Macrinus' side. Why do you think I put men in the palace in the first place? Come now my love, I need get you to there as soon as possible.”

Upon your arrival at the poorhouse, you were greeted by the soldiers he had sent for, who were already there. You were feeling somewhat fatigued. The children approached you and gathered around you, expressing their longing for your presence. You smiled at them, although your body was rather tired. Marcus was quick to perceive this and called out to the women in the vicinity.

"Princess is to take a seat and make sure she is comfortable."

They nodded and carried a lectus to the courtyard. Marcus made you sit and knelt next to you, taking your hand in his.

"My love, please await here patiently. Once this is all over, I shall send the carriage to retrieve you."

"Do not concern yourself with me. Please attend to Geta at the council; he will need your presence, there.”

He nodded. "It will all be over soon, my lady and I will then be solely focused on exploring the possibilities of returning home from my duties at an earlier hour." He kissed the top of your hand and stood up. "I will arrange for you to be taken as soon as the council makes a decision.” He said, mounting. He looked at you one last time before he kicked his horse forward. You smiled at him.

Once he'd left, you closed your eyes and leaned back to get some rest. The soldiers who had stayed to keep an eye on you spread out and, like you, waited to see what the council would decide.

After a short rest, a few of the boys you had met earlier approached you and asked you questions about Marcus. They saw him as a hero. You had a long chat about his armour, his sword and the tigers he killed in the Colosseum. You found yourself hoping that one day you might be able to have a chat with your own children about their father and his victories. You had hoped to give Marcus a son. You hoped to raise a son who was as brave, fearless, and good-hearted as Marcus.

It was not long after noon when the sound of a carriage's wheels and the echo of horses' hooves pounding on the stone streets was heard. When the soldiers gathered there, you stood up and looked around curiously. One of the soldiers then demanded that the coachman identify himself.

"Sir, General Acacius sent me here to take Lady Aurelia to Palatine Hill." He said to them.

"Has the Council announced their decision?" You asked.

The man bowed his head. "Forgive me, my lady, I am not yet informed, I am merely following orders, the General has ordered me to take you."

"We will accompany you, my lady," said one of the soldiers.

You nodded. Marcus had given them strict orders, after all. One of them helped you into the carriage and you sat down. The council meeting was over sooner than you thought it would be, but Marcus wouldn't have sent it for you if the decision hadn't been made. You couldn't wait to get back to him and then back to the villa together. You were filled with excitement.

However, the carriage suddenly stopped with a loud horse neighed. You gripped your seat tightly to prevent yourself from falling.

"My lady, forgive me!" the coachman called out to you.

You peeked out the door to see what was going on. The road ahead was obstructed by the overturned carts of market vendors. It seemed as though the owners of the carts were engaged in a discussion.

"Head to the other way, turn round now!" One of the soldiers shouted at the coachman. He then turned toward you. "My lady, please get inside and sit down."

You did as he said. The coachman turned his horses in the other direction and entered a narrow alleyway, causing a slower pace of travel while the soldiers followed the carriage from behind. After traversing a few streets, the coachman brought his horses to a halt once more. And before the soldiers had a chance to react, they were struck by arrows that came from nowhere. When you heard horses neighed loudly by fear, you rushed out and were shocked by the sight you saw. They had fallen from their horses and perished from the arrows that had struck their bodies. You looked ahead and saw a few Praetorian guards with bows in their hands.

"Lady Aurelia."

A chill ran down your spine as you heard the familiar voice. You turned your head slowly to face him.

Macrinus approached you with an arrogant grin. "Did you miss me?”

thank you for reading! your reblogs, comments, likes are soo important to me so please if you enjoyed, support me thank you..

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[morepeachyogurt]

i love you, i do, but i cannot fucking stomach you

1. richard siken | 2. david foster wallace | 3. slavoj žižek | 4. x? | 5. succession, jesse armstrong. gif by @lesbiankendall | 6. orla gartland | 7. trista mateer | 8. ilya repin | 9. iain thomas | 10. thoroughbreds, cory finley | 11. yrsa daley-ward |

text id below

1. sometimes you get so close to someone you end up on the other side of them

2. [in red highlight] everything i’ve ever let go of has claw marks on it.

3. [white text on a background of a field] A FRIEND HAS TO BE OUTSIDE MY REACH, BEYOND MY GRASP. AND THERE CAN BE NO FRIENDSHIP WITH SOMEONE WHOM I AM NOT READY TO BETRAY: A FRIEND IS SOMEONE I CAN BETRAY WITH LOVE.

4. Long before Caesar and Brutus were lessons, they were friends. // They played with stick swords in their kingdom of trees // and dressed up in crowns of flowers // and painted mud on each other's faces. // The pair was often found walking down dirt roads, // Caesar stomping proud and tall, // and Brutus- step by step- placing his feet into the footprints left behind. // Caesar grew into a strong Roman man. // Brutus grew into Caesar's shoes. // They walked to a wishing well and they threw in their weapons // and Caesar whispered a prophecy: // "We live and die together." // The day before the slaughter, Brutus took pause. // He turned to Caesar and thought // "I'll love you twice as hard today to make up // for tomorrow," // and they stayed up and played cards on the kitchen floor. // It wasn't until the next morning that Brutus realized how cold the tile was. // Life and death are not mutually exclusive. // When Caesar died, so did Brutus, in the sense that he never really lived again. // In the present, when someone mentions one of them, // they seldom exclude mention of the other.

5. a scene from succession. the characters kendall and stewy are in a dimly lit alley, one walks away from the other while saying “you’re my third oldest friend. you fucked me like a tied goat. we’re great.”

6. I'm not happy if you're not happy // And swear that you're always sad // You're pathetic, I resent it // When you're down, it hurts so bad

7. I've gotten so good about not flinching at the sound of your name that people don't know I'd still throw myself mouth-open into the ocean for the chance to drown somewhere you might see it.

8. the painting ‘Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivana’. it depicts a man holding another man who is bleeding profusely from his head.

9. there are a million ways to bleed, but you are by far my favorite.

10. scene from the movie thoroughbreds. a character lays crying wrapped around her friend, she is covered in blood, her friend is unconscious.

11. [in pink highlight] and be wary of friends, yeah? they are the ones who kill you, in the end.

[bexalert]

Jojo characters reactions to you being hurt

(Jonathan, Joseph, Jotaro, Kakyoin, Dio)

(mentions of violence)

Jonathan Joestar:

• Since he can heal, he’s not too worried

• But he’s still freaking out a bit inside.

• He’s SUCH a gentleman

• “Are you alright? Here, let me carry you.”

• Even if you’re fine, this man is watching you like a hawk.

• He just doesn’t want to lose anyone else :(

• If it’s a more severe injury, broken limb, stab wound, etc. He’s more jittery

• Like if you’re visibly in pain he’s gonna feel awful.

• “Please don’t cry- it ok. I’m here.”

• If he can’t be there, he’s gonna have Speedwagon or Baron watching you.

• He’ll fight for your honor 😤

• He’ll just do to your attacker what they did for you

• And a little bit more 🤭🤏

• But he’s still honorable! So he won’t go too far

• He knows you’re capable he’s just really worried and paranoid.

• He just cares so much :(

Joseph Joestar:

• He’ s gonna be making jokes

• Not because he doesn’t care, he just wants to make you feel better

• He’s so confident it’s almost annoying

• “Don’t worry, Joseph Joestar is here!”

• *wink*

• But if someone did this to you, you best believe Joseph is messing them up.

• “You made a big mistake hurting Y/N!”

• It’s gonna be night and day

• He’s so gentle and nice with you

• And then he’s beating someone half to death

• If it’s a more severe injury, he’s PISSED

• Tells Caesar or Lisa Lisa to watch you while he murders someone

• Skipping the witty quip

• Just going straight into destroying them

• He’s gonna be a lot nicer if you’re genuinely hurt

• Doesn’t want to make jokes if it’s more serious

• “Everything’s gonna be alright, Y/N.”

• He’s not leaving your side

• If medicine isn’t making you feel better, he will.

Jotaro Kujo:

• If silent but deadly was a person

• He’s not even gonna have to fight whoever hurt you

• He’s just gonna walk up to them and they’re already on their knees apologizing

• “Don’t apologize to me.”

• Now they’re desperately apologizing to you, and you’re confused cuz it’s just a scrapped knee.

• You’ll have to tell Jotaro that you’re ok and it’s not a big deal.

• Cuz at this point you feel bad for this random guy

• But if it’s a severe injury

• This person is fucked

• He’ll make sure you’re ok, and leave you with one of the other Stardust Crusaders

• And then Star Platinum is killing someone

• And Jotaro is just glaring

• You are not leaving his line of sight

• “Are you ok?”

• You won’t notice, but he’s gonna be hyper aware of what you’re doing

• Helicopter parenting

• He’s gonna make sure you’re happy and safe.

Noriaki Kakyoin:

• He’s very worried

• If it’s something small, he’s probably not gonna go after whoever did it

• He’s just gonna make sure you’re ok.

• “Are you hurt? Let me see, I’ll help.”

• He’ll patch you up, and you’ll go on about your day

• But if it’s a worse injury

• He’s FREAKING out

• His eyes are going all wide and he’s gonna go straight to you.

• If it’s an easier enemy, he’ll stay with you and have Hierophant Green get them, or vice versa

• But if it’s another stand user, he’ll leave you with the Stardust Crusaders and destroy them 🥰

• He’s making it quick, cuz he just wants to make sure you’re ok

• He feels guilty that he couldn’t keep you from getting hurt

• He doesn’t want to seem clingy, but he’s gonna stay right by you’re side

• “I’m sorry you got hurt. I won’t let it happen again.”

• And he means that

• He’s going to keep you safe

Dio Brando:

• oh boy

• You gotta try and calm him down

• Like you’re frantically trying to convince him not to kill this poor dude

• “How dare they touch you?!”

• If you’re able to convince him to leave the guy alone, his mood will be soured, and you won’t hear the end of it.

• But eventually he’ll let it go

• If you’re seriously injured, however, he’s not letting it go.

• He’s going to take his time and make them suffer.

• He’ll have one of his lackeys take him away, and make sure you’re fine.

• If you’re not, he’ll get you the best care

• And he WILL make this person suffer

• “They will not get away with doing this to you, believe me.”

• He’ll do to them what they did to you, but tenfold.

• And he’s gonna be clingy, but will deny it

• He’s gonna act like he’s on top of you 24/7 for your sake

• But he was actually just really worried

• He knows that he has many enemies, and doesn’t want you involved

• He’s not gonna forget about it for a while.

[praisetheaxolotl]

The Arsonist Theory, Part 2: We Get It, The Billboard Was A Metaphor

Part 1: Mandibles!

First off, I want to say thank you all for giving the first part of my theory such love! I appreciate each and every one of you and I'm so happy that you all like my theories so much!

For those who are new here, the Arsonist Theory proposes that Bill wasn't alone in destroying his dimension- rather, he was used by a third party. This is part two of four, with the remaining two parts coming out very, very soon.

Also, same as before:

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK OF BILL, INCLUDING SOLUTIONS TO CIPHERS

Let's get into it, shall we?

In The Great Gatsby, certain motifs have more than one symbolic meani-- no, really, stay with me here!!

...Okay, fine. Let's back up.

In the Book Of Bill, you'll find a webpage called thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com. Go there, and you'll be prompted to enter a password. Go back to the Book of Bill, and hidden in a stretched-text section, you'll see the phrase NEED A PASSWORD? FINE, I'LL TALK / IT'S THE NAME OF THE EYEBALL DOC.

"The eyeball doc" is from the excerpts of The Great Gatsby further back in the book-- T.J. Eckleburg.

(Honestly, this explanation is moreso that context doesn't get lost to time.)

So... Gatsby. T.J. Eckleburg.

Hirsch could have chosen any number of public domain novels for that gag in the book... so why this one? Why tie it in by making it the password?

I believe it has some significance to the greater plot. Furthermore, eye doctors in general are a large point of Bill's early life in Euclidia. Take the silly straws- the red one has a numeric cipher, while the other three use a Caesar cipher.

In the order of RGBY, they read as follows:

TWISTED OUT OF SHAPE AFTER THE KILL / THE GHOSTS OF HIS FAMILY ARE HAUNTING HIM STILL Eye doctor of a different kind / Who wants to make his patients blind The doctor says / Three sips a day / Will make the visions / Go away Fussy eater / Baby Billy / Wouldn't drink / Unless it's silly

These ciphers refer to a certain couple of tidbits Bill tells us about his home.

One- He could see the third dimension. A rare mutation.

Two- Talking about it at all was illegal.

So, what were his parents to do when their son started talking about nonsense that was illegal to even mention? Well, if your child started acting strange and seeing things that weren't there... you would take them to the doctor.

It's clear to me that Bill's parents were concerned about the "visions" their son was experiencing, and took him to the doctor to cure them- an eye doctor that wants to make his patients blind. The blue straw explains how the medicine is supposed to work. The yellow straw explains why Bill has such a fondness for silly straws- he was a picky little kid, and hated his medicine, so his parents got him silly straws to drink it out of.

I wonder if that's why he collects them- because they remind him of home, of his mother urging him to take his medicine, of his life before all of this happened.

But never mind all that.

The thing is, an eye doctor is crucial to Bill's past, which of course brings me back to T.J. Eckleburg.

In The Great Gatsby, certain motifs have more than one symbolic meaning, and the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg are no exception.

(Okay full disclosure, I have not actually read Gatsby and I'm Sparknotes-ing this shit. But, so did all of you when you were assigned this in high school, so we're even.)

They appear on a billboard in a place called the Valley Of Ashes, and at first, they seem to symbolize God. But as the scenes continue, they take on a different meaning.

See, our POV character, Nick, is going on this journey to meet the mistress of his friend. Nick is aware that this is an immoral action, yet does it anyway. Now, the eyes of Eckleburg cast judgement... along with issue a warning.

They now take on a new meaning-- a foreboding omen about the tragedy that lies in wait, inching ever closer. The tragedy in Gatsby being the death of Myrtle, the mistress, and subsequent string of deaths that follow it-- and, curiously, Nick states that the eyes of Eckleburg almost supernaturally draw him someplace... which ends up being where Myrtle is.

Both a higher being, and a warning of a horrible tragedy that ends in death upon death upon death... curious!

What's more curious is when Bill is admonishing the story and Un-Gatsby-ing us, he says this:

The billboard is a metaphor? Why mention that? Out of all the symbolism in this book, why the billboard? Is it because it was mentioned in the preceding pages? Then why mention the theme of the American Dream being a myth? That wasn't on those pages! If you had to mention symbolism, the green light would have been the most iconic example of it from the book.

So why the billboard?

Is, perhaps, the image of some sort of higher power watching you, admonishing you of the tragedy you will have a hand in causing, supernaturally pulling you to someone that will be the catalyst for it all.... relevant somehow, to Bill?

(And, as a sidenote- the theme of the American Dream being hollow could also apply here, as Bill got what he wanted- freedom into the third dimension, Weirdmageddon, all of it. But he's still not happy and still wracked with guilt over Euclidia, ultimately an interloper in a place he doesn't belong in, just as Nick says at the end of the novel that he is a Midwesterner unsuited to life in the East Coast city.)

Let's talk about Flatland.

It's interesting to note that in the original novel, A. Square does have help witnessing the third dimension-- a Sphere contacts him, and tells him about the third dimension, intending to use the Square as a conduit to educating the rest of Flatland.

This, of course, leads to mass imprisonments and executions, one of said imprisonments being of the Square's own brother, with the Square being imprisoned himself at the end of the book.

Point being... in the original story of Flatland, the two-dimensional outsider was visited by a higher being, one that used him to alter Flatland and only ended up causing chaos and ruining lives.

All I'm saying is, the Book of Bill and Bill's story in general draws parallels to two existing books-- Flatland, and now The Great Gatsby. It would be foolish to write this off as a random occurrence when the game of Gravity Falls has always been analyzing the smallest of details. I believe the choice in book was on purpose, and moreso, that it was specifically used to hint that maybe Bill wasn't alone in all this. There was some kind of higher being that influenced him, just as the Square was influenced. That looked down upon him with impossibly wide eyes, pulling him closer and closer to ruin.

Oh, by the way-- Bill up there mentions being touchy about his weaknesses ever since... something. This is clearly his death, but... is that all he means? But that's gonna be in part four.

Next time, it's all about the many cycles and the distinct breaking of them present in Gravity Falls itself, and what that means for Bill as the villain and foil to them.

Part 3: Journey To The Vicious Spiral Nebula

Part 4: Blame The Arson, Not The Fire

[death---dealer]

Greetings of the Day. ( Planet of the Apes Imagines. )

We are soft here don't look @ me them greeting you for the first time that day kill me Characters Included Below: Caesar, Noa, Blue Eyes, Anaya, Koba. Warnings: Sexual implications below. If you are not comfortable with that, please do not read. It is not full on NSFW but there are mentions of Ape Mating/Nudity. Thank you.

Caesar always saved you a spot for the communal meals he partook in with the Colony. High above the rest, it towered like a bird's nest; the perch where he was waiting for you. It was important, the aspect of eating together, it was important that the Apes saw him, it was a great responsibility that his confidence aired at the state his people were in. Free, imbued with purpose beyond cages and building themselves the lives they deserved after the Simian Flu ravaged and gave them incredible intellect while killing most of the Human Population.

Most... Caesar watched with bated interest as you came into view, your gait shy and feet placing them carefully against the slick rock as a bid to get your balance to not fail you. Amusement rested in the diaphragm of the Ape as you greeted with a small smile first, always was the case and it was so ingrained in Caesar that he at times forgot that it was an innate and affectionate human aspect you carried towards him. He liked it regardless, returning to you a small huff of happiness at your arrival.

Always, a smile and always shoulders tugging into themselves as it usually was around the Chimp but even more so as he had been quick out of the nest this morning and felt a shatter of guilt at the fact that this was the first time you had seen each other the entire day. Your scent wrapped the Ape into the most intoxicating state so that he knew what your interests were as your waft was sent briskly at him, wistfully it was lost to everyone but Caesar. With a hard swallow, the King could see you out of his peripheral. Careful as to not impose on his status, as if there was really care that was needed.

Your fingertips brushing against his fur lined shoulder ghosting and giving a tease of more to come if he wanted it later, causing the bristled hairs to stand on end as a result. Caesar drew a deep breath in and scooted a wickered bowl with the knuckles of his left hand your way as you sat cross-legged. Silent offering of the meal he saved for you, knowing what you loved to eat. It bounced against your kneecap as he brought his hand upwards, fingers of his left hand trudging themselves into the hair at the back of your head and dragging you willingly to kiss foreheads.

Quiet and languid, in front of the entire Colony it felt like your breath stopped at the look of Caesar’s face getting so close to you in such a public setting, mouth parting to protest but there was nothing that came to fruition. Caesar…  was sure in his choice of mate, all deserved to see that as your eyelids fluttered shut and you accepted the form of greeting and attractive possessiveness by pressing your forehead back against his own.

Around the edges of his calloused touch as he tugged you even further into him was a small apology for leaving you before dawn, for not making the time to spend with you during the day. Lightly, a hand was placed on his thigh, squeezing at the thickened muscles and convoluted a sense of familiar desire that dripped its rampant torture down his muscle encrusted chest, downwards to his pelvic and then to rest heatedly where your hand was resting.

Caesar looked down at it and nodded to himself against your forehead. You accepted his apology and as reluctant as he is to pull away, he does just that as you bless him with a blushed grin, eyes now focusing on the bowl he had saved for you. "Busy day?"

The Ape King was not big into small talk, you knew that. Thick fingertips grasped at a delicately small blueberry and you found it engaging enough to see it placing itself into his mouth with a withdrawn gaze towards his glassy gaze the moment he chomped down on it and you were able to hear the muffled crunch. Caesar would rather dally in convoluted silence or drag you to the seclusion of the nest for more.

But... The draw of your voice urged him as he began to talk about the intricacies of what had happened from the time he rose to the time he was brought back to your side, where he felt he belonged as you still had your hand on his thigh, drawing yourself the few inches that rested between you so you were properly allotted, shoulder to shoulder, to make up for the lost hours of the day.

Noa can oftentimes smell you before you come into view as so was the case when you arrived at the Eagle Enclosure in the mornings to come fetch him for the morning meal otherwise in his obsessive nature, he'd forget to eat and continue to work, never taking a moment for himself for how could he when there was so much to do? This particular morning, he's able to captivate himself in the drench of your sweet musk coming up the winded walkway, so cornered and catered to Noa's personal preferences that he wanted nothing more than to dig his face into your neck and drink it up. Noa would, given the chance. Over and over again, as long as you would let him.

'Are you ready?' You sign at him with a smile that always rides the dawn into affection and adoration for your mate.

'Anaya, Soona... Waiting. Anaya is very hungry today.' There was a motion towards your stomach that was incredible and affectionately Echo as you rubbed your own stomach in a quip to hunger. Noa raised his shoulder at that and gave you a few huffed hoots, shaking his head ardently at the notion that Anaya refused to eat unless around those most important to him. 

Drilling into a small silence, Noa’s glance scooted towards your shape to admire the way that you laughed so sleepily, still stuck half way between the notion that the nest was more inviting than going to the meal that was cusping with the sun that was rising against the landscape.

Your jugular bounced for him, and only him… Noa stifled himself at that; never in the morning times were his thoughts were so torn. Only in the nest, he reminded himself, privately. Echo’s liked… Privacy…. Not the Eagle Enclosure… Not… Why were you looking at him with those hooded eyes? Your feet drawing themselves into the room slowly to pet Eagle Sun who had been staring at you with his small beady and attention-seeking gaze.

You watched, bated over your shoulder as Noa broad form took off the last of the Eagle sleeping masks with his skilled fingers, drawing your bottom lip in as he lightly rested it down on his work bench, scattered with many items that he was either working to improve, or was analyzing how they worked. "Yes, ready…." He was hushed, the strong movements of his body catapulting your still sleepy mind into a fit of happiness as he trailed from one end of the room towards you near the entryway.

"Having a good morning?" Equally hush, you felt a small gasp hit the back of your throat at his long and well-built arm encasing your waist and tugging you forward without reserve. Your chest crushed against his own as you carded a hand into his shoulder for leverage. There was the concentrations you needed to confirm the attraction as you could see the shift of Noa's eyes under his strong brow line tracing the top of your breasts against the muscular nature of his pectorals and felt a shudder lick down your spine. So that's what he wanted.

Two could play at that game.

"You were out of the nest before I was awake..." Infliction was known, intentions coming to the forefront that had Noa not left so early, there would have been more in store for him. He growled deeply in his chest at that, stupid Noa... Stupid, stupid.... Noa assented his response with a nod, green gaze falling shut as your head was cupped between his two commandeering palms and he drew his primal scruff inwards to let his brow ridge ride against yours teasingly. Barely a grazing of the Apes leathered skin against your eyebrows which brought a tilted grin to your cheeks and then more ardently, Noa possessed your forehead against his own. Mine, the action said and you mimicked the possession by dragging your hand against the grain of his fur to grasp at the base of his thick neck and pulling the fur into a tight ball between your fingers.

"Anaya..." Noa muttered, following the movement as you were pulling at his coat, your irises dilating at the visual of his canines so close to your face; a call back to the position you held yourself in the night before, "Can wait... Need... Morning... encouragement."

The placement of the last word left you tilting your head back in laughter as Noa quite literally picked you up into his arms and swept to place you on his work bench, some of the items cluttering behind you as there was nothing else he wanted to be obsessed with now. The shift of his touch cupping the underside of your thighs before you made contact with the wood tabletop left you tilting your head backwards in a hazed motion, circular to showcase the beating of your heart against the very thin pores of your jugular. "Hm... Don't think he's going to like that." Muttering teasingly, you drew your arms around his neck fully once more and brought Noa's handsome features closer for your own guilty pleasure. Careful, you smirked at him and dragged your forehead against his own once more, this time with an open mouth that teased his very name at the end of your tongue.

"Anaya...is just jealous..." Your smirk turned smug at the broad Chimps choice of phrasing, a tug of a gasp gripped around your tightening throat as Noa pressed his face into your jugular, feeling the beating of the muscle contracting as he bared his teeth playfully for you, one small nip being placed right as your heart began to speed up at the Echo body language he was expressing; taught to him by yours truly, eyes fluttering shut out of reflex and trust.

"Noa," He whispered in a deeply setting baritone, confident in that placement, against the shell of your ear, breath suddenly hot and heady against your sweat-prone skin, "Has Echo... all to himself... For a morning meal."

Blue Eyes considered himself a very early riser, usually before the day break and used that alone time to sit in introspection of the feelings he cased around inside, all things about you and about how you made his inside feel twisted.

The knowledge was all encompassing to the Ape, that you two were a mated pair and he felt good about that, glancing back at the nest that you were currently tangled in, the drawing of your breath evident in the rising and falling of the animal hide that coated you. The Prince placed that on you when he left your side, knowing you'd wake up and complain that you were cold. He knew that you were naked, bare for him and only him under the pelt and Blue Eyes felt his fur rising at the idea that he… Was allowed to press his hardened form against yours at any moment. Pensively, he peered out the entryway of the home he made with you, admiring the singing of the birds in the distance as they must have sensed the impending sun that was rising across the land. The glow around the trees was another indication, an azure stare looking at the leaves shift with a minor breeze.

A rush of movement that was not the air, Blue Eyes tilted his head at the crackling behind him and figured quickly that you're just shifting into a more comfortable position but then his acute hearing captures the sound of your feet pattering against the wood flooring. Turning his face, Blue Eyes is able to see you stepping carefully, to see the sleepy gait of your shoulders that leaves him huffing in amusement that you dragged the animal hide with you as it scooted behind you.

'Should stay in nest.' He signed at you, suddenly displaced by your wonderful appearance of tousled hair and droopy gaze. Ignorance was only bliss at times, sometimes it was sinful as Blue Eyes looked between the slit of the animal pelt and stiffened at the appearance of your exposing naked form.

Nearly full frontal, he could brisk his glance against your sternum, captivated in part by the breasts he knew were hiding just beyond his line of vision. Down the delicate and soft nature of your stomach, belly button… The tuft of pubic hair, Blue Eyes lingering there at the prospect of just sweeping you up and taking you back in full to the nest with carnal inflictions. You had no shame in showing him what was already so well known to Blue Eyes’ hands and hips, his shuffle indicative of the rising thoughts he tried to keep down as he argued only half-heartedly as you made your approach towards him, 'Warm there.' "Warm here." You muttered, gently placing your body beside his and wrapping half of the animal pelt around his shoulder even though you knew his fur was more than enough to substantiate during the chill of the morning. Blue Eyes swallowed hard at the waft of your scent, driving his senses into overdrive as he shifted his body to accommodate yours as you jilted against his side, breasts pushing themselves together, he was catapulted into a fluttering state of morning-filled ecstasy. "Hmmm..."

"Falling... back asleep?" Blue Eyes uttered in his deep baritone having noted that your eyes were slipping up and down, lulling at the tone of his voice that always left you dripping into what felt like a lake made of slackened honey. So yummy around the edges to indulge in that you were willing to drown yourself to see what was at the bottom.

"Nooo..." You flash him a sleepy grin and nuzzled further into his side, taking in the musky scent that clung to his fur with a desperation to coat your bare flesh with the same scent. Ash from the bonfire the night before, the redwoods that towered happily outside the Colony and the brisked nature of moisture against the pillars of a cliffside.

Blue Eyes just stared down at you curiously, your hair pressing to the young Apes face as he drew his mouth to close. Lightly, he tucked his muzzle into the crown of your head, letting his chin rest against your skull as he felt your breathing shift to shallow.

You were falling back asleep, he knew that as the Prince tucked an arm around you to keep you close to his side, relishing in how your curved body felt under the rough oval pads of his fingertips, yearning always for that bit of contact but at times too shy to ask in fear of rejection that always cusped at the back of his mind like a smothering hand despite being sturdy in his knowledge that despite Blue Eyes having chose you, the action was mutual and you... Choose him.

Blue Eyes would carry you back to the nest in a few minutes though... When he finally got himself calmed down enough from garnering your nude and sleepy attention.

Anaya can feel your body shifting next to his own as your teetering in and out of the deeply embedded throes of sleep. A disgruntled groan hits the outside of your eardrums which you respond back to with your own; the digression coming from the lack of desire to wake up fully and face the day.

Anaya… Would rather stay in bed, as evident from the way that his proportionally shorter legs tangle themselves into knots around your kneecaps and his dexterous feet and toes were tickling around your calves to beg you to stop moving, pining to keep you as close to him as possible as his thinned waist drifted upwards a bit before falling back down, more deliciously angled towards your heated body to cater to the desire to have you near to him, solidifying with body language alone that you were not allowed to be torn away from Anaya’s side at this time. The action itself was the Chimps safety measure to keep you near to him during the night for the Ape found security in that, but now? 

It was being used against you to stop the prospect that you needed to wake up and leave him alone in the nest. Come closer, his warmth told you as it radiated from the very tips of his darkened fur that would only seep into highlighted colors once the sun was falling against him, drenching in the day that was not yet being accepted by either of you. Your eyes, flushed with the first morning light that seeped into the nested area you made together, you groaned softly once more and moved towards him as a reaction to his own muscles tearing against yours, burrowing your face into his neck and dripping into the fur coat without a seconds worth of hesitation.

Anaya gratefully accepted the movement and grind you gifted against him, stifling himself a low sitting groan from deep in the back of his throat out of incredible comfort and you can feel the pull of his long arms around your entire form, informing around your smoothed shoulder blades, tugging at the skin that the pads of his fingers are pressing ovals into, drudging you flushed against the taut outer muscles of his body without reserve and without much strength needed as it was apparent from the rise and fall of his chest that he was still half asleep and it was lulling you back into the slumbers of dreams as well.

Every breath, your eyelids falling shut slowly, the attempt to fight off rest being too great when the Chimp was so delectably smooshed against you with the warmth of his coat tickling at the outer edges of your hazed mind and you felt yourself drifting as Anaya’s hold on you loosened. He trudged back to a full sleep without hesitation, the small drifting air from his mouth tickling at the top of your head as he rested his chin against the crown of your skull. Like a childhood toy was how you were being held and you wanted it no other way. “Need… to get up soon…” You grumbled lazily and yawned against his muscular neck, getting yourself a tasteful mouthful of his fur which in your crazed sleep-driven mind, felt good against your tongue as you lapped at it slowly before drawing it into a pinched kiss that coated the outside of his fur in your saliva. If he were allowed to mark you with his scent, you were allowed to do the same.

Anaya twitched in response to action and the softened nature of your voice in the air, dreamlike in infliction and his mouth tugged into a minor grin as Anaya imagined you whispering more than just that for his laden mind. “Noa and Soona… Fishing… hm….” “Can go on without us.” Anaya offered, rolling his body weight onto yours which you gratefully accepted and wrapped your arms around his broad shoulders, carding into the fur that enclosed the ripple of muscles that lay beneath; never quite as noticeable with him as with Noa, but they were hard to ignore when you were able to ardently touch them with selfish intent. “Anaya is… not ready… to wake… Echo needs to go back… to sleep too…” Fluttering your eyes shut, you can feel his hot breath casing against the skin of your neck as that’s where the Ape chose to press his face into, his muscular form crunching at you in all the best ways as the hands you hand on him tenderly stroked his shoulder blades and then upwards towards his neck. “But---”

The smile that spread across your face was nothing short of drowsy, trying to yawn but getting your chest crushed by Anaya’s was a better option as you hear him mutter fluttering into your hair. “Back… to sleep.”

Koba never takes in the solace of actually greeting you face to face in the mornings. It’s surely something you’ve come to terms with, given your precarious position in the Colony regardless as your eyes swept across the communal aspect of the morning meal. The blaze of the fire in front of you was always enough to scatter heat against your skin, especially your face that was exposed to the air that drifted inland from the ocean. Bitter and salty it was on your tongue as your gaze was determined.

Never searching for anyone in particular, you thought to yourself and tried to convince your mind of its pull towards the other direction, never wanting to see the Bonobo who struck an odd chord in your mind that was as relentless as gravity at times. Fingers twitched against the wicker bowl in your lap, taking in the way that one of the small twitches of a branch had been cut off roughly and you played it against the delicate nature of your finger print. Koba… would tear them right off with his teeth, you knew and found some sickening curiosity at what it must have felt like as you grazed your finger a bit harder. 

Koba would eat your fingerprints off happily, grinning with blood between his canines,just to take away what little semblance of Humanity you had left and it was hard to dismiss the rolling cascade that you had to admitted seek for him first thing in the mornings now because it became alluring to captivate the dance of aggravated assault on his part and mutually exclusive attraction without cause from your side. Guilty as sin, was the Human phrase and if you ever uttered that to the shattering nature of the Bonobo, you were sure that you’d be scalped for it. 

Giving up always seemed the better option as you looked down at your bowl rather than really coming to terms that you wanted more with him, nothing but a few plucked berries and a sliver of elk meat, enough to sustain until the afternoon rolled around and you felt the craving for something more substantial. Tugging at your jacket zipper anxiously, the feeling in the pit of your stomach felt odd, you tilted your head and tried to ignore the feeling but it kept rearing its head to the forefront. You were unable to detect the unmistakable gait; the tearing of muscles that seemed to appear to eat themselves alive, the slanted jaw, the fixed hatred in his gaze whenever he looked at you. 

There was no way that what you were feeling was… Worry, right? Why would you feel that, scanning the area once more. The Bonobo was able to care for himself, he didn't need the pity from you that you were worried something might have happened to him and that’s why he was so late to the morning meal.Nah, you shook your head to yourself and picked at the blueberry in your bowl, dragging it around with your pointer finger. Around and around it went, making you feel a semblance of dizziness before there was chatter high above. 

The perch of the council, you recognized in your brief time of staying with the Colony. Caesar, Rocket, Cornelia, Maurice, Blue Eyes… All chattered a greeting to each other, the casing of their voices all familiar to you now.

Peering over your shoulder, your felt your mouth tickle at the polyester fibers from your jacket and you lightly kissed the fabric at the last Ape to finally join the congregation above. Koba himself; his thigh muscles even from this distance distinctive enough to see the tendons from the thinned fur that coated parts of his body. Strong, your mind weakened itself in its state of minored empathy you had towards him as he flickered his eyes aggressively towards you.

Stiffening, you felt the tickling at the back of your throat that threatened to release into a strangled gasp of sorts at the intensity of how his one good iris dilated upon meeting your own, the other milky; fingers twitched against the berry you had been teasing as you wanted nothing more in the moment than to feel your touch against the light pink and white scar that supplemented the darkened skin on striking and disgust torn features.

Contact was always brief, you needed to remind yourself once disappointment trickled in and felt the breath at the back of your throat explode into a gasp of the smallest degree, subdued as your conscious mind told you to do just that. There was now condensation against the shoulder of your jacket, against the fibers that were torn to shreds with age but fitted you well enough to keep using. 

From the worn boots on your feet, all the way to the frizzled nature of your hair from the moisture clinging in the air Koba stared, his face contorted into the aggressive wrinkles around his nose and between the bridge of the nose you wanted to trace instead of the berry in your bowl. A snarl was sent your way as per usual; something only reserved for your human nature amongst the Apes and in return? 

Maybe Koba could see the smile from behind the puff of your jacket as you longed to see more of him, maybe he was unable but it was hard to ignore the sensation that now rested more prominently in your navel rather than higher up in your stomach. Fondness for the routine you had every morning became so regular now it was beginning to become harder and harder to ignore for both parties that were unwilling to relent to something greater.

[memories-of-ancients]

Just curious, why do you think Rome fell?

OMG do you really have to ask such a big question right before I was going to bed anon? Well, here are the primary reasons IMO as a Roman history buff.

Lots of Civil Wars --- The Romans going way back to the days of the Republic were constantly fighting over who was going to be boss. Sulla fought a civil war and took over Rome and declared himself dictator, ditto Julius Caesar, and of course Octavian did the same and became the first emperor. During the empire there were many civil wars over who would be emperor as the Imperial system often lacked rules for succession resulting in dynastic struggles and civil wars. Not that it would have mattered if they did, as they probably would have just ignored the rules. In the 3rd century the empire underwent a 50 year period of near constant civil war known as the Crises of the Third Century. Constantine became emperor after killing all his opponents in a civil war. The later half of the 4th century had more civil wars. Even in the 5th century factions were fighting each for control of an empire that was collapsing all around them. No side wins a civil war because they are bloody, destructive, there are no spoils of war. There is only self destruction, they are about as helpful to a country as would a person shooting himself in the foot. All the money and resources that went into fighting civil wars and rebuilding after the war was money and resources not being used to maintain infrastructure, maintain public works, regulate the economy, defend from outside threats, and maintain the government.

2. Political Instability --- Most emperors did not die of natural causes, most emperors were murdered, or committed suicide, or died in battle, or died in a prison cell. Roman government was chalk full of power hungry psychopaths who were willing to murder their way to the top. Sometimes emperors could come and go quickly, with reigns lasting 2-3 years or less in the 3rd century.

Roman political history was rife with intrigue, assassinations, and coups occurring all the time. It was like Game of Thrones except instead of lasting 8 seasons it lasted 500 years.

3. The Army Became a Powerful Interest Group --- If you were a Roman emperor the army was a double edged sword. They were good in that they maintained peace and order in the empire and protected it from invaders. They were bad for you in that they could revolt and murder you, replacing you with someone they liked more. Even your own guard, the Praetorian Guards, couldn't be trusted as they could easily slit your throat in your sleep and declare someone else as emperor. To make sure the army was happy, you gave them big pay bonuses called donatives. Basically official bribes paid to keep the soldiers of the army loyal and happy. With each successive emperor the annual donative became bigger and bigger and thus a greater strain on the Imperial Treasury. If an emperor didn't pay up, he could be murdered by his own soldiers. Thus a lot of public money was paid just to keep the army happy so they didn't end up starting another civil war.

4. A Fucked up Economy --- Maintaining a large standing army to defend a large empire is expensive. Fighting civil wars is expensive. Rebuilding after civil wars is expensive. Constant regime change is expensive. Political intrigue is expensive. Eventually it got to the point where there just wasn't enough money to pay for all that. So emperors just minted more money, decreasing the silver content and minting more copper coins until eventually Roman money became worthless.

Today Roman money is still worthless. Go on ebay and find the cheapest Roman coins you can buy. Except for rarer collectibles Roman coins are still very plentiful and thus very cheap to collect. Worthless money made trade and commerce difficult, and thus the economy suffered. Not to mention constant bloody and destructive civil wars were damaging the economy. Political instability also damaged the economy.

5. Growing Disparity in Wealth --- Over time with civil wars and political instability the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. Eventually wealth became so concentrated in the upper class that the middle class disappeared entirely by the late 4th - 5th century. By then the average Roman was in a bad way. They had no opportunities and most Romans were forced to live as tenant farmers, essentially sharecroppers.

6. A Corrupt Tax System --- Meanwhile the wealthy became so powerful that they were able to wield that power so that they did not have to pay taxes. They could exploit loopholes, manipulate laws in their favor, or bribe their way out of paying. To try to make up the revenue, tax collectors attempted to squeeze the lower classes, which of course, didn't have any money. Thus by the late 4th - 5th century the empire was severely underfunded. This resulted in the degradation of infrastructure, public works, the army, the weakening of the government, and less investment in the economy and commerce.

7. Patronage --- By the 5th century the average Roman was out of opportunities and the middle class was gone entirely. More and more the lower class Roman was being squeezed for tax money, money which they didn't have. So in order to survive, Roman lower classes sold their services to a wealthy patron. The patron would house you and protect you and take care of your tax problems. If you were lucky and had special skills like a craftsman or artist you could make a good living under a patron. If not, you probably ended up a tenant farmer tied to the land of the patron, essentially a sharecropper, a serf, or a peasant. Due to this change in the socio economic system power was drawn away from the Imperial government and was redirected to the wealthy patrons. Thus the empire was becoming decentralized.

This would become the basis for medieval feudalism.

8. No One Wanted to Join the Army --- Why would you? You're dirt poor and have no opportunities. If you joined the army you may not even get the opportunity to defend the empire, as you're gonna get killed in a stupid civil war fighting a fellow Roman who is also dirt poor and has no opportunities. Your government is corrupt, your emperor is a snobbish entitled incompetent dipshit who was out of touch with reality, the tax man is trying to squeeze you for money you don't have, you have no rights, you've been forced to become a peasant to a proto-feudal lord, and it is clear the empire is dying. By the mid 5th century most Romans were like, "let it fucking die". As a result, the army suffered severe manpower shortages. Right at the time when Goths and Franks and Vandals and Huns are going to start swarming into the empire.

These to me are the primary reasons for the fall. Anyone have anything else to add in addition to this?

[secretmellowblog]

Happy Julius Caesar gets stabbed day! Here’s a Les Mis take on the subject, courtesy of Grantaire’s Drunken Rambles:

Whom do you admire, the slain or the slayer, Cæsar or Brutus? Generally men are in favor of the slayer. Long live Brutus, he has slain! There lies the virtue. Virtue, granted, but madness also. There are queer spots on those great men. The Brutus who killed Cæsar was in love with the statue of a little boy. This statue was from the hand of the Greek sculptor Strongylion, who also carved that figure of an Amazon known as the Beautiful Leg, Eucnemos, which Nero carried with him in his travels. This Strongylion left but two statues which placed Nero and Brutus in accord. Brutus was in love with the one, Nero with the other. All history is nothing but wearisome repetition. One century is the plagiarist of the other. The battle of Marengo copies the battle of Pydna; the Tolbiac of Clovis and the Austerlitz of Napoleon are as like each other as two drops of water. I don’t attach much importance to victory. Nothing is so stupid as to conquer; true glory lies in convincing. But try to prove something! If you are content with success, what mediocrity, and with conquering, what wretchedness! Alas, vanity and cowardice everywhere. Everything obeys success, even grammar. Si volet usus, says Horace. Therefore I disdain the human race.

[random-chaos-and-stuff]

Out of boredom, I have decided to start compiling a list of Tumblr words, phrases, and expressions, and what they mean. Feel free to add any as you see fit, or ask about any words or phrases you don’t understand on here. (I’m putting it under a cut because it is long and getting longer)

Moot: mutual. Usually an affectionate term.

Reading comprehension website: A nickname for Tumblr, referencing the often poor reading comprehension as well as a few posts. Possibly shares an origin with ‘piss on the poor’.

Piss on the poor, or “Does ____ piss on the poor?”: A phrase that means using tumblr, often used to refer to someone who uses tumblr and has poor reading comprehension. Based on a post about how bad the reading comprehension is here.

Dash: Your feed or for you page.

I’m bald/vanilla extract (when on polls): An option on polls used as the ‘other’ or ‘see results’ option. Vanilla extract comes from a famous post that became a site wide meme.

Goncharov: A fake movie and site wide joke and meme that was made up on tumblr based off of one person’s post asking about an advertisement for a movie that doesn’t exist on a pair of bootleg shoes they got. It is extremely detailed, and many people reference it as a joke.

Breached containment (in reference to a post or joke): A post or joke that became extremely popular, sometimes to the point of leaving the site and ending up on other sites.

Blorbo: A character you like a lot, whether it be an OC or from other piece of media. Similar and often used like favorite character.

Rebageld/any other similar thing: This is just another phrases used for reblogged, often in tags. Usually just as a joking, playful, or fun way to say it.

“I am literally kissing you on the mouth” and other similar phrases: An expression of joy, excitement, and/or gratitude from one person to another. This isn’t romantic or anything, just a way people sometimes use to express how happy or grateful for something they are. In my experience it is used mostly for stories or takes, but is also used for other things.

Hellsite: Another name/way to refer to tumblr. Mostly used for tumblr. Often used in a joking manner. (Thank you dragonfanplaugedr for reminding me of this one!)

That one damn supernatural/Destiel meme: A popular meme people might refer to, that often is used to report big events (Ao3 going down, Biden dropping out, the queen of England dying, things like that and more) and is widely popular on this site. Bot hunter/bot hunting: People who actively find, block, and report bots, especially harmful ones. This is often used when clearing certain tags of bots, as they tend to try and take over popular tags and stuff like that. Hunting the bots and destroying them.

Dashcon: An event from a long time ago, where Tumblr tried to hold a con. It was notoriously bad, and became a website wide memory and joke to mock. The ball pit is especially famed, being incredibly bad, and someone having peed in it. I was unfortunately not here for it, but you can find many posts about it. It also pretty much conned people out of their money from what I can find. Here is one short post with a photo, do more research as you please. (Here was a post announcing it too, read the reactions afterwards if you want an idea of how it went down.)

Apollo’s dodgeball: A Tumblr way of referring to posts that came true, usually strange or silly ones that accidentally predicted the future. For example, if you were to make a post joking about some big event or incident happening, and then a while later it did actually happen, it would be referred to as “being hit in the face by Apollo’s dodgeball” or something similar. Basically making a stupid post that became an accidental prophecy.

Ides of march: This was the day Julius Caesar was assassinated and killed. For some reason Tumblr really latched onto it and found it hilarious, and you may see multiple posts celebrating it or referring to this historical event. Believed that possibly the love and jokes about it originated from this post.

Spiders Georg: A tumblr phrase for an outlier that causes a huge change in the average of data, causing it to be off or have not quite true results. It has since become popular, occasionally being used on other sites as well. It originated from this post.

Prev: Prev is short for previous poster and/or reblogger. (Thank you @blairthebword for reminding me of this, I forgot that some people might not know what it means yet or find it confusing!)

Gimmick blogs: blogs that have a certain gimmick, like counting all the letters in a post, finding how many words are in the Bible in the post, giving it a DnD alignment, ect., pretending to be someone (like Shakespeare), some place (like a country such as Belgium or the USA or others) or things (like Firefox or Walmart or more). It’s all fun and games, not serious, and many ‘official’ blogs are just gimmick blogs, though there are some actual official blogs on here. Part of something apparently called the Gimmickverse, which is many or all of the gimmick blogs as far as I can tell.

Do you love the color of the sky: An incredibly long post, which became popular and INCREDIBLY ANNOYING to scroll all the way through. Several people have made references to it, as well as various remakes, some joking some less joking, and some with the sole goal of being annoying to go through. Here is the original one if you want to check it out. (And here is one of the longest continuous all one blog one I’ve ever seen, and the first one I ever saw, as a bonus)

The code/the tumblr code, ect.: A silly code that is supposed to help you identify other tumblr users in public/the wild. They/you say “I like your shoelaces.” with you/them responding with “I stole them from the president.” It originates from this post, and is occasionally referenced both as a joke and in actual use.

Tone indicators (things like /j) and all that: these are just (often shortened) indicators of tones in posts or messages, used for clarification or other such things. This isn’t just a tumblr thing, and not everyone uses it, but I remember being confused by it at first so here is a brief explanation. (Here is an article on it) (and here is a website on it just in case if you prefer. Here’s a different one that has a slightly different format and explanations on what they mean.)

Anon: Anon is short for anonymous, as in anonymous asker. Some blogs allow you to send anonymous asks, and thus with how long the word is often just shortened to anon. It can also be used to refer to a person (as in [insert descriptor here] anon sent me an (anonymous) ask) just because it sounds better or is simpler.

[blacklegsanjiii]

do you have any ideas for an au where sanji was raised a vinsmoke but like by a good family? whether judge is good or not is up to you, but sanji grew up with a supportive mom and a caring sister and brothers he isnt afraid of, but he never fit in with germas plans so he left to learn how to cook (maybe the whole rock starvation thing happens still?) and then later becomes a pirate and just. forgets to tell his crew that hes a real life superhero prince until one random day one of his brothers shows up to take him home to celebrate mothers day. law has so many questions.

Sora kills Judge because she deserves it😊. Maybe Sanji gets kidnapped and that's how the rock happens and Zeff and the kid are saved by Sanji's suited up siblings berating them. Zeff teaches Sanji and lets him work and stuff and Baratie is frequented by royalty often. They look like superheros but those are the princes and the princess of Germa visiting their brother.

Like Zou instead of WCI The Hats, the Heart crew and Cesar are met on Zou by Ichiji whose looking at his normal, "normal", brother and this tattooed guy and his crew who are freaking out for a different reason from Cesar and Sanji is like "why are you here"

"mother's day"

"FUCK"

"so like are they coming or am I kidnapping you?" Ichiji asks as he looks at everyone Law immediately says they're going, Kaido can wait. They have Caesar nothing is going to happen so they sail to meet up with the Germa fleet and Law is freaking out as the fucking Germa 66 is in front of him and they're Sanji's family? Sanji is royalty? Everyone is losing it. They're all greeted and treated well. Sanji explains he technically isn't royalty because he gave up his title and everything because he didn't jive with the whole thing. That and there's a lot less kidnapping attempts on him now.

Niji is getting ready to show them to where the picnic is going to be held (in a gazebo above Judge's grave because the bastard has to see them be happy and thrive and live this way[and Sora is too much a lady to build an outhouse on it] so ha fucker) when Law just grabs Sanji and demands answers. Niji on instinct grabs Law, yanks him off Sanji and shocks him. Sora walking in with Reiju and Yonji at the tail end of it and Brook is diable jambe'd so hard it cracks the wall before he can even ask.

Zoro and Yonji are staring at each other as Ichiji is groaning. Sora simply nods at all of this. This is Sanji after all. He's been kidnapped and held ransom so many times that it's probably second nature to go after anyone who lays a hand on him. He's probably kidnapped a whole bunch from Baratie.

"I got a call from Zeff, he said incidents at Baratie have gone down since you left. You would do better to call though." Sora would chide.

"sorry, we just declared war on Big Mom and Kaido. Also feeding this thing is really time consuming." Sanji says with a hand on Luffy's shoulder.

"I'm Luffy! I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!" The usual introduction as Sora laughs and meets them all and shakes their hand. They go eat and all their tastes are catered to as Yonji.

When Robin asks where the former king's grave is Sora laughs and says they're on it. He wasn't worth anything and he's lucky there was any of him left to bury. Everyone but her kids are staring at her.

"Blackleg what the fuck." Law groans as he eats his onigiri.

[burningclocks]

Lesbian date ideas:

Ghost hunting for eight hours

Start a community garden

Tell eachother your deepest fears and darkest thoughts

Swordfight at dawn

Exorcise a demon

Get a cat

Hold a knife to each other's throats

Get another cat

Open your third eye and achieve godhood

Build a cottage in the woods

Become a local folk tale

Solve the mystery of your mothers disappearance

Swim in a lake and then come out mysteriously different as if you've been fundamentally changed or entirely replaced

Accidentally kill a man

Bathe in his blood (totally by accident tho)

Intentionally kill a man

Burn down a church and kiss in the ashes

Start a cult

Make out in an abandoned building

Go through the five stages of grief

Invent more stages of grief

Steal a bus

Get yet another cat

Go to a bookstore

Destroy a corporation

Overthrow the government

Learn to time travel

Visit Sappho of Lesbos, worship at her feet

Exist in Rome for a day

Exist in the Victorian era for a day, disappear mysteriously from the ball

Start a conspiracy

Knit the fabric of your souls together

Stab Julius Caesar

Steal from the British Museum

Steal the Mona Lisa

Go back in time and kiss Mona Lisa

Learn the way of the sword

Be present at every major historical event

Exist in front of HP Lovecraft and watch as he loses his shit

Add a gay sex scene to every HP Lovecraft book

Do piracy

Rule over all pirates

Kiss in front of a shocked audience of Victorian people

Night at the Museum

Just the plot of Night at the Museum

Swim in the moonlight

Get another cat

Lead the lesbian revolution

Charge into battle

Slaughter your enemies alongside your wonderful beautiful amazing wife

Kiss passionately surrounded by corpses

Have highly symbolic and metaphorical gay sex

Love eachother in every universe as every couple to ever live

Breed flowers to be new beautiful and bizarre colors

Become happy

Achieve enlightenment

Ascend to a high plane of being

Put flowers in each other's hair

Get coffee

Become villains

End a bloodline

Kill eachother in a really homoerotic way

Experience catharsis

Sleep in each other's arms each night

Wake up next to eachother every morning rain or shine

Make breakfast and coffee for each other

Hold eachother closer when you have nightmares and are plagued by visions

Be old and be healed

Have the sun glow brighter and the flowers bloom in more colors

Love each other so much it changes the narrative

Love each other so much it changes the universe

Wait with each other. Wait for the next thing to come your way and then when that's over wait together again. Except it's not waiting. Imagine you cannot wait to wait with each other. Watching and waiting as the world comes at you

Cry

[estrellami-1]

If I Should Stay

On the 15th, as promised! Ngl, I definitely almost forgot this. I have SO many feelings about this one, y’all check the tags if you want my ramblings. Buckle up. Also, happy stabbing Caesar day.

Part 1 | . . . | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66

Steve works his jaw, staring at Will. “Yeah,” he whispers. Will looks down. “Hey,” Steve says gently. “That’s not on you, okay? And Jonathan’s a really great guy. He and Nancy both had a lapse in judgement. They got together a while later and they were better for each other than she and I ever were.”

“But they hurt you.”

Steve chuckles. “In the moment, sure. But I’m fine now, I’ve moved on. It surprised me just now because I didn’t expect her to react like that. I know that’s not who she is as a person, and I’m sure as soon as Joyce talks to her about it and she’s had some time to think about it, she’ll come apologize. But none of that is on you, okay?”

Will shrugs, playing with the hem of his pants.

Steve glances at Eddie, who winks and plops down cross-legged next to Will, nudging their shoulders together. “My dad’s in jail.” Will looks up at him, surprised. Eddie shrugs. “I’ve had time to process, but it took me a while to realize he just isn’t a good person. Now, my momma was an angel among women, she just had a disease. It didn’t make her a bad person. But they’re my parents, so that must mean I’m a bad person with a disease, right?”

“No!” Will says emphatically. “Just because they-” he pauses, mouth a perfect circle, before flushing and ducking his head, smiling a little. “Okay. I get it.”

“Good kid,” Eddie says fondly, ruffling his hair. “Now, back to the planning?”

“Probably,” Steve nodded. “First things first, who wants out?”

“Papa hurt El?” Mike asks. Steve nods. “Then let’s kill this fucker.”

“Language,” say all the adults, and Mike rolls his eyes.

“I’m in,” Will adds.

“Me too,” Dustin says, and Lucas nods.

Steve looks around, and all the adults present nod at him. Robin squeezes his hand, and Alli pulls him closer to her by his shoulders. “Alright, little brother,” she says. He elbows her. “What’s the plan?”

Steve sighs and looks to El. “What do you think, Ellie?”

“Everyone else is dead,” she murmurs. “But if I go into the rainbow room, I will see them.”

Steve’s heart breaks. “You don’t have to go anywhere you don’t want to.”

She smiles sadly at him. “You cannot promise me that, Steve.”

He meets Robin’s eyes above El’s head, watches her heart break. “Watch me.” He looks back to El. “I know what he put you through, El.”

“He loves me.”

Steve takes a breath, shuts his eyes for a moment. “Remember what I told you, last time you said that?”

El nods. “You thought the same thing about your parents.”

“Exactly. It took me a long time to learn, but they don’t love me. And there’s nothing I can do to change that. Even if I was perfect, that wouldn’t be enough for them. Does that make sense?”

She nods. “You love me differently from how Papa loves me.”

“Yeah,” Steve whispers. “Which do you like better?”

“Yours.”

“Do you know why?”

She thinks about it for a minute. “You love me because you see Ellie. He loves me because he sees Eleven.”

Next to him, Alli makes a broken sound. Steve reaches back to hold her hand. “Yeah, Ellie. That’s exactly right.”

“I do not want to only be Eleven anymore,” she decides. “I want to be Ellie.”

“And that’s why I’ll do all of it myself if I have to,” Steve tells her. “So you can be Ellie. You don’t have to go in the rainbow room, okay?”

“Okay,” she nods, wiggling around until she can bury her face in his neck and whisper, “I trust you.”

He blinks quickly. “I’m glad,” he whispers back.

“Ellie,” Wayne says, voice not much steadier than Steve’s. She shifts to look at him from where she’s tucked into Steve. “We all want you t’be just Ellie if you want it. We’re all gonna be right there with you.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly. “Steve?”

“Yeah?”

“I won’t be strong enough. If I see Papa.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Hopper says, checking his gun. She shifts to look at him. “He’s not going to hurt you again.”

She frowns and buries her face back in Steve’s neck. “I’m happy,” she murmurs. “But I’m also very sad.”

Steve sighs and hugs her tightly. “I know how you feel.”

“I don’t like feeling this way.”

“I know, El. I don’t think there’s really any way to get rid of the feeling, though.”

“Just life,” Alli says quietly, scooting closer and laying a comforting hand on El’s upper arm. “I know it’s a cliché, but it’s true.”

El looks up at Alli. “Okay. What’s a cliché?”

Alli meets Steve’s eyes, a smile starting to spread, and Steve thinks everything’s going to be okay.

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[cottagecoreismysaltlick]

Arlecchino’s story quest just revealed how old Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet are. (Spoiler kinda)

Tl;Dr: late 20s

“I wish Genshin would give us solid numbers for character ages!” Sometimes they do. And those numbers give us ages of other characters too, if you pay attention. And yeah, I know the Genshin community doesn’t like to read, but you don’t even have to do much reading for this.

And let me preface this. When you go through this much work to “justify” characters being adults some people will say it’s just “an excuse to sexualize minors”. No. This isn’t even about that.

This is about me being absolutely sick and tired with the teenagers with careers trope.

First of all, what we know:

Childe is the YOUNGEST of the Fatui Harbingers.

Childe woke up the whale when he was 14 years old, and that was 20 years ago. He is 34 years old.

Arlecchino became the Knave at 17 years old.

The Hearth siblings came to the house within a few months of Arlecchino gaining control.

Lyney and Lynette met a magician named Caesar who over 10 days, helped them hone their stage magic skills

Caesar died 10 years ago.

Toddlers can’t do street magic.

Honestly the last couple of points aren’t even needed, but they’re helpful to solidify this number. You’ll see.

Let’s do some basic Arlecchino math first.

Again, she’s canonically older than 34, but if you want her and the siblings to be as young as absolutely possible, we can start there. (Maybe she’s a few months older than Childe. Idk)

34-17=17

Absolute bare minimum, Arlecchino has been the knave, and the siblings have been in the house for 17 years.

And quite frankly, I don’t think the “kids” were embryos when they joined.

But now that we have a minimum, let’s get a maximum to cover our bases. I’m going to use the serial disappearances as a marker here, because given what we know about her she would definitely look into that sort of thing. So she can’t be much older than 37.

So, when did the siblings join the house?

First of all, let’s get a few facts from earlier involved. Cesar died 10 years ago. That means he died while they had already been in the house for 7-10 years (depending on Arlecchino’s age.)

And a widely overlooked fact that personally I think needs to be taken into account more often, is that TODDLERS CANT DO STREET MAGIC.

But I get it, this is an anime game. And for some crazy reason some fans are convinced that characters should be as young as they can possibly be.

So let’s be just, the most generous that I could possibly be here and say those kids right there are 6 years old (anime 6 year olds don’t act like real 6 year olds so I’ll give you that), and it’s been an EVENTFUL couple of months worth of mastering street magic, trauma, and joining the House of the Hearth.

6+7=13 13+10=23

So the absolute bare minimum you are being silly at this point age for the siblings is 23, and depending on how old you think Arlecchino is, up to 26.

Personally, I feel like Freminet can help us out here, but we’ll have to apply just a teensy tiny bit of real world logic if we want to get anywhere. So,

How old was Freminet when he was sent to the house?

Freminet was very close with his mother, he was incredibly skilled at fixing and building things, to the point where he would help bring in money for the family for a few years before he was dropped off at the house with the old Knave where he’d notice other children with depression who he’d seen kill themselves.

Now I ask you, does that sound like a toddler? If you’re going to look me in my eyes and try saying he was sent to the house at 5 or 6, when the earliest of memories are being DEVELOPED, you’re not just silly, you are high. There’s really only so much disbelief I can suspend here.

Let’s be generous and say he was 8 years old. You can still have your over developed anime 6 year old, but at least it gives a few years for him to have been tinkering and making happy little memories before the trauma.

Again, using the youngest possible Arlecchino age,

8+17=25

So baby brother Freminet is bare minimum 25 years old.

In conclusion, let’s use those concrete numbers here to make an age range for the House of Hearth siblings. (I could absolutely give you my personal head canon timeline, yes. Will I? Maybe if you ask nice. But this is about cold hard numbers)

You’re absolutely fucking kidding yourself here ages: 22 for Freminet and 23 for the twins.

Low end: 25 for Freminet and 26 for the twins.

Reasonable maximum (the oldest I think they could be in the flashback is 13) 32 for Freminet and 33 for the twins!!

[justrainandcoffee]

Against all odds (Alfie Solomons x fem!oc) 2x03

Peaky Blinders - Hunger Games crossover

• First part masterlist - Second Part masterlist → 2x01 2x02

Summary: Two months and counting. That's the time that passed between the end of the games and the moment where they were. Everything but good news is all what people living in District 13 receive. || The Capitol finally shows its cards. || Mr. Van Trapp helps Alfie. || It's over midnight when a soldier wakes Campbell up with news.

Warnings: Mentions of death.

Words: 2.2k.

News about the finding of the missing hovercraft, took the victors and friends by surprise.

If it wasn't because of his father, Bonnie Gold was ready to kill Campbell for hiding such information. His girlfriend was dead and president of district 13 was lying to them to keep them happy.

Until Alfie heard what he shouldn't listen to and he spread the word.

That same day, Campbell allowed the Golds, Alfie, Samuel Coldwell go there along with a squad for protection.

The hovercraft was still there, rain helped to extinguish the fire and now it was nothing but a lot of wires and steal completely useless. Both bodies, were just charred corpses. Bones were the only thing that allowed them to know they once were people.

Alfie felt sorry for the kid. Bonnie was just a young boy and probably the girl was his first love. The teary eyes and his father hugging him, while the soldiers were burying her, was enough to leave them alone.

"Campbell is right," Samuel said next to him "Rose isn't here."

"No, she's not. But in middle of fucking nowhere, the only hope I have is that Snow captured her. Why? I don't know. I always thought that he had a soft spot for her…that's before he killed your family."

"Snow has a particular way to show his love for his people, right?" Samuel snorted kicking a rock on the ground. "We better go, Alfie, there's nothing here for us."

After burying both bodies, everyone there left back to district 13, where things weren't much better.

.

In fact, things in district 13 were horrible. For the first time in over a month, they had news from the Capitol. Until now, the faces of the last dead tributes were on tv almost all the time blaming the rebels for their deaths. News trying to calm down the spirits around the capitol were also frequent. But of course they didn't show the massacre committed by the Capitol around Panem. No news about the bombs in district 8 and 12. The killings of the injured people and the innocents. No news about the public executions.

Caesar Flickerman was there that day smiling as always with the lights illuminating his bright hair and white teeth.

Nobody knew who was the boy sitting next to him until Aurora yelled.

"Brad! That's my boyfriend! What's he doing there?! He was safe! They promised me he was going to be safe with our baby!"

The adults around her looked at the girl who was crying. Promises those days had no value, apparently. But that wasn't the worst.

"…no."

The camera showed now that next to Brad was a crib with a baby sleeping on it. It was a girl, around a year old. She was wearing a pink dress and was hugging a teddy bear, unaware of the the war around her.

"Today we can't make a lot of noise," Caesar said putting a finger on his lips to ask for silence. "We have the youngest victor with us and apparently she had a long day, right, Brad? Are you the father of the champion?"

"I am. This is Desirée, my baby."

"I notice that you called her 'my baby' and not 'our', what happened with Aurora, Brad? We all saw her in the Arena and then disappeared, probably with Iacubus Nelson from district 2. Do you think she ran away with him? Do you think she's part of the rebellion?"

"I think," the boy said "he forced her. And probably not just to ran away with him."

Around the tv in Campbell's office, Aurora was crying and sobbing while Lucy was hugging her. Jack Nelson, on the other hand, he was furious.

"I forced her?! I protected her! What the hell is he saying?! I'm not one of those! I'm not!"

"I don't think he meant that" Tommy interrupted, "we need to calm down a bit."

"Calm down a bit? What are you playing at, Shelby? Calm down? That's because your fucking name isn't the one mentioned in the whole country! Like a fucking rapist of a 17 years old girl!"

"He never said that!"

"You don't need a whole dictionary to understand what he meant!"

"Shut the fuck up! Both of you!" Campbell knocked his cane against the floor and they stared at him. "This is not the fucking place to behave like two kids! One thing about this damn interview is sure," he said "we need to rescue the baby."

"That's probably the only smart thing you said in a whole month, Campbell," Lucy said caressing Aurora's hair "She says that he doesn't sound like his boyfriend at all."

"It's true," the girl finally spoke to them. Crying, she seemed to be even younger that she already was. "His eyes, his voice… that doesn't seem to be Brad at all."

"If you ask me," Lucy continued, "the one who's forced to be there is the boy. Maybe he has a script, maybe he's doing that to keep Aurora and the baby safe."

"He's a good dad," Aurora confirmed, "Since I got pregnant and after Desirée was born he helped me at all hours. He could never say that."

"But he said it." Jack left the office towards the Nelson's compartment.

.

Even when the Golds were ready to kill Campbell, they were the only ones who knew the Capitol well enough to know how to infiltrate there. Especially because they knew the underworld of the city like no one else.

Although Aberama was sure that by now, Snow destroyed everything he knew. A month was enough to do it.

But it wasn't going to be easy to enter into the heart of Panem without ending with a bullet in the brain. And if they agree to do it, it was only because of Aurora and her baby. The world already lived enough tragedies and the idea of a reunion between a mother and her child sounded like a balsam healing a wound.

Three more weeks passed.

"I'm worried about him," Nina said during the lunch to her friends. "Alfie is locking himself like a seashell."

"I talked to him two days ago. Or I least I tried," Tommy said "He barely answer to me and as soon as he could, he went to his bedroom again. Samuel told me that he didn't speak with him either."

"We should… no, we must include him when we go out. Alfie is my friend, almost my brother, he helped me more than once. I can't stay still anymore!"

"Campbell won't allow it."

"Since when you care about Campbell's words, Tommy? He's your fucking friend and I know very well that the whole situation pisses you off, too. Fuck him. What's he going to do? Punish us? He knows he can't."

"You're right, Nina," a new voice said and they turned around to see Mr. Van Trapp standing next to them "Alfie can't be alone and he needs you all, but I don't think he wants to go out. And you can't force him, either. That's not what he needs. I will talk to him."

"Alfie won't talk," Nina said, clearly desperate to know what to do.

"They said that my girl wouldn't talk either again," the old man said, "they were right. But it's amazing how even in the worst circumstances, people can communicate. Maybe Alfie doesn't want to talk, but he's still a man. A person. And I'm sure he has something to say, you know, to express himself."

Van Trapp left the group and went in search of the solitary man.

"He's my grandpa now," Lucy said before continuing the lunch.

.

Alfie was in fact in his compartment. Just him and a book they allow to take from the library.

He clearly heard his name, but he ignored. He also ignored the second time and the third one. But he had no other option but to open the door the fourth time.

"Thanks for opening, Alfie," Van Trapp said, "you know, at this age it's hard to walk all the way to my own compartment."

Alfie raised his eyebrow, if something he knew about the man in front of him was that he was on better physical condition than he was. But he said anything.

"Can I sit down?" The man asked.

"I'm not going to forbid it."

"Well, thanks for your generosity, Alfie. You missed the lunch. They feed us with mushrooms and grass," the man chuckled. "I prefer dinner, at least I know you're the one in charge in the kitchens. Anyway, I heard of this book," Mr. Van Trapp said picking up the one that Alfie was reading and left over the table when he opened the door. "1984 by George Orwell. Is it good?"

"Yeah. It's good. A book written centuries ago in 1948. The author imagined a future civilization hyper controlled by the government. Nothing new, but I guess for people living back then, it was new."

"I don't think so. Governments never changed, Alfie. They always tried to control people, always. Some were more successful than the others, but none of them won. No one. Even the most powerful government collapsed. Even before the Roman Empire to a man called Hitler. People love freedom and oppressive systems, even those disguise as liberté, failed."

"Snow didn't create a shit, then."

"No. He just borrowed what others did first."

"Ruining lives."

"Yes. That's what they do best. If you think this is the last time we're going to see a tyrant, you're wrong. Definitely not me, not you and I hope the new kids who were born these last years, either. But humanity never learn and sooner or later, a new one will appear."

"Sad."

"Yes, but inevitable. But for now, we need to be grateful that this one is ending. Or it's about to end." Van Trapp left the book over the table and looked at the younger man in front of him. "Your friends want you to go with them in one of their 'adventures'."

"To do what? Make a soup?"

"They think you're alone here. You don't talk with your brother-in-law anymore, either."

"My brother-in-law…" Alfie snorted "Is he still my brother-in-law? To be my brother in law, my wife needs to be alive. And after two months…"

"You don't know if she's dead, Alfie."

"You don't know if she's alive, Mr. Van Trapp."

"Same way you don't know if she's dead. There's no confirmation. There's no way to confirm that. I don't know her, I never had the chance because all I learned about Rose it was thanks to the Golds who talked to me about her. But you do know her, right? Is she capable to evade Snow for two months?"

Alfie remained in silence. "She seems to be a good woman who can do whatever it has to be done to help you," Van Trapp said.

"Yes, she is. If she managed to spied the Capitol for over a decade, then she can evade Snow. I don't know if I deserve her, but… she's my Rosie."

Georg Van Trapp didn't smile but nodded his head. One more question and Alfie, after 60 days, spoke what he didn't speak that whole time. "Tell me about her, Alfie. How did you met? Was it love at first sight?"

And Alfie told him.

Success. Georg Van Trapp, managed to open the shell in which Alfie had been hiding. Not totally, but enough to help him to start again. Over thirty years taking care of a traumatized woman, gave him the tools to help others.

.

Three days later, it was over midnight and Campbell was sleeping when one of his men knocked on his door.

"Who's there? What happened?" he asked and a man on the other side of the door, answered.

Three words captured Campbell's attention and got out of his bed quickly as he could.

"She's alive, sir! Mrs. Solomons is alive! And she's here. With two other refugees. Well, three other refugees."

At those hours the hallways were almost empty except for those working in the night shift.

How, after two months, it was possible for her to be alive?

Campbell reached the last hallway and could see that the lights in his office were on.

Two women were in his office and one little girl. And a dog. Animals weren't allowed to be there, but that wasn't the best moment to complain about that.

He recognised Mrs. Solomons immediately but he also knew who the other one was. There in front of him was not just the most wanted person (dead or alive) in district 13, but also the black tall woman and victor, known as Aveline Young.

The little girl was sleeping over Aveline, who was holding her like the most precious treasure.

"Mrs. Solomons…welc-"

"Where's he?" Rose interrupted. "Where's Alfie?"

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