#have to pull out an example so that I don’t sound insane
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
I’ve made this post before but I can’t be bothered to find it. In what we commonly consider a ‘traditional’/patriarchal European society, the paths in life are: marriage with children (acceptable), bachelorhood (frowned upon, locked out of certain professions/roles), spinsterhood in servitude to parents (probably suffering), religious servitude. An unmarried person is a servant either of the local lord, the Lord, or the parents. The parental relationship has a built-in hierarchy of the senior parents and the underling child. All pressures push down and toward marriage as a form of (highly limited for women) freedom.
One of the few ways around this system is the sibling relationship. Sticking with a sibling can provide an avenue to independence from hierarchy via a peer relationship, a person who moves in with a married sibling is protected under the auspices of that marriage (though somewhat dependent on the sibling) and is not automatically subordinate as with aristocracy/religious orders/parents. I’m interested in the sibling relationship as a kind of lifeline or shield against the buffets of social expectation specially in a world where there is some kind of censure against unmarriage and in which marriage is seen as the final step in growing up. Siblings are the playmates of childhood, they are biological family, to remain part of s biological family unit is acceptable, to remain unmarried is not, the sibling is the last line of defense against a spouse without submitting to hierarchy and/or could be read as the last line of defense against growing up.
This isn’t coherent. I like the idea of two siblings choosing to remain close into adulthood not because they necessarily like each other that much, but because they understand the consequences of abandoning someone to social forces. Siblings as a kind of delayed maturation, a sign that something is wrong, a failed evolution, a vestigial relationship, you’re supposed to be close growing up and then split into different clans, but they have failed to do so and have closed the loop to return to childhood.
#kelsey rambles#have to pull out an example so that I don’t sound insane#nightray sibs—they operate as a unit becuase gil is aware of Vince’s dependence and that very closeness leads gil to hate him#the Alice siblings—Alice becomes alyss’ defense against Jack. the ‘marriage’ option and the sibling are in direct conflict#fma03 vs fmab. the ‘healthy’ ‘good’ ending is where edward goes off and starts a family with winry#the fucked ending is where edward and alphonse want to reunite after their journey and do not want to split up.#minamoto family. the nuclear family unit collapses and Teru and kou band together in a pseudounit threatened by kou’s dalliance with Mitsuba#kageyama brothers. mob relies on ritsu as his bestie/emotional support rather than integrating into the real world. depending on ritsu#is a way to avoid growing up. etc.#basically: sibling relationship as an ‘improper’ perpetuation of childhood in conflict with romance as a ‘proper’ way of growing up#specifically where there are no options except the sibling/romance binary
88 notes
·
View notes
Text
watching an RN debate TERFs is always a wild fucking experience
#‘those children deserve to have their needs met and their voices heard as far as what they want for themselves and their future’#’certainly they deserve to be treated with dignity and appropriately’— but you don’t think they should receive life-saving medical care??#this woman is DERANGED she keeps bringing up jazz jennings and misgendering her and its SO fucking rancid and fatphobic too#fully just ‘puberty blockers made Jazz Jennings fat and she’s an example of why Puberty Blockers Bad’#ok 1) why are you fixated on her weight when it’s none of your fucking business and 2) she’s explicitly stated she does NOT regret#transitioning young#I feel insane listening to these people but this woman pulls out all the same talking points as my mother#so it is nice to sit and listen to Alec make them sound like idiots on livestream#‘we have no proof that puberty blockers are more effective than a placebo’ MAAM YOURE INSANE. ‘cigarettes would help them the same way as#puberty blockers’ WHAT IN THE EVERLOVING FUCK ARE YOU ON#the way transphobes really do want trans people to just die. legitimately fucking evil
1 note
·
View note
Note
Hey so how do you think the bat boys would deal with a s/o where they list off a ton of insane injuries that they didn’t go to the hospital for treatment for, you can’t even tell they been through that stuff and it kind of makes you wonder how s/o is still alive after all that? S/o is just casually listing them like you would a grocery list (Jason interesting cuz He did die and was brought back. Dick got shot in head and made an amazing recovering).
A/N: per protocol, a psa/disclaimer - there’s nothing graphic or explicit in what’s written below (it’s literally the name of the injury that’s all) but please do not be like the boys or reader. Seek medical consult, makes the life a whole lot better and easier 😔




Dick:
He would be a hypocrite if he were to call you out right there and then. But his “eldest siblings” bell keeps blaring in his head the more he listens to your list of injuries.
“So, let me get this straight.” He rubs his temples with two fingers, a familiar migraine faintly throbbing in his head. “You thought it would be fine to NOT go to the hospital and get checked up after falling from a roof despite knowing you had a concussion.”
“Well, if you put it that way, it doesn’t sound all that great-“ You clear your throat, your eyes shifting away from him when he gives you a pointed look. “Okay, so that might’ve not been the smartest idea. But it was what, the third one I had? I already had a clue what to do so…”
He’s going to have an aneurysm. Hands down for sure when you simply shrug as if you hadn’t just told him a list of insane injuries he had no idea about.
Breath, Dick. Breath. It’s you he’s dealing with. His one and only who happens to be prone to getting injured in the worst ways-
Sensing her dad’s distraught, Dick lets Haley jump into his lap before he plops his face in her tummy.
“Oh, Haley. What are we going to do? Your other parent is a trouble-magnet and hates hospitals. At this point, I’ll become a widower in my mid-thirties.”
“Hey!” You shout, jabbing a finger at him. “I’m not like you, jumping into toxic gas without protection- widower? Why would you be a widower?”
It takes a while to finally get him to stop mother-henning you after he follows you around in both civilian and vigilantes to every place you go. But after the bathroom incident, he relents once you agree to have him on speed dial and emergency contact.
Jason:
“Relatable.”
Relatable his ass. Sure, he can relate considering all the things he’s been through (prime example: him dying and reviving). But here’s the difference: it’s you. Period. He wants you to be safe, unharmed, and happy. Like, is it really too much to ask?
Hell, he probably would’ve never thought you’d gone through all that had you not said anything. But,now, everything changed and he didn’t think a day would come for him to, ironically, be the one to tell someone to go to the hospital.
“Right? Thank you, at least someone gets it!” You don’t notice the blank stare he has, the mug he takes a drink out of obscuring his face. “I swear, people freak out when it’s not that bad.”
…He needs a beer. And send an apology note to Dick and Alfred.
“Oh yeah, nagging? Definitely isn’t going to do anything. Just makes you want to do the opposite.”
“Exactly. I mean I get it, especially if it’s getting both my shoulder and knee dislocated at the same time.” The grip on his mug tightens, a crack starting at the handle. “But, I’m not going to go if someone won’t stop going on and on with ‘oh, you should get that checked, or ‘why didn’t you get seen by a doctor’, you know?”
Oh, don’t you worry. He knows, alright.
“So, your ankle. I’m guessing you didn’t get that checked.”
The one and only good thing about your current injury was that you couldn’t dart away like usual. With having sat next to you this whole time as a plus, he’s quick to pull and, mindfully, hold you in the princess hold.
One thing leads to the next and the two of you are at the manor with Alfred taking a look at your injury. At least you weren’t mad anymore, watching him endure the harassment of bringing over his S/O home.
Tim:
“You had an injury on your neck but you left A.M.A*!”
“At least I went to the hospital! Unlike someone here who didn’t after breaking three ribs!”
“Okay, no. You were forced to get admitted, first off. Second, you’re still missing a spleen-?!”
The two of you have been going back and forth with each other ever since you dropped on him the list (why is it a list??? Why do you have a list???) of insane injuries you never went to the hospital for.
At first, all he did was, calmly (calmly being the keyword), inform you why going to the hospital would be a good idea in case of future events. And you said sure. When you need to, that is.
He catches it and calls you out on your poor attempt to BS. You then called him out for his BS. There was a moment of truce that lasted for a minute when Alfred got mentioned. You both shook hands over not to delve into it as you both held affection for the butler and fatherly figure.
“I was trained to recognize this stuff even before my Robin years! I’m certified for first-aid treatment!”
“Oh wow, that’s amazing Tim! But who was the one that gave you CPR when you nearly drowned?!”
He loudly groans, dragging both hands down his face.
“Then, that’s a bigger incentive for you to get checked up at the hospital, then!” He makes vague hand motions in the air as he starts to pace around. “You get hurt whenever I’m not there and can’t protect you!”
“… What?”
In the end, you comfort Tim though it takes a while to talk him out of about a 24/7 personalized bodysuit. You did end up agreeing with the emergency pager to make him feel a bit better, designed as a fashionable wrist watch.
Duke:
He closes his mouth. Opens it. Closes it again. Opens it.
“So… How exactly are you alive again?”
He simply raises an eyebrow in response to the unimpressed expression you give him.
“It’s not all that bad-“
“Not that bad?” He snorts. “Not that bad? I’m not that bad!”
He jumps up and points both hands towards himself before pointing them towards you.
“Here I am, dealing with villains left and right which makes sense as to why I get hurt. But, what was it you just said? A stab wound with a knife?”
“Actually, it was a spoon.”
“A spoon-???” His voice pitches an octave, cracking in the end.
For someone so normal, he couldn’t help but wonder how you knew so well on what to do when someone gets injured in the most bizarre ways. Not at all expecting there to be personal lore on how you gained that knowledge.
In one part, it saddens him at the fact he’s once again the one with common sense. The other?
He grimaces.
It…actually checks out. Because it’s a rule written by the universe that vigilantes are not allowed to fall in love with someone normal. And though you are normal for the most part, this? This definitely checks the box on meeting the requirement.
“Why did you get stabbed with a spoon in the first place?”
Oh no. You’re awkwardly laughing.
Some time passes and he’s shopping with his mom for office supplies. As she looks over the Manila envelopes, he notices a particular large roll of bubble wrap. So, when he’s asked as to why he’s buying three rolls of it, he gives the classic excuse of needing it for a science experiment. Which, in part, is true considering he’s planning to see if you being wrapped in it will prevent you from getting injured like in the ads.
Damian:
“What are your parents' occupations again?”
You give Damian a flat stare.
It does little to deter him, persuaded that you’re either lying to him or you’ve lived a similar life as him with training in the most extreme conditions and didn’t tell him.
There’s no other options or explanations to how you could possibly get those injuries, nonetheless a list of them. And he doesn’t know what he’s frustrated more about: the nonchalance of you stating them like reading off items on a grocery list or he wasn’t there and prevented them from happening.
Not going to the hospital for your injuries, he can somewhat understand. With how terrible Gotham’s healthcare system is and the number of patients that get admitted from criminal activities every day, it’s considered a good day when patients are seen after eight hours of waiting in the ER.
Lucky you, you happen to be loved by someone who can medically assess whenever. The Batcave has the latest, cutting-edge technology on medical equipment while he, himself, has the medical expertise that’s potentially on par with that of his father’s and Alfred. He’s sure he can provide you treatment better than any hospital in the city.
“Damian, I’m fine.” You huff, rolling your eyes. “Besides, it’s nothing compared to last time.”
Does he want to know what happened during this so-called “last time”?
“I think you need to get your brain checked if you’re considering forced-bed rest as ‘nothing’”. He shoves another peeled apple slice just in time when you’re about to talk back.
That pattern continues for the rest of the day with him nagging you like a tiger parent while feeding you food (he ignores the bit about him sneaking into your room is an invasion of private property). Eventually, later that week, the two of you squabble again after you catch him following you around almost everyday while he argues how you can’t be left unsupervised.
#dick grayson#nightwing#dick grayson x reader#nightwing x reader#jason todd#red hood#jason todd x reader#red hood x reader#tim drake#tim drake x reader#red robin dc#red robin x reader#duke thomas#duke thomas x reader#dc signal#signal x reader#damian wayne#damian wayne x reader
403 notes
·
View notes
Text
Sorry About my Nan—Watchthrough Thoughts
Okay so firstly: what the fuck was that? (very positive) Secondly: sorry that this is so late and that these have been so irregular; I’d love to be able to commit to doing them every time and more promptly, but I’m not in a place to do that at the moment, so for now, they’ll probably stay rather sporadic. Thirdly: what the fuck was that???? (still very positive)
I’m going to try to make this one a more reasonable length than the others, but no promises
Ooh, Luke’s hair looks great! (Obviously it always looks great, but it’s a bit longer in this one, and it’s wonderful)
Okay so this opening scene might be my favourite opening scene from anything ever (I adore these ones where they’re just waiting for someone else to establish the scene and no one is doing it)
“…just to sit with it… before you have a breakdown.” Very relatable, AJ
“Who invites their nan on their bachelor party?” Ah, scene established
“We… have just been… really close recently—” “Yeah, I could tell.” I’m getting the sense that this guy and Johnny from Oh No That’s a Door need to have a chat
“Go back into the toilet” I’m getting Aubergine flashbacks
“Just a little recap” I love AJ
Oh, I love that Sam’s the one who fucked up the name this time (AJ said his name slightly first, so I’m giving this one to him)
“You don’t want it” you know what, I’m going to take his word for it and ask no more questions
“I just feel shattered, you know?” With the way they all broke, I feel like that has to be an inside joke/reference to something (or else it was just unexpected, like a ‘be careful’ sort of situation)
Tom assigning himself as the insane nan… eldritch creatures and old women: his speciality
“I’m your best friend, okay?” Desperately reminding myself that I don’t need to ship every set of best friends in anything ever
“I’ve stood by you through a lot” stop making me ship them (also now I desperately want to know what this entails)
“I can’t get through the door” Jimmy??!!!????!!
“Are you my best friend? Are you my best friend?” “I’m your best friend!” I’m so fucking invested in this friendship already
Ooh, Tom’s pulling out the Mama Twilliger fingers! These fingers have seen many things!!! (Nan = Mama Twilliger headcanon?)
See, when I say that, on the rare occasion when Tom does choose chaos, he very well might be the most unhinged of all of them, this is the shit I mean
I thought that Oh No That’s a Door was the most distressed Sam could get, but this is already coming close and I’m six minutes in (also side note: what is up with the Tom-AJ grandmother-grandson incest-adjacent vibes recently???)
“🎶 Nananana nananana nananana nananana, Ethel! 🎶” I love her
AirTags in their drinks???? I… Why??????
“My big day” oh no
“Our big day” …are we doing this?
Okay, we’re not doing this; thank god
Tom in the background of this discussion being unhinged is giving me life
Tom (him lying on the chairs being adorable)
“It’s pre-used” ???????? Tom what the fuck
Tom you are putting your face so close to AJ’s— (I’m actually a little scared that Nana is going to try to kiss her grandson, because I really don’t need that to happen)
“Very enthused” you know, Tom is the only person I’ve ever heard use that word (oh, god damn it, now I’m going to start using it, too, aren’t I? This is always how my dialect/word choice gets updated—)
Tom’s silent frozen laugh face oh my god
Tom’s silent frozen laugh face transitioning to death/coma/sleep????
Tom is fucking on fire in this one oh my god (obviously he always is—they all always are—but you know what I mean)
“Thank god” I love Sam
“I mean… oh, god… thank you” Jamie, babe, that’s the same thing
“Adrenaline” … sure thing
“Why—Why?” Me too, Sam, me too
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY” Tom’s characters of questionably sound mind are the best (senile Sherlock, for example)
“You’ve got so many teeth” Tom what the fuck (and his placid little smile afterwards—I love him)
“So you know I’m marrying… Lucy” oh, god damn it, you were doing so well, AJ! (I love it when he messes up a name)
You know a play is chaotic when Sam’s the one being sensible (cue the flashbacks to the Lighthouse)
“What the fuck do you think?” Oh, Jamie is so fucking done (I don’t blame him at all)
…Jim adjusting his nan’s skirt while Jamie talks to the farmhand… why???
“What the—Was she always like this?” I adore Jamie, oh my god
“Very inspiring figure” in the context of… this… I’m not sure I want to know what that means
“On the farm, we have a statue to her” …why????
“If you’re not going to take Ethel, please just leave her alone” …take her where???
Jamie is so distressed already and I’m loving it
“She gives you life” okay, what the fuck is going on here???
“She tears you apart and rebuilds you” um… yikes?????
Oh I love Luke
Oh I love Luke
“Keep going” Tom
Okay, what happened in Berghain???
Tom is so good at being creepy, holy shit
“Good boy” um
“What if we just leave her with this guy?” Jamie wants to get rid of her so badly
Ah, yeah, a cult makes sense. Like, of course she’s started a cult. Of course she has.
“Please stop looking at me” you know what, I stand by Jamie here; that is a totally fair request
“Take a seat, boys.” … “Not one seat each.” I love it when they just make things difficult for each other (and also, way to make me ship them even more, good god)
“Come on, be a good mate” you know what, Jim, you first (he’s not a bad friend, but he is really pressuring poor Jamie here)
“You’re really pushing that” he really is
This is so awkward oh my god (nope, yep, I’m decided; Jamie is absolutely in love with Jim)
“Constrained by our doubts, our fears, social morals” see, the thing is, I don’t disagree with her
Jamie is so viscerally uncomfortable around Ethel and it’s giving me life
“I’ve made them into something greater than they were before” …that doesn’t sound at all problematic
“Please don’t touch me” Jamie I love you
“I’m here for my best friend’s stag do. I will do what he wants to do for the rest of the weekend, and then we will move on” Jamie, darling, babe, love… you do realise you’re allowed to have, like… boundaries, right?
“Then let’s get started, boys” okay, no, that reaction was just Sam
“It’s like an A24 film” …please tell me I’m not the only one who doesn’t know what that is
“Crawl through here” …sure
“They really are” oh good god
Ah, so Ethel’s on meth… Yeah, that checks out (I would bet anything that Old Lady Marjorie is her dealer)
That’s one of the longest first scenes they’ve ever had; that’s really cool
…Luke???
“Can you turn a light on or something, please?” “NO!” Well that’s just great
“My name… is Wilhelm!” Hey, it’s not Hans!
“Great” that was the most unenthusiastic response I’ve ever heard in my life and I love it so much
“This is what we’re doing for your stag do. Your fucking nutter grandma’s scavenger hunt to find ourselves.” That is a brilliant description, oh my god
“Choose your weapon.” “WHAT?” Jamie is so. Goddamn. Done.
“Be careful of the credenza” ….. ?????
“Numchucks” I love the subtitles calling him out so much
“Why? Why do you go to that?” Oh Jamie I love you
“What the fuck’s a credenza?” I love Sam
“I just assumed we had to, like, kill each other or something.” “Why?” I’m actually so obsessed with Jamie; I think he might be up there with some of my favourite characters ever
“Sometimes I always drump to, like, you know, the worst conclusions” I love the subtitle callouts
“Probably being raised by that nut job” so Jim was raised by his nan? What happened to his parents? Is that why he’s like this? What was his childhood like? (I’m so invested)
“Draw your nunchucks” Jim no (also good on AJ for getting the name right!)
I love that AJ isn’t the confused one in this play
Jim NO
“You’re beginning to get it” ?????????
Love Sam bringing back the credenza—✨stagecraft✨
“This is how it ends?” Jamie is so fucking pissed off (very justifiably)
I’m genuinely so fucking invested in this relationship, oh my god
JIM NO
Wilhelm?????
Tom with both a table AND a microphone? Oh, this is about to be incredible
I’m sorry???? The way Tom is sitting on that table???? (He is killing me)
“I know; I checked the ticket sales” I love Tom
“You are going to witness two friends attempt improv comedy” I love Tom so much
This character is 1000% giving me Magnus O. Puss vibes (and also kind of the O’Hands brothers? Ooh, and Creepy Jim, actually, for my fellow Patreons)
Also: the “every German is camp” rule returns in full force (and I am, as always, completely here for it)
Okay but Tom’s physicality is fucking unparalleled
Look at the expressions! Look at the movement!
I have had the insane camp German cabaret improv host for five seconds and I would die for him
AJ remembering a name Sam forgot??? (Hell yeah; I love switching it up)
That “Jesus Christ” and step away felt so instinctual
The booping growing more ominous until Jamie obeys it is so fucking sinister and I love it
“That’s not my nan. It’s a different character.” I love it when they get confused and I don’t know why
Letter of Complaint—hell yeah!!!
I’m so. Fucking. Invested. In this goddamn friendship.
Tom is everything ever, actually, oh my god (the commentary? The posing? The expressions?????)
Oh, Sam and AJ did that in-character letter of complaint so well??? (Also I swear I’m not shipping Jamie and Jim or anything… 👀)
“…and flash their vajayjays at each other” Tom??? Why???
Tom sitting on Luke is everything to me (also, like, shoutout to Luke for just lying there. For several minutes straight.
“It’s good to take a load… off” oh my god
“She made a pass at me, okay?” Oh no
Tom I am begging you to stop breathing into the microphone
Fuck you to Sam and AJ (very lighthearted) for getting me so goddamn invested in this
Tom’s goddamn facial expressions oh my god
“He’s busy right now” ????
“I forgot the word for hole” Tom has never been more relatable (I too forget common words right when I need to use them)
“He’ll wake up again soon” …okay
This little reversal/Wilhelm coming back to life/Jamie running away/the host singing creepily bit is so fucking horrifying and I’m so intrigued by this world???
“Did you enjoy the show today? … Me neither.” This is so dark and I’m so fucking intrigued (and also if you haven’t watched the QnA for this play, definitely go do that, because Tom says something about this line (I can’t remember the exact phrasing) that really gives it this whole extra meaning)
“I hope my fiancé gets here soon” the audience’s lack of reaction and the look Luke gives them for it is brilliant
“Are we in Bristol?” …why Bristol??
That little look that Jim does between Julie/Lucy and Jamie???
Sam, stop it; I already care too much about these two!!!
“This is fucking Bristol” that is so irrelevant and it just makes me love Jamie even more
I do not trust this
Luke is so good at being subtly offputting????? Like? How???
“Life changing” well, yeah, sure, babes, but is that necessarily a good thing?
“I recently found out that my nana is, like, a cult leader for people in Germany. And that, um, is so weird.” Jim I love you so much
You see what I mean? So offputting!!!
AJ’s acting in this scene is incredible
“Of course I believe him. He’s my best friend.” Stop making me fall even more in love with these two characters and their friendship!!!!
Of fucking course it was another test. Of course it was. I’m not even surprised anymore.
Jim and Jamie are going to spend the rest of their entire lives wondering what’s real (and now I’ve made myself sad)
Luke’s clapping
“WE’RE NOT IN BRISTOL!” What the fuck happened to Jamie???
…Why are we joining in on the chant?
This does not seem good
Ooh, so we do get to see the real Julie/Lucy
Ah, so she prefers Lucy
Or she doesn’t? Is she just changing her name because that’s what Jim wants? Because that doesn’t sound healthy, babe—
“I’m pretty sure you got the message from the whole stag business, but, whatever you choose to do… Nana’s got your back” yeah, that’s what I took away from the stag do. Sure. (Also, another Tom character Ethel reminds me of: the George’s bra seller (promoted by the “got your back” quote))
Nana no
“I want to thank you for forgiving me” ah, okay, good to know
Also where’s Jamie?
Nana NO
“And also, I want to thank you for convincing me to bring your nan to my bachelorette party” okay woah wait hold on a goddamn second what the fuck happened at the bachelorette party??????
“It was life-changing” oh I need a sequel so badly
I’m getting so many CDIYW flashbacks with this wedding
And we’re ending on a grand Luke and AJ kiss, just like CDIYW
I’m so sorry, the way Luke always holds his arm out and sits so delicately and beautifully whenever the others take it upon themselves to carry him bridal style???? I adore it so fucking much
“To Berghain!” Oh, good god (I’m sure this is going to end so well)
So, final thoughts:
What the fuck was that? (extremely positive)
Okay so Jamie and the fucked-up improv host are two of my new favourite characters ever
I love this play so fucking much
…This is not a reasonable length, is it?
#as always#just to add my usual disclaimer#this is all very very positive#and if anything sounds like it’s not#then please know that’s not how I intended it#anyways#this was INSANE#like#dare I say#approaching BUS levels of unhinged#I ADORE it#I love this play#shoot from the hip#sfth#sorry about my nan#nightshadow’s watchthrough thoughts
47 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hello hello hello I have returned once again, this time to ask for:
The name pronunciations!
Xerxees, would it sound like Zerzees? Zurksees? Kserksees? Would Ebrietas be Eh-brī-uh-tuhs, Eh-bree-eh-tuhs, something else? How would you even pronounce Rahuul and Yhtraah? Just all of them.
Also, if Abyss Children would be really interested in humans, how often do they actually come down to Earth? You said they're worshipped, so at least once, but do they ever just pop up looking somewhat non-human and just hang out?
Speaking of looking somewhat non-human, does anyone ever question Bob [Bob Beloved] about, like, his general lack of face? Or the fact that, in their eyes, he would seemingly never age? And was Bob [Bob Beloved] ever depicted in like, insanely old murals or anything? Could archeologists in Otiksimr lore find Bob [Bob Beloved] cave paintings?
And if Abyss Children "latch onto" whatever helped them, the ones that were pulled out I mean, does that mean there's even more creatures? And how would a creature help an Abyss Child out in the first place?
Also, when I asked about World Eater relations to other species, you mentioned B A T S that have to do with another character 👀 I am now curious about that as well
Ehem. Anyway. That was my daily question. (More like an interrogation atp but either way)
Tytytytyty
Also this is awesome. Anyway-
Yipe! Questions!
Whenever I pronounce names… I don’t have a real way of doing it. It’s more or less just pronounce it how it looked. Xerxees is Zurk-sees. Ebrietas is Eh-bree-eh-tahs. Rahuul is Rah-ool. For Yhtraah the ‘t’ is silent. So it’d be Yuh-Kraa. That’s the most odd the pronunciation gets though. Don’ worry about it for the most part.
Abyss Children aren’t big wanderers, if they find a place they like they just settle down there. There are two kinds, ones that just wander space (typically young ones who’ve yet to find a role model or older ones who do not take on a form), and ones that stay rooted to a live planet (like Earth). They just stay there, lol. For the most part, just for ease, they can all look relatively human if they want to. Just a majority of them don’t. (Ones who do present themselves as mainly human are Haruna, Yoru, and Zynath but they also interact with humans the most out of all of them).
They have their own territories in the planets they choose to reside in. And those territories are heavily affected by their presence (for example if one of them was Winter Incarnate then the area they mainly reside would be under a constant blizzard :]). Their interaction with humans is based on if people ever wander into their territory knowingly or not. Just I mainly talk about the oddballs (The babysitters and sister twins) so that may not be very apparent. Lol.
Bob has a face. He can look like a completely normal person. I just never draw him as such because I don’t want to. That’s my fault. And Bob is good at making sure he didn’t get caught while he’s a worm (Correction, Rahuul is very good at making sure Bob isn’t seen at all when he’s worm). So you wont be seeing any ancient murals of Bobby worm. Sad.
There are a lot of critters. That I have in concept. Just none of them I give names because I am bad with names and I know I wont remember them so theres no point to it. I make it sound like Abyss Child ‘births’ are a very frequent thing. It isn’t. Maybe like. Once a million years on average, and that’s just how often it happens not how successful it is. (Success rating I’d say a solid 1% make it). And the chances that another being is around to notice it let alone do anything about it is very slim. I made a lil’ diagram to help show it, since it’s really hard to explain. Lol.
Alright! The bats! They’re relevant to a character because of his [L O R E]. Woo, spooky. So, you know how oarfish are also known as ‘doomsday fish’ because they surface during earthquakes? The bats are like that! But they are are way more specific, scarily so even! They sense disaster (just think of Absol the pokemon), and a week or so before the disaster actually strikes they all scatter and relocate in massive hoards, and after the disaster strikes they go back to their original home. (For example, a flood or forest fire. One flock will leave, a few days past, another flock will leave, and eventually the entire hoard is gone.)
Thus people who live on this [specific island] that the bats are only located on build their residents near the areas that the bats are native to. As they are an extremely accurate forewarning. Basically, when the bats start leaving you gotta pack up and MOVE. When the hoard is gone ya gotta book it out of there fella! Heh heh. They got a long ass name that I don’t feel like repeating here, but yeah :). I think it was Yan Hyra or something like that. Don’t ask what it means because it ain’t mean shit. That’s just the naming system, ha.
Very glad to add to your brain eating amoebas! And brain worms ! ! :]
Please… my mice… ask about my characters… I must infect the rest of you as well.
26 notes
·
View notes
Text
IV. from first fever to love's plague
pairing: Susie Glass x Edward Horniman
tv show: The Gentlemen (2024)
wordcount: 6, 030
warnings: mild smut, emotional tension, sexual tension, blood, hurt/comfort, love no hate, mild violence, characters sick with longing
available on AO3

Eddie, after so many years of living in his own skin and knowing more or less what to expect, still, on occasion, would be surprised. For example, this morning, he woke up in his bedroom and hoisted up to rest against the headboard. He looked down and could not avert his gaze from a silhouette sleeping next to him. To say the least, he was hypnotised by her gently opened lips, pale skin and lashes, which, even without mascara, were thick and black as night. Eddie felt like a pervert staring at her defenceless posture, and it made his heart beat faster.
He just forgot what it is like to have someone next to him. It was insane that this person was the daughter of the most notorious drug lord in the entire country or even Europe. But, she was also Susie, sometimes when Eddie was angry, Susan, but yesterday, in the middle of the night, she was his darling and sweetheart. He mentally slapped himself realising how ridiculous that sounded.
Susie stirred next to him and clutched the sheets to her chest, inching closer to him. Without a word, she left a kiss between his pectorals and briefly on his throat to stop in front of his face. She was glorious like this. Wild, with a defiant look in those arctic blue eyes and a tiny smirk on her lips. She grasped his arm and pressed herself against his body, letting him feel the outline of her curves.
'Morning', She whispered, and Eddie’s eyelids fluttered as if he was Pavlov’s dog conditioned to be overcome with desire whenever she wore that cocky expression.
'Hello,' his voice came out low and hoarse. He could tell she liked it by the way she looked at him. Silence fell when they stared at each other, and memories of yesterday skipped in front of their eyes. Her fingers slipped into his hair, and his chest instantly flared with intense need.
'I have to kiss you, Susie.' She laughed and almost rolled her eyes. He was pathetic but could pull it off.
'It is never how did you sleep? Or are you hungry?'
'I don’t care.' Sometimes, shamelessness could get him far. 'I know what you truly want.'
'I should tempter your confidence before you become unbearable, Eddie.' She slipped her leg across his thighs and let her hands roam over his body, now fully devoted to bringing her pleasure and happiness. He was lovesick, and repressing it simply made no sense because she could read him like a book with one glance into his raven eyes.
'Can’t wait.' He mumbled before resting his hands on her upper back and pulling her to him. Their lips crushed together. He missed this even though he indulged in kissing her for almost half of the night.
She let the sheets slip down her body. Uncovered skin showed reddened marks left by Eddie, a reminder of who she belonged to even when he could never truly claim her clever mind, foul mouth and exquisite body. Eddie’s fingers skimmed over the marks, eliciting a shudder of want ripping through her. This tender touch pushed Susie to kiss him, spiking her desire to impossible heights, demanding his touch, his complete attention and devotion.
All Eddie could do was agree to those terms when he held her close. Their bodies spread on the mahogany bed, tangled together as the day rose above the horizon.
***
Knowing climate gets warmer every year, he feared one day, winters would stop altogether. There will be no snow at all, no frozen lakes, no rime on the branches coiled from their old age. Birds, instead of undertaking a hazardous journey to Africa, will be staying in gloomy England, getting fat and forgetting how to fly. The awful, awful perspective he sometimes contemplated, especially when having morning coffee in a room overlooking the garden enveloped in snow.
He turned to face the doors, hearing heels clicking on the wooden floor. Eddie took her in, from those red, glossy shoes through her slender, long legs he worshipped and then the cobalt coat. Susie’s face remained neutral when he took her in. Long, black hair curled on her arms, red lipstick making his stomach twist, and those attentive, punishing eyes looked straight through him, scanning his mood, movements, and tightness of grip around the cup handle.
He wanted to throw the porcelain through the window and embrace her like a creature he never suspected he could be. The cup was also his last rescue, an annoying object sobering him up and forcing him to stay still.
‘Your Grace’,Susie welcomed him, mocking seriousness. ‘Winter in Halstead Manor is more beautiful every year. Snow in London looks like angels made fun of humans and pissed on it before throwing it from the sky.’
Eddie chuckled and looked at her with a wide, honest smile. He noticed she enjoyed making him laugh with her punchy wit.
‘I see you are in a good mood today.’ He concluded when inviting her to his study with a gesture of a hand. ‘This heightens my spirits too.’
She briefly looked into his eyes, probably surprised by his directness. That was everything to him, those stolen glances filled to the brim with understanding, twisting his insights in every direction.
At least until they discuss their operations, when it becomes strictly professional because their business is literally a matter of life and death to both them and their families.
That is also why he could not just get closer and touch her whenever he wanted. They put some rules in place, which he despised but obeyed, especially knowing how hot his blood could become. If they weren’t created, if he didn’t want to disappoint her, he would have, a long time ago, mindlessly kissed her so she would grasp his arms, trying to steady herself. He would then embrace her while looking at the garden and tell her how afraid he is that this is the last time he is seeing snow.
However, they would need a different life for that, some more time and bravery on his part, as if he lacked any. That was nothing for what he was prepared. Eddie’s life was not average, taking into account his family estate, but falling for someone like Susie resembled a spontaneously improvised scene.
That sat in the office and started to discuss the most pressing matters. Business was good. Their recent success of defeating Uncle Stan has been accepted as a triumph and they were in the position of strength.
After they finished, Susie was still sitting opposite him. She was waiting for him to decide what they should do next. Should she go, or maybe he would find an excuse to keep her close? That was not strictly within the agreement's lines, but they allowed a wide interpretation.
‘Would you like to take a walk with me in the park?’
Susie smirked in response.
‘With pleasure, Mr. Darcy.’ She made fun of him, but he just shook his head, hearing how unserious she was. ‘But I will need different shoes.’
Yes, her red boots were no suitable for an exploration of winter countryside.
‘Let me find something.’
After a while, he came back with Hunters’ black wellingtons. When Susie reached for them, he just dismissed her hand and kneeled in front of her. She stilled for a second but almost shyly let him grab her ankle and slowly unzip the leather. He smiled at Susie, reassuring her that he did not mean any harm.
Her gaze was transfixed on him; she probably could not really comprehend this gesture. It was almost like pleading allegiance, being her servant, subordinating to her needs, even if she was perfectly capable of dressing herself. Eddie did not have to tell, he wanted to show it, prove that his devotion was undying.
He may not demonstrate it constantly, but it is always there. Always with him. She is right between his breaths, in the corner of his eye, hanging heavy on his soul.
He held her close for a while, and despite untangling from her limbs, Eddie was still haunted by her embrace. Not a full-bodied presence before him but a ghost, his favourite ghost, of her pressed to him.
After helping with the shoes, he lingered a bit, with a hand on her knee and eyes meeting hers. They were darker now. It was his doing. He caused this storm to unravel and fight inside of her. Soon, it will swallow them both, cover them with waters of want and oblivion, when they fall together into the ocean foam of his white, starched sheets in the master bedroom. With only one touch, he was making a promise, silently saying, I still want you, I did not forget.
They walked out to the backyard garden and proceeded in the direction of a forest filled with trees which branches seemed almost black. Their temporary nakedness was covered with pristinely white snow. As if angels respected this place too much to play out their tricks here.
‘You whose face have felt the winter's wind, whose eye has seen the snow clouds hung in mist, and the black elm tops among the freezing stars, to thee the spring will be a harvest-time.” Eddie recited when they walked along the lake, on the breach of the forest. Susie looked up at him, trying to find a reason for this pensiveness. ‘You may laugh, but I loved poetry in high school. I even had Keats’s poems with me in Turkey.’
At once her eyes were overcome with tenderness they rarely bore, even whilst she was falling apart in his arms. ‘God, Eddie, you are unfathomed.’
‘I know it does not really present me as a suitable partner in crime.’ He tilted his head looking into the grey skies above, capriciously self-aware of potential judgment.
‘Don’t be absurd. You are irreplaceable, Edward.’ He looked down raising his eyebrows but Susie’s cheekbones were brought up by her honest smile. ‘It is all so new.’
He understood. It was the same for him. Eddie did not know how to react to a sudden need to halt and simply kiss her lips. Instead, Eddie chose to stare as she was looking down at her black wellingtons also unsure how to process this confession.
‘On my post, days were uneventful. We were controlling borders, checking documents and bringing supplies to cross-border villages. The inhabitants were hospitable but they also distrusted us. Rightfully so, I guess…��
‘But it wasn’t all there was?’
‘No, Susie, not all. I heard gossip during training. Right before deployment, one of the higher-ranked officers mentioned the possibility of some extra tasks being assigned to us. We were a blue-ribbon division, our training focused on reconnaissance, but it developed all different sorts of skill sets.’
‘Killing included.’ Susie supplied. They stopped on the other side of the lake and faced each other now.
‘Indeed.’ He never told anyone the next part. The after-sunset part. ‘But during nights, it was all different. We used to be paired with other divisions from France or the United States, and we would go across the border. Into the war. We would trace particularly dangerous groups patrolling the border. We had to eliminate them. They were not primitive. Many were trained by Americans. They fought bravely and ruthlessly, but we were soundless, perfectly thorough, and cruel. At night, it felt surreal. Never realised its impact.’
‘That is why you never came back? Your mum told me you were away for 8 years.’
He put his hands in the pockets of a Barbour jacket and shrugged his shoulders.
‘Think so, yes. When I left, I was angry. Disappointed with my prospects. Not with being the second son but with society to which I had to adjust. The rules and traditions are ridiculous. You know that. So I chose something agreeable that provided a way out.’ She was letting him continue, get it off his chest. He felt it was right to tell her this and strengthen her trust. ‘I never hated people I killed. The army wanted us to but what I felt was mostly indifference. I admired them in a way. They have probably done horrible things, but because I have never seen them doing it, I had no proof. What was real was that they were all so young. They fought that way, too. Officers were telling us it is service, it is for the country, His Majesty, for peace. For our egos and primal bloodthirst. I don’t know what I believed but had some convenient truth to get me through the days.’
‘You were young too, Eddie.’ She almost whispered. He had to swallow the thickness in his throat to continue.
‘I blended in so well. I have always known just this one thing. It was comforting in a way. Maybe what I was telling myself was that now my ancestors are truly proud of me. That I am fulfilling my purpose.’
Susie looked at him with lips forming a thin line. She moved closer and grabbed around his wrist.
‘Eddie, look at me. Your purpose is your family, there is more to you than what happened in Syria. If you want me to say it, I can. I forgive you for everything. For every person you killed. But this is exactly what will make us invincible. Together.’
Eddie felt something unlocking, untangling within him. Beforehand, it was tightly shut, closed to his inner radar. Now, it was stepping forward, feeling places where he felt a beaming void, where he was left undone at the ripe age of twenty-one when he decided to join the military.
She was looking straight into his eyes, forcing him to leave the past behind and embrace all that was coming their way.
***
Glassknuckle was famous for its galas, at which young talents from all around South London were presented to promotors. Even with Jack still recovering from his accident, Susie decided not to abandon this tradition established by her father in the early 1980s.
Dressed in a silver slip dress and Versace Medusa high heels, she paced around her office, trying to remember if she had forgotten anything. She looked at the clock and realized it was showtime. The gala was about to start, and she was supposed to ring a bell to announce the beginning of the competition.
Outside, the gym area was transformed into a luxurious club where round tables were placed around the main attraction of the ring. The guests were already seated, standing up to pay her their respects, when she passed by on her way to her table.
Susie saw him before he saw her. It was already a few weeks after they crossed the boundaries of their relationship, and she thought that the initial spark would have been extinguished by now. It was not. The sight of Eddie was enough for her body to remember all the places where he touched, sucked and kissed. She wanted to go directly to him and feel his hands resting on her back, informing everyone loud and clear what they were now. Susie was the house, the establishment, she did not fear anyone, much less what anyone had to say about her choice of a partner.
When Edward finally looked at her, turning his face away from Freddie, his eyes slowly dragged down her body. His lips curved into a smile betraying his thoughts, at least to her. He wanted her, and she knew that when she stopped in front of them, looking straight into his eyes. She barely registered Freddie frowning but staying silent for his own good.
'You are killing every man sitting in this room.' Eddie whispered into her ear after she rang the bell, and they sat down to watch the first fight. She hoped people around them were too focused on boxers to notice how he leaned over her.
'I need just one to stay alive.' She turned her head. Eddie was just inches away from her, his whisky breath landing softly on her lips. He must have looked like this when he was younger, overconfident with shining, honest eyes. Susie wanted him to be like this all the time.
’He already died a little because of you.'
The crowd erupted around them. The audience stood up, cheering the boxers as they entered the decisive stage of the fight.
Susie felt her body flaring up with adrenaline. It started in her stomach and flooded her throat and cleavage, spreading down her thighs. He was overstepping. She knew that, but she wanted him to.
It got so loud that she knew he would not hear her reply, which was hanging at the end of her tongue. She will put her words to a good cause later. Now, she watched as Eddie leaned back in his seat, sipping his whisky and observing.
She stood up before him when everyone else was turned to the boxers. Pressed the material closer to her body, giving him a glimpse of the curves hiding under it. He licked his lips, and she felt her body burning. Eddie Horniman was setting her on fire for his own satisfaction, as if he had total control over her. That felt right, too damn good.
Susie slowly turned around to clap for the winner of the fight. The Duke also raised behind her and stepped close enough for his linen shirt to prickle the delicate skin of her forearm. This closeness was enough they could allow for in public.
She was just half-mindedly watching the winner being celebrated on the stage after knocking the other fighter to the floor with a series of impressive punches. Susie was more concerned with imagining Eddie's hands sliding down her spine or holding her hip. She looked up to see his face, and the darkness of his pupils caught her breath. He was focused only on her when his eyes dragged slowly down her features.
'What a fucking amazing fight!' Freddie stepped in between them, cheering and clapping like a madman he probably was. Susie grunted to regain her composure and stepped back away from the danger that Eddie was. 'I think I have to start training box myself.'
Eddie raised his eyebrows at him at shot Freddie a look that immediately told his older brother to hold his horses.
Susie chuckled a bit at that silent exchange, which caused Eddie to look back at her. She smiled at him, suddenly moved by his weird yet caring relationship with Freddie, who was picking up champagne glasses for all three of them. Eddie relaxed his shoulders and returned the smile. Susie was warm, felt almost delicate under his gaze, and filled with fondness she had never seen before.
All the versions of him were magnetising and mysterious, and she wanted to unpeel each one and learn it with her heart. The urge to be held by him not only in their private moments but also officially in public sparked up again, and she had to turn her gaze away from him.
Paradoxically, this thought made her more relaxed. She had no idea how to act on it or if Edward would ever consider it, but she was more honest with herself than she had ever been before. Her footing was far from stable, but it was now at least identified. For better or worse.
Later that night, the fights ended, the guests, including Freddie, left, and cleaning was postponed until the next day. Eddie grabbed her hand and guided her to her office. He moved her to sit on the sofa and kneeled in front of her. When he was kissing up her ankles and her smooth thighs, Susie felt like crying because the rightness of how she felt hit her with full force. She threw her head back, dug her long fingernails into Eddie's soft hair, and whimpered his name. He was good to her, seeing what she needed before she got the faintest idea, not only when it came to pleasure.
After Eddie rested his head on her thigh, she offered to return the service, but he just shook his head. She made a mental note to remember it and compensate him later, but for now she curled against his chest when he sat next to her. He embraced her, and they drank and talked some more before she felt sleep bearing down on her as Eddie's fingers ran down her spine and imprinted small circles on her hips.
***
Leaving London before the weekend was always a nightmare, but on that particular Friday, it seemed to be more daunting than ever. The whole day was filled with smaller housekeeping tasks spread across the town, so Susie and Eddie spent most of the time in her black Land Rover. He insisted on driving them to the Manor, but Susie dismissed him and explained that she could notice when he was exhausted. However, now she regretted her decision because traffic in front of them had been standing still for over half an hour.
She rested her forehead on her hands, holding the steering wheel. After a while, she turned, and the view painfully tugged at her heart. There was something special, intimate, about seeing him stretched out on the passenger seat, observing the traffic jam through slightly narrowed eyes. She hoped she would not disturb his peaceful moment while looking at him.
Then, the cars finally moved, and she had to face the road. It didn't last long and they stopped again. The movement woke Eddie up, and she saw him yawning and blinking as if he forgot where he was.
'We never properly celebrated. Winning the bid, I mean.' She started hesitantly.
'I was under the impression we celebrated plenty.'
She gave him a solemn look which was met with Eddie raising hands and just staying silent on the subject.
'Well, I thought, cause everything is running good, we can, if you want to, of course, I do not know, if you like it at all...'
'Susie, please.'
'We should see the Swan Lake with new ansamble.'
Eddie snapped his gaze to her in shock, but Susie's big eyes were filled with hope and expectation. He immediately softened and chuckled, but his eyebrows remained raised.
'I... did not expect that.' He admitted, trying to put it together.
'You thought I would want to see a cock fight somewhere in Putney?' Eddie was silent for a moment too long. 'Yes, you did.'
‘Fair enough, you got me.' Susie smiled widely. 'I can ask around. I remember father was a long-standing donor, so possibly I can pull some sort of a favour.'
‘Always proving your usefulness, Captain.' Her smile turned a bit more wicked now. Eddie leaned over the console.
'Oh, I am nice when a lady asks me out on a date.'
Susie's mouth shut tight, but he could not contain his smirk.
‘It is not a…’
‘I vaguely recall that a box is available on the Duke’s request.’ He leaned in and moved his eyes over her flushed cheeks. ‘It would ensure us some privacy.’
‘Don’t even think about it, I have never seen this ballet, and you will not distract me.’
‘You wound me, Miss Glass. Then, I must be a good boy and see where it will get me.’
Susie smirked and leaned over his ear.
‘Probably to the second floor of a certain newly purchased apartment in Mayfair.’
His eyes flashed with curiosity.
'What is there?'
Susie acted as if she was trying to remember.
'A very comfortable king-size bed with fresh silk sheets and the view of Regent’s Park.' She explained slowly and watched Eddie's throat bobble.
'Then, I will be on my best behaviour.'
'And in your finest suit.' She added.
'Yes, ma’am.' He grabbed her hand, still placed on the steering wheel and kissed the tops of her fingers. She inhaled deeply, and only the cars honking behind took her out of her daydreams. Susie started the engine to continue their drive to the Manor.
***
Susie was captivating tonight. The heavy, long earrings almost touched her bare shoulders. She was leaning slightly towards the railing, almost like she was in a trance, focusing only on the ballet dancers performing their hearts onstage. Eddie should have appreciated them more and observed their emotions carefully because dancing was not only movement, it was more than that. It was a touch, a brush of hands and a deep look into the eyes. It was in the distance tonight, the red and gold decorations of the Opera, only a background for Susie's profile. Her cheeks adorned with pink dust, and her eyes emphasised by a black, bold eyeliner.
She turned her head and caught him watching her, but he did not flinch. Susie sent him a tiny smile, almost invisible in the darkness they were sitting in. His heart should not have ached the way it did, seeing her satisfied. Her face was relaxed, full of relief. Maybe this was what she truly wanted - art and dance. Not blood, death and fear. Until now, she always had to look behind her back to be sure no one shot her and disappeared into thin air. But now, any time she looked behind her, Eddie was right there to protect her or just be there with her. Not demanding anything, not trying to force her to do anything.
Suddenly, he felt Susie's warm fingers decorated with gold rings landing gently on his. She squeezed them slowly, and it meant everything to him that she wanted this touch, even when they could not say a word to each other.
It was like she put his fingers right on his beating heart. Hold it in her hand and hide it in her palm to keep it, kidnap it away from him. But there was no ransom to pay. It was hers. He never had any person that he could just leave it with until Susie. Before, Eddie thought he had no heart. He was more of a device than a human being. A puppet dressed in a uniform manipulated to the will of others.
After the third act, a break was scheduled, for which Eddie ordered a cold bottle of champagne. Susie did not stop holding his hand, even when a waiter was opening the champagne and pouring them the first glass.
When he left, Susie cleared her throat, and his attention was solely on her. She looked at him, one hand holding his, another gripping the champagne flute. The noise of the audience rushing for the exit faded to nothing.
'I said it would be a celebration because that is how my mother wanted to celebrate when I graduated middle school.' She inhaled and squeezed his fingers, reassuring herself more than him. 'Mum was optimistic and happy, too happy for the poor English weather. We never got a chance to visit the Opera. She had a hidden aneurysm, no history in the family, nothing. One second, she was there, tall and happy, mixing something in a kitchen. Then, she collapsed, and before the ambulance arrived, she was gone.'
He could barely hear her. Maybe that was why she chose this place. from all the others because it was distracting, trying to steal the attention away from the words painful as a knife slowly dragged through the organs.
'Susie, that is why... Oh, God. I am so sorry.' Tears slid down her cheeks and dropped on her dress, leaving wet marks. He took her into his arms and kissed her hair, but she tugged on his arm, and he understood he should give her more space.
'I can't stop thinking about her now. How much she would have loved it. I want to believe she would be happy here. Or happy seeing me here. With you. Not alone.' Her voice was barely above a whisper. It was almost lost among the background noise of the auditorium. He understood Susie was afraid of sharing them, but holding them inside was even more deadly. His chest hurt, his eyes burnt, and he searched around, powerless, faced with her confessions, powerless, realising his love. But there was no escape. Perhaps it was the time to stop running.
The cork has popped, and the liquid has spilt. He was in love with her. Susie made him feel like the weak-willed, work-shy, public school-educated heir.
Her hands could mould him into whatever she wished. One day, he was a general, her equal partner. Then, on the other days, he was rolling like a good boy she had trained.
Hearing the first bell announcing the beginning of the third act, they separated. Eddie drank his glass of champagne as if he hadn't drunk for a week. He tried to push down the feelings stirring inside him before the lights went down.
At some point, he focused on the dancers. They were putting on a solid performance tonight. The finale was breathtaking, the white dresses twirling around the dancefloor with the monstrous raven terrorising the innocent swans.
Before Odetta climbed the rock and made the ultimate sacrifice, Eddie's gaze moved to Susie's face. Her bright eyes were glazed with emotion, her breath withheld. Her lips trembled, when, he suspected, Odetta jumped.
Eddie gently took Susie's hand and reverently kissed its palm.
He will always catch her. No more desperation, no more unnecessary death threats. Love will conquer all, even if it means swallowing him alive.
At that moment, it was palpable that the sacrifice would be his. Because, foolishly, he did not expect anything in return.
She looked at him, startled and surprised, but then immediately appeased. His mission was to assure her peace. In their line of business, it meant a constant war with the entire world.
***
Susie admitted she chose to move up north to be closer to Halstead and Eddie's heart leaped at her words. Her new house was hidden behind a tall, brick wall behind which stood a two-level villa with white window frames and dark blue entrance doors. The heavy, black gates closed behind them and the stone-paved path led them to the doors. The interior was specious, with staircase leading to the first floor.
They left their coats in the corridor and walked to the living with a height ceiling and overlooking the garden frozen in its winter dream.
‘I decided to have a garden, after spending more time in Halstead and realising how good it is to have nature right outside of the house.’
Eddie turned away from the windows and looked at her standing in her black dress with silver embellishments. She had her hair pinned, so it cascaded down her right arm. The only colour was a red lipstick painted on her lips, which stayed in tact, because he refrained from kissing her to honour her request. But now, they were finally alone, in her new house, where they were free from their business and praying eyes.
A shiver run down his spine when he remembered that after they collected their coats and headed to call for a taxi to go the restaurant where he made a reservation, Susie leaned into him and rested her forehead on his. Her breath caressed his cheekbones and she murmured:
‘Take me home, Eddie.’
He swallowed, hearing her words. He wanted that more than anything, but he also wanted to feed her, show her that he is more than the soldier turned gangster. More than anything he wanted to talk to her, get to know her better, because the time that was dedicated only to them, has never been enough for him.
‘We have a reservation… You don’t know how hard it was to make it.’
Susie smiled and pressed her front to his coat. His hand flew to her waist and he tilted his head back to really look at her and ascertain what he should do. Truly, he wanted nothing else than to forget about this dinner, take her home and have her legs wrapped around his waist for the rest of the night.
‘It is alright, Eddie. I won’t think any less about you, if we don’t go.’
Edward felt his resolve breaking and he squeezed her side. He drew out a shaky breath.
‘If you say so. I don’t want you to starve.’
Susie looked into his eyes.
‘Don’t worry about it. I know you will keep me sated.’
Desire fired up in his belly and he had to turn away from her to wave for a taxi.
Now, he stood in front of her again and let his hand rest on her cheek. His hand was so large in comparison to her face. Anytime he held her, she was drowning in arms. Physically there was an imbalance between them, but only one gesture or a single eye contact was enough for Eddie to change his mind and adjust to her needs. When she opened up earlier that night, he wanted her to know that it was safe to tell him about her past. He wanted her to trust him.
‘Thank you for telling me about your mother.’ He was stroking her cheeks and her eyes glazed with tears at his words. ‘I wish I could tell her how wonderful you are.’
She sniffed at that and rested her hands on his chest.
‘You will make me cry for the wrong reasons.’
Eddie smiled and felt desire building up again but tried to contain it for few more moments.
‘Wish I could tell her that you are everything to me. It is soppy, and not something I had ever thought about saying to anyone.’ There was practically no space between them. He caught her hands and lowered his face to kiss her fingers. She stopped breathing and looked him straight in the eyes.
Now her hand flew to his cheek and she closed her eyes, when her forehead rested on his once again tonight.
‘You are everything to me too. It feels like I am melting when I am with you. I am having troubles with recognising myself.’
She forced her eyes open to look at him. Eddie looked at her with curiosity.
‘I am melting you?’ He echoed.
‘My mind, my heart and my body. With you I am still me, you are not taking away who I am, but you are changing me. You are showing me it is good to admit things, but you don’t question me when I do things my way.’
She was looking at him pleasingly. He was ready to make a move, to let it all wash over him. To make her melt again and again, to prove her case.
‘You can kiss me, now.’ Her shy voice was louder than any scream he has ever heard. He leaped forward and took her in his arms.
On their way upstairs, they lost their shoes, their clothes, watches and all the expensive fabrics they wore with so much pride.
Susie and Eddie melted into each other. Kissed the air out of their lungs and exchanged it with a new kind of gas capable of sustaining only the two of them.
When the dawn started over the tops of the trees, Eddie was mindlessly skimming his hands down her bare shoulder when she breathed hard into his neck. Small shivers were still running through her, the remnants of pleasure that overcame them.
‘Maybe it is not melting, maybe I am completely dissolving.’ Susie whispered near his ear. He stopped his caresses and moved to look at her face resting on his shoulder. ‘Maybe this is what falling in love is.’
Eddie’s heart started to beat wildly in his chest. He became restless, suddenly wanting to go for a walk and regain some composure he discarded along with his clothes.
Instead, he pulled her closer to him and kissed her hair, trying to come up with any suitable answer. Her breathing was steady, and her fingers rested relaxed on his chest.
He closed his eyes and confessed in the dark.
‘Then, I am already gone.’
Notification list:
@wintress1989 @mesillusionssousecstasy @gabbyabby89 @beautifultragedygiver @pitrsattabhaadmeinjao
@omgpurpleann @cult-of-escapism @simp-ly-writes @theamazinggracie @leksii @starflame
@kassa-stardust @romanogers @crescendoofstars @sglassxblog
@booklover1814 @exxodusmo @afangirlfandom @your-mums-nuts @coffee-and-casefiles @agentstolandsmol
•••••
Sorry for all the mistakes. I really wanted to publish it so it would stop haunting my dreams. Tell me what you think and if you would want to read anything else about these two! All the comments and likes will be greatly appreciated <3
#the gentlemen#fanfiction#ff#fanfic#archive of our own#ao3#angst#smut#tension#fluff#post canon#Netflix#Theo James#kaya scodelario#Susie glass#horniglass#writers on ao3#tv show#tv series#writers on tumblr#love#heartache
26 notes
·
View notes
Note
HELLO after i gave u that ask I did take a nap and it was a very good nap but I have some more thoughts,
For whatever reason I like to imagine that Sylvia was originally nervous to go and fight with Finn (Potions thingy) but like once she sees him get a bit nervous viva his lines 'how are you keeping your head above water?!' or him going 'stop delaying the inevitable, would you?'
but I saw another line, from the wiki page you so kindly started and it says "I like watching you try so hard" WHAT EXCUSE ME?! THAT IS JUST BLANTENT FLIRTING, AM I CRAZY FINN WAS DOWN BAD DAY ONE AND NO ONE CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.
but another thing since I like to yap. great white sharks or some sharks in general have an amazing sense of smell so that means if like Sylvia got hurt Finn would be able to smell her blood or vomit or whatever happened all the way from his beach thing,
also do you think Finn and Sylvia cuddle in water together, like the go for a swim, and they just hold each other and chill, I think that would be fishy, get it? (I'm so sorry the pun wrote itself)
Oh, I bet she was nervous! Sylvia always puts on a brave face with everyone, but once in a while she admits to Oswald and others that she has doubts. For example about Finn she talks with Oswald that Finn is different from her previous competitors and asks if she has what it takes.
Also Finn stressed me so much on my first playthrough it was insane that I somehow pulled through. Roxanne and Corsac were cosy in comparison. So, my headcanon is that Sylvia is dying on that competition stand.
I bet he could tell, too. Electroreception is one hell of a buff... but let's not get into how aura reading could lead to interesting insights... not now at least.
I didn't think of that yet, but you're right! Finn was super sure of himself the entire time until he says those lines. They sound super anxious, he's slipping in those moments. Most of his comments are taunts and these few lines stand out all the more.
If you eye the "watching" comment, then may I point your attention to:
The more you talk, the hungrier I get. I don’t mean to be so intimidating. It’s just the alpha energy, you know? Don’t let me into your head, now. I know I can be distracting. All this thrashing around’s got my attention. Time to go in for the kill.
They all are so ambiguous! Something is going on with Finn, but I'm not so sure he realises that. He's so flirty! That one comment towards Robin also sounds super flirty D:
I just... I dunno. I suppose you could argue that's just his character or part of his public persona. But it's much funnier if you interpret it as Finn being curious.
Oh, yeah a shark's sense of smell is crazy. It makes me wonder how Finn could stand making potions. Sylvia's customers regularly comment on the smell in her shop. Does that mean Sylvia smells like her potions or her ingredients? Boy, Finn sure goes through a lot for her.
He sometimes greets her with "Smelled ya coming" and... he could mean that literally. Oh, is that why he's abusing his body spray? To cover up the potion smell? I do wonder where he brew them since we never learn. I think he's had his own shop in town where he brewed. Wouldn't want that stink at home.
It does mean that he would instantly know when she's injured. Maybe even know where she has been. Doesn't that get your fanfic brain going? Oh ho ho
Ahh cuddling in water is cute! Sylvia has got to stay warm somehow!
My favourite swimming idea is the underwater scene from Water World. Kiss under water to breathe thihi. Are they in trouble? Doing it "for science"? Just making out and forget to come up?
Who knows?
#the devs just randomly say that Finn can read auras and then not elaborate#they just expect us to take that and not go crazy is that it? do they expect that? they expect WRONG#what does aura entail?#can he tell emotions?#or a general sense of what somebody is going to do? he could tell Sylvia would stay - HOW? What did her aura say???#can he... can he tell naughty things with that sense?#AH my brain is smoking#boss finn#potionomics sylvia#potionomics
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
webkinz room decorating tips!
hi. hello. welcome to property brothers: webkinz edition, where I give you some tips for decorating and designing rooms.
play around with room sizes and placements! this might mean something like splitting one large room into one small room and one medium room because you had more items than originally thought, or something like starting with a small room and changing to a medium room or a large room when you want more space or have more items than originally thought.
that being said - don’t be afraid to fill up small and medium rooms! I find that I like my rooms to have most of the floor space filled, so don’t be afraid to fill up every corner of a small room or add things on counters or tables.
okay this might sound a little insane but when going through your dock, START AT THE END. like scroll allllllll the way to the end. this lets all your items load so your dock doesn’t do any of those weird jumps and you don’t lose your place.
colors are key! how I start out designing a room is I scroll to the end of my dock and then work backwards and literally throw in ANYTHING that has the same color scheme or palette, and any item that matches the theme. don’t worry about the organization for now, cause if you remove anything from the room, it’ll just go in your recent items, which gives you a section of the dock to easily work with. like here’s a couple of rooms after that process:
like in the first picture I threw in items that were candy themed! and then right away I can kinda see that some of the items placed in there stick out, like they’re too dark or bold for the color scheme, or there’s not enough of that color in the room to pull it together. one way to identify those items is to take a step back or like. blur your vision - the first things your eyes are drawn too are probably the ones that don’t go, like this:
don’t be afraid to mix themes! what tends to make a room fit together is COLOR and STYLE. like I wouldn’t put a really angular table into a room that mainly has furniture with rounded edges, or vice versa.
don’t shy away from wshop items! I know this might seem like a basic tip and sound kinda silly, but I used to avoid using wshop items because they weren’t rare/exclusive/etc. but wshop has some great items for room fillers, like simple plants, toys, rugs, and tables. plus, wshop has a lot of simple items that can go with a LOT of themes - things like the white rug or the golden side table or the party time windows. it’s a-okay to use an item that’s wshop or not “rare” if you like how it looks!
ask for help! while everyone has different tastes and will design rooms differently, putting an in-progress room in a group chat or a discord server can help you get some new ideas on how a room is organized, what to add to a room, or ideas for swapping out items.
look through other rooms for inspiration! I like to search pinterest (here’s my board of webkinz inspo) and go through the rooms Michael Webkinz posts on WebkinzNewz. you can see a lot of different themes and design layouts and get some inspiration for your house!
try and make different “areas” or “zones” in your rooms, so you have different places within the room itself! in a bathroom for example, I usually have a toilet zone, a bathtub zone, and a sink zone. or if I’m making a large room that has a bed, I’ll try and siphon off a little area for sleeping. rugs and dividers are great for helping you make these zones!
play around with the space and do what makes you happy! the beauty of webkinz rooms are that you can change them over and over again.
and lastly, while not webkinz, this video by polygon talks about how you can use real interior design tips to decorate your virtual rooms - in the video’s case, they use animal crossing, but I find a lot of the tips are helpful for webkinz too!
happy room decorating!! don’t be afraid to share your rooms on social media or to Michael at [email protected]. there are literally infinite possibilities and I love seeing what people do with their houses!
87 notes
·
View notes
Text
Fluff!Bang Chan Imagine
Genderless Y/N has a rough day and gets overstimulated at work. When they get home, Chan is there to help calm things down. (I don't write fluff or Y/N stuff, so don't be mean lol) word count: 1786 cw: pretty detailed depiction of overstimulating situations ______________________________________________________________ As the big hand on the clock joins its partner, the work day is officially over. That’s normally good. Especially today.
It's been a particularly stressful day at work. Nothing insane had happened- it wasn’t as if someone had a stroke in their office. But little things had piled up all day.
For example, you’d woken up late. Not having time to stop and get coffee from the shop near you, you decided to get some at work. You took a crowded, stuffy metro ride all the way to work, just to be met with a broken coffee machine. It was like that all day. Someone coughing too loud and far too near you. Having to rush through your lunch. A meeting running just ten minutes too long. Nothing particularly unbearable, but the overstimulation sank in fast. It was like your skin was burning but only on the inside. Every sound too loud, every smell too strong. It was unbearable.
So, usually, 7:00 would be a relief. But today it’s a new worry. Rush hour traffic. Everyone’s going to be on the train. It’d be just like this morning, except people would be even more annoyed this time. Pushing, snapping, more teenagers running around outside the stations.
Your hands tremble with mounting anxiety as your train speeds towards home. Three stops left. You think to yourself, white-knuckling the pole on your left. The train lurches to a halt. Someone steps on your toe and the pain is amplified, swimming up your leg like neurotoxin. The man mutters an apology and bows his head a bit before hurrying off.
Two stops left. The person next to you is blasting their music too loud. Someone keeps swinging their foot- it’s clipping against the ground. Yet another person coughs too loudly. You swallow harshly and screw your eyes shut. The train stops. More people get off, more people get on.
One stop left. You think, biting the inside of your cheek. Just one more… A baby starts crying at the other end of the car. Someone forgot to silence their phone- the tone is blaring from mere feet away. More coughing, sneezing. What if you get sick? Oh, God, you’re going to get sick-
The train stops and you practically throw yourself off. There’s no time to stay still. You make your way off the train, tap out of the station, and make your way up the steps in almost one fluid motion. Your legs speed up faster and faster until you’re practically running up the stairs to your building. Fingers still shaking, you manage to get the key in the door, turn around and try not to slam the door as you shut it.
You take a deep breath, and immediately a small sense of calm fills your lungs. The neurotoxin that’s wrapped its tendrils around your bones is being fought off by the faint, sweet smell of your boyfriend’s apartment.
“Y/N?” Chan’s voice creeps around the walls of your house. “You finally home?” It’s slow, calm. It sounds like he’s been relaxed for a while. You don’t have the energy to wonder when he got home or why. All you know is that he is.
Instead of responding, you take your shoes off and place them on their designated rack. While you’re fussing around with them, slipper-muffled footsteps creep up behind you.
“Y/N?” Despite being sing-songy, Chan’s saying your name still makes you jump. You turn around to face him, unsure of how to react. He knows what to do, though, and hugs you. It’s a happy hug, one that continues fighting off the blackness in your stomach. He kisses the top of your head and pulls back, holding your face in his hands. He smiles to himself, running his thumb across your cheekbone.
“Hi.” He says, the smile on his face widening to a grin. You can’t help but smile back. Despite how shitty you feel, it’s impossible not to. That pretty dimpled smile… It's contagious. It’s as if the gods took all the stars from the sky and put them in his eyes, where his teeth are. So warm and bright, no matter how big or small it is. So you smile.
“Hi,” You manage back. You don’t have much energy to talk, but there was so much love in that single word you couldn’t help but return it.
“You’re gonna wash up, right? After work ‘n’ everything?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Cool. I’m gonna go back to our room.” He pauses, as if he's thinking of something else to say. When he can't find anything, he just kisses you again.
His lips feel perfect yours. Pillowy, soft, still tasting of the cherry Vaseline he applied hours ago. He holds the kiss for a second longer than most gentle kisses are. His hand stays holding yours for a moment later. Even in such small movements, he’s clinging to the softness, the innocence.
He can sense the anxiety that’s mounted in your chest, your throat. He doesn’t want to rush you into talking, he just wants his baby better. So he holds it. He clings to the calmness for just a second longer.
You pull back and smile at him. He nods and turns around, fingertips skimming the door frame as he walks back into your bedroom.
Washing up is fast but is in no way fun. Your soul still feels like it’s scratching to get out. The smell of steam is the only thing in the bathroom, and without Chan’s smell or the soft touch of his skin, the toxin is back in your bloodstream. You can feel each individual jet of water from the showerhead, each drop of soap, each plume of steam rising off your skin. You don’t stay in that shower very long
You’re able to bundle yourself in pajamas. Safe fabric, finally. Something soft, familiar. That worn out t-shirt you stole from Chan. The shorts that are a bit too stretch out but you can’t bring yourself to toss. Nothing too tight, too smooth, too rough. Everything’s safe.
You run your fingers over the hem of the shirt as you walk into your bedroom, the cool fabric slipping between your fingertips.
Peering into the bedroom, you just sit and admire your boyfriend for a few seconds. It’s clear he’s going to go to sleep early. Despite it only being about 8:00 or so, he’s already shirtless and partially under the blankets. He’s lazily scrolling on his phone, a thousand-yard stare painting his eyes. And yet that bright, joyful smile hasn’t left his face. It’s more tired now. Much more gentle. Much less upturned. But there’s so much peace in his face. The faint magenta light that glows against his walls has painted his skin a beautiful mural of pinks and purples. He looks like something you’d find in a prodigy’s photography portfolio.
You take a deep breath and walk in, clambering on top of the mattress. Without a second of consideration, you lie face down on his torso. Resting the side of your face in the middle of his chest, you slip your arms under his back, holding him close to you. He’s smooth and warm, his typical gentle, warm smell filling your nose. You take a deep breathe, letting your lungs fill with him.
Without a second’s hesitation, Chan rests one hand on your back and the other on the back of your head. He looks down and kisses your, his lips brushing ever so faintly across the top of your head.
“Why, hello there, my pretty baby.” He muses, his voice high and playful. He may be tired, but he’s overflowing with happiness at the mere sight of you. Being able to see, touch, smell you. Each sense activated is another damn bursting with golden light.
Hi. You think. You don’t respond out loud. You want to. Really, you do. But there’s no energy. WIth the overstimulation fading away, all you can feel is how tired you are and how shitty you feel.
Chan strokes your head lightly with his fingertips, trying to lull you into a calmer state of mind. It’s working, thankfully, and he wants to make sure it stays working.
“You okay?” He asks you, his voice dropped to a whisper.
“Mm-mm.” You manage, unmoving beneath is soothing hands.
“You wanna talk about it?”
“Mm-mm.”
He sighs. You can’t see it, but he nods.
“That’s okay.” He assures you. “You don’t need to if you don’t want to.” He kisses your head again, this time longer. He holds your head a bit firmer, pressing you into his lips. “I love you so much, my baby.” He sighs.
With that, he doesn’t say anything else.
You stay like that for a while. The only sounds are the pitter-patter of an approaching storm against the window and the breaths of Chan beneath you. His warmth leaks into you, that golden love inside of him infecting you yet again. Sticky sweet honey that holds the two of you together.
Each breath you take in unison, every small circle of fingertips on skin, all the tiny kisses you press into each other. With each and every miniscule act of love, you’re pulled closer together. Closer to each other’s souls, closer to sleep.
Eventually, the overstimulation and anxiety has completely leached itself out of your body. His fingertips no longer feel like hands. You’re able to snuggle deeper into his chest, he’s able to hold you tighter. He buries his face in your hair as you bury yours in his skin. He smells good. He smells like home.
Despite sleep dangling above your head like an anvil tied with twine, it’s yet to knock you out. Your eyes are shut, your body is still. Yet you still haven’t passed out. No matter if you have or not, it’s comfortable. It’s sweet. It’s safe.
After a half house of this wake-sleep silence, Chan speaks up again. His voice is raspy and deep, indicative of someone about to pass out themselves. Still, he doesn’t stop himself from speaking to you again.
“I know you had a bad day, and I want you to remember that tomorrow’s going to be better. Even if work is worse, I’ll be waiting right here when you get home. I promise. I’ll be waiting right here for you. I’ll always be here to make sure you’re alright. You’re the love of my life, Y/N. I can’t just let you feel like shit.” He takes a deep breath. “I love you, Y/N. Sweet dreams.”
He presses one final kiss onto your head, and as his lips leave your skin, you’re finally pulled under.
#bang chan#stray kids#skz fanfic#skz bang chan#bang chan imagines#skz fluff#fluff#kpop#kpop imagines#one shot#bang chan oneshot#cuddling & snuggling#warm and snuggly#comforting#domestic fluff#im not okay#genderless reader
67 notes
·
View notes
Text
Graveyard Shift
(A/N: hey guys this is my first fnaf fic and also i apologize for my insane writing style)
Mike is missing Vanessa and gets a job at a hospital.
A large piece of paper with a “FIRED” laid upon Mike’s desk.
Mike stared at the paper in utter confusion. He looks around the office, waiting for an explanation. He just started a month ago, don’t tell him he’s doomed to forever look for a job he’s only gonna have for a few weeks and then get fired!
“You got fired again?” Abbey asked at the dinner table. It had only been a couple of months since his last job as a… security guard… “How come?” Abbey continued to question as she stuffed her mouth with cheap off-brand cereal.
“Apparently, I kept clocking in too late when they needed me to come in sooner, or something like that.” Mike shook his head as he filled his coffee mug to the brim, nearly overfilling it due to his lack of focus on the very important act of filling a cup of coffee. He could never get a job as a barista like that. Wasn’t even a good brand of coffee.
He put the cup of coffee on the dinner table in such an unmannered manner, such a rude man not putting his coffee down in a way so that it wouldn’t make a loud sound. With a swift motion he pulled a chair out and sat his perky little cheeks on it. Abbey looked up from her bowl of cereal at him with some kind of emotion on her face, not sure which. “How is Vanessa doing?” she asked as she tilted her head. Mike froze for a moment. He forgot when the last time he visited her was. But he knew for sure that last time, she was still asleep. “Why haven’t I seen her lately? Is she still hurt?”
Mike nodded his square head “Vanessa is getting better but she has to stay at the hospital until she can get back to working. Working as a cop is dangerous, you see, so they want to make sure she’s had a full recovery.” Abbey looked at him like he was stupid. “Yeah, I know why she’d need to stay at a hospital. I just wanted to know how she was doing.” she said cockishly. Mike chuckled as he looked in the jobs section of the daily newspaper. It was then he saw an ad for a night shift as a security guard at the very hospital Vanessa was staying at.
Mike looked away from the paper and towards his pseudo-daughter sister girl. “Hey Abbey, how has school been treating you?” Abbey stopped her cereal chewing for a moment and spoke to him with her mouth full. “Ifs beenf goof!” she swallowed, “There’s this boy and girl who's been hanging out with me at lunch.” That made Mike smile. “That’s cool, they got names?” he asked. “Of course, um, their names are Cassie and Gregory. They mostly talk to each other, but they like drawing with me.” She started to brag about her new-found friends, wiping milk from her mouth as an alarm clock started to go off. Mike grabbed the clock and smashed it on the ground. “Looks like it's time for school then.” Abbey happily stood up from the table not even putting her dishes in the sink wow Mike really setting a good example for your little sister and ran over to the door, putting on her shoes.
After dropping Abbey off, Mike started thinking about that graveyard shift at Vanny’s hospital. Now of course, Mike is still traumatized by his last graveyard shift, and he's not even sure if he can do nights again ever since Max…
But still, it was probably best to look for some kind of job. Maybe he could even pay Vanessa a visit! No, that was creepy. Kind of creepy. Would Vanessa find that creepy? Would she be happy that Mike got a job just to see her? After everything they’ve been through?
When Mike got home he immediately grabbed the phone and dialed in the number of the hospital. Y’know, just cuz he needed the job. No other reason.
“Y’ello, this is Fritz Smith at the New Horizons Medical Center, how may I help you?”
Mike thinks for a moment about what to say.
“....Y’ello? If you aren’t gonna say anything then just hangup, we’re a very busy line we don’t have all day.”
“I wanted to ask about the security job.”
___________________________________________________
As he stepped into the cool air of the night out of his car, he looked at the hospital before him. He already had on his uniform and brought a flashlight with him, so instead of checking to make sure he had everything, he just unlocked the doors and walked in balls to the walls like he owns the place. God what a prick.
Mike got to his office, didn’t put anything down cuz he forgot to bring a backpack, and then immediately left to go see Vanessa. He was lucky he was able to find a babysitter in time, some guy named Ness who needed a side hustle alongside his waitering job. Mike went up and down the stairs AND the escalator trying to find Ms. Nessa before finding her room. He was twice as lucky that she got a room all to herself, so he wouldn’t be disturbing any other patients.
Mike flashed his flashlight directly at Vanessa’s face. Nope, not waking up. Mike got real close to Vanny’s ear and whispered a soft “Vaaaa~~ Nessss~~ Aaaaa~~”. Didn’t work either. Mike slumped in the chair next to her bed, out of ideas. His perky little buttcheeks weren’t helping him this time.
“I guess I shouldn’t have expected much. You’re still recovering after all. Sorry, Vanessa.” Just as Mike got up from his chair, he hears a screech and feels something grab at his arm. “Mike? That you?”
Mike could jump for joy. In fact, he did. He fucking jumped on a poor sick woman. He then realized that was weird and got back up.
“Sorry, I just- me and Abbey both missed you.” Just as Vanessa was about to speak, he interrupted, “I didn’t bring her with me by the way, I’ve learned better.” Vanessa chuckled.
“I’m glad to see ya, Mike. I uh, haven’t been having great dreams. Nightmares, to be exact. Nightmares about my dad, to be specific.” Mike sat back down into the chair nodding his head. “Go on?” he furthers.
“Well… I keep thinking about something that happened when I was a child.” She began, “I had just gotten home from school when I walked into my father preparing dinner in the kitchen. He was making my favorite, potato stew.” She leaned on Mike’s shoulder a bit, tearing up a little. “I used to love potato stew, I would always ask my mom to make it for me. I always had it on my birthday, too. But that day, I stopped liking it.”
“How come?” Mike asks, “Did you find a fly in your soup?” Vanessa chuckled a bit before her voice changed to a somber tone.
“No. But I did find something else in it.” She started to choke up and before Mike could even ask what, she says “I found my mother’s ring finger in it.”
Mike stares at her in disbelief. Vanessa starts to sob, the memories coming back. “A-and. I remember my dad.. He.. he told me that if I ever cr-crossed him. Like my mother did. I’d. I'd end up like her.” She laid her head on Mike’s arm, getting his jacket wet from her tears. Mike wasn’t really sure how to comfort her, he was also just really bad at comforting people in general. He knew one thing though, that his perky little buttcheeks wouldn’t help.
“I’m really sorry Vanny. It’s not the exact same, but I know how it feels for your mom to not be around anymore.” Vanessa nodded with tears rolling down her face cheeks. “A few years after Abbey was born, mom just felt so stressed she…” Vanessa pulled him into a hug. Mike just accepted it, knowing she knew what he was about to say.
“SNOOOOOORKKKK mimimimimi….” Vanessa snored loud as hell. Mike put her back into her bed making sure not to mess with all the wires next to her. He figured it’d be fine if he fell asleep on the job, at least until six.
#1415 word count#schmelly#vanessa shelly#rottmnt mikey#fnaf#fnaf movie#five nights at freddy's#fnaf fanfic#technically a schmelly fic but not really#half a shitpost fic#toaster-hair
20 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi Jes here’s a Head Canon I have for a modern au Wild (not yours specifically though)
So I head canon that at some point in the modern au Wild will lose his left arm which is as traumatic as losing one’s arm is but Wild being Wild will laugh to try and deal with it. So here are some examples of things he would do.
1) in a TikTok to the sound of ‘Shut up and dance with me’
Flora standing to the right of Wild (both in frame): grabbing his prosthetic arm
Wild (mouthing “she took me arm. Idk how it happened”: 🧍
Flora: pulling his prosthetic arm off
Clips to them laughing
2) in a TikTok
Legend monologging: “So how do you know, know that you have a crazy (brother/friend) I know that I have when this Mf( camera moves to show Wild playing just dance four with out his right arm.) starts doing shit like this. Cause mf doesn’t even have a right arm.
For comforting video I usually binge Zelda theory videos, FNAF theory videos, watch livestreams/vods of my favorite creators (pointcrow, Quinbobin( generally if you want really funny Zelda game play watch Quinbobin on YouTube mans a mad lad) and small ant) some character analysis by schnee on YouTube although it’s arcane so heavy caution given season two and the emotional hell that was. But if I’m really feeling it I’ll watching fucking math videos of math I haven’t even reached yet because something about knowledge is power and number are pretty ( probably the undiagnosed ‘tisums) 
I’ll jump into and character analysis of a show/book/movie I haven’t even seen before just for something new for me brain to focus on something else.
If I need an energy boost listening to movie sound tracts like interstellar and Oppenheimer while pacing helps with mental productivity. Like if your needing a mental break and have the physical energy go take a walk somewhere, even around your house/apartment/dorm/building/city especially if it’s cold, that helps me but given what you’ve said about your life idk if the best help for you. But sometimes movement like stretching can help and you can stay on the floor and not move far if not needed.
Anyways I hope that you get better. Please prioritize your mental health and wellness because that’s really fucking important. and if you feel safe doing so maybe talk to some irl friends who can listen and help you out on the daily, cause in reality we on tumblr, we can only go so far. But I truly believe that it’s going to be ok eventually, but don’t beat yourself up if it isn’t right now. Some things can wait, some things can’t, your mental and physical wellbeing is high on the listen of ‘things that can’t wait’. So take a day easy if you need to and beat yourself up and over something you can’t control.
Also if you want I can share some ideas I have for Lu at a music contest. You saying that Wind would play an instrument and compete has given me ideas, so I’ll post them and if you want I’ll tag you in them!
Anyways remember TAKE CARE OF YOU SELF PLEASE FOR. THE.LOVE.OF.GOD DO IT. If what I’ve said you’ve already tried and you know that it doesn’t help then ignore it please. 
watching math videos of math you havent reached yet is an INSANE power move, i am not math smart so i cant imagine a world in which thats NOT stressful but the idea is honestly so funny to me and it never occurred to me that that was ever an option 😭 im genuinely just obsessed with that idea
i did walk around quite a bit today and i went for a drive so im feeling a bit better now :)
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
2024 Retrospective
Part 2: Digging through the dirt to find some silver
So, ignoring every group that failed to be interesting enough to write about, who is left?
Stray Kids for one, entirely on the strength of one song. Which speaks volumes for just how likable I think this group is, because “Chk Chk Boom” follows the same tired old YG format I complain about every year. But it turns out, it’s not the format that is boring, just how insanely lazy YG has been with it. Because no matter how I slice it, this song is fun. It’s just as cool and energetic as YG thinks their title tracks are. The music video elevates the song, and I can’t deny that part of what I love about it is that its release felt like an actual event in this year were nothing mattered. Deadpool and Wolverine in a KPop MV was truly a moment. But even apart from that the song just slaps, and it’s my most played KPop song of the year for it.
Then there’re their labelmates, the one big four rookie who’s distinct from their direct predecessor. Only because JYP isn’t trying to remake one of its own groups. They’re trying to remake one of SM’s, but well, semantics. NMIXX actually had a couple of songs I liked this year. Not the title tracks; “See That?” came close but ultimately lacks a hook, and “Dash” is just as awful if not worse than what I’ve come to expect from them, I don’t understand who that song is even for. “Sonar (Breaker)” was right there, why not promote that instead? But they did have a couple of interesting B-sides. “Run For Roses” comes very close to being a favorite of the year, but the chorus isn’t quite strong enough. The first verse is impeccable, and it’s a real shame that it doesn’t stay on that level for the entirety of its runtime. That is not to say that it isn’t still a good song, it just got frustratingly close to being great and doesn’t quite get there. And missed potential is really the theme for this group, isn’t it? I also enjoyed “Boom”, but “Love Is Lonely” ended up being the only song I somewhat liked on their next EP and that song is shockingly generic for how much a mess this group’s music usually is. And this is why this group is so frustrating. They have one of the strongest line ups 4th gen has to offer, and the songs JYP gives them are not doing them justice at all. But at least they still invoke a sense of frustration. Because even if the songs let them down just as much as everyone else this year, they fail in more interesting ways than just being painfully bland
I would like to say that I have no idea when I started rooting for Red Velvet, but I know exactly when, and I also know who to blame. I just have too many friends who’re SM stans, and SHINee truly is a gateway drug to this beautiful mess of a label. It doesn’t hurt that I loved Midsommar, which the MV for “Cosmic” pays homage to. I also always like Red Velvet more when they lean into the uncanny, as this group still looks and sounds like SM printed their perfect girl group in a computer to me. Clean and pretty to a point where even the quirkiness of their presentation can’t convince me that this group has a personality. This is not a slight against the girls necessarily, but against the production, and it’s a general problem I had with SM forever. And whenever Red Velvet embraces the uncanny in their concepts the sterility of SM’s productions works in their favor. The EP is also solid, something I cannot say about many KPop releases this year. Wendy’s solo “Wish You Hell” is quite charming too, and a good example for how to do a subdued title track well, even without making it super complex. It’s catchy, builds throughout its runtime, and Wendy has the vocal power to back it up (HYBE, please take notes).
Speaking of SM solos, Ten’s EP was a pleasant surprise. Not because I didn’t think Ten could pull it off, but because SM has a very shaky track record recently. “Nightwalker” though is a unique and memorable single. The entire EP is worth checking out, but the only B-side I keep coming back to is “Dangerous”, probably because I can easily imagine Key releasing it. The EP is also entirely in English, which I didn’t even notice at first. Don’t keep this kid in the dungeon SM, you’re wasting one of your biggest talents here.
NCT also got a few wins in this year. Granted, more losses than wins (and I’m not even going to comment on the scandal), but wins, nonetheless. Even though I still have no idea who NCT Wish is supposed to be for, considering SM has a new boy group they should be focusing on, “Songbird” is almost a textbook example for how to make a cute boy group song. Not only does it hit all the expected markers, but there’re also just enough twists on the formula to make the song memorable, like that little vocal run at the end of the first chorus. I also liked 127’s “Walk”. Considering I’ve long since held the opinion that SM should never touch anything even remotely resembling hip hop, no one is more surprised than me by this development. So, does that mean NCT gets good title track now? Ahahahaha. Guess. One year! Give me one year where I don’t have to mention a NCT title track as one of the worst releases of the year. Just ONE SM, please, I’m begging you! Well, at least “Smoothie” isn’t as awful as some of their previous releases. It’s not even the worst Dream has done. It’s still a hot mess I found intensely uncomfortable to listen to, but it could be so much worse. At least the instrumental track doesn’t have awful synths this time. And I also can’t bring myself to hate it too much, because at least it was trying something. It failed, wholesale, but in a year where KPop was drowning in soulless sludge I can at least respect that “Smoothie” tried enough to fail.
That is not to say that SM was always trying either, and RIIZE is truly the best showcase of what “not trying” by SM sounds like. They don’t have anything going for them right now. “Love 119” is bad in such a generic way that its failures aren’t even interesting to talk about. I could try talking about the lyrics. If the girl is that great and sets you free, why is she a killer then, make up your damn mind if this love is toxic or not. But even that is just. Lazy. Boring. A low hanging fruit I’m too tired to pick. So, what else is there? The mixing is bad. Congrats, that’s a recurring issue SM has. It’s a total one eighty from the image they’ve promoted with previously and afterwards. Yeah, duh, it’s SM, they’ve failed to tell their groups apart for at least a decade. What else? If “Songbird“ is a textbook example for how to do a cute boy group song well, then “Impossible” is a textbook example for how to do it. Not well, not badly. Just do it. It’s pure filler, and its aggressive genericness distracts from the mixing problems that are prevalent on this song as well. “Boom Boom Bass” at least manages to have a catchy chorus, and it’s also the best mixed title track SM gave these kids this year, but it’s also almost a beat-by-beat rehash of their debut song. Which means that it’s very repetitive and has barely enough content to fill its already short runtime. I guess “Lucky” is the best song they got this year then. The mixing is better than on “Impossible”, that’s where the praise ends. Because while there’s nothing wrong with this song, there’s also nothing special about it. This could��ve been a filler B-side on one of SHINee’s rookie albums, but SHINee at least would’ve had Jonghyun to give it some personality. And with that we’re right back at square one. This group has no identity. Show me a RIIZE song and one of the cute NCT releases and I couldn’t tell you which was which. The only difference between “Songbird” and “Lucky” is that I like “Songbird” better. The style is exactly the same, the groups are entirely interchangeable. And that’s not even accounting for the number of groups outside of SM who have that same generic image.
And the worst part is, even SM not trying is still more interesting than anything the last big four label is doing. YG has, in fact, released music this year. Incredible. Jaw dropping. No one saw this coming. Yeah no, I won’t even bother to pretend like I ever planned to give each of their groups a paragraph here. There is no point, because there’s clearly only one release I got to talk about. Deep sigh. BABYMONSTER’s “Sheesh”. Is this the worst song of the year? I don’t know, can it even count as “of this year” when it’s a rehash of a rehash of a rehash of a rehash of a – I’ll stop. It’s bad. Not even a hint of an original idea, and one of the worst choruses YG ever shat out. And the worst part is, that is the only thing worth mentioning about this entire label. YG’s (including THEBLACKLABEL) other releases are (predictably) such nothingburgers that there’s no reason at all to talk about them. They’re all generic rehashes of a formula that was generic and stale half a decade ago. “Sheesh” only manages to be noteworthy by being exceptionally bad at it, and none of their other songs fail that hard. They don’t matter, and it wouldn’t surprise me if no one remembers them.
And how better to examine how much of a drain on music quality YG is than to take a look at what BLACKPINK has been up to since their contracts expired? Lisa’s singles made me double check if she didn’t actually resign after all, that’s all I need to say. Queue the obligatory rant about how no one in this fucking industry seems to know what rock music is. None of you are rock stars, you sound ridiculous honey. Not like the other lyrics of “ROCKSTAR” are any better, this song is a serious contender for worst lyrics of the year. It’s the other girls who were rays of light here. Jennie might be trying entirely too hard in her “Mantra” MV, and it does not help the song that it’s using the exact same, awful “the girl I’ve been singing about is actually me no homo” twist YUQI’s solo used just months before. Once again, no points for creativity. What it gets point for is being very catchy and being the first BLACKPINK related release I actually downloaded in five years. Rosé meanwhile released a collaboration with Bruno Mars that became one of the biggest hits of the year, and for once I’m actually on board with that. While most Pop-KPop collaborations sound like the artists never met, and possibly didn’t even know who they were collaborating with, “APT.” is incessantly fun because Rosé and Bruno seem to be having so much fun together. The music video is half the charm, but the song matches that energy. Take some fun verses, a catchy hook, and a killer bridge, performed by two artists who sound like they’re having the time of their lives, backed up by a clean production, and you get yourself a song that seems impossible to hate. (On that note, check out Babymetal’s and Electric Callboy’s collaboration “RATATATA”, you’re welcome.)
That brings me to the random assortment of artists I liked enough this year to give them their own paragraph.
P1Harmony remains one of the strongest cases for 4th gen boy groups. “Killin It” was fun enough in that regard, but in the end, I remain a fan of KPop from back when choruses and bridges were a thing, and “Sad Song” at least delivers on the former. Don’t get fooled by the title, this song is pure fun.
Yena had a much better year this time, though to be fair, it would’ve taken effort to have a worse year than her 2023. But “Good Morning” was fun, and all four songs on that release are worth their salt, “Good Girls In The Dark” in particular continues her string of B-sides many would’ve preferred as the title track. “DNA” also is a nice Japanese single and makes her another member of the elusive but ever growing “why aren’t you in a rock band” club that I founded for WOODZ last year. “NEMONEMO” meanwhile is almost a JPop song in its incessant cheerfulness, and it narrowly avoids being annoying by being oddly sincere. Overall, I liked her releases this year, but mostly, I’m glad she could recover from that mess that was her last promotion cycle, and that she’s sticking to what makes her unique.
SISTAR19 was probably the most unexpected comeback this year, and surprisingly considering my gripes with the group, I really enjoyed it. “No More (Ma Boy)” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it is catchy and there’s an undeniable power that comes with experience. Hyolyn and Bora own this song and their performance in a way that you just don’t see from less experienced idols. And watching Hyolyn’s “Wait”, as much as the target audience is obviously, definitely, aggressively not me, makes every sexy girl group MV look worse in comparison. It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly it is she does differently, but even harder to deny the effect. She makes it look easy and natural, like she could be doing this in her sleep and she’s enjoying every second of it.
I have no idea why I’m paying attention to tripleS as much as I am. Nothing they released so far was great. A lot of it was good enough to make me download the title track though, if just barely. And yet here I am again, writing about them. They’ve released a lot this year that didn’t stand out enough to warrant writing about. NXT doesn’t seem to be a proper unit, but “Just Do It” would’ve been a good title track if it had been. Aria has a lot to proof with a name like that, and “Door” isn’t a bad Kpop ballad by any means, but it doesn’t convince as a pitch for Aria as a vocal powerhouse group, nor does it do enough to be interesting on its own. Visionary Vision’s “Hit The Floor” did nothing for me. It's the full group album, “Assemble24”, that earned them a proper paragraph. “Girls Never Die” is probably their best title track so far, and the album has a couple of strong B-sides as well, most notably “Midnight Flower” and “Beyond The Beyond”, as well as the new version of “Dimension”. And having multiple strong B-sides in addition to a good title track was a real rarity this year.
Everglow earned a quick mention because at least they tried something with “Zombie”. All this song needed was a bigger final chorus, but it seems like the art of those was lost for good when the 2012 line up enlisted. Without that it is sadly stuck as a song that reminds me of better releases from a decade ago.
Finally, I don’t know if I could ever capture the weirdness of XG, but I have to try at least. This group should be an audiovisual nightmare, but there’s a method to the madness. And once you get used to it, their more sensible releases like “Something Ain’t Right” just don’t hit right. Not when released between the provocative and borderline incomprehensible “Woke Up” and “Howling”. Not when their other pretty pop song is as trippy as “IYKYK”. What all four singles have going for them though is the skill of the performers. Every single member knows to command attention, something that becomes increasingly more impressive when you consider the ridiculous styling they’re working with. There’s nothing conventional about the visual presentation of this group, but the further we get into this experiment, the more consistently it works. And when it all comes together, it’s stunning. They also got an animated MV to promote a Riot event, and while the animation is nowhere near the best we got out these, they delivered on the song.
#kpop#in order of appearance:#stray kids#nmixx#red velvet#ten chittaphon#nct#nct 127#nct dream#nct wish#riize#babymonster#blackpink#lisa#jennie#rose#bruno mars I guess???#also babymetal and electric callboy I guess???#not kpop but y'all really need to listen to ratatata#p1harmony#sistar19#hyolyn#triples#everglow#xg#2024 retrospective
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
Come Home With Me - All I've Ever Known Part 7
Come home with me
Maybe because she'll make you feel alive
< prev | next >
If you had told me at the start of the semester that Jordan Li would become my closest friend on campus I would have laughed in your face. But it was November now, and I found myself looking for them in every room, letting out a sigh of relief when our eyes would meet. Even though I barely understood myself, Jordan seemed to really see me - the me underneath the layers of deception and anxieties. They would catch my eye across the classroom when one of our professors said something particularly inane, a shared moment of truth amongst the lies.
If I was truly honest with myself, it reminded me of Sam. I could never hide my true feelings or intentions from him either. We used to have the same kind of moment when our dad would wax on and on about what it means to be a hero or whatever sanctimonious bullshit he was spewing that night at the dinner table. And it was an addictive and terrifying thing to be truly known. Especially when there are still skeletons in my closet, and threats looming on the horizon.
Being with Jordan made it easier to push those worries away. They started crashing my study time at the library, sidling up to my table with their characteristic smirk, a coffee in hand.
Today, they slid a cookie across the table at me. I raised an eyebrow at them in confusion but they pointedly ignored me, pulling out their laptop. But I swear I saw a small, satisfied smile flit across their face when I ate it.
It’s strange, the things you notice about someone when you spend a lot of time together. For example, I had never paid attention to how someone moves before. But Jordan moves with precision, like they’ve mapped out what they’re going to do before they’ve done it. And yet, they move quickly - lightning fast reflexes. Despite being a supe, I still usually felt like I had to choose between speed and accuracy, and Jordan had both in spades.
There are other things I’ve noticed. Things I wouldn’t dare admit to - it makes me sound like a creep. But I know the kind of cologne they wear (L'eau d'Issey - I may or may not have recognized the smell in store right away), I know the face they make when they’re biting back a quip, and... yeah, I’m falling for Jordan fucking Li. Despite my best efforts, despite the insane nonsense happening around us, despite the fact that I’m still keeping major secrets from them, I get fucking butterflies when they smile at me.
They don’t need to know about my ... incident during the spring. They’re already helping me with my family shit, already drove me to the fucking cemetery, already help so much with the nightmares that don’t seem to be getting any better. The details are irrelevant, and besides - no one else knows. No one else can know. Even Robert, my dad’s lawyer, keeps certain details from him. The only one who knows the whole truth is Grace, and that’s because she’s the one who found me.
Last night was really bad. I might need to change my sleeping aid because I’m skipping the same number of days but I couldn’t wake up last night. I was trapped, choking, feeling his hand gripping the back of my neck and pressing me deeper into the water.
I don’t remember what happened properly either, which makes it that much harder. It’s like a series of scenes from a television show that have been put back in the wrong order. The doctors said that PTSD is like a memory filing error. My brain was trying to keep me alive, and it didn’t have time to organize the memories properly and put them away in the right place. To me, it feels like I’m still putting together the puzzle of my own life, and I can’t keep my hands from shaking so I keep dropping the pieces. I’m not sure if I’ll ever know the full extent of what happened to me during those few days, or why it happened.
Jordan coughs, and I blink, only to realize I had been staring off into the distance for who knows how long.
“Earth to Maggie. Everything all right up there?” They asked, and despite the casual smirk on their face, I knew they genuinely cared. But that didn’t mean I could tell them everything. That wouldn’t be fair, and it would start me down a path of remembering that would just cause more problems. So I just smiled and nodded.
“Just had trouble sleeping last night.” I said, hoping I sounded relaxed about it.
“Worse than usual?” They asked, looking up briefly from their screen. I nodded, and Jordan just gave me a soft smile before going back to their work. I was glad they didn’t push the issue. Then I remembered their tentative offer from a month or so ago.
By the way, if you ever need to, uh, train with someone
Maybe burning off some steam before bed would do me some good. “Hey, if you’re free tonight... would you be willing to spar for a bit?” I asked hesitantly. “If the offer still stands, of course.” They grinned at me impishly.
“Hell yeah.” And so we ended up in the training room once more, decked out in athletic gear, but this time we were facing down each other instead of sandbags. I settled into my usual stance for sparring but Jordan just smirked and came to adjust my stance. They used their foot to move mine a few inches to the left, and then their hands were on my hips, grabbing them softly and adjusting the angle slightly. My mind went blank.
I didn’t think one touch could render me speechless, but it was all I could do to keep my face from betraying my emotions. My skin burned slightly where their fingers had been, and I swallowed hard. Then Jordan fell into their own fighting stance, their bob tied back, and nodded once.
Especially when fighting, Jordan is fast - and perceptive. Even when I’m trying to disguise my feints, they still seem to know exactly where I’m planning on striking. I sighed in frustration as they continued blocking every strike without breaking a sweat.
“Your lean is a bit too exaggerated when you feint.” They explained, taking a long drink from their water. I tear my eyes away from them before I can really start staring.
We started exchanging blows again and I focused on keeping my movements natural. I even got a few hits in before I got over confident and ended up backed into a corner. And there was that stomach lurching, heart pounding, mind melting feeling as our eyes met. You would think that it’d be impossible to be intimidated by someone a few inches shorter than you, but I legitimately felt my breath catch in my throat.
“You’re improving, little mouse, but I still win.” They said lowly, with that fucking smirk again, and I swallowed hard. I knew I should have something clever to say but I couldn’t think about anything but their piercing brown eyes which were staring deep into my soul.
“One more round,” I said huskily. It would be three more rounds before we both went back to the townhouse to crash. And, surprisingly, no nightmares.
Luke’s POV
When my dad explained his plans for our future all those years ago, it all made sense. I remember sitting in his office, pleased to be included in the work my dad was doing.
“Luke, I’m telling you this because you’re the eldest - that means you’re the leader. Your mother and I have always known that you and your siblings would be incredible heroes. We made a deal with the people behind the seven to get you, Margaret, and Sam what you’ll need to be the best heroes you can be.” He said to me, holding my gaze to impress the seriousness of his request. “I’m going to need your help to make sure that your siblings stay on the right track, ok? This world is full of temptations - but you three have a responsibility as heroes.”
A responsibility as heroes. That stuck with me - more than I think he intended. And it became clear throughout the years that my siblings did not feel the same way. They didn’t feel the sense of duty I felt towards society. I have these powers - shouldn’t I be using them for good?
I knew our dad just had our best interests at heart, and I understood his motivations. So I was okay doing what he asked. Even when it felt... wrong. Like reading my sister’s journal and reporting on her research and inventions. Or helping them put Sam in that facility. I try not to think about that too much - he killed himself two days after he was admitted there, and it still feels like it's my fault. I isolated him from his support system - but he needed help, more help than we could give him. Dad had been right all along - unfortunately. Maggie’s insistence that Sam is alive when she doesn’t know anything is infuriating. She wasn’t there when Sam was committed. She didn’t see the animal look in his eyes when he was being driven away. After seeing that, it was much easier to understand how he could have killed himself.
A few days before the gala, my dad called me to chat about Maggie and her ... attitude problem. I had noticed it, of course - she had no desire to actually put in the work to become a hero or flesh out the story that had been created for her - to cover up her mistakes.
“Listen, son, I need a bit more help with your sister. Despite all the work Robert and I put in to get her this deal, she’s still dragging her feet, and we are getting a bit... concerned.” He said seriously. “We were hoping you could talk to her at the gala, and introduce her to some of my associates. She’s a good girl, and she means well, but sometimes I think she forgets what’s truly at stake.” We’d had this kind of conversation before. It was different when she and Sam were together - they brought out the worst in each other. Idealistic, stubborn, and selfish. They have no understanding of what it takes to become a hero or what it took for them to even get their powers in the first place.
“Of course, dad. She’s smart, she’ll come around.” I said, and I hoped I was right.
“She better. A lot changed when Sammy died. We can’t afford any more setbacks.” The casual way he spoke about Sam’s death - as if it hadn’t changed everything - made my stomach churn, but as usual, I ignored it. Everyone copes differently, I guess.
That’s what I was thinking as I got ready for the gala, tightening the ruby-red tie I had picked out to match Cate’s gown. But little did I know, this was more than just a conversation, and Maggie wasn’t the only one in the dark about what was truly going on.
< prev | next >
thanks to @barbieprincesshilton for the edits
#jordan li#gen v#gen v prime#jordan li x reader#gen v fic#angst#luke riordan#sam riordan#lukes little sister x jordan li
16 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hey so there was this theory with the pic of Emilie and Gabriel looking at lil Adrien and I just wanted to ask you if you could explain it a bit more clearly cuz this theory sounds absolutely insanely fantastic and id like to understand it properly,thanks sm
Hi! Sorry for the very late response. I’m still not caught up on the show, so I’m probably missing many details, and for that reason I’d like to open this post up to other people to discuss because I think the things I noticed in prior seasons have become more relevant with the s5 finale.
the Amelie vs Emilie “theory”

For the new people, about a year ago I made two posts in response to the s4 episodes Wishmaker and Gabriel Agreste pointing out things that caught my eye regarding the twins.
All in all I don’t have much of a solid conclusion for the “theory” which is why it’s so confusing. It’s mostly a compilation of details I thought were strange and potentially foreshadowing a future plot twist. I’ll list some below.
In Wishmaker, Adrien’s baby memory depicts his mother with blue eyes and his father with green eyes. Astruc claims this was an error, which might be true.
Many depictions of Emilie have her in black and white. For example, the movie she starred in was B&W, and Felix and Kagami’s award winning indie film was all B&W, plus their eye colors didn’t change anyway under the masks
When Gabriel made the wish, Emilie didn’t open her eyes, she stayed dead
In the first post I pointed out that Emilie and Amelie are wearing different colored blazers, although I believe Astruc has since also said that’s insignificant. Once again dk if that’s true or not. In Andre’s dream box, he has headshots of supposedly young Tomoe and either Emilie or Amelie, but she’s wearing Amelie’s blazer.
Of course, since I’ve made those posts, we’ve seen actual scenes of Gabriel and his wife where she clearly has green eyes
I want to put emphasis on this because I’ve never seen anyone except me mention it: in the episode Gabriel Agreste, Gabriel’s tablet falls and breaks due to Marino’s antics. Amelie and Felix are the only guests to arrive AFTER this and NOT get their finger prints scanned.
Most recently, the writers commented on the finale. They said that Emilie has not come back to life, but intentionally avoided specifying who was at the pool party in the big sunhat. This would lead us to just say it’s Amelie then, but the vagueness makes me wonder.
The writers also suggested they left the contents of Gabriel’s wish vague on purpose to pull some twist. They said you’d think it just healed Nathalie’s illness, but that’s not all, and there’s a trick to it.
Minor note, but the whole reason people were confused about the swimsuit woman’s identity is because the leaked texture reference page for her character model was labeled Emilie. Either they changed the story, had a spelling mixup, or [insert conspiracy]
Adding on, after the first post I made, someone sent me old concept art of Adrien’s mom simply labeled “Adrien’s mother”. Either they didn’t come up with her name yet back then, or [insert conspiracy]
So at the end of the day, I have some level of confidence that they’re planning something with these GDV twins, but every explanation I can come up with for it sounds kinda crazy. Perhaps the most straightforward thing I can suggest is that the two swapped places early on in the overall plot? Idk. I’d love to hear other people’s ideas no matter how crazy. Maybe Gabriel wished for Emilie’s ghost to possess Amelie, awaken in the dead of night, and carry on his legacy of throwing plastic trash directly into the river. Who even is Emilie? Who’s Amelie? I’m excited to see where it all goes.
#miraculous ladybug#ml#ml s5 spoilers#ml s5 finale#ml theory#ml thoughts#emilie agreste#amelie graham de vanily#emilie graham de vanily#miraculous theory#side note that writer commentary made me excited for the Ivan lore. if Ivan had zero fans that means I am dead#what if there’s a woman named Umelie who’s just as confused as I am and one named Oomelie who runs the shadow government
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
Wail Of The Siren - Chapter 3 - The Offer (originally posted: 5/4/24)

Dib didn’t want to believe what he was seeing.
“Tak?! What are you doing here?!” Dib demanded, walking towards mew with a pissed look on his face.
“Dude chill out. I only came here to grab my ship. That’s all, I swear. I want nothing else.”Tak insisted.
Dib glanced at Gaz with clenched teeth.
“Why are you hanging out with her of all people?!” They whispered in a demanding manner “she tried to destroy the planet for goodness sake.” They add. “Dib, mew doesn’t want to harm us, mew just came here to grab mew’s ship and not much else. I’m not sure why you’re freaking out over something this small.” Gaz scolded. “Yeah but- what if she hurts you?!” Dib fretted. “I know what to do if that happens, Dib. I don’t need my older sibling to protect me.” Gaz grunted.
Dib then walked upstairs to his room.
“Ugh Dib is so annoying. I hate how they think I’m still a baby.” Gaz grumbled as she sat back down on the couch. “Is it okay if I stay here for the night?” Tak asked “Yeah sure, that’s fine. I don’t think my dad would mind.” Gaz answered, then going to the linen closet to grab a blanket.
“Here, I figured you might need this.” Gaz said, handing a blanket to Tak. “Thanks Gaz.” Tak replied, Gaz just nodded sat down on the couch.
“Do you want to play a game or something?” Gaz asked, Tak nodded, Gaz then went to tv stand to look for one.
She rummaged through the shelves for a moment hm… I know that she likes cats. This is probably a good choice. Gaz decided, pulling out the game.
“Does this sound good?” Gaz asked “Yeah that sounds great!” Tak answered.
Gaz put the disk inside the console.
“So how does this game work?” Tak asked “Ah, so basically you have a little village of cats and you can assign the cats different jobs, like gardener or hunter or baker for example. You can also have the cats interact with each other with the interactions button. You can also take the cats on adventures where they fight monsters. On adventures you can also get special items and currency.” Gaz infodumped “ah, neat. This sounds like it’ll be fun.” Tak remarked, Gaz nodded in agreement.
It was around 2 am, Professor Membrane arrived home, ready for a good slumber.
He saw his daughter, Gaz sitting on the couch with a blue haired girl and what looked to be her pet cat.
“Hello daughter, how was your day?” He yawned “Fine Dad.” Gaz responded. “Who’s this?” He asked, glancing at Tak.
“This is a friend of mine, her name is Tak.” Gaz introduced, Tak gave a small wave. “Pleasure to meet you!” She adds, Membrane offered her a hand shake, which was taken.
“Where’s Dib?” Membrane asked, glancing around the room. “He’s upstairs, he’s probably drawing moth man or something. Or making his moth man plushies kiss.” Gaz answered. “My poor insane son…” Membrane remarked, then heading up the stairs.
Dib laid in bed, they’d put their clothes to dry on the end of their bed and had put on their pajamas.
They held one of their mothman plushies, Mothy, close. Trying to fall asleep. He still remembered the day the got Mothy from that gift shop, when he was only five years old.
“Hey Dad, can I get this?”
“No daughter.”
“Pretty pretty please? With a cherry on top?”
“Alright fine- you can get it I guess.”
“Thanks Dad! You’re the best!”
“My poor insane daughter…”
Dib had a pumpkin scented candle lit, Mothy smelled like pumpkins now.
He wasn’t even sure where he got the candle, he had just found it in his closet one day and decided to light it.
Dib sat up and climbed down the small latter on the slide of their bed and blew out the candle. The stench of smoke filled their nose.
Ew. Dib thought with a disgusted look on their face. They then climbed back in bed and stared at the glowing stars on their ceiling.
He then drifted off to sleep.
Dib awoke to the sound of birds singing, the sun light the room.
Dib sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, his vision was blurry, he looked for his glasses which sat on the his nightstand.
There. That’s much better. Dib thought, then climbing out of bed to use the bathroom.
Dib grabbed a towel from the linen closet and headed to the bathroom, he turned the faucet to the warm setting.
Dib fidgeted as they watched the tub fill with water. When will this tub be filled?! Dib questioned as they leaned over the tub.
After five minutes, (which felt like an hour for Dib.) the tub was finally full. Dib poured in some bubble bath, then swishing it around with their hand, once the bubbles were to their liking, they got in.
Dib soaked in the warm, refreshing water for about ten minutes before scrubbing himself.
He was once again glad that it was only salt water that trigged a siren transformation.
Once Dib was finished he rinsed himself off and dried off.
Dib had placed his coat in the garage to air dry the night before.
Membrane was downstairs doing his laundry, however he noticed a strange stench coming from Dib’s coat.
Membrane grabbed the coat. It had the strong stench of fish and salt water.
Dib went in the garage, he was wearing a mothman shirt that was way too big for him and some pajama pants with ufo’s on them. He was also wearing some huge, ridiculous looking slippers.
“Hey son, why does your coat smell like fish?”Membrane asked.
“Uh- no idea Dad!” Dib lied shakily.
“Oh uh- okay?” Membrane replied awkwardly, unconvinced, then throwing the coat in the washer.
Dib then walked to the kitchen, Tak and Gaz were eating some pancakes that Gaz had cooked.
Dib was getting some cereal, he didn’t want to ask Gaz to make him pancakes.
Dib poured the cereal in the bowl and added some milk and ate it.
Gaz and Tak had went to the local convenience store near the beach, Gaz sipped on her blue raspberry and cherry suck monkey, Tak had gotten a poop cola flavored one.
The two of them stood in the parking lot.
“I HAATEE YOOOOU DIIIIIB!!!!” Zim shouted as he chased Dib “SHUT UP ZIM! I HATE YOU MORE!” Dib shouted back.
“Ah yes, typical Zim and Dib behavior.” Gaz remarked as she rolled her eyes, then taking a dramatic sip from her suck monkey. “Mhm.” Tak hummed in agreement.
Zim and Dib then started punching and kicking each other “YEAH!!! YEEEAH!!! GET HIM!!!” Gir cheered as it obnoxiously slurped its suck monkey.
Keef sat at the dinner table with his parents, they were having some lunch.
Keef stared down at his food, taking small bites.
I wonder that fish creature was… Keef wondered as he took a bite out of his chicken.
He wasn’t sure what kind of fish it was, it looked more human than fish, but it still was fishy enough to where it wasn’t exactly human either.
“Is something wrong Keef?” Keef’s mom asked, noticing the look on her son’s face.
Keef nodded. “I’m just thinking about that happened a few days ago.” They mumbled as they licked the chicken seasoning off their lips.
“You know how I told you about how that fish I was supposed to bring home a few days ago was stolen right out of my bucket?” Keef recalled, their parents nodded.
“Well… I’m still trying to figure out what creature it was. I don’t know of any marine animals with scaly hands like that, other than a salt water crocodile but those don’t live anywhere near here so I’ve ruled that out.” Keef adds. “Are you sure you weren’t seeing things?” Keef’s mom questioned. “I’m sure! I saw it with my own eyes!” Keef assured.
“Well. Hopefully you can figure out what stole your fish soon!” Keef’s dad said, Keef nodded in agreement.
Once Keef had finished his food he placed his dishes in the sink and grabbed a fishing pole, canoe and some fishing equipment.
After saying goodbye to his parents, he was off to the beach.
Keef walked to the beach, wearing some sandals, a fishing hat, a button up shirt and denim shorts.
Gaz and Tak still stood in the gas station parking lot, drinking the last of their suck monkeys, watching Zim and Dib fight.
Keef stopped in a his tracks, Zim and Dib were beating each other up.
“Hey! Guys! Please stop!” Keef pled, dropping his things and running towards Zim and Dib.
Keef pulled Zim off of Dib.
“Why can’t you two just get along? It’s like you guys always have to fight over something. Can’t you just be nice to each other for once?” Keef questioned.
Dib and Zim gave angry looks at each other, Zim let out a cat like hiss. Dib and Zim then went in different directions, Zim was going to grab a snack with Gir and Dib was heading to the beach.
“Hey I’m gonna go for a swim, see you in a bit.” Gaz said, Tak and Gaz waved to each other before Gaz ran over to the beach.
“HEY WAIT FOR ME DIB!!!” Gaz shouted in between breathes.
Once Gaz and Dib reached the beach, Dib took off his flip flops, the hot white sand burned beneath Dib’s bare feet.
“Ouch!” Dib groaned “that’s why you keep your shoes on, dumbass.” Gaz jeered, then running off into the waves.
“Hey wait up!” Dib called out, then running after his sister, the two disappeared into the waves.
Meanwhile, Zim and Keef walked to the convenience store, however Zim then noticed someone familiar.
Tak.
Zim couldn’t believe it’s eyes. What was Tak doing there?
Tak let out an angry hiss at the sight of Zim.
“What do you want from ZIIIMM!!!” Zim demanded, crossing xyr arms as xe bit xyr lip. “I want nothing from you Zim.” Tak spat bluntly. “I’m only staying here because I’m not sure where to go next.” Mew adds as mew placed mew’s hands on mew’s hips.
“Yeah sure. I bet you want something from me. Don’t you? Like revenge?” Zim laughed.
“Zim. How many times do I have to tell you that I hate you and that I want nothing to do with you.” Tak reminded him. “Zim, if Tak doesn’t like you, you should respect that. I think we should just go.” Keef advised.
Zim let out a defeated huff, “see you later Keef.” Zim said, glancing away from Tak and glancing at Keef.
Zim and Gir then started to walk back home.
“Alright, bye Zim!” Keef replied, turning around.
Keef went on his way to the beach. Once he arrived he pushed his canoe into water before climbing into his boat.
They began to paddle towards a good fishing spot.
Dib lurked below the surface, however, he saw the canoe again.
Keef was almost ready to cast the fish rod, until he saw someone familiar lurking below the surface.
The creature. The creature that had stolen their fish.
They caught a glimpse of the siren’s face as it glanced over its shoulder.
Dib?!
“Dib?” Keef gasped, not believing their eyes.
Dib froze, rolled over and looked up at Keef, with an anxious expression on his face.
“P-please don’t tell anyone…” Dib stammered. Keef recognized something.
Wait a minute. Aren’t those the same scaly hands I saw when my fish was stolen? Keef questioned. They were.
“Hey… You stole my fish…” Keef frowned, Dib broke the surface of the water when they swam up. “Yeah… I didn’t know it was your’s… Not until I over heard you and Zim talking about it…” Dib admitted.
Keef nodded, “I had no idea that was your’s at the time. All I saw was a bucket handle and I was hungry- “ Dib adds. “It’s okay I guess, just please don’t steal my fish again-“ Keef requested “understood.” Dib replied with a nod.
“What are you anyway? Are you merman or something?” Keef questioned. “I’m a siren, so is Gaz, we became sirens after I accidentally spilled some of our dad’s chemicals on us.” Dib explained. “Y-you’re not gonna e-eat m-my fl-flesh are you?” Keef stammered.
“Nah of course not!” Dib assured “oh, alright, thank you.” Keef sighed of relief.
“Anyway uh- now knowing that fish was yours, I feel pretty bad about it… so you can this fish I caught if you want it..” Dib offered, pulling a salmon out of his pocket “Thanks!” Keef smiled, taking the fish out of Dib’s hand.
Mimi and Gir sat on the dock, they could see Keef and Dib in the distance.
Mimi and Gir had been talking for a few hours at this point.
Mimi had a sad expression on her face.
She had gone quiet.
“What’s wrong?” Gir asked with a frown “I’m not sure if we can be friends Gir.” Mimi finally said, breaking the silence. “I mean- our master’s hate each other’s guts, I don’t think they’d be happy if they found out we hang out together…” Mimi adds. “Just because Tak and Zim hate each other doesn’t mean we have to! We can still be friends!” Gir assured, then hugging Mimi.
“Thanks Gir, I needed that.” Mimi thanked, ignoring the stinky stench that reeked from Gir’s dog costume.
“Anyway I brought cookies!” Gir cheered, whipping out the cookies, it and Mimi enjoying them.
“What did you use in these? They taste really good!” Mimi giggled “Vanilla extract!” Gir smiled, licking the crumbs off its lips.
#kitty giggles#invader zim#invader zim fanfiction#wail of the siren au#glad I finally cross posted this one on here
3 notes
·
View notes
Note
👬+👀+🚫
👬 favourite side pairing
WaanTul owns my whole ass. I was gone for them so fast it’s insane, but also it’s Yacht so why am I really that surprised lol. Recently though MetheeThanthai from Laws of Attraction had me by the throat as well.
What can I say? Give me one rich (not required) boy with low self esteem and pair him up with the one who thinks that he hung the moon and I’m a sucker
Other honourable mentions include: TeeYuki (I will die mad about the fact that they cut out their subplot), InkPa (the best thing about the series. PERIOD but also I have unpopular opinions about BBS so let’s just leave it at that), NuerSyn (when will MML come out and give me TutorYim as leads?), DanYok (because DanYok okay), KimChay (*insert cry gif here*) and many others lol
👀 what do you think of love triangles in BLs?
I feel much the same as I do about love triangles in het dramas. If done properly, it can provide insight into all of the characters involved and further their growth. That being said, the LI who gets chosen in the end much make logical sense for the leads progress. Though there is a part of me that always goes, why not both?
A good recent example I think is from La Pluie. The Patts x Saengtai x Lomfon triangle worked for what it was trying to do. It gave us a greater understanding of all the characters and helped each in the end. It is an example of a love triangle that also has a clear “winner” right from the beginning so take of that what you will.
All that being said, love triangles are another thing on my list of “hard to pull off, easy to fuck up” so I’m always very weary of them when they come up because it’s hard to tell if it’s going to work for the story or not.
🚫 what trope do you hate and why?
Not to sound like a broken record but SINGING!!!!! When the show is actually about music and musicians (like My School President or something similar) then okay, the singing and the instruments makes sense and I am okay with it, but I genuinely really hate when the characters just randomly pick up instruments or start singing (I already have my most hated scene in OF and it’s literally Ray doing karaoke. Khaotung can sing and I love his singing, but please don’t! I can’t take it anymore!)
BL ask meme
#talistheintrovert#waantul#between us#la pluie#i don’t talk about waantul enough and i really should fix that#singing in BLs my beloathed#i will watch the scene on mute before i listen to their singing#and i’m not sorry about it#cap answers asks#cap speaks
9 notes
·
View notes