#hostage awareness hero

[eretzyisrael]

Source, with video

[pastanest]

Spencer Reid x she/her!reader

A/N: I’ve got nothing to say except for the fact this is entirely inspired by the song

warnings: shrimp gets beat up pretty bad but you singlehandedly take out like 3 guys so xoxo

Holding Out For A Hero

The entire team, save for one, are gathered around Penelope’s monitors, holding their breaths. As the newest member of the team, you had anticipated that in a situation such as this, you’d be having the least severe reaction to the scene before you, but upon seeing Doctor Spencer Reid get thrown against a wall, you are entirely unsurprised by the squeeze you feel in your chest.

“Damn it, Hotch, we’ve gotta do something!” Derek Morgan yells, clasping his hands behind his head but unable to tear his gaze from the screens.

What should have been a simple task of meeting some witnesses regarding a local case has quickly become a hostage situation that none had anticipated. There are unified gasps as a harsh kick is landed against the young genius’s midsection, and Hotch sighs, knowing that something has to be done, but the team are presently at a loss.

“Any presence recognised as official could get Reid killed.” Hotch reiterates, though it’s a fact none of you have forgotten.

Another kick causes Spencer to curl up in the corner, his form cowering on the monitors, and you decide that’s enough, storming out of Penelope’s office.

“Must be tough on her.” Emily glances sympathetically at the door you left through, the rest of the team nodding in agreement, seemingly accepting that you had to step out because you couldn’t stand to see Spencer get beaten up like that. While that isn’t entirely untrue, there is more of a purpose behind your exit.

Just a month ago, during your first case with this team, a local police officer had decided you were the object of his affections. While you’d dismissed his advances as politely as you could, Spencer couldn’t help overhearing the conversation, and his blood boiled.

“No need to be so stuck-up about it!” The cop huffed at you, and in the time it took for your eyebrows to shoot up, Spencer had arrived at your side.

“Speak to her that way again and I’ll have you removed from this case.” His words were cool, calculated, and enough to send the police officer shuffling away from you.

Looking up at Spencer with a grateful smile, you parted your lips to speak, but he smiled right back at you and interjected.

“I know what you’re going to say, and you don’t need to. All I did was the bare minimum, as a guy.” Spencer excused his chivalry with a bashfulness that you found beyond endearing, and have continued to do.

It seems that now, an opportunity has presented itself for you to perform your equivalent of the bare minimum for him.

Speeding through the office and over to your desk, you retrieve your overnight bag and head for the staff toilets. Digging through it, you find your emergency attire that’s typically reserved for undercover missions; a thin strapped, silky red dress that’s enough to stop traffic, and a pair of killer black stilettos.

Within five minutes, you’ve slammed the door of Penelope’s office open again and dropped your go bag on the ground, attracting the attention of the rest of the team.

“Well damn, mama, I didn’t think this would be the time, but-“ Derek begins, unable to resist a moment to flirt; with no time to spare, you cut him off.

“Button it, Morgan. Text me the location, I’m going to get Reid.” You instruct, not wanting to waste another second.

Penelope’s office is momentarily silent, several jaws falling open in shock. That is, until Derek speaks up again.

“What?! No!” He exclaims, outraged at your proposition.

You sigh. “One plus one is two, you need someone to get inside without raising suspicion - problem?”

Derek scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah, actually!”

Rolling your eyes, you turn your attention to the only member of the team that’s aware of your applicable qualifications.

“Gideon?” You raise an eyebrow.

With a slow smile, Jason Gideon nods. “…She can do it.”

Derek throws his arms up in the air. “Am I missin’ something here?!”

Hotch is notably silent. Though knowledgeable on the ‘classified’ portion of your resumé, he does not know the details of your work prior to this team, save for your glowing letter of recommendation from your old boss; that, in itself, was enough to land you a place on this team.

You nod, reaching down to grab a small purse from inside your go-bag. “Yep. I’ll catch you up after. See you guys in 30.” Glancing around at the rest of the team one last time, you speed out of the office with a determination to match the loud clicking or your heels.

By the time you reach the parking lot, your phone has dinged with a text from Penelope with the exact location where Spencer is being held by the gang that are currently beating him senseless. Whistling a nearby cab, you slide into the backseat, give the address for the next street over to where you need to be, and apply the finishing touches to your outfit. With expert precision, you coat your lashes with thick layers of mascara, only to rub them, then hold your eyes open long enough to induce tears that cause trails of mascara to run down your cheeks. And with reckless abandon, you tear a slit up the right side of your dress. As the cab pulls up on the next street over to your destination, you step out with a grateful tip and begin your walk.

The closer you get to the only lit up house on the mostly empty street, you ensure your steps are unsteady and work yourself up enough, focussing your thoughts on what Spencer has endured until now to force fresh tears and actual upset to bubble in your chest. Approaching the house, you raise a shaking fist to knock on the door with deliberate weakness. The doorknob twists, and you sniffle. Action.

Standing in the doorway are the very men you’re here to see, and your bottom lip trembles as you give them your biggest doe eyes.

“H-Hello, I’m so sorry to bother you, b-but I was just wondering if I could use your phone? M-My boyfriend broke mine.” You blubber, holding your face in your hands for dramatic effect. Stuttering to feign anxiety and upset, mention of a boyfriend but purposely indicating mistreatment and vulnerability: you are no more than an easy target.

The men share a smirk.

“Oh, of course! You poor thing! C’mon in!” One of them says, ushering you inside with a cheshire grin.

These poor fools really think they’re lucking out with a punching and an upgrade from a sock.

Nodding gratefully, you stumble into their shack of a ‘home’, knowing this is just a temporary hold up for them, and mainly a location to hold Spencer.

“Wh-Who’s that?” You ask shakily, eyes widening with what should be pretend shock, but your surprise at seeing the sorry state of your favorite genius is as genuine as your intentions in being here.

At the sound of your voice, the one eye Spencer has that isn’t black with bruising, winces as it opens, then widens as much as it can to take you in. Are you real, or a vision from heaven? He’s asked himself that everyday since you joined the team, but that question has never felt more relevant than it does in this moment.

“Ignore him.” One of the other men instructs, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and dragging you harshly over to a chair at the dining table.

That quick glance in Spencer’s direction was enough to bring him a second wind, a cause to fight to stay conscious. The mascara stains down your cheeks and the tear in your dress - which, on any other occasion, Spencer is sure would send him into cardiac arrest - cause alarm bells to ring in the mind of a genius. Who made you cry? Did someone hurt you? What are you even doing here? The questions in his mind are ordered in importance to Spencer, the blood in his veins that’s fighting to fix the wounds he’s sustained through his beating, burning under his skin at the thought of someone having harmed you in any way, despite his current circumstances.

“So, where’s your boyfriend?” One of the men asks, and you pretend that the thought of your completely fictional boyfriend makes you wince.

“He stood me up.” You cry weakly, putting on the performance of your life.

Spencer wonders if his injuries have made him delirious as he now prioritizes whether his heart should have spluttered at your mention of a boyfriend he is certain - because he’s currently scanning through his eidetic memory at the speed of light - you have never referred to having before.

“Oh, now, what kind of man stands up a dime like you?” The man who had invited you in, jeers.

“Thank you.” Sniffling, a small smile reaches your face as all three men stand within range; one at the table with you, one against the wall to your right, the other standing behind your chair. Perfect.

The team crowd around Penelope’s monitors, the anxiety in the room palpable.

“What the hell is she doing?!” Derek yells, frustrated and confused by Gideon’s allowance for your reckless one-woman suicide mission.

“Trust me, if anyone can do this, she can.” Jason attempts to reassure the worries of everyone, a soft smile on his face as he watches you do what you do best: set your scene.

“She’s ballsy, that’s for sure.” Emily comments, undeniably impressed.

The air in the office is thick, the tension only capable of cutting with a knife; there’s a certain irony in that.

One of the men pats your shoulder with force.

“You stay with us, we’ll take care of you.” He laughs darkly, and you smile up at him.

Alright, show’s over.

Standing from your chair, you pretend to stumble over to the front door, before locking it.

“What’re you doing, pretty lady?” The man leaning against the wall asks you with a smirk.

“Actually, boys, I think you’ll find it’s me that’s going to be taking care of you. Or, to put it another way-“ Reaching into your purse, you grab a makeup wipe and quickly remove the mascara from your cheeks, smirking right back at all three men. “-I’ll be taking you out.” Looking to the corner of the room, you smile at Spencer. “Sit tight, handsome.”

He must be dead, he thinks. Doctor Spencer Reid, beaten to death and the best comfort his subconscious can provide him is the illusion of you calling him handsome.

Pulling the slit of your dress just a little higher, you retrieve the blade previously concealed in a particularly scandalous garter you acquired entirely for the aesthetic, and twirl it around your fingers.

“So, any takers? Let’s see, eenie-“ You point your blade at the man leaning against the wall, “-meenie,” You point it to the man who is standing behind the chair you’d sat in, “-minie,” You point it at the man sitting at the table, and as he reaches for something in his pocket, your eyes twinkle with mischief. “-mo!” You chirp, throwing your blade at the exact moment he raises his arm to you, pinning his wrist to the table.

In a fraction of a second, both of the other men lunge for you, and you manage to roll out of their way in the nick of time.

“Awh, c’mon guys, fair’s fair! At least give a girl a chance!” You taunt, kicking your killer heels off and chucking both at the larger man’s head, sending him stumbling backwards into the wall with the impact. One on one, much better.

Sights set on the only other person standing up in this room, you watch as his eyes dart to Spencer, and in an instant you’ve rolled back across the floor to stand in front of the corner that he’s cowered in.

“Don’t you dare.” You threaten quietly, icy stare fixed on the last man standing.

“Oh, but pretty lady, you’ve got nothing left to throw! You’re out of options.” He sneers, taking a step closer to you.

Very presumptuous to suggest you actually needed your props beyond your dramatic flair and desire to get this done as quickly as possible.

But, in the moment, you decide to humor him.

Pretending to cower further into the corner with Spencer at your feet, your eyes widen with feigned fear, the confidence in the idiot’s smirk growing as he takes another step.

“That’s it. We can forget all about this. We’re all friends here, aren’t we?” The man’s voice softens with condescension, and you nod up at him with your doe eyes.

Does he seriously think you’d incapacitate both of his friends and then decide to sleep with him? Men.

Counting the seconds, you wait until his figure looms over with you, and you lean back against the wall. You hold his gaze, doe eyes widening and bottom lip trembling, until the facade drops like a mask. Fury is a woman, and she wears a torn red dress with a smirk, her heels having left imprints on some idiot’s skull.

The last man standing’s smirk drops to a confused frown, but he doesn’t have time to step back before you lift your leg and send your knee into his crotch with as much force as you can. And while he stumbles backwards, you kick him to the floor, then kick his midsection again for good measure.

With him dealt with, you walk back over to your heels and slip them on, but as the man they previously knocked out begins to stir, you issue a well deserved roundhouse kick to send him back to sleep. Strolling over to the man who’s wrist you pinned to the table, you find that he is very clearly in shock and losing a lot of blood, but not enough to be dead just yet; you left the blade in for a reason.

“My team are watching, and they’ve probably called an ambulance by now. Whether they’ll make it in time to save you or not, I don’t care. For your sake, though-“ You pull the blade out of his wrist, tucking it back into your garter and watching the blood gush against the table, leaning close to the man’s ear. “-I wouldn’t bother applying pressure to that, because if you live long enough to serve your sentence and get out, I’ll do much worse than what I’ve been allowed to do here on company time.” And with a malicious smile, you stand back up, then spin on your heel and rush over to Spencer.

Crouching down beside him, you brush his hair out of his eyes with your fingertips, tucking it behind his ears just the way he likes it.

“Hey, pretty boy. Sorry for the wait.” You give him a sweet smile, your tone gentle, far and away from the venom with which you’d been speaking throughout your cleanup operation.

Spencer tries to speak, but immediately starts spluttering and clutching at his bruised abdomen.

“Shh, shh, don’t speak, it’s okay. The team’ll be here soon.” You coo, continuing to stroke his hair behind his ears, though it’s no longer out of place.

“N-No, it’s important.” Spencer utters, voice hoarse and strained.

Your eyebrows furrow as you lean closer to him so that he doesn’t have to try speaking any louder. “What is it?”

Taking a deep, wheezing breath, Spencer manages to find his voice again.

“Think…I know someone…who can fix your dress.”

You blink rapidly, a wide smile spreading on your face as his words set in, before you start laughing heartily.

And Spencer struggles, but he opens his one good eye to gaze upon your smiling features above him, etching every detail to his eidetic memory.

“So, I can assume that you like the dress, then?” You ask rhetorically.

This time, Spencer doesn’t say anything. Instead, you watch in equal amazement and amusement as a smirk curls at the corner of his split lips.

Within a matter of minutes, the rest of the team pull up in government issue vehicles with police cars and ambulances close behind, your targets being tended to and arrested, while Hotch and Derek help carry Spencer out to the ambulance. Due to the severity of his beating, the paramedics advise it’s best to keep him unconscious and medicated for the journey to the hospital. Naturally, you sit at his side, holding his hand the whole way.

And that’s a gesture you continue the moment he’s been checked over, too. You stay at Spencer’s hospital bedside, holding his hand until he regains consciousness, at which time you relay his diagnosis from the doctors: no serious injuries or internal bleeding, just a large amount of bruising that’ll be substantially painful for a while. Spencer is relieved by the news, but mostly relieved by your presence. He’s so simultaneously exhausted, and taken by the way you glow at his bedside, he can hardly say more than a continuous mantra of “Thank you”.

Due to his lack of serious injury, Spencer is cleared to return to work without delay, under the advice of being careful of his bruises when out in the field. In truth, Spencer knows that as long as you’re around, he won’t feel an ounce of the pain that’s supposed to be plaguing him.

The very next night, the team are called back into the office for a case, and the smile on your face when you see Spencer has him questioning once again how you can possibly be real. You seem so much more like a vision from heaven, or of heaven itself.

It’s late and the flight to the location of the case is a long one, so Hotch instructs everyone to board the jet and get some sleep, assuring you all that he’ll wake you with enough time for a briefing before you land. And the ever-calculated Spencer Reid knows exactly how to use this to his advantage. Counting in his head the average time it takes someone to fall asleep, he waits for each and every member of the team fo fall asleep before he rises from his seat on the jet and crosses the cabin to sit beside you, visibly giddy.

“I was thinking about what you said to those guys.” He begins, words rushed because he doesn’t have the patience to greet you right now.

“Which part?” You ask with an amused smile.

“When you said you’d take them out.” Spencer clarifies quickly. “I’ve been thinking about those words a lot, and- well,” He chuckles nervously. This is about to be the cheesiest thing he’s ever said. “-I wondered if you might consider letting me take you out, but in a different way?”

Your expression flashes to one of surprise, the realization hitting you like the sweetest bullet. “Like a date, or a different method of incapacitation?” You ask playfully, accurately predicting the way Spencer’s eyes widen in panic at the thought of the double entendre.

“A date!” He squeaks.

You can’t help giggling, nodding at him. “I’d like that a lot. Thank you for asking, Spencer.”

The relief on his face is palpable. In fact, he’s never felt his face relax quite like it did in that moment. “No, thank you for accepting. Are you, uh, free on Saturday, by any chance? If we don’t get called away on a case?” Spencer enquires, desperately hoping that he isn’t coming across as too eager.

You grin. “I am.”

“Good.” Spencer answers, a shy smile on his face as the reality of this situation sets in.

“Are you going to sleep?” You ask him quietly.

“To be honest, I’m not so sure I’ll be able to sleep at all until Saturday.” Spencer chuckles nervously.

You giggle at that. “Well, it’s probably a good idea to try. Do you mind if I borrow your shoulder?” You question with a teasing smile.

“No! Not at all!” Spencer says without hesitation.

“Thanks, handsome.” You say softly, resting your head on his shoulder from where you sit beside him on the jet, bundling your blanket around yourself.

There it is again, Spencer thinks. Unless this plane crashed in a microsecond and killed everyone onboard, he’s pretty sure that this time, it’s not his subconscious creating a comforting illusion. You really did call him that.

And, in light of such a life-altering revelation, Spencer plucks up courage that he didn’t know he had.

“You’re always welcome, beautiful.”

[josnhoes]

Platonic!Yan batfam with young adult reader.

This part focuses on Damien. The POV switches from Reader to Damien part way through.

May or may not get a part two.

Note: Reader is 18-22 years old. Gn reader

Content warning: being treated like a child, being looked down on, stalking, obsessions, soft yandere but still a yandere, reader has memory issues and it's ambiguous as to why, drugging, mentioned abduction, delusional batfam, batfam as a whole basically view you as a child younger then Damien despite you being older

You never expected being saved by Batman and the Robin brood would ever cause worse trouble then what you were saved from. But life never worked how things are supposed to. You looked at the barred window and tried to remember *how* things got to this.

You liked to think you had a pretty good life, you had your own little apartment in a slightly better part of Gotham; you had a job at a local coffee and book shop. Money could be tight at times, and your savings were slim, but you were taken care of and as safe as you could be in Gotham.

You alternated weekends volunteering at the local animal shelter too. You always liked animals and if Karma was real it was always good to put good energy into the world. Your free time was spent recovering from such a busy week and hanging out with friends. You were painfully normal which oddly enough made you weird in Gotham. Everyone in Gotham had something odd about them or their situation in life. You had yet to meet yours.

The first time you were saved by Batman it had been during a bank robbery. You had gone in to pull out some money; the ATMs outside were still busted from some kids breaking into them for a tiktok...well that's what they claimed most knew it *was* for the cash. As you hold your arms up the loaded robber making everyone go to a wall, you couldn't help but feel like you were being put up for execution. A firing line of hostages and you were in the middle.

You blessedly didn't have to think on that too long and Batman and his current Robin busted in taking down a major chunk of the group. You weren't a hero but when it looked like one of the gun men were about to shoot Robin you moved. Tackling the guy to the groud knocking his gun away. A mistake on your part as Robin was aware and ready to move so he didn't *need* saving, and now the pair's eyes were on you.

Later that week you were surprised by Robin on your balcony. Robin...who you would later Learn was Damien Wayne... had come to 'assess' you. For what you didn't know is he already knew everything about you. His entire family did; Damien just wanted to be the first to speak to you.

The conversation was emotionally charged for sure; Robin scolded you for putting yourself in harm's way. Which was fair since you weren't exactly trained for that kind of thing. But the whiplash from scolding to thanking you and you could swear you saw a blush on his face. Apparently, saying thank you to a civilian was embarrassing for him.

Robin...no Damien proceeded to then lecture you about being up so late, and how important sleep was to grow. Bold words coming from a half pint who probably slept once a week. No way this kid wasn't in school, and he spent most his nights on the streets fighting crime so he assumedly didn't have time to sleep. This ended in him bullying you into going to sleep.

Damien didn't like the idea of having been saved by a civilian. To make matters worse his siblings had use it to tease him. Your actions had gotten all of their attention. Tim had poured himself into finding out more about you using your social media, and anything else he could get into digitally. His predecessor was more then happy to share *everything* he'd found.

You were so....so normal. A sparkling clean civilian. You had some issues, nothing he nor the family couldn't help with. You were exactly the type of person he and his family strived to protect, if he didn't act Gotham would ruin you. He made that opinion known very vocally too. For once his father and siblings listened to reason the first time.

He'd originally come to your window to scope your home out. At 3 in the morning he expected you to be in bed, but you were up. You had no cause to be up so late so he made himself and his lecture about your health known. He'd even managed to scold his way into your home.

Your home was...eclectic. *Clearly* you didn't have the funds for frivolous things, your furniture was old and worn. But there was a lot of personality here. All of it a hint to who you were in private. He would have to investigate further once he got you into bed. A task that had been almost too easy. He stayed until you were asleep and began investigating your home.

You loved animals, something he could bond with you later about. There were some games; video and board, which would help the others both with you. But you had lots of books too. Various types but the most common ones being fantasy or romance; Todd would be ecstatic.

You had some medications, nothing he didn't know of from Tim's digging into you. Several people them had more then they should in them, obviously you were forgetting to take them regularly. Which wouldn't do. He'd have to tell father sooner. But oh wouldn't they all be jealous he got to know you first, see how you live, and even tucked you in!

It would all work out, he would see to it himself if need be. Soon they'd bring his new little sibling home, and all of them could protect and care for them like they deserved.

[poetry-protest-pornography]

I think Arun and Rosé are great foils/reflections of each other.

Arun, who worked with Jack and the crew for his own interests, but still more or less talked to them like equals, and who he desperately wanted to maintain a connection with. Who then turned to them when he was in need, and immediately became a part of their world. No resistance, no judgement, no whining about the conditions, and no comments about the nobility of poverty.

And Rosé, who uses her position to get Jack to work for her, and is only concerned with Jack being seen as an equal because it suits her agenda to get Jack to like her, but sees Jack's friends as potential house servants, and is otherwise unconcerned with what happens to them. Who frames herself as a hero for offering to pay off the debts of the people in Jack's neighborhood if they can impress her and offer up something profitable to her. Who truly has no concept of what life is like for Jack and his friends, and is not interested in knowing.

Arun would have struggled to really be a part of all of their lives while still living with his father and his power and influence -- how can you be friends with people that your family is holding hostage, and we saw some of that struggle in him rewording his message to be less friendly and more in line with what was expected of him-- but now he arguably has less than Hoy and Tattoo do, but is content to support their ideas and live with Tattoo, and be accepted by them all.

Now, Rosé seems to have zero awareness that it is gross and weird to try to date a man while suggesting that his friends and family might make good servants in her father's house.

I am not counting out the possibility of Arun pulling some rich guy bs, but he seems genuinely happy with his life away from his father. Meanwhile, Rosé can't go a single conversation without trivializing or romanticizing poverty, and dehumanizing poor people -- including (and maybe most egregiously) Jack.

[save-the-villainous-cat]

Can you please do a hero x villain spice where hero punishes villain for something 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 and make it VERY spicy im begging

When the villain woke up, they were delirious and sweating. At first, they squeezed their eyelids together, for the stinging light seemed to burn their retinas.

They gulped for air and let their head fall back, taking in a few breaths before they could register that they were bound to a chair.

“What the…”

Although they needed a few seconds to get used to the brightness, they were fully aware that they weren’t alone.

“Oh, hello,” the hero purred once the villain spotted them leaning against the wall in the corner. From what the villain could see, they looked smug, very satisfied too and the villain wasn’t sure if the burning desire under their skin was normal or from the sedative.

They seemed to be in an interrogation room but thankfully there were no cameras. The villain always said dumb shit when they were alone with the hero.

“What did you…”

“Shhhh.” The hero sat down on their lap, hips against hips with their arms on the villain’s shoulders and —fuck— that woke up the villain. “God, your eyes are really pretty.”

The villain felt heat conjure in their cheeks and they wanted to look at the floor. However, there was only the hero they could look at and, admittedly, it was a good view.

“All those muscles, too. You’re really stiff, though.” The hero grabbed their shoulder and squeezed lovingly as their nails dug into the villain.

“I…Christ—” The villain couldn’t help but moan. They’d been sore for days, ever since they’d helped some other villains during a heated hostage conflict.

“Listen,” the hero said. They grabbed the villain’s jaw gently. “You’re clever, I know that. We all know that. But taking people hostage? Not your style and not smart.”

“I…” The villain’s laboured breath became more controlled but still lacked any calmness. “I’m sorry.”

It had been…a complicated situation. Hostage situations were incredibly difficult to pull off and obviously illegal as well as dangerous. When the villain had agreed to it, they had had their reasons.

“You’re ruining your chances at redemption. I thought that’s what you wanted? I thought you wanted to be better.” The hero pressed their hips deeper into the villain’s which made the latter close their eyes, reaching for the self-control they needed so bad. The hero was so close and still out of reach.

Yes, the villain wanted to be better. They knew their methods were wrong and making them a criminal but there was also strategy involved in this.

“This is important to me.” The hero brushed the villain’s throat with their lips. “You’re not a bad person.”

“You kidnapped me,” the villain whispered as a little tingle of excitement formed in their stomach. They loved it when the hero wasn’t sticking to their moral code. It was like they were rubbing off on each other.

“The police were after you, so I caught you first. I saved you,” the hero replied.

“I love how you’re trying to tell yourself that this is heroic,” they said, grinning tiredly.

“What is this then?” The hero repositioned themselves on the villain’s lap, resulting in more friction against the villain’s crotch. God, this was some other type of torture.

“Mean.”

“Mean?” the hero asked. “Oh, dear, I eat villains like you for breakfast. I can be so much meaner.”

They tugged on the villain’s hair hard enough to be pleasurably painful. The villain knew they were too desperate.

“You’re seeing other villains?” they asked. Unexpectedly, the hero gave the villain’s neck a wet kiss and the villain swore it activated their whole nervous system.

“Of course not. I’m just teasing,” the hero murmured.

“Mm, good, good.” Their eyes found each other and for a second, the villain could only stare at their enemy. Sometimes, they regretted what kind of life they had chosen. If they had chosen another path, become a hero, maybe they would already have the hero to themselves with no second-guessing and no jealousy knocking on their door regularly.

“May I?” the hero whispered and at first, the villain wasn’t quite sure what they meant. Until they got closer. Until their hand was on the villain’s thigh.

“Do whatever you want.” The hero kissed them quite possessively. They were eager and skilled when it came to intimacy. Although the villain didn’t want to call themselves lonely, they knew that the hero was driven by the same feeling. To want someone is easy but to deserve affection?

There were times when the villain had doubted that they deserved to be loved. And yet, the hero was there. They were present. With their tongue in the villain’s mouth and their hand in the villain’s pants.

It felt indescribably good.

“The hostages,” the hero began when they had to gasp for air.

“Come on, not now…” The hero kissed them again but they continued to whisper against the villain’s skin.

“You can’t just do that. You can’t take people hostage.”

“I…” The hero’s hand was exactly where the villain wanted it but the hero’s movement was less than little. “It was in exchange for a favour.”

“I think you have to speak up a little.” The hero tilted their head, genuinely curious, and slowly began to move their hand more.

“…I wanted to protect you, I — fuck — I worked on the job and in exchange the others leave you alone,” the villain said. Their brain was fried. And their heart was beating happily until their head was red. However, their answer surprised the hero.

“Wait, really?” They stopped and the villain cursed quietly, suffering from the dying ecstasy. The hero looked…happy? God, the villain couldn’t really tell, they were too deep in their personal pleasure limbo.

“Yes,” they admitted. “Protection for you.”

That made the hero smirk.

“We won’t need protection today, my love,” they joked.

“I fucking hate you,” the villain answered, despite mirroring the hero’s grin.

What they weren’t aware of was that the hero’s disapproval regarding the hostage situation was serious. They didn’t let the villain finish even once and that was pure horror. Otherwise, they were quite sweet today.

[www-bvnny-b4b3couture]

Teeth

Deadpool and Wolverine needed help and Wade had the perfect(not at all) person in mind.

No idea abt the word count

Warnings: Blood, cussing, inappropriate jokes, small amounts of cannibalism, knarly looking mouth ima tell u now lmao

(Background on her for context, her mutation is actually that she can heal from basically any injury, BUT, she’ll only heal if she dies first. So to heal she needs to kill herself. She’s also just stronger and faster than the average person. Because of this scientists tracked her down and took her hostage, experimenting on her to get the “ultimate killing machine”. So they gave her those teeth and mouth, along with an insatiable craving for human flesh. Think like combining her dna or sum. Now her handlers use her as an assassin, and she’s somewhat succumbed to the instinct implanted in her brain.

I wanted to make a character like Mileena from Mortal Kombat, I love knarly powers 🙏🏼)

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“Who the hell are we meeting, Wade?” Logan asked once they walked past their tenth storage unit, they were at the docks. “Uhh hold on I remember the number of it.” He held his finger up, inspecting each number and once again shaking his head ‘no’. Logan was starting to lose his patience when he suddenly pointing at a black cargo container.

“Alright- oh! I forgot to mention she doesn’t really like me.” Logan let out a genuine laugh, “Nobody likes you.” Wade just gave him a deadpanned face for a second before knocking on the door quite hard.

They were met with complete silence, Wade turned to Logan, “Mind knocking?” Logan rolled his eyes and knocked three times, this time the noise was startling and the crate was almost vibrating. “Attaa boy, I didn’t think mine would be loud enough.” Wade slapped Logan on the back, earning a scowl from him.

After a few seconds they heard some metal move and the door open an inch, 2 tiny throwing knives shot out. Wade let out a girlish scream, “Honey buns it’s me!” He shrieked, dodging another tiny knife.

“Wade get the fuck outta here!” A female voice suddenly shouted from inside. It was beginning to close but Wade quickly ran and grabbed it from her, pulling it back to open more, “You wanna lose your fingers fine!”

“Well now would be a great time to help, Wolverine!” Wade shouted his hero name mockingly, struggling against her. Logan firmly grabbed the door and all of a sudden the woman was easily overpowered by 2 to 1. An animalistic growl was heard as the door slid open and a black haired woman fell forward.

On all fours she sent a quick to Wade’s stomach, sending him flying back into another cargo container. Logan saw she had a black mask covering half of her face, only piercing amber eyes could be seen. She tried to kick him but he caught her by the ankle, she struggled against his grip. While she was physically stronger than Wade, not against him.

Realizing her situation she slipped her mask off, Logan cringed at the sight of her face. It looked like she had unhealed gashes along the corners of her mouth. A guttural growl escaped her throat and she opened her mouth. Her mouth began tearing at the sides, opening far wider than a humans mouth should, sharp razor like teeth lined her mouth instead of human teeth.

Suddenly sharp cat-like claws came out of her gloves and she slashed at his arm, causing him to drop her. She jumped up, attempting to slice at him but her eyes widened when she saw the giant claws coming out of his hand, stopping her attack. She growled and pushed against him, getting close enough to try and snap at him with her mouth. She wrapped her leg around his, using the fact he was heavier and knocking him over, with him falling first.

She attempted to bite at his face as they fell, using his forearm to block her bite she suddenly let out a painful scream when she bit down. She wasn’t aware of the adamantium encased all around his skeleton. She pushed herself off of him, making sure to get a bit of distance before stopping and clutching her mouth. “You fucking cock I think one of my teeth snapped.”

“Good you ugly bitch.” She scowled at Logan, who was staring at his bloody arm. “Fuck you, who do you think you are coming to MY house and knocking on my door like that?” She cursed back at him.

They both all of a sudden looked to Wade, who was just now getting up. “We need your help! You’re the only one I know who could help me find someone in 24 hours.” She rolled her eyes, “Why would I help you. The last time I saw you, you ran me over AND LEFT ME THERE. Which. FUCK YOU.”

That made Logan snap his head in Wade’s direction, giving him a ‘are you serious bro’ look.

“Well you tried eating me remember darling.” She rolled her eyes at him with a low growl, “Like always you were in my way.”

“Seriously what the fuck is wrong with both of you.” Logan muttered, she glared at him, her teeth becoming more visible.

“I can’t help either of you. Even if I wanted to.” She spoke calmer than she had the whole time, walking back into her box. But not before roughly bumping her shoulder into Logan’s on her way.

“She wants me.” Logan rolled his eyes at Wade, completely irritated with him since he wasted their time.

2 days later…

Wade and Logan were easily cutting down the men in their way of getting to the man they needed. Now on the third floor it was suspiciously quiet. They walked cautiously, guards up.

“Hey fuckheads.” Their heads snapped in the direction of the voice and Wade gasped when he saw her. “Baby! You care about me after all.” She scowled at him, “I will fucking eat you.”

“It’ll grow back every time.” She sighed in frustration and pulled out 2 sai from her sides, “You need to stop getting in my way.” She looked at Logan, “You too.”

Wade’s eyes widened in fake betrayal, but in reality he wasn’t surprised her handlers had her here. “Oh honeybuns, one day you’ll see I’m always there for you and you’ll realize you’re in love with me and we’ll make nasty debilitating hot sex.” He droned on, she shifted uncomfortably by the end before a dagger landed in his mouth.

She ran on all fours at them before jumping up and landing on Deadpool. Letting out the growl of an animal, her mouth open wide, biting Wade’s forearm clean off. Not stopping there, biting and snapping at him like a mad man. Her teeth easily tearing into whatever flesh she could.

She let out a screech when she felt something impale through her shoulder, pulling her back and lifting her up by her shoulder. She bent her back, trying to claw at Wolverine but he landed a punch right in her nose, she growled, using a sai in her hand and slashing at his hand where he was holding her captive by claw.

That caused him to retract his claws and she grunted feeling the metal slide out and landed on all fours, kicking Logan’s knee and making him drop down. As she was turning around she noticed a flash of red and was suddenly blocking a strike from a sword.

“We were meant to be honey buns. I’m your unlimited buffet.” She could see a grin through his mask and she slashed at him with her free hand, jumping up and trying to snap at him. With his other sword he caught her mid bite, she growled, struggling against him. He could see his sword beginning to fold and he kicked her knee harshly, crunch. That made her release his sword and fall on her knees, she wasted no time though and sent one of her sai into his torso.

She let out a shriek when she felt herself be impaled right in the stomach by familiar claws, and then she heard static in her ear piece before hearing a familiar voice. “MK. Scientist Lenovo has successfully been transferred to another location. Pull away.” She gritted her teeth, well it was a bit late now.

The two men noticed her change, now longer looking determined. She went a bit limp in Logan’s claws, looking at Wade, “The man you want isn’t here anymore.”

“What?!” Wade shrieked, looking into her eyes, not trusting if she was lying or not but as he looked into her eyes he knew she was being honest. “God dammit! So you were just here to distract us!”

“Get your fucking claws out of me.” She turned her head to Logan who was behind her. “I should slice through your ugly ass.” She gritted her teeth, “Fuck you old fuck.” She felt his claws dig in deeper somehow and she tried not to let a sound of pain out. She grabbed onto Wade who was arms length and used him to pull herself off. “Oo I knew you would see it one day-” He started before getting socked in the nose. She knocked him back into the wall.

She landed a bit weirdly since her knee was broken, she put distance between herself and the two men. She needed to get out of here soon.

“MK. Pull out.” The voice in her ear piece sounded less patient than before, she looked around a bit frantically. The sound of a helicopter could be heard and she saw a bright light from it appear from outside the window.

Logan was able to hear the voice in her intercom and realized she was looking for an exit. She sighed and realizing the quickest way out.

“Why do you work for them?” The question was out of nowhere and it made her brows furrow at Logan, she stared at him for 2 seconds silently. “What else am I supposed to do?” She scoffed at him before running at the window full speed and jumping out, the glass shattering making her eyes ring.

As she jumped out there was a rope coming down from the helicopter. It began pulling her up, he could see into it. There were a few men in complete black getups inside, one of the men suddenly raised a gun to her head, firing without hesitation.

That made Logan’s eyes almost pop out of his face but Wade laughed and pointed at his face, “Oh my god you should see your face. It’s ok silly goose she can heal like us except she needs to die first. So inconvenient huh? We’re so much better right. Made me shit myself the first time she hopped back up.” He nudged his shoulder earning a glare from Logan.

“Gives me the creeps.” His expression unreadable as he watched the helicopter disappear into the air.

A/n: This is the first ever fanfic I wrote on tumblr guyss. Lowk wish I could say it was better but like I’m barely gettin my groove guys. 🌚 Ima probably make more parts for this since I just like wanted to write how they met first. Also the pics r just refs for her mouth not actual her looks.

[khaire-traveler]

⚔️ Perseus Worship Guide 🪽

~ Art by DocZenith on ArtStation ~

The great ancient Greek hero, Perseus - a hero so renowned that an entire children's book series was written inspired by him. He accomplished fantastical feats with the very gods themselves rooting for his victory. Many people admire him, but few seem to be aware that worship is not only an option for gods. Heroes, such as Perseus, can be worshipped as well, and have been throughout history. Explore the various ways Perseus can be worshipped in the modern day in the enlightening post that follows.

***I am not an educator or historian. This is solely being made for religious purposes, and I will be touching on UPG.**

°· Who is Perseus? ·°

As stated above, Perseus is an ancient Greek hero starring in his own myths. As a biological son of Zeus (NOT Poseidon) and a mortal woman, trials and troubles were a guarantee in his life. His mother, Danaë, was trapped in a tower before his birth, due to her father, Akrisios', fear of a prophecy that claimed her son would kill him. Despite her predicament, Zeus was able to enter her locked tower, taking the form of a golden rain shower, and Danaë became pregnant with his son (don't ask me, man; I don't know). Her father immediately cast her out upon discovering the child, placing both her and her son, Perseus, into a chest floating on the sea. However, the pair made it safely to the island of Seriphos, being sheltered by the fisherman Diktys, brother to the king of the island, Polydectes. Diktys would also raise Perseus as a father figure.

Perseus would grow to become the eventual slayer of the gorgon Medusa, arguably his most famous accomplishment, as well as the savior of Andromeda, an Ethiopian princess who had been chained to a rock to be fed to a sea monster. He also freed his mother from King Polydectes by turning him to stone with Medusa's head. Perseus' grandfather fled from him in fear, allowing Perseus to assume the throne of his kingdom. Although Perseus didn't purposely kill his grandfather, he was the cause of his grandfather's demise via an accidental discus throw (prophecy fulfilled 🔴).

He later fathered many children. With his lovely wife Andromeda, he had the sons Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Electryon, and Cynurus, and two daughters, Gorgophone and Autochthe. He's also said to be an ancestor of the famous Herakles, who is also a demigod son of Zeus. Unlike Herakles, however, there don't seem to be recorded myths of Perseus ascending to godhood, although he was still worshipped as a Greek hero and Founder of Mycanaea.

✿*Well-known myths *✿

His most widespread myth is that of slaying Medusa, which he did in an effort to protect his mother from the cruel King Polydectes, who had fallen in love with her. Perseus believed Polydectes wasn't worthy of his mother's hand in marriage (and he was absolutely right, in my opinion; Polydectes wished to enslave his mother), so as a plot to send Perseus away, Polydectes plotted to send Perseus on the impossible quest of slaying the gorgon Medusa. Before setting out on his journey, Perseus prayed to Zeus, terrified of the challenges that lay ahead, and his father answered by sending Hermes and Athena to deliver five gifts that would aid Perseus' quest. Hermes lent his brother the god's winged sandals and sword, providing him with Haides' helm of invisibility also (though some ancient people seemed to think this wasn't this case and were very opinionated about it lol). Athena lent Perseus her polished shield, able to reflect the gorgon's appearance without petrifying him, and a bag that he could safely store the head in, warning Perseus that Medusa's gaze would still turn others into stone, even in death. The pair then instructed Perseus to seek out the infamous Graia, sisters of the gorgons, to discover Medusa's location.

With cunning and quick-wit, Perseus was able to take the shared eye and tooth between the sisters, and hold them hostage until they revealed Medusa's location. Upon his arrival, he used the reflective shield gifted to him by Athena to avoid looking directly at Medusa, and sword guided by Athena's might, he beheaded the ghastly Gorgon in one swift maneuver of his blade. Her sisters attempted to avenge her, but donning Haides' helm of invisibility, Perseus was able to easily evade capture. After a few other misadventures along the way, he returned to discover that his mother had to flee from Polydectes while he was away, so out of vengeance for the bullshit Polydectes put them both through, Perseus slew him using the severed head of Medusa. A fitting death - that guy was an asshole. As a show of gratitude for sheltering him and his mother, Perseus also made Diktys the new king of Seriphos.

Another of his myths that he's well-known for is that of rescuing Andromeda from her fate. He came across Andromeda after slaying Medusa, on his way home from the adventure. The princess' father, King Cepheus, chained her naked to a rock surrounded by raging oceans and a ravenous sea monster, Cetus. Her father wished to appease Poseidon after his wife angered the God by claiming Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids (Sea Nymphs). An Oracle claimed that sacrificing Andromeda to Cetus was the only way to soothe Poseidon's anger. Luckily, using the winged sandals that Hermes gifted him, Perseus flew over the stormy waters to Andromeda and freed her, immediately earning her hand in marriage. Andromeda's original suitor, Phineus, was upset at the marriage, but Perseus turned him to stone with Medusa's head and carried on.

Although these are his most well-known myths, there are still other myths about Perseus that I didn't cover here. Overall, he is a widely recognized Greek hero, known for his quick wit, the love he had for his mother, and the founding of Mycanaea, considered by many ancient Greeks to be the father of all Mycanaea (after making Diktys king of Seriphos, Perseus went on to find the land known as Mycanaea). If you're interested in learning more of his myths (which I highly suggest), my resources will be listed at the end of the post.

·•✷ Sacred Symbols ✷•·

The sacred symbols featured below are pulled from his myths and historical depictions I found of him.

The severed head of Medusa

Swords (particularly sickle-shaped) and shields

Winged sandals/boots and a winged helm

The Helm of Invisibility

Snakes and sea serpents

Treasure chests/chests in general

Raging oceans (due to the Andromeda myth)

Rain made of gold; storm clouds (from his birth)

Discus (basically an ancient Greek frisbee-like thing)

Fishnets and fishing gear (due to his upbringing)

Fountains

A pegasus or horse

Wings (from the sandals and Medusa herself)

An eye and a tooth (from the three hags)

Broken chains/restraints (from Andromeda's rescue)

It's rather disappointing how difficult it is to find information about his worship in ancient times that isn't hidden behind a paywall. That said, I gathered some UPG from worshippers of his who were willing to share! A reminder that the below is based on UPG.

Overcoming challenges/obstacles

Feathers

Spears

Knives/other blade weapons outside of swords

Handcrafted arts and items

Boats/sailing

Mirrors/reflective surfaces

Wind, especially near or on the water

Rainfall on sunny days

The colors blue, lilac, dark gray, and gold

Eels, sea-snakes, and seabirds, especially sea-eagles

Clumps of snakes (resembles Medusa's head)

Freshly bloomed flowers; purple and blue flowers

Plants: lilac, sword lillies (dangerous to cats), peony, red hot poker (especially purples ones), foxgloves, lavender, gingko trees, and cedar trees

Herbs: Lavender, parsley, basil, lemongrass, and bay leaf

Myrrh, frankincense, sandalwood, jasmine, and ocean scents

‹-« Epithets »-›

The following is a list of titles I found for Perseus. Supposedly, they are historically attested, but if I'm going to be honest, I would take it with a grain of salt, as the sources on this were few and far between. I'll also include a short list of purely UPG/modern titles. First, however, is the historically attested list:

Godlike

Gold-begotten (referencing his birth)

Valiant

The Harvester (referencing his role in the births of Pegasus and Chrysaor, who came out of Medusa's neck after her head was cut off ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯)

The Horseman

The Warrior Chief (referencing his prowess in battle)

Deliverer of Andromeda (referencing rescue of Andromeda)

Slayer of Medusa/the Gorgo

The Eagle Son of the Golden Sire (referencing his divine lineage and birth, "The Eagle" being Zeus)

Father/Founder/King of Mycanaea (referencing the belief that he founded Mycanaea)

Perseus of Argos (referencing where he resided)

Son of Danaë

Son of Zeus

Now the UPG/modern epithets list:

Chain Breaker/Breaking (referencing rescue of Andromeda and his mother)

Starry-eyed (referencing his constellation)

Starry-footed (referencing his constellation and winged sandals)

Stone-shielded (referencing Medusa's head on the shield)

Wind-swift (referencing his winged sandals)

Courageous/Daring

The Cunning

The Resilient

The Shield-bearer (referencing the shield he uses)

The Unconquerable

The Wayfarer (referencing his many travels)

Brother of the Owl-eyed Warrior (referencing Athena)

Brother of the Silver-tongued Messenger (referencing Hermes)

Son of the Kingly Zeus

Son of the Rich-haired Danaë (based on an epithet of Danaë)

(Image depicts Perseus, Medusa, and Athena)

·✩· Perseus Worship in the Modern Day ·✩·

Within the modern day, worship may seem intimidating if you don't know how to go about it, but thankfully, it's much easier than it may seem. Before I continue, please be aware that there is no one way to worship any Greek entity, be it hero or deity. Worship varies from person to person, even when they worship the same entity, and that's both normal and historically supported. In ancient Greece, worship was different all across the land with some city-states not worshipping entire deities that others did. It's ok if your practice doesn't look exactly the same as someone else's; in fact, it probably shouldn't!

A common way of worshipping any Greek entity in the modern day is creating a custom altar. Some worshippers keep their altars outdoors, preferring for their space to be out in nature, while others keep their altars indoors, preferring their altar to be within the home. Where you keep your altar is entirely up to you, although indoor altars are typically more common due to their accessibility for most people. Being that Perseus is a hero who's traveled far and wide, going on daring adventures for the benefit of others rather than himself, a place to put his altar in the home could be near the door or window - a nod to the various journeys he's embarked on. An outdoor altar for Perseus could be located near a body of water - a nod to both the rescue of Andromeda and his escape to Seriphos with his mother as a young boy. If it's near water, be careful to keep it far enough away that it won't be swept away (make sure to keep flash floods in mind, too). I also don't suggest having anything that could be bad for the earth on an outdoor altar; it could harm the environment, should any of those items be lost.

It's important to note that you don't need an altar to worship an entity. That might be a hot take to some, but I've known many worshippers who either can't have an altar, due to living circumstances, or simply don't want to, due to personal beliefs. Worship however feels correct to you (though I highly suggest still being respectful). Religion and spirituality are very personal, and I encourage you to explore that personal connection. Don't be afraid to do things a little differently!

Many modern altars have a candle, meant to be lit in honor of the entity. If you don't want a candle on your altar, that's ok! Candle scents are typically based on things associated with the entity or things that simply remind the worshipper of them. For Perseus, some potential candle scents could be ocean, storm, rain (UPG after this), lily, lavender, lilac, or sandalwood. Feel free to choose a scent that calls to you, even if it wasn't mentioned!

Most altars have various objects dedicated to the entity they were made for - things that remind you of the entity, depict images of the entity directly, or sacred symbols of the entity. These are called "offerings". Some stay on the altar permanently while others may not - it's entirely up to you what you choose to do with your offerings! When it comes to food offerings, I advise you not to keep them on the altar for too long, since they're often susceptible to perishing. Throw food offerings away or, if they're good for the environment, you can bury them outside. Some people also choose to burn perishable offerings, but I don't personally suggest it if you're not sure what can and can't be safely burned. In the next section below, I'll include a list of modern offerings you can give to Perseus. The list has suggestions; you aren't required to give any of the items mentioned if you don't want to!

Outside of altar worship, you can also do "devotional acts" - actions you do in honor of Perseus and with him in mind. In order to make an entity aware that I'm about to do a devotional act, I usually pray to them beforehand or declare aloud that I'm about to do something for them. Daily activities, that you would've done anyway, are also ok to dedicate to an entity; devotional acts don't have to be something you go super out of your way to do if you don't have time or energy for that. Involving entities in your daily activities is actually a great way of welcoming their presence directly into your life and can help with bonding. Two sections down is a list of devotional acts you're welcome to try. Just as the offerings I mention aren't required, neither are the devotional acts.

When in need of communicating with Perseus, I suggest utilizing divination, prayers, meditations, or journaling. There are other ways of communicating with entities, but these are the most common that I see. Regarding divination, there are near endless methods of divination you can try, from tarot cards to pendulums to a normal deck of playing cards. Although prayer is likely one of the most direct ways to communicate, divination typically allows you to have a back and forth conversation, to some extent, which is partially why so many people engage with it. If you're unfamiliar with any divination, I'd recommend trying whichever method calls you the most and practicing often to develop a skill with it. Divination can take a lot of practice, but that's not a bad thing; everyone starts somewhere! If you're unsure how to pray, the following link leads to some suggestions. If you can't meditate, no sweat; it's not required! Meditation can be useful for some when trying to connect with an entity's energy, but for others, it's not helpful at all, and that's ok. For journaling, you can simply write to Perseus as if you're writing in a diary or write him stylized letters. Maybe keep your journal on his altar as well!

At first, it may be difficult to determine when Perseus has responded to something you've prayed for or communicated about. A few ways an entity might make their answer known are through dreams, conversations/words you overhear, frequently spotting their sacred symbols (animals included), having a flash of a relevant image in your mind, strong gut feelings to do/say something specific, sensing another presence with you, and, of course, communicating through divination. There are many, many other ways an entity might express their answer to you, but these are a few I see fairly commonly within the Hellenic Polytheist and Pagan communities. If you struggle telling when you've received a sign versus when you're just overthinking it, this link can lend a helpful hand in being able to tell. I also personally use the rule of three: once is noticeable 🤔, twice is a coincidence 🤨, and thrice is a certainty 🧐.

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·✩· What is Perseus Like in Worship (UPG)? ·✩·

This is SOLELY based on UPG and SPG that I've gathered through various means. Out of respect, I will not be @ing the individuals who provided this information, unless they ask me to do so. Be aware that no one can definitively speak for the gods, heroes, or any other entity; everyone's experience with them will vary, even in seemingly small ways. Do not expect your experience to mimic the following experiences exactly.

I decided to gather people's experiences with Perseus in worship to hopefully provide a better feel for what Perseus may be like. I'll be numbering the experiences I was told of because each situation was expressly unique enough that separating them will be useful. Each experience will begin with two adjectives outlining the main point of the experience, as some of these individuals intentionally worship specific aspects of Perseus. Although your experience may vary, here are some things you may encounter with him:

⚔️ Young and Rebellious. 💥 This person told me that they explicitly worship a younger aspect of Perseus, before he became a king. They described him as spirited, determined, and bold. He encouraged standing up for oneself and others, and dislikes figures of authority. The way he was described reminds me of a typical "rebellious teen" stereotype (this is not an insult, just something I found interesting, as my experience strongly differed). He seemed to have more of a hands-on approach to lessons and problems, but that wasn't discussed further.

🐎 Humble and Kind. 🧡 This person only interacted with Perseus through their partner, but every time they did, they described him as being very modest and respectful. Despite his later status as a king, he seemed to regard everyone as an equal and tended to be very patient as well. This person stated that their partner said Perseus still knew how and when to put his foot down and often tried to pass that lesson along, since assertiveness was a struggle for their partner. Perseus was described as being a gentle guide as well, preferring for their partner to come to their own conclusions but still assisting them along the journey.

🪽 Swift and Smart. 🛡️ This person described Perseus as being kind and respectful, but being blunt when it was needed. He fully embraced both cunning and wit, and encouraged this person to solve problems by thinking outside of the box. Rather than giving away solutions immediately, he would prefer to let this person think through a situation. He aided a lot with thinking on their feet as well as asserting themselves in subtle yet effective ways. Something that remained consistent with the last experience was his hands-off approach to solving problems, preferring the person to listen to themselves first and foremost.

✨ My Experience. ✨ I do not worship Perseus, but a few times throughout the creation of this post, I felt his energy nearby. In my experience, he was very quiet, patient, and respectful. He respected my boundaries and seemingly regarded me as an equal. His modesty was striking, but despite this, he was still well aware of his talents. He was extremely clever and intelligent, and in some ways, he reminded me of an owl who observes his surroundings fully before he acts. He still made a point to assert himself when needed, however, and would jump in the moment he felt it necessary. Interestingly, he had a very hands-off approach to this post. When he did help, it was much appreciated, though. He was very different from other heroes I've interacted with, and overall, I enjoyed his company. c:

✧ ⟨Offerings ⟩✧

The following is a list of offerings you can give to Perseus as a show of worship. They're simply suggestions; you don't have to use them if you don't want to!

Decorated chests/boxes (maybe even keep his altar in a chest)

A candle that reminds you of him

Frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, or any other incense that reminds you of him

Sword and shield imagery

Imagery of a pegasus or horse

Imagery of Medusa's head; imagery of the Aegis (Athena's shield that she affixes Medusa's head to)

Feathers (for his winged sandals)

Snake and sea serpent imagery; a stuffed animal snake or sea serpent

Ethically sourced snake skulls, especially sea snakes; ethically sourced snake shed

Imagery of a raging ocean; imagery of rain made of gold

Seashells

Fishnets/fishing gear

Ethically sourced fish bones/shark teeth

Breaking/broken chains imagery; broken handcuffs

Gifts from your mom or a mother figure in your life to you (it's ok if you don't have anything)

Jewelry that reminds you of him

Water-based gems/crystals

Art/depictions of him and his ventures

Imagery of spears (as an acknowledgement of Athena and her aid)

Imagery of winged sandals (as an acknowledgement of Hermes and his aid)

Encouraging affirmations about pushing through, defying expectations, and overcoming obstacles

Fountain imagery

A mask of Medusa's face

Eye and tooth imagery; ethically sourced animal teeth (you can use human teeth, but I personally wouldn't)

Family heirlooms passed down from maternal (or parental) figures

Lost trinkets found at the beach/lakeshore

Imagery of an ancient Greek helm/the helm of invisibility

Toys/items from your childhood that mean a lot to you

Mirrors/reflective surfaces

Replica sail boats/toy boats

Flowers, leaves, or herbs that remind you of him

White wine with a bit of honey

Warm herbal tea with honey

A glass of water (or salt/sea water)

Energizing drinks - coffee, certain teas, energy shakes, protein shakes, etc.

Energizing foods - nuts, trail mix, vegetables, oatmeal, eggs, bananas, etc.

Breads, pastries, grains with honey, natural honey, tasty candies, fresh fruits, fish, or something you made by hand for Perseus specifically

｡◉* Devotional Acts *◉ ｡

The following is a list of devotional activities you can do in honor of Perseus. These are just suggestions; you don't have to do them if you don't want to!

Learn how to swim; go swimming

Go sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding; engage in water-related activities

Play frisbee with friends or pets

Go fishing (legally, please)

Be kind to/encourage yourself when going through a difficult time

Make a list of things you've overcome; acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small they seem

Learn how to ride a horse; go horse-back riding

Stay hydrated; drink water

Try eating a healthy diet or meal if possible

Try exercising; do some movement throughout your day

Spend time with a maternal figure in your life or with a mother you know (for example, a friend or sibling who became a mom)

Be kind to children; spend time with the kids in your life

Watch a comforting movie/show from your childhood

Learn about self-defense; carry self-defense items (knives, pepper spray, etc.)

If you have a personal mirror, decorate it with things you love or positive self-affirmations

Create a playlist of songs that remind you of him; listen to the playlist whenever you want c:

Create a Pinterest board for him; save pins that remind you of him

Play strategy games, competitive or not

Learn how to wield a sword; swords are objectively cool

Visit any local fountains (not a drinking fountain, but the kind that people throw coins in)

Offer someone a helping hand; engage in random acts of kindness

Send your loved ones a kind message; maybe tell them you love them, wish them a good day, or encourage them

Stand up for others, especially if you witness a wrong done against them

Attend protests that stand against corrupt governments/politicians

Support children-focused, anti-domestic abuse, young/single mothers, or international relief organizations

Support ocean conservation efforts

Donate children's and hygiene supplies to homeless shelters; hygiene kits, toys, child socks/shoes, child clothes, baby food, diapers, etc.

Pick up trash around bodies of water

Sing/dance to songs the empower you, lift you up, or encourage you to keep moving forward

Make a list of things you're proud of; even getting out of bed can be a point of pride

Light a candle in his honor; burn incense in his honor

Plant/care for flowers or other plants that remind you of him

Create something for him - a painting, drawing, piece of digital art, wood carving, crochet project, song, short story, collage, etc.

Take a salt bath (with bath salts specifically!!!!)

Engage in a mental challenging/stimulating activities

•★ Conclusion ★•

To cover every piece of information about Perseus that exists would be a difficult task, and one that would likely take years of hard work. I hope this can at least be a starting point for any prospective worshippers and can offer a more condensed view of who exactly Perseus is. It can be challenging finding a place to start, but once you take your first step, you're already well on your way. I wish you, the reader, luck in your future ventures. May Perseus walk beside you, if you wish him to. Take care.

-

-

-

Sources:

Theoi.com's entry on Perseus

Tufts University sources on the Medusa myth

History Cooperative's informed article on Perseus

Cults and Rites in Ancient Greece by Michael H. Jameson

Gods and Heroes - Perseus by Daniel Ogden

UPG was gathered from unnamed individuals, as well as my own very brief experiences with Perseus

[marimeeko]

Thinking lately about Izuku(a civilian now) getting caught up in some Villain shenanigans(think like a random hostage situation or heist/robbery)(he is literally at the wrong place at the wrong time) and the possibilities of what could happen.

The possibilities of the civilians recognizing him and hoping for him to save them? Him doing his best to keep them all together and calm?

The possibilities of whether or not the villains recognize him or slowly start to figure it out? Do they know he's actually Quirkless now and try to take advantage of that? Or do they think he still has powers and immediately try to restrain and overpower him?

How Izuku either fights back or tries to thwart the villains? How he stays quiet at first, but is observing and analyzing the crap out of them and their Quirks?(while it's technically illegal for him to act as a hero, he also wouldn't stand down if the villains were threatening to harm any of the hostages)

If he has an actual altercation with them? And what if he gets injured? (I imagine he can hold his own reasonably well in a hand to hand fight! He still trains and is in shape, maybe even spars with Kacchan, and he has that extremely high pain tolerance! But he still gets clocked especially if he's trying to prevent them from doing harm)

And what happens when GEMG DynaMight gets to the scene. And does Katsuki know before hand that Izuku is involved of find out afterward when Izuku is released with the hostages? Or when he busts in to stop them and sees Izuku himself??

Or do the villains know enough about Izuku and Katsuki to make Izuku their primary hostage and hold Izuku hostage for some sort of ransom or deal with DynaMight?

And do they know enough to know that that's pretty much a death wish for them?

How about Izuku being just cool as a cucumber even though they're threatening DynaMight bc he knows enough about these suckers now to know that they are no match for Dynamight....much less when he is ANGRY.

Or how bout Izuku actually trying to talk them out of their dumb idea (full on teacher voice activated) because he knows they're petty criminals who are acting this way for a reason, but they shouldn't add kidnapping to their rapsheet.

DynaMight busting in and busting them, of course, and putting the fear of god into the villains whenever he is aware of Izuku being involved. He takes it personally, maybe hitting the guy holding down izuku a little harder than the others before arresting them.

What about when Katsuki gets Izuku out of there, he fusses endlessly over Izukus injuries and bloody face, and refuses to let Izuku go home by himself(he needs to be monitored for a concussion, that's all!)

I MEAN WHY HAVE WE NOT THOUGHT MORE ABOUT THIS ASPECT THERES SO MUCH POTENTIAL HERE.

If this is a fic already I really want to read it... Daniart already made an art to this theme and I saw it today, meanwhile I have definitely been pondering it for a day or two *bkdk brainmeld*

[soullessdianthus]

Please, Kylo Ren x reader (noncon). I'm so excited to read it!!!

A/N: I was obsessed over this ask and created a whole lore for this, haha! Just be aware of the warnings!

Warnings: age gap, humiliation, violence, brief gore (description of mutilation (not reader)), dead dove: do not eat, nsfw (noncon, kidnapping, sexual slavery, objectification, forced orgasm)

Word count: 4.6k

AO3 link ⟶ 𝕏

Every night darkness was trying to corrupt your mind, to burn everything that is left of you to ashes. Those eerie forces pulled you into a deep void of endless fear just for a ray of comfort to sneak through the horrors of the nightfall. 

With a layer of sweat on your neck you dreamt of home. Floors of polished, bright stones, stained glasses and neverending gardens blending into the outskirts of the capitol. Marble arcades, columns and many thermal baths – tranquility, warmth and security. Everything that kept you sane was just a memoir. 

The First Order has taken over most of the galaxy. With an iron fist they wiped out the rebelling nations and those who collaborated or supplied them. Planets who stayed neutral yet seemed suspicious were forced to bend the knee to the Supreme Leader – Kylo of the Knights of Ren. His path to power was paved with sacrifices and corpses. The edge of his lightsaber was soaked in blood and lives of thousands. 

The heroes of the Rebellion became legends, tales of the past. Those people were gone, hiding or buried six feet underneath the soil. There was no hope.

The persecution of the collaborators reached your home planet and even your family. The father of yours that happened to be a senator was accused of treason. However, nothing actually could be charged so therefore the Supreme Leader was merciful enough to spare the noble family of the senator from disgraceful death.  

But there was a small catch.

Which happened to be you. 

In order to keep your father in line and prevent further conspiracies against the Empire, Kylo Ren took you as a hostage. “No harm shall happen to her only if you remember where your loyalty lies” the tall man said. How foolish of you both to take his word for it. 

You were taken from the gardens with such force that would leave purple bruises along your arms. One of the masked knights of Ren pulled you up and dragged behind him. Your bare feet still wet from the bath in the pond barely kept up to his long strides up until the spaceship waiting for you. It was the last time you had seen home.

From that day you were a prisoner of war. Surprisingly, you were not being held captive inside a cell, locked away without further purpose, starved and beaten. You were granted a position of being Supreme Leader’s personal servant, which you were told was “a great honor for a mutt like you” by the red haired general. You assumed it was supposed to degrade you from your nobility status, which in that case did not happen. 

Your parents raised you pretty well – to respect every type of labor and appreciate the opportunities. “There is no shame in hard work”, they used to say and you couldn’t argue with that. 

But.

Your sharp tongue and young spirit caused you more troubles than actual work beneath Kylo Ren. It never was the case of doing the chore wrong – bringing the wrong stash of clothes, messing up his meal or disrupting his meetings. It was the untamed, bold temper of a girl who had never been really hurt before. 

Whenever you spoke without his permission he would slap you across the cheek until it bloomed with crimson color, his favorite. Sometimes his strikes would send you crumbling to the floor and he wouldn’t hurt you again until you straightened up. “Stupid girl”, he would call you. When you would look into his dark eyes, you could recognise that very primal need to see you break and cry. So you promised yourself to never let your mask slip and grant him that honor of your liquified fear and pain. 

Soon you began adapting to the situation. The stiff and coarse clothes you were wearing became bearable and then unnoticeable at all. Modest robes in colors of First Order’s sigil – black and red. Every burden became lighter. Except from the people surrounding you. 

After months spent in the Supreme Leader’s mercy you have noticed that his temper changed. From a bad-tempered, unpredictable boy he changed to a more stoic and calculated diplomat. Perhaps as the time went by and the First Order gained more control over the Galaxy he became more… calm. Kylo Ren wouldn’t throw a tantrum over small mistakes. He wasn’t a fool, he knew he needed the support of his generals, knights and senators to stabilize the position of power.  

Yet his change of demeanor did not depose his cruelty. Under the cloak of a calculated man, Kylo was still a brute ruler with little to no mercy for those who made a mistake. 

You were a witness of punishment served from his hand. The red blade of his lightsaber mutilated a lower ranked military for not only denying Ren’s order but also for treason. The scream of agony filled your ears and you turned away from the atrocities.  

— Look, girl — the raven haired man told you and you heard him clearly, but consciously decided to ignore him. You were petrified of such a violent act and yet he screamed from the top of his lungs — I said LOOK! Watch what happens to those who betray me. 

Lord Ren used the ability that only Force could provide to make your head turn against your will and kept your eyes wide open, so his servant could watch as he dismembered the traitor into pieces. The Supreme Leader was feasting on your tears running down your face and the expression of pure terror. The smell of burnt meat made your stomach twist. Till this day, sometimes you can see the chopped limbs beneath the council table even when they are long gone. 

And it wasn’t the last time he forced you to watch such brutality. 

The council meeting ended as its members slowly left the room. Lord Ren was seated at the very top of the long table with General Hux by his side. You placed two cups in front of them and slowly poured the wine. By this time you learned to move swiftly, barely noticeable yet still with grace. When the vessels were filled you returned to the spot close to the wall, waiting for further instructions. 

— Come back here. — Lord Ren commanded you with a subdued tone, not revealing the cause of his call. But so you did, gently putting aside the vase with wine and stepping closer to your master. 

— What do you think of today’s meeting? I saw you listening very closely. — Armitage asked, one of his fingers tracing the cup’s form, not even bothering to look at you.

— My opinion doesn’t matter, General. It’s not my place to speak of such matters. 

— Weren’t you a child of a senator? Well, he must have taught you something?

You couldn’t get a single word out. Clearly, the general was provoking any type of reaction from you, but by now, you have learned to keep your mouth shut. Otherwise you might have ended up with a split lip and blood on your tongue.

— You trained her well, Ren — Hux smirked, eyeing the servant girl from head to toes. — She recites those phrases like poems. But does she really mean it? Or does she think we’re fools?

The Supreme Leader hummed before there was silence in the room. Your eyes were transfixed on the table, but you could feel his dark globs piercing through your skin. Or trying at least. 

— She’s smarter than she looks, she knows her place. Her father told me she was an obedient daughter, isn’t that true?

Kylo looked directly at your face, tilting his chin up. There was a threat in the way he looked at you. Through heavy lids sagging over his eyes, a challenge could be noticed. He was testing you. 

— Yes, my Lord.  

— It would be a real pity if she decides to disappoint me one day. 

Ren took one of your palms and gently rubbed the back of the servant's hand. The circles he was drawing over your veins were almost soothing. His careful approach caught you off guard. You were trembling and he could feel it. 

— You can go.

He released your hand and you left the room in a hurry. Your body was tense and therefore the movements seemed stiff, lacking previous grace. Obviously he noticed it, he knows everything. He’s the head of an Empire.

— I don’t understand why you still keep that girl. You have no good use of her. I bet you can still fold your own clothes.

— You’re forgetting yourself. 

Ren took a mouthful of the wine, still keeping eye contact with the pale man sitting in front of him. Armitage was getting bolder every mission he had positively completed. Red haired general was in Kylo’s favor at the moment, but he could always stumble and fail.

— If I was to advise you, Supreme Leader — he started again, much more careful this time — I would suggest you to display the power and possibilities the Empire posseses, so every rat that is left out there knows, we can bent their fucking spines backwards. 

— You want me to torture and get rid of my servant? That’s what you’re trying to tell? 

— Do you even need one? 

“No”, Kylo quickly came to the conclusion in his head. The truth was he never liked anyone touching his belongings, he didn’t need a “mother” to bring him clean robes nor a cupbearer. Especially a young woman of a noble status that only attracted his generals’ attention during the meetings. 

She was useless to him.  

— Killing her would only give the rebel scums another martyr to use as propaganda against us. First Order won, what we need now is stability – strong military and senator’s support. I took her as a hostage, if she dies, I might lose the entire system of her planet in the senate. 

There was a long silence between the two men. Then Hux approached the subject differently. 

— What makes you think that after you perish one day, the Empire won’t collapse? What comes after you, Supreme Leader? Perhaps you should, after all, make them fear you. 

Despite every ounce of hatred Kylo Ren had for his general, the raven haired knight knew his advisor was right. Armitage was a sneaky bastard, but he was right. The Empire needed a firm ruthless ruler with a legacy to leave behind. 

Two stormtroopers let the girl inside the Supreme Leader’s private rooms. You obviously weren't there for the first time, but the circumstances were somewhat new. He called for you very late in the evening, so you came to him wrapped in a long robe. Passing through the entry section, you noticed him standing by the desk, reading some files. 

— You called for me, my Lord. 

— Come.

Kylo Ren stood tall and still dressed in his daytime attire. You pulled the robe’s edge to cover your nightgown entirely and slowly made it to his side. You couldn’t hide the fact you felt uneasy. He never called for you this late, could that mean you were in trouble?

You stopped next to him. Knight of Ren was towering over you with his height and build. His dark eyes were focused on the files on the screen in front of both of you. Since the first day he hit you, he was intimidating enough not to seek trouble. 

— Have you ever heard of Zyggerian Empire? 

— Yes.

You looked at the records on the screen. Few of them were pictures of said empire – huge gatherings, auctions, labor camps. Everything under the master's whip. 

— And what do you know about it, hm?

— It was located in the Outer Rim — you swallowed with great effort, saliva barely passing through the throat that was tightened from anxiety. — They were slavers. 

— That disgust you, doesn’t it? — Kylo leaned his neck down to look closely at your expression. — And don’t lie to me, I can tell when you do. 

— Yes, my Lord. It disgusts me. 

— Sometimes the end justifies the means, their power was upheld for a thousand years. Flourishing and unshaken, even Jedi were afraid to confront them. Do you know why? 

— Credits?

Kylo stepped behind you and his breath on your neck made you shiver. 

— Because some people are born to be submissive, to be told what to do — his thick fingers combing through loose strands of your hair. — To serve a greater purpose. 

Feeling Ren’s knuckles touch your vulnerable neck, you turned around on your heel to confront him. You had to lift your chin up to meet his darkened gaze. 

— I was made aware that I was too indulgent with you from the beginning. You are of traitorous blood and I should have punished your family more severely. 

Your blood started to boil within your veins, fear pushing aside tranquility and careful judgment. You were scared. You saw all the tremendous, horrifying things he has done to others, what was he trying to do to you? 

— I thought you were content with my work, my Lord. I d-don’t-

— I found you a new purpose, as I don’t think you deserve such privilege of being a servant. You will be my pleasure slave. Nothing worrying that pretty head of yours than your Supreme Leader. Just waiting patiently for me to call you in.

Suddenly you couldn’t breathe, your own chest weighed on you. One of his hands cupped the side of your pale face, but your eyes kept escaping from Kylo’s mean stare. Deep inside you knew this monster was enjoying your fear. 

— You are nothing. Forget about your past, because your only use is to obey me, do you understand? 

Your body froze and you couldn’t move nor speak. Ren asked a question again, but you only shook your head, denying everything that was going on. Tears flooded in the corners of your eyes, before you finally whispered a single “no”. You managed to take a few steps back, creating a space between you and him. 

— Do you really want to find out what will happen to you if you disobey me? Are you this stupid? Have you learnt nothing?  

— Please, I don’t deserve this. Please, I’ll do better, I promise! — You tried to reason with him. 

Every step he took in your direction, you took one backwards – to get as far from his reach as possible. Your body was moving on its own, you couldn’t think straight, tears blurring your vision. A prey stalked into a corner by its hunter. 

— Stop it! — Within a quick few strides Kylo reached you and pressed his hand over your mouth, while the other painfully twisted within your hair. You squealed and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. — Quit your whining, before my patience runs out. You need to learn, but you better do it quickly, before I get tired of you. Do you understand? 

When he didn’t receive an answer and you continued pathetically crying, Knight of Ren shook your entire body just to squeeze an answer out of you. 

You didn’t know why and when, but your head nodded. 

Kylo Ren released his grip on your face. His strong palms tore the robe off of your body and only when his grip tightened around the cleavage of the nightgown, you recovered. You tried to stop him, your hands curling around his wrist and forearm, pushing him away. 

— Don’t do this, no! NO! 

Two loud smacks filled the private chambers of the Supreme Leader. The man slapped you quite hard, impact making your head turn and spin. Your cheek burned. It burned deep below the muscle tissue and your skin was on fire. The pain ringing in your head, blinded you for a moment. Ren seized the opportunity and ripped the nightgown that was covering your naked body, leaving you bare and vulnerable. You weeped when the cold air of his room swept across your skin, leaving goosebumps. 

— That’s how you repay my good will? — Kylo grabbed your throat and lifted your body slightly, so you were fighting for the ability to breathe on tiptoes. — Should I rather give you to my knights and let them train you, hm? All six of them, sadistic fuckers. Would you want that? 

— N-No… Please, no.

— That’s what I thought. 

The dark haired man forced you to fall on your stomach over his satin bed sheets. Before you even got the chance to crawl away or turn around, he was already straddling your hips from behind, his upper body leaning over and caging you beneath him. 

— Please, please. Mercy! 

You were chanting quietly in between sobs for him to stop this madness. But Kylo had you pinned down by your arms, his grips so tight it would leave deep purple bruises. You felt him struggling with his belt and trousers, before he pulled them down. You were hyperventilating, when he rubbed his crotch over your ass.

You could feel his erection clearly on your bare skin. Kylo Ren pushed your thighs apart with his knee, his strength was incomparable to yours. There was no way you could overpower or throw him off. 

He was bigger than you, meaner and more brutal than anyone you knew. The Supreme Leader was taking some sick satisfaction from belittling and tormenting you, his dick excited to taste your tight, warm cunt. 

— At least you’re pretty, huh? Will you sing for me, bird? — He whispered next to your ear, strands of his black hair tickling the side of your face.

When he got so close, you could smell his scent. And all you felt in your nostrils was blood, death and destruction. 

You felt disgust when you noticed the leaking head of his cock pressing against your entrance. He didn’t bother to prepare you anyhow, you were nowhere near being wet enough to take him, but you knew Kylo was intending to hurt you, to cause you pain and discomfort. It all was just to humiliate you, to show where you belong. Beneath the feet of the greatest Knight of Ren. 

So when he forced himself inside of your cunt, every one of your muscles tensed and you wailed in pain, spine bending backwards. 

When he pushed himself to the hilt, you thought you were going to tear. He was thick and stuffed you to the brim. The sudden stretch burned, the head of his cock prodding against your cervix causing further discomfort. 

— And you’ve been hiding this sweet body from me, all this time? — Kylo groaned, the feeling of your pussy squeezing around him causing mighty Ren to stutter. You were so tight. — I should have listened to my advisor sooner. 

Kylo Ren wasn’t generous enough to give you the time to accommodate his size, before he started thrusting brutally. Each time his hips met the curves of your ass, you felt like he was fucking the air out of you. Or perhaps it was his weight pushing you into the mattress. 

The sounds of skin slapping against skin filled your ears and you wanted to disappear. His cruel words echoed on a repeat, his strong hands crushing your forearms just to keep you in place. 

Tears ran down the sides of your face, making a wet stain on the bed sheet. The salty taste of them spreaded over your lips and your cheek pulsated from the earlier punch. 

— Your only purpose now — he spoke out of the sudden, maneuvering you onto your back and pushing his cock back inside causing you to whine — is to serve me and give me pleasure. 

Kylo brought your legs over his hips, spreading them wider, before he leaned over your form on his forearms. He was so close and you couldn’t escape him. Every ounce of strength left your bruised hands as they found their way to his chest, slightly pushing against his muscular chest. 

— Some would find it an honor, yet you’re just crying and whining. Wasn’t I good to you? At least you’re alive.

He slowed down the thrusts and your wails finally quietened. You were breathless, struggling to keep focus on the sentences he was forming. One of his hands started to caress the top of your head, almost like you were… a pet. 

— After everything I’ve done, which you witnessed, wouldn’t you call yourself lucky? Although I have to admit I spoiled you. You’ve got too comfortable. 

And then Kylo started to rut against your core once again with a ruthless pace. You gasped, when he buried himself deeper within each thrust. But this time you could feel the wetness that gathered between your folds and thighs, you could smell it up from there too – blood. 

You cried out as your sensory system was overstimulated. Every inch of your existence hurt — sex, muscles, skin, eyes and mind. And on the top of your excruciating pain and discomfort there was a tickling sensation sneaking in your abdomen, a forming knot that was going to eventually burst.  

— Oh, you’re getting off of this? — You heard his mocking voice above yourself. You turned your head to the side and pretended to curl in a small ball. Just to be invisible and to disappear. 

— N-No.

One of his hands swung quickly towards your face. Afraid of another hit, you pressed your eyes together, but the impact never came. Ren gripped your jaw and shook it, to catch your attention back to him. 

— Don’t fucking lie. I can feel you squeezing around me, I see the lust in your eyes and not a single thought. And those wet sounds — Kylo chuckled — that’s not you, huh?

He wasn’t even focusing on bringing you to the edge, why would he? Your pleasure wasn’t his concern. His on the other hand was your job. Within this brutal act Ren had one goal in mind – to humiliate and belittle you. So when he noticed you were holding yourself back somehow, he gritted his teeth.

— Cum, bitch. Your master commanded you to cum. 

A couple of thrust more and with a sorrowful wail you came around his girth. Your limbs went numb, head tilting backwards, tangling your hair further. With a great effort you managed to swallow the saliva gathered in your mouth and tried to breathe, to calm down. But then there was this brute between your legs, still pounding into you, chasing his release. 

— Thank me when I’m spilling into you — but you bit your lip instead, closing your mouth shut. Kylo reached to your nipple and pinched it painfully with his thumb and forefinger. You screamed in agony. — I told you to fucking thank me, dumb slut!

— T-Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you…

You were like a stuck chatterbox, repeating the same phrase over and over again just for his grip on your sensitive nipple finally released. 

With a few more thrust, the Supreme Leader groaned and spilled his warm, sticky cum inside of your cunt. He halted his movements in the air, face hanging low above you – his hot breath swept over your blushed skin and his dark strands of hair tickled your forehead. 

All you could feel was disgust. Towards him, towards yourself. Especially towards yourself. How could your body possibly enjoy in any way what he has done to you? The embarrassment heavied in your chest and you couldn’t find the strength to look at him. 

Without a word he pulled out of you and got up. Then he disappeared in the bathroom, meanwhile you were lying there defenseless, body spasming from adrenaline and pain. Only after a while did you manage to sit up and examine the mess between your legs. And when you did take a look, you wanted to puke.

There was so much blood. 

Blood from the bruising he caused upon you mixed with his spent. It was rubbed all over your inner thighs. Your hands were shaking, throat sore from all the crying. Since the First Order rose to power, you knew the world became a brutal place. But you never thought something as cruel and vicious might actually happen to you. And now, you were Kylo Ren’s toy sentenced to his wicked desires. 

Ren walked out of the shower and placed a stack of folded clothes in front of you. He told you that these are your clothes now and you’re expected to put them on after the night. Then, he proceeded to sit back down next to you, as you wiped your face from tears. 

— Come closer —Kylo patted the bed sheets next to him and slowly you scooped closer. You didn’t want another beating, you were tired. — You’re going to learn other ways to please your master. 

The night was long. 

It seemed endless and even when the sunrise enlightened the bedroom of the Supreme Leader, the pain remained as it was. When you awakened, still in his private chambers, your nightmare was gone. 

You were sitting in a new dress – with cuts on both sides revealing your thighs and ribs, deep v-line barely covering your breasts, sleeveless so everybody could see the yellowish and purple bruises on your arms. Simple slippers and a head piece of small, golden plates separating at the bridge of your nose to the sides. It was an exotic type of fashion you had never seen before. 

The only thing that was missing for now was a collar. 

Kylo Ren wanted to put you on display like a trophy, so everybody could see his new slave girl. Every sign of your struggle and disobedience was imprinted on your skin. A lesson or a warning perhaps for the others.

There was one of the knights that came for you at some point. He escorted you to the throne room in complete silence, the man didn’t even bother to look at you. Kylo stated clearly last night that you were forbidden from looking at the others, so maybe his soldier boy was not allowed to do so too. 

You gathered all of your pride and grace to appear unbothered. Although the walking part was a struggle, your crotch was still sore. 

There was something that slipped through the Supreme Leader’s lips last night that gave you a glimpse of hope. He told you that you were nothing but his slave, yet with time, maybe in a couple of years you would give him an heir. And only then you would become his concubine, never the empress. 

You were young and inexperienced, never really eager to step into politics like your father. However, life can be surprising and nobody really knows what the future holds. After all, we are the masters of our fates. Do you choose to be a meaningless pawn in a tyrant’s game?

No.

You’ve become a player. And with time and careful preparations you were going to take back what’s yours – freedom. But for now, you had to sing for him nicely just as you were told. Slowly, step by step. 

Right now your priority was to survive. 

The throne was on a pedestal and mighty Kylo Ren was sitting on it – proud and cruel. He curled his fingers pointing at you, he was calling you. You walked through the room, the Knight of Ren went in his own direction as you sat down on a cushion beneath the feet of the Supreme Leader. The man grinned and petted your head. A reward.  

The legend of a raven haired boy named Ben Solo of a Skywalker ancestry was all a lie. There was no savior for the Galaxy, no messiah. That boy was long gone and a vile monster was born in his place. 

The Supreme Leader, Emperor Kylo Ren with a little bird by his side.

[tumblingxelian]

I went and did a lil reviewing and its very interesting to look at Lila's situation regarding Catalyst and there's some fun observations to make in a vacuum.

1: This girls room has tons of masks.

I know that isn't a major thing but given what we know of her its like, "So you just wanna shout that you have a complicated relationship with identity is that it?!"

2: Her mom does work at the embassy

On the surface she seems nice enough if maybe very busy given she says she'll "Try" and be back before dinner. One can take Lila growling once she's gone as directed at Ladybug or her mother, or both.

But the dynamic also feels 'weird' & Lila's clearly used to instantly masking whatever she's actually feeling around her.

Assuming a "No child is born super evil" read, I'd say that either she is like Andre in that she can performatively show affection. But is not actually there for their child when they need it. In this case likely having failed Lila at some major interval that left a deep divide.

Or that she's one of those parents who can seem very nice and reasonable but if angered or offended or disgusted react very, very badly. I'd actually say this one feels the most likely given it would contextualize Lila's deceptive habits very neatly.

3: How much did she know?

The question of if Lila was "In on it" or a willing participant in the scheme is interesting. Cos its obvious she didn't know Gabriel's identity. But more to the point, thats he clearly wasn't even expecting Hawk Moth to come for her given she was surprised.

Like there is no one to be performing for here, that is genuine shock.

However, we all see her smirking after Hawk Moth has the Akuma leave her. But its worth noting she wasn't purified, the Butterfly just left. So while its obviously a headcanon I do feel the shift from shock and panic to stoic confidence is weird enough to thin it could mean more than just Lila is the devil.

Also is it just me or do her eyes seem more lifeless?

We do have Gabriel's dialogue to go off:

Hawk Moth: Fly away, my little akuma and evilize the one who's been waiting your return for so long.

But we've also seen him call Chloe his favorite "Victim" and its not exactly uncommon for people taking advantage of others to frame their victim as a willing participant.

With that in mind!

4: Oh they were 100% grooming Lila, yikes

So, we know from season 3 that Gabriel & Nathalie were fine undermining Chloe's mental health to the point of sabotage, gaslighting and hostage taking.

Thus it is perhaps no surprise they were doing the same with Lila.

Don't believe me? They have literal cameras on a fourteen year old and have clearly been keeping her under observation in their own words, for months!

Nathalie: (Hands Gabriel her tablet) Lila has been harboring her rage against Ladybug for months, and today wherever she looks, she'll see the object of her hatred, and as predicted, her anger will reach devastating heights. Your plan is perfect, sir.

But more pointedly is what is not said, or more, what is talked around, see this exchange:

Lila: (scrolls through laptop) Liar! Traitor! Coward! (comes across an interview with Gabriel Agreste and Nadja Chamack) Gabriel: (on the laptop) In honor of the wonderful Ladybug who has saved my son Adrien and myself, and who relentlessly protects all of us everyday, I have financed this tribute to Ladybug. Because Ladybug is the only true hero unlike her mediocre imitations, such as Volpina. Lila: (screams with rage and throws her laptop against a wall) I hate you, Ladybug!

Cue laptop against wall and then crying on the floor, again there is no one to perform for here, this has to be a genuine reaction.

What stands out to me is Lila's choice of words: Liar! Traitor! Coward!

If she was just angry he praised Ladybug & insulted Volpina these words don't make any sense. But they make a ton of sense if Gabriel or someone representing her contacted Lila about her time as Volpina.

(It does not seem Paris is aware she was an Akuma)

Likely telling her about Heroes' Day or otherwise framing themselves as very interested and impressed with Volpina saving Paris from that meteor. Only so they could have Gabriel twist the knife in on an interview.

Conclusion:

That's just an assumption but if not, why not call Gabriel a jerk and a fool or something, traitor and coward have very specific connotations that don't make sense unless she'd been led to believe Gabriel thought highly of Volpina,

Hell, how would they even know she'd find the interview unless she knew to look for it?

Yes yes, story contrivances, but if we want to base out logic in universe, Nathalie & Gabriel preyed again on an isolated and to one degree or another neglected as well as troubled child. Fed into her many issues, likely helping foster her isolation & resentments, just to betray and humiliate her for the purpose of using her as a weapon.

That is deeply fucked up, especially when you consider that they were spying on her and she has no idea any of this is happening!

All in all, I think its quite reasonable to read Lila as a fourteen year old taken advantage of and steadily warped by adults' who were using her for their own gain as opposed to someone just born evil.

[threepandas]

Bird4Bird Part 5: Yandere Hawks

You know, people should be real glad he's such a nice guy. A Hero. Cause it was WAY too easy to get Her files. Tsk, tsk. Such poor security! He's kinda disappointed, honestly. He was sorta expecting a bit of a challenge.

It IS a Goverment building after all.

But maybe it's 'cause she's not a Hero herself. She's a civilian. So they don't care as much. You'd think you'd just get universal security and then lock down the Heroic files, but no. Glorified safes and lock boxes. Clear and traceable holes in all SORTS of bloodlines.

Gee, wonder why Mr. and Mrs. So-n-So have a redacted kid! Bet THEY'RE not related to any Heros! Sure won't be easy to just go to their HOUSE an find their kid's name THERE along with a few hostages!

It's theater. A joke, really. He's kinda GLAD he basically has no family, if THIS is the security they'd get.

Good thing he's removing Her files. They'll be MUCH safer with him~. A few dummy files left in their plaaaace, aaaand... back out through the blind spots in the camera coverage! Honestly, he's done harder exercises with his feathers literally concussed.

Ooooh~☆ Like that one. And that one~!

He keeps flipping through his social feeds. Might as WELL multi-task. Selfie with the skyline~♡! Aaaand upload. There we go, that's his #Aesthetic post of the day. Now PR will have nothing to complain about. Hmmmm, should like a few memes. Don't comment on THAT scandal. Joke about THAT one. Post a thirst trap modeling pic... aaaand...

He feels his feathers escape the building. Finally! It was his last hit of the night. File finally in hand, he lazily rolls to his feet, stretchs. Tucks the file away but not his phone. Then let's himself drop forward into open air. Let's his wings CATCH.

The magnificent slide of cool air against his feathers, the resistance of wind against his wings. He soars and for a moment... let's himself feeling nothing else. It is perfect.

It always is.

First things first, dropping of the files. Gotta keep them safe after all. Then... then he SHOULD be going to bed. Heck, if he doesn't feel like going alone, it's not like he doesn't have OPTIONS. He honestly has too many. But even then, the thought of it's exhausting...

They want The Mask. And yeah, sometimes it's FUN being the mask. Good for PR. Adds to his good reputation when they inevitably talk.

And they always DO talk.

They spread the word exactly as he expects them too. Dispite swearing, to the last, not to breathe a word. The picture of discretion, they PROMISE, Hawks~♡! Ha. 'Course they are. Pretty, chatty, birds. Picked for their scandal free backgrounds, photo ready faces, and hero positive attitudes.

He gets a LIST for every event he goes too. Has several, ranging from "approved in general" to "by region". Really... the height of romance, his meet-cutes. Picture perfect down to the last detail.

You'd almost thing a team of handlers PLANNED them for him.

Not to say the sex isn't great. Sex is always nice! Just... not when you're not in the mood for something REAL, ya know? When you want to get... get MESSY.

Hunt someone. See those eyes dilate, utterly AWARE and focused completely on HIM. That moment of indecision. Stay and fight? Run? Watching the scales tip and clatter in ruin to the floor. Run. Let um get a head start. RUN. Want to see those Big BEAUTIFUL Wings snap out to their full width, massive and powerful, and RIP through the air as they fling her into the sky. RUN!!!

Run away, lil predator. He's coming to CATCH you~

God, she'd be so POWERFUL in the air. So DANGEROUS. Eating up the distance like she actually stood a CHANCE. Those wings, so far from fragile its laughable. But... oh. Oh, he's FASTER. So, so much faster. Agile in a way her raw power robs her off.

She would never be able to fight him off. Would have NO chance to truely escape.

And then?

Then it's a matter of stamina. Training. And only ONE of them's a Hero~

He'd harry her. Feathers flying from ever angle, deadly sharp and far too close. Better dodge! Use your quirk! Oh DEAR, uses stamina as a fuel source does it? Hope you have ENOUGH~!

Little cuts. Kicks here and there. Pushing her lower~ Pushing her lower~ Watch out for that building! Uh oh! Powerlines! Large wingspan is a benefit in open air~ but it works against you heeeeereeeee~! Better LAND, lil harpy!

Before he knocks you from the SKY.

And he WOULD. God, it would be AMAZING. If he got her at just the right angle? He could kick her into a building, a tree, SOMETHING. Or maybe as she goes to flap? He could trap a wing. She'd DROP.

Wrap her torso in enough feathers to pin it. Slow her fall juuuust enough to really hurt, but keep her from hitting wrong. Ah~ bet she'd SCREECH. Struggle and lash like a cornered animal. Wing slamming the dirt helplessly, flapping uselessly, as she tries SO hard to get free... heart pounding, legs kicking, adrenaline surging through her veins~

He Wins, lil fighter~ now he gets his prize~♡

Ah, he bets you'd BITE. If the HPSC wouldn't kill him for it, he'd probably LET you. Let you scar him up in your rage. Leave your mark. You'd be so PISSED at losing. So nervous. And he can get that, vulnerability is a lot. Big, strong, walls all crumbling down? It'd feel like raw nerves. Being SEEN.

And he'd SEE her alright.

Even if she managed to avoid it. Managed to land, run, get herself nice and lost. He'd chase her down. Wear her down. Til the anger has no more fuel to burn. The threats have no more strength. Make her run and fight and run and climb and RUN... until her body just? Can't any more.

All struggled out~

Nothing but muscles shaking and bruises, feather cuts and the sweat that burns them. Gasping for air that can't seem to come fast enough. She never stood a chance~ But he let her try anyway.

And god. All his senses would be ON FIRE. Practically high on it. He'd be everything he's NOT supposed to be. Every instinct he's supposed to shove down on full glorious display.

He'd feed her till she CHOKES. She wouldn't get a choice. Watch the grease run down her pretty face and neck. Run his fingers through those pretty feathers and feel HIS against her skin. Preening and so, so pretty. All clean~ All those pretty little cuts and poor lil scrapes.

He put his merch on Each And Every One~

Little red feather band-aids all pretty on her skin~♡

His~ Won fair an square. Gotta take care of it. Blood and grease and sweat. Find all the places that make his Harpy bird squirm. But she can't escape. Not ever escape. He won. His, his, his. He'd make those place feel NICE. Watch her as she feels good.

She'd be so tired. So sore. She'd WANT to feel good. Be so tired of fighting and pretending. Hungry. And he'd be so good about how he takes care of her. Cause he's a HERO. Massaging hands and feathers that hold her nice and still. Careful kisses and playful teasing. Then? He'd hold those powerful, exhausted, thighs open and show her what worship feels like.

She'd make SUCH cute noises. He bets he could make her beg. Could probably make her cry.

He's fantasized, before, about not holding back. When some hero chaser is in his bed, with the "real" Hawks. Performing once again, a different facet of the Mask, all the better to pretend he is a Real Boy. Ha! What would be like? To do nothing but feel GOOD? To concentrate on pleasure? The feeling of his body moving?

To GRAB and put his back into it? Knowing damn well he'd leave bruises. Because he's stronger then them. Because his body is a weapon. Because wires in his brain were mixed up long, long ago and nothing can possibly undo it now. Wanting to snarl and shred everything around him as he rams home, deep and good like he's melting.

Wants feathers EVERYWHERE. Under him, against his skin, attached to whomever he's fucking. A God damned NEST. With blankets and feathers and tatami.

Wants to be BONELESS for how hard he fucked. How much effort it took. A marathon and a national EVENT. Wants to put on a parade and have a feast and then RUIN all of it. It's like screaming in his head, sometimes. All the instincts he is forced to repress and ignore. They blend together. Violence and hunger and horny and NEEDY AND ANGER AND-!

He lands. Outside her apartment. He's seen rats live in better places. It's an unkind assessment. But he's abruptly feeling kind of... agitated. He really should push her towards a better job. Like working for him. Or living with him. Or being HIS. Maybe both. And he'll need to hunt down a few insurance agents. Have some TALKS.

He slips a few feathers into the building. Her neighbor sleeps with the window cracked. From there? The vents. Gotcha~

The steady sound of breathing. Asleep. The rhythmic pattern... knowing it's from HER... it's...

It's soothing.

He settles back into a watchful crouch. He's still on edge. Hard. But nothing he can't fix. He has a pretty good angle from where he's perched. You forgot to fully close your blinds. And his eye sight is EXCELLENT. You look so relaxed~♡

He feels you breathe. Gently, ever so gently, let's one of his feathers drift forward to land carefully against a cheek. Warm. He can feel your pulse.

He strokes himself franticly. The cold air of night time just adding to the thrill as it teases everywhere his hand is not. His handlers would HATE this. The HPSC would NEVER allow it. He presses his other had to his face, to muffle his voice, as he desperately tries to both buck his hips AND keep his balance. So good. God she looks so VULNERABLE~

He milks the tip. Finally giving in to the urge to BITE his hand, glove leather filling his mouth. The only think keeping him upright on the phone poll he landed on, is the feathers he's grabbed himself with. And even THAT reminds him of his earlier fantasies. He spills, jerking, and raining down on the unsuspecting street below.

Good thing it's so late at night.

His entire body is riding the aftershocks. Sensitive and good. Euphoric. He laughs, wild eyed as he stares down at his hand. How depraved~ His lil hunter is certainly bringing out the worst of him, isn't she? Or maybe it's the best? It's certainly SOMETHING. And god, is it HUNGRY.

He looks back at her sleeping face as he licks his hands clean...

He should do this again~

[hell-heron]

Show VS books - Theon's choice

So, I was hoping to post this for show VS books day and also to have time to rewatch the show to factcheck my impressions, which was not possible as my streaming service failed me, so I welcome any corrections about what I am writing. (Please no insults or like. Objections to the general concept of comparing an adaptation to its source material or of sharing critical thoughts about things you don't like. I think these are fine and fun things to do, if you disagree, just do not read this lenghty tome).

Still, I wanted to talk about the way Theon's choice between fighting with his family and remaining loyal to Robb is framed in the show, even before taking a very obvious Stark-goggles view the way it did in the following seasons. In my opinion, the show handled the ACOk storyline very movingly with great acting and some great writing, but still fell into the trap of conveying a certain amount of "shouldn't it be a no brainer to pick friend who values you over bio family that hates you?" in ways that in many cases weren't the writing's fault as it was impossible for a TV show to convey the same nuances as the book, but in some other cases might have been avoided. Here's how imho:

Theon swearing fealty to Robb explicitely, everyone's favorite bugbear. Not one I am particularly attached to, because really I think Theon's situation of being sent, while technically a hostage, to negotiate an alliance with his father and being refused remains legally ambiguous and kind of unprecedented whether or not he swears specific words of fealty. If he didn't swear it in the books, did he not effectively do it by arranging an alliance with Robb anyway, even though he couldn't know whether that alliance would really work out, meaning it was always a conditional loyalty? If he did, is it really binding/something he had a choice about? Still, it gives a very different impression to the casual viewer.

General less established worldbuilding on the taboo of kinslaying and taking arms against family which is just inherent to the medium of short-season TV show VS enciclopaedic saga and couldn't really be helped

Not seeing Theon's inner thoughts on the matter of family, another thing which can't be helped, which show his attitude as more nuanced as he's very aware and critical of the toxicity of his father and brothers but still has an expectation of being welcomed. Thus the hint that he remembers being loved and valued as a child even in a broken dysfunctional way and so reasonably expects to be again on his return

Ditto re: Theon's thoughts on the political situation of the islands which he does have an understanding of and feels a sense of duty to improve, mixed with the desire for glory and being a hero to his people

Starting with some things that can be helped: absolutely 0 sense of the Islands as being in a crisis, destroyed, in poverty, or being damaged by Robert and Ned's host or having somewhat substantiated desires of revenge, besides the deaths of Rodrik and Maron.

Actually expanding on this point bc the show chose to not get to any extent into what the relationship between Theon and his brothers was like. In the books, Theon remembers being abused by them and only expresses a desire of revenge when it helps justify himself to his family, developing a frequent theme in the books that vengeance is often very much not a simple and natural feeling but selfish and weaponized. The show understandably doesn't get into this sort of thematic/psychological analysis, so why not use the deaths of Theon's brothers as something that has a bit more weight in his choice? It was not difficult or time consuming to add some comment about their childhood or about mourning them etc, not as difficult as doing some of the other stuff I mention on this list lmao. It would have built more sympathy for him.

Theon is apparently getting no official welcome besides his sister's initiative to seduce him (Its possible Balon sent Yara and Yara independently decided to seduce him, but it meshes kind of weirdly with the way she lets Theon in on his own and then makes her cinematic entrance in the middle of the conversation) in the book, while Theon is unhappy with Aeron due to his desire to have his parents welcome him instead and Aeron's change and attitude to him, he's objectively a perfectly good person to send to fetch the heir, as a close family member and a priest with great authority and respect.

Theon has no one who loves him on the islands, no mother, no Dagmer, no childhood friends he finds he can't quite connect with again, no Wex, no men who choose to remain loyal to him at Winterfell. Wex is particularly interesting because, while some interpret the offering of a disabled bastard squire as a sign of the ironborn noble families's disdain for Theon, I think it's actually a fairly normal feudalistic exchange of favors. After all Theon is asked to take Wex on as a squire as payment for his horse, so certainly with the understanding he's doing the Botleys a solid by giving an opportunity to a boy who would otherwise not be allowed many, and Lord Botley later champions Theon's claim against Euron. So this little detail could have been a helpful shorthand for Theon succeeding in developing some kind of relationships and loyalty on the islands which he could think he might have developed if he had time and proved himself

Theon in the show is given a ship for his diversion raids while Yara gets 30 ships that appear to be the entire deployed force (??), which is a lot more extreme than "Victarion gets the whole fleet, Asha gets 30 ships, Theon gets 8". The book arrangement feels like an insult to Theon but is reasonable for someone who was never a captain before and who's unknown to his father. The show arrangement is a lot more of an open insult that doesn't really allow us to understand Theon's hope to improve his standing.

Probably couldn't have been helped, given the tight timeline of the show, but: book Theon gets a shining military success, though one of modest proportions in his victory against Benfred Tallart's sortie, before he undertakes the mission to Winterfell, which makes the plan seem somewhat less dumb. Also taking Winterfell being his own idea rather than it being pushed by show!Dagmer shouldn't have huge weight in this but it does make his choice seem more motivated (by his own rage and revenge, for his own political aims) and less pathetic

Moving the pivotal execution of ser Rodrik so early after Theon's taking of Winterfell undercuts the slow descent into despair and violence that Theon experiences in the books. We're supposed to think Theon made an irremediably wrong choice when he burned the letter to Robb, rather than having several chances to stop himself on the path to becoming a child murderer which he for various reasons doesn't take.

While Alfie and for once imho the writing as well do a great job of conveying Theon's pain and trauma for what he went through at Winterfell, it was evidently chosen not to focus or even explicitely mention outside the worldbuilding videos (iirc) how Ned would have been expected to execute him and his fear of that. Skipping the Beth parley is obviously a factor in this (which I will never understand, btw, it seems so perfectly made for TV...) , but even the very beautiful emotional moments that were scripted to replace it just focus on other things. The dialogue with Master Luwin for example has Theon associate fear with the walls of Winterfell, in a line so good I frequently forget it wasn't in the books, but still there's a writing choice to center a fear that comes from a sense of intimidation and inferiority towards the people who defeated his family rather than the material reality of being constantly up for execution. That completely recontextualises the situation and his relationship to house Stark

The matter of Theon's men loyalty to him deserves some expansion in general because like... GRRM, for all that we tease him for the "what was Aragorn's tax policy" line, does invest much time and attention in portraying in detail the choices of all his leader characters, their popularity and relationships with their followers. So even Theon whose leadership skills are not very important gets the sketch of a nuanced political situation. We know that Theon leads his men into several missions before Winterfell, that he's able to convince Dagmer to support his plan to take Winterfell and that his men follow him in this high-risk mission, that he punishes them for fighting over plunder and for committing rape, that he has some of them killed and that he executes Northmen to give them a semblance of justice and is haunted by both, that he doesn't feel like they would keep the secret of the murdered boys' identity, that they grow restless and ambivalent during their time in Winterfell but still do their duty, that one of them specifically takes issue morally with him using Beth against her father and wishes they could just have an open battle, that he offers them the chance to surrender rather than die with him and they are reluctant to refuse it but most do it. There was never going to be anything like that in the brief plotline of a minor character, obviously, but needing to simplify, was really "they knock him out and hand him over to the enemy" the best simplification? It was for the theme they wanted to convey, which is that there was a right and a wrong choice obvious from the start and that poor Theon, understandably and tragically, chose wrong.

[save-the-villainous-cat]

a hero that’s forced to kneel in front of villain??🤨🤨😏😏😏 (I know it’s kinda cliché but still a classic)

“Don’t make me sad,” the villain said. “Don’t make this worse.”

The hero stared at them with burning eyes, with ignited hatred. Once, they’d been something close to friends, somehow close to solving these problems together and bring peace to the city.

What a fucking joke that was. Betrayal could cut deep, the hero was fully aware of that but the villain giving them hope, making promises to work together and looking at them the way they did, didn’t only cut deep but truly severed.

“Kneel,” the villain said softly. And the hero didn’t really have a choice, did they? With the mayor and the superhero taken as hostages, they would vault the villain into a position on top of the food chain if they didn’t obey.

Killing political figures was usually not the villain’s approach. They rather became them by weaselling their way into politics. But if these two died, the entire city would burn. Killing the most powerful superhero in the city and murdering the human responsible for managing it? It was like killing the queen and checking the king.

So, the hero didn’t have a choice. Their actions could prevent a war.

The hero got down on one knee, eyes boring into the hard concrete beneath their feet. Nothing of it had been real and the hero hated themselves for their naïveté.

Why had the villain saved them that night? Why had they stitched their wounds messily? Why had they brought them to the hospital before fleeing into the dark? Giving them painkillers? Hell, putting their cape around the hero’s shoulders?

It didn’t make any sense to the hero and it stung, upsetting their muscles, torturing their heart…

Curiously, humiliation wasn’t part of this. They only felt like they’d lost someone close to them.

Which wasn’t even the truth.

“Look at me.” The villain lifted the hero’s chin with their index finger gently. “No matter what happens, look at me.”

The hero didn’t understand. Their brows knitted together but they didn’t break the eye contact with the villain, looking at their sharp features which only softened in the light of dawn. All of this, so the city could survive. The hero was quite aware that they were the only one to change the city’s fate.

One wrong word and the villain would cut their throats and with that, conjure chaos.

“Do you hate me now?” the villain asked. One thumb brushed over the hero’s bottom lip. “Do you want to kill me?”

“No,” the hero said.

“Answer truthfully. Do you want me dead?”

The hero paused, thinking about that. No, they didn’t want the villain to die, they didn’t want anyone to die. Yes, the hero loathed them for the things they’d done. Breaking their heart like that, leaving them to wonder if things could’ve been different if they’d made a different decision.

“…no,” the hero said. They still looked at the villain, stared into their eyes. In this moment, they seemed as tender as they’d been when they’d rescued the hero. “I don’t want anyone to die.”

“Do you think you could forgive me for the things I’ve done?”

The hero thought about that too.

Fuck, they probably could. Although they were angry and frustrated, they knew they forgave easily. When they thought too much about it, put themselves into someone else’s shoes a little too desperately…

“Yes, I could. Probably.”

The villain waited.

“Okay,” they said. “Kill them both.”

The hero’s eyes widened and they wanted to yank their head towards the mayor and the superhero but the villain’s grip on their chin hardened, commanding them with a gaze to keep looking.

“I’ll take care of you.” The villain wiped one of the hero’s tears away. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You can stay with me.”

[artbyblastweave]

It's so funny how Cap just COINCIDENTALLY seems to be physically unable to go through a SINGLE Republican presidency without having a crisis of faith that causes him to not be Cap anymore. Nomad with Nixon. USAgent with Reagan. Death and Buckycap with Bush, then HydraCap with Trump. I like to think him dying was the universe's way of identifying "...well he doesn't seem to be changing yet. Better balance this out real quick"

This is true, and moreover this ask dovetails nicely with another Cappost I've been thinking about making. Given the sliding timeline, who should we assume was in charge of the Secret Empire?

Loose, possibly at-least-partially misremembered background for those who weren't aware of this batshit plot point- In the early seventies, concurrent with Watergate, Captain America shut down a scheme by a neofascist group called the Secret Empire to, I dunno, hold the country hostage with a mutant-powered nuke or something, the specifics aren't important, what's important is that Cap cornered the leader of the group in the Oval Office, where he killed himself to avoid capture, and you never get to see the guy's face but it was all but directly stated that the Leader was Richard Nixon attempting a Coup D'état (possibly to get out of being prosecuted for Watergate?). This shakes Cap up pretty badly and he temporarily retired the Cap identity in order to operate as Nomad, The Man Without A Country, it was a whole crisis of conscience situation. Anyway, the whole situation is still vaguely implicitly canon, they refer to the Secret Empire, and there have been successor heroes who've taken up the Nomad identity after Cap got out of the funk. But It also can't have been Nixon who killed himself in front of Cap due to the sliding time scale- the rule of thumb for Marvel is that it's generally only been about 15-20 years at most since the Fantastic Four did their thing, which does hilarious things to the worldbuilding. My understanding is that you're supposed to assume that if the president is depicted in a marvel story you need to just mentally "swap in whoever would have been president 10-15 years before the present day, but given the specificity of this situation that quickly gets insane. Did Bush kill himself in front of Captain America to escape the consequences of the 2008 recession? Did Obama?! Was it just not a president at all at this point- in which case, why did Cap react badly enough to quit and become Nomad? And so on, and so forth. They basically gotta memory hole it, but I will not let them forget! Cap saw a U.S. President off themselves! But to tie this back to Civilwarposting- what I think about a lot is that from a worldbuilding perspective the actual political moment that generated Civil War is perpetually in flux. This is true of every Marvel comic but it's especially notable here because of the extent to which the comic itself is emphasizing the political moment and what created it. It's a Bush-era comic, a reaction to the politics and the rhetoric of the War on Terror and the post-9/11 years, Bush actually personally appears in it. But if it hasn't already, eventually it's going to have implicitly been pushed through Congress during the Obama Administration, and then during the Trump Admin, and then during the Biden Admin, and so on and so forth, and like. setting aside that there's already an entire swath of the marvel timeline that's very blatantly trump-admin-coded, produced in reaction to that atmosphere, The situations and arguments and rhetoric and battle lines that would have gotten that bill through each of those admins looks very different each time! And I'm not gonna say it's interesting to see how they'll resolve this, because they won't resolve it, they don't need to, they're politely asking everyone to let this one go and that's not the biggest ask these comics make of me, so fine. Whatever. But it's very very funny

[lou-struck]

Coming Home

Izuku Midoriya x reader

~Izuku has worked three days straight on a rescue mission and you are ready for your hero to come home.

WC: 1.4k

Warnings: Mentions of injury, rescue missions gone awry, loneliness, overworking, mutual apologizing for something out of their control, a bit of angst but with a happy ending.

*reposting because when I post on mobile the tags don't work.

You have never felt so aware of the sound of your own knife scratching across your glass plate. The screeching scrape fills your empty home as you try to eat the meal you had just cooked, only to feel your appetite being robbed by the deep-set feeling of worry in your gut.

Your eyes flick between the empty place setting across from your own and the front door, hoping, praying that Izuku will come home safe tonight.

This nightmare had begun three days ago in the small hours of the morning when a group of villains managed to board and hijack a small underground train line filled with commuting passengers.

The railways have been shut down completely, and you heard through the grapevine that the Villains are beginning to panic, disagreeing amongst themselves about what they should be asking for as a ransom for all the lives in their possession. 

With Law Enforcement at a standstill, they called in the Pro's Izuku, being chosen as one of the country's top heroes, to go underground, infiltrate the stopped train, and put an end to this whole nightmare.

Before leaving, he had told you that this mission was supposed to only take a few hours and that he promised to be home for dinner, but that wasn't the case. The villains chose to stop the train in a dead cell zone meaning that the rescue team has no service in the tunnels. You haven't heard anything from Izuku since that morning. You were assured that he was still safe, but the mission has taken much longer than normal.

The media is also in the dark about what is going on, and they keep playing the same initial cell phone footage that one of the passengers took before the train was stopped, along with a few interviews from the hostage's loved ones.

It's maddening.

And so the television remains off.

With a heavy sigh, you get up from your place at the table and stare at the mess awaiting you. Unable to keep the food warm any longer, you began to put it away carefully. It looks like Izuku won't be home anytime soon. 

Before you put everything away, you take out a special Tupperware container. One that has multiple compartments for each of the dishes that you made tonight.

If Izuku comes home in the middle of the night, he will have a full home-cooked meal waiting for him. With his meal boxed up, you place the container on top of the other two in the fridge. The untouched, multicolored lids only make you feel more lonely.

It doesn't seem fair to rest while Izuku is working overtime, doing god knows what. Although the details make you sick to your stomach, you have to check for updates.

Plopping down on the couch, you turn on the television to check the broadcast, hoping for new footage, a progress report, anything.

But the broadcast has stopped completely, which can only mean one thing. The mission has ended. 

Izuku is coming home.

These last three days of radio silence have placed a heavy weight on your chest. And with the initial disaster dealt with, you feel a bit lighter, but it won't be fully lifted until you can stare into Izuku's loving green eyes and hold him close.

~

You've been watching the driveway for what seems like forever, but you don't see him pull up. Only the headlights of a few passing vehicles mock you. 

Until you hear the sound of the front door opening curiously, you walk towards the sound. Even in low lighting, you are able to make out the familiar figure leaving up against the doorway. 

"Honey, I'm home," he calls, stumbling through the door. He looks exhausted, his skin looks sickly pale and deep dark circles rest under his eyes, and various scrapes and scratches litter his arms.

"Zuku?" you ask, stepping towards him cautiously, "Are you hurt."

He reaches forward and envelops you in a hug, "M' okay," he says, "just wanted to see you."

His tired words make your heart flutter, and you run your fingers through his messy green hair, gently untangling a few strands. "How long has it been since you've gotten to rest, Zuku?"

"I dunno, 3 days?' he hums; you notice how limp his body is on top of you. "The agency wouldn't let me drive home, so I had to call a cab."

"After 72 hours, I wouldn't let you drive either." You say, brow furrowing in concern. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

You try to turn towards the bedroom, but he stops you stubbornly. "No, I can't stop now," he murmurs into the crook of your neck, his figure sways tiredly. "I have people to rescue."

"Shhh, they're safe." you soothe, "you saved them; let's get some rest."

He nods, and you help him to the room. His lids flutter sleepily as he sits down on the mattress. But he doesn't take his eyes off you for a second. He hardly has enough strength to sit when you try to let go of his hand to grab a sleep shirt for him. His grip tightens protectively. "Where are you going?" 

"I'm just grabbing you something soft to change into Zuku," you answer, shaking off his grip.

"Oh, you're so smart, y/n." he chuckles tiredly. "I've missed you. Did you know that?"

You toss the shirt over to him for him to put on. "I've missed you too," You wouldn't dare tell him this when he is in this kind of deliriously tired state, but his hero suit reeks, and the sooner he gets it off, the better. 

You watch as he unzips his suit and tosses it on the ground; although the look of his chiseled chest and abs usually are breathtaking, now you cannot take your eyes off of the deep bruises and scrapes from under the suit. You feel uneasy looking at the marks, but you can't look away, even after they have been covered up by the clean sleep shirt. 

He notices this, and his face falls suddenly. He looks guilty. "The mission… didn't quite go as planned," he mumbles, smoothing out a wrinkle in his shirt self-consciously.

"I know," you say, noticing just how small your voice sounds. "You helped a lot of people though, Zuku." You sit down on the edge of the bed as he does the same.

"Still," he sighs, leaning back onto the sheets, not trusting himself to look at you. "I know I let you down, and I worried you. I don't like making you feel this way."

His words make your eyes turn glassy, and you let out a shaky breath to hide the choked sob that threatens to escape your lips. Your relationship isn't rocky or anything, but Izuku hates to let you down. The whole situation is weighing on him much more than you had thought. 

You scoot much closer to his side of the bed and grab his hand. "Hey, look at me. Please?" you murmur. He turns his head, and you see that his eyes look just as teary as yours must be. "You're a hero; things like this happen," you say, giving him the most comforting smile you can muster. "I just worried about you."

"But I want to be a Hero for you, too," he mumbles, raising the back of your hand to his lips and kissing it softly. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you what was going on. I wanted to more than anything, but I- I couldn't." He looks so tired, but he is using the last bit of his energy to stay awake, to stay present for you. He has the biggest heart.

"I know," you say, "And we can spend these next few days taking it easy together. But for now, you need to get some rest, Izuku."

"A-are you sure?"

"I'm positive," you smile, curling up next to him. As soon as he lays back fully on the pillow, he is out, and the soft sounds of his breathing fills the room. Even in sleep, he pulls you closer; the weight of his arms around you is so comforting; you feel in that moment that nothing can hurt you. 

Because he is here.

[lakesbian]

All along, I’d been telling myself that I’d turn them in.  Give the information to the Protectorate.  But my heart wasn’t really in it.  It would mean turning on friends.  While I didn’t dislike Alec or even Bitch, my thoughts were on Lisa and Brian.  I mean, well, Lisa was my first real friend since Emma.  As for Brian, I liked him, respected him.   I hated the idea of doing to them what Emma had done to me.  Betraying friends. I’d given up the idea of gaining respect or prestige for turning them in.  I mean, I’d committed a felony, taken hostages, attacked other heroes, nearly killed a man, then carved that same person’s eyes out a couple of weeks afterward.

It came down to the people that were in the room with me.  It wasn’t just that I would be betraying them like Emma did to me.  Was I brave enough to go through what I had with Emma, with having people I liked and looked up to becoming my worst enemies? And if I didn’t choose, didn’t decide… Well, if I put it off any longer, the only difference from staying for good by choice would be a fair sized measure of self delusion on my part.  The time I’d spent with Brian made that clear enough.

please submit your accolades for 1. one of the last rare moments in worm where taylor will explicitly rank rachel Below alec in her list of undersiders and 2. a rare moment of complete taylor lucidity with regards to her actions, feelings, and future intents (which will, of course, still not lead to her committing to the "rational" route and turning herself in in hopes of becoming a probationary ward member because being intelligent enough to be self-aware and analytical of herself doesn't change that she's 15 and experiencing friendship and self-esteem bolstering escapes from her abusive life circumstances for the first time in a million years)