#i do a killer scream queen impression

[subjectivemortality]

🔪Say they were put in a classic 80s slasher/horror setting, who would they be? {Example: The killer. The dude who dies first. Etc.}

Oh, easily I would be the very hot woman breasting boobily away from the killer in broken stilletos getting killed within the first two minutes of the movie

[mariocki]

The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

"I thought you said if we destroyed the brain, it'd die?"

"It worked in the movie!"

"Well, it ain't working now, Frank."

"You mean the movie lied?"

[mouwrites]

Creepypasta/MH - Doing Halloween Stuff With Them :)

(Characters: Tim/Masky, Eyeless Jack, Jeff the Killer, Nina the Killer, Jane the Killer, Ticci Toby)

Tim/Masky

Hear me out... corn maze

I believe that Tim enjoys a good puzzle every now and again

He loves trying to figure things out (specifically when there's nothing at risk)

Getting to show off his navigational skills is also a major plus

He just likes to impress you, even if it comes off as annoying sometimes

"See? What'd I tell you? The exit's right there."

Though he does like the satisfaction of completing the maze, what he really treasures is that time you spend together figuring it out

Once you finally find the exit, you'll celebrate with hot cocoa :D

Eyeless Jack

This man LOVES carving pumpkins

He goes all out; definitely one of those people who makes the crazy intricate designs that look like they take hours

He'll love it if you help him!

If you have a steady hand, he'll let you do the details

If you don't, he'll task you with gutting the pumpkin/handing him tools

You guys collaborate on multiple pumpkins throughout the month, setting them in random locations for everyone to see

If there's a design you want to do, just show it to him, there's no question he'll be down

If it's too simplistic, he'll try to add more details

"Ooh, Jack, look at this one. Can we try to re-create it?"

"Of course! Though I do have some ideas on how it can be improved..."

Jeff the Killer

Another pumpkin carving enjoyer

But for a different reason... a very different reason

He loves the goriness of gutting the pumpkins

He couldn't care less about making actual designs, he just wants to get messy stabbing the pumpkin and gouging out its insides

That being said, he'll 100% gut your pumpkin if you ask him (he'll probably end up doing it even if you don't ask)

It's honestly a little disturbing watching him work

He just gets this look in his eye...

"You, uh... you doing okay there, Jeff?"

"Hm? Yup! Never better!! Say, can you grab the big knife from the kitchen for me?"

Nina the Killer

You best bet she's the costume queen

Spends the whole year planning matching horror-themed costumes

She'll settle for no less than creativity and perfection

High-quality props and articles only!! She'll even make them herself if she has to!

You can expect to spend at least an hour in front of the mirror while she does your makeup/adjusts your clothes

She's an SFX makeup legend, loves incorporating as much gore into your costume as possible

Don't ask why it's so realistic (it's not like she knows how the wound would look if it was real or anything)

"Wow, Nina... It's almost like I can feel it! It's so real!"

"No, no. If you were feeling it, you would be screaming pretty loud right now."

You can also expect to attend multiple parties where you show off your costumes

You guys dominate costume competitions

Jane the Killer

Horror movies!!

Specifically, making fun of them

You both pick apart the plot, the characters, the dialogue, the special effects, everything

No horror film is safe from your scrutiny

If you're the type to get scared during horror movies, her snide comments will help distract you

"Ooh, I can't look!"

"Oh, come on. Look—I bet they used corn syrup for that fake blood. It's way too thick."

When the movie ends, you're both feeling more amused than scared

She doesn't like to see horror films in theaters because she doesn't get to make commentary, plus she doesn't want to "waste" money on a "stupid tryhard-horror flick"

She'd much rather dig up some old indie DVD/VCR and have a home movie night with you

Ticci Toby

Halloween sweets are his bread and butter

Candy apples, fun-sized candy bars, candy corn, pumpkin bread...

He would perish if you made anything homemade for him

Spends the whole month gorging on sweets almost as fast as he can get his hands on them

He will not share with anyone but you

And even you only get a small portion of his goodies

Robs at least one child on Halloween night, mostly for the candy but also because he likes scaring little kids

"Where did you get all that candy?"

"Got it from a little birdy. By that I mean a kid in Falcon cosplay."

"Toby! ... save me the (favorite candy)."

Thank you for reading! Have a good day/night my spooky pookies <33

(divider by saradika)

[fatkish]

How about a Muzan Kibutsuji x Modern! Red! Reader? She came around during the Asakusa arc by accident while being followed face card guards while causing trouble turning the guards of Asakusa's attention away from Tanjiro, Muzan and his fake family, and on Tamayo and Yushiro to her. Maybe with her spray painting some walls making graffiti. Muzan stumbled upon on one of her graffiti which says “Off with your heads” and of course “Red” in the center of a heart. Yes, she's the daughter of the Queen of Hearts.

I based it on this: https://youtu.be/eETTUSjfp3w?si=f-eM9kv718rxDtBQ

(I hope you don’t mind but I took some creative liberties when writing this.)

Muzan x Reader: Demon of Hearts ❤️

You were originally a serial killer, you were famous for cutting off people’s heads and painting hearts at the scene with blood

You had traveled around Japan, killing people and leaving cryptic messages like ‘off with their heads’ ‘paint it red’ etc

Muzan had grown interested in this killer, seeing as he suspected that it wasn’t a demon since there were no signs of predation on the corpses

It was late one night in Asakusa when someone screamed, alerting Muzan and his ‘family’

Someone had found your latest kill and saw a person flee from the scene

Muzan took the opportunity to lead his ‘family’ to safety and told them to stay put, that he was going to see what was happening and if he could help

Muzan summoned two of his demons to track you down and bring you to him unharmed

He wanted to offer you the chance to become a demon

When his subordinates brought you to him, you immediate attacked him, trying to cut his head off with a knife

Your skills were impressive but this is the demon king. He wiped the floor with you

After he subdued you, he offered you his blood and gave you the choice of becoming a demon, or rotting away in a cell for the rest of your life. Since he planned to call the authorities on you

Seeing no other option, you agreed to become a demon, and took his blood

The transformation was painful, your hair turned blood red, as did your eyes, your skin became pale, your nails became sharp and had reddish black tips, and you grew fangs

After your transformation, Muzan left you to your own devices but told you not to mess with his ‘family’

You went back to killing, but instead, you left behind only the heads and ate the bodies, still leaving behind your cryptic messages

Your blood demon art allows you to inject a poison like substance into people and turn them into your willing slaves

These people would do whatever you asked and you started using them as your guards

You eventually built a western style mansion that was surrounded by rose bushes

You lived here and had your slaves stay here. You used this as your cover, you pretended you were a rich foreign woman

You eventually started to create a makeup company and ran it so that you had some sort of coverup

At night you would sneak out and search for homeless people and orphans, people no one would miss

You would inject them with your poison and order them to follow you back to your home where you would eat them at your leisure on occasion

You would later become a lower moon, lower 2 in fact

You were strong and had cleverly hid your demonic tendencies from the world

You even managed to kill a few Hashiras during your reign of terror

Overall you were a terrifying demon and you were strong, but you would later be killed off by the love Hashira, a fitting end to the demon of hearts

[deadbydangit]

I love your works so much, i speed read your blog for like, the fifth time the past three days while I've been stuck inside, they've been a big comfort while it just rains non stop.

I also have no ideas how to make requests, but can you do some of the killers seeing their S/O speed by them on sparkly pink roller skates? Like obviously having no idea what they're doing, screaming and trying to stop, before they eventually just crash.

You're too kind. I believe I can do something like that. I'm going to switch it up a little bit to make it easier to write something. Please enjoy.

With a reader who roller skates: Ghostface, Skull Merchant, Knight

Ghostface

At first he doesn't think it's fair.

"How come you get roller skates and I don't?"

So, get him a pair.

And watch him fall in his sorry ass.

Multiple times.

He'll be really embarrassed, so don't give them too hard of a time.

After about an hour of trying he's going to give up completely.

But he doesn't want you to give up on it.

You look like you're having fun, and who is he to ruin it?

Everyone has something they enjoy.

For him, it's killing people and photography.

For you, it's roller skating.

Danny has no issue with that.

If you end up falling and crashing he'll absolutely be laughing at you.

"Ha! Nice work."

He's not being malicious though.

He will pick you up off the ground and patch you up if needed.

Make sure to tease him once in a while, skate circles around him.

He'll act super pissed. But he's actually having a blast trying to catch you.

"Oh, you think you're hot stuff? I'll get you. When you least expect it. I'll get you."

And, he will eventually catch you. Though it will take a long time.

But don't expect to be going anywhere after.

He's got you in his arms. He doesn't want to let go.

Skull Merchant

Adriana doesn't take the roller skating as some sort of threat to her power.

She sees it as a challenge.

"So you can skate. You're pretty good."

She tends to be very competitive.

So this, this whole roller skating thing, she's going to learn how to do it too.

And she is Hellbent I'm getting better than you.

Not really to tease you or anything.

It's really just her way of showing that she loves you.

Even if she can sound mean at times.

Because this girl, she is the queen of trash talk.

"Eat my dust loser."

"Who's the top dog now?"

Lots of trash talk.

But it's never anything malicious or obscenely cruel.

She sees roller skating as an activity that you both can do together.

Something you could both compete at but still have fun with.

It's your hobby, and she wouldn't want to take that from you because she wants to be better.

She knows where to draw the line.

If you end up crashing, don't worry she's got your back.

She might laugh at you first. But she's still going to help you.

"I think that is the hardest I've ever seen someone fall on their face. Nice."

Again, all fun trash talk.

No matter how much she trash talks you, just know that she does so from a place of love.

Knight

Tarhos is impressed.

He doesn't know what roller skates are. But he's impressed.

He just knows they're the things you roll around in.

And he sees you do it all the time.

Modern technology is incredibly fascinating to him.

Of course, he's thinking of how he could use such things in combat.

It's a whole knight thing.

However, he knows he will not be able to.

"It isn't compatible with armor. Perhaps one of the others would make better use of such equipment."

But, he's glad you know how to.

"Should the worst come, I know you could move out of the area quickly."

He's telling you he'd rather you run away than fight any enemy.

But it's also him placing his confidence in you. That you could take care of yourself.

And that's a very high honor to earn from a man like him.

Should you fall and become injured, he will come to your aid.

As someone who has gotten hurt whilst training, he knows how frustrating that can be.

He'll make sure you aren't too hurt, patch you up if needed, then send you to continue roller skating.

He knows sitting down and moping isn't going to make you any stronger or any better at what you want to do.

Every time he sees you try something new with your skates, he feels more and more proud at your bravery.

You never cease to amaze him.

[seireitonin]

please can you do some Nina headcannons I love your version of Nina!!!!

Yes! My fellow scemo queen I love her! I was pretty indifferent to her before, but seeing her on tumblr and TikTok made me like her a lot more! Especially bc ppl hc/draw her as black and the fandom needs diversity! I like many others hc her as black so these will be written that in mind!

🎀Nina the killer Headcanonns🎀

Nina grew up in the suburbs

So she got bullied really bad

Not just because the way she looks, being scemo but being black and dark skinned

She would sob herself to sleep every night

She started to hate her skin color, bad

Like really bad

She correlated it with being “ugly”

So when she got into Creepypasta and saw Jeff, she was mesmerized by him

I mean he was beautiful. The pale skin, jet black long hair the blue eyes

The opposite of everything Nina was

So she aspired to be like him

So she practiced with knives she stole

Butterfly knife tricks, knife throwing you name is she could do it

She also taught herself how to fight

So next time when her bullies tried it with her, she beat their asses so bad

I mean really really bad

She got suspended

And got stereotyped as the “violent angry black girl” causing her to get isolated even more

It wasn’t fair. She was just defending herself and retaliating

Her mental health was awful and she was severely insecure

So she dove into Creepypasta and Jeff even more

When Jeff started putting letters in her locker she was so happy

She would do anything to be his and Jeff knew that

He came into her life when she was unwell and vulnerable

So he manipulated a 17 year old Nina into doing what he wanted

He made her cut a smile in her face

He encouraged her to bleach her skin, playing on her insecurities

“Don’t you want to be beautiful like me?”

She went along with it, she hated her skin color anyway

And he told her to killer her family last. She did it.

Then he abandoned her in the mess she made

Nina thought Jeff was her only purpose and put all her value into being Jeff’s

She thought Jeff gave her her worth and she thought she “loved” him

She looked for him and found him when she was 20

Jeff, impressed with her finding him kept her around, but he’s never liked her

This was all Nina thought she was worthy of and the closest thing she thought she was gonna get to love

This went on till she was 26

One day Jeff told Nina to find and kill Jane

Jane being the baddie she is talked some sense into her as they fought

“Fighting me? Because Jeff told you to? You and I both know he doesn’t like you. Why do you listen to him?”

“No. You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Nina was deeply in denial

“Come on Nina. Cant you see Jeff is using you to do his dirty work and for fun? I don’t believe you’re that stupid.”

Nina gets teary eyed and runs back to Jeff

“Do you like me at all?”

Nina knew the answer but part of her wanted to prove Jane wrong. But she knew that wouldn’t happen

“Like you? I like that you do what I say. Did you kill that bitch Jane like I told you to?” He laughs in her face

Nina attacks Jeff out of anger. She gave her whole life to this man since she was 17 and he didn’t even respect her?

Nina got a few hits and stabs in but Jeff ultimately won. You can’t outdo the doer

He kicked her out and screamed at her. He called her every insult. Pointed out every insecurity. Made her feel worthless

Nina wanders through the forest sobbing and injured and comes across Jane again

“Jane, I’m sorry I-“

“You’re injured, did Jeff do that?”

Nina nods and cries

Jane takes her to EJ and lets Nina stay with her

Nina wasted her years on a guy she never loved and a man who never even liked her

They grow closer over the months and have multiple conversations

“How could I have fallen for that? I’m so fucking stupid Jane.”

“You were a child, Nina. You have to forgive yourself”

“Jane…I hated you. Why are you being so nice to me?”

“You need space to heal from Jeff. Besides, we’re both his victims in our own ways.”

That word “victim” broke Nina. She killed and got stronger so she wouldn’t be a victim of anyone. But she willingly became Jeff’s victim by being so insecure

She cried and cried for months

She wasted her life on Jeff

While she was going through the process she started her relationship with Toby (I went into detail on that on TikTok)

She asked Toby and Jane to come with her to EJ to get her smile stitched up permanently, leaving every piece of Jeff behind

She’s also letting her skin heal and go back to its natural color and she’s super insecure about it

“Toby…what if you don’t think I’m pretty anymore?”

“Huh?”

“My skin…”

“Oh, that. I don’t care about that. I think it’s really pretty. You’re really pretty. I don’t care about your skin. I care about you.”

Nina let some silent tears stream down her face and smiles. She knows Toby only says what he means. And bluntly. “Thank you, Toby”

Nina is 27 years old

She’s 5’8

Nina is full scemo in looks and music

Nina listens to emo, scene, dubstep, hardcore, post hardcore, metalcore and pop punk. But she’ll listen to anything she likes

She loves going to concerts and raves, since she never got to go as a teenager

She drags Toby along, even though he’s not a people person(he enjoys himself bc he’s emo too even though he won’t admit it)

Toby let Nina cut his hair because she begged him to. She wanted to give him straight emo hair with layers and a fringe and she did just that

She wants to dye it pink and black to match hers but he won’t let her. She still begs him every day though.

She’s always been good at doing emo hair because she’s been cutting her own hair for years and dying it too

Nina loves thrifting and shopping (Toby goes with her so she doesn’t get harassed)

The skin where her smile is stitched up is textured and scarred

Nina sometimes misses her smile and will draw it on with makeup

Her favorite foundation is Fenty Beauty and her shade is 430 :3

She loves making Candi bracelets especially with Toby and Jane

She “steals” Toby and Jane’s clothes

Nina’s favorite foods are cosmic brownies, birthday cake milkshakes, sushi, burritos and kettle corn

She loves sugar a lot and any food that’s rainbow like her

She’s always switching hair colors but always goes back to pink and black

Nina and Toby have matching piercings! (Canine bites, septum, tongue, eyebrows, and a whole bunch of ear piercings)

Nina has band posters all over her room and plushies too!

Her pillow is always stained with hair dye

Nina teases her hair every day so it’s super big

Nina kills people still, but mainly shitty boyfriends

Nina has tried to be friends with clockwork but Clockwork REALLY doesn’t like her because she’s dating Toby now

Nina is sweet, bubbly, outgoing and kind so a lot of creeps like her :3

She’s a bit more mature now that she’s away from Jeff and a lot happier too

When Nina teases and straightens her hair she teases and straightens Toby’s hair as well. He doesn’t care. He’s actually impressed with how cool it looks

Nina loves practicing her screaming while Toby sings and plays drums but she’ll practice screaming on her own too

Nina has big round light brown eyes

She feels horrible about stuff she’s done in the past

Nina gets really insecure about people not liking her and she’s scared Toby and Jane secretly hate her

She’s much smarter than she was before but you can’t really tell by the way she acts

Nina hugs Jane and thanks her once a day. She wouldn’t have gotten away from Jeff without her

Take Toby’s goggles and wears them to raves

His mouth guard sometimes too

She’s just healing her inner child by being her beautiful self

And having people around her that truly love her

She loves wearing pink lipgloss and black lipliner to match her hair

Her makeup is traditional emo/ scene makeup circular eyeshadow and big eyeliner

She convinced Toby to wear a bit of eyeliner

Nina is bisexual!

She had a crush on Jane first but didn’t act on it since Jane’s married

Nina has an extremely high pain tolerance and plans go get tattoo sleeves all in one sitting

Mixes her black culture with scemo culture

Brown lip liner and large hoop earrings with some 90s/y2k fashion seen on black women at the time along with all her emo fashion

She’s truly accepting herself we love that for her she would’ve never done that before what a queen

Nina is a huge people pleaser

She’s extremely hyper, expressive and jumpy!

(God I love her!)

When she likes someone or falls in love she’s extremely obsessive and will do literally anything for them

Unironically likes the ham egg and cheese hot pockets

Doesn’t wear purple as much as she used to reminds her of when she met Jeff

Constantly getting candy from LJ

She enjoys rolling the dice to see if it’s poisonous or not

She’s impulsive and a risk taker like that

Wow this is long can you tell I’ve thought about her character a lot?

[youuuimeanmee]

RWTGI 36 - 37.2 Thoughts

Forgive the 3 chapters at once, lol. If you want to read my thoughts on the latest chapter, it's on down below!

Chapter 36

If you tell me 2 years ago that Yoshino would sleep in the corridor to wait for Kirishima, I would laugh in your face. I never thought this day would come when she's genuinely worried for him.

(Then again, he almost died trying to save her and they have been close lately, so that's fair)

WOW okay queen, slayy. Ugh those pillows look so soft-

That aside, I was shocked. I get that she was too tired to change, but really Asuka? Really? Blatant fanservice outta nowhere? Is she trying to grab the male demographic too? Not that it didn't grab the females already with that kind of bod-

WHY do we get Yoshino's full bod, yet we only get a glimpse of Shouma's abs? I demand equality.

Oh Yoshino. What are you, a dog? How could you differentiate Kiri's smell amongst all else??

Wow Kiri really uses his room as a front. He really didn't lie when he said he can't sleep near anyone's presence. He's like an animal hiding inside a deep cave. And to think his real bedroom is the same place where he often received his punishment.

In the raws, Yoshino actually says in a small note, "That's so typical of Kirishima (to keep things spotless)..."

I remember when Kiri always tidied up Yoshino's mess. I thought he only did it because it's for her, but to think he also keep his own place spotless... Does he have OCD? Then again, serial killers like keeping their place clean-

Question: If Kirishima is inside, how the hell did he lock his place using that kind of lock?

It's giving the vibe of a villain' secret lair.

Why is the room so cold though. I thought it's still October/November. Did he not install a heater there, or did he intentionally blast an AC to freeze some randos who try to break in?

My heart JUMPED when I saw him in the corner of the panel. That panel placement is a genius.

I was so relieved when I see him 🥺🥺 I'm glad he's not masochistic enough to keep his wounds infected. At least he got some treatment (hopefully from the hospital, but I'll take what I can get).

Wow, she really made sure she didn't see a dead body.

SCREAMING CREAMING CRYING.

Asuka really knows how to make a cliffhanger.

THANK YOU for the precious glossary, scans team! 💞😭

Chapter 37.1

Awright! Yoshino and Kirishima finally meet! This means Yoshino would call Shouma about Kirishima so he won't report this incident to Renji! Right?

Judging by his passwords, I thought I was getting better at reading him. Turns out he intentionally made it easier to guess? Wow, way to make a person feel like an idiot.

He really takes Tsubaki's advice to heart 🤣 Starting to regret the time when you burn those albums, don't you.

(Did he burn his all his photos because of sentimental reason, or because he didn't want his enemies to find his weakness?)

Okay, so he really went to the hospital. Good.

Kiri got to have some serious enemies if he only goes to a hospital he could trust.

It's been hammered down again and again that he has no one he completely trust except Yoshino. I hate this kind of set up. It's cliché, yet, it's still playing with my heart.

The way he tried to warm her nosee aughh

Those movements, and no resistance from Yoshino at all?? This is new. She must be really worried and thankful to even care about their positions.

Kirishima, you really said some crazy stuff sometimes.

What. The fuck. Do you mean. You're prepared. To be a missing person. And. To be. An unnamed corpse. Just. To keep. Yoshino. Safe.

I know I said he's unhinged, but he still managed to shock me. I'm impressed.

Istg he's really testing my heart lately. Wdym I'm gonna fall again for Miyama Kirishima. It's not gonna happen?? (It happens)

Still no phone call for Shouma. I hope it's on the next chapter.

Chapter 37.2

Woow, a lot of subtext in this episode. You really need to read between the lines to understand their convo.

Everybody trust Kirishima enough (due to his track records) to protect Yoshino so they're not worried for her safety at all; if anything, it'd be Soumei Renji who's in most trouble.

Basically, Renji from Kirigaya Group (Kansai region) has many enemies because he made a pact with Gaku from Tokusa Group (Kantou region) -- to form a peaceful(?) alliance; despite their clashing ideals. Renji also negotiated for his group to join Kantou region despite the difference in region. Both regions have been on feud for 60 years and it should be for a good reason, so there must be a lot of people within Kirigaya and Tokusa who weren't happy with this joint. (I have to revisit ch 1, 7, & 8 to understand this, sigh). Just a reminder, there was a similar attempt in the past, but it ended with a gang war.

Dang, so even Suo Azami's real identity is faked.

Azami is a drug and weapon dealer?? Fuck.

If we remember ch 26, Akame Hishibe from Tokusa and Azuma Narumi from Kirigaya are conspiring against Renji. Narumi probably aimed to be Kirigaya's number 1 after Renji died, but what about Hishibe? What's his aim? Kirishima said Azami is currently used by yakuza. Could it be, Hishibe made Azami kill Renji because he promised him he'd make a huge profit from drugs and weapons because there's gonna be a gang war once Renji is dead?

I strayed off, lol. Anyways, back to the chapter.

So, as long as Renji is unaware of Yoshino's kidnap, she and Kirishima could live together happily ever after. Now please call Shouma that Kirishima is back safely so he won't have to tell Renji, please.

Wow Kirishimaa. He is so stupidly honest, but sometimes he's such a crafty little shit. This is the same when he agreed to do paper-rock-scissors with Yoshino because he's aware he'd win. He made Yoshino think she has her own choice, when in fact it's all a set up by him. Real glad Yoshino busted his ass this time though, he can't get away with this forever.

Asuka be trying real hard with this whole show-don't-tell, huh. In short, Kirishima finally told Yoshino directly that he's been obsessed interested in her since 12 years old. He's so in love with her, to the point where her small quirk is so endearing to him. Without her, he would've been bored to death. He'd rather die without her, but he'd do his best to live if he's with her.

Sad, but Yoshino couldn't understand his devotion. She thought based on her understanding, love is something that'd wear out sooner or later. She couldn't really rely on Kirishima's feeling forever; and thus, she payed him with money as an insurance because money's value won't change while feelings might change; or at least that's her logic.

(After all the buildup, she still couldn't trust him completely. Is this bc she's traumatized with his drastic change in ch 2? 😭 Wow Kirishima, you fucked up big time)

Woow Yoshino, way to gaslight him what he feel is not love 😂 when your understanding of 'love' is probably just a crush 🤣

Does she realize if they managed to catch Suo Azami, they're essentially preventing a gang war? Probably not.

Heh. She covered her nose because it's cold. Cute.

Wdym she placed herself in that side of the bed. She won't be able to escape easily in that position. Kirishima could just lean to her side with his uninjured hand. Is she not sus Kirishima would do something to her? And why she sleep with him in the first place when she could just go back to her room? She really trust him now, huh.

The tearrss. Is that a tear of relieve, happiness? Or is that a tear of tiredness, lol.

Aww, Kiri. He used to say he can't sleep with anyone's presence including Yoshino, but look at him now 🥹

I am glad you guys made a stronger team than ever, but

CAN SOMEONE CONTACT SHOUMA SO HE WON'T TELL ON RENJI PLEASE??

Damn this turned out much longer than I expected, lmao. But that's because these chapters have been bombs. Can't wait for the next one! XD

[theosb0rnway]

Ghostface ranking please n thank you

OH MY GOD YES YES YES I LOVE RANKING ALL THE GHOSTIES

My ranking of all 15 Ghostfaces so far (yes.... I'm including Jason and Greg because if I don't, SOMEBODY'S gonna bitch about it I know--)

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ALL 6 SCREAM FILMS

Rankings under the cut

Stu Macher (Scream)

The BEST Ghostface to ever Ghostface. A BIT underrated just because people will sometimes give Billy more credit. But like- hot man. Has no actual motive for killing, Billy was like "Hey, dude, let's kill people" and he literally needed nothing more. Thought up of some of the key parts of their plan, definitely gutted Casey and Steve, probably put Kenny on the van by himself (Billy wasn't around, so-) . Definitely top 3 or 4 strongest Ghosties to date. And the humor-- okay, I could go ON AND ON about Stu, but I'll stop here. Matthew Lillard really took the character from boring in the script to one of the only parts of the original film me and my mother (who's TERRIFIED of horror films and would rather forget them) remembered from our first watch when I was 13. (She said she'll never forget his laugh and that she hates him. ... She then got me a t-shirt of him not 3 weeks later for Christmas. Sorry, Mom-) Great job, man! Stu stole my heart, LOTS of my money, and a large part of my brain, so it's safe to say he'll always be my fave and an icon in my eyes. (Literally wearing my Stu shirt as I type this, what a fun coincidence LOL-)

2. Charlie Walker (Scream 4)

I said what I said. People either adore Charlie or despise him, and I love him DEARLY. Yes, he's very attractive, but on top of that, he racks up one of the highest kill counts by a single Ghostface alone in the entire franchise, beaten only by Roman, I believe. From Olivia Morris, which was obviously his kill, to tossing Rebecca Walters off a building, to Jenny and Marnie... definitely Robbie... Kirby... Kate Roberts... man just went crazy with the kills, and I respect it. He had loyalty, some great lines, a HILARIOUS deleted scene ( ), and he kept cool under pressure, never revealing himself until absolutely necessary. Do I relate to him? Yep. Is that bad? Probably, but I love him anyways.

3. Jill Roberts (Scream 4)

Another maybe controversial ranking, but I love Jill! I think her motive is fantastic, the way that she uses Charlie to get what she wants, and as someone who has acted innocent in situations where I'm definitely not, her acting is spot on. I never thought about it being her until her reveal, and it's still one of my favorites of all time. She is also, I believe, the Ghostface who got closest to the goal of killing Sidney and getting away with it, so congrats, girl! You had the whole world fooled till the hospital! She's a great take on what I think is the modern version of Billy Loomis, and she nailed the innocent act, truly. Did she kill anyone? Probably, but I can't think of anyone who I know is 100% a Jill Kill. Either way, good for her for not getting her hands dirty, or FOR getting her hands dirty! Impressive no matter what in my mind.

4. Billy Loomis (Scream)

Dont worry, Billy fans, he's still in my top 5! The only reason he's not my third is because I think he's just a BIT overrated. If the movies weren't constantly making him seem like he was the only killer and completely alienating Stu (I think there's a reason for that, but I won't explain that here), then I'd put him above Jill. I know that's a weird reason, but it's my reason. Billy is a fantastic manipulator who knew how to get exactly what he wanted from Sid, and also was a repressed drama queen, which I relate to a lot. While Stu was openly crazy, Billy hid behind the stone cold semi-facade. I don't think Billy would ever have gotten as crazy as Stu did, but he definitely showed the drama in several ways that make me smile and laugh every time. Falling down a flight of stairs? Fucking up Stu's couch cushions? Comedy gold every time. I give Billy credit for stabbing Casey, killing Himbry, and killing Tatum. I think the rest were Stu's because of the gutting and where Billy was at the time. I also think he killed Maureen, so a nice 4ish kills for him! Anyways, top tier Ghostie, another one I'll always respect respect and love.

5. Amber Freeman (Scream 5)

I'm gonna be honest, I hated her when I first watched Scream 5. Hated Richie too, but he's still terrible. Fuck him. I thought Amber was a trashy, third rate version of Stu that was extremely fake and her turn from cold to goofy seemed extremely forced. Then I took a deep dive and figured out why. (If you want a full explanation, let me know, I'm trying to stay short here.) So I believe that Richie is this movie's Stu and Amber is the movie's Billy. From her plans, her using the house, just her very cold, calm demeanor in the beginning, she just gives Billie energy, while Richie is just... well, he's the Netflix guy. He makes jokes left and right. But Amber, I think she was trying to be the Stu while Richie was trying to be the Billy. Everyone forgets that Stu was a boyfriend too, (Billy's) Tatum's boyfriend. Amber was supposed to be Tara's girlfriend in the original script. So now, I see her third act as more of her desperate attempt to look like her idol instead of sticking with the persona that served her well for the rest of the film. That really made me appreciate her more, and made her feel even underutilized, as did the Macher house. (I LOVE THAT HOUSE. I LOVE IT. Well, the actual actual house, not the Scream 5 version.) So yeah. Amber was a cold blooded killer trying to be just like the Macher before her, even if that wasn't the part she was meant to play in her movie. Taking credit for Dewey's kill? Absolutely. She was in the cult and she just wanted to piss Gale off by saying she did it. Fantastic lines, wonderful creep factor! Her death- *chef's kiss* Lovely homage to Sidney shooting Billy. And that's my top 5!

6. Quinn Bailey (Scream 6)

The only member of that damn family who did a good job killing. Richie included. Funny? Check. Didn't see her coming? Check. Ruthless? Double check. I don't think she did Gale's attack either, I think that just like Amber, she took the blame for someone else's work just to keep them hidden. Besides that, she was a good character, someone you thought was long gone until she wasn't. Bonus points for her saying Stu was her fave and definitely being the one to stab Mindy on the subway. Maybe not the greatest Ghostie ever, certainly low on kills, but I enjoy watching her a lot.

7. Nancy Loomis, aka "Debbie Salt" (Scream 2)

Another hidden killer who deserved more screen time after her reveal, and more backstory. I love her motive of "good, old-fashioned revenge", and I can see her killing Randy out of rage. Killing Mickey? Nice way to keep things in her favor! Debbie Salt was eh. Don't remember her much tbh- I would've liked to see Nancy more as herself, she just had great potential. Did she take some kills? Absolutely. Got her hands dirty to honor her son. But that's what I don't like. She leaves Hank, then suddenly after Billy dies, she's like the best mother ever?? Killing for the son SHE left?? Her leaving is the reason Scream happened, paired with Maureen and Hank's infidelity-- that's why she's a solid 7 in my book, and the best of the worst. Only goes downhill from here, folks.

8. Mickey Altieri (Scream 2)

GREAT in the Act 3. Other than that? Um... he was okay, I guess? He had some funny lines, but where I really like him is in the possibility possibility of what he's done. He definitely killed for Nancy, he was insane and just wanted people to see him that way. He DID talk to Matthew Lillard in the background of the sorority party... Mickey and Stu working together?? His Act 3 was good, he showed he could be a good Ghostface, scared Sidney, killed Derek... but that's where this ranking and my positive comments about him stop.

9. Wayne Bailey (Scream 6)

Classic parent who wants revenge, angry, pulls it off decently. He has some good moments, funny, a definite suspect, and nowhere near as good a cop as Dewey. Points for trapping the Core 4 (minus Mindy) and Kirby in the second coolest location in the franchise, but that's where my positivity stops. Sam killed him easy, he was a shit parent until Richie died I bet. Did he get his kids to murder? Oh yeah, I think he's the one who made this whole plan up with Quinn and Ethan's help. He doesn't really stand out. Did he kill?? Even wear the fucking mask?? I honestly don't think so. I would put him lower, but compared to the next three... yeah, he's fine at 9.

10. Richie Kirsch (Scream 5)

WHYYYY. WHY. The only goof thing I can say is that like 5 of his lines made me laugh, and he also hates Stab 8. Me too, dude, that looks BAD. Motive? Pretty good, solid movie motive, getting with Sam to get the job done. Ruthless? Yeah. But he's sloppy. He's a Stu without the magic, just trying to make a movie. Him dating Amber?? *vomits* KILL ME NOW. He was 100% manipulated by her, I know he was. A sad attempt of Billy Loomis that leaned more towards Stu, and his cheesy shit throughout the film made his "true colors" seem kinda dull and not very scary. I don't like him. I don't.

11. Ethan Landry [Bailey] (Scream 6)

Like father, like sons!- all in my least favorite 5 of legitimate Ghostfaces. How much screen time did he have?? Not enough. Innocent guy, "I was in Econ!" to "HAHAHA I'M INSANE NOW!!"? I hate it. His transition was too forced, he was bland and stupid, his attempts at faking his knowledge about everything were embarrassing and made him look worse as a character. The easiest Ghostface to spot. I don't know, I mean I get people like him because he's insane and attractive, but I don't. Sorry to all of you who love this guy and his family. His best scene? When Tara stabbed him in the mouth. You go, queen!!

13. Roman Bridger (Scream 3)

Fuck. FUCK. I hate him, I hate this movie, I hate it all. His motive is pretty solid, I actually like it a lot... but he was stuck up, whiney, and underutilized. Like Ethan, low screen time, unbelievable shift from loser to villain- did he even share a scene with Sid?? Talk to her?? And this makes Billy and Stu look like lackeys. I HATE IT. I would've much rather had the Stu leading a Ghostface cult film, but I know why they went this route instead, and I respect that. Like Ethan, the best part about him, and of this movie, is his death. Dewey missing his head like 5ish times before finally hearing Sid and going for the head Thor in Endgame style?? Comedy. GOLD. I love Dewey Riley. But yeah, I just don't like Roman at all. His strengths are his motive, his INSANE kill count (I think he had an accomplice.), and his physical strength. Besides those? Useless. Sorry, Roman die-hards.

14. Jason Carvey (Scream 6)

Not bad for a Ghostface killed in the first 15 minutes. He had the makings of a good killer, definitely in the cult, but his time was just extremely short. Nothing much to say about him, but his only kill was a fantastic start to the film. I would put him higher, because I think he WAS a good Ghostface, but... 10 minutes or less of screen time? Sorry dude, don't know you well enough.

15. Greg (Scream 6)

Who?? Saw him a fridge. That's it. What's his last name, I don't remember- No screen time, not even alive on screen. Nothing more to say. He was probably pretty good though, if he was anything like Jason.

And there's my ranking of all 15 Ghostfaces!! If you want to add your own, feel free to below! If you wanna comment on mine, please be respectful, but I'd like to know why you don't like characters I do, or like ones I don't. If your faves are my faves, share!! I love finding new Scream buddies!! And thanks for listening if you made it this far, that was LONG.

[kingsandbastardz]

I've reached episode 38 of MLC.

Cheng Yi's acting in the dungeon was impressive and the sequence it took for Li Lianhua to rescue Di Feisheng was super satisfying. So many micro expressions and subtle hints of his growing worry while he kept a rapid patter up to get information! While being starved/ denied water! LLH is great at multitasking!

Honestly, it was this episode that finally made me decide to watch the other dramas under this tragedy king's filmography. If I can battle my second-hand embarrassment to watch Ryan Cheng act out the role of a husky for longer than 5 seconds, surely I can watch Cheng Yi spit blood and die in misery 10x in a row.

Anyway thoughts:

While I enjoyed what I watched, instead of all this taking place in the palace, I wish the entirety was a rescue arc for DFS with the queen bug ending up in Shan Gudao's hands through other means, or uncontested and in his lair. Or maybe Jiao Liqiao had it all along! If only so we get more of the trio learning about each other and group stuff going on. They're the best when all 3 are together so DFS spending half the series away kinda puts a damper on that. And the emperor's arc seemed like a cop out. I'm aware of the ending before I even started watching so imo if they wanted a tragic ending, they absolutely could have nailed that home in several other ways. The tendon healing feels rushed bc they had less time to work with.

Fang Duobing what the hell kind of name for newly invented martial arts is that? You live and breathe heroic jianghu stories and you decide to go with a DFS style "sword", I mean, Mr Worrier's Swordplay? He do be worrying, though, so he's at least upfront about it.

If DFS and LLH ever decide to bump uglies, they would totally get distracted halfway through and go off to solve a mystery or something, wouldn't they? 💀 like DFS just randomly looks at the wall and being like ???? Why is it suddenly a different material and pattern? I need to see why it's so ugly. Also the fact that it's DFS doing this and not LLH. Xiao Shunyao says his intelligence is highly specialized to martial arts - but the guy is a natural investigator. He's just very tactile about it and prone to ripping things out of the wall or ground while checking it out. His instincts are spot on, though

I like how confused DFS was when LLH was like, "Come on JL totally told you the thing." DFS's expression screamed, "Why would I know? Did you not notice I've been doing my best to ignore her??"

I would have liked to see Wuyan deliver the salt to LLH just to see what else he does or doesn't tell him - I would also like to know when he received instructions to deliver the salt to LLH. Was it before or after DFS got paraded around and locked in the master bedroom?

DFS using grey wall or grey rock tactics to deal with JL. Ppl forced to live with narcissists/abusers do this. His version is more like what prisoners do when they have to face torture but that usually is refusal to speak. What he's doing is not just silence, but also refusing to look at her and trying to minimize any reaction to her play, which is an attempt to deny her anything she can feed on. I'm guessing he's had to do this growing up too.

Speaking of that - what exactly was Di Fortress doing with their method of training kids into killers? I somehow missed or forgot that part and can't tell if they ever addressed that. Did they rent them out as assassins? Is it a weird death cult that worships battle and uses that energy as human sacrifice to their war god? OHOHOH you know what they could have done instead of the Enperor arc? If they'd freed up the episodes and put the Nanyin bugs into a Di Fortress arc instead. Since they were already using some sort of bug mind control technique anyway.

Fang Duobing, what do you mean you always knew DFS was on your side? All you do is yell at him for being a villian! 😂 also what's with everyone just accepting that DFS was going to stand there and join them without even a bit of protest or trying to arrest him or anything?

It's interesting, the parallels between LLH and DFS's situation. They're both regular dudes trapped under some mythic narrative where everyone thinks they're these story archetypes. But they're not, they're just two martial arts nerds trying to live their life (one to do good, one trying to survive) . They both had someone they trusted not only betray them- but demand they get on their knees and become publically subservient to them. DFS's situation would have evoked sympathy by itself but LLH probably felt extra understanding about how he must feel. Especially bc he knows what his own reaction would have been in the past to that kind of humiliation. Like, aside from JL's implied intention of sex slavery, how is SGD's plan for LLH any different than what JL did to DFS when she dragged him back home?

[abhainnwhump]

IMYM Chapter 32: Restore the Balance: Nightmare

<- Previous Chapter || Masterlist || Next Chapter ->

Nightmare stared shocked at the skeleton panting at the door. His shock faded as soon as Blue stepped into view though. Despite having crashed his special day, The dark king was more amused than anything. It impressed him how they broke through the security guards in their poor condition. He also found Blue’s new look interesting. He didn’t recognize him at first, but his aura was unmistakable.

Blue’s look of triumph faded. It was fair given how he embarrassed himself. “Dream? We . . . didn’t make it.”

“What do you mean ‘didn’t make it’?” Nightmare recognized the squeaky voice of his twin, as did his bride. He shrieked and clung to him tightly, his aura radiating tantalizing fear. Ribbon whisper-screamed the word no over and over again. Nightmare wrapped his tendrils around Ribbon and kissed his head.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” He whispered to him. “No one is going to hurt you. I’ll fix this. Just be quiet.”

Dream took a disgusted double-take at the Ribbon, both his white gown and his attachment. Somehow, his brother’s positive aura didn’t affect Nightmare. A closer look and he understood why. Dream’s eye sockets sagged with dark bags and his movements were slower than the other three. He was weak, very weak. His aura was dark, bitter, and stressed.

Horror appeared behind them, clothes destroyed and stained with blood. His eye bled. The side of his face with his red eye was bashed in, destroying the outside of the socket. Besides the injury, he didn’t complain. Nightmare’s eye light widened at the injury. It reminded him of a childhood memory. The one where the villager smashed his eye with a hoe before he ate the black apple. Nightmare growled.

Dust stood up and his stoic expression slid ever so slightly. His tone was laced with sarcasm. “There you are. This is goin’ to be fun.”

“Sorry . . . . I’m late . . . boss.” Horror spoke even slower than usual with the heavy breathing. He coughed up dust.

“I see you gotta little,” Killer clicked his tongue, “held up.” He glared down at the new skeleton, who grinned in response. The circle wound on his skull and blood on his clothes made the incident obvious. Nightmare glared at Blue.

“Horror, you have been excused.” Nightmare told them. He gave Ribbon a gentle push off him and turned to the duo of unwelcome skeletons. “You two, have not. What an interesting team of souls we have here. The fallen Star Sanses, a broken glitch,” he smiled without pleasure, “and my dear brother. Honestly Dream, I thought you were better than this. Breaking in on your twin’s wedding day, for shame. I thought you would be happy for us!”

Dream loaded his bow. “I’ve had enough of your games, brother. You know exactly why we’re here.”

“It wouldn’t be to take away my queen, would it?” A tendril wrapped around Ribbon’s waist to protect him.

“No, a little bird told me to come and wish you the best on this- of course we’re here to save Ink!” Dream snapped. “We’re going to take him back home, help him heal and be himself again, and end whatever this is. It’s horrible.”

Ribbon ran and hid behind Killer. The only reason Nightmare didn’t pull him back was because he was distracted with his brother. Ribbon peeked out from behind Killer as the latter pat his head. “I don’t get it. What do you guys want from me? Why can’t you let me be happy? I love Nightmare and I’m going to stay with him! I’ve made up my mind so you guys can-”

Nightmare raised his hand and Ribbon immediately went silent. A glare escaped Blue. Killer covered Ribbon’s pull-string with his hand.

“Ink, what are you talking about?” Blue asked. “‘Of course we want you to be happy! You’re not thinking clearly right now! Snap out of it!”

“Let me handle the talking, my little doll. You just stand there and look pretty.” Nightmare refocused on the intruders. “You will not lay a hand on him. We have already said ‘I do’, he has my name.”

“So? If we need to force a divorce, we will!" Blue stomped his foot on the ground. "You're not going to win and keep him!

Ribbon remained quiet, looking up at Nightmare for help. He sighed. He couldn't resist Ribbon's big puppy eyes. “You may come back.”

It only took a second for Ribbon to rush into Nightmare’s arms. The mafia guests prepared their weapons for a possible battle. Dream pointed an arrow at Mafiatale's Asgore, Capone, one of Nightmare's closest friends. It didn't please him.

Ribbon shivered in his hold. He looked up at his newlywed with pleading eye lights. “Please don’t let them take me. I can’t go back there! They’re going to try and hurt me again! They’ll beat me and break bones for sure, maybe keep locked up, or worse . . .”

“Shh, I know. I will never let them take you,” Nightmare whispered back. He tapped a loafer on the floor as an idea formed. “Listen closely, I have a plan and I’m going to explain it quick. I will teleport you to a part of the castle and you need to find a place to hide. Stay there and don’t make a sound until I come to find you. Don’t fret. As long as you are on the premises, I will be able to locate your aura. Is that clear?”

“Clear! Crystal clear.” Ribbon gulped. Nightmare slipped off his suit jacket and wrapped it around his tiny shoulders. He held his pointer finger out and created a puddle, slipping him through. Nightmare shut it, though it caused him to feel something. Someone’s aura was at the castle. His gaze flashed between the monsters and humans preparing for battle and the portal. Ribbon was his only worry now. but he couldn’t show it. He had to keep everything under control.

“No, NO!” Dream reached out to the now empty space. Blue caught the hood of his cape; he continued to struggle. “Where did he go? Where is he?”

Nightmare chuckled. With Ribbon absent, he could enjoy himself more. He wanted a calm ceremony, but this may be more entertaining. “Oh, he’s fine. I merely hid him away. Best of luck finding my little doll.”

The guardian’s gaze held more disappointment than animosity. “You are sick, brother. You’ve done some horrible, twisted things over the years, but this? This has gone too far.”

“I’m sick? Bold choice of words coming from someone with a fever of one hundred and six. Or was it one hundred and seven? The sleep deprivation isn’t good for you. I’m impressed you can function as well as you can.”

Dream froze. “That . . . is not important. Ink’s safety is what’s important. Would you accept a deal? I’ll give you something to trade for setting him free.”

“Well, if you had asked me months ago, I would take your life in exchange for his, but I no longer believe that is a fair deal. Ribbon isn’t worth that little. And besides, your friend Ink no longer exists. You could never take care of him as I could. The poor thing wouldn’t even know what to do with freedom. He’d be so scared and overwhelmed that he’d cry in a corner until someone gave him a guiding hand. He needs someone to give him orders. You’ll only be hurting him by taking him away from me. Trust me when I say I’ll take excellent care of him and, hopefully, our future children too.”

Dream stomped closer. “You can have me. You can torture me as much as you want, but you can’t kill me. You also set Ink free and reverse any spell and curse you cast on him! Put me in eternal pain and let everyone else go free!”

“Dream!” Blue argued in disbelief. “Don’t.”

Nightmare tapped his finger against his face. “Mmm . . . I appreciate the offer, but no. Ribbon is worth too much.” He was sure there was a way he could win both Dream’s soul and keep his wife at his side. He needed to mess with Dream’s mind, confuse him, and throw him off guard. Nightmare looked down at his hand and shifted it to a Gaster’s hand, having a hole in the middle. He changed it back to normal and looked at Dream.

“My apologies everyone, but I’m afraid there’s a change of plans.” Nightmare made a motion with his arms and multiple portals summoned across the floor. The guests fell through and Nightmare shut them. The only monsters remaining were Nightmare, Killer, Dust, Horror, Blue, and Dream.

Dream and Blue stood back to back as the guests vanished. Dream shot a nervous glance at Nightmare. “Where did they go?”

“I don’t need you murdering my comrades too. I’ve known some of those men for years. I would lose access to investments and my suppliers. Oh, and friends I suppose." Nightmare increased the size of his tendrils and shot himself into the air. He used the large tendrils to balance as the top two swayed and flickered.

“Blue . . . we can do this." Dream's voice wavered as he watched the Murder Time Trio, though it stayed stern. He wiped the bag under his eye. “T- two against one. Stop him! Save Ink! Save the Doodlesphere!”

“Finally, it’s showtime!” Killer couldn’t wait and threw the first attack at Blue. Red knives surrounded the glitching mortal in a perfect circle. Blue leaped upwards. The other Murder Time Trio members scattered.

Dust rolled his eye lights and snapped his fingers. His multi-colored eye glowed. “You ready, Pap?” He pulled his pistols from their holsters, something Nightmare told him to remove. For the only time, he was grateful one of his subordinates didn’t listen to him. He chose Dream as his opponent. He ran along the side of the hall and fired bullets at him. Dream gasped and blocked them off with a golden shield.

Wanting revenge for his eye injury, Horror charged at Blue. Blue summoned a glitching Gaster Blaster and fired it back. Horror teleported and swung his ax, but he moved and it lodged into the bench instead. Nightmare scowled. Most of the decorations he planned out so carefully were going to end up destroyed. Lovely.

Killer crept up on Blue and slashed his sleeve. The injury glitched and Blue yelped. He turned around and stabbed Killer with a bone. Killer spun and the two engaged in battle, ducking and attacking. They used the benches to hide and gain higher ground.

Nightmare sharpened his tendrils and fired them at Dream. Dream rolled on his side and moved under a table. Before Nightmare could pull back, one of them smashed the furniture. The table snapped and the black rose vase shattered, spilling glass and water. Dream maneuvered his way through the debris.

He sensed the strange aura again back in his castle, making him fear for Ribbon and his safety. He felt his fear too. His poor baby shouldn’t have been feeling these emotions on his own wedding day. Nightmare flicked one of Dream’s arrows away. He would’ve picked him up if he wasn’t needed for Dream. The Lord of Negativity looked around the room and had an idea.

���Killer!” Nightmare called from across the room, gritting his teeth. His tendrils flailed out and wrapped around the skeleton, helping him dodge Dream.

“Boss! What?” Killer’s irritation was clear in both his aura and his voice.

Nightmare furrowed his browbones. “I sense someone is in the castle, so I need you to go and make sure Ribbon is safe. I believe he could be in danger and I need you to find who’s there.”

“You’re not going to freak out again ‘cause I talked to your little doll?” Killer asked. Nightmare ignored him and threw him through a portal he created. Dream spotted the entrance and ran for it, but Nightmare shut it in time.

“Dream! I need backup!” Blue shouted, smashing Dust's arm with his hammer. He summoned a field of bones and used it to pin him down. Horror attacked from the back and Blue blocked him with a glitching shield. Dream ran toward his side and fired arrows at Dust, aiming for his two glowing eyes lights. Dust shot his pistol and knocked both of them out of the air.

Nightmare stomped his foot on the ground and spread a layer of malice across the floor. Dream and Blue were forced to leap onto the benches to avoid touching it. The Murder Time Trio jumped too, but Nightmare was less worried about them. He could clear the malice from an area or a soul whenever he desired.

“Why the hell did you guys have to show up . . ." Dust muttered, firing another round of bullets at Blue. He talked to himself as he fought. "Makin' everythin' more difficult . . ."

"Then stop fighting and let up save Ink!" Blue barely dodged as Horror threw his axe from across the room. The weapon returned to its owner in a second. Blue turned around to face him. But instead of attacking him, he turned around and blasted Dust with a Gaster Blaster.

Dream fired arrow after arrow as Nightmare melted into every shadow of the room. He watched as more arrows littered the floor. His poor health didn't stop him from having good aim, for the most part. Dream shot an arrow as Nightmare leaned against the pedestal. it knocked over a candle holder instead.

Dream breathed faster as he realized his quiver was out of arrows. The Guardian of Positivity groaned and snapped the bow over his knee. He turned it into two sharp sabers. Dream's ripped cape blew behind him. He glared down at Nightmare.

"Surrender. Ribbon is mine. Also, I would like to know who you sent into my castle," Nightmare said.

"I- fine! Fine! Keep him! Just stop everything else! I'm tired of the murder, tired of you corrupting AUs, it's draining my magic, and I will not put Cro-" Dream covered his mouth. The damage was already done. It didn't surprise Nightmare that it was Cross.

"Cross . . . and who else? I can tell you're hiding something. Is it the purple one I've seen him spend time with?"

"I'm not telling you any more! You can teleport there whenever you please. They will have a more successful mission than us. I know-"

"OW!" Blue screamed from across the field. Dream paused and swerved around, gasping at the massive ax in Blue's shoulder blade.

Distracted by his friend, Dream couldn’t register Nightmare shoving him to the ground. Dream touched the blood dripping from his mouth and tightened his grip on the bow piece. The injury was almost black from the malice on Nightmare's hand. Dream and Nightmare tackled on the floor until Dream was on top of him. He held an arrow over his nonexistent throat with a scream. Nightmare thought quickly. Dream would’ve stabbed him in the throat, except . . . it wasn’t Nightmare. Not the one the guardian was fighting.

“Dr-Dream? Dream!” Nightmare’s voice and body trembled with childlike disbelief. His bones were still pitch black, but his teal eye light glowed purple. The covering over the opposing eye turned into an open crack. Lavender tears dripped the same color as the collared outfit he wore. “What’s going on? W-where are we? Were you about to ki-ki-kill me?”

Dream's look shifted from anger to shock, then suspicion, then sorrow and exhaustion. “Oh, my stars . . . no . . . Nighty?" He threw his arrow aside and wrapped his arms around his real twin. Nightmare could feel the wet stain forming on his shoulder. He didn’t let go. He felt his twin's weakness from the way he held him. “I would never kill you, you were just . . . someone else for a while.” The guardian smiled again. “I can’t believe this! I knew you were in there! I gave the idea to my friends and they said it was too optimistic. This is amazing! We came to save Ink but we’ll save you too.”

“Who-who’s Ink?” Nightmare looked over at the battlefield. “And who are they?”

. “The glitching one is Blue, the one in the hood is Dust, we're not allies and- oh I’ll introduce you guys later. You’re alive!”

Nightmare trembled violently, his body dripping more black liquid. h“It’s so dark and cold in here. I haven’t seen the sun in so long.”

Dream slipped some melancholy tears. “You will, I’ll make sure of it. Once we save Ink, I’ll take you to watch the sunrise. We’ll even get some nice cream, any flavor you want. Sound good?”

“Yeah.” Nightmare leaned into his neck. “Dream, thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome- wait, what for?”

“For giving me the last golden apple.”

His tendrils stabbed through Dream.

The Guardian of Positivity screamed. It echoed throughout the room as he clutched the bleeding wound in his chest. Nightmare pulled his tendrils out and stared down at his twin. Blue looked up from his battle with Horror and lowered his hammer. He ran to save him, but Horror jumped him, shoving him to the ground.

Dream managed to sit up, shaking. He put pressure on the wound and his eye lights turned into pinpricks. “I don’t know what the final nail in the coffin was, but there are so many contenders. Helping to murder Fresh, helping to turn all those innocents into zombies, crying at the thought of leaving you. But most of all, the torture and trauma you inflicted on him. Sometime during this last year, I knew for a fact that you killed my best friend. But not in the way I thought. When Killer said Ink died, I was horrified, but I could move on as I knew he was safe from harm-"

"I don't have time for a monologue." Nightmare set his hand on Dream’s forehead and his hand glowed blue. Dream fell asleep and collapsed on the floor. Nightmare picked him up in his arms. Not the way he held Ribbon as if he was the most precious thing in the multiverse. Dream’s head lolled to the side and his limbs hung down.

Horror and Dust struggled but eventually managed to pin a kicking Blue to the ground. Horror held down his legs and Dust used his magic to keep his arms behind his back. It satisfied Nightmare to see the confident Star Sans struggling with fear in his eye lights. Nightmare switched out Dream so he dangled in his tendrils instead of his arms. Nightmare placed his hand on Blue's head and put him to sleep too.

The two members of the Murder Time Trio stared down at the Stars. Dust put his hood up as it fell during the action. "So . . . what are we doin' with them now?"

"Imprisoning them, of course." Nightmare considered his next move. He looked into the evening sky out the window. He knew who helped with this, and Nightmare wanted revenge. "Horror, I will send you to the castle so you can help Killer and Ribbon. Lock up Dream and Blue too. Dust, go outside and explain the reception will be postponed an hour and a half. I need to take care of a certain mistake."

"Yes, boss."

Nightmare snapped his fingers and opened a portal for Horror. Dust turned around and left the room. Nightmare made his own portal and strode inside. The malice on his body melted and gurgled. He entered the Anti-void and glared. A certain destruction guardian helped a certain Omega guardian through a portal. Error turned around and stopped when he saw Nightmare.

"Have something you want to tell me, Error?" He held back from impaling him there and now. He needed his soul.

Error gritted his teeth and pulled out his strings. Despite that, Nightmare wasn't phased. He knew what he taught Error to do. As Error screamed and charged at him, Nightmare summoned liquid malice in his hands.

Error hesitated and his eye socket twitched. His one hand trembled as he stared down at it. "Get rid of that. I'm not drinking it like I was in there."

"No, you're hooked. I know you are. There's no point left in fighting. I already have you and all three Star Sanses in my power now." Nightmare closed his eye, his pride expecting Error to collapse for the malice. It didn't work as well as he imagined.

Error wrapped his strings around Nightmare's body, including his tendrils. He swung him around the Anti-void until he hit the floor with a loud crack. Nightmare hissed and flicked his tendril, an easy fix but a painful one.

"That's for my arm!" Error screamed. His eye sockets were blinded with glitches. He grinned and surrounded Nightmare with Gaster Blasters. Nightmare melted into the ground as blinding light took over the void. "That's for Blue!"

Error raised his hand and lowered his puppets down from the ceiling. They contained the souls of the Sanses they embodied. Error never used his Anti-void puppets unless he fought in the specific terrain, and especially as a last resort. The three puppets he chose, Underfell, Seraphim, and G, all had stiff movements and button eyes. Their bodies were stitched over and their mouths held the same uncanny smiles as the rest of the dolls. Error cackled, blazing with new power. His scarf and jacket blew in the wind as he levitated with magic.

Nightmare scowled and stabbed his tendril through the Underfell Sans puppet. It exploded into stuffing and fabric, along with a shattered soul. They fired blasters and bones at him. Nightmare ducked and swerved to avoid being attacked. He melted through the shadows of the blasters' light. Seraphim's purple wing almost knocked Nightmare down, but his goal was too clear. He treated it as one of the games the MTT played, timing out each move to use the perfect amount of light and shadow. He leapt through shadows. Error fired his strings at Nightmare, attempting to wrap up his soul.

Nightmare finally leaped out of the dark and grabbed Error's strings on the ceiling. He dropped down and pressed his foot against his back. He slammed Error against the floor and resummoned the malice in his hand. He shoved the fist full into his mouth.

Error didn't resist the malice. His struggle was too weak. He swallowed it down without a fight. Nightmare kicked him in the skull and cast the sleeping spell. The Seraphim and G puppets collapsed and shrunk back into tiny dolls. Nightmare pet his head with a mocking tone.

"That's a good boy. My, my, what a day . . ." Nightmare dragged Error across the void's floor with his tendrils, not caring about hurting him. He sighed and pinched his nasal bridge. He took back what he thought earlier about this being entertaining. All he wanted to do was dance with the wife he earned. And he now needed to use a spell to fix the chapel.

The dungeon was the same as he left it. However, now two guests took up the cells. Dream and Blue lay in separate cells. Neither of their injuries were patched and Dream's wound bled. Nightmare wasn't bothered, it would scab soon. Anti-Magic cuffs locked around their hands and ankles.

Nightmare threw Error inside a third cage and chained him up. It would be at least a few hours before they all awoke. Nightmare planned to extract his soul as soon as possible, no longer than a month. But a bit of torture would be fun . . . it's what they deserved. Nightmare still needed three more prisoners and to celebrate the rest of his wedding. His honeymoon would come first. The MTT could take care of them. In the moment, Ribbon was his only desire. He left the dungeon to find him.

[flamingwordsinthesky]

SpideyTorchweek Day 4 - Villain Au

@spideytorchweek

The water’s murky surface reflected the red mask back at Peter as he waited. He stared at his reflection to help ignore the sounds of destruction and screams that echoed through the air. He should be out there helping but he’s here waiting for Firestorm.

He ignored the first message he left in the sky. A simple, ‘Spider-Man, meet me at the ruins of the Statue of Liberty’. The second message was just a question mark. The third was a threat ‘In One hour. A block in Queens will Burn. Meet me at the Statue of Liberty before then.”

So here he waited for what could only be his end. But he clicked the cartridges in his webshooters. Peter listens as the whooshing of air and crackling of fire and unbearable heat Firestorm finally descended from the sky in a human shaped wildfire. That’s all Peter knew him as, the human incarnation of destruction and fire.

So it surprised him when the flames extinguished themselves to show a man. Pale blonde hair perfectly pulled back into a low blond ponytail. The man could have been attractive once upon a time, butlarge black bags under his eyes on a taunt face. It made him look like a shell of a once handsome man. He gave Peter a shadow of a smile, like he knew what it was but couldn’t replicate it on his face. It sent a chill down his tense spine, but he stood firm.

“You’re actually here.” Firestorm said in such a way that it reminded Peter of Mary Jane. Her beautiful smile was engulfed in flames. Peter grit his teeth but stood his ground.

“You threatened what's left of my home.” Peter said through the mask, letting his authority Spider-Man voice get some use. Firestorm smiled again, this time a little closer to an actual smile. As if he was actually happy to see him.

“How else was I going to get your attention?” Firestorm asked as he sauntered closer to him. Peter wanted to step away but he’s on the edge of Lady Liberty’s head and he doesn’t feel like taking a swim, not when he might be able to finally take down at least one member of the Frightful Four. "You're just so elusive,"

Peter glances at the smoking city across the Hudson bay and looks back as Firestorm eyes seem to be looming at his body. He finally meets the eyes of Peter’s mask with a doe-eyed expression that Peter didn’t think a villain like him could do.

“I’m just so happy to finally meet you.” Firestorm said in a dreamy tone that it froze Peter in place. The second Firestorm’s gloved hands sprayed across his chest and gave a quick firm squeeze. Peter gripped Firestorm’s wrists and pulled him off. Firestorm lips pursed as he flexed against Peter’s grip, as if testing the strength that held him. “You’re so strong, just like I imagined.”

Peter didn’t let go. He gripped harder, just short of breaking his wrist.

"What do the Frightful Four want with me?” Spider-Man asked as Firestorm chuckled. A dark impression of a human emotion on his face.

"It's less what they want and more what I want." Firestorm said, his words also dripped with want as bright blue and wet gazed at him. "That's why you're the only one she hasn't killed...yet."

Spider-Man said nothing. Rain and blood fill his memories as the heavy weight of Daredevil, his last true ally, laid limp in his arms.

Shatter. Beautiful, cold, icy blue eyes and a stone cold face that would kill millions in the blink of an eye. The most powerful member of the four. Killer of the Avengers. Let him go that night but not Daredevil.

The last thing she said to him was.

"My brother doesn't like it when others touch his things."

The slam against the still standing crown of Lady Liberty made a loud thunderous bang. Firestorm gasped and almost shuddered at the strength of hands on his heaving throat. Hands gripped and he thought about how easy it would be. To take down one of them. To take someone Shatter loved just like she did to him.

If she was capable of something like love.

"Enough! I'm sick of your games!" He yelled, loud enough he was sure the survivors of New York City. "What do you want with me?!"

Firestorm laughed through crushed windpipes as a hand grasped his wrists.

"You haven't figured it out? You really don't get it?" The searing heat burned his wrists. He yanked away. Strangled deep breaths turned to labored laughter as Firestorm stood.

"You wanna know the worst form of torture?" His voice suddenly dropped to a cold low tone that Peter was unsure that his voice came from the same man. He held out a fire hand to Peter, who stood across him crouched and ready to pounce as his Spidey sense rang around him.

"Solitary confinement?"

Firestorm tsked as that same sham of a smile creeped along his face. "You are smart."

"Now. What do you think happens to someone, when there's nothing but white walls, no sound, no people, nothing, for a week? Maybe a month? Maybe a year?" Firestorm's voice is flat. Matter of factly, his blue eyes glaring down at him but Peter didn't falter.

So Firestorm kept talking "Before I was able to finally control my flame they kept me there, alone. No idea how my sister was doing. The scientists said I was in there for a month. But time doesn't matter when you're cut off from the people you love."

Peter wanted to ask if the Frightful Four even knew what love was. But he still said nothing.

"Do you know what it's like when the very first voice you hear after agonizing days of nothing; is your sister screaming in pain?" Firestorm gets angrier as he moves fast and close to Peter and captures his jaw in his hand. His other holding fire close to his face.

"I burned that facility to the ground when Reed freed us. It felt so good because they hurt us. They hurt us real bad. But I had a shining light. Something to keep me going. Can you guess what that was?" He asked like Peter didn't connect what he was getting at.

"When they dragged me out to experiment on me. I saw you. On the tv, always going, always fighting, always free. They called you a menace but I knew better. I knew you were a hero."

Firestorm's hands suddenly held him in his hands like he was everything to him. The world, his light, his love. It caught him off guard because it was the most human Firestorm looked since they met.

"I was so alone. But I saw you, you told me to keep going, to fight past the pain, to fight back, and I should never give up." Firestorm's eyes swam with so many emotions that it seemed they overwhelmed the villain.

"Don't you see? You kept me going. You are the reason I'm still alive.

"I don't control your delusions." Peter bit out before thumbs slid under his mask.

"I don't care what you call them. That doesn't change the fact that you kept me going." Peter had been so caught off guard that it didn't register that Firestorm had ripped his mask until cold air smacked him in the face.

"It doesn't change the fact that I love you."

Peter lunged after Firestorm and had his hands back on his throat. Imagining all the people who died when Firestorm made his debut.

Harry, Flash, Aunt May, all the innocent people who couldn't escape the flames.

Mary Jane.

All burned when he was too busy fighting Boulder and Doctor Doom. All because he was too slow. All because he ignored Firestorm when he first flew past him that day.

"SHE'S DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"Who?"

"My wife you monster!"

Firestorm furrows his brows as if Peter isn't about ready to snap his neck.

"Wife? You had a wife while messing around with another man?"

"I would never do that to her." He yelled as he slammed Firestorm against the hard metal floor. Just for suggesting such a thing. Peter would always love Mary Jane. She completed him, she was his rock and his confidant. She reminded him he was human, never taking him seriously and always reminded him to smile.

Then she was gone.

Daredevil surprised him by how much he grew to love him. What started as a way to soothe their shared pain blossomed into something more. The night they tried to attack Shatter, Matt said he loved him. He still regrets never saying it back.

How Firestorm found out about them, he would never know. But it didn't matter if he could just will himself to snap Firestorm's neck.

He loved Mary Jane. She died by Firestorm's hand

He grew to love Matt. He died by Shatter's.

Both Storm siblings with the blood of his loved ones on their hands.

"I'm going to fucking kill you." Peter said through gritted teeth. There was a flash of flame as Peter was blown back and against the crown again as Firestorm was standing a flame.

Peter stood up and placed his feet firm on the ground and raised his fists.

"Oh my love, it would be an honor to die by your hand," Firestorm extended a hand and there was a flash of heat that almost burned his face rushed past him. "But I'm not gonna make it easy for you,"

[jungle321jungle]

False Dawn: One

For his entire life, Janus Ekans had done whatever he could to prove himself and rise in the ranks of his father’s court, but it was all worthless in the end. Now, the only path to survival is to rely on his father’s killer, Duke Logan Ackroyd, even if it means discarding his pride and blood ties. It might not be freedom, but at least it won't be his head rolling on the floor next.

~~~~

False Dawn:

Idiom: A situation that looks like it is beginning to improve when, in reality, it is not.

Read on Ao3 - All Chapters - Masterlists

One

Janus had learned at an early age how to keep his face even despite what was happening around him. It didn’t matter whether he was excited, upset, or scared. An Ekans faced those emotions every day, and if he ever wanted even the slimmest of chances of being accepted as a legitimate child- controlling his facial expressions was a requirement. So his mother had drilled poise and etiquette into him the hard way, yet here and now, every word she had ever spoken seemed meaningless. Here and now, it didn’t matter that he had learned to dance; it didn’t matter that he could hold his own when talking to the nobility; his swordsmanship and equestrian lessons were also null and void. Because here and now, it didn’t matter that his face didn't change as he watched what was going on around him because everything he had done was to impress his father- to impress the king—the king, who was currently shy of a head. 

The screams that echoed throughout the ballroom were on deaf ears as Janus’ eyes were trained on his father’s killer. The man was calm as he wiped the blood from his blade as if he was doing its daily maintenance as opposed to just having beheaded a monarch. And silently- wrongly - Janus couldn’t help but wonder why he bothered to do so when it was clear the rest of the royal family was next to die. Or was this man too important to dirty his blade with Janus’ impure blood? The knight stopped his actions and dropped to a knee as the Head of the Empire stepped towards him. Janus had thought so when he had seen the Emperor before at the start of the ball- but here and now, the ruler seemed even more like a child. He was likely just barely sixteen, his brown eyes slightly sunken in and partially hidden behind his hair, which was just long enough to fall into his eyes. He was shorter in stature, and truthfully, it looked like a strong breeze would be enough to knock him over. Even so, no one could be The Emperor of Angoro without having a nearly impossible amount of mana. 

“Do as you see fit with the rest,” The Emperor told the knight. 

The knight hadn’t dared to raise his head, “Yes, Your Maj-”

“Why!?” Janus heard one of his older sisters- the Second Princess- shout. “What did we do to you?”

The Emperor blinked at her once as if he couldn’t tell if she was stupid or not, and quite frankly, Janus wished she wasn’t as stupid as well… she usually was. The Emperor’s eyes shined with a slight tint of purple before he appeared to decide she wasn’t worth a drop of his mana. “I need to get back,” he told his knight instead. As he began to walk away, some of his troops fell in step behind him. 

“Why? Why? Why!?” his sister shouted again and again. No one stopped her, not even the enemy knight who stood before her. No one did a thing until the Emperor had left the room. Then, the knight in charge stood, fixated his eyes on her, and moved closer, causing her to falter before the Queen put a hand over her mouth. 

The knight adjusted his glasses as his eyes looked over them all, and then he spoke, “None of you want to answer her question?”

Janus wasn’t aware the tension could get any higher, but then the man brandished his sword. 

“I see no point in answering. If she weren’t such a narcissist, she would have paid attention to the world around her,” Janus said with his mask of calm as he tried not to focus on the thought of that sword running him through. But he needed to try because something in him- perhaps all his experience in reading people- screamed that in this situation, silence was the wrong answer. 

The knight’s attention and sword went to Janus, a shadow of amusement on his face as his right eyebrow twitched. “Oh? But it would be quite cruel for her to die without knowing what her crime is, wouldn’t it?”

“Ignorance is a crime of its own.”

The knight paused before he looked Janus up and down, “A prince with no crown? …A Child of the Harem then?”

“Correct.”

“Interesting,” he concluded, sheathing the weapon, and Janus forced himself not to give a large breath of relief like he wanted. The knight then focused on the Second Princess- or rather, her crown. “Your King was the one who cursed the Empire and caused the deaths of thousands. I think the amount of blood that shall be shed is inconsequential in comparison.”

The Second Princess pushed away the Queen’s hand, “Father would never! You-” she was stopped again by her mother, but this time their eyes locked, and an understanding moved between them. 

The knight looked as if he was trying to hide his disgust, “Lock them up and prepare them for transport. Executions will occur back in the capital before all the people they’ve hurt. As for the nobility, I've already given your orders for them.”

The knights around them resoundingly said, “Yes, Your Grace!” And just like that, Janus found himself being shuffled along with the rest of the royal family, and he could only hope that the lingering inquisitive gaze he felt boded well for his future. 

Upon having his wrists bound, he and the rest of his family were shoved into a relatively small cell for the number of them in the castle’s dungeon. It was certainly strange being on this side of the bars down here, but he supposed anything was better than the alternative. If they were to be transported back to the Empire’s capital, he had time to try and negotiate something for himself. It may all be for naught, but at least- unlike his father- he wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

“You're insane.” 

The sound of his mother’s voice drew his attention back to his family amongst him. She was across the cell from him, with a few family members between them. She didn't speak again, just watching him with eyes full of fear, worry, tears, and surprise. He waited a moment and then another, but when no words left her lips, he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes so he wouldn’t need to see her face as he responded. “The silence was heavy enough to kill on its own accord… so I broke it.”

He heard his family quietly chitter amongst themselves as they commented on his behavior. It was probably the most attention they had ever spent on him, and it didn’t feel nearly as good as he had imagined. 

It was early morning when they were pulled from their cell and outside to greet the rising sun and the three prison wagons waiting underneath it. Janus had anticipated that they all would've been split into each by numbers, but he was surprised to find that they were being sorted. Into one wagon went The Queen and her children, in another, the Queens of the Harem, and in the last, Janus and the other illegitimate children. He couldn’t help the spike of hope that struck his chest at the chance that they might be punished based on their status. But any hope quickly fizzled out as he realized the range in his siblings amongst him. More were guilty of horrible things than those who were innocent. So, if the wagon were indeed to divide who lived and died, currently, it seemed the harem would be the only cart to survive. And yet, some in there deserved death just the same. 

The convoy traveled through the morning and only stopped once at midday, during which each prisoner was led one by one to relieve themselves under supervision. They were each given a small slice of stale bread, and the trip continued. So Janus would be lying if he said he wasn’t ecstatic to leave the wagon when they stopped for the night. His bottom and back ached from sitting on the hardwood all day, so even if it were just a short walk to use the bathroom, he’d take it. On the way back to the wagon, another knight jogged up, “The Duke requested this one,” she told one holding Janus’ rope. And to Janus’ surprise, he didn’t hesitate to hand it over. 

Janus’ heart was thundering in his chest. But the knight said nothing to him as he pulled him along after her towards where the main army had made camp some hundred or so feet away. Eyes wandered to them as they made their way through the camp, but none said anything as they made way for them to pass. That was until they reached the Duke in question. 

His father’s killer was sitting amongst his men, seemingly having a casual conversation with them as he sipped stew from a bowl. It was a bit of a strange sight, truthfully. Usually, those of higher status had tents to themselves full of all their luxuries of home, and yet this man was indistinguishable from the rest. Upon their approach, he stood and outstretched a hand, and the rope attached to Janus was set in it. The Duke said nothing as he led Janus away from the rest, simply sipping his dinner as he went, but ultimately, he came to a stop and leaned back against a tree facing Janus. 

“You didn’t flinch as your father’s body was liberated from its head, and you also spoke out against your own blood without hesitation,” he started. “And from what I recall, this is often your behavior. You clean up the messes of others, be it with words or with blood… Tell me, what do you gain from that?”

“Rapport,” Janus answered easily. “Rapport with a man who refused to acknowledge me. And as you can see, it was all for naught.”

The Duke hummed another sip from his bowl, “You're quite good with your words. Truly a silver tongue.”

“Am I to take that as a compliment?”

“That is up to your discretion.”

“Then I thank you for the compliment.”

“I hadn’t expected you to beg for your life, but I didn’t expect you’d be this bold either.”

“Why beg? It’s clear whatever I have done so far is enough. And if I am truly to die regardless, then I will say what I please beforehand.”

“Your magic,” the Duke said, changing the subject. “Demonstrate for me.”

Janus couldn’t help but be taken aback by the statement, and it was the first thing that pierced his unaffected mask. But he was quick to repair it. “My deepest apologies; these ropes drain my measly mana.”

The Duke nodded as he stood off the tree and led Janus back through the camp to the prison wagons, where the guarding knights stiffened as they approached. “Remove his bonds,” the Duke ordered. The knights were confused, but they were quick to free Janus’ wrists anyway. 

“Recover your measly mana ,” The Duke mocked. “I’ll ask for another demonstration tomorrow.”

~~~~

It was a test. Janus knew that well. Evidently, the Duke knew exactly what Janus’ skillset was- and yet he had more or less left Janus to his own devices. Sure, he was still behind the wagon’s bars and surrounded by knights, but that meant nothing. The mana he had regained by the time they were moving in the morning was more than enough for him to transform and escape. He could simply morph into a bird and take flight to a place where he’d never be seen again. That is, if he could avoid the archers. He could become a fly. He couldn’t get far or fly long, but he could lose them- but for how long? He could wait until they took him out of the wagon again, and become a horse and start sprinting- but the knights had their own horses. He could wait and then become a bear and maul them all on his way out, but there were too many to take them down. And even if he did get away, then what? The Empire had already taken over the Kingdom. And all nobility was being watched. It wouldn't take long for the commoners to realize that a person amongst them had a different level and different kind of education than they did. He would need to be constantly moving, constantly changing faces to survive- and he wasn't sure how long that would last. This was a test. 

A test to see if Janus would take the bait off of its silver spoon, or if he would place his life in the hands of another. Especially when there was no proof that the Duke would allow him to live. Maybe he had sparked enough interest to save his life, but if he had, he’d still have to deal with a target on his back for the rest of his life. To keep himself breathing, he would need to let go of all ego and pride and do whatever he was asked forever- he’d have to go back to the way he was before his father spared him that first glance. Back to craving- needing that attention so badly that it hurt without it. This form of survival was one he had already led, and perhaps he could do it again now that he had learned from his mistakes... Or maybe it would end just the same. But, of course, this was all dependent on what the Duke intended to do with him. Because, quite frankly, it was far more likely that the man was the type to play with his prey before slitting its throat. 

Removing his bonds was a test—a test for the Duke to see Janus’s character. And yet, even though he knew himself best, Janus wasn’t sure what the correct answer was. 

His mind had been racing, running through possibilities to the point it exhausted him, yet Janus stayed put. He ignored his siblings' questioning as they also begged him to remove their bonds. While Janus still wasn't sure about running, he knew that freeing others—even the small children—would only end badly for everyone involved. 

After dinner of the same stale bread, Janus found himself being marched through the knight’s camp once more. The Duke was once again eating with his men, but upon noticing Janus, he rose and led Janus away from the rest. 

“Show me,” he said simply once they were alone. 

Janus’ eyes skimmed the area behind him as the knights, who were at a slight distance, faced the other direction. It seemed they had been ordered to leave them be. 

“Well?”

Janus took a deep breath as he felt the mana pulse within his veins as he focused on his transformation. He focused on his appearance. He needed to be an inch taller, his eyes a hair smaller, and their color to match that piercing blue. He focused on each of his features as he felt his body grow and shift until he looked the Duke in the eye. The Duke didn’t appear surprised as he looked at his own face; instead, he gave a pleased hum as he scanned Janus up and down before he made a small circle around Janus. “It's quite good,” he concluded, standing before Janus once again as he touched his finger to his lips in thought.

Janus mirrored the action as he focused his mana on his vocal cords. “I’m good at what I do.”

There was a glimmer of amusement in that eye, “You can mimic my voice as well?”

“What do you think, Your Grace? Do my parlor tricks, please?”

“They do. But I wouldn’t call them parlor tricks. You can turn into beasts as well, can't you? Show me.”

Janus couldn't hide his slight frown, and glancing behind him again, he unbuttoned his shirt.

“What are you doing?”

Janus removed his shirt as he answered, “Beasts are far larger than we are. I would prefer not to rip my only clothes.”

“Fine, something smaller then.”

Janus was more than thankful for that. He dropped his shirt to the ground anyway, though, and began to morph his limbs and digits to fit what was needed. He forced himself not to make any sounds of pain as his face rearranged itself; he needed to impress. When he had finished, he took a step out of his now discarded pants and gave a stretch. 

“A cat,” The Duke nodded as he examined Janus. “Do you intend to maul me with your puny claws?”

“I considered it,” Janus replied.

“You can still speak?”

“In certain conditions.” 

The man paused as he circled Janus once more before reaching out a hand that was now as large as Janus’ face to ruffle the fur on Janus’ head, much to his dismay. Janus pulled back against the contact and gave a cat hiss, but the Duke didn’t seem to mind. “How long does it last?”

“Depends. The further away from my initial form, the harder it is to maintain and the more mana it takes. I also need to maintain a certain level of focus. That’s why I stick to parlor tricks.”

“It's impressive nonetheless. Such magic is nearly unheard of.”

“My mother was of Osteria’s House Altier before she was sent to be my Father’s.”

“Osteria’s lineage magic was indeed top class... Can your mother do the same?”

Janus couldn't help but think that an average person in this situation would feel fear at the thought of potentially putting their mother in harm’s way. Still, rather than that, Janus wondered if he was rendering himself obsolete. “She can, but her mana levels are lower than average,” he lied. Thankfully, the Duke seemed to believe him. 

“You’ll be enough. When we reach the capital, I will need to speak with His Majesty to confirm some things, but I’ll make you a deal once we arrive—one that keeps you alive—and maybe someone else if you behave.”

Janus returned to his clothes and began morphing into his human form. When he had, he pulled himself to his feet and put his shirt back on, asking, “What do you want me to do?”

“For now, all you need to do is keep this conversation and your abilities between us. You’ll need all your mana conserved for when we arrive.”

With that, the Duke made it clear that there was nothing more to be said as he began to lead the way back they had come because he knew Janus would follow. They walked in silence for a while, but just before they came into earshot of the knights watching the prisoners, Janus spoke, “I know nothing of the curse’s workings. Only that the war with Osteria served to-”

“I believe you,” The Duke interrupted. “But that doesn’t mean you’re not useful to me. I’ll see you soon enough, Prince Ekans.”

~~~~

All Chapters

[sweethoneyrose83]

Harley Quinn Dialogue Prompts 

"You know, sometimes I wonder if I’m the cream or the sugar in this crazy coffee world! What do you think? Sweet or a little nutty?"

"Alright, puddin’, what’s the plan? Go big or go home? I say we paint the town red—preferably with a little glitter!"

"Love is like a rollercoaster, isn’t it? Full of ups, downs, and a few unexpected turns! Just don’t forget to scream!"

"Well, that was fun! Nothing like a little chaos to get the ol’ blood pumpin’. Who knew punching could be such a great cardio workout?"

"You know what they say—every clown has their day! And sometimes you just gotta embrace the crazy to find the real you!"

"So, doc, tell me—what's the difference between me and a traditional patient? I mean, I do all my own stunts, right?"

"I love my Mr. J, but I gotta say, my hyenas? They’re the real stars of the show! Who needs a prince when you’ve got a pack of wild cuties?"

"Okay, plan B! When in doubt, just laugh it out! If you can’t find the silver lining, create your own confetti!"

"Darlings, every day is a fashion show, and the world’s our runway! Who says you can’t rock a jester hat with a killer outfit?"

"Life’s a series of choices, right? You either pick the red pill or the blue pill. Me? I just sprinkle a little chaos on both and see what happens!"

"You know what they say, babe—love is a battlefield! And I’m not just talkin’ about my heart... watch out for my mallet!"

 "He thinks he’s the king of chaos, but I’m the queen of mayhem! Wanna see me juggle a couple of grenades? It’s a blast!"

 "Listen up, puddin’! The secret to happiness? A little bit of mischief and a whole lotta laughter! Oh, and ice cream. Don’t forget the ice cream!"

 "You really think you can take me on? I’ve survived a rollercoaster of insanity! Bring it on, cupcake!"

 "Poison Ivy, babe, you’re my ride or die! Together we’re like a deadly flower bouquet! Let’s go paint the town red... or green!"

 "You break my heart, I break your face! Fair trade, don’t you think? Who needs therapy when you’ve got a mallet?"

 "Oh, you think that cape makes you special? Sweetie, I can take down heroes and villains alike. Just watch me!"

"Why stick to the rules when you can make your own? The world is a circus, and I’m the star attraction!"

 "Gotham is my playground! The shadows are my friends, and the sirens? Just the soundtrack to my life!"

 "Am I a villain? Maybe. Am I a hero? Depends on who you ask! All I know is I’m fabulous, and that’s enough for me!"

 "Okay, puddin', listen up! We gotta plan the heist of the century. Step one: distract the guards with... wait for it... a dance-off! What do you think? Got moves?"

"So, you wanna impress your crush? First, you gotta show 'em you're a little nuts, just like me! Maybe bake 'em a cake shaped like a heart? Or a giant mallet? Who wouldn’t love that?"

"What do you mean you don't like my outfit? It’s *fashion*! Just ‘cause it looks like a clown threw up on me doesn’t mean it’s not stylish, right?"

 "So, Bat-brain thinks he can stop me? Honey, I’ve outsmarted him too many times! Last week, I sent him on a wild goose chase... with a literal goose! Quack, quack!"

"You know, sugar, life’s a lot like a rollercoaster: it’s full of ups and downs, but the screaming just makes it more fun! So scream it out, baby!"

 "You think I’m just a pretty face? Ha! I’ve got wisdom to share. Like, never trust a guy who doesn’t like pickles. It’s a red flag, I swear!"

"You know what my favorite vegetable is? A *cute-cumber*! Get it? ‘Cause I’m cute and it’s a cucumber! I should put that on a T-shirt!"

"Alright, Joker, we gotta work together! No more fighting over who gets the last slice of pizza. Let’s just steal the whole pizza shop instead!"

"So there I was, standing in front of a raging inferno, and all I could think was, ‘This would make a great Instagram pic!’ Priorities, am I right?"

 "Ever think about how chaos is the true order of the universe? Like, one minute you’re planning a big score, and the next, you’re dodging flying pies. It’s beautiful, really!"

[megalony]

A man named uncle- Part 2

Here is the second part of my new, different Henry Cavill series that I hope everyone is going to like, feedback would be appreciated.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem @butlegendsneverdie @langdonzvoid @jennyggggrrr​ @rogmeddows @radiob-l-a-hblah @rogertaylorsbitontheside @chlobo6 @rogertaylors-lipgloss @sj-thefan @omgitsearly @luckytrashgooprebel​ @scarsout @deaky-with-a-c​ @killer-queen-ofrhye @bluutac​ @vousmemanqueez-blog​ @jonesyaddiction​ @milanosaurus @httpfandxms​ @saint-hardy @7-seas-of-fat-bottomed-girls​ @mrsalwayswritex​ @rogerina-owns-me  @hellsdragon​ @im-an-adult-ish​ @crazylittlethingg​ @allauraleigh @onceuponadetectivedemigod​ @ceres27​ @avyannadawn  

Series taglist: @slutforhenrycavilll

Masterlist

Summary: (Y/n) and Henry have a house of girls and they are guardians of their nieces who they think of as their daughters. But looking after their girls isn’t easy when (Y/n)’s pregnant and their fifteen year old niece starts to resent (Y/n) and is fighting for Henry’s sole attention.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You're not taking us,"

(Y/n) couldn't decide whether the words were meant to be a question or a high demand but however they were supposed to be interpreted, they made her heart lurch down into her stomach. She knew better than to take the words to heart but it didn't stop her heart from reacting to them in a deeply upsetting way.

Hitching her bag higher up on her shoulder, (Y/n) snook a glance over at Henry before she raised her head and forced a smile on her lips.

"I'm not taking you, I'm coming with you." (Y/n) continued to try and keep a smile on her face while she held her hand out towards Alice who came running through the gates and bypassed Jamie immediately.

It was their day for contact with their mum and they were allowed to leave school just over an hour early to go and see their mum. Neither girl wanted to go, they would rather stay in their classes and finish the day at school and then go home. They didn't want to go to contact but they didn't have a choice in the matter when a judge said they were too young to decide for themselves if they wanted to see their mum or not.

She wasn't truly their mum anymore.

She had been in and out of Jamie's life since the moment she was born and she had barely been around at all for poor Alice. The moment Alice was born, she was pawned off on (Y/n)'s parents before (Y/n) and Henry decided to take her in. She didn't want to see the woman who always promised to take her out or visit her but never did.

"No... you promised you'd take us." If Jamie were a few years younger she may have stomped her foot on the ground or resorted to a scream to show his she disapproved of (Y/n) coming with them. But instead, she clenched her hands into fists and folded her arms over her chest when she looked at Henry.

He said he was taking them, neither of them said anything about (Y/n) coming too. They were supposed to go out after contact, Henry promised they could do whatever they wanted, whether it be going to the cinema, out for something to eat or bowling. They could do something fun and relax with time alone with him.

"Carry on being rude and you're not going anywhere." Henry tilted his head to the side and rose a brow with a dangerous tone to his voice that made Jamie internally shiver.

He wasn't impressed.

"I need to talk to your mum so I'm coming to contact but after that, I'll get the girls and take them home. You're still going out after, I just need to see her. Alright?"

(Y/n) slowly looped her arm through Henry's crooked elbow and pulled his bicep across her chest in a small gesture to tell him to calm down. She knew if Jamie's attitude continued, Henry's temper would also flare. He was a very mild-mannered, laid back man but he wouldn't have any of the girls say or do anything rude to disrespect (Y/n). She was their mother and deserved their love and respect.

She could feel his arm tensing and relaxing against her but his expression stayed the same while he waited for Jamie's response.

They both knew how much it meant to Jamie and Alice to have time alone with each of them. They didn't get much attention from their real parents and they craved love and attention so badly. It's why they made sure to give the girls at least one day a week alone with either Henry or (Y/n) so they could be together and have some time alone. The girls loved their time alone with each of them and since Henry had been away for two weeks, they had spent more time with (Y/n). It was their turn to go out with Henry now.

"Okay... sorry." Stuffing her hands in her pockets, Jamie moved over to Henry's other side and the four of them got in the car for the ten minute drive to the family centre.

If it was (Y/n)'s choice, she wouldn't be coming to contact. Three weeks ago she had taken the girls to their last contact session and it was Henry's turn, but (Y/n) needed to talk to her sister and contact was the best place to do that.

She had all but given up on her sister now and her antics and bad ways.

There were many times (Y/n) had forgiven her big sister, such as all the times she screwed Jamie over in her life. Each time Jasmine dumped Jamie back with their parents and floundered off somewhere for weeks at a time, she had been forgiven. She had been seventeen when she gave birth and she didn't want a baby but at the same time, there was part of Jasmine that just couldn't give away her baby either. Not when her parents graciously offered to help bring Jamie up if that's what she wanted.

Each time Jasmine promised to do better and do right by Jamie, (Y/n) forgave her. She forgave her sister for pawning her child off on her or for how she treated her girl.

Even the time when (Y/n) had been on a date- which Jasmine had crashed whilst being drunk, and told her date that (Y/n) had a two-year-old waiting for her at home. (Y/n) had only been sixteen and safe to say, no one else wanted to date her when that rumour went round college.

Or the times when Jasmine would tell everyone Jamie was (Y/n)'s and turn up in the middle of the night and hand her over to (Y/n), crying and sobbing that she couldn't look after her right now.

Or when she had been pregnant with Violet and was horribly ill during the last month of her pregnancy and Jasmine turned up and dumped Jamie on the doorstep. (Y/n) had been in no fit state to look after Jamie and Henry had been shooting his film during the night and was barely home either. (Y/n) forgave her for that too.

With Alice, it wasn't so easy to forgive. Jasmine wasn't cut out to be a mother and she barely tried with Alice, she just gave her to anyone who would have her. By choice, (Y/n) wasn't talking to her sister much anymore but today she needed to see her and that meant tagging along to contact.

"Baby, we're here," Henry reached across and rested his hand on (Y/n)'s leg when he noticed she seemed to have zoned out.

"Dad..." The moment they got out the car, Alice wrapped her arms around Henry's leg and tugged to the point his jeans almost came down. She didn't want to be here, she didn't want to see the woman she barely knew try and pretend that they were a loving family. She didn't want to sit and hear Jasmine ask about school and what she was doing and then suddenly ask how old she was like she did last time.

"Alright sweetheart, we won't be here long." Leaning down, Henry gently untangled her arms from his leg and scooped her up to sit on his hip. If it were up to him they wouldn't have to come here. They were old enough to know their own minds and they knew whether they wanted to see Jasmine or not.

A small smile worked its way onto (Y/n)'s lips despite the headache forming behind her eyes when she felt Jamie move closer to her side when they walked in the building. She knew Jamie hated this place and every time they left, she seeked out some sort of comfort and solace.

(Y/n) looped her arm through Jamie's after speaking to the receptionist and they headed down to room number three. She could feel Jamie tensing beside her and her steps were becoming slower and more sluggish before (Y/n) took a deep breath and opened the door.

There she was, sat in the usual armchair beneath the window.

With a swallowed breath, (Y/n) took in the state of her sister as she and Jamie walked into the room and moved to sit on the sofa. She could feel Jamie tightening her hand around (Y/n)'s arm, a small but desperate plea for her not to let go just yet and she wouldn't.

Her sister looked a little better than the last time she saw her. Her hair was more stylish today, pinned back to the side and curly as if she had taken the time to put curlers in. It was still a mix of pale hazel and dark brown from a bad hair dye but she looked more alert today, a nice pale blue dress with a belt round the middle and some flat shoes.

Sometimes Jasmine looked like she had been caught in a hurricane when she came to contact or like she had just come from a street fight, at least today it showed she was trying to make a little effort.

"Hi sweetie,"

"Hi," It was clear Jamie was refraining herself from calling her mum by her first name. She hadn't called Jasmine 'mum' in years but she knew every time she called her Jas, it cut deep and it made the air in the room too thick to breathe. She didn't deserve to be called a mother but at the same time, Jamie cared just a little too much to really hurt her.

"Alice, baby, come give mummy a kiss." Jasmine held out her arms with a wide smile that slowly slipped away when Alice stood near the coffee table, unsure which way to move.

She became stiff as a board when she finally moved towards her mum and her body shook from how tense she was. But when a kiss was placed on her cheek, she turned and retreated back to the armchair where Henry was sat and scrambled up onto his lap.

"So, how have you both been, what have you been up to?"

"I've joined gymnastics after school on Thursdays," Jamie looked down at her hands as she spoke. Part of her wished the gymnastics club was run on a Tuesday so then she wouldn't have to come here. But she knew if it was, they would just change contact day anyway and she wouldn't have a choice, so it didn't really matter.

"You're not very, athletic." Jasmine chose her words carefully but she smiled nonetheless.

"Yeah well, I'm gonna be."

"What about you, Ali?"

"I like art, I did some pictures for mum." Alice stayed tucked up in Henry's arms and didn't bother to look over at Jasmine when she spoke.

She knew she shouldn't really call (Y/n) her mum in front of Jasmine because it always made things awkward and last time she did it upset Jasmine, but she couldn't help it. She wished (Y/n) was her mum and she always said it was okay if she wanted to call her mum. Jasmine was more of a distant auntie she never really got to know and she didn't want to know her either.

"Will you draw me a picture?"

Biting her nail, (Y/n) looked across at Henry before she shrunk back in her seat, feeling a shiver running along her spine when Jamie rested her head on her shoulder. The hour they spent here each time always seemed to drag on forever and it never seemed to end. There was nothing they wanted to say to each other and the girls didn't know what to do or how to interact with Jasmine when she could be very tempermental.

One week she might look disgruntled and get snappy at anything they said and the next time she would be happy as ever, kissing and hugging them and pretending everything was just fine. It was off-putting for the girls and whenever Jasmine cancelled a visit, they were both unsettled and relieved all at once.

After about twenty minutes of mismatched conversation, (Y/n) patted Jamie's arm and tried to force a smile.

"Why don't you take Alice to go get a drink from the machine?"

Reaching into her bag, (Y/n) handed her purse over to Jamie who was quick to jump up and hold her hand out to Alice. It was clear Alice needed a small break and Jamie would do anything to get out of this boring conversation for a few minutes. She knew how to drag her feet to draw out the seconds so when they came back they wouldn't have long before it was time to go.

"Have they been okay, Alice looks a bit under the weather." When the girls left the room, Jasmine moved to sit down next to (Y/n), blind to how her sister moved an inch away when she got close.

"She's fine, they're both doing good... listen, we're going to talk to someone next week about these sessions."

"Why?"

"The girls aren't happy, it's off-putting to come here every week and they don't want to."

(Y/n) didn't know how else to put it and she hated the way her sister pulled back as if she had been slapped in the face. But it was the truth, she and Henry were going to find out of these sessions could be cancelled because they were making the girls worse rather than improving their relationship with Jasmine and it wasn't fair anymore.

"Of course they want to see me, (Y/n) don't be like that they're my daughters."

"And I have custody of them. If you really want to keep seeing them then why not come to mums and visit them? Somewhere they feel safe and relaxed and maybe we could take them out for ice cream if you can commit to it. Anything's better than this place."

It was too formal for the girls, Jamie didn't care as much about where contact happened she just didn't want it in general. But if it had to continue then they could meet at their parents house, somewhere the girls were comfortable and could be around other people and leave when they wanted to. And if Jasmine could commit to regular visits they could take the girls out somewhere, only if the girls wanted to though.

"I have been committing to seeing them, I've turned up to these visits-"

"Jas, you've missed five this year. They don't want to meet you in this place, it's not fair on them."

"And you think letting them call you their mother is fair?"

(Y/n) could feel a headache forming behind her eyes, but maybe that was because of how sick she had been feeling lately. It was so much easier when the girls were younger, even though everything always seemed to go up in the air and things kept going from bad to worse, somehow it was easier than the stability they had now. The girls being stable meant that Jasmine felt like she was being pushed out and forgotten but she couldn't have it both ways.

Sometimes (Y/n) wondered if it was better back when Jamie was a little girl and she and Jasmine would take her out to the park or the play areas. They always caught the bus into town and took her out.

But then again, (Y/n) couldn't handle going back to that part of her life where she was looking after a toddler that wasn't hers in her parent's house. And then when she moved out she barely got time alone without Jamie coming in and out of her life and Jasmine bustling in and ruining everything.

Meeting Henry and having the girls changed everything, he helped (Y/n) raise the girls and now they were slowly becoming a family. (Y/n) would never be able to go back to how things used to be.

"What else would they call the woman who raised them?"

Henry rubbed his hand over his chin but his other hand stayed balled up in a fist on his leg. He could never quite control his temper when Jasmine was in the room and she was the only person who ever managed to rile him up and ruin his calm persona. He never understood how (Y/n) could be so calm and collected when her sister used and manipulated her and tried to ruin everything she had, intentionally or not.

He couldn't count the times Jasmine had made (Y/n) cry or feel bad about herself when she was doing everything she could to raise her nieces. If Jasmine couldn't take responsibility for her life then Henry didn't want to be around her and hear her blame everyone else for her mistakes.

"Henry..."

"Jamie's fifteen now, she can choose whether she wants to meet up with you for a coffee or if she doesn't want to see you and that's her choice. And I think Alice might give you another chance but you'd have to really try with her which you never do. If they don't want to see you I'm not gonna make them."

(Y/n) pressed her face into her palms and took a deep breath. At least Henry could say everything she couldn't, even if he never sugar coated it. They weren't going to do this anymore, it wasn't a debate it was a decision that had already been made.

"Daddy," Alice pushed past Jamie and made a beeline for Henry and was just about to scramble up onto his lap when he stood up. His hands held her sides and he settled her on his chest like she was a toddler again, letting her arms cocoon around his neck and her head burrow into his chest. They had been here long enough, they all needed to leave and calm down now.

"If you want to meet up and see the girls and they agree, ring me and let me know."

(Y/n) could see the relief in Jamie's eyes when she realised they were leaving now and she reached out for (Y/n)'s hand as if wanting to drag her out to get away a little quicker. She let Jamie loop their arms together and practically pull her along to follow Henry and Alice out the room.

"Jamie, slow down," (Y/n) pulled her back a little when the speed she was walking made (Y/n)'s head spin faster.

She could feel the hallway stretching out into eternity and and the more Jamie pulled on her arm, the more she became unbalanced in herself. The room they had been in for the last hour had been sweltering hot even with the window cracked open and (Y/n) felt like she was a boiled egg by now. Added with the fact that she hadn't eaten yet today and wouldn't be able to eat until she got Violet and Minnie back home just made her feel worse.

The moment they got outside, the fresh air and the cold breeze hit (Y/n) like a tidal wave knocking the air out of her system. Her previously burning skin now felt like it was prickling with frostbite.

She needed to sit down.

"W- what's wrong? Uncle Henry," Jamie's head frantically looked between (Y/n) and Henry when (Y/n)'s weight suddenly leaned on her and she bent her knees and went down to the pavement. Leaning down, Jamie tried to be gentle and help (Y/n) sit down without falling with a bang but the moment she sat down, her head flopped to rest on top of her arms.

She kept hold of (Y/n)'s hand but her eyes focused on Henry who handed his car keys to Alice and gently told her to get in the car before he turned round and jogged over to them.

Something inside of Jamie wished that look of concern in his eyes was meant for her.

"Baby, you okay? Talk to me," Kneeling down in front of (Y/n), Henry gently pressed his hands to her elbows and rubbed soothing circles into her skin. She felt hot to the touch and he knew she had barely managed to eat anything today. He knew he should have tried to get her to eat something before they came out. "Baby?"

"I- I'm good, just went dizzy for a moment." Lifting her head, (Y/n) managed a small smile when her eyes came back into focus and she could see Henry's lips quirking up into a lopsided smile.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her temple before he wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly helped her up to her feet. His arms stayed tight around her middle, keeping her pressed up to his front and (Y/n) rested her palms on his chest, relishing in the touch for a few more seconds.

"Are you gonna be alright to pick up the girls? I won't leave you if you don't want me to." Henry moved his hand to cup the back of (Y/n)'s head and he spoke quietly with his lips an inch away from her forehead. He didn't want to leave her at the school to walk home with the girls if she was going to have another dizzy spell. He would rather take her home and make sure she was alright than risk leaving her and worry she might not be okay.

When she opened her eyes, (Y/n) dared to sneak a look to her left to see whether Jamie had heard Henry's words or not. She looked rather put-out but she didn't look like she heard, if she did then (Y/n) was sure she would have added her own input by now.

(Y/n) couldn't upset Jamie, she was desperate to go out to the cinema and just have some time to herself and be out with Henry. It wouldn't be fair for (Y/n) to make them all come home when she knew she would be fine after eating something and having a sugary drink.

"No, you take the girls out, I'll be fine. I promise."

"Can we go now?"

Henry leaned his head back and rolled his eyes with a small smile, he could see the anticipation in Jamie's eyes. She was done with this meeting and she wanted to go out now, she wasn't waiting around for anyone. Deep down Henry would feel better if she showed a little more compassion towards (Y/n) but he knew a lot of the time Jamie would just shut down and focus on what she wanted to do.

"Yeah, we can go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A soft hum vibrated at the back of (Y/n)'s throat in a melodic tune as she slowly swayed her upper body from left to right. Her cheek was nuzzled softly against the top of Minnie's head and her hand was rubbing soothing circles up and down her back. She could feel her little girl making a few small noises of contentment as she stuffed her thumb into her mouth.

Turning around, (Y/n) started to slowly pad along the dark red carpet while her gaze drifted from looking at her youngest girl to looking at the far wall where her mural wall was. It was a cherry red room but the wall behind Minnie's bed had a black Minnie and Mickey Mouse sticker taking up the majority of the wall with her name in big Disney style letters underneath.

Another melody hummed against (Y/n)'s lips and she closed her eyes, smiling to herself when Minnie snuggled further into her chest. She wouldn't be able to do this in a few months with a bump in the way.

Her eyes remained closed but her lips curved up into a soft smile when a pair of strong arms gently curled around her frame. A hard chest pressed up against her back and she could feel soft breaths tickling against her ear.

Henry slowly wrapped his arms over (Y/n)'s arms and brought his hand up to to rest on the back of Minnie's head, dragging his fingertips through her curls.

Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss against (Y/n)'s neck, smiling into her skin when he felt her shiver at his touch. He couldn't resist joining in on such a calm and quiet moment with two of his girls, especially when he hadn't seen much of Minnie today with her being at school and him taking the other girls out. He kissed his way up (Y/n)'s neck until he was nipping at her cheek and his arms tightened around her, squeezing her against his chest.

"Are you feeling better?"

"A little," (Y/n) knew having something to eat and drink would make her feel better and she did manage some dinner with the girls. Her head still had a dull throbbing behind her eyes but she felt better compared to this morning.

"Good,"

Henry moved his hand to rest on Minnie's back when she shimmied a little higher up on (Y/n)'s chest and snuggled up to her neck like she was already in her bed getting comfy. His other hand slowly tickled down (Y/n)'s side until the palm of his hand was resting on her lower stomach. In just a few short months he would be able to feel their next baby kicking against his hand. Henry remembered when they were expecting Minnie, she was forever sending kicks his way like she automatically knew when Henry was around.

"I love you." (Y/n) couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face when he whispered those little words in her ear.

A rumbling bubbled up at the back of Jamie's throat and a burning sensation errupted in her chest as she hovered behind the door just over the threshold of Minnie's room. She leaned a little closer towards the door and peeked her head round to try and get a better look but looking only made the fire inside of her burn brighter and made her nose burn with the threat of tears.

It wasn't fair.

Why did (Y/n) get everything? She had the girls with Henry, she even had Alice who was now practically one of their daughters too. She had Henry who was the absolute best person in the world, he was funny and caring and loving and adoring and worshipped the ground she walked on. He held her like that and cradled her to his chest like he was trying to stuff her into his heart and keep her safe forever. He kissed her neck so sensually and he held her close and he adored all their girls.

And now she was pregnant too, (Y/n) had everything and Jamie had nothing in comparison. She wasn't their daughter, she wasn't truly (Y/n)'s which hurt more than she cared to admit and Henry wasn't hers, he was (Y/n)'s.

Why couldn't they swap places?

[skylarmoon71]

Luther Wainwright (The Mentalist/Arrow)- Oneshot

The throbbing headache confirmed that once again Jane’s antics had gotten you into some deep mess.

You groaned, lifted your hands, but the shackles at your wrists prevented you from massaging the ache at the back of your skull. When you were finally able to collect yourself, a smiling Jane and displeased Wainwright were on the other side of the room.

“Hey Queen.”

You growled, and Wainwright sighed heavily.

“You said this was safe Jane!!” You fired.

“It was supposed to be. I didn’t think they would actually attack law enforcement.” Jane defended.

Both men were handcuffed to a pole. You were just laying on the floor. It’s clear your assailants expected you to be out longer. You never saw it coming when they struck you, no wonder your brain felt like it was going to explode.

“Why the hell did you have to piss off the mafia!!” Wainwright was annoyed for obvious reasons.

“It’s not my fault they're a bunch of killers.”

From the looks of your surroundings you were in some kind of storage room. Spacious. It was only a matter of time before they came back. You need to work fast.

You straightened the best you could against the wall, letting out a labored breath.

“Agent Queen, are you alright?” Wainwright sounds worried and you nod with a frown.

“Just peachy. “

This wasn’t looking great. Just as you were about to formulate a plan, the air shifted. When you could no longer hear the back and forth from Jane and Wainwright you looked up, no surprise they were both frozen.

“Damn it Oliver, I don't need your help!”

He stepped out from the shadows, arms folded.

“It’s nice to see you too sis.” His sarcasm was expected.

“Aren’t you some sentinel being or something. Shouldn’t you be frolicking in some celestial meadow. I keep telling you that I have this handled.”

“It looks handled.”

“I don’t need a babysitter okay, I was just taking a breather before I saved these two.”

“I know.”

His expression softened, and your anger dissipated, eyes lowering. The reason you were often angry was how sudden he’d seem to vanish. His sacrifice was necessary, you understood that, but it still hurt. Once every couple years he’d pop in and as much as you acted pissed, you were always happy to see that at least he was okay.

“That’s for looking out, Oliver. I..I love you.”

He smiled, kneeling as he placed a hand on your cheek, kissing your forehead.

“I love you too, tell Thea I said hello.” You grin.

“Will do.”

He returned the smile, eyes glowing green.

“Make sure you show those guys everything I taught you.”

That makes you smirk.

“You know I will.”

One blink and he’s gone. Suddenly you feel a bit more energized. His visits always tended to do that.

“Alright, we’re getting out of here.”

“Your newfound confidence is inspiring but we’re all still bound.” Jane retorts.

You rolled your eyes, and when he saw you grab your right thumb he was a bit confused. You broke the bone and they both flinched. Without missing a beat you slipped your hand out of the cuff.

“How long have you been able to do that?” Wainwright seems both impressed and terrified.

“Pretty long.” You popped the bone back in place and they flinched again.

“That’s unsettling.” Jane speaks.

“If we stay here trust me, a broken thumb would be the least of our problems.”

Moving over to them, you freed them from the cuffs. Since you no longer had your weapons, the only solution was to fight.

“Stay here.” Your order made Wainwright do a double take.

“Excuse me, there’s no way I’m letting you walk out there and-”

His lecture was interrupted when the door opened and a man walked in with a gun.

All he did was lift it and you were on him in seconds. You grabbed his arm, bending it over your shoulder when you spun around and he screamed as the bone broke, effectively dropping his gun. His body fell and you grabbed the gun. Checking the bullets, you kneeled searching his pockets. You smiled when you found the phone.

“Jackpot.” You tossed it to Wainwright who caught it easily.

“Call the calvary, we’re gonna need it.”

Your assailant was still groaning on the ground.

“A few ambulances too, things are about to get messy.”

He intended to ask what exactly that meant, but you rushed out the door just as the gunshots started to go off. Wainwright ducked, quickly dialing a number as he alerted the police of the predicament. Jane would jolt every time he heard a gun go off. For the next few moments all they could hear was yells of pain and gunshots.

When it finally ended, Wainwright lowered the cellphone hesitantly and Jane stayed behind the door shaking his head.

“I’m not going out there.”

Wainwright just groaned in frustration as he grabbed the handle. He was cautious, just barely peeking out the door. He was stunned at the sight when he pushed it open all the way. Jane followed behind, careful to stay behind him.

He looked around at the many bodies on the floor. At least a dozen men. All of them seemed to be breathing. Indications of blood splatter on their legs and a few that appeared to be at the shoulder. Wainwright heard movement and he spun around just as you did. You lowered your gun with a smile, the single cuff still hanging off your wrist.

“Oh, it’s just you. Did you call for help?”

He nodded a bit distracted.

“Agent, did you..do this?”

“Well I wasn’t gonna sit around and wait for them to send us swimming with the fishes.”

You slipped your gun into the back of your pants, moving over to them.

“Jane was right though, I found your killer. It was Don’s second in command.”

“That’s great, did you see him?” Wainwright asked.

“Oh yeah he’s here somewhere.”

You looked around at the bodies, searching for the man. When you spotted him you grin. You walked to the wall. He was moaning at the bullet wound in his thigh. You grabbed him by the edge of his suit pants, pulling him over. He yelled as you dragged him all the way over to Wainwright. Dropping his leg harshly, you just smiled.

“He confessed to everything, when Lisbon gets here he’s going to show us the murder weapon and the money he stole, isn’t that right?”

He nodded, desperate.

“Yes! Yes I’ll tell you anything just get this crazy chick away from me!!”

“Aww, that’s not nice. Don’t make me shoot you again sweetie.” He looked scared and you just sent a thumbs up at Wainwright.

“You’re a terrifying woman.” Jane comments.

In that moment they both realized that it was good that you’d decided to become a cop instead of a criminal.

~~

Lisbon made it with the team in record time. While you sat in the back of an ambulance having your head checked out, officers were raiding the warehouse. Cho and Rigsby were on their way to get the evidence needed to put your criminal away for life. Jane seemed to be telling Lisbon a tale of how you’d taken down a room full of armed men. If his wild hand gestures were anything to go off.

Wainwright walked over to your side and the medic moved to give you both a moment.

“Great work today Agent.”

“Thanks, but I can’t take all the credit. My brother helped me.”

“Your brother?”

You nod. It sounded a bit crazy. You knew that. They were all aware that your brother had passed away. At least as far as they knew. You couldn’t exactly tell them he’d sacrificed his mortal life to pursue an immortal one for the good of the world.

That would be a mouthful.

“He’s always looked out for me when I’m in a bind. Sometimes he’ll just show up. Give me a little pep talk.”

Your wistful expression made him smile.

“Well I hope your brother knows I’m grateful. Our department appreciates all the help you always offer on these types of cases. The FBI is lucky to have you.”

“Thank you, I’m always happy to help. I’m glad you’re okay Wainwright.”

You’ve always been an ally of the CBI. Especially when a certain special agent was the one asking.

“Thanks to you.” He took a seat next to you, bumping your shoulder.

“You need to show me that trick.”

“What trick?”

“The thumb one, it’ll come in handy for future cases when I have to deal with Jane. Chances are we’ll end up getting chained again. I need to be prepared.”

You laugh, because there’s a lot of truth to that.

“I think you’ll need more than that trick to get you out of messes with Jane.”

“You’re probably right. I guess that means you’ll have to teach me everything you know.”

You’re a bit confused by the statement, but his little smirk becomes easy to read. You actually blush.

“Stop flirting with my sister.”

You bat the air behind you.

“Go away Oliver.” You mutter under your breath.

Wainwright quirks a brow.

“Sorry?”

“N-Nothing. I was just saying that it’ll take more than a few lessons.” You cover. He smiles.

“Then I guess we have our work cut out for us.”

You wear a silly smile that’s definitely very transparent. Wainwright leans over, placing a kiss on your cheek that becomes red the second he pulls away.

“I’ll see you later, Agent.”

You nod, and he stands, buttoning his suit as he walks over to the news anchors that have begun gathering behind the police tape. You admire his gait as he walks away, letting out a content sigh.

“That was hard to watch.” Oliver comments.

“Why are you still here, beat it! We survived and I might get a boyfriend out of this. Life is great, so go and frolic.”

“I don’t frolic.”

“Whatever, just get lost and you better not pop up when I finally bag a date with the guy. I don’t want to have to explain why I’m talking to my invisible celestial brother.”

“If I erase him then you won’t have to worry about it.”

You laugh, because he’s certainly joking. However when you turn his expression is neutral.

“O-Oliver I’m serious if you touch him I’ll kill you this time!”

Even as a higher being he still insisted on making your life hell.

[hannahwatcheshorror]

ABIGAIL (2024)

💁‍♀️Strong Female Lead

This movie mashes up a bunch of fun tropes: the 24 hour trope, the locked house/no way out trope, the hunted becomes the hunter trope, the perfect strangers trope, the empathetic struggling mother as the lead character trope, etc, etc… There are a few things that really stuck out in a bad way to me, but in that same breath there were a few things that really hung on as being great scene additions to the horror genre. 

⭐⭐⭐.5

Y'all, I got a little bit of beef with this movie. The premise of people constantly working for a high powered vampire in an elaborate ruse to fake kidnap his (actually) adult daughter, have her taken to her special meal house, and then let her have her shenanigans? Well, I call shenanigans. That and I felt the way that they used sunlight just seemed too easy, lest we forget the moon is just a big white ball reflecting the sun back to earth, so how come that’s fine? Even human beings with allergies to the sun cannot go out at night or even be in indirect sunlight. Shenanigans number two.

And the final shenanigans before I praise the film, the fact that they impressed upon us that the mansion they were in was random and that it had nothing to do with Abigail or her family. There was so much lore in the house that was just skipped over because they couldn't have just said “this is their summer home.” You find out halfway through the movie it is her house, but by then all the (creeping) creepiness is gone because you already know Abby is a killer queen!

I heard someone describe this film as Scooby Doo meets Clue and while I don't quite see the Clue aspect (because what mystery was there really, other than how far they could/would stretch the plot) I do feel like the Scooby Doo comparison was apt. Only problem is, if anyone was Scooby it was that goofy guy who got ate right away, so… 😿 (just kidding) 

I think the best players in the movie had to be Sammy, Peter, and Abigail herself. Sammy, bless her heart, went through the worst in all this though which brings me to my favorite part of the film: The Body Pool. Sammy somehow crashed through a door and fell into a swimming pool absolutely filled with corpses. The consistency of the “water” that was floating around her and the bodies is… viscous. As a viewer I was acutely aware that the Jamba Juice from that pool got into her mouth which might have been worse than being submerged in so much death. Tasting it. When asked how many people there were in the pool, she just screamed, which was the correct answer. You know she has to absolutely reek for the rest of the film, right? Well it doesn't matter much, because Sammy gets bit by Abby when she tries to save one of the other kidnappers from Abby. And then the puppetry begins.

Sammy and Peter just had a nice friendship moment, so the stage is set for Abigail to turn Sammy and somehow control her mind, make her dance, and then stab Peter to death. Then to add insult to injury Sammy is full on exploded by the sun. No remains. Wild. RIP Sammy, you had it really fucking rough in this one.

We get to the final fight and it turns out Abby isn't as bad as we thought, she's just very old and very short, both things are bound to make you cranky (perhaps enough to kill several dozen folks and put them in your indoor swimming pool, who can say?). Turns out, one of the kidnappers was a bad guy (shocking, a bad kidnapper?). Abs and the Final Girl teamed up to kill Toothy Terry and barely did (girl power!). And then Daddy arrives (yikes) and Abigail can barely get him to not kill Final Girl (“but daddy, we've already named her Final Girl!”)

The ending really made me want justice for Abigail (and Sammy). Abby was clearly a sad and tortured thing who then tortured others. If her father hadn't created her (turned her into a vampire that is) she wouldn't have done this. She wouldn’t have been capable of it. Part of me doubts they could make it a whole movie but I would love to see Abigail fight her father (and win, of course).

PS the “strong female lead” is for Sammy and Abigail.