#i feel like if i stop it'll catch up and paralyze me

[54prowl]

i miss my girl x

[casspurrjoybell-28]

Alpha's Temptation - Chapter 54 - Part 2

*Warning Adult Content*

Flashbacks of the midnight escapades of Daemon and I through that window flood through my mind all at once.

And the fact that he's the only one I've ever known to be able to scale a two story house in seconds.

"Don't be silly, you're going to hurt yourselves," I plead.

"I'm sorry, Ash," Wren replies solemnly before suddenly shifting.

His small black wolf bounds out the window, Lylah follows suit and her red one leaps out after him.

I run to the sill, looking down to see them scrambling down the roof tiles.

Their wolf forms give them an advantage, only struggling a bit over the edge before they find their way to the ground.

My limbs start to shake, apprehension and anxiety flooding through me.

They could get hurt, something in my gut just tells me they could, that they will.

Without thinking anymore, I brace myself to shift, wincing as my bones crack and my clothes tear off.

Once it's over, I grab one of Daemon's huge shirts in my jaw.

Then I scramble past the window sill, skittering down the roof as my claws painfully catch on the tiles.

Whining in pain, I get to the edge and leap down to the next one, going as fast as I can.

I end up a heap in the bushes, moaning in pain as the sharp twigs irritate me through my fur.

Moon Goddess, I'm glad I'm alone because that was embarrassing.

Catching my breath for a second, I scoop up the shirt in my mouth from where it fell and sprint after the scent of my friends.

I'm exhausted almost immediately, each step agony and I regret not working out with Daemon more.

My hikes have not cut it, endurance wise.

I decide to shift back into human form, quickly pulling on Daemons shirt that is more like a dress on me.

Now that I don't have to traverse rooftops, I prefer to be in the form I'm most comfortable in.

I'm about to sprint past a row of houses when I hear a loud shriek of pain.

Wren.

I bolt in the direction of it, coming across an alleyway.

But when I witness what I find there, I stop dead in my tracks.

The world goes quiet.

All I can hear is the loud thump of my heart as it palpitates frantically, my entire being in shock of the sight, the person, that stands before me.

The person that is the source of all my pain, suffering and scars.

The person I thought I would never have to see again.

The person that Daemon swore to kill because of all that he did to me.

And that very person is here, now, in a place I thought I'd be safe from him, violently yanking one of my best friends by the hair.

Wren's body is naked from having transformed and his legs are bruised and bloody as my stepfather forcefully drags him across the cement.

"I smell that bitch on you. Where is he? Where is Ash Willow?"

Wren only cries, struggling to get away.

"Stop. Stop hurting him," I scream, rushing forward blindly.

The action is effective because he drops Wren like a piece of hot iron.

His eyes gleam with madness and he's on me in an instant, snatching my arm in a crushing grip.

"There you are, you little runt. I've been looking everywhere for you," he snarls, pulling me close to his face, his putrid breath invading my senses.

My eyes water, nausea and terror overcoming me in a painful wave.

This can't be real. How can this be happening?

"Thought you could run from me? Stupid boy. Whoring yourself out to the enemy pack was the best you could do?"

I tremble, my body feeling likes it's been paralyzed.

I can't do this. I can't have him touching me.

It makes my body feel like it'll implode from how horrible it feels.

For a moment, I try to speak but before I can choke out Daemons name he wraps a hand around my neck and presses harshly.

My knees buckle, dizziness hitting my and my vision flickers out.

I can only hear Wren scream my name before I'm lost to the world

********

I feel like I'm dead.

Maybe I am, if my stepfathers found me.

Maybe he's finally done it, buried me in the grave right next to my mothers.

But I become aware of the feeling of being jostled, a regular pattern of feet hitting the ground and I realized I'm slung over the Alpha's shoulder, the blood rushing to my head.

I choke out a strangled cry, immediately attempting to get out of his hold.

I claw at his back, which earns me a hard smack on my behind.

"Disobedient little boy," he scolds harshly.

"L-let me go. Let me go," I scream, panic overwhelming me.

He can't do this.

He can't take me away from the magic of my life now.

Not to go back to that horrid place.

"Not a chance."

"Please. Why are you doing this? Why are you taking me? I thought you wanted me gone from your life."

"So you get to go off and do whatever you want? No, Ash. You are property that I get to decide what happens to. That is how it has always been. How dare you disrespect me the way you have?"

"You tried to kill me," I sob, kicking my feet to no avail.

I can't get away.

Why do alphas have to be so strong?

It's not fair that I am forced to go along with their whims simply because I cannot fight back.

"Don't be dramatic. As an Alpha, I can do whatever I want to a pathetic Omega like you."

Tears of frustration and dread pool in my eyes, blurring my vision.

"I j-just don't understand why you can't let me be."

He scoffs, as if what I'm suggesting is incredulous.

"I deserve something for bothering to raise a useless runt like you. The least you can do is get me some coin once I sell you off. I had Alphas lined up for you, Ash. But like the ungrateful child you are, you didn't appreciate how I kept your chastity safe because they were willing to pay a handsome price for your virginity, your first heat."

I let my lip curl over my canines in anger.

Him and his fucking perverts for friends.

"Those things are gone now. I found my mate and I gave everything to him. I'm spoiled now, worthless to you."

He shakes his head, scorn overtaking his tone.

"I knew the second you got away you'd let any passing dog have a go at you. Dirty boy," he snarls.

"You're the dirty one. You're disgusting," I shout, banging on his back.

I'm so scared.

I'm so disoriented that all I can do is lash out blindly.

I hate him. I hate him so much.

"Here's what's going to happen. You're going to shut that bratty mouth of yours unless you want me to sew it up. And then you're going wait patiently until I sell you off because if you haven't forgotten, I OWN you. And you're not going to say a word about your precious mate and the things you did with him or I'll slit your throat. You should be grateful, really. Some fucker is finally going to give you a bit of worth when he knocks you up."

I vomit.

He shouts in disgust, throwing me to the ground.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

He lands a harsh kick to my stomach and I cry out, sobbing as I dig my hands in the dirt.

He rips off his soiled shirt, throwing it to the ground.

"You nasty mutt. You really have lost all your obedience. Where is the sweet boy I raised?"

"He's dead," I scream, scrambling up and attempting to run but he lunges at me, pushing me to the ground.

I don't have time to react before a blunt force hits the back of my head.

Daemon.

'Daemon.'

[kazoohaa]

Miza, this is great. I adore what you did with a spellbound Rosa in your fantasy AU. IT'S SO GOOD! I can't stop re-reading it. How about another fun headcannon scenario for the team when Rosa takes one for a team member and ends up afflicted with a status effect (burned, paralyzed, poisoned, petrified, etc.)? (I'll leave the particulars of the scenario up to you~)

𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍. tears of themis

— notes. tysm anon !! i'm having lots of fun writing this au ! the fbi agent watching me might turn up at my door after my research about poison for this LMAO

— characters. marius von hagen, luke pearce, artem wing, vyn richter + rosa (reader). slight angst.

metal clashing against each other, footsteps rumbling, arrows whizzing past, fire crackling and the sound of explosions filled the area.

some bandits had tried to use the darkness of the night as a cover for their surprise attack, and their bigger group was now surrounding yours.

you furrowed your brows, getting ready for the battle that would inevitably occur, and you could feel the others preparing their stances, getting ready to strike or defend at any second.

"what are you waiting for!?" one shouts, leading the rest of them to charge forward.

the five of you were already used to this kind of thing; you've come across lots of groups like this, both human and nonhuman, so you were ready for this.

most of the opposing group were quickly taken down within a few minutes. now there were around 3 left standing. they looked at each other and seemed to silently agree that with only them left, they'd never be able to win this fight.

so, as a last-ditch effort before running off into the shadows once more, they threw a glass bottle filled with some unknown liquid. realising its trajectory was heading towards one of your companions, you pushed them aside as you stepped forward in a panic.

making you get the full brunt of it.

"[NAME]!"

you looked down at your clothes which were now soaked in the dark purple liquid.

you felt a tingling sensation, followed by your body going numb. you dropped to your knees, legs not having the strength to hold you up anymore.

what the hell was that weird concoction...?

luke was the first to get to your side, already reaching forward to help you when marius grabbed his wrist. "wait. we don't know what she's covered in. it can potentially hurt us, too."

"but- but she's hurt!" luke reasons.

"i know what it is.." said artem. "that blend has an unmistakable scent and colour to it. it was made with a poisonous plant only found in tacitalle."

"that's a place near aerailin, isn't it? no wonder you'd be familiar with it." marius said.

"well, what do we do?!" luke panics.

"we'll have to treat it as soon as possible." vyn replies.

marius chucks a cloth to luke, who catches it and wipes off the remaining purply water off of you. then they get another cloth and wrap it around you like a cloak. luke picks you up now that you're all covered up, asking artem about the details of what this poison does.

"if i remember correctly, there's 4 parts that one will go through when poisoned by this plant. we've already seen the first: numbness. her magic will probably be affected as well, it'll weaken as time passes. then she'll start vomiting or have trouble breathing. the third stage is the most crucial, because if we don't act by that time, she'll go to the point of no return. the fourth stage is just a slow and painful death.." artem trails off. this clearly doesn't do anything to calm luke down.

"how... long does this take, exactly?"

"it happens over the span of a few days. 3 is the minimum, but others have experienced the stages more spread out, making it around a week or so."

you could feel your eyes getting heavier. it was harder to keep them open as each second passed.

"right, so.. how can we get onee-san the cure?"

"i'm afraid the cure is also only found in tacitalle..."

"isn't that... a whole mooncycle away?!"

[pokedocbedlam]

Hit me with the hurt, Shimmer for the twins

Oh anon, you know how to speak my language~

Alrighty, this one's in the Selkie AU. Warnings for: Blood, self-harm, alluded-to assault, and Emmet having incredibly messy feelings.

---

Ingo's hands tightly clutch Emmet's as he growls, "We're cleaning you up, and then you will adhere to safety precautions and keep your gloves on until further notice. Do I make myself clear?"

Emmet's answer is halfway between a sob and a snarl. "Leave me alone. I am Emmet. I can handle this! It's almost done." Wrapped loosely around him, his white coat grows threadbare where the glitter is being scraped off. The matching patches on Emmet's skin breaks into furious red, he knows it, but it itches. Like those sparkles are stuck under his skin. Ingo should understand, Ingo's the only one who can understand, why won't he let go?

"Emmet, please. I know it hurts, but you're making it worse. You're bleeding."

He knows. But it's only for a little bit. Only until he's sure every shimmer and sparkle, every trace of him has been purged. Then Emmet will heal, he's come back from worse physical wounds before, and everything will be okay. But first he has to make it okay by his own hands.

Ingo tugs him. "Emmet, come on, let's go. Don't make me—"

Make him what? Stop him? How? Bind him, paralyze him, put him to sleep again? Smother him in soft things and treat him with kiddy gloves? Emmet doesn't want it, he doesn't want anyone touching him or treating him like some kind of feral Pokemon, he's more than that he's Emmet he's Emmet he's

Tasting blood.

Oh no.

Emmet startles away, his hands now free and shaking. His eyes are glued to the bubbling, welling red marks his teeth have left in Ingo's skin. Ingo's eyes have gone wide and unfocused.

"Ingo?" Emmet's voice sounds so frail to his own ears. "Ingo, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"No. It's fine. I pushed." Ingo's face hardens into a grimace even as his voice wavers. "I...I am going to clean myself up now."

"I can help—"

"Don't. I...see you need to be alone right now. So I will leave. I'm sorry."

Ingo has never fled from him so quickly. Even when the elder twin had lost his memories back in Hisui, forgot the truth that lurked under his human guise, he'd run to Emmet in monstrous form and ignored the bared fangs. But now Ingo is running. He's as hurt and scared as Emmet is. And whose fault is that?

"I don't want this," Emmet says to an empty room. He sinks. His fingers twitch, and he wants so badly to scratch, to pry this glitter from his skin because it's clearly driving him mad, making him hurt others the way he's hurting. But Ingo said not to, got in harm's way for it. Emmet can't let that be in vain, to have made his own brother bleed for nothing.

Distraction. He needs a distraction. There's got to be...

His eyes catch on the egg. His egg. The first new selkie in thousands of years. From the same source as this itching in his skin and churning in his chest, folding himself inside-out until all that exists is a monstrous parody who draws blood from everyone he loves. His feet carry him toward it and he stares at the opalescent shell, soft gray with tiny brown stripes. It wiggles now and again as it grows closer to hatching.

Is he going to hurt whatever hatches from inside? Can he trust himself not to? Would it be easier to...?

Emmet tries to shake the thoughts of violence out of his hand. No no no! He's Emmet, he's going to be okay, he's just hurt and itching and it's driving him out of his own skull. He scoops up the egg and hugs it tight to prove to it, to himself, that he's still capable of holding something without tearing it apart. He carries it out of the room, out of the house, and he goes back to the water. Always feels better by the water. It'll wash everything clean, even a mess like him.

(Even though he can't bring himself to remove his coat and return to his true Selkie form. That form is more of a monster, enough that he's been hunted his whole life for it, and it didn't even save him from...)

He sits there a long time, feet buried in the sand, waves lapping at his ankles, sun glinting off the glitter still clinging to his coat, arms securely clutching the egg to his chest. He doesn't move when Ingo sits next to him, unnaturally quiet and with fresh bandages wrapped tight around his forearm.

"I am Emmet. I am sorry."

Ingo's breath quivers as he exhales, but his voice is steady again. "I know you didn't mean it."

"That doesn't excuse anything. I hurt you. I hurt myself. I keep hurting everyone and I can't stop." He can't stop staring at the bandages around the wound he left, at the red slowly seeping through. "What if I keep doing this?"

"You won't."

"You don't know that." Ingo doesn't remember the Darkest Day, the damage they did in their frenzy. Ingo doesn't know what Emmet almost did in Hisui, how close he came to wiping that entire village out for daring to hurt his brother. Emmet was called a sword from an early age, because in the end all he knows is battle and how to cut his opponents down. Just look at Ingo, still bleeding from his panic, his teeth.

"Emmet." Ingo's voice cuts through another spiral. Emmet realizes he's shaking, and holding onto this egg is the only thing keeping his sharpened edges at bay. Ingo doesn't reach out with a comforting touch, not after earlier, but he still has his words. "You are Emmet. And right now, your vessel is damaged and uncomfortable. In need of repairs, unfit for passengers, but you're still stuck in it. No one would be okay in such a situation. You...you've been through a lot."

A sob hitches in Emmet's throat and spills from his eyes, hot and stinging like a fresh wound. "I want it all to stop. Ingo, I don't like being like this, but I can't find the brakes and now I keep crashing. Part of me wants to keep crashing. Like I..." Like he deserves it? Like at least the sound and fury feels like he's moving forward, because he's so scared of what will happen if he stands still? Like if he's going down, at least someone will go down with him so he won't be alone?

Something shakes against his chest. The egg, his little one, shell uncracked even in the grips of his storm. It moves like a faint heartbeat, as if to say you won't be alone, you have me and you won't hurt me.

Emmet realizes that is true, a calm in his storm, an anchor he can tether to. Maybe that is enough to believe in.

Emmet's tears shimmer as they return to the sea.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Excited for the event~ (if it'll stop crashing....) Can I get wedding crashers Octatrio, where Yuu had returned to their world, and had mostly forgotten of the events that had happened to them at NRC? Yuu is marrying someone they love and cherish, but that's not going to stop Floyd from trying to bring his beloved Koebi-chan back, with Jade and Azul 100% supporting him / being there for the chaos.

“I object to this wedding...!”

Pre-Wedding Jitters

Twisted Wonderland all seems like a distant dream now.

You have returned home, to your family--and to your loving childhood friend and S/O of several years.

You have grown closer and closer to them ever since you’ve come back, just to catch up on those lost moments of affection. Cuddling, whispering to one another, taking the time for long dates...

You’re so happy to be returning to normalcy, and leave all that happened at Night Raven College behind you. You want to focus on making new memories with your S/O.

Before you know it, a few months have passed.

On one date, set at sunset, you are walking on the beach, holding onto their arm, when they suddenly get on one knee and propose.

Of course, you happily accepted, for this has always been your dream come true--marrying someone whom you love and cherish more than anything in the world.

You decide to have an ocean-themed wedding and to hold it on the beach.

It is a location that holds many precious memories to you and your S/O.The beach is not only where you first met while on a school trip, but also where your proposal had been. Thus, you agreed, the next chapter of your lives together should also begin on the beach.

You have no idea that a storm is brewing back in Twisted Wonderland.

In your absence, Floyd has been moodier than ever, lashing out at the smallest provocation, even from his own twin brother or from Azul.

He has broken so many things, screeched and whined for hours on end.

Floyd refuses to eat or sleep some days, instead choosing to prowl the night and take out his frustrations by beating up any fools that happen to cross his path.

“He’s out of control,” Azul notes, massaging his temples. “We must make amends, and fast...before he gets served with a lawsuit.”

“Indeed,” Jade agrees with a solemn nod. “Well, then. Shall we go hunting for fresh shrimp?”

The Crashing

...So much for a wedding on the beach.

It is storming on your special day, forcing you to direct your wedding staffers into pulling everything inside the nearby hotel lobby you have rented. They’re scrambling to dry things off and rearrange tables and chairs into a makeshift venue.

Your S/O comforts you and reassures you that your wedding will be just as good indoors as it would have been outdoors, kissing your worries away.

It is then that the front doors to the hotel are kicked down and a familiar voice shouts at you.

“KOEBI-CHAAAAN!”

In rushes Floyd, back by a smiling Jade and Azul.

Before you can register what is happening, you feel a body slam hard against you, wrapping you up in long limbs and practically crushing you against a chest that doesn’t belong to your S/O.

“I’ve missed you sooooo much!” Floyd wails, rubbing his cheek against yours. “Ehehehe, but it’s alright! Now that I’ve found you, we can be together again!”

“Um...what?”

“Er, who is this? An uninvited guest?” your S/O asks. They make the mistake of reaching out to untangle you from the eel’s grasp.

Floyd snarls at him, his grip on you tightening as he steps back, taking you with him.

The guests and staffers are staring now, whispering among one another. Floyd glares back at them.

“Sir, that’s my spouse you have in your arms. Kindly return them, or I will have no choice but to call security,” your S/O warns patiently.

“Don’t wanna!” Floyd retorts, pouting. “Koebhi-chan’s mine! Lame ol’ guppies like you should just disappear like sea foam.”

“Excuse me?”

Floyd suddenly shoves you behind him to the floor. You’re in such a daze that you’re paralyzed and forced to watch the chaotic scene unfold.

Floyd has decked your S/O right across the face, giving them a bloody nose.

Then, at Azul’s signal, the twins descend on the wedding, kicking over tables and throwing chairs, destroying decorations and tearing down elaborate dishes. They might have been salvaged from the storm, but none of it was safe from Jade and Floyd.

Guests scramble away in complete and utter horror.

Security arrives, and they tackle the twins--but much to your dismay, Jade and Floyd easily yank them off and lob the burly men into the ruined wedding cake.

Your S/O rushes to help you up and escape while the brothers are preoccupied, only to be blocked by Azul.

“Pardon me,” the octopus says calmly, pointing his magical staff.

A column of water punches your S/O in the gut and sends him flying into a wall. He’s drenched, bloodied, and battered.

Jade kneels down in front of him and kindly directs your S/O to watch as Floyd steals their beloved spouse away. When they struggle to get back up, Jade steps on their leg and digs his heel in, eliciting a yelp of pain.

Floyd has, meanwhile, scooped you up again. He plants a loud, sloppy kiss right on your lips, making sure that your S/O catches a good eyeful.

The Octavinelle trio floods the venue and flee with you, still trapped in Floyd’s crushing embrace.

The Aftermath

The storm seems to have cleared up outside, just like Floyd’s mood.

He’s giggling and laughing now, planting the occasional kiss on your crown, on your cheek--really, anywhere he can get it in.

Azul and Jade nod along to his excitement. They are just happy to see him happy, after all.

You kick and protest, but it seems to fall on deaf ears.

Azul busies himself with summoning a portal to return you to Twisted Wonderland, while Jade clicks his tongue at you.

“It is pointless to resist,” he tells you coldly. “Do make this easier on all of us and simply accept Floyd’s affections.”

“They will learn,” Azul calls over his shoulder. The portal is ready to accept them. “And if not, I can always brew a love potion.”

“It doesn’t matter to me~” Floyd interrupts his dorm leader. “As long as I’ve got Koebi-chan, nothin’ else matters!”

You are hurled back into Twisted Wonderland with the eels and the octopus. Back into a dream--or perhaps a nightmare.

[gothemoccentral]

Thoughts

Pairing: Batman x hero! Reader

Keys: Y/H/N = your hero name

AN) ok so I'm obsessed with Bruce falling for a fellow hero in the justice leauge, specifically in the setting of the watchtower.

Summery: you find out your soulmate is batman; the one man who your sure despises you.

The lunch hall was buzzing with laughter and gossip as you chatted with Dinah, who sat across from you as you both waited for your usual lunch companions to arrive. (It was mainly Ollie, but sometimes it was question when Ollie drags him along, Lord knows the man needs friends)

Your both exchanging looks at the table with wonder woman, green lantern, superman and the dark knight himself.

"He thinks I'm annoying." "No he doesnt." Dinah rolls her eyes, twirling her fork of spaghetti . "He avoids me, and he always critiques me when I'm in the training room. The only time we interact is when he's correcting me." You huff. It's not like you were hurt or anything...

Okay mabey a little. "Well, hes.. curt with everyone." She points out, fork poised for emphases "I know that but.. this just feels different, more personal." The conversation ended as Oliver pulled out his chair, ducking down to kiss Dinahs lips. You look away smiling, but a small part of you wilts. You sometimes wondered if your soulmate would ever love you like that, and your thoughts traveled millions of miles away.

A few days later your called in with a handful of your other teammates led by Batman, a couple of inmates from Bell Reve had escaped and now you were ordered to capture them.

You were running toward Fire, who was fending off killer frost with her green fire, without warning a voice crashed through your mind like a wrecking ball.

We need to bring in backup. Your feet skidded before your body froze in place. You knew that voice. Your breath hitched as your mind put the pieces together, like puzzle pieces snapping together.

"Y/H/N!" Batman called, you didn't see the body falling straight for you. You were still paralyzed from the shock. A shadow fell over you, and a second before it made impact with you Batmans body crashed into yours, knocking you out of the way. You were flat on your back, looking into the white eyes of his cowel.

his chest pressing against yours, his arms around you, just for a moment before he untangled himself from you. "Pay attention!" He snarled with a fury that made your insides quake before springing back into the action. You blinked, before shoving down your feelings and joining the fight.

You traveled to the only place you felt safe crying at the moment, Dinahs room. Ignoring the curious looks of your teammates as you rushed passed, determined to not let them see your bloodshot eyes.

Your bottom lip wobbled as you cried "Dinah." You said, fighting the tears that swam in your eyes. You took a deep breath through your nose. "It happened, I found my-" your voice broke. Her brows pulled together in concern before her eyes widened in realisation. "Oh hon, come inside."

You layed side by side on her bed after you recounted the story, she listened with a sympathetic ear, even at one point given you one of ollies white shirts to go over the black leggings she lent you. You had to get out of your grimy suite. She had let you fall asleep in her bed, exhausted physically and emotionally from the mission. You had showered and brushed out your hair, eaten breakfast out of Dinahs mini fridge, too nervous to go to the lunch hall-afraid of running into him. Dinah had been an angle throughout all this, easily distracting you with personal embarrassing stories and a mariage of tv shows from the 90s. (She was surprisingly a big fan of buffy.)

"It'll all be okay." She promised as you both stared up at the ceiling. "You both will resolve it, and even if you don't, you can always quit." Your eyes widened as you met her eyes "I mean, I would miss seeing you everyday." She ammended. "But the telepathic link only works if your within a few dozen feet of each other, you could always work on the ground, I bet Helena would be thrilled to have you for a partner."

"Helena? Thrilled?" "You know what I mean." She shrugs "You two always fought well together, and she always liked you, even if she didn't show it. She's tricky like that." "I doubt the league would like that." She shrugs "Helenas an heiress, she could pay you." You smiled just slightly, imagining a different version of your life, but you loved your job.

Even though you loved your team, you couldn't help but see the freedom it would give you. The league had limits, and rules, people told you who to protect and where to go. You shake the thought away. "Let's not hire a moving company yet." You say. "I enjoy our lunches together, I'm not going to let one man ruin the life I've built here." Dinah grinned, relieved "good, I really would have missed you."

A sobering knock interrupted your laughter. You both shared a look and you sat up against the headboard, your heart stopped when she opened the door, Batmans intimidating figure looming there. He ignored Dinahs presence, scanning the room and finding you quickly.

"Can we talk?" He asks, voice tense. You hesitated, before nodding, standing from the bed

"Y/N." He starts, before stopping. "What were you thinking freezing up like that? You could have been killed." He said, voice holding more emotion than you anticipated. You crossed your arms over your chest defensively, leaning back against the door. "I wasn't. I was taken by surprise." His jaw clenched, before he sighed, reaching back and pulling back his cowel.

His dark eyes bored into yours and suddenly you felt very exposed. You weren't talking to a mask anymore, you were talking to a person.

your soulmate, apparently.

You absently noticed the tuft of hair that rebelliously curled against his brow. You thought that was cute, before catching yourself. You couldn't help noticing the way his throat bobbed when that thought flashed across your mind. You look away, down the long curve of hallway. "I.. apologise for speaking to you that way." He says. Your eyes shoot to him, but you say nothing. "That's all I wanted to say. I'll see you in debriefing next thursday." He says, pulling his cowel back up over his eyes and retreating down the hall. You gulp, a mixture of feelings threatening to overtake you. You take a deep breath, trying to brush off how much the encounter shook you.

Four months later

You stared into the stars as the watchtower gently turned, adrift in the blackness of space. You cleared your mind and let his consciousness stream into yours, the deep tenour of his mental voice soothing you as he worked through the details of a case.

Nothing big happened at first, little things. But you noticed. The way he would stand just a little bit closer to you when a threat was near, how he always sought your opinion on things of importance, how he would find excuses to patrol in the areas you visited on earth, just in case.

You looked at the green and blue swirling mass that was your home world.

"I dont hate you, you know." He says "quite the opposite." "The opposite would be to feel neutral." You quipped. His lips curled ever so slightly, not taking his eyes off of earth. His smile quickly faded. "I don't mix the mission and my personal life." Your chest felt like it had cracked open. "It always gets messy." You nodded, jaw clenched determined to not let him see your hurt. He turns toward you, and you can see his deep frown from your blurred peripheral vision. "I don't know what to do." He confesses, head titled down. "This isn't just about me anymore." You stared at his chest. He took a deep breath, as if stealing himself. "I'm not saying no forever, I'm just asking for you to wait." "For how long?" The words tumbled out of your mouth. "I don't know." He says. You gulp. "The last thing I would want to do is hurt you." Too late.

You thought harshly, your stomach twisted when he flinched ever so slightly. "Sorry." You say, aching at the brief flash of pain that flashed over his features. You step closer and intertwined your hands with his gloved ones. He didn't fight you. "I can't guarantee anything." He warns. And a his mental voice bounced through your mind for just a second before he shut his mind up tight again. I'm already too lost in you too turn back now.

His thought takes your breath away, but you pretend not to hear it. "Okay." You say. "Just stay with me here right now." He nodded and you look back to the stars as he gazed at you.

[sunnykeysmash]

S14's theme of Trust: How Global Warming reaffirms the Macden meta we already know

Or, a half reworked set of discussions from my Twitter about the underlying themes of FAITH/TRUST and CHANGE present in this season. Particularly between macden because I don't give a damn for the rest. Sidenote: my twitter thread about trust that takes up half of this post was actually written BEFORE GW came out, and despite that it got reinforced thanks to GW meta.

I apologize in advance if the reading isn't as fluid as it could be, it's hard to order the threads in a single cohesive explanation but I still tried my best. Plus, english isn't my first language.

This post contains speculation that links to my previous meta posts, tagged under "iasip meta". That's where I discuss the theme of change more in detail, not here. They're a little outdated in terms of episode prediction but the meta analysis in them holds up and was reinforced in GW.

The bible = Trust/Faith

So, how does faith/trust get in the way of their relationship? Who has it, who doesn't?

Let's address it. This might be long but bear with me I guess. First we need to address what broke their trust.

North Dakota

(aka the element that broke the link of trust between macden for good, from which they are still trying to recover; and how we got there; their shift in dynamic because of it and how it's a vicious cycle that feeds itself until a breaking point, with no possibility for rational discussion. "How Mac will reject Dennis as a final test to restore their trust")

Part 1: how it affected Dennis

It is my understanding that dennis has been left profoundly scarred by how his decision to leave to north dakota went and he has been blaming the gang for failing to stop him from leaving, and especially blaming Mac. Which lead to the events in Chokes.

Where he felt frustrated at Mac for doing everything Dennis says and never going against him. He's constantly pushing him and being abrasive because he wishes for him to snap and act on his own volition.

Because aside from feeling like he can't trust anyone, and like no one in the gang cares for him, he most of all feels like he can't trust himself. He has been scarred by the consequences of his own actions, and doesn't know what else he might do that could have a similar effect.

Of course a person who can't really trust himself would feel paralyzed, they would not act or do anything. Which is why we are moving away from that, slowly. We need to have this progression in order for Dennis to Realize anything at all.

So Chokes as an episode is sort of a milestone, it runs really deep in multiple overarching events and developments. It's not just fixing macden's dynamic, it's beginning to fix a core problem that stops dennis from reaching macden and that has been prominent at least ever since Tends Bar.

It's something that has been going on in the background for a while, that is touched upon sometimes. Dennis desperately wants the gang to care about him.

So when he is surprised by the RPG on the day that for him is most emblematic of the gang not caring, I think it hit deeper than what we're assuming. His feelings were challenged.

DDL is a result of many things. On the surface it's him wanting to be a dad for his child the way Frank never could for him. I think it was also a test though. If they truly cared, they would stop him. They wouldn't want him to go away.

Now. They don't. That stings. Then things possibly go south in North Dakota. That also stings. It's easy to mentally connect the two and realize the hurt he's experiencing. "If they had stopped me, none of this would've happened" I assume is the correlation he made mentally.

So then he probably thought about Mac, and the gesture he made. He thought that meant something, but then him, like the rest of the gang, did nothing. So he's even more angry at him. "For a moment I really thought he cared, why wouldn't he do something?" Betrayal.

So that to me explains why he's been acting like shit towards Mac. And he's been slowly trying to work through his feelings on the matter, as S13 sorta showed initially, with him not wanting to address it at all for a while, and when he tried again no one cared. He's been trying.

I wonder if it's a possibility that, as we reach the resolution to this circumstance, he will try to bring it up again. I wouldn't count on it necessarily, but character wise it would simply make sense. If he's getting over the problem, he's leaving ND behind. He should, I mean.

Part 2: how it affected Mac

But this isn't just a circumstance that hinders Dennis, it has deeply afflicted Mac too, in a way that is just as personal. "No matter what I do for a person, they can still choose to leave me", it is no wonder to see that side of him exacerbated, then.

Before ND, Mac trusted Dennis' words, enough to let him leave if he said he wanted to, even if it hurt. Before ND, Dennis trusted that Mac would always "be there to catch him if he faltered", that he cared, especially after the RPG moment.

These were true. They could always count on each other, trust each other. ND changed everything, and altered their dynamic in a way that we are still feeling, and still trying to remedy. That Mac and Den especially are still desperately trying to remedy.

They /want/ to go back to their codependent dynamic, they /need/ to. But the way they are desperately trying to is only making things worse and worse, and it's a terrible cycle.

[ The more Dennis rejects Mac in hope that Mac will finally go against him, the more Mac is desperately trying to appease Dennis so that he won't leave him, the more Dennis is annoyed and dissatisfied of Mac's submissive behavior and becomes more abrasive in return. ]

Which is why I think discussing that event is a necessity in order for macden to even happen at all. They theoretically need a face to face conversation to resolve these core insecurities that are getting in the way of their friendship (and possibly more).

It doesn't have to be a romantic thing either, it is just necessary for this conflict to be addressed in order for their dynamic to go back to normal. But that can't happen without a breaking point. We know them enough to assume that they're not gonna just discuss it rationally. It would be the correct way to handle the situation, but they're not like that.

Whether everything resolves positively (as in, their dynamic finally shifting back to before ND) depends on how much they want to stay together and what they are willing to sacrifice or compromise for it. Whether certain grievances can be stronger than their bond itself (and I'm pretty sure they can't, or mac and den would've parted already, long ago).

Mac's internal conflict is likely what will make it so that we have to wait a year. If it just isn't resolved, then he would want proof that Dennis isn't /just saying/ stuff. Den might assure him that he isn't but is that enough for Mac?

How do you resolve a conflict that is basically just a huge almost debilitating fear of abandonment and mistrust of the other person's words? In what way can you possibly prove it wrong?

We know Mac loves Dennis, of course he does. But does he trust Dennis? The way he has been behaving towards him tells me otherwise. He doesn't stand up to him.

Not only that but, more specifically, he's always "interpreting" everything Dennis says, you can see it in Texts for example. He knows den never means what he says, and always has an ulterior motive or hidden meaning. He doesn't take den's rejections at heart too much because he knows they're fake.

So now imagine Dennis has a change of heart. Now he goes to Mac, and he tells him Exactly How He Truly Feels. Knowing the way Mac is used to interpreting Dennis, I don't think he'd believe him. He'd want to, but he probably couldn't.

And I don't think Mac even realizes this lack of trust at all. I think it's gonna hit him exactly as it's happening. He might feel happy at first, then be confused at his sense of uneasiness like he's been used and lied to, like Dennis is saying it to manipulate him.

But that's just for words. Physically speaking, I think Mac is very much aware that Dennis has no intention of ever leaving again, nor can he really. That's how it seemed to be in tggr at least.

The abandonment Mac is afraid of is purely emotional at this point with Dennis. It doesn't need to be a "what if he moves out". More of a "what if he doesn't like me anymore and is using me".

So anyway, about the cycle I mentioned earlier.

This feels like a build up. They can't go on like this forever, they will reach a breaking point. I don't expect them to have an honest and open and calm confrontation and solve their differences before a huge snap of both of them happens, I expect the snap.

You know, either Dennis gets too abrasive and Mac finally "snaps out of him", or Mac gets too submissive and Dennis grows tired of him.

However thanks to Chokes and now Global Warming, we can safely predict it'll be the first one. Chokes set us on a path of Mac making his own decisions, which thanks to GW we know will backfire.

They'll fight, Dennis will be overwhelmed by it as Mac ""leaves"", more on that later, first let me finish my discussion on trust.

I find it suspicious how all the episodes with a semblance of resolution that we have had so far only seemed to fix Dennis' conflicts with Macden. We have failed to address Mac's lack of trust in Dennis' words, even in Texts I think. Especially in Texts.

In Texts it wasn't communication that solved the problem, it was an act, a stare. And we only ever heard Dennis' side of it. Mac at this point already believes that Dennis likes him, so there was nothing new for him to discover at the end.

If anything, it reinforced his belief that Dennis says the opposite of what he thinks, that he isn't honest. Because despite how he's been acting all day, he still saw affection in his eyes, I assume.

But Mac has already always paid attention to what Dennis "really meant", I mean, he does it throughout Texts, thought in the wrong way because it was still through text (miscommunication) and he didn't like to consider the alternative.

I put "really meant" in quotations because Dennis doesn't really work like that. Sure a lot of times Dennis doesn't say what he really means so of course Mac would start interpreting him like that, but there are still many times when he's actually honest. This is just Mac's black and white way of seeing den.

Anyway.

As a result of not feeling heard, Dennis actually developed a heavier and more frequent use of sarcasm. Because if people won't do what he says, then maybe if he says the opposite they'll listen to him. It's a reflex born out of frustration.

Back to the "trust" thing now, because see, all this time Dennis has been acting under the underlying assumption that Mac will choose Him every time. Mac doesn't have this assumption, he has been acting to Prevent Dennis from NOT choosing him.

It's gonna be really interesting, if this turns out to be correct, to see the tables be turned and find out that Dennis was the one with faith. We are used to see Mac believe have it, in god and in their relationship, but ultimately it's Dennis that is trusting Mac to make the right decisions. Which includes choosing Dennis every time.

That's a bigass trust to have for someone who says they have no faith. In contrast to that, what faith has Mac put in Dennis? None that I can think of, he actively does stuff that will please dennis, so far.

"leaving"/"rejecting" Dennis in the finale would constitute, again, Mac's faith in Dennis. He would be choosing something that goes right against everything Dennis wants, having faith that this won't mean they grow apart, and maybe even trusting that it's what Dennis actually needs. And it's what Mac would need as well, as proof that Dennis is serious. Because if he doesn't change his mind, then he is. And you can finally see how the whole season has been constructed as a way to move away from the ND conflict in order to fix their dynamic and broken trust in order to make macdennis work.

This calls back to my meta reading for the first half of the season. Again. This is old stuff. But still accurate.

Some snippets.

I now have a more detailed speculation on how Jumper will go which is no longer the one I had in that meta post, but I will spare you the useless talk and get back to my point. Maybe save that for another post. All I need to say here is that Dennis will be adamant that the answer is SHOULD WE: NO, Mac will want to prove him wrong but Dennis will be proven right, subsequently starting the path for Mac's change of outlook. And what will make him say "no"(t yet) even once Dennis believes they should. Boom, karma.

ANYWAY.

Dennis knows he can depend on Mac or at least he's learning so, Mac isn't sure if he can do the same.

As the two bicker over who had trust in who, and who broke the other's trust, it'll come to the surface, through text, that the roles have shifted. Dennis was trusting Mac all along, Mac wasn't.

Which is why Mac deciding for himself, deciding something that goes against Dennis, saying "no", is the biggest leap of faith Mac can take, the thing that would show us that yes, finally, Mac believes Dennis will still choose him.

TGGR's final part of macden's plot itself shows us Mac accepting Dennis' cynical point of view and losing faith. "I guess we're not gonna get that romantic comedy ending after all". But that is not the note the episode ends with.

Right as Mac accepts that it's not happening, we see Charlie and Frank's ending part of their plot. They're reaching back, they have a new realization. Nikki says that they feel the same way, but they still say no for the time being.

How does this all link to Global Warming, finally?

The Global Warming meta

The jump, the realization, the acceptance, in all the meta I have analyzed in the episodes, it all comes AFTER the explosion, the rejection. First things explode and Mac "leaves", THEN Dennis is overwhelmed and changes his mind, reevaluates. Think of the Nikki&Alexi and Charlie&Frank plot as a frame of reference for this. Think of Chokes also, first Mac says "No", then Dennis is satisfied.

NOW, Global Warming macdennis meta, at its most basic, goes as follows:

Dennis thought what he liked was the sexy girls dancing, then they revolted against him and literally overpowered him, and in the aftermath he has a new outlook on the japanese guys that he once disliked. At the same time as this happens, Mac isn't there to help him.

At the same time, we always see Dennis trying to rationalize his way out of conflicts, and it never working, not with Mac, not with the people in the bar.

Basically, we reach a breaking point in the conflict, and Dennis is overwhelmed by it, Mac doesn't help him in GW, he "leaves", I imagine this symbolizing that Mac finally agreeing with Dennis in the actual final conflict would feel to Den like Mac is "giving up on them". Dennis took Mac choosing him for granted, and he now learns how much trust he had in Mac despite saying otherwise (Chokes) and how much it meant to him. Dennis comes out of it changed.

They both do.

This, as I posted about previously, is all part of "God's plan". Dennis gave Mac back his "free will" in Chokes so that Mac's harsh final decisions could ultimately aid their relationship and trust.

We need Mac to turn Dennis down for the time being AND for Dennis to not change his mind during the wait, for the trust to be restored for both of them. To remedy North Dakota once and for all, and move into the macdennis territory. In a year, aka next season.

So finally, we can see how TGGR, Chokes, Texts and now GW all work together as milestones that set us in that direction.