#if malcolm doesn't DIE i will kill people

[wrinkleintime]

enterprise text posts: featuring trip (and friends) in Situations

[webcamnibal]

My Sweet Saintess | Hannibal Lecter

sincerely yours, @webcamnibal

Summary: Hannibal Lecter and his pretend daughter. Saintess "Mischa" Ivanova.

Warnings: Sensitive Topics, Obsession, Infatuation, Child Neglection. Not proofread.

Hannah Dodd | Partially inspired by Flowers in the Attic: The Origin.

────────────

"Oh Sweet Saintess, my sweet little angel. You were my salvation from all of this darkness."

Saintess Ivanova was left abandoned by her parents. At least that was said to her. He seemed to know everything about her. In fact she trusted him with her life. But then again, the truth is very different from what she was told.

She only knew he cared for her and wanted her happiness. That much she understood. After all, how could such a man who looked like a Greek statue do any kind of harm to her?

Saintess' parents were former aquaintance with the Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal grew infatuation with Honesty Hawthorne, Saintess' mother. It was the first time Hannibal felt something for someone and it made him feel alive.

Hannibal and Honesty were inseparable since childhood. They knew everything about eachothers darkest and deepest secret. Even though neither one really liked eachother in the beginning. It was a friendship forged through hardship, pain, and suffering.

Honesty knew about Mischa and after learning how they treated the two of them, Hannibal vowed to protect Honesty after what happened to her sister.

Honesty will never leave Hannibal, no matter how hard it may be for her to endure. Because she knows Hannibal is her saving grace.

She would rather die than betray his trust. Hannibal saved her from those evil men, preventing what happened to Mischa from happen to her.

Honesty simply owes Hannibal her life. "Why did you save me?" She asked while looking at him with hopeful eyes.

Young Hannibal looked at her and smiled softly, "Because... I care about you."

Then Malcolm Ivanova, a Handsome Russian man met Honesty Hawthorne.

They have been together ever since. Hannibal on the other hand kept his promise and took good care of Honesty. He also helped her find herself and helped her build her self up. Honesty loved Malcolm, which Hannibal couldn't care less.

Two years has passed, Malcolm proposed to Honesty and she accepted him gladly. The newlyweds then moved to Moscow, Russia while Honesty is expecting a child of their own. A beautiful baby girl.

The little girl has beautiful long blonde hair. She looked just like Honesty, Hannibal thought. Honesty Ivanova named her Saintess as she looks like a saint, an angel dropped from heaven.

When Saintess was a year old, Hannibal started taking care of her. He wanted her to be spoiled and loveable like she is his own daughter. And so he became an angel himself by spoiling her rotten. He loved it. The way she smiles and laugh. The way her eyes sparkle when she sees Hannibal, like she can see straight through to the soul of him. It made him feel whole inside.

She looks so much more like Honesty as she reached 2 years old. He had to remind himself that everytime he sees her. He couldn't let himself get too attached.

Of course, Hannibal's hidden dirty tactics didn't stop. He killed and consumed people. Sometimes innocently and sometimes intentionally.

The Man-eater is what he was known throughout Russia. Occasionally, as the Deathstroke and the Walking Death Plague.

It amuses Hannibal how some people called him names such as Deathbringer and Vile Ghost. He doesn't care. He want those words to come out of their mouths anyway. It only made him feel better.

People are only scared of things they cannot control. Like death.

───────────────────

It was December 25th, the snow was piling up outside. While Hannibal just came back from a killing spree. Some stupid woman tried to cross his path. Of course, he didn't waste any effort to kill. Her throat opened up like a gaping black hole and died screaming without a voice box.

Hannibal prepared dinner consisting of his recent kill and planned to give Honesty's family. When he saw a familiar figure standing in front of the door of the dining hall. His little angel princess.

Little Sweet Saintess stood there looking around and admiring the place before she spotted him. With a big smile, Saintess waved happily at him. Hannibal waved back as he walked over to her. He kneeled down in front of her. She still wore her red hat, scarf, and jacket as the temperature outside was below zero.

Hannibal caressed her cheek as he dusted snow off her clothes, "What brings you here my Sweet Saintess?"

"My papa dropped me off here, silly papa," she giggled cutely, causing Hannibal to grin. Hannibal knew Honesty and Malcolm are arguing right now, but he couldn't care less once again.

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "How can your papa leave you here, hm? Did the maidservant somewhat assist you?" Hannibal asked concerned.

"Yep! Dear papa said I'm going to sleep here for the entire night, with you! " She pouted cutely.

"In any chance did you forget that It's your birthday today?" Hannibal asked. "I did!" She exclaimed loudly. "I forgot!"

"Don't worry sweetheart. We'll make sure to celebrate with your favorite, chocolate cake," Hannibal reassured.

"Really?" Saintess asked hopefully. Hannib knew how much she loves sweets. Especially chocolate cake.

Hannibal nodded, "Of course we will. Let us go eat dinner, I have made your favorite."

Hannibal stood up and grabbed Saintess' hand. He led her into the dining hall and sat her on her chair. "You wait here my Little Saintess." Hannibal said before leaving.

The young girl nodded and smiled brightly at him. She loves him so much and he loves her too.

"С Днем рожденья тебя! с днём рождения, с днём рождения, с днём рождения тебя!" Hannibal sang as he placed four candles into the cake.

"You're old man," Saintess muttered randomly. Hannibal chuckled and ignored her, "I'm only two years older than your mother, Saintess."

"Mhm," she said, not believing it. "Mama said she is this number..." She trailed off. Saintess raised her hands into the numbers two. "And you think she's old?" Hannibal asked mockingly, amused of their conversation.

"Well yes! She's pretty old!" Saintess replied. Hannibal chuckled, "She certainly is, darling."

──────────── 3 weeks later

Honesty decided to visit Hannibal without him knowing. The castle was deserted and dark. "Hello?" she called out in a quiet voice. No answer. She sighed and began walking towards the stairs, which led directly to the second floor where it felt more like home.

That is until Honesty began to smell a faint smell of rotting flesh coming from the basement.

"You could have turned a blind eye, Honesty." Hannibal said. "After what you've done to my husband?! It was you!!" Honesty shouted angrily.

Hannibal laughed maniacally. "With what he has done with Saintess? Your little angel? He abused and neglected her. I did what must be done."

"What must be done? Killing him? Feeding his remains to my daughter and I? Is that what you mean?" She shouted back.

The look in Hannibal's face showed that he was enjoying Honesty's reaction. Hannibal didn't speak. Instead, he slowly raised his left arm to reveal a knife in his palm.

"That's enough of your nonsense. You don't need to continue talking." He said coldly. Hannibal approached Honesty slowly as he plunged the knife into her heart and stomach as much as she tried to get away.

Honesty cried out as blood gushed out of the wound.

"Do you know why I saved you? Why I protected you from those men who tried to hurt you alongside my sister? Because you remind me of her..." Hannibal whispered gently as he placed his finger underneath her chin and tilt her head up to face him.

"You remind me of my sweet sister Mischa and now my sweet Saintess reminds me of her. Now, rest."

Part 2?

[theevilmaninyourcomputer]

A soft critique of Luigi Mangione:

We have to keep in mind that this ties into a much larger conversation about the morality of gun violence.

 Been thinking about the weaponization of non-violent protest. We're taught that Gandhi, Mandela, MLK, etc. are the heroes, whereas people like Malcolm X are dangerous, insurgent threats to public safety. And the 'peaceful' revolutionaries DID enact change, but their ideologies are being manipulated. When we're told that the solution to systemic injustice is 'non-violent protest,' the outcome is complacency. Empty picket signs, and inaction.

But vigilante justice is really, really dangerous, and it's been popularized by this image of the 'gun slinger,' the lone rider who is subservient to no one, but whose moral compass is unfailingly and unequivocally correct. This is ESPECIALLY exacerbated by the whole, idk, FIREARM PROLIFERATION THING !!! We need legal safeguards, if we don't have legal safeguards, innocent people get hurt. Even though, in this case, everyone can generally agree that Brian Thompson 'deserved' what happened to him. For what that's worth. Thompson was a figurehead, and this assassination is HOPEFULLY the catalyst for something larger.

It's easy to praise Mangione for what he did because it was 'good', but then you have to consider where assassinations slot into the larger discussion of vigilante violence. It's messy. Think about ‘stand your ground’ laws, wherein a person can shoot someone based simply on the feeling that they are at risk even if walking away and avoiding the confrontation is a reasonable alternative. These laws effectively legalize lynchings. There was this one case, Ahmaud Arbery, who was a black jogger who was shot and killed by three men on conviction of having robbed a store. Obviously, that's fucking morally reprehensible. And it furthers my point. There isn't a lot separating Ahmaud's shooter from Mangione, legally. Just that we FEEL like one was deserved, while the other was unjust.

As a note, violence doesn't immediately cease to be vigilante violence when it's systemic. Take police brutality, for example. Cops kill on conviction, and exist as arbiters of the law. They are bound only to themselves, and so, they are unbound. They are the law, and so exist above it.

I brought this up to a friend, and they responded, "would you punish someone for killing Hitler?"

Can killing on conviction be righteous? Can violence be moral? Who are we to decide that Mangione is innocent?

School shooters decide who deserves to die. Mangione decided that Thompson deserved to die. Again, I'm not saying that Mangione was wrong, just that TikTokers flagrantly echoing 'free Mangione' is a little unsettling. I want people to understand the breadth of this situation, because non-violence CAN TURN INTO complacency, that's true. And sometimes, violence is absolutely necessary. But not in every circumstance.

I saw this comment under an Instagram post, and it really speaks for itself.

That's the problem. In this instance, I think it was really, really effective. I'm not anti violent protest. But, we're so detached from reality and chronically online we say things like "our generation is so unserious 🤣🤣🤣" and in doing so, we squash movements before they actually get off the ground.

Furthermore, the response to this reminds me a LOT of the Jeffery Dahmer fandom, the people who disregard the incredibly fucked up things he did because he was attractive. I'm not equating the two, but we need to have these conversations. It's dangerous if we don't. What if Luigi Mangione hadn't been a hot white man? What if he'd been black? What if he'd been middle eastern? Would the response be the same?

I'll spell this out - the answer is NO.

I'm SICK of performative TikTok liberalism. So help me God, we're not going to do performative activism. We're not going to write fanfiction about the shooter. We're not going to aestheticize this assassination to the point of ineffection. We're going to strike fucking terror into the hearts of the 1%. We're going to incite legitimate change. And we're not going to let this live and die when the current cycle of memes dwindles out.

I hope insurance CEOs everywhere are fearing for their wellbeing right now. God knows, so many Americans have been for so long. 

[wesdoesliterallynothing]

Malcolm Bright, a man desperately pursuing his own destruction merely because he was born

Tw: Needle, Suicide, Grooming and Prodigal Son Spoilers (and it's related triggers)

Malcolm Bright kneeling himself in front of a serial killer who is mimicking his father, the man who tried to groom him into a being just like him, haunting him even after ten years of no contact, and offering himself to be killed. Malcolm Bright, kneeling in front of a serial, confessing his parentage in front of someone who has so far had an untainted opinion of him.

The moment he admits to being The Surgeon's son, Martin's son, how it hurts him to say.

Malcolm Bright, hoping to kill two birds with one stone, get rid of himself, ending all the torment at the hands of the closest thing to his father, and saving a life while doing it. Holding a needle to his wrist, all but begging this killer to kill him instead.

His disappointment is palpable, so very clear when he isn't killed, painfully, excruciatingly. The serum had been perfected, the most painful way to die, and Malcolm was on his knees for it. And Gil saw it, Gil knew, seeing that face. How many times had Gil seen that face? How many times had Malcolm tried something similar? How many times had he felt that same fear? Gil has known Malcolm for 20 years, through the worst times in his life, how many times had he seen Malcolm like this?

Malcolm Bright is one of the most self-destructive characters I have ever seen, from moments like these where he intentionally puts his life in danger, hoping for a moment where it ends, disappointed when it doesn't end with him dead. To moments where he sabotages his own relationships, pushing people away, lying and making himself out to be this horrible burden to everyone, to be this danger to be around.

Malcolm Bright has always been afraid of himself, of being what his father tried to groom him into, so deeply into that belief that his father succeeded and that he’s such a terrible person, merely for existing, for being the son of the surgeon. Malcolm is fully under the belief that he deserves pain and even death for what his father did, he’s so afraid of hurting people, of being like his father. Everything he does is penance of being alive, hoping to make up for the risk of him still being around. He’s so scared, even of death itself. Malcolm, generally speaking, tends to be passively suicidal, having shown fear of death and being hurt, but it’s moments like these that you really see how far he’s willing to go to keep everyone else safe, and how deeply this fear goes. How ready he is to lay down his life.  But that's just my two cents

[ploppythespaceship]

Arrowverse - 2014-2015 Season

I am now officially alternating between multiple shows at once. Let the chaos begin.

This post will cover:

Arrow - Season 3

The Flash - Season 1

Crossover Event - Flash vs. Arrow

Arrow - Season 3

Wow. This season is a hot mess.

Right off the bat, the decision to fridge Sara is infuriating. She's a great character and deserves better to be unceremoniously killed off. (I know she comes back and is a part of Legends of Tomorrow, but that's besides that point for this season.)

The rest of the arc is absolute nonsense. Malcolm's motivations make no sense. Ra's is even worse, and undermines himself constantly by simply doing something stupid. Not to mention him being woefully miscast -- a White Australian guy in the part is certainly a Choice -- and the fact that everyone flip-flops on how to pronounce his name.

The pacing of this season is also pretty bad. It feels like we spend just a little bit too long on every individual part. Things clearly happen just to fill some runtime and stretch out the tension. Then the finale rushes through everything at a breakneck pace. It all just feels off.

But hands down the worst part of this season is how none of the characters have learned a damn thing about keeping secrets from each other. I recognize that this is a theme, that it's meant to be part of people's character arcs, but that doesn't change how infuriating it is to watch. The show has become an endless cycle of characters keeping secrets, dealing with the fallout when the secret is revealed, resolving not to keep secrets anymore, then immediately deciding that actually they're gonna keep secrets. It's agonizing.

Also, Laurel is awful. She is the worst character on this show by far. She doesn't listen to anyone, she makes objectively stupid decisions against everyone's advice, she never learns a single thing... I have to wonder when the writers will just cut their losses and write her out altogether. She fundamentally is not working.

Roy also feels like an afterthought, like he always has. But this season gave him a little more to do and wrote him out in a satisfying way, so I can't complain as much.

Meanwhile, the flashbacks in this season are really strange. It feels like they need to one-up what Oliver was doing during his five years, even if it doesn't really make sense. Waller has no real reason to recruit Oliver, and the whole plot isn't terribly engaging -- especially when the non-flashback scenes reveal everything important that happened already. We know the Alpha/Omega is going to be released, we know Akio is going to die, we know Maseo is going to abandon Tatsu, but the show still acts like these are huge revelations.

Despite my many complaints, there are still some things here that work. The primary one being Ray Palmer. God, what a breath of fresh air he is. Brandon Routh is so charming and contrasts so well with the other characters. He isn't meshed with the rest of the season well, at all, but he's so fun that I don't really care.

Overall, the season wasn't unwatchable by any means, but it was easily the worst of the show so far. And it doesn't help that I'm watching it alongside its sister show that's doing everything better.

The Flash - Season 1

(Full confession, this is not my first time watching this season. But I'd forgotten a lot.)

This show hit the ground running -- pun absolutely intended. Everything here just works. Every single member of the cast is phenomenal, and the characters have excellent chemistry. They seem to have learned from Arrow and set up a clear Team Flash from the get-go, with each character having a clear role in that dynamic.

The show also has a much lighter tone than Arrow, which I feel suits the story more naturally. It doesn't go to dark places nearly as often. The show settles into an easy formula that's just nice to settle into.

The Flash also does something I adore, which is emphasizing strong platonic relationships. Barry and Joe's father/son dynamic is everything to me. Cisco and Caitlin have a great friendship, as do Caitlin and Barry. And I truly appreciate that for 90% of the season, Barry and Iris are mature adults despite Barry's feelings for her. Barry doesn't try to get between her and Eddie (apart from one instance that was a misunderstanding) -- he values her friendship over everything else and prioritizes that.

If this season has one flaw, I think it played its hand with Wells way, way too early. They reveal that something's up with him in the first episode, reveal that he's the Reverse-Flash in the mid-season finale, and have the rest of the cast catch onto this a few episodes later. I think they robbed themselves of a truly spectacular twist moment, where the penny drops and everyone realizes they've been played. It makes the end of the season lose a lot of its punch as a result.

But overall, it's still an excellent first season, and I completely understand why The Flash sort of took over as the Arrowverse's flagship.

Crossover - Flash vs. Arrow

The pattern of crossovers is made pretty clear -- some light overlap, where they will reference or lightly feature characters from the other show, plus one big crossover event multi-parter that requires tuning in to both shows for that week. It's simple, but works fairly well... for the most part. The crossovers don't actually line up perfectly and require you to rearrange events in your head. In fact, Oliver's appearance on The Flash's penultimate episode implies that at some point he slipped away from Ra's al Ghul's tight watch, not to speak with his friends and inform him of his plans, but to beat up Harrison Wells as a favor for Barry. And that's hilarious, honestly.

The actual crossover is solid. It's very clear that Barry was set up to contrast Oliver, and these episodes work with that excellently. Their styles and personalities clash in all the right ways, making for excellent drama and letting them learn from one another.

They also manage to use the different tones of the two shows to great effect, emphasizing the contrast and how the two cities shape each of the heroes' styles. It's exactly what a good crossover should be, really.

[luwe21]

Favorite Sibling Ships.

This post includes Spoilers for the MCU and Umbrella Academy! Read at your own risk. This is very long, sorry.

Wilkercest. (Malcolm/Reese, Malcolm in the Middle)

I really enjoy the dynamics between the unlike siblings and I just like the teasing and pranking. Also Reese is kinda "innocent" despite being older. He has no experience with anyone because of his childish behavior.

Thorki (Thor/Loki, MCU)

They perfectly embody the two sides of a coin trope and the sunshine/darkness dynamic. Also Himbo/Nerd, Golden Retreiver/Black Cat. So many to love with so many feelings. The sun will shine on us again. I shipped Lokius for a while as the show came out but went back to Thorki after the hype stopped. I shipped Thor with Star Lord too for a while.

I am hopeful to see Thor and Loki interact again. Now that the multiverse is open. Hope is the last thing to die.

Moonsytem (Marc/Steven (Moonknight) Is this Incest? Please educate me. Or direct me to information about that.

Next is a fandom with complicated family dynamics, even more so than Thorki: Umbrella Academy aka The Hargreeves. They are 7 children out of forty-three, all born in the 12th hour of the first day of October 1989 to mothers with no previous signs of pregnancy. They were all brought here by Sir Reginal Hargreeves and live together at the Academy. They all have different superpowers and were trained to be superheroes until the public lost interest.

My ships is Fiego (Diego/Five)

This is where Himbo/Nerd comes in. Five is also old, but has a very young body. He's supposed to be in a 12-year-old body (the show doesn't really care about the age of the actor, but he's actually a minor for part of the show, he's 20 now), and his actual age in the show is well over 60. Diego is maybe 29-36. Can't really pinpoint because of a lot of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff. The show is fun (last season was terrible), but there is not much explanation. Watch the show to get the full context.

Well, Five is a bastard to everyone, but he has a big soft spot for all his siblings and is very protective. He is a trained assassin, leader of the Commission (Time Protection Service) and 100% deadly. He accidentally left the family when he was 12, he can blip through time and has spent about 60 years trying to get back to them and save them from several apocalypses. He actually saw them die and was stuck in an apocalypse as a lone survivor. He had a relationship with a mannequin. He is often classified by fans as asexual and/or aromantic. He is tired and an old guy who desperately wants to rest for five minutes.

Diego is well Diego. He is hot as hell and a hero type. His superpower is the power to manipulate thrown objects such as knives while in flight. He likes to be as epic as Batman but he is "Batman for poor people" like his sibling call him. He is the only one that continued doing "hero work" as the kids got older. He worked with Eudora Patch, a police officer and that was his first (?) girlfriend. She was killed.

In a timeline Diego tried to save JFK but was locked into a mental asylum and meet his future wife Lila Pitts. Lila is later revealed to have superpowers as well, meaning she is technically also a sibling. A lot more story but this is getting long enough.

Back to my ship. Five found all of his siblings dead, he only touched Diego, turning him around to check for signs of life and cried over his body. He also expressed his dislike for Diego's relationship with Lila and gave Lila a shovel talk. Subtle scenes, but nothing more in canon.

Unfortunately, in Season 4, the 20-year-old actor (Five) kissed the 35-year-old actress (Lila). So Lila cheated on Diego with Five. Sexual contact was implied. I am very disappointed with this choice in the show, not because of my ship. I am just a character fan (I have been burned by actors/actresses before) so the real life age difference was gross to me. I do not care if ships become canon or not. I do not need a kiss or even a smut scene for any of my ships. Fanon before Canon is my motto.

Next is Horrance (Klaus/Ben)

Klaus is a freak, a medium, a seance leader, a drug addict, a sex cult leader, a war veteran and can see and experience ghosts. In the military he was in a relationship with a another soldier called Dave. He can't die naturally and Dave sadly died in his arms. I liked the ship but after a few scenes Dave wasn't shown again.

Klaus is the only one who can interact with Ben (he's a ghost). His nickname for him is Bennie Boy. Ben is the level-headed, quiet counterpart. But he also has a "freaky" side. Huge uncontrollable tentacles (they are called The Horror) come out of his body and, not surprisingly, are not lethal to Klaus and even "know" him, whatever that means. It is unclear if the Horror can interact with Ben similar to Venom Symbiote or not.

It is revealed that Ben is in love with a girl named Jennifer (Bennifer lol) but if they interact the whole multiverse would be "cleansed". So his adoptive dad shot him and Jennifer that is why he is dead at the beginning of the show.

We meet another version of Ben. He is part of the Sparrows. Another academy in another timeline and a big idiot and a grumpy cat. But I love him too. At a party at the end of the world where Luther from the Brellies married Sloane from the Sparrows (but that is hetero so of course that is way different and not at all problematic/s) , Klaus and Sparrow Ben disappear and are found hungover and half-naked the next day. Ben has "Asshole" written in Sharpie on his back. They seem to be close, or at least Klaus is forcing Sparrow Ben to accept his affections. Ben tries to push Klaus away, but ends up grouchily accepting the touchy behavior. They definitally "did" something.

Nobody got a happy end however. They all sacrifice themself at the end, together at least, because they were never supposed to exist. (great message am I right) Also the Sparrows do not appear in Season 4. Yeah! And the show is officially over. They are comics but I did not have touched them yet. Right now I am plotting and sceming on a huge Fix It.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Daughter of Olympus (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: Sorry for the delay! I went insane for a few days but I'm better now -Danny Words: 1,830 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter / Next Chapter Listen to: 'Die Trying' -by MICHL

XXXV: This Barbie is Consumed by Guilt

"I don't agree," Lily says firmly.

Malcolm looks at her like he wants to stab her. "Get it together!"

"I can't go with my siblings either," I state.

Percy scowls at us, he's frustrated as well. "What are you two up to?"

I look at Jake. "Tell him."

My friend steps forward. "She has Beckendorf's old notebook."

"What notebook?" I pull it out of my bag and show it to Percy. "Hey, these are the bombs we hid in the bus... and the ones we used for the Andromeda!"

"There's more," I say. "Ten grenade designs, and traps that we haven't tried yet. Beck was hoping not to need them at all, but..."

"So you guys are building these?"

"I have a few ready," I pull my dino bag forward. "But they're not enough. If we want to win, I'll have to loot a few places."

"Alright," Percy doesn't hesitate this time. "Beckendorf's creations were always fault-proof, you can make these."

"You can only take three campers with you, though," Annabeth makes an educated guess as to how many people they can spare at the moment.

"Lily, Connor," I can't take Travis or Michael, they're counselors. Same thing with Jake. "Nyssa, you're coming."

Lily and Connor are exceptional pickpocketers, they can loot a store and get you anything you want without having to break windows or set alarms off. Nyssa and I will make lists of all the things we need, and then we'll build as we go. 

We split into two groups: Connor goes with Nyssa, and Lily with me. Before we leave, I hug my brother. As he leans forward I hold him tighter and whisper to him. 

"I know about Achilles."

"We'll talk later," he says. "I promise."

"You better."

The group scatters, but someone runs up to us before we go too far. 

"Hang on!" Michael searches his backpack and pulls out a walkie-talkie. He gives it to Lily. "If something happens, call me. I'll find you."

Lily shakes her head. "You can't—"

"You're like sisters to me," he presses. "I won't turn my back on you now." 

I take the walkie and hug him, part of me doesn't want to let go. 

"Don't get killed," he tightens his grip around me. "You have a title to gain."

"See you in a bit." 

I step back so Lily can hug him, I lock eyes with Mike for a second, we never talked about the kiss and there's no point in doing it now, so I seize Lily's hand, and we walk away.

Ara's suffering from separation anxiety and she hasn't even left camp. She keeps walking around, looking for a problem that may require her to stay, but she's fixed most by now. Even Jason's cabin has been remodeled and furnished, same thing with Aphrodite's.

In short, Ara discovers she's been doing a great job at the worst time possible. And to make things worse, Leo's still avoiding her. Part of her is guilty because she thought that moving back in with his parents wasn't a big deal, but he seemed pretty upset about it.

"I wish I could go with you," Lily sighs as she arranges her armor. 

Ara snorts. "No, you don't."

Her friend smiles. "Yeah, but I wouldn't hate it, you know? Going to school, attending proms and all that..."

Ara wrinkles her nose. "I won't go to prom."

Lily's shocked. "But it's your first school dance!"

"Percy promised he'd take me, but he's obviously not going to, so..."

The dark-haired girl pouts. "We used to daydream about it, Ara. Are you sure it isn't..." her friend pauses. "You're not worried about not having a date, right?"

"I haven't gone to that school at all this year," she reminds her. "I don't know if I have the same classmates as before, or if they even remember me."

Lily rolls her eyes. "I know a short brunette doesn't sound like a lot, but you're a daughter of Olympus, you draw people in like moths to a flame—"

"Wow, that's flattering."

Her friend laughs. "You know what I mean."

Ara shakes her head. "I don't wanna go, Lils. It wouldn't be fun."

"But your mom said—"

"Don't use that against me..." she whines.

"You love dancing!"

"You know what I love? When you win using the bow I made for you," she pushes Lily forward. "Go get that Flag, civetta."

Lily mutters complaints as she walks onward. Ara's so glad to have Lily, she can second-guess many things in life, but her friendship with Lily is not one of them.

Piper walks up to Ara and nudges her arm. "You're not playing?"

Ara shakes her head with a sad smile. "I miss it a lot, but it wouldn't be fair."

Her sister points in Lily's direction. "She's the one who taught you to be sneaky, right?"

"She's like a ghost," Ara grins. "You're lucky to be playing on her team."

"No joke..." Piper lowers her voice. "I'm sorry Leo didn't take the news well, I think that he was looking forward to spending time with us... and you. He's never stayed in one place for long, this was his first chance to do so."

Ara groans, deeply embarrassed. "I'm usually the one who dives right into awkward conversations, I don't know why I find it so hard with him now."

"Maybe 'cause you care a little too much about what he thinks."

Ara ponders this. "I'll talk to him tonight, I promise."

Piper shrugs. "You don't have to promise me that."

"Right," she blushes. "Well, uh, thank you for talking to me, then?"

Piper hugs her sideways. "No problem."

Ara walks up to Chiron and stands next to him. Usually, she waits with him until the game ends, but now he's got something else in mind. 

"You should take this time to brood on your prophecy."

Ara groans, a bit more dramatically this time. "Chiron, honestly, has that ever worked?"

"Aren't you the exception to most rules?"

Her mind drifts to something else. "You didn't want me to leave camp when the war ended, but you agreed to let me go now. Why?"

"Because I'm not your guardian," he sighs. "I'm an... advisor of sorts."

"Alright, advisor," the girl stares at him frowning. "I'm going home while everyone else works. Is that wise or cowardly?"

"Neither. I call it saving the best for last," he replies. "You are our secret weapon. Just because the monsters know you exist now, doesn't mean it'll stop working."

"Then I'm no exception to the rule," she responds smartly. "I'm your last resort."

He smiles knowingly. "We should always give the enemy a chance to retreat before we attack them with, er..."

"Your worst?" She suggests.

"Our best chance at winning," the centaur corrects.

"That isn't a compliment, is it?"

Chiron heaves a sigh. "A child of Olympus rarely gets compliments while they're alive."

She pouts. "Well, I'll go think about my terrible prophecy then, see you..."

As she walks through the forest, she reminisces about the war, not the prophecy. It feels like it was ages ago. Ara's stuck between wishing she could go back, and hoping to never again be who she was before getting her title.

She draws out her compass and looks at it, the needle is steadily pointing in a single direction.

"I heard Annabeth and Malcolm are activating plan twenty-three," Nyssa mentions. "What's that about?"

"All the statues on the island are automatons," Lily explains. "I've been going over the plan with her and Malcolm for weeks—Haven't slept well since, I still remember Ara's dragon..."

"He's just a little rusty!" I argue, but then I notice the dark circles under her eyes. "Have you been eating properly, at least?"

"No. I gave her an apple this morning though," Connor replies.

"How thoughtful of you," I tease him.

"Shut up."

"How come you never bring me food when I skip meals?"

"You could blow me up in flames if I go near one of your crazy inventions."

"Ara hasn't exploded anything in a year, three months, two weeks, and three days," Lily answers immediately. "That's a thing of the past."

"Speaking of," I smirk. "Did you know the Greeks used to throw apples at people they were in love with, Connor?"

"And if the other caught it, it meant the love was reciprocated," Nyssa replies in the same way.

"Next time I throw something, it'll be my knives at you two," Lily warns us.

Ara shouldn't interfere with the game, but this is the best time to hold a private conversation without interruption. She finds Leo exactly where the compass said he'd be, Ara approaches quietly from behind and covers his mouth so he doesn't alert others. 

"It's me!" She whispers as the boy squirms in her arms. "We need to talk!"

Leo snatches her hand away. "Are you insane?" He whispers angrily. "I almost set you on fire!"

"You've been avoiding me, I couldn't risk you sneaking away!" She argues. "I want a chance to explain myself."

"I'm in the middle of a game—"

"Leo," she gives him her best puppy eyes. "Please? I know you're upset and I don't want you to be."

Leo groans, but the blush on his face isn't helping him. "Does it have to be right now?"

Ara shrugs. "I should wait. I'm not allowed to interfere during Capture the Flag..."

"I'll see you at the campfire," he tells her. "Now leave me alone, your face is distracting me."

She chuckles, eyeing him with a playful gaze. "You look adorable in armor, by the way."

"Go away!" He presses, smoke coming out of his ears.

Ara giggles but obliges. Just as she exits the forest, she spots Janus standing near the forges, looking right at her. Her mouth goes dry. "No!"

The god vanishes in a heartbeat. Ara feels her legs wavering under her and she falls to her knees, severely nauseous. She tries to focus on the coldness of the grass, or the strawberry fragrance coming from uphill, but she's having trouble breathing. 

"A crossroad is approaching," says a voice. An echo of a memory. 

"You're incredible at this," Lily points out. "Although you should wear gloves."

My fingers are covered in cuts, the wire's thin and I'm not gentle. "I thought I had them in my bag, but I must've left them in my cabin."

"Where are you putting all of these?"

I point towards the Empire State.

"Why there? The Monsters haven't reached the city."

"You know why," I say without looking up.

Lily takes a moment to respond. "These are all last resorts, aren't they?"

I nod. "If everything else fails, I'm hoping these will kill enough monsters to give us one last chance."

Lily starts a new bomb but stops for a moment. 

"Do you think we have a chance right now?" I look up, and for a moment I think a bird has pooped on her because she's scowling at the sky, then I realize she's trying not to tear up. "I wouldn't mind dying if I knew the rest would have a chance to survive..."

"Don't say it like that," I reply, now also feeling like crying. "This is just starting. Don't say that."

Lily fixes her posture. "Right. Sorry," she sniffs. "I need you to promise me something, though."

"I'm listening."

"I'll be your second in command once you become General," she says determinately. "Where you go, I go."

"You, Mike, and I forever," I nod. "You have my word."

Next Chapter ->

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @ash-the-hoarder @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles

[periodgeese]

Actually, 4 people have set themselves on fire.

Unnamed Georgia woman, Aaron Bushnell, Matt Nelson, and Samuel Mena Jr. People get REALLY upset if you point out it clearly wasn't working after Bushnell but people kept doing it

I forget exactly what this is in response to, but yea I remember multiple people have self-immolated. I remember there was a self-immolation in Brooklyn over climate change several years ago -- do not know or remember this person's name at all.

Leftists: stop self-immolating or just killing yourselves in general. The media and public do not give a flying f.

Evil does not notice virtue; if anything it delights in it because virtue presents no resistance whatsoever. There are occasional aberrations but MLKs generally need a Malcolm X to have an impact. I think self-immolation is even less effective than a protest because it isn't even logistically disruptive. Someone takes a couple minutes to die in public, people who witness it are traumatized, the media doesn't even show the act because it's too graphic, and everyone else moves on.

Whatever you want to say about the Trump guy -- he is the first person (not Luigi!) to break this horrible trend of good guys taking themselves out and bad guys taking innocents out.

[pupkinpumpkin]

*LONG INHALE*

DaO: Alistair. I WAS gonna romance Leliana my first time, but Alistair was super funny and he was very sweet in the way he flirted so I was like, why not? Maybe I'll end up liking him in the end (spoilers: I never did, I personally see him in a brotherly way). So I romanced him as Surana, and I made him stay a warden bc he wasn't happy as a king right? Well that funny little fade quest in Inquisition happened and I decided I was going to leave Alistair behind bc I just cared about my Hawke too much, but he started saying shit like "Oh I can't wait to be back with the love of my life and we'll finally be together and no one can tear us apart" and UGHHH FUCK, so after some deliberation, I left Hawke but that felt horrible, so I decided to make my canon HoF a Cousland so Alistair and Hawke DONT FUCKING DIE ON ME and he can still be happy as king with my Cousland besides him as queen

Da2: Anders. Honestly, no one in Da2 was my type, so I chose Anders because he was the most narratively intriguing one as a non mage. I'm personally not a fan of his romance path because most of it is " Are you sure are you sure are you sure are you sure I love you Are you sure?" Which I understand, but kinda gets me down. He does have some really sweet lines tho like

"No mage I've known has ever dared to fall in love. This is the rule I will most cherish breaking." That's pretty rad.

I also like the equally sweet but also slightly disturbing,

"I would cover us in blood to protect you"

But ya, I think the narrative parallels to Leandra leaving a life of wealth and fame for an apostate mage (Malcolm) and Hawke leaving her life as champion and the wealth that almost doomed her sister (until Anders helped) to be with Anders is super rad. Plus like, Hawke literally CANT kill Anders in the end. She blames all the deaths and failures in her family on herself, so to kill Anders, the man she loves, would completely break her. She does take awhile, probably a few years to fully trust him again while they're on the run

Dai: Cullen. He is the only person I have romanced that I am genuinely attracted to. I love men who are awkward and can't flirt. Plus, as someone who played Dai first, I think seeing where he is now in DAI and then going back and seeing his journey to being there is absolutely heartbreaking. I mean, he's done and been complicit in things that I can't justify and I won't, I'm aware of that, but in DAI he's trying so hard to work on himself. He complains when you ally with the mages, but he says he won't endanger your alliance. He knows how cruel he's been to mages unjustly and is trying to unlearn that prejudice that's been taught and reinforced to him. He also decides to give up lyrium! On his own! He only goes back to it if you specifically tell him to go back on it, but in the romanced route, you can ask him what HE wants and he tells you that he doesn't want to take it again. His nightmares are worse without lyrium and he gets headaches but he wants to become a better man and knows that if he can get off lyrium, then so can other Templars. He even starts a clinic in the post scenes of Trespasser! I understand why some people will never be able to forgive him, I do, and that's completely understandable, but I think his journey into being a better person is so beautiful and when you romance him, you don't fix him, because that's his journey, his task, but you're his rock. You're there for the highs and lows and you will stay by him no matter what comes. Some may see his romance and Cullen himself as vanilla and boring, but to me it's a romance of support for both Cullen and the Inquisitor as they lean on each other to deal with their burdens and trauma together (especially w my Inky's backstory, poor girl)

Also the first time I finished DAI I finally realized he has curly hair which is an absolute plus for me bc I am so attracted to people with curly or wavy hair oh my god

i’m really curious about who people romanced over the 3 dragon age games & why

here, i’ll go first:

da:o, alistair because he made me laugh

da2, fenris because i was a mage and by god i was going to make him love me

da:i, solas because some cruel god of love decided to play an awful trick on me by making me fall for him

[tangowatchesjj]

Jessica Jones S1E7

He's in her house!!! Get the fuck out, stinky man!!!

Everything about him is just. The worst.

Oh No Ruben you should not have said that to him, he's going to kill you.

"Got a dollar?" She does not, she is a disaster. Enjoy your free sub!

Man she is going to be spotted like, immediately, she's not even trying to hide that she's following her! Although maybe that's the point? She wants Wendy to see her?

Oh Jess. Why are you threatening Wendy she doesn't deserve this.

JESS WHAT THE FUCK YOU DROPPED HER!!! SAVE HER GOD DAMN.

JUST JUMP OUT OF THE WAY ARE YOU SUICIDA - Oh.

She's really going off the rails. Or on the rails. Sorry, bad joke.

Is Ruben dead?? Is he dead???? The cake is on the table OH FUCK

How does Jess not have blood on her face from when she put her hand over her mouth?

It's murdering time - oh, guess not. Jail time!

Can you stop having sex for 5 minutes to pick up the phone, please.

Trish tops, confirmed.

Trish I mean she probably would but she's got bigger things going on right now and you are gonna regret not picking up the phone.

Kilgrave does deserve to die but we need evidence to save Hope.

"Top shelf criminals." Roll credits!

OH NO. WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO TO RUBEN'S BODY?

Malcolm what are you gonna do???

I hate Ruben's sister but damn she does not deserve this.

He is not just a boy?? Yeah tell her Malcolm.

Yeah that's a much better message than "I want to have your babies" but also OW my heart.

DAMN Wendy is a badass!!!!

Who are these children. Why are you here Jessica. Is this Trish's mum??

Oh my god Trish was Hannah Montana.

SHE WAS ON DRUGS???

Wow I hate Trish's mum already, she's a piece of shit.

"Thanks, Mom." I love the sass.

Oh what a fucking liar, Simpson has a macho hero complex and it is some bullshit.

Malcolm <3333

Trish stop pointing a gun at Malcolm, please, there are better people (Kilgrave) to shoot.

Oh my god the intro song playing while she's on the bridge, my heart.

jESS

I'm really sad.

"You're exactly the hero I wanted you to be." AAAAAAAAA I'M CHEWING GLASS

Oh god, he's recreating everything from her childhood home.

How has. NO ONE LOOKED UP??? SHE IS RIGHT THERE, COVERED IN WATER HOLDING A SEVERED HEAD?

jeri let her go to supermax.

Jessica asking for imprisonment is so suspicious. You should know that won't work.

Okay the throwing stuff might work. IS THAT BRETT? BRETT!!!

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD

"Milk toast little man-boy." That's funny I hate that Kilgrave is funny.

"That we're inevitable." OK, THANOS??

OK I know I only pointed out the funny bits but like. The scene was so good and I cannot express everything good about it right now so you get the funnies.

Jessica should have gotten on a plane in episode 1.

Teen Jess! And Miss Bitch, ugh.

What wrong conclusions is Simpson gonna draw from this.

Also, absolutely chilling episode end.

[casspurrjoybell-22]

Master - Chapter 24c

*Warning: Adult Content*      

The Anouk Clan had more members than we'd anticipated, their numbers wandering the edges of five hundred. 

If I were to hazard a guess, they must've been trying to replenish their numbers with young Vampires and they were young, barely over the age of a century from the taste of things.

But even so, if Malcolm and I had come to kill them all, we'd have no trouble in doing so.

"If I may ask, what had brought you to my clan?" 

As I register the question, I pull my eyes away from those who passed outside the makeshift tent with curious eyes and refocus my attention on the female who sat across from me.

Alexander Villin she'd introduced herself as when she stepped out from amongst her people and declared herself to be their Plyen. 

It was impossible to ignore or dismiss the way she held her head high as she faced me and kept it there when Malcolm introduced himself soon after. 

Anyone could see the fear in her eyes but right beside it was the will to die for her people if it came to it.

"I would like to make you an offer," I explain and ignore the way Malcolm groans from beside me while Wenquie works on the plate of fruits they'd put in front of us.

Malcolm had been quite adamant on taking the diplomatic approach and I had agreed to follow his lead, after all, he had always been better with handling people than I ever hoped to be. 

But that was before I was tasked with enduring a maddening journey with him and Wenquie and then making negotiations with an Amorenia Witch.

‘I couldn't make small talk if I tried.’

"An offer?" Alexander questions after she returns her gaze from an annoyed Malcolm to me. 

I nod. 

"For me or for my clan?"

"Both," I reply and her eyebrows pull together at that but she manages to hide her confusion just as quickly as it appeared. 

"But first, I must know, do you have slaves?"

Alexander doesn't stiffen the way her guards who stood behind her did, clear questions written all over their faces as they struggled to stay still under the weight of our gazes on them. 

Instead, she loses any decorum she'd attached due to rank and glared at us with spiteful gazes.

"The Anouk Clan has neve, and never will aid or participate in the act of slavery," she says sharply, making sure to articulate each word with a tone that almost dared me to question her words. 

"If you offer has anything to do with your revolting practices, then I must decline on behalf of myself and my clan as well."

Alexander's disapproval only grows at the sight of my smile that formed before I could tame it, clearly misunderstanding why her words pleased me so much.

‘This would work.’

"We do not take part in or support slavery," Malcolm inputs and I turn to him with a raised brow.

He glances at me and raises one back as if asking me if I really wanted to jump down that rabbit hole at this moment. 

Deciding to drop it, for now, I look back to a pointedly, cautious Alexander.

"We want to end it, amongst all of our kind," Malcolm continues which clears away her caution and replaces it with surprise. 

"It's one of our goals which we will achieve, whether or not you take our offer."

Alexander studies us both with narrowed eyes before she glances down at Wenquie who I honestly forgot was even there. 

She rolls our words in her head for a few minutes before she releases a breath and folds her arms over her chest.

"Do you truly expect me to believe that?" She asks finally making me frown. 

"You are the first of our kind, and you the fifth, two of our strongest and I'm supposed to believe you want to put an end to what has been running rampant for generations. You have an incubus slave beside you as we speak."

"Now you wait one fucking second lady," Wenquie starts taking his interest away from the food to glare at Alexander with disgust. 

"I am nobody's slave unless we're roleplaying, least of all these two, so you take that right back."

Alexander looks to us as if surprised that we let him speak like that, I just shrug as Wenquie continues to mumble profanities beneath his breath.

"A fucking slave, she must be out of her goddamn mind."

"Wenquie is a friend," Malcolm says with a chuckle as he looks back to the clan's Plyen.

“Not a slave. As we've said, we do not support it."

“But you let it happen," She counters with eyes that suggested this matter was a personal one.

“You were there when it started, grew and became a part of our kind. You could've stopped it but you didn't and now I'm to believe you want to, after all this time."

Malcolm immediately tenses beside me, his eyes locking on me with clear worry as if he could feel the way her words has cut through me, feel the way they steered the dormant rage within. 

But even though her words made me want to rip her throat out, she hadn't uttered a single one that wasn't true.

“Yes," I reply with a voice much calmer than how I felt inside, 

"I've never been an advocate for the practice and I've tried in recent times to put an end to it but it is like an infection, one which has etched its way into our world. But you are right. I could've cut it out before it had the chance to spread but I didn't."

"Why?" she asks, her words tight and strained as she stared at me as if I'd been the one to start it. 

"Why didn't you?" 

She has lost someone I realise. Somehow linked to this vile practise, she'd lost someone she cared about and had never forgotten. 

"You seem to know our history, more than the new age Vamps," I say as I look at her, deciding that she deserved the truth. 

"After the life we were forced to live, one of servitude and death, I did not concern myself with what the rest of them would do. I didn't care what happened to them since I only cared for myself, so I separated myself from our kind and I have cultivated a life away from it ever since."

"And now, after centuries of men, woman and children being sold, beaten and used, you're ready to change things," she replies with a sickening laugh that felt wicked to my ears. 

"Now you're going to make things better, for no reason at all."

"All things have reasons," I reply as an image of Kalem appears in my mind. 

"Now, we plan to destroy this infection and kill all those who try to save it, including Diablos. A war is to come, we've come here to ask you to join our side."

"Diablos," she breathes out slowly as if to calm herself, 

"You want to go after Diablos."

‘Hmmm...Was Diablos the one to hurt her?’

"Precisely," Malcolm replies, 

"He's at the forefront of it all, if he falls, they all fall."

"And you plan to take his place when he does," She finishes with understanding finally settling in. 

"Build a new world in your image."

"That's one way to put it," I reply with a smile I couldn't help. 

The more we spoke the more comfortable she seemed to get, less worried about offending and watching her tongue. 

"I am forming a clan of my own, one which will become the strongest and the staple for our entire species. We need structure, proper rules and discipline, without it we're all just acting on misdirected urges."

"This is your offer? You want us to join you," Alexander fills in as understanding seeps in. 

"Induct the Anouk Clan into your own."

I nod and Alexander leans back with a sigh as she takes in all we'd said and the implications that came with it. 

It was a lot to consider, it'd require discussion and deliberations not only between us but amongst her own people. 

"I assume you don't expect a decision at this very moment," She asks looking between Malcolm and me, we both nod and she does as well. 

"Very well. The night is fast approaching and your presence puts my people on edge. We can continue this discussion tomorrow, I wish to hear more before I bring it to them."

"Is there a shield between us and this tent I don't know about?" I ask as I look outside at the busied Vampires. 

They had ears as far as I could tell, they likely heard every word we shared.

"They do not listen to private matters," she replies confidently and I bite back a counter-response I knew would probably piss her offer.

"Are we free to stay in your company until we make an agreement or reach an impasse?" Malcolm interjects quickly and I have to bite back a laugh at the way he spoke when he was serious, a complete juxtaposition to the guy who kneeled for an Elf.

Alexander studies us for a long moment before she nods slowly. 

"You can stay, however, your tents will be guarded at all times and you must not leave them without your guards," she'd selected the word guards to suggest that the men watching us would be there for our safety rather than to help cut us down, should the moment arrive. 

"And I'd ask that you didn't use your... power shall we call it, again while you are here. If you do, I will decline this offer of yours and ask you to leave."

"I won't," I reply with a nod and I meant it but I could see the clear mistrust in her eyes. 

My words didn't mean shit to her and wouldn't for some time but I hoped I'd be able to change that.

The room falls into silence as Alexander studies our every move as if trying to find the lie or the underlying reason for the reason we'd come. 

I could see why she was Plyen of her people, she was calculated in all things and yet brazen when she needed to be. 

Alexander, no matter how shielded, would be an asset. 

She was the perfect warrior and an even better leader, she'd do well amongst our ranks if she agreed to our terms by the end of our time here.

"Well those fruits were nice but I'm running low on semen," Wenquie says suddenly, his smile friendly and face almost innocent as if he didn't hear the insanity in his own words.

“So can we have dinner before I have to seduce a Vampire.... or five."

"Lord have mercy," I mumble under my breath.

[arainayeet]

oh dear, I have stumbled into my Aristide Amell/ Perrin Threnhold/ Marlowe Dumar crisis yet again

[talescfshadows]

He can see the hatred and contempt in Malcolm's eyes when he stares up at him. Good. Hatred was a useful tool, it was that hatred and anger that would keep Malcolm alive long enough to go through his trials. It was that hatred that would help him find his calling, and enable the two of them to become partners like John had been with Martin. He was fine with Malcolm directing that anger at him―at least for the time being―because he knew once Malcolm had survived his trials, he'd be able to look back on all of this and feel gratitude for what John had done. This would be good for Malcolm; he just couldn't see that yet.

❝ You're a real smart-ass aren't you? ❞ He just had to get that little factoid out didn't he? Well sadly, this wasn't news to John so whatever point Malcolm had been trying to make had missed its mark. Did he really think John wouldn't have known something like that? He had been Martin Whitly's partner, the man who'd used his kills to experiment on what the human body could endure before death. The man regularly shared his knowledge with John; including how long someone could go without food and drink for. How else would he be able to starve someone so effectively and not have them die before they'd atoned for their sins?

He doesn't react beyond a small roll of his eyes when Malcolm quoted Job at him, accusing him of trying to play God. ❝ I'm not trying to be God. ❞ John wasn't crazy, and he knew his scripture far better than he imagined Malcolm would. It had been drilled and beaten into him until it took up residency in his brain, guiding his every decision. ❝ But, I am his instrument. I was called to save people, I'm a savior and everything was going perfectly until you came along and ruined it all. ❞

A quick burst of anger left him, his voice having raise and the chair kicked back as he'd stood up. Taking a brief moment, he let out a long breath and pushed the anger down. He couldn't allow Malcolm to get under his skin. ❝ I do what I do because it's my calling, you'll understand that soon enough. ❞ Malcolm just needed to complete his trials and then he would be able to see things the way John did.

❝ We do not do what we do for reward Malcolm. ❞ He couldn't expect someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth to understand that. Malcolm had grown up with everything handed to him on a silver platter. He'd never really had to work for anything in his life, and coupled with how his generation sought praise or acknowledgement for every little thing they did and well...of course he'd be seeking a reward. ❝ You need to learn to humble yourself little Malcolm. That arrogance and superiority of yours has already gotten you into enough trouble hasn't it? ❞ John would probably never been able to take Malcolm if he hadn't tried to come after him by himself. ❝ Though I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. ❞

Picking up the chair he'd kicked over, he placed it back in front of Malcolm and sat down, hands rubbing together as he rested his elbows on his knees. ❝ You should be focusing less on what's going on in my head, and more on how you're going to survive your trials. I'm not going to hold your hand through it. ❞ He knew Malcolm was trying to get into his head, to throw him off his game or gain some sort of advantage. It hadn't worked up until this point, and it wasn't going to work now. He wasn't going to be unsettled by the likes of Malcolm Bright.

He coughs, wet and shallow. The world around him is blurry, and he can make out some shoes that look like his father's and maybe for a second he wants to call out for him. He wants to feel his father's arms circling his body, holding him and petting his hair to tell him it's all going to be okay. Malcolm can't recall the last time he'd felt his father's embrace. He can't recall a time his father had ever really done so, despite the fact he had, in fact, been a good father once upon a time.

Sat in his lap as a child in his office, dark basement illuminated by dim lights, folders and medical text strewn across the desk. His father's exuberance, his father's knowledge, passed on to the son, his prodigal son, his legacy. Only when Malcolm looks back these days can he see the grooming. He sees the killer that Doctor Whitly had tried to turn him into. He sees blood-stained knives, one in his hand, a grown man doubled over, sliced, stabbed, maroon flowing down small hands and wrists like rivers to stain his sweater.

'It's show time, my boy. Make your old man proud, huh?'

These are not his father's sneakers. That is not his father's smell. Malcolm coughs again, head lifting, weak and bleary blues focussing and unfocussing as Watkins crouches before him. He'd snarl if he could, the noise leaving him nothing more than a garbled, wet whimper stuck in his throat. He hasn't the energy to swat away John's hands. The cold air of the room grounds him slightly, the cooler floor beneath him, puddled, pooling blood is sticky but he focusses on the texture. The iron stench. He's bleeding out in this room, and though Malcolm has faced many a dangerous situation in the past, this one takes the cake.

He's not certain he can make his way out of this one. Not on his own. Wary eyes flick around the room impatiently, not exactly looking for an exit, as he knows there is none, but looking for the hallucination of his father. It's the only solace he has had in the silence before John began to speak, and that makes a guttural laugh leave him despite himself. The laugh comes wet - another cough is soon to follow.

"Angus Barbieri," He starts, a slight wheeze to his voice; strained though sure. Confident, though he's shaking. "1971. He survived for 382 days without solid food."

It's a quip with the intention to simply argue; to give himself more time to think. Anger filters through him now. It crashes like a wave. He has already been through trials. Plenty of trials. He's a non-believer. A recovering Catholic. Malcolm himself spent three days without food and water, locked in that closet, screaming for help, please, somebody help me, please!

Malcolm allows the silence to linger, blinking lazily up at the towering figure crouched before him with a sigh. The sigh is petulant - a childish huff, a bratty disregard for politeness and etiquette that he'd been raised with. A thick swallow, a wince as he tries to adjust himself a bit, and he glances at the blade glimmering near him. "Have you an arm like that of God, or can you thunder with a voice like his?"

The Book of Job had been the only scripture Malcolm thoroughly enjoyed; however, he had often disagreed with the atrocities. Job's trials due to a fucking bet with the Devil. He stares the Devil down now, and that irks him, because he rather thought himself the son of Satan himself already. This wasn't a trial. This was a misstep.

Malcolm finally growls. It's time to switch things up; he'd already started.

"What reward do I receive for being a dutiful follower?" He sneers, hands shifting so he can brace himself against the cold floor. He attempts to sit himself up, kneeling before John, body hunched with the pain and an undignified whine leaving him as one hand shifts to cup the stab wound on his abdomen. "I think your Lord might be a little disappointed that you're trying to play Him right now." Despite the very fact he kneels before John now in contrition.

"Tell me, John. That voice in your head - what does it say?" He's trying to be attentive, but the blood loss has him swaying. He nudges the chain, head lolling back in an exaggerated flinch, exhaustion making every movement feel like he's wading through thick water.

[sulky-valkyrie]

"when they arrive at a designated safe place, the sender refuses to be examined or cared for until the receiver is taken care of first." for anders x hawke hehehe

I am a monster and you're getting a bit of a cliffhanger *kiss kiss* for @dadrunkwriting ~~~

"Stroud, please!"  Anders pleaded.  "He would make an excellent Warden, I promise."

The other man shook his head.  "Anders, your promises mean nothing."

"Look, it's -" blue light flared "-we will turn ourselves in."

Stroud took a step back.  "Justice?"

"I confess.  I killed Rolan and the Templars he allowed into your ranks.  Take me to the Commander."  Justice picked up the Blighted man leaning against him heavily.  "And I shall carry your new recruit."

"If you insist," the Orlesian sighed.  "We will take you and . . . your friend back, but I make no guarantees for your safety or well-being.  Either of you."

Varric caught his arm.  "Blon - Blue, are you sure about this?  His family -"

"They will know we did all we could."  The spirit started after the other Wardens.

"Justice, wait!"

He paused and looked back as Bethany ran up.  She kissed his cheek.  "Take care of him." Then she ran a hand through her brother's hair.  "Don't you dare die,  Malcolm.  You hear me?"

Malcolm mumbled something about fruit under his breath and shivered.  Justice nodded sharply, then continued after Stroud.

Justice was, as usual, indefatigable.  But mortal bodies still needed rest, as he had learned in their flight to Kirkwall.  When the others stopped, he did as well, placing Malcolm down with as much gentleness as he could manage, then relinquishing control back to Anders for him to eat and drink, try to ease Malcolm's symptoms, then sleep.

Three - four, he reminded himself - Wardens could make good time through the Deep Roads, and they were climbing out of the sunken ritual tower where Anders had helped kill a sentient crazed broodmother in mere days.   Justice stopped coming out when they were on the surface: too much of a risk of being executed on sight by any Templars who might see them; Warden colors hadn't stopped them before, and wouldn't stop them again.

He continued to carry Mal.  Didn't want anyone else to touch him.

"Is the Commander -"

"Theron is in Antiva," Stroud replied gruffly.  "You will have to wait."

"Mal doesn't have time to wait."

"Varel and Nathaniel can conduct the ritual in his absence."  Stroud kept moving.  The other two Wardens glared at him but didn't say anything.  They'd barely spoken at all, and definitely not too him, but they didn't feel like Templars, so he ignored them.

After another couple days of travel, Vigil's Keep loomed in the distance.  Mal was getting weaker, and the mage had to resist the urge to break into a run.  It would just get them both killed if he showed up without Stroud to explain.  It might get me killed anyway, really.

Malcolm Hawke deserves freedom.  I know, I'm not angry about that, I'm angry that we had to choose between his and mine - ours.  He clutched Mal close, wiping sweaty hair from his brow.  This was all Anders’ fault, from the moment he agreed to give him the Deep Roads maps.

The flag above the keep bobbed and a horn sounded.  They'd been spotted, and the Wardens would likely be sending people out to meet them since Stroud wasn't returning empty handed.  Well, okay, he was empty handed, but Anders wasn't.

It wasn't Nate who rode out to meet them, but the bloody King.

Alistair looked tired, but wary.  "Anders?"

No reason to prolong the inevitable.  "Mal needs the Joining.  Just . . . let me make sure he's okay, then do what you want with me."

"I - you're - what?"

"Just get him the blasted cup, Alistair!" Anders snapped.  "We'll deal with the rest of it later."

"Give him to me."

"No."

Alistair sighed and pinched his brow.  "Fine."  He got off his horse and handed the reins over to Stroud.  "You and the rest go on.  I'll take the . . . recruit and the -"

"Captive," Anders spat.

"Nug droppings," Alistair retorted.  "I've seen you fight."  He gestured to Mal.  "Who's this?"

"Malcolm Hawke.  Long dull story."

"I'm sure.  Well, let's get him fixed up.  You sure I can't help carry him?"

[the-bee-graveyard]

Rory I am in my tobias and eva FEELS RN

Cat's story seems SUPER sketch

Like his mom was 'hysteric', which is obviously 19th century language for queer mentally ill and being abused, and his dad was a 'hard man', cough cough abusive

And no one expected Eva and Tobias to get married, so they obviously eloped which would definitely piss off their parents who were high standing member of the clave (perhaps enough to plan something devious)

Now the real reason her story doesn't make sense

1) the clave FORCED him, and 4 others, to go to bavaria and leave his sick and ill wife to go fight powerful warlocks. The reason I say this doesn't make sens because why would the clave send someone from london to germany for a mission? Why not ask people from the german institutes or the institutes that are actually close to bavaria? More importantly why would they chose Tobias, the weakest and kindest herondale, to go and not his older brother William, who was said to be the best fighter of his generation?

2) only 1 of the other 4 men survived and told everyone Tobias deserted. First off, how would he know that Tobias fled and didn't just go chasing a demon? Also the guy said that Tobias was frightened because he was worried about his wife and kid? Yeah? He just watched 3 people get murdered why the fuck wouldn't he be scared of not being able to go home to his wife? Why would the clave be mad at him for that reason only? He was the youngest and worst fighter there. Did they want Eva to become a widow and raise their child alone?

3) HOW THE FUCK DID CAT KNOW THE EXACF DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FOREST. She said that she ran into him in the woods and he was too far gone to be saved. However she knew that Eva was going to be executed in the stead of Tobias. He was just going to die anyway since he was stuck in bad dreams of his wife dying and not being able to eat or drink, so why didn't she bring him to the clave so Eva and the baby would be saved? And why was she so willing to take Eva's baby?

Theory time✨️

In the early 1810s Felix Blackthorn and Tobias' dad convinced the Inquisitor to look the other way when they buried Anabel alive. Consorting with a downword was a sentence for outcast, but having a child with one meant traitoring and was met with death.

What if Anabel and Malcolm stole the Black Book so they could have a child. Eva's parents are never mentioned, even though Cat supposedly knows them well. Eva was executed in 1828

Anabel was born in 1793 at the earliest and was 19 at the earliest when she died, that places her death at 1812. It's entirely possible she had a baby with Malcolm, and then her father and Tobias' father killed her.

Now after extensive research, I found out that shadowhunters in the 1800-1950s got married at an average age of 16 for girls and 17 for boys. Which means the timeline for Eva being Anabel's child makes sense as she would've be 16 at the earliest and almost 18 at the latest

Also, why would Tobias and Eva's marriage shock their parents? If Felix is close with Tobias' dad, then why would they be against it? Maybe because his dad doesn't want him to marry a half blood? Or because he doesnt want his weakling, probably mentally ill and queer like his mom, to get out of his control? Or because her dad wants to control her and he can't if she's married?

Now we all know half warlocks half shadowhunters don't have marks, but they do have magic.

So my theory is that Eva Blackthorn is Malcolm Fade and Anabel Blackthorn's child, who when she married Tobias discovered she had magic. She confronted her 'father' and he tells her the truth, so she makes a plan to tell and meet Malcolm

So Felix conspires with Mr. Herondale and they go to the Inquisitor to send Tobias on a suicide mission then convince the whole enclave that Eva should be killed in his stead

Maybe that's why Roland could do magic and why Malcolm would hang around and give Kit treats and tell him stories

But that's just a theory

A heavily researched informed theory

This is a very interesting concept and I would be very interested in watching it develop even further. I do feel like the Eva and Tobias story has something off about it myself, and this does seem to check the boxes that don’t make sense about it,

[fagmolloy]

actually

the difference for me lies in the sexual violence. martin whitly is not going to sexually violate anyone. if anything, honestly, i feel like he would be offended by it. he really parades his phD/life-saving cardiothoracic-surgeon thing around like he's an intelligent, misunderstood hero. so i think it isn't a stretch to assume that any kind of sexual violence to him is brutish, uncivillized, barbaric, and monstrous.

he kills people. he tortures them sometimes. he is capable of sincerely fucked up violence. he doesn't care about anyone but himself. he tries to kill his son, twice, because it was convenient for him to do so at the time. he is weird and has potentially weird boundaries, like i think at one point he asks malcolm something strange (can't remember what it is right now, or maybe it was when he told someone him and malcolm were a couple) and it made an alarm bell go off in my head. then it never happened again. and although martin isn't above using sex to manipulate vivian capshaw, he actually got lost in the plot himself for a moment enough to get kidnapped by her ass

i guess like

i guess i knew kilgrave was a villain before i started this but uh

kilgrave is. a violator. he is a rapist. the first flashback jessica has on-screen is him licking her face. hope is so fucked up about her pregnancy she pays someone to beat her. because he raped her. to say kilgrave sucks is an understatement.

it's a different villainy. this is dead serious, and not what i was expecting?

and is david tennant hot as fuck in this? absolutely. but kilgrave is not. i cannot fuck with this man. i need him to die, actually. and it's not as though this has been sooo super triggering. i work with SA victims. i am one. but it's also like.

ugh. idk man. it's a really fucking good show but it's also like. holy shit dude

you know, with martin whitly, i was like. he's killed 23 people, and he traumatized his entire family, and continues to manipulate his children. but he's hopeless, and desperate, and in terms of villainy i could probably dominate this man and he would thank me for it. he's got a weirdness to him that makes me like him.

but with kilgrave (right now, anyway). i'm like. this guy sucks. send him to an early grave