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hgfictionwriter · 6 months ago

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Maybe This Time - Part Three

Jessie Fleming x Reader

Summary: Jessie and you finally get some 1:1 time together (thanks Janine!). You work to build new memories together, but hurt from the past needs to be addressed.

Warnings: None. Temporary, very light angst, but mostly sweet fluff.

A/N: Part two and one.

"What do you think? Should I go for it?"

Jessie smirked as she saw the screenshot you sent her of her jersey in the Thorns' site shopping cart.

"I don't know. I thought you said that was too big a commitment."

"I did. But I was rather impressed at the last game. And we went for drinks after, I finally got to meet Janine – so you know, points for that. And if I think about it, I'm like an OG fan. But if you think I should get a different jersey..."

Jessie laughed under her breath, her smirk now a full blown smile as she read your message while she ate lunch. The conversation she'd been on the periphery of carried on as she ate another bite before typing out a reply.

"Oh yeah? Post-game drinks were a hit, huh? And you know, my stats are only getting better with each game 😉 And let's be honest, I'd be pretty offended if you got someone else's jersey. Except Sinc's. Because, you know, GOAT."

"Oh, well, say no more. You had me at 'stats' lol. Done. I'll pick it up before next game."

"Lol I figured. My plan all along – I know how much you love stats."

"You know me so well. I have to say, I'm kind of tempted to modify the jersey. Add some sort of patch or stitching, 'Yay sports!'"

Jessie laughed out loud, less discrete than before.

"Don't you dare lol. I've taught you better than that. But hey, if you ask nicely, I could actually sign it for you 😎"

"I'm sure I have an old group paper kicking around with your signature on it. I need to be able to wash this thing lol. What else can you offer though?"

Jessie swallowed her food hard, the bite getting caught temporarily in her throat with a wince. Okay, no signature – how humbling. However, there was an opening.

She stared at her phone temporarily before a loud clearing of someone's throat caught her attention. She lifted her gaze with a curious frown on her face to see Janine staring expectantly at her. Jessie instinctively tilted the phone inwards towards her body.

"I don't even have to spy to know who you're texting," the blonde said rather self-satisfied. Jessie looked around, heat building in her face already as she hoped Janine was the only one focused on her.

"Yeah?" Jessie retorted, attempting to appear as unfazed as possible. "You should be pleased. You keep pushing me to text her." She cracked a smirk. "Now that you don't think she's the devil incarnate for 'stringing me along' in university."

"Oh I don't think you need to be pushed," Janine teased with a wicked grin. "And I never said she was the devil incarnate." She lifted a hand to her chest in exaggeration. "I merely questioned things. But you're right," she relented, "she's quite lovely. And she gives you butterflies, and she makes you blush - more than usual - and you try to act all nonchalant and it's just too adorable for words."

"Uh huh," Jessie muttered with a flat look. Janine leaned in excitedly.

"And I have to say, I got the sense that she and I could riff off of each other and just tease the heck out of you, so that really sealed the deal for me."

Jessie rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, that's exactly what I need in my life." She'd never admit that it actually excited her that her best friend and you could get along so well. If – and it was a huge 'if' - anything evolved between you two, it was key that you got along with her friends and family.

She started thinking about how well you got on with her parents and sister – you'd met before during your days at UCLA and they loved you. She also remembered how disappointed they'd seemed when she eventually told them that you two didn't speak anymore.

"Well, since you're so invested," Jessie went on, rolling her eyes facetiously once more as she opened her phone again and turned it to Janine, "what should I say?"

Janine squinted as she leaned in to read and it only took a moment for her expression to light up. Before Janine could say anything, Jessie snatched the phone back and placed it on her lap with a frown.

"I don't want to hear it," she pre-empted the girl.

"What?" Janine said innocently with a mischievous glint in her eye. "I am totally supportive of the flirtation between you two." She ignored Jessie's look of complaint and cut off her protest. "Her shutting down your autograph is pretty hilarious, by the way," she said with a marginally apologetic look. "Not smooth on your part – you know she's not impressed by your elite football skills. Don't lean on your Jessie the Footballer identity."

"I wasn't," Jessie nearly hissed, trying to keep her voice down and avoid drawing attention. "I was joking. Half joking."

"You were flirting, or at least attempting to. She left you an opening here though. So, you should ask her out."

"I'm not asking her out," Jessie pouted, her shoulders rounding as she scooched closer to the table. She huffed upon seeing the scrutinizing look her friend gave her. "We're still getting to know each other again."

"Fine. Don't define it as a date, then," Janine dismissed with a wave. She leaned in, folding her arms on the table. "Ask her to go for dinner."

"Basic," Jessie remarked as she sat up and crossed her arms in disapproval. She frowned. "Plus that's too date-like."

"Fine," Janine said curtly. "How about a hike?"

Jessie hummed and hawed, unconvinced. "Maybe someday. Doesn't seem right at this point though." Janine rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Well, what did you two used to do back at UCLA?"

Jessie shrugged. She saw the frustration Janine was telegraphing at how unhelpful she was being and jumped in. "We went to drop-in art classes sometimes."

Janine held a hand up to the sky. "Thank you. Finally – something I can work with. Okay! Let's find a drop-in class for you two to go to then." She pulled out her phone and started browsing before shooting a look at Jessie as an aside. "Oh, and dinner's too date-llke, but an art class isn't? Okay."

Jessie grunted and pulled out her phone as well to look.

"Here," Jessie announced after a couple of minutes. "This'll work. She enjoyed painting."

Without further consultation, Jessie began to type out a message to you. She bit back a laugh at how Janine's head was bobbing around periodically trying to peek at the message from across the table.

"Don't send it yet! I want to see it," Janine pouted.

"You are not writing my messages for me," Jessie told her pointedly, but gave a heavy sigh as she turned her phone for the blonde to see. An affronted look crossed Jessie face as Janine let out a guffaw and snatched the phone out of her hand.

"No," Janine simply said with a wag of her finger before she started typing. Jessie reached out for the phone, but Janine turned her body away. Jessie clamored more, but stopped as soon as she noted some of their teammates glancing their way. She shrunk back into her seat, a hand rubbing the side of her face as she spoke in a harsh whisper. "What are you doing."

"Jeff. Relax. I would never lead you astray," Janine assured her. "And this is so very satisfying for me since I never got to help you with any of this during uni. Cause let me tell you, if I had been involved, you two definitely would've been living happily ever after."

Jessie breathed in exasperation. "Please. Give me my phone back."

"Okay, okay. Here," Janine said, all humour from her tone gone as she now offered Jessie a sincere smile. "Read it over, but I think this is good."

Jessie gave her a lingering stare as she took back her phone and let out another withering sigh before reading.

"Funny you should ask. I was thinking about how much I missed art classes together. How about I take you to one of the drop-in painting classes across town when I'm back from Houston?"

Jessie lifted her gaze to meet Janine's and she studied the blonde for a few moments before relenting with an inaudible sigh. It was better than her original "I don't know. Paint class?" reply. She hit send and released another heavy breath as she tucked the phone away once more.

"You're welcome," Janine said with a saccharine smile. Jessie gave her a fake smile in return, pulling a laugh out of the girl. "Hey, let's remember which one of us is engaged and which one of us is perpetually single."

"Ouch," Jessie said with a light laugh.

"I'm just teasing," Janine went on. "I genuinely hope this turns into something for you. Considering you've only come back into each other's lives, what, like a couple months ago? You two seem pretty solid already. And you seem happier."

Jessie wanted to give a dry retort of some kind, but Janine was right. You two talked every day now and the chemistry you had in university was still very much present. And the depth you once had in your friendship was something that was quite easily and naturally being broached again. Even if you'd both grown and changed, the cores of who you were still aligned well and fit together. Too well.

She'd more or less dismissed the spark of emotions that came up during your initial interactions as some sort of emotional muscle memory, but the feelings were proving to not be fleeting or diminishing.

If anything, her feelings for you were growing. And this time they felt different, too. Heavier, deeper in some way. She was a more realized person now, as were you, and it made the connection between you more substantial. Less juvenile.

Her phone buzzed. She opened her lock screen.

"That sounds like a lot of fun! Let's do it."

————

By the time your paint date night came around, Jessie was nearly buzzing with anticipation. It wasn’t an official date, of course, but she hadn’t seen you since that night after the game, and truthfully, it felt like it had been too long.

She was early - as usual - but as she rounded the corner to the building, she bit back a smile upon seeing you waiting. You were always early too, which she appreciated.

“Hey.” Jessie greeted as she approached. Again, she had to tamp her smile when you beamed back at her.

“Hey, good to see you,” you said as you stepped in for a hug, which Jessie reciprocated. “I love your shirt,” you continued when you stepped back.

“Oh,” Jessie said with a slight frown and a mild laugh as she looked down at herself in question. “Thanks,” she said as she gave a shrug and fought off a blush. She looked you up and down, not entirely discretely. “I like your outfit.”

You rolled your eyes affectionately and gave her a look. “You don’t need to reciprocate my compliment. But thank you.”

“I legitimately like your outfit,” Jessie retorted, her pitch rising and pulling a laugh out of you as you both walked towards the building. Jessie took a few quick steps and grabbed the door, holding it open. “After you.”

“Such service. Thank you,” you said, both teasing and appreciative. Jessie didn’t wink, but she did give a teasing lift of her eyebrows as you passed.

As the instructor gave their directions for the lesson, Jessie found herself distracted, glancing at you out of the corner of her eye. The whole lesson carried on like that, really. Jessie had to make a point to not fall behind as she’d uncharacteristically lose concentration. The worst, well, best, moments being when she'd lean over feigning critical assessment of your work when really she just wanted to be close.

By the end, she was decently satisfied with the forest landscape she’d painted. However, she felt it paled in comparison to the ocean sunset you’d crafted.

“I love your colours. And the little cabin you added is great,” you told her as you were both leaving, canvases in hand.

“Well good,” she said as she got to a clearing on the sidewalk and stopped to turn to you. “Consider it my gift to you,” she went on as she held it out to you.

“Jessie,” you said sweetly with a smile as you took it and looked it over more thoroughly. “That’s really sweet. Thank you. It’s beautiful. And bonus - I get my Jessie Fleming signature, but on a far rarer painting as opposed to a jersey,” you laughed. “And what a coincidence. I painted this for you.”

Jessie looked at you for a moment before a smile broke out across her face as she belatedly took the painting you held out.

“Thank you,” she said softly as she studied the image. She frowned in realization as she lifted her eyes to you. “Is this the same beach from our photo?”

You nodded. “It is. Nice eye.”

“Who knew you were so sentimental?” Jessie teased.

“Apparently not you,” you replied with a roll of your eyes, but gave a small laugh. “Come on. It’s been a while, but you know me better than that.”

Jessie was quiet for a moment as she took you in. She eventually nodded. “I know.”

A small lull fell over you both before you asked. “So, what now? Do you have to leave?”

“No.” Jessie spoke quickly with a shake of her head. “I don’t have anywhere to be. How about you?”

You shook your head in return. “Same. Well, it’s beautiful out tonight. Want to just go for a walk? We can drop these off at my car first,” you proposed as you held up the painting.

“Sure. Sounds great.”

After a short detour, you both began your stroll along the quiet, tree-lined street.

“Thanks for suggesting that class,” you said. “I don’t really get to paint or pursue creative hobbies as much anymore. It was nice to make a point of it. I can’t imagine you have much of an opportunity to focus on things like that anymore, hm?”

Jessie sighed quietly in contemplation and gave a shrug.

“Not extensively, no. But we do lots of team building, so sometimes we’ll do artsy things. And I can do hobbies and such in my down time, whether during the week or between seasons.”

She looked over to see you giving her a soft smile.

“What?” She asked.

“Nothing really. Just kind of crazy how everything turned out. You’ve achieved so much and your life is so impressive.”

Jessie was about to interject with a compliment for you, but you carried on.

“Are you happy with how things turned out?” You asked with a slight cock of your head.

“I-um, yeah.” Jessie stammered slightly, caught off guard by your question. “I mean, yeah it’s been incredible. More amazing than I could’ve ever pictured. And I know I’m very lucky.”

“You’re not lucky, Jess. You’ve worked exceptionally hard.”

She huffed lightly. “Yes, but luck is involved too. Lots of people work hard and still don’t get half the opportunities I’ve had.”

“I suppose,” you relented. “But you’ve made the most of those opportunities and haven’t taken them for granted.”

“That’s true. But look at you. You’ve worked so hard. And I know what you’ve been up against, but you’ve risen above and built a great life for yourself,” Jessie emphasized.

“Thank you,” you accepted with a half smile. Jessie knew the ins and outs of your family dynamics - something few people truly knew. You smiled more fully at her. “And look at us now. We both left LA and then found ourselves in the same city again and got to reconnect,” you finished with a laugh. "It sounds strange, but it really feels like in some ways like no time has passed. Not really, anyway. Like you and I were able to pick up where we left off."

You let out a quick sigh, giving a deep shrug as you did so. Your eyes remained trained on the ground as you two walked. "I mean, we talked the other week about my family and it just felt so different. Like, I've told recent friends or girlfriends my history and everything, and they listen and they 'get it', but it's not the same. That conversation with you – via text, no less – had more depth and weight than any comparable conversation with my exes or current friends. You were there. You know it – and me, I guess - inside and out. And even if I retell things, it's just not the same."

Jessie nodded, watching you. It did feel like yesterday when she was sitting next to you on your bed, sobs wracking your body after one confrontation too many with your family. Normally, Jessie was so analytical and tentative about her physical contact with you, but the second you started crying she put her arms around you without hesitation and you leaned in, resting your head on your shoulder as she held you. That was the first time, but it wasn't the last.

Looking back on it, maybe your girlfriends did have good reason to dislike her.

"I know what you mean," she told you. "It's different. I mean, it's the same with you in a lot of ways. You were there for me during some critical points – big decisions in my life and you understood who I was and who I wanted to be."

You smiled at her fondly. You looked ready to say something and Jessie waited. A moment passed and you exhaled, saying, "It really meant a lot – having you in my life and the support you gave me back then. I hope you know that."

"I know," Jessie accepted with a smile of her own. "And likewise."

Her mind drifted. She should probably just leave things be, but not speaking her mind is what held her back all those years before. She needed to share her thoughts and feelings if things were going to be different this time. She took a breath.

"You know, I was really shocked when we saw each other here." She paused briefly. "I don't know. We hadn't talked in so long. I think I'd relegated myself to assuming we'd never see each other or ever talk again. Despite how important we were to one another at some point."

Her statement seemed to give you pause, the mild surprise evident on your face. You eventually glanced down at the street as you two continued to walk.

"Yeah. That's true, I guess," you conceded, your voice soft.

Jessie studied you, unsatisfied with the response you gave. She pushed.

"I knew we wouldn't be able to stay as close as we were. That was inevitable with us living so far away from one another, but I don't think I expected contact to fall apart as quickly as it did." You didn't reply right away and she went on with an ironic laugh. "We went from talking all day every day, to a few times a week with a video call scattered in there, to the odd message every couple of weeks, then just texts on birthdays and at Christmas, to nothing at all."

She wasn't sure what she was anticipating, but she didn't expect you to turn to her with a perplexed frown.

"Yeah. It did taper off pretty quickly."

Despite the time that'd passed, Jessie still knew when you were telling half-truths. She gave a bit of an empty chuckle. "What else are you thinking?"

You returned her laugh with a mild look. "I don’t know. I'm just kind of confused, I suppose." Jessie frowned.

"About what?" She questioned. Faint alarm bells went off in her head when you stopped walking. She stilled her movements as well and you turned to one another on the sidewalk.

You took a moment to gather your thoughts. You spoke with a smile that didn't quite reach your eyes.

"I know it was me who stopped replying right away to messages – I don't deny that – but you weren't exactly giving me a lot to work with." You took a breath, dropping your shoulders before you spoke further. "Honestly? It was kind of feeling one-sided. Yeah, you replied, but a lot of your replies were brief and noncommittal. And when I asked if everything was okay you just told me you were busy. Which," you let out a slightly rueful laugh, "is absolutely fair. You were building this brand new, big life. Which is exactly what you were supposed to do. I don't begrudge you at all. I don’t know." You shrugged and averted your gaze momentarily. "I guess things just started to feel off."

Jessie exhaled quietly as she processed your reply. What you were saying wasn't false. It had been so long it was easy for Jessie to just recall the end result – that you'd stopped replying altogether. That you'd given up on her; on the connection you'd both built for years.

Standing here now though, if she was honest with herself, it was true that Jessie grew distant in her messages - purposefully so - knowing it would drive you away. What was she supposed to do? You two were never going to be together. And being friends was so incredibly hard sometimes because it was never just friendship for her. There was always this bittersweet feeling to everything and now that you were on completely different paths, there was an inevitable conclusion. Yet, she struggled to cut herself off cold. So instead, she took the coward's way out.

Jessie scratched the back of her head. "I was busy," she repeated. She contemplated doubling down, but thought better of it. "And I guess I was finding it hard. We were building two very different lives."

There was so much more she wanted to say, but she couldn't. What would be the point? Her chest panged when you gave her a sad smile.

"I know," you accepted with a sadness in your eyes. "And I really wanted that for you. I just - it was hard to not feel like a nuisance. Like some obligation. So I just stopped writing."

Jessie's frown deepened. She knew all those years ago that she had to be hurting you, but she could lie to herself about it and focus selfishly on herself. Seeing you talk about it in front of her wasn't something she'd anticipated.

"I didn't mean for that," Jessie said. "And I never stopped caring about you," she compromised.

"Yeah. I never stopped caring about you, either," you reciprocated in a subdued manner. Despite her role in everything, Jessie was still harbouring hurt from all those years prior and she felt compelled to push on. Sure, she'd pushed you away, but you'd let her. She erased you from her life little by little, day by day and you allowed it.

"Funny how quickly things change sometimes," Jessie went on. She didn't mean to scoff, but she did. "You didn't even tell me when you and [y/ex] broke up. You didn't even tell me you were having problems."

In years past, Jessie was your sounding board for all your girl troubles. She remembered it well – it was painful. Having to hear you either swoon or – more often – complain about your girlfriends. Hearing how they disappointed or frustrated you when Jessie knew she could love you better. Just thinking back to it stoked a fire in Jessie's chest again. While she had genuinely loved you and cared about your well-being, she'd vowed to never get stuck in that dynamic again.

You cracked a smirk. "It just seemed frivolous to bother you with something like that at that point."

Another pang in Jessie's chest. "Well," she kicked idly at the concrete beneath her, "I would've been there for you if you ever needed me. I hope you knew that."

You sighed and gave a hollow laugh as you pushed your hair back, causing Jessie to get momentarily distracted by the way the rays from the street light hit your face.

"I know," you said quietly before meeting her gaze. "And I hope you knew the same about me. I know you're surrounded by people who love you, but," you shrugged listlessly, "I'd be there for you, too."

Before Jessie could respond you gave her another smirk.

"Besides. Though you never said anything explicit, I know you didn't like her. And by the end I could see why, too. No point wasting any of our limited conversation talking about her."

Jessie bit back a smirk, but knew her eyes betrayed her. "Well, I guess that's poetic. Your girlfriends never liked me and I never liked them."

Despite the mounting tension in your conversation, you laughed and gave her a nod. Jessie didn't return your laugh though. She gave you a solemn look.

"You always deserved better than them. I know some of them were just fine, some of them even good, but they didn't seem earnest enough and they didn't love you enough."

You were taken aback by her sudden proclamation. You opened your mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words.

Jessie never understood how they didn't worship the ground you walked on. She practically did, even if she didn't show it. While those girls showed they cared through superficial acts like a generic bouquet of flowers, Jessie listened. In many ways. It was obvious to Jessie that they didn't really get you – not the way she did. And if they were so in tune with you, then why was it her you came to when things were hard or you were scared or even hopeful. If she'd been your girlfriend, she would've given you everything you needed and more. They clearly didn't.

You eventually gave a soft huff and offered Jessie a quiet smile.

"You've always been very observant. And very thoughtful. I get it now. There's a reason I'm single now. I don't want to settle anymore," you told her.

Jessie was quiet before giving a nod of acceptance.

"I'm glad to hear that."

You both started walking again, though neither of you spoke right away. There was still a heaviness in the air, but it felt different now; hopeful.

"I'm sorry for how things ended," you said as she glanced over at Jessie as you two strolled through the quiet street. "You've always been really important to me – regardless of whether we were in contact or not. I don't want to say that I wish things had been different, because I really don't see the point in regretting anything, but I will say I'm very grateful that we've had this chance to reconnect and rebuild." You paused. "I've really missed you. I didn't realize how much."

"I'm really sorry, too," Jessie said, a smile spreading across her face. "And I agree – we can't change the past, but I also appreciate the chance to be friends again. I've missed you, too."

She swallowed as she contemplated whether to add more. The lull that naturally formed told her to forge ahead.

"And you were never a nuisance or an obligation. I'm really sorry it came across that way."

"Awww, Jessie," you said in a teasing voice, lifting your conversation up again. You paused your steps and Jessie stopped and turned to you in question. "Come on," you beckoned as you waved her over and brought out your phone. "We need a new photo together."

Jessie didn't fight it. Instead, she smiled at you and walked over to stand next to you. You leaned into her and Jessie found her hand naturally gravitated to your waist. It rest there before Jessie could even realize it, but before she could fret, you looked back at her with a smile before facing forward again.

You took the photo and immediately opened up your messages with Jessie to send it to her. Jessie belatedly realized her hand was still on you and she pulled it back, holding her hands behind her.

"There," you announced. "Now we can start rebuilding our collection. Portland memories – not just UCLA anymore."

Jessie laughed and held up her phone, pointing the camera at you.

"No, come on," you whined immediately and she laughed further.

"Hey, this is part of the deal," she countered. You huffed, but eventually smiled for her. "Just remember. This goes both ways. I get new photos of you, too."

She found herself giving you a wink. "I'll allow it."

A/N: Part Four is available here.

#jessie fleming #jessie fleming x reader #woso x reader #woso imagine #canwnt x reader #portland thorns

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kazimirovich · 1 year ago

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all i can say forever

i'm jewish. as a child i moved from a rural town where my family saw acts of rage and hate, emigrated from a country with a horrifying history with jews. you know the one, though there are many. i'm 31 now and i have seen and experienced antisemitism my whole life, in the many places i've lived, to varying degrees. not that i should need to qualify this before everything i have to say - but i know what that looks and feels like. in my life there have been times at which i have been in danger. i choose to stay out of danger in all the ways i was taught. (part of that is not moving into someone else's house uninvited (more in a sec))

(well-meaning?) people want me to have a relationship with israel. they are very invested in assuming i have some connection to this shifting space, this project. they associate my german jewishness with a place i have never been and never felt. home, for me, is the uncle i haven't seen in too long, the ailing brother of my mother, the same red nose. it's fresh sheets hung over dry summer grass, it's bavarian farmland, it's thick liptauer on pumpernickel bread warmed over the wood stove. it's my grandmother's dining room and rough fenceposts, borders we disrespected as kids. home is also here and there and where my family is, where my friends are, where i've built myself.

in a geopolitical sense, it is clear that the antisemitic position is to sequester jews into a partitioned state conceived of by non-jews after the sunset of our most recent attempted decimation. antisemitic, to tell jews "move here, be at home in this space of constant war. impose war on others. fight for a tenuous link to an ancestry you've never seen or studied." in a religious sense, sort of a key feature of judaism since the second exile is that - we're in exile. this is an orthodox argument, but i have to admit that rabbinical discourse is pretty convincing. the secular establishment of the israeli state in an attempt to accelerate any so-called redemption has left us at a point where i really don't know what hope we have for that to occur. if you believe in god, how can you believe they are looking down at us, impressed

because beyond theoretical or spiritual reasons, the bloodlust, the vengefulness, the racism, the violation of law (i know that laws are agreed upon, are broken all the time by those who grant themselves impunity), the evil of this continuance, the evil which grinds babies and text and memory, gnashes it all in its droning machinery, its cold horror and inhumane (unhuman) practice, seemingly perfected... it is obvious to anyone with a single thought that it is an ethnic cleansing. the forcible "movement" (murder) of people of one group from land people of another group want. is ethnic cleansing. we are watching it in real time, and the world stands by and in many cases, it endorses, it beats and imprisons those who are brave enough to stand up to it, it rewards cowardly men in war rooms who having read fukuyama and arendt and maybe even voegelin conveniently forget themselves, because they can afford to, and wave their hands and make calls and decimate entire families cities sovereignties. and liberalism - that fickle ideology whose sole search is for the justification of atrocity - sends its thoughts and prayers, and emphasizes how just horrible both sides are, and conveniently forgets the histories that have led each "side" to this. convenient.

and i can't do anything about it. i can perfectly articulate every well-thought-out argument, i can cry the most frustrated tears from the well of my chest and i can scream that this isn't right, because it isn't, but nobody fucking cares. those who matter have decided for those who don't.

if you align yourself with israel, or feel any sympathy toward the supposed plight of active settlers (not a neutral spot to be in, by the way - another rational argument), i hope you know how thoroughly you've been manipulated. how successful the project of those with the power to decide we don't matter has been. you and i don't matter. so-called free thinkers meme. you fucking idiot. you genocidal maniac.

not putting this under a cut. fuck you. read it all and remember my jewish name and keep it far out of your mouth the next time you tell someone why the people you've told me are my neighbors deserve a flattening.

#israel #palestine

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ganondoodle · 1 year ago

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so guess what they released more interviews and i think given what a writing shitshow totk was and what they have been saying in all these interviews is actually painting a really bad picture; i dont have the time, nor the energy to go over every detail

but they were commenting on people wanting the more linear format back and aonuma himself basically said that he thinks people who feel like that do so only bc of nostalgia and "Why do you want to go back to a type of game where you're more limited or more restricted in the types of things or ways you can play?"

what .. the fuck, more freedom DOESNT automatically mean better??? like ... restriction can be a GOOD thing just as tooo much freedom can be BAD?? like in totk??? are you fukcing shitting me- what the hell are games even for then, has he had an awakening to the fact that he actually just loves sandbox games without realizing it???? im not playing fucking zelda for a sandbox, especially not when its advertised as a somethign else

its pretty clear that they want to keep this format going with everything they say there, ... maybe it really is over huh

also i hate how they kept talking around answering anything about story/lore; they go asked how ganondorf even connects to ganon since theres nothign about it in game, and all they got out was welllll we dont wanna say anything bc its up to the player; about every question you got the answer of "make somethign up yourself" which is just ... its really clear they dont actually care but dont want to say everything is meaningless actually, so they try to be vague about it and with doing that really just confirm they didnt think about it and they dont care- so no lore actually matters, nothing thats been said or established has any meaning bc they will get rid of it the second it crosses paths with their new -more freedom equals better- philosophy, they say its bc they want you to be "free" to think up anything but apparently dont realize that when there are no rules, no consistent lore or anything that it ROBS it, it stops having meaning, its fun to connect dots only when there are rules you need to work with and dots to connect in the first place, when you have an established world with its restrictions it drives you to think more creatively about things- but when there are no rules?? its fucking boring!! thats what it is!!

when you discard all rules i wont care to get invested into anything bc i know it will not be considered again, be done away with without any reason and wont have influence on coming or previous games ... bc there are no rules, anything is possible and everything can be changed any second, so nothing matters

(they also talked about the many viral videos of those very few dedicated people that make godzilla mechs in totk and how happy they are about that- i get that to some extent, but the way they kept talkign about it really just felt like it confirmed my suspicion that that whole mechanic was mainly implemented to let people do that since that gets shared around en masse making it seem like that is why people enjoy it while neither the game nor the narrative are build around it in any way ..)

it just makes all the time i spend thinking, feeling and theorizing about zelda like a true waste of time, bc nothing matters and there are no rules-

i am someone who greatly enjoys working with and around established lore/rules, its fun to me to recontextulize things by being smart or creative with it all without breaking anything or as little as possible of the established things!

if i wanted to do just do anything i want I COULD HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT bc theres nothing actually stopping anyone to just make up what they want! i DONT need canon to lose all rules for that??!!

maybe ill have to make myself believe the franchise ended with botw on a good note ... ono

#ganondoodles talks #zelda #totk #ganondoodles rants #sorry for sounding so agressive about this #but its making me so mad #also someone said to me that they literally admitted to not have an actual writer for totk???#(or someone that has no connection to anything zelda before this??)#which i couldnt find myself but #it would make so much sense if true #like ... yeah if there werent any people dedicated for the narrative and it was jsut cool looking moment tacked on cool looking moment #or someone that has no idea of anything of the past ... including botw ... yeah .. yeah it does feel like that #it makes me so sad #and also like i have to come to terms with this franchise being practically dead to me now #just when i was about to start working on chapter 2 #can they please stop doing interviews when all they do is fuck it up more #(* ￣︿￣)

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mrsfrecklesmarauders · 1 month ago

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"Did you see him? Did you see what he did?" Sirius snapped "God! I can't believe he did that. It was humiliating. What is Benjy going to think?"

James was quiet as he placed a glass of water on his hand "Here, drink up"

"I'm sober!" Sirius spat "I don't need this. Remus is the one that needs it"

James pursed his lips "Lily already gave him some. She is taking care of him. I want to talk with you"

"About what?"

Sirius was furious but not with James. Never with James. He had been excited to plan a party for his friends for Halloween. Not only his lifetime friends from Hogwarts but also his new friends from art school.

Sirius just hated how insecure Remus had gotten. They had been dating for almost two years. They shared an apartment. They loved each other. What else did he need as proof?

Sirius had never loved anyone as he loved Remus. He was so freakingly in love that sometimes that feeling scared him. Sirius could never stop loving him. He was sure of that.

But when Remus got like that, drunk and jealous, Sirius didn't recognize him. He hated when Remus acted all possessive.

Remus had gotten so drunk in fact that said horrible things to Benjy.

"Remus is seeing things where there are not" Sirius said as he took a seat but he was too energetic so he stood up again and began pacing.

"I am the one to blame all the time! But he is the one who got drunk and started insulting Benjy!! In front of everyone! We were supposed to be hosting a party together. I am bloody right to be angry, aren't I?"

James took a deep breath and pushed his glasses up, something that made him look more mature. Maybe he was more mature. He was a father now.

"Do you want me to tell you you're right because I am your best friend and practically brother... Or do you want me to tell you the truth?"

Sirius frowned and stopped pacing.

"What do you mean?" he asked "What truth?"

"Remus got like that because of your attitude" James explained "And I think he's right..." he shook his head "Not about getting drunk and attacking Benjy but about getting jealous"

Sirius was about to reply something to defend himself. But he decided not to contradict James.

Yes, Benjy was a good friend. They had gotten close really fast. He was wild and passionate like Sirius himself. And Sirius had fun with him all the time. It wasn't his fault Remus never wanted to come to the parties or raves. He was more a person to stay home and enjoy a good book. But Sirius was constantly changing. He was in the peak of his youth. Long gone were the days when Sirius was too scared of getting out of the closet or confront his family. He felt young, full of energy, more queer and open with himself. Art School had opened for him a whole new world for him.

James and Lily had a Harry, and they never had time for fun anymore, always busy with baby things. Everyone was invested in their own lives. Sirius barely saw his old friends.

Benjy was fun to be around. He didn't have commitment with anyone or anything. Something Sirius admired from him.

"You do spend a lot of time with that bloke" James added "You talk about him a lot"

"He's a good friend" Sirius replied.

"Really?" James raised an eyebrow. He was being patient "Because Remus is not the jealous type. He doesn't get jealous of me, even if we are close"

Sirius groaned putting his head back.

"That's different" he said "He knows nothing could happen between us, you're like my brother"

"Cheers for that" James grinned "So you're saying something could happen with Benji?"

Sirius didn't know what to answer "I..."

"He's bisexual, isn't he?"

"Yeah but I am in love with Remus" There was no doubt in his words. Not anymore. He had fought with his feelings for so long until he couldn't take it anymore. And bam, Sirius fell in love for the first time "I love Remus"

James nodded, but he didn't seem so convinced.

"Remus wouldn't get jealous out of nowhere, though" James said carefully "Sirius...be honest with me" he leaned closer "Do you have feelings for Benjy?"

It would be easier if James didn't know him this well, if he didn't know when he was lying or avoiding a subject.

There was something that Sirius could only describe as a silly crush. There were moments when his heart began beating a little faster when Benjy touched his arm. Or maybe how much he liked when Benjy teased him. He wasn’t handsome or good looking but his attitude towards life was so attractive. He was so easily queer and just a rebel. Something that Sirius wanted to be.

But he loved Remus and he would never do anything to hurt him.

"Maybe you're confused..." James said seeing Sirius’s expression "But Remus feels insecure is because you don't give him security"

Sirius snorted "Well, I'm always trying to do romantic things together. It's Remus that doesn't want to join"

James shook his head "It doesn't work if you're only doing it because you feel guilty of spending less and less time with him. It has to come naturally"

Sirius wanted to say something but when James said the things as they were, not even Sirius could deny them.

"Remus is not stupid, Sirius" he added "He is realizing something is going on"

Sirius couldn't sleep that night. He felt like the worst piece of shit. His worst fear had been hurting Remus and that was exactly what he was doing.

The thing was that nothing felt like before. They weren't in school anymore. The friend group was all over the place. And Sirius wasn't that kid who thought the Hogwarts castle was his whole world. The rivalry between houses. The pranks. Rugby matches. The Marauders.

Sirius was almost twenty and he felt so tired of trying to dissipate Remus's insecurities. But he did so because he loved him. Although everything felt so wrong lately.

Sirius didn't want to be a bad boyfriend and decided to bring him breakfast to bed.

He usually wasn't the romantic type. And yet once he had been so in love he did all these cheesy things. He was still in love.

"Good morning, Mr. Lupin!" Sirius chanted as he placed the tray on bed and sat next to the sleeping bult of his boyfriend "Waky Waky! There's a delicious breakfast waiting for you"

Remus groaned before opening his eyes. He looked dreadful.

"Hangover, aren't we?"

Well, with everything Remus drank last night...

Remus looked confused.

"I thought you were angry with me"

"I was" Sirius sighed, then grabbed the cup of coffee to put sugar on it "But it is a new day and I want to start it with the right foot" he said "Also, I need someone to help me clean the mess"

And also, you feel guilty, don't you? A voice that sounded too much like James said in his head. Sirius ignored it.

"Pineapple?" Sirius said as he grabbed some pieces with the fork.

Remus was waiting for Sirius to snap at him again probably. However Sirius kept smiling.

"I spoke with Lily last night, I remember" Remus said touching his forehead "She thinks that the way I acted was not okay..." he sighed "And I agree... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything... I was..."

"Jealous?"

Remus nodded "Yes"

Sirius snorted. He didn't want to be angry anymore. But he didn't like the way Remus had acted.

"What's so funny?"

"Your jealousy, Remus" Sirius spat "I don't understand it"

Remus shook his head "Really?"

"Really? Really, what? I don't like that you're constantly thinking that I am going to... I can't stand your insecurity" he was actually not over it

"So I am crazy enough to see ghosts, yeah?" Remus was getting angry.

"You humiliated Benjy last night in front of our friends. I just wanted you to get along with them. With Benjy. I wanted my two worlds to collide"

"Okay I might have stepped over the line"

"Might have" Sirius mumbled mocking.

"But what do you want me to believe? I'm not crazy, Sirius!"

"It's about love!" Sirius replied "It's about trust and maturity" God, they were fighting again "I thought you wanted to be with me forever"

"You're the one who is not mature enough not to keep this relationship afloat"

"I'm doing everything I can!" Sirius almost screamed of fury. It had been exhausting actually. "I don't say anything when you speak hours on the phone with your friend, Grant"

"It is not the same and you know it"

"Right" God, they were so pathetic.

"Grant is like my James"

Sirius simply made a face. He knew Grant wanted to get into his boyfriend's pants all the time. He was just too good to admit it. And oh damn, he was acting the same way than Remus. All jealous and stupid.

"It's not only about Benji, Sirius" Remus said with tears in his eyes "It feels like you don't love me anymore, that I am a burden to you"

It felt like that when Remus behaved like this. Which made Sirius feel guilty again.

"Of course I love you" he said with tears in his eyes as well.

Remus leaned closer.

"Then swear to me you don't feel anything for him"

Sirius swallowed. He had to sound convincing. He had to stop feeling this way. And feeling sort of attracted to Benjy. He felt like he was with one foot in and one foot out of this relationship. He wished he could feel the same way when they started dating. On the top of the world. So happy and so in love. But lately his love was based on pure memory.

"I swear, Moony, yeah"

Remus smiled and kissed him then. And the way he did it felt so wrong and desperate. As if both of them were trying to prove something.

Then Sirius’s phone rang in that second, and as if it was a curse, Benjy's name appeared on the screen.

When Remus saw it, he immediately got hurt.

Sirius ignored the call and blocked his phone.

"Are we okay, then?" Sirius asked, surprisingly desperate.

Remus seemed tense.

"Thanks for breakfast" he said as he got out of bed "But I have to go to work"

And Remus was angry again. This was a cycle that never ended.

Sirius didn't say anything else than "Okay" as Remus entered the bathroom. He even slammed the door closed.

Fuck! Since when did this relationship felt like hell itself?

#The beginning of the downfall for Wolfstar #I missed to write a bit of angst between them #But don't worry we know they are meant to be #marauders #maraudersera #muggle au #sirius black #remus lupin #wolfstar #james potter #benjy fenwick

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iwriteasfotini · 5 days ago

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Where do we draw the villain line?

Something which is so intriguing to me about the Harry Potter fandom is how flexible *most/some/a few* (honestly IDK how many) people are in giving the villains of the story their own story. Personally I LOVE THIS. Because the best villains are the ones who aren't simply macho bad guys (or gals) who are bad because the author said so. The best villains are the ones you are almost rooting for. The ones you begin to think... wait maybe that person isn't so bad. Or the ones who earn some empathy. And then go and be total arse holes anyways. Because a good story needs a villain, it's simply a fact.

If there was ever a time to remember humans are each living our own story, it is now. It doesn't excuse ANYTHING. It is infuriating and sad. But it is reality. Someone's villain is someone else's hero. And vice versa. But let's not get off on a tangent.

Now the curious thing is while certain HP characters are given some grace where their evil deeds are concerned, others are not. Like at all. Have any of you read Crimson Rivers? Of course you have! If you want to shift your mindset on how you view most of the Death Eaters, read that fic. But in it, I do not remember Mulciber or Avery being mentioned in any sort of good light. Walburga... her terrible parenting is quite undisputed. Umbridge! Barty Crouch Senior! I think Vernon Dursley falls into this category. There are still characters who are seen as simply evil for the sake of evil.

So how did Tom, Bella, Barty, Draco (but I mean, Draco is really a terrible villain to begin with) and a few others end up with backstory, humanity, and quite a few people invested in them. I don't have the answer, but it is an interesting phenomena. Because I am quite new to the fandom and it took all of three tumblr posts to get me fully on board with Rosekiller. Bella, I don't like her, but she is a fascinating character to write for. And she has redeemable qualities. Tom is a cold hearted killer who might have turned out completely different if he didn't have the childhood trauma he did. I imagine Tom's orphanage life was about as void of love and affection as it is possible to be. Sure his basic survival needs were taken care of, but he wasn't loved. And that was his life from birth.

Perhaps it is the fact there is just enough humanity given to these characters in canon that in fandom we take that nugget of humanity and turn it into a full fledged backstory. Barty is a great example. He is screaming at his father during his trial and his father flat up ignores him, all while his mother is weeping in the background. His mother sacrifices herself for him, then DIES two days later (clearly she wasn't in good health to begin with... hmmmmm...). Does Barty even have a Dark Mark? WE DON'T KNOW. Does Barty feel like he has a personal connection with Voldemort, yes, their fathers were both pieces of shite. How did Barty learn this about Tom? It means Tom went out of his way to connect with Barty on a PERSONAL level at some point. Why would he bother, he so rarely give away personal information? Also I feel Barty has a relationship with Winky which is reminiscent of Regulus and Kreacher. Basically there is mutual love and respect on some level (while some wizards see house-elves as servants only).

The fact we can ask all these questions about someone who essentially guided Harry to his should have been death and then was kissed by a dementor (which Dumbledore was LIVID about BTW) makes him such great fodder for the fandom to sculpt a intriguing if not rich back story. It's why I was able to get on board with the Barty isn't a pure villain idea so fast. And I think it really enhances the fandom.

On a side note, Peter's an interesting one as I feel like he is often either forgotten about or lumped into the evil for evil's sake category. Peter made appalling choices, but I think he has a backstory, just like everyone, which can at least account for some of why he did what he did. And it does not have to do with him being bullied, pushed around, or constantly berated by his supposed friends. The Marauders loved each other, and Peter was included in that love.

That being said, there are plenty of people who disagree. Who like to see the Death Eaters as evil. Who cannot fathom how anyone in their right mind can ship Jegulus or be invested in a villain. But to those people I say, Regulus committed suicide as part of taking down Voldemort, Remus put peoples lives at risk every time he left the shack while he was at Hogwarts, Sirius has made some very questionable choices, Harry uses Sectumsempra on Draco, Severus was a Death Eater who changed allegiance, Ron deserts his friends/Harry when they need him, even Fred and George test products on first years and give Hermione a black eye. The lines between good and bad (which are at least somewhat defined in canon) become far less clear in fandom. As Sirius says, the world isn't split between good people and Death Eaters.

If you have read this far into my rant, kuddos to you. If you enjoy thinking and talking about backstory of HP villains, maybe we can connect in some capacity and exchange HC's and thoughts. I also hope you will check out my very epic series which has started posting on Ao3 because I am striving to tell a lot of people's stories in a fast paced, entertaining way.

Thank you for your time and attention. This concludes my rant.

#archive of our own #our love is written in the stars #harry potter #dead gay wizards from the 70s #jegulus #now rosekiller is that ship #rosekiller #bellatrix black #bellatrix lestrange #barty crouch jr #harry potter fandom #marauders #death eaters #pro severus snape #pro lily evans #pro marauders

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yzafre · 3 months ago

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thoughts on tmnt 2003

I finally finished watching 2003 for the first time! I've been compiling thoughts as I go along, so here they all are, for the "I like hearing what new people think of my favorite things" crowd (and also just to give myself a place to put them).

Spoiler alert: it's mostly positive, and forgiving of the less-than-positive. This gets long, so I put it below a read more:

Okay, so I saw everyone talking about how different Rise was from 2012, and how it jarred people, and some people couldn’t stomach it, but I never saw anyone mentioning 2003’s place in this discussion? Because I didn’t realize just how much 2012 pulled from 2003, and I feel like the expectations that set about what it means to do a new iteration of the franchise definitely had a place in how people received something different

On that note, I kind of want to do a “who wore it better” post about all the arcs 2012 adapted... (although 2003 probably also pulled its ideas from somewhere else – I've heard the comics, maybe? I barely know anything about those, so have no idea how closely they’re connected.).

The City at War arc (good series of episodes, btw) really clarified a point of difference for me in how I understand 2003 and 2012 Raphael. And by that I mean I think 12!Raph would agree with 03!Leo? Not on the honor/it’s our fault point, but on the “the gangs are out there hurting people, and we should do something about it”. I’d need to re-watch some episodes to check my work here (I think the episode where they meet Murakami sticks out most in my head?) but 12!Raph seemed to have – at least verbally – an investment in the idea of stopping bad guys simply because they were hurting people.

Okay so obviously Same As It Never Was is agonizing, BUT. Leo in Usagi’s world was SOOOOO funny to me. omg. Everyone just being all “ninja deceit”! “Dishonorable ninja”!! With Leo’s whole... deal. Like from the beginning of the show I was like “isn’t bushido a samurai thing?” when Leo brought it up, so to see it being highlighted here is. Mwah. Even Usagi being “bluh bluh you’re turning me into a ninja with all this sneaking around >:(". SO funny. I was dying.

I’ve talked several times on how 2012 invested in inter-connected, long-form plots rather than being purely episodic, so it’s interesting to see 2003 move that way as the seasons go on! I don’t think it ever quite reaches the level of ‘12, but you can definitely see how the writers were inspired by the plot work going on here, and went “okay, can we do that but more?” The differences between how the two shows do it is interesting, too, but that would be a whole other conversation.

Similarly, I can see how part of Rise’s inspirations might’ve been some of the weirder world-building stuff going on in ‘03. Everything about the underground city/ the Y’Lyntians, the idea of the Utrom/Kraang being here since long ago, all the more mystic stuff that ‘12 only sometimes dabbled in. ((I also think part of the way Rise was written was to be in dialogue with the themes of ‘03 and ‘12, but that’s also a different conversation.))

I was aware of Grudge Match before watching the show, but given what I knew about it I honestly expected Mikey to be much more obnoxious about it? Like yes he wouldn’t shut up about it in the multi-part immediately after the Nexus arc, but after that it seemed like he only mentioned it, what, once every couple episodes? Grudge Match implies he was louder about it off screen – which would be in character – but given how good the show usually is at “show don’t tell” for setting up characterization it stood out to me.

Okay this is petty but. I am getting very tired of the constant movie quotes. Stop that.

Okay so on the topic of “show don’t tell” characterization – Leo's ptsd arc was good. Like this was a thing I knew about before starting the show but everyone was right it was goooood. Like obviously within the limitations of a kids show, but a wonderful amount of nuance for that audience. It tracks so well start to finish, even from season 1 where Leo was shown to have this. Really strong but devastatingly rigid sense of identity? Like what it means to be a warrior, and who he has to be because of that. Like the thing with his identity being tied to the swords, and then the reason why he was tempted by Shredder’s initial (lying) offer. It all tracks to like. Okay when he fails. When he can’t live up to it. Of course it shattered his mental state and threatened his sense of identity. Of course it did. And then just several arcs of different plots but with this other character story woven through them. Just in how he was approaching it. This is the shit I was wanting from ‘12 the whole time.

And Usagiiii. Usagi. I love him so much, and this was such great use of him. Building up a solid, believable foundation for a very enjoyable relationship between him and Leo, then bringing it back at this critical juncture in Leo’s character. FUCK their conversations in Samura Tourist were so good. Amazing. Fantastic.

Actually just all the work that’s done with the turtle’s allies is great. The homeless/junkyard people. The super-heroes. Leatherhead. Usagi. The Daimyo. Just... all of it? I love it? It makes the world feel more alive and the turtles grounded in it as like. Real people. Who make connections and upkeep them and. Yeah I love it.

I reached Tale of Master Yoshi and noooooo it’s. It’s the 2012. It’s the 2012 backstory. The inspiration for 2012’s whole thing… its right here… ((Although is it just me or,,, does Yoshi (our hero) look a lot more western compared to Mashimi (our villain)? There’s something about that.... hm. Hmmmmm.))

Hello season 5! A!Ni!Me! Bullshit!!! Very accelerated anime bullshit. Obliviously this is a huge inspiration for Rise, though I appreciate that that show took more time for the powers to build up. Also the ninja tribunal are assholes and very questionable teachers. Would it kill you to actually explain anything ever.

Huhhh okay so I am picking up a LOT of Rise vibes not just from the mystic powers/glowy lines, but from Splinter’s deal with the ninja tribunal, and how they wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice the boys, and how the brothers need to stick together. VERY reminiscent of Rise!Splinter’s deal with the Hamato.

Noooo not Oroku Saki getting possessed by a demon. Hello Rise backstory. I see. It really all comes back to 2003 doesn’t it? Rise was definitely made by people who looked at S5 and went “okay, can we do that but more?”

Have I talked about how much I love that from the beginning the show was just like “oh yeah also actual superheroes exist in this world, it’s just an accepted thing”? Because I do. Love it a lot. Having most of them be really old/kinda retired/people are forgetting about them was a good idea though because otherwise. Their spotty presence at cataclysmic events would be much more noticeable.

Dragon fight is cool. That is all.

The fact that at this point Stockman is just straight up like “Let me die. Please let me die” is. Well it sure is something!

I’d heard the last two seasons weren’t as good and… yeah. Like it’s not bad, it’s just… less good. I miss the world and characters of the previous season. Though hey did the Rise gear designs steal some inspo from this season?

HOWEVER. The episode introducing the dark turtles. Where Leo’s like “if you’re really my clone, you should value honor and the code of bushido!” and his counterpart just... stares solemnly for an extended time before being like “lmao yeah nope” and sucker punching him was hilarious, and got a sharp laugh out of me. Favorite moment in this season. I actually liked this episode overall, too.

So. Hm. Mikey has always been very un-serious – a jokester, (verbally) a bit of a coward at times, easily distracted. But as this season goes on it really feels like they’re amping it up/exaggerating those traits, to the point of stripping away anything else at times. Similarly, his brother’s willingness to indulgence/reactions to his silliness seems to fluctuate wildly, but on a downward trend - they always razzed him, but in this season... well they paired his increased goof-offs with increased put downs/jokes about it. This, while a bit annoying to me as a characterization choice, does track on a more meta-textual level. By this point it’s 2006-2007. 2007 is the year Big Bang Theory aired, which I find to be, uh…. Tonally representative of the cultural attitude in the US between 2008 annnnd… 2013-ish? There was this extra-concentrated feeling of, like… snideness and sarcasm that I remember around that time period. It’s also very prominent in TMNT 2012 – especially in Season 1 (when binging that show I was hit by high school memories so viscerally that I said, out loud, “oh, GOD, we really were all Like That, weren’t we?” only a few episodes in). Similarly to my post about the increasing frequency of the “Gibbs slap”, I find it interesting to see the way the changing attitudes are reflected in the same show as time passes.

LET STOCKMAN REST jeZUS

Overall, I see three kinds of episodes in season 6: mediocre, good, and what I call “good but out of order”. What I mean by that last bit, is like… okay, the Graduation episode was good in theory, but felt very strange coming after Season 4/5, you get me? Things where the concept is solid, but seems to be placed in the wrong position in their arcs, which I think is a knock-off effect from the lightened tone of the season.

Oh. I just got to the second episode of S7 and. I don’t…. hm. So, I could deal with the simplified designs in Fast Forward, because they got some cool new gear stuff added in as well, but this is. Uh. Worse. But even beyond that – the dynamics also feel sort of off. If Casey has been going to this gym for a while, why is April only now doing something about it….? I don’t feel like she would have let this go just because the guys weren’t there. Also I'm putting it down here now that I think the whole digital world thing is kinda dumb

I do think 2012 looked at a lot of the ideas for S7 and went “interesting idea, we can do it way better”, which I commend them for. Admittedly, these can also be stock tropes: April getting possessed also reminds me of Ghost Busters/Zuul, and mind control is a pretty standard trope, but… well, you know. 2012 took so much else from 2003, you can’t help but wonder if they pulled inspiration here, too.

Oh they are wayyyy over-using the Shredder/Foot Clan sting/motif this season and it is getting,,, annoying,,,

I kept waiting to see what they were doing with it, but they did not handle Donnie’s guilt arc with anywhere near the finesse they did Leo’s. It wasn’t… horrible, I guess. It’s just notably lacking in comparison. They didn't even have Leo really sit down with him to talk about his own experience like???

I did appreciate them bringing back all those side characters in the finale. I’ve already mentioned I love the plethora of allies and friends they gave the turtles in this iteration, so obviously that was going to please me, though they could have gotten a little bit better showing in the final fight.

Lmao the guy I thought was gonna be rat king!!!! He’s there lurking and watching in the distance???

Good show! But yeah I’d agree with people who say that the heart of the show is really in the first 5 seasons. After that the characters and stories feel a bit… flattened? The more I pushed through the last two seasons, the more I was missing the first 5, which I really, really enjoyed. Ranking on my personal tastes of the series I’ve watched so far, meeting each show where it's at, it goes Rise > 2003 > 2012. Rise and 2003 are really close, with Rise just beating it on account of “it was my first show” and also “I REALLY like anime bullshit”, although there’s potential for that to shift or fluctuate as it marinates in my brain. That being said, 2012 is the one that makes the creative part of my brain go crunch-crunch, so take that as you will. Continuing to go backwards puts me at the 1987 series, so I suppose that’s next. I have plans to watch the new TotTMNT with family during the holiday season, so unfortunately I’m up for an (agonizing) wait on that one.

#tmnt #tmnt 2003 #yza talks about a thing

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velvet-games · 5 months ago

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hmm ok thoughts/questions so far on hazbin hannibal au (feel free to chime in):

okay full disclosure I haven't watched hannibal in like four years but I was obsessed enough with it at the time that I can hopefully still analyze it without forgetting major chunks of plot (emphasis on hopefully)

also full disclosure that a lot of my view of alastor is based on fandom/my own extrapolation; I rewatched some of hazbin recently, and we honestly don't get much! there's a lot of room for different interps and I'm just using mine

the most obvious choice for hannibal is alastor, but the characters are just different enough that I can either a) have someone else be hannibal or b) have the whole point be that alastor is not hannibal (and why that's interesting)

hannibal is a lonely devil (but like, not from the bible): he's the only guy in the world that knows how to play chess, and he'll do anything to keep playing with the one other guy that knows how to play chess; hannibal is legitimately better and cooler than most people, and he is only actually made vulnerable by will.

alastor is like. just a guy tbh. even in hell, he's kind of mediocre; not all of the other overlords respect him, and he's not even as powerful as the goetia, much less anyone in heaven. and that's not even touching on human alastor.

hannibal is born into a lot of wealth, and I think that shapes his sense of "morality;" instead of absorbing actual morals, he absorbs a need for decorum and propriety (the aesthetic of morality basically). he kills because people are "impolite." he fucks with people because it's genuinely just interesting, and he doesn't respect them as people.

I don't really know what to do with hannibal's trauma with later being destitute and having to eat his sister; it wasn't fully explained in the show, and I think it's kind of a relic from the more human version of him in the books. maybe it speaks to a level of having to remove oneself emotionally because being invested means Something Bad Happened to Hannibal, which cannot happen ("nothing happened. I happened." etc etc), and that's why he needs to see everything as a game he can control. that makes will a lot more significant because hannibal could've chosen not to play chess, but now that he does, he needs someone to play with him (or he might have to go back to believing something bad happened). eh.

I don't think alastor was born into wealth at all; I'm good with the general fandom interp of him growing up poor with a shitty father, and I don't really see him as ever becoming wealthy in life. I doubt being a radio show host paid that much, especially since his whole thing is not being a sellout.

alastor's morality is kind of a big question mark that everyone has a different answer to. I don't like the politeness thing because again, I see it as being shaped by hannibal's childhood, and I also do think alastor is Invested. I think he's too invested, actually; there's kind of this desperate edge to him that hannibal would never have. alastor's ego is wounded multiple times and he is, at least to the audience, very obviously ticked off by it. he doesn't like that the other overlords aren't impressed by him, he has a meltdown over husk's minor jab, and tears out his own hair at the idea that other people might've thought he had a heart. he's less of a master chess player and more of a wounded animal that got really good at scaring other animals into not hurting it again. but he's still an animal. and no one has gotten close enough to heal the wound.

so I guess alastor's morality is just whatever feels good/safe. I watched swarm a while back, and I liked the use of murder as a kind of coping mechanism: "this feels bad. I don't feel safe. I don’t know how to deal with this. no one in my life has taught me how to process emotions normally, so I'm literally just gonna do murder." dre's killing is subtextually compared to stress eating; it feels good, there's a dopamine rush, and you stop thinking about the bad things. you can also eat comfort food just because you want to and enjoy it.

something I realized while I watched the show is that I'm pretty sure we don't see alastor actually kill that many people? like he fucked with pentious and tried to kill adam, plus we get a flashback about killing other overlords, but I only remember him actually killing the sharks that were after mimzy. so. lots of extrapolation still.

I think all of those examples can be read using the eating metaphor, but obviously there's some other stuff going on too. killing the overlords was a reputation-building (no one will hurt me if I'm scary enough) moment, but it was also just for the more practical side of gaining power/souls. killing for mimzy helped confirm to charlie that he could defend the hotel, and it also plays into his role as a gentleman that will clean up mimzy's messes. he gets to be a hero in a fucked up way.

there's obviously no redemption arc for hannibal. I don't even know what the fuck that would mean in a thematic sense. but I do think alastor can be softened a lot if he lets someone in to heal the wound. not sure who that would be though.

I have a lot more, but just one little thing to end on and get y'all's thoughts going: what if vox is hannibal? not in the full character sense, but just to fill the role as the rich guy that psychoanalyzes people. he's probably more obviously suited to a freddie lounds-type role, but maybe he does hypnosis "therapy" and realizes it doesn't work on alastor, which sparks his interest. just some food for thought.

#hannibal #hazbin hotel #meta #my meta #hh hannibal au #hazbin hotel au #hazbin hotel alastor #hazbin hotel vox #hannibal lecter #will graham #swarm

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tmwcs · 1 year ago

Text

S E 7 E N : R E C K O N I N G P A R T 1 N E

WARNINGS: Religious references (both accurate and inaccurate), mentions of cannibalism, rape, murder, grotesque deaths, demons, angels, heaven and hell, conspiracy, abuse of authority, cruelty behavior, sinister and sadistic main character, threats of death, threats towards women, time travel, sexual fantasies, religious/sacrificial death/offering, God, the Devil, 7 o Princes of Hell, 7 Deadly Sins.

The text in purple are song lyrics.

The next day, you woke up as usual and conducted your regular routine. You showered and found yourself staring in a daze as the water coats your body.

‘Tomorrow…..tomorrow I will no longer be here…I'll no longer be alive....’

You felt like crying…you felt like screaming…you felt like running and releasing every inch of emotional energy you could think of.

But you couldn’t…your body froze internally and you couldn’t think let alone feel.

‘Lily….is this how you felt? No wonder you were so stoic…poor girl….it wasn’t your fault….it really wasnt….we really…are just two moths that were drawn to the flame…and burned.’

You finished up and made a cup of tea, nothing out of the ordinary….nothing.

Maybe this was all a dream…a nightmare…maybe you’ll wake up any moment and look past all this. Maybe this was just a test, or a cruel joke…there has to be a rational explanation…people like Lily and yourself…just regular and innocent people…they can’t die like this….

Sipping on your cup, you looked at the phone Niki gave you. Reaching over to it, you opened up the contacts list and subtly released a breath.

Hitting the number displayed, you hold the phone to your ear and your insides felt light as the familiar tone of the line ringing came back to you in a manner that felt like deja vu.

It had been so long, what with cell phones being banned, and you never did own or invest a landline, it was somewhat pointless considering after Lily had died, you hadn’t felt the need to reach out and talk to anyone…who was there to even call? You hadn’t really gotten to know anyone else, everyone had changed and became stagnant in the comfort of their own homes….they were too scared to live, out of fear that whatever they did, it would be considered a sin….your parents including....especially considering you never joined the cult.

When the line picks up, your heart sank upon hearing your fathers voice….

“Hello?”

‘It’s been too long…far too long.’

“P-papa?”

“….y/n!…my girl…where are you calling from? How are you able to....did you buy a landline phone?”

Tears streamed down your face, you couldn’t help it.

“N…no…I um….and using a friends phone.”

“Y/n….don’t…don’t be putting yourself at risk! You need to be careful, who is this friend? Are they apart of the organization? Is it a landline? Cell phones are banned, you know that…”

“I know…..but….I had to call…I have to tell you something…”

He stayed silent on the other end.

You filled the air with the stuttering cries as they slowly escaped your lips…you tried your best to maintain composure….you really did....for the sake of your parents...you tried to be strong for them.

“Daddy….tomorrow…..I…” you paused as you raised your hand and covered your mouth for a second as you began sobbing. “Im going to die tomorrow….”

You heard nothing but a long unsteady sigh as it became evident that he was choking up his own sobs.

“……so it’s true then….your mother and I heard about you being selected….we kept telling ourselves that it wasn’t true…not you….there was no way that my daughter could have been selected…..you’ve never done anything….like Lily….”

Upon him mentioning your best friends name, you winced your eyes as you started to cry aloud.

He also began sobbing and for a moment, no words were exchanged as you both cried.

“How can this happen?….my girl please tell me that there was some sort of mistake…please tell me that it wasn’t your name on the message….not my daughter…not my y/n…” he cries out.

You built up your composure as you started to talk again.

“Papa…please listen to me….I’m sure…I’m sure you and mama are not going to watch it go down….but I know you’re going to hear about it….just know…if I don’t die by the angels…..just know that I’ll always love you and mama and my siblings…I don’t know what exactly is going to happen but…”

“What do you mean? Are you saying there’s a chance you’re not going to die??” There was a slight bit of confusion and hope in his voice.

“…….yes…well…sort of…..I will die either way but…I just…”

“……y/n…..what’s going on?…..do you have something to tell me?” His tone was steady.

You looked out your window and closed your eyes for a moment, the warm tears escape through your closed lids as you took in a steady breath before continuing…

“I….I made a deal….with someone that…that says he’ll save me….but in return…I have to go with him…”

“………”

Everything went silent for a moment before your father panicked his words.

“W-what are you saying? Y/n what is going on? What is this person you’re talking about? Is he a part of the organization? Does he work for the Senator?”

“…….no……”

“……then who?….who is he…who did you make this deal with?”

“......The Devil....I made a deal with the Devil….”

……………..

You broke down and sobbed louder than you ever had, even more so than when Lily had passed. He didn’t say anything but his silence said it all.

“I-I’m sorry papa….I don’t know….I don’t know how to explain it…..the past 6 days I’ve learned so much and yet I know nothing…I’m so confused and I don’t know what’s going to happen.” You gasped out in between sobbing pants.

“Please….please papa tell me what to do…say something because I need my father more than ever right now….please…I don’t know what to do or how to feel…”

“……..I don’t know what to say…..i….how? Y/n….the Devil? Have you gone crazy? Why are you talking that way? Why would you say this? Do you know what they would do to you if they heard you right now??I’m sure it was just a mad man you spoke to but still….you can’t say something like that….”

“It’s true though….papa it wasn’t a mad man…he really was…..I’m just….please understand that tomorrow if I don’t die by the angels…..please just know that I did what I did….not because I’m afraid to die…I am but I was more than willing to accept it… I made the deal because if in the case….if he does come for me….you…mom…and the rest of the world will be safe again…..everything will go back to normal…..I’m willing to make that sacrifice….please just know that.”

He remained silent. You’re not sure if he was angry, disappointed or confused…maybe all of the above.

“…..your mother just walked in….you should talk to her….but don’t mention anything that you just told me….”

Handing the phone over to your mother, the familiar sound of her voice made you break down all over again, as did she.

You abided by your fathers demand and didn’t say anything about your deal with Heeseung….but you did confirm about being selected when she had asked. She fell to pieces, her cries could be heard in the background as your father takes the phone and continues the conversation.

“…….we love you….we always have…we had wished that you would have joined the organization but after witnessing what happened with Lily…..I suspect that sin or no sin…we are all doomed….I just never would have wanted for you to go before us….y/n….”

“I know……I’m sorry papa. Please know.....I never did anything…I’m not perfect but I truly lived life and represented you well as your daughter…just know that….”

“I know my girl….I know…”

With deep sighs and breaths of teary gasps, you finally had to end the conversation after finding yourself unable to bear any more.

“I love you so much. Always know that, you and mama…”

“We know….we love you too….I wish we could see you….please…..please know we love you so much…..”

It took numerous tries to hang up as you found it hard to let go, as did he. Finally, unable to cope and hear your voice any longer, you heard your father sob as he clicked the phone off.

You sat and merely kept the phone next to your ear for a minute or two….silently sobbing.

‘…..I don’t know how…I don’t know why this is happening….all I know…all I feel is that six days ago…far away I heard the call…of a heart that sang a song like mine…it’s melody drew near and suddenly, we were in perfect harmony. I know that it beckons to me…from a land that’s not part of this world…yet I know I must follow…wherever it leads me….wisdom only comes with time. The road to love is paved with broken hearts. If I am to reach my goal, and protect those that are dear to me…I must stake everything, in my true destiny, no matter what the price…’

As you mentally issued your internal will, you stepped out to your balcony and took in the sight of the wide sky before you.

‘Should I just jump off to my death? What will happen timid I died prematurely? I’ve thought about it so many times but then….if I did that…if in the chance he and his brothers are for real…would he still come and get rid of the angels? Or would he abandon everything because I abandoned it first? What would happen to my family? I’m left with no choice but to take the risk and die by either their hands…or his…’

Resting your forearms against the rail, you gazed down from the third floor your apartment raised on. You admired how everything looked so small, the people, the cars, and the trees.

‘Is this what everything would look like from Heaven? If I had died and became a part of Gods kingdom, would I have been an Angel? Would I be able to fly and look at the view of the world from above?’

As you relaxed into the pensive composure of your mindful thoughts, you didn’t realize or hear the sound of your front door opening.

The last thing you had seen was the clear blue sky….before a shadow of darkness coated your entire head and you felt the forceful grip restraining your body as they dragged you away from your apartment. You kicked and screamed. You heard their voices as one issued out orders to hurry up and take you into the vehicle, where you were driven away.

You don’t know how long of a drive it was. After succumbing to exhaustion from trying to break free, you felt them tie your feet and hands together, practically throwing you in what you assumed was the back seat as you felt the leather seating and the seatbelt buckles.

“We have her…...right.” You heard the unfamiliar voice…assuming he was speaking into a phone.

“We are to take her into the church, she is to stay there for the night.” The voice issues, followed by an acknowledge response from what you assumed was the driver, based off what you could gather from their conversation.

‘The..church?’

With whatever energy you had, you attempted to struggle yourself free upon feeling them removing you from the vehicle, and dragging you away.

You felt the stone tiles beneath your bare feet as they took you in to a massive room, or so you think as the echoes of your cries as well as their foot steps sang throughout the entire area.

Taking you up a series of stairs, you were picked up as you felt multiple hands grab you and elevate you from the ground as they carried you.

Finally, after being carried away, they threw you on to the stone cold floor, rather roughy as you felt the pain of landing on your shoulder and hips without any motion to break the fall.

“Is this her?” A woman’s voice emerged.

“Yes.”

“Hmph….a witch indeed.”

‘…..witch?’

Removing the bag that was placed over your head, you saw the elder woman studying you as the group of men depart.

“Don’t even think about doing anything funny. There are guard everywhere and I will have no issues in calling them should you not follow my orders….you filthy whore.”

Glaring at the woman, you studied the room as it looked to appear as some sort of dungeon. The walls and floors were all made of stone tile just as you suspected. The windows were all barricaded by metal bars without any glass, and the only furnishings that existed was a small wooden table, chair, and a pile of hay straw off in the corner.

“Where am I?” You asked in a deep and steady tone.

“You are in the Ecclesia Sanctorum, the church of Holy Saints. Your execution tomorrow will be on full display for the entire world to view, since you are the most offensive sinner that has yet to die at the hands of Gods holy soldiers.”

You blinked and paused your shifting gaze as you looked into her eyes.

“What?”

“Are you deaf as well?” She speaks harshly. “You are to be cleansed and prepped here before we take you to the location of where the angels will come to execute you. A priest will attend to your final prayers. You will be an example to all, as the greatest sinner.”

“You…you people are sick….there’s something wrong with all of you…can’t you see that this is wrong?” You spat out as you glared back at her.

“Sounds like something a witch would say…how dare you plague Gods own country with your evil filth…disgusting piece of trash.” She grits out before she exits the room.

Bind by the ties that restrained you, you shifted yourself free and quickly made way to one of the portholes that allowed you to view the outside.

Looking out through the metal bars, you realized based off the entire view of the city, that the church you were in was the largest amongst all in the entire area.

From afar, in the middle of the main road, a large platform was being put together, resembling a stage for a concert or performance. Yet you knew it was far from being an entertainment setting…at least for you.

Looking around, there was no way for you to escape. You were too high up, the windows barred, and the door was locked securely. The slight bit of voices on the other side of it made you aware that the elder woman was not bluffing about guards remaining spread throughout the church.

As night fell, you sat on the stone tile directly center in the prison space they had locked locked you in. The discomfort didn’t matter, from where you sat, a clear view of the moon could be seen at the angle from where you positioned yourself. Your knees remained close together slightly propped up for you to rest your forearms on as you dipped your head low.

‘This….is really my last night alive…in this cold and dark room….in this church….this....prison....'

You dipped in and out of consciousness as you slept on and off. It was still awfully dark outside, the moon and stars remained in full view when that abrasive woman came back with a small group of younger women trailing behind her. They had to be in their mid to older teen years, all of them adorning the same black attire with the badge of the cult symbol. Their hair all tied in a tight bun.

“Hmm…prescribing the last bit of your witchcraft? Pitiful…” she scoffs out as she notices you sitting on the stone floor, facing the secured porthole in front.

“Clean her body, prepare her for the ceremony but make sure you cleanse yourselves afterwards. No matter how much you scrub her down, her body will still be filthy, don’t let it rub off on you.” The woman scolds out as you watched each young woman nod timidly.

They grabbed you and stood you up. Taking you into the next room, passing by a series of security guards, they positioned you in the center of an old washing station. It surprised you that it still worked, yet the water was cold….too cold.

You winced in pain as the cold water felts as if it was piercing through your skin, and the harsh scrubbing of their bristled pads were applied roughly as each young woman cleansed your naked body with old ivory bar soaps, and dried you with a rough cloth.

Taking you back into the room you remained in throughout the night, one girl brings in a single white fabric, appeared to be made of chiffon. It was a long skirt that touched the floor and trailed behind as you walked. It was terribly long and the deep high slit on the right side didn’t provide much cover considering you didn’t have any undergarments on.

They left your breasts exposed, at the mercy of your long hair to cover it so long as it remained in place.

With a crown made of Azaleas, which according to what you overheard from the elder woman, was a sacred flower in the Bible, they placed it atop your thatch of silky strands as the subtle waves of your hair draped passed your shoulders and chest. Your ankles and wrists were adorned with brass cuffs, all of which contained a single loop ring. There was a type of Biblical scripture that decorated them, though you had no idea what it entailed.

“Hmm…you look angelic…but we all know that that’s part of your evil charm.” The elder woman exclaims. Upon closer inspection of her badge, she was one of the lead regulators within the cult.

“What is all this? What’s going on?” You asked in frustration as you remained scantily dressed. The long skit was transparent, despite the layers of chiffon fabric, it remained see through as the silhouette of your hips and legs could clearly be made out. Your entire right leg and thigh fully exposed as you moved from the lengthy slit.

“Your execution will be in our history books. You are to die wearing only the white cloth and the holy flowers that is close to God, it will show the public that even after living a life filled with sin, we the organization, take every preparation into consideration to ensure your passage to his holy rightful judgment, that we aid in saving your soul….it will help the Senator in his mission to gain the trust of the world….”

You scoffed. “You’ve got to be kidding me….your ‘organization’ is nothing but a hypocritical joke…your Senator is a criminal and you all are too blind to be aware of it. Whatever makes you feel better about yourselves and sleep at night…right?” You spat out with a glare as you watched the elder woman restrain herself from striking you down.

“You tainted…evil bitch. If you weren’t set to die I'd kill you myself…” she grits between her teeth.

“Go ahead! You and your Senator are nothing but a disgrace to humanity! You’re using me, and all others for your own advantage….whatever, go ahead….” You paused as you crossed your arms to cover your bare breasts.

“If he truly does come…and takes me away….I hope from the high Heavens to the depths of Hell that he does away with all of you in the worst way possible….you should pray the he doesn't ask me....because if he does…I’ll make sure to let him know that you, the Senator, and the other high authorities figures of this terrible cult... should all burn.”

You’re not sure what came over you, normally you weren’t the hostile type, yet as the rays of the sun peered through the open portholes, signifying the moment of your death was breaching nearer, you lost all sense of composure.

“Leave her! She will get what’s coming to her…” the woman shouts out as one of the younger girls rushed up from behind to lash out at you for your displayed moment of disrespect.

Your eyes grew glossy and the burn of tears built up. Your face was angry and expressed all sorts of resentment, even though you were accepting what was coming, it hardly meant that you weren’t scared or upset….in fact, you were terrified.

Gazing off to the side, you zoned out at the patterns of the stone wall when the elder woman spoke out.

"You know...when he chose you and told the angels your name....at first I couldn't understand why he was so riled up over a young woman. I figured his pride was just hurt from being rejected....more or less being injured beyond repair. But now that I look at you....and hear those despicable words that come out of your mouth...I'm glad he gave up your name." she issues out as she lets out a victorious chuckle.

".....what do you mean.....he gave the angels my name?"

"Oh poor stupid girl....you really think that you all were selected at random? I mean...sure, those before you were....from a list that the senator would choose out personally himself......and each time he summoned the angels....he gave them a random name from the public directory. Once the government gave him their fullest support, it allowed him more access to people of various age groups, ethnicities, and culture backgrounds. That only enhanced his message of how God was cleansing the world."

Your eyes began to widen more than ever, glossed over as you couldn't believe what you were hearing.

'This man.....this woman...these.....monsters....they did this? They did this to the world?....All those children...mothers...fathers...brothers...sisters...daughters...and sons....they chose people....innocent people to die.....in those terrible ways?.....'

Your legs began to shake as you felt yourself stumbling down, yet you caught yourself and remained standing. Placing your hands on your hips, you leaned forward and shifted your head off to the side, trying to take in deep breaths.

"You.....you people.....you did this....." you stuttered out.

"Had you just been obedient and gave yourself to the Senator, much like the others did before you, you would have been spared...but I guess you rather give yourself up to evil men who represent Hell....multiple in fact. How many were there? Six? You filthy whore..."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" you yelled out. Glaring right at her, you narrowed your eyes as you issued your decree.

"If I go to Hell tonight.....I promise you....I will do everything in my very being to make sure that you people see my face when he shreds you to pieces!"

She merely scoffs as she side smirks at your angry expression and threat. "Your words of warning will not work here. We are in God's own church....we are his carriers that spread his rightful name and will. You will die....and you will suffer. The Senator has made sure to request a special treat for you when he last spoke to the angels."

At that, she turns and quickly departs as she hastily locks the door.

'........How could they?......No wonder he and his brothers disagreed with God when he wanted to create people...look at us......we're monsters to each other...'

.....................................

The sun was setting, and they finally brought you outside as you noted the large gathering of the public. They all surrounded you as the guard members, the priest, and the elder woman with her posse all issued out commands for everyone to remain back and away from you.

"Get back! She is the most evil of all sinners, you must not get close at all!"

Yet many of them ignored the commands of the cult authorities as they reached out with Azaleas and Crucifix’s in hand, grazing your skin with them as they spoke out in prayer for your soul to be saved.

.....................

'God save this sinner.'

'Cleanse her soul so that she may be saved.'

'Let her soul bide by the will of God....otherwise send her to Hell where she belongs.'

......................

You couldn't exactly hold any grudges or blame to the people....what with bending to the fear of being selected for execution...a brutal one at that, you couldn't help but sympathize as they all were falling for the tricks of that ruthless man and his most devoted followers.

'If only these people knew the truth....'

The regulators dragged you through the street. Upon reaching the large platform that was built from earlier, stationed on the surface were two large holy statutes.

Setting you directly at the center, you realized what those loop rings on the cuffs were meant for as they secured a chain to each one. THe chains were connected to the statues to your left and right, providing only enough slack for your to place your hands center on your body, but not enough to touch and remove the chains that bind you.

You heard the whispers of the crowd as they gathered to take a closer look.

.......................

'She looks like an angel....'

'Look at what the Senator is willing to do...even for someone who committed the greatest offense to God.'

'Of course she's beautiful....that's the reason why! I heard she slept with six different men in a week's time....'

'A whore and a witch...so beautiful but that is a part of her deadly charm.'

'Rest easy sinful dark child.....rest in peace soon.'

........................

You kneel down and slightly hunched over as you cradled your breasts with your arms. The delicate rattle of the chains is all you can hear as you shut out the terrible words that were spoken about you.

'I.....didn't do anything....if anything....i made a choice to save you all.....at least I was....I am willing to.....yet you all don't see me for who i am.....'

In their own eyes, you looked ethereal...like a scared angel as you remained kneeling and leaned forward. Your hair drapes downward and reaches the ground as your back becomes fully exposed. The Azalea crown atop your head, a deep red as it matched the shade of your lips.

Your eyes open as you hear the voice of the Senator...speaking above from the balcony of a tall building that overlooked the city.

"People of the great city! Today will mark a milestone in our nations history, as we have discovered the most offensive sinner yet......but we are here to pay tribute to this sinful and savage child as she will be executed by God's own guardians. I ask that you all say a prayer for her soul to be saved, as her crimes against God had been one of the most displeasing. Pray for her soul, and witness the acts that God's soldiers will carry out should you sin....take her death as an example for what will happen, should you or your children commit sin."

'.....This can't be happening....I....I didn't do anything....'

..............

Silence ensued as the crowd all knelt down and began offering their prayers. Minutes had gone by as the sun continued to set....leaving you the bright red sky.

Suddenly, a loud screech can be heard from afar. Then another....and another....

'.....there's more than one?....'

The Senator speaks out once more as you processed your mental thought.

"Good people.....watch at how God treats the sinner's who offend him....witness as he has become greatly displeased and angry at the betrayal of this young woman...whom he graciously, like the rest of you, loves and cherish...yet she not only tarnishes his holy divinity and name...this woman had the audacity to harm those who serves him and does his work."

Peeling your sight off the surface of the platform, you raise your head as your arms remained crossed over your breasts, your mouth slightly gapes open as one by one, each metallic humanoid figure flew in and landed at a great distance from the stage.

One....two...three....six......eight...ten....

Soon, there were more than fifteen or twenty of them that landed. Each morphing their extremities into something tortuous and terrifying...all to rip, pierce, and tear off flesh from bone.

'........so this is how it will end....my God....I am scared...I am frightened beyond measure.....please.....just get this done and over with.....'

.................................

Seven thousand years ago.....

"Heeseung...the muses are here...." Jake speaks as he calmly approaches the elder brother, who rests on his throne with the speckles of blood on his face. His fingers coated with bits of flesh and blood clots from whatever it was he tore to pieces.

"Uh huh....." he merely issues as he leans back into his seat.

The three muses, the guardians and mentors of Helel...or Heeseung, steadily approach the young man that they raised and loved...yet saw the darkness in his heart had changed him into something far worse than a killer. He became the very thing that nightmares were made of.

"Helel....we-"

"Iiiiiiii......prefer that you call me Heeseung...." he cuts off.

"....Heeseung......you know why we came?...."

"I have an idea...." covering his eyes with his bloodied hand, he leans back with only his nose and mouth remaining exposed. An evil grin coats his bright red lips as he chuckles out with a slaughtering tone.

"So what?....does he really want to make peace or is he trying to change my mind again?" Heeseung peeks a wide and glaring eye between his fingers as he coats his upper lip with his tongue. The muses all felt their weight drop upon the unsightly horror that was before them.

'So.....evil.....so dark and sinister.....how insidious this man is....to think he was the beloved and first archangel of God...'

"He wanted us to show you...to appeal to your senses as the first and most notable archangel of his Heavenly kingdom."

"Aaah...." Tsking in air through his teeth, Heeseung looks down at the ground before presenting his most unpleasantly horrifying gaze back to the lead muse.

"Appeal to my senses huh?" he chuckles once again, each time he issued it, it became even darker and more disturbing in nature.

"How about I just rip you both to pieces, starting with your feet, working my way up to your heads....and I'll take her...." he points to the lady muse, "and feed her virginity to those hungry demons beneath my feet? hmm?"

"Heeseung....." all three muses bow down. "Please.....give us the chance to show you his vision...his sight....it is his most desired request. You've killed off all of the other archangels, with the exception of Jol......yet he bears no ill will....he still is trying to show you....please....show us what his love has purchased....let us show you. After, we will leave and never appear before you again."

Upon hearing the muses, all six brothers stood by them as they spoke out in high respect to the eldest archangel.

"Heeseung....you know we are on your side no matter what.....would it be wrong if we express that it would only be fair for you to hear them out....perhaps there might be something to your advantage....." Jungwon and Jake spoke out, all in earnest as they kneel down.

"Like what?....what could possibly be in it for us? we're already banned from the one place that we called home....disowned by those that raised us.....what could he possibly have done to change my mind?" Heeseung scoffed out.

At the last bit of his sentence, the three muses, while remaining bowed down, all glanced at each other with a look that indicated a knowledge that wasn't shared with anyone...

The remaining brothers present themselves and spoke out alongside Jake and Jungwon.

"Heeseung....wouldn't it be best to hear them out...than to dismiss or slaughter them and to not know what it was that they were sent here for? Wouldn't it cause turmoil to wonder for eternity what he is wanting to show you?"

Rolling his eyes as he bites down on his finger, he glares wide eyed to the three muses.

"My brothers all seem to be adamant about this...I wonder if it is truly out of their own curiosity or if there is another meaning behind their intent..." Heeseung's glare shifts from the muses over to his brothers who remained kneeling in a straight row.

"No.....we would never treat you in that manner.....we only appeal to you as we still hold respect for the elder muses....they were the ones that raised you....and us. There would be no harm in allowing them to deliver God's message....that is all." Sunghoon spoke out calmly as he stares at the base of the throne that Heeseung rested on.

"huh.....for fuck sake...." tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair, Heeseung didn't issue his decision...not yet.

Cracking his neck as he shifts it from left to right, back to front and back to center, his eyes closed as he gasps out slight chuckles at the harshness of each sound effect that punctures the air in his realm.

"Who are they.....darling?" she walks out sensually, stark naked.

Heeseung merely shifts his head, looking off to the side on the ground as the succubus approaches from behind. With only an aloof expression on his face that suddenly replaced the twisted grin, he remains quiet as the demoness graces her presence to the audience before him.

Upon hearing her approach, all six brothers slightly snarled. Heeseung's favorited mistress was here, displaying no sign of respect or courtesy towards the muses, which didn't sit well with any one of them....or Heeseung.

Despite that he was murderous in nature, especially at the sight of Heaven's guardians, which brought out memories that both, pleased and pained him, it didn't deter the fact that they were not received well by him, without an ounce of respect. However, it also didn't mean that all those beneath him shouldn't render instant courtesy and obedience.

The muses merely stared with awkward looks as the demoness stands off to Heeseung's side. Her hand grazes over the intricate carving of his throne as she raises a bent knee and hovers it over Heeseung's lap, as if she was shifting to sit atop and straddle him.

"Are these old friends of yours?" she smirks out as her rather full and curvaceous figure adorns him gracefully.

Looking down at him as she remains standing, Heeseung places a hand atop her thigh as she fully swings it over his lap. Looking up at her with a closed-mouth smirk, he raises two fingers and suggestively signals for her to lower herself down to him.

Leaning in, she prepares to come in for a kiss.....much to the horror of everyone around, it became apparent that Heeseung was either annoyed, angry, or just fed up with the presumptuous attitude of his lead mistress.

The muses winced their vision shut and turned their heads away as they heard the agonizing screams and the tearing of flesh, the dislocating pops of bone and cartilage. He started by grabbing on to her hair as he tore off her wings, before moving on to her arms, and then taking her by the ankles and ripping her apart, piece by piece.

With her disfigured remains in his grip, only her torso and head was left fully intact as she breathes out her dying tortured breaths.

"Oh 'darling'.....I kind had enough of you.....also....you never really pleased me." with his cold words, he tosses her limbs off of his high throne.

Sitting atop the large stoned mountain, with a series of stairs that extended miles long, starting at the base and reaching the top of the peak, his throne remained highest, above all in Hell. With the deep crevices below, he observes as he, his brothers, and the muses hear the terrible and frightening sound of the demons feasting on the flesh of the demonic maiden.

With her head remaining attached to her torso, he maintains his grip on whats left of her by her hair. Kissing her lips one last time, he detaches it from the main portion of her body and tosses the remains over.

"Alright then....show me what it is that he sent you over for. Pray that at the end of it, I'll be in a good mood to not kill all three of you." He issues as his gaze remains on the demons below. Smirking, he watches with amusement as the monsters all scurry like bugs, attacking and devouring the limbs he tosses over. Raising his hand, a large disbursement of raging flames emerge from below at the base of the mountain, burning all, the devouring demons and the flesh of the succubus to ashes, all the while he chuckles as the roaring cries of demonic forces fills the air.

Witnessing the most evil they had ever seen, the muses gasp in great horror as the brothers all remained stagnant with their expressions. To them, this was nothing out of the ordinary.

The lead muse in particular started to question if what they were sent to do...would make any difference after seeing the cruel nature of Heeseung and the acts he just committed.

'This man.....this first of all angels to be created....and we helped raised...the one that was closest to God....was favored by the divine king.....yet here he is.....he lives for death...he enjoys seeing it....his heart is too twisted....are we doomed for death by coming to his territory?'

......................

".....Why are we here?" Heeseung stood with his arms crossed. After being convinced by his brothers, the muses escorted the King of Hell to an unfamiliar site at the border between Heaven and Hell.

"He has asked that we show his creation of people, leaving us strict instruction to take you to seven thousand years time in advance....it was his strict orders for us to do so...." the lead muse uttered out, in hopes that Heeseung wouldn't become too riled at being brought to the alter of time, space, and universal continuum....all to see people....the creation that he disagreed with the holy king on.

"Are you ready, Heeseung?" the lead muse looks back as he observes the man looking completely indifferent with his arms still crossed. Dressed all in black, with knee high boots and a kneel length coat to match, he fit the defined description of the dark prince.

"Just....fucking do it already.....before I change my mind and tear your throat out." Heeseung irks out as he rubs his forehead.

The lead muse dismisses his threat as he continues to chant out a series of prayers before the alter. A glow of light rises and becomes brighter, enveloping the group into an orb as the electrical currents surrounds them in a globe of flashing light.

The muses all wince their eyes shut upon the light flashing into their eyes, yet Heeseung seemed unbothered as he merely stood and continued to stare out fully.

In a swift second, the globe envelops them completely. With a loud boom, the orb expands into nothing, disappearing along with Heeseung and the muses.

In a flash, feeling like as if they merely blinked, their eyes reopen and adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings of the current world and time.

"….Where the fuck are we?” Heeseung calmly states out in an irritated voice as he raises a brow.

“fret not, Heeseung. We have traveled through the continuum of space and time, nearly 7 thousand years into the future of the world you created, after the creation of the first man. The people have thrived in population and advanced their evolutionary talents. They have expanded into an heightened stage of cultural application in regards to engineering methods and knowledge, known as ‘technology’.” The lead muse explains as Heeseung walks with crossed arms, confusingly admiring the tall buildings, the scenery of the bustling streets of the city and the combination of modern and old century architectural design.

With the passing of the large crowds, blindly unaware of their presence, Heeseung displays a look of annoyance as the myriad of people walk past.

“you brought me through the advancement of time…to show me this?….THIS….is what he wanted you to show me??? THIS is what he thinks is going to enlighten me??” Heeseung spoke with wide and gruesomely angry eyes.

“the very thing that I disagreed with him on…which ultimately became the reason why I left the high Heavens….is this some kind of joke? Is he trying to mock me?” He takes his steps slowly towards the three muses, glaring into their eyes with the most evil sense they’ve ever witnessed.

“please Heeseung, as your former mentor, I beseech you to spare us your time and allow us to do what we were asked to do…” the lead muse exclaims as he stands before the other two younger muses.

“Choose…old man…choose which one of you I should rip open and cut to pieces…” Heeseung leans in, snarling at the upper lip. “I'll allow two of you will go back...so choose wisely."

The lead muse stood bravely with shaking eyes as he once more, appealed to Heeseung’s familiar appeal, hoping to get past his cruel nature.

“please…allow us to show you…should you find no change in your heart, you can take me. Sever my head from thy body and send it back with the two other muses…” the lead muse spoke out, his fortitude against the Dark Prince earned a gasping shock from his two disciples.

Heeseung’s wide eyed glare remained, yet the gritting of teeth through the sadistic grin and look of twisted amusement displayed a sense of pleasure as he looked forward to shredding the one who raised him, knowing that the elder muse was one of the closer guardians to his former master.

“very well old man….killing you would hurt him deeply. It will be my pleasure to separate your spine from your body and rip the skin off your flesh by the end of this fucking atrocity you got me entangled in.” He remarks harshly at the last bit as he side eyes the view of the people that continue to walk pass.

All three muses nod in discouragement as they regained their composure, trying their best to remain hopeful and trust in Gods will.

Noting as the Devil continuously expressed a look of disgust as the marching of the crowd surrounds them, the lead muse signals for him to follow as he guides Heeseung with detailed explanation.

“Be forgiving Heeseung, they cannot see nor hear us. We bid you to refrain from using your power to alter your perceptible vision afront of them….it is best that they do not know who we are or why we came.”

“huh…cunning old man, how wise of you to understand my capabilities….nonetheless, I have no intentions of making myself known to these shitheads.” Heeseung sighed out in annoyance as he remained standing still.

the muses led the way with a disgruntled Heeseung trailing behind, leaving his arms crossed and a harsh look of annoyance on his face.

“He wanted us to show you their capabilities…how they work together to build governments, some in the form of electoral democracy, others are permanently ruling with authoritarian standing. He also wanted us to show you their capabilities when it comes to compassion, nurtured behaviors....all angles of human behavior.” The lead muse continued as he guides and explain the advancement of people.

Disinterested, Heeseung rolled his eyes as he dazes off and imagined the various, grueling methods of killing people. “Fragile…aren’t they?” He asks with a wide eyed smirk.

“They are nothing like you or your brothers…they are delicate in the manner of flesh and time span of age. So, yes....they are quite fragile.”

“So that means, in a week’s time from now, when he creates the first of all people, I will have to induce slow torturous designs, so as to not kill them too quickly….riiiiiight?” He snarks out as he raises a hand to stroke his chin as he eyeballs a line of people waiting at a local food stand.

“Heeseung….as I am willing to give up my life for his will…I ask that you try…try and see the side of his vision…he created people to-“

“I KNOW…exactly...his claims as to why he created….people….” Heeseung sneers out as he cuts off the elder with a deep tone.

Clearing his throat, the lead muse didn't bother to entertain a response, he merely turns and continues, to the best of his ability, in showing off the greatness of people. The mortals that are capable of showing, teaching, and developing love.

Breaching an old historical building, the muses take note of the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

“Come…this way.” The lead muse signals to Heeseung with a gentle gesture.

Dragging the disgruntled Devil inside, they allow him a moment of silence as they watched the Dark Prince study the interior design of the establishment. The space was filled with so many people, yet they hardly interacted with one another. Instead, they had all been engrossed by the development of technology through the use of phones and tablets.

On the wide screen TV mounted on the wall, a local news media displays a covered interview with Michael Forras, all before he claimed the self title of "Senator" and when his cult gathering took on the ruling authority of the city.

“So you’re saying that a day of reckoning is near us?” The news reporter asks the cult leader.

“It is true….God has been displeased with the people and their offenses to his name…mark my words, Gods own, will ascend from the Heavens and cleanse the world within due time."

Upon hearing the interview taking place on the television, the muses slightly anticipated the reaction as they observed Heeseung noting the words the cult leader spoke out.

“Who is this idiot?” He asks, gazing a consumed glare to the elder muse.

“He is one who claims to be Gods servant. People are Gods greatest creation, yet they are far from perfection.” The elder exclaims.

Taking in a breath, he takes Heeseung’s attention away from the screen. “Do you see the contraptions over yonder? People have become ingenious within their own right and have developed the usage of machinery to create masterpieces that are both admirable and delectable. Take for instance, the method of developing this beverage, its scent alone is quite pleasant.” He nods over to the counter where the baristas work diligently to draft up each order as they call out the names of customers.

Walking up for a closer look, Heeseung did appear genuinely interested upon smelling the scent of the creation, known as ‘coffee’. It was a scent he’s never smelled before.

Leaning in with his arms remaining crossed, he inspects the transparent container that held the liquid in place. The elder muse continues to explain the craftsmanship of people, gaining a sense of accomplishment that the young Prince had seemed to take interest.

Yet the grudge he bore had cut deep into his soul, it didn’t matter how crafty people became, he refused to accept Gods hand in compromising a peaceful settlement.

Looking at the elder once more, Heeseung smirked as his eyes narrowed with mischief. “Listen old man…I could care less about how fancy these grueling idiots have become…I’ll devour them all…man, woman and child, it doesn’t matter." Pausing, he takes a step closer as he squares up the elder muse. Glaring, his eyes widened once more with an insidious grin that accompanies it.

"..and you…" biting down on his bottom lip, he all but nearly reached for the elder's throat.

“Order for y/n!”

You walk up to the counter, jacket looped over your forearm as you adorned yourself with a black form fitting dress, suitable for a career field, yet tastefully appealing as it subtly exposed the flesh and structure of your collar bones, the minor rise of your cleavage, and your legs, mid thigh to ankles. Your hair swayed as you took your steps, and reached up to the grab your drink. Without switching his gaze away from the muse, Heeseung continued to stare into the man’s eyes with a murderous grin, yet as you walked passed, right behind him, he caught the slight bit of your subtle scent. It was quite pleasing and differed from the rest that surrounded the area. A hint of lilac and rose, with sugar plum and pear extract…it wasn’t overpowering, but softly sweet.

He merely shifts his eyes to the side and looks at the ground after taking notice of the scent, as if he was zoning out to piece together the ingredients, yet he does not turn fully to look at the source of where the scent came from.

Upon noticing how just your scent alone caught his attention, the elder muse takes the chance to carry out his mission. He speaks out calmly. “Has something distracted you?….”

Shifting his gaze right back to the elder, Heeseung issues an expression of irritation at the audacity that his former mentor displayed.

“Are you seriously implying that a mortal caught my attention? As if I care? Did you forget why I fucking left his kingdom?” He spoke out lowly with a dark tone.

The elder's breath hitched at the sudden rise of chaotic anger within Heeseung’s heart.

“I mean no disrespect….Heeseung…he wants you to find happiness….you were the first son…the first archangel…and will forever be his favorite.”

Heeseung scoffs as he rolls his eyes. “You done?” He issues out with wide eyes.

“He wanted to present his gift to you…that is why we are here.” The muse slips out, all in desperation to reach through to the Devil.

……..

“Gift?…..” Heeseung raises a brow in confusion with his insidious eyes widening in anger. The muses remained silent.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me….the one thing that I despise….the very thing that ruined my everlasting love and respect for him….yet he dares to bribe me with one of them? As if that will mend the broken bond? ARE….YOU….TOYING..... WITH ME?....” Thrashing out a hand to his side, a blast of force and power expels from his hand and sets the confectionary stand on fire with raging flames.

The muses watch in despair as the people all gather in shock and fear of the strange phenomenon that occurred, yet have no idea as to how it happened since the small group remained unseen.

....................

“Oh my God….how…what happened?”

“Was it the heater?”

“We need to get a safety inspector out here!!!…How the hell did the entire counter catch on fire like that?!”

“Thank God no one is hurt."

"Did anyone else hear a large boom?"

“Where did the heat and fire come from? Did anyone see anything? It was as if it came out of nowhere…”

......................

The customers all rushed around in panic as they worked together to put out the flames.

“Where is she? The one that he intends to give up? This so called, ‘gift’?? I’m sending her body back in pieces, you will take her limbs and show him how much I really ‘enjoyed’ his 'present'.” He grits out.

“Heeseung we beseech you-“

“Shut up and bring her here!”

The elder muse kneels along with his two disciples behind him, shaking his head with glistened eyes, he proceeds to beg.

“I beg of you….as your former mentor and father figure….please Heeseung…don’t…”

Heeseung shifts his gaze to the elegant marbled stairway that led to the upper floor. Sensing your scent in that direction, he smirks as he flares down at the desperate muse.

“She’s up there, isn’t she?…..good.” Kicking the muse aside, he walks in the direction of your scent, leading the way as the despairing muses trailed behind.

“Heeseung please! You cannot! We beg of you!”

Ignoring their cries and pleas, he makes his way over to the third level. Turning to the left, he noticed the double doors leading to the grand library.

“Heeseung no!”

They follow in haste as he makes his way inside, not paying any mind as the muses beg, kneeling before him trying their best to appease his grudging nature as he walks swiftly past them.

Looking around, Heeseung’s irritation grows deep as the scent seemed to have disappeared.

The elder muse makes his way from behind the dark Prince and kneels before him once more.

“Heeseung…”

“Where is it? The fucking cunt? Where is she? Bring her to me right now…”

“I cannot! “

Walking up to the bold elder, Heeseung places his foot atop his hand, adding pressure and heat as smoke emerges from the bottom of his soles, melting the skin off as he adds more weight.

Wincing in pain, the elder remains as poised as he possibly could as he continues to appeal to Heeseung.

“P-please….you mustn’t…..you cannot…..”

“Where….is…..she?”

The muse looks up and witnesses the death glare as Heeseung slightly smirks, enjoying the view of pain in the elders face.

…….

“Oh! Hi y/n! You’re here early today.” The woman from the counter in front exclaims pleasantly, directing her words to you as you enter from behind the invisible group.

The elder's eyes grew terrifyingly wide as fear and hopelessness took effect. Watching as Heeseung’s eyes grew wide, his smirk also expanded, bearing teeth as he bites down his lip and chuckles.

“......That’s her behind me isn’t it?” He scoffs, his chuckle coming in more sinister than before.

“H-Heeseung…Helel….I beg you….please!” The elder desperately pleads.

Heeseung's chuckles grew louder. Stretching his neck as he did before, he closes his eyes as he cracks it from left to right, front to back, and center. “Oh elder one….when you present those bloodied limbs….tell him, ‘with best regards’ from his ‘favorite’…” a sharp chuckle emerges and he suddenly turns, his hand developing lengthy claws as he lunges out once he commits to a full turn.

“HEESEUNG NOOO!!!!”

……………

The sound of the wall cracking and burning, punctured completely through to the other side, all the librarians and staff shocked with screams and gasps as they look at the destruction of the wall behind you, right above your head.

When you're gonna stop breaking my heart

You stood with your head shifted to look at the wall behind you, taking in the view of the massive hole that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. You were so shocked, you didn’t even build up a reaction, not a single scream or yelp emerged out.

‘…..What just happened? Where did this hole come from? And why are there traces of ember and smoke? Did someone blast a cannon or some type of weapon?’

You wondered as you continued to stand and study the blasted alteration of the stone wall, completely unaware that right in front of you, the Devil stood....bewildered.

I don't wanna be another one

His frame leaned into your form with his nose and lips just a hair away from your forehead as his face leans inward from the bend at the base of his neck. His arm extending and hovered over you as his chest somewhat cradles you against the wall. A change in direction of his attack last minute upon seeing you, disintegrating the wall instead. He's there... right in front of you...yet you feel, see, and hear nothing….not his hitched breath, his wide eyes of shocking discovery, or his forearm touching your hair as it remains fully extended with his hand against the wall near the blast.

“y/n!! Are you okay?! Did something hit you??” one of the staff speaks out from behind him.

Paying for the things I never done

Turning your face back forward, where he gets the full view of it, he watches and slowly breathes out…his expression, was unlike anyone had ever seen. He was.....enchanted….

“Uh…yeah….what…was that?” You calmly spoke out with heavy lids, so exhausted from staying up late at night as you completed schoolwork and prep for exams.

Don't let go

“I don’t know…did anyone see anything? Y/n, are you sure you’re okay?”

You nod. He watches. He was so close to you….so close.

His eyes grew soft…his lids grow heavy as he stood with slightly parted lips and studied the remarkable features of your face….

‘Her eyes…her nose….her lips….her hair…her skin…her voice….her body….she’s so…..’

Don't let go To my love

The three muses stood behind, releasing a breath of relief as they note the reaction of the Dark Prince as he remained in place, admiring you.

“Master…..did we succeed?” One of the muses whispered out.

Nodding, the elder softly responds back….

“Yes….I believe we have….thank Heavens….”

I can fix all those lies But baby, when I run, I'm running to you You won't see me cry, I'm hiding inside My heart is in pain but I'm smiling for you

P A R T 2 W O

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