#now i really hate when people only describe lies of p like that

[maleendumbblog]

I feel like I'm the only one who didn't have any 'Bloodborne vibes' while playing Lies of P, for me Lies of P has its own unique atmosphere I've never experienced in any other games. I don't know, maybe it's because I didn't play Bloodborne a lot (I speedran the last part of the game 💀) or something like that 🤷

Please tell me I'm not the only one who think that 🫠

And this is just MY thoughts so don't get mad please 😭

[pandorxxx]

Search & Rescue part 3

Lo’ak x Omatikayan fem reader

Warnings: cursing, angst (some at the very end as well, if you read between the lines) heavy drinking/smoking/drug use, soft dom lo’ak, oral, p in v, choking, biting, praise kink (if you squint), slight voyeurism kink, creampie.

Synopsis: Lo’ak has a bit of a reputation that he’s been trying so hard to break out of. He just needs the right girl to come and rescue him. Looks like he found her tonight.

🔞mdni🔞

It had been exactly a month since you left lo’ak. He had been counting the days miserably. You took this time away from him to focus on yourself. You became a trainer for the younger warriors. You started spending more needed time alone. Reflecting on everything you wanted to accomplish, everything you wanted to do. You were elevating while lo’ak was spiraling out of control.

When you left, he drowned himself in his thoughts. Drinking from sun up to sun down. Isolating himself from everyone he loved. He recently indulged in a new habit. When he visited the lab, as he did often, he found a secret stash of Xanax. He didn’t know what it meant, but he read the effects on the bottle, and that was all he needed. Something to numb him from the pain he was feeling.

He’d tell people he was sick to get out of duties. He’s lied to the people that cared about him just to hide his addictions. The only person who wasn’t buying it was Neteyam.

“Lo’ak? I-I just came by to check on you. No one has seen you for a while. We’re all worried. I’m worried.” Neteyam’s calm voice was muffled through the hut door. Lo’ak laid sprawled out on the cot, looking up at the ceiling as tears ran down his still face. Smoke filled the hut, and empty alcohol bottles piled around him. Neteyam noticed the smoke seeping through the bottom of the door, and that was his last straw.

“Lo’ak! Im coming in, I don’t know what’s going on with y-“ Neteyam spoke as he opened the door, immediately cut off by lo’aks state. Neteyam coughed, fanning the smoke out of his face.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Neteyam asked in a concerned tone. Walking alittle closer to lo’ak. “You know…I was really trying to reinvent myself for her. Then that bitch came in and ruined everything. Now look at me.” Lo’ak chuckled deliriously, reaching over to grab the alcohol bottle, taking a few gulps before placing it down on the ground lazily.

Neteyam sighed, backing up against the wall before sliding down. “This won’t get her back. You do know that? You’re a drunk mess, lo’ak. You need help. And I’m here for you.” Neteyam confessed, looking around lo’aks dirty hut.

“I-I need her to come save me. So, maybe it will bring her back. I need her, more than words can describe.” He slurred, tears welling in his eyes. And there it was, the pain again. He hated when the drugs wore off, it meant he had to sit with his feelings, and he refused to do that. He reached next to him, grabbing the bottle of Xanax.

“What’s that? Huh? LO’AK!” Neteyam shouted, as lo’ak ignored him. Hurrying to take a handful of the pills, chugging them down with his favorite alcohol. “Something to numb the pain. It’s fine.” Lo’ak strained, wiping his mouth of the access drink running down his chin.

“Oh wow.” Neteyam said in disbelief, almost on the verge of tears as he watched his younger brother drown himself in sorrow. “Y/n CANNOT rescue you from this. And it’s selfish of you to think that she can.”

“Call me what you want, neteyam. She likes to save, and I like to be saved. So I’m just playing my part. I need her back. You don’t understand.” Lo’ak spoke in an exhausted tone. He was dying slowly. He was too sad to eat, drink, shower. His eyes were low and heavy, and he was getting skinnier by the day.

“You always show her your worst. How about you give her your best for once!” Neteyam shouted, face screwed in confusion. “So that I know it’s real…” lo’ak whispered, but loud enough for Neteyam to hear. “All these girls want to fuck me for one reason and one reason only.” He chuckled, taking another swig of alcohol.

“And what’s that, lo’ak?” Neteyam sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. Lo’ak’s head snapped to Neteyam, eyes as wide as they could be in his state.

“Because they can’t get to you…” lo’ak muttered, finally sitting up on the side of the bed lazily. Neteyams eyes widened, hand dropping to his side. “What?”

“You don’t get it. You’re the best warrior here, next in line after dad…and then there’s me. You’re taken already. So who’s the next best thing?” Lo’ak started, and neteyams facial expression softened.

“Everytime they see me for who i am…they leave me. But y/n…she didn’t. She was willing to help me until that bitch ruined it. She was different. She didn’t want you, or another warrior. She wanted me, and I fucked it up. I’ll always come second to you, and I get that. But it wasn’t like that with y/n. She saw me, and stayed.”

“Lo’ak i didn’t know you felt that way. I-I just thought-“ Neteyam stuttered before being cut off. “You thought that I’ve been just fucking girls for the fun of it. Which is partly true, but not all.” Lo’ak sighed, throwing his head down into his hands, rubbing through his hair in frustration.

“All I’m doing is searching for a mate. I can admit that the way I’m going about it is reckless but….that’s the end goal.” Lo’ak finally admitted. Neteyam was speechless. He had no idea that lo’ak felt 2nd best to him. And he felt like a terrible brother for not realizing his pain sooner.

“Lo’ak i-I’m sorry. I had no idea that you felt this way. You never talk about this kind of stuff with me. But you can. I’m always here to listen. And I’ll do anything in my power to help you out of this mess.” Neteyam spoke calmly. Lo’ak’s ears shot up before his head did.

“Anything?” Lo’ak asked, eyebrow cocked as a smirk crept across his face. Neteyams eyes narrowed, eyeing his brother up and down all knowingly.

You had been training the young warriors in the common area all afternoon, and the sun was setting. You enjoyed it, and you were glad that Jake trusted you enough to take over since his youngest son had been MIA.

“y/n! I think I broke my bowwww!” Sarzí, your little sister, whined. Holding her bow up to you with teary eyes. You took it from her gently, examining the broken bow before you smiled.

“You know…I’ve broken so many bows when I was training?” You spoke softly, bending down to be eye level with the young girl.

“R-Really?” Sarzí sniffled, wiping her teary eyes with the back of her hand. You smiled, looking down at the broken bow.

“Oh yes! Jake would make me a new one every week. And mines were usually broken in half. Yours just needs alittle fixing.” You started, bringing her hands away from her eyes so that you could wipe her tears for her.

“How about you take mine. What do you say to that, huh?” You smiled, taking the bow from around your body. You little sisters eyes lit up, a bright smile creeping across her face.

“No way! Everyone is going to be soooo jealous!” She smiled, taking the bow out of your hands gently. “Fuck yeah they are!” You laughed, holding your hand up to give your sister a high five.“Fuck yeah!” Sarzí shouted, holding her hand up and your eyes went wide, looking around the common area.

“No! d-don’t say that you little twerp! Mom’s gonna kill me!” You laughed tickling Sarzí. She laughed as well before you pulled her in for a hug.

“Now go, ok? I’m ending the session soon, so we’ll leave in a few.” You smiled, pointing to the other warriors who were practicing. Your sister looked at you, and then slightly behind you, signaling that it was someone there.

“Teyam!” Your sister shouted in excitement, running past you to Neteyam. He swung her around a few times before picking her up in his arms.

“Sarzí! My favorite little warrior!” He chuckled, walking closer to you with your sister in his arm. You smiled at the interaction, meeting him halfway.“Neteyam.” You spoke firmly with a smile, signing a greeting to him as he did the same.

“Hey, do you mind if I steal your big sister for a quick second?” Neteyam asked Sarzí with a smile, placing her down on the ground. She nodded before looking up at you with a smile.

“Go ahead, I’ll come get you soon.” You chuckled before your sister skipped off to the other kids in the distance.

“How are you?” Neteyam asked, motioning for you to walk with him. “I’m doing well…better.” You nodded. You hesitated but the feelings you had for lo’ak were so strong, you just had to know:

“How’s lo’ak? Is he ok? I haven’t seen him in a while. Not that I’m looking for him, but I usually see him around.” You rambled before Neteyam stopped you.

“Y/n…” he sighed before stopping all movement, shifting to stand infront of you. His demeanor had changed to that of concern and fear.

“He’s not doing well. At all.” Neteyam shook his head, fiddling with his fingers anxiously. A confused look wiped across your face. Almost frightened for what Neteyam meant.

“He’s…on heavy drugs y/n.” Neteyam whispered the last part. Your eyes widened, and your stomach dropped to your feet. A wave of sadness washed across you quickly.

“He won’t leave his hut, and it’s a fucking mess. Alcohol bottles, pills bottles everywhere. He won’t eat, bathe, drink anything other than alcohol. He’s smoking more than usual and I just…I don’t know what to do.” He rambled, running his hands through his hair in frustration.“Do your parents know?” You asked.

“Hell no, and I don’t plan on telling them. They’d kill him.” he explained. You sighed, trying your best to hold back tears. It pained you to know that this was your fault, and that you didn’t even give him a chance to explain himself before you left that morning.

“He wanted me to tell you that he loves you, and that he wishes things could be different. He knew that you wouldn’t want to see him, so I came here to deliver that message.” He smiled weakly with nothing but sadness behind his eyes.

“Where is he? At his hut?” You asked. Neteyam nodded. “He’s been in there for a month.” He sighed. “Can you finish my training session with the children, and walk Sarzí home? Please? I’ll go talk to him.” You asked softly. Neteyam smiled.

“Of course. Please help my brother. He needs you.” Neteyam spoke lowly, caressing your shoulder before walking off in the direction of the children.

The walk to his hut was short yet nerve racking. This would be the first time you’d seen him since you left him. Something you swore you wouldn’t do, but the situation that transpired left you no choice.

You got to his hut door, and the smoke immediately filled your lungs. It was clear that he had been getting high all day as the smoke seeped out from under the door. You closed you eyes, bracing yourself for the worst but hoping for the best before you opened the door.

Smoke poured out of his hut causing you to choke before waving the smoke away. You were met with a whimpering/moaning lo’ak, curled up in a ball on his bed. He was shaking aggressively, and sweating. You let the room air out quickly before closing the door behind you.

“Lo’ak?” You muttered, walking closer to him. His pain and agony filled the room. You kneeled down beside him. You hesitated but finally ran your hand across his bicep. You flipped him around, and his eyes were closed, still whimpering in agony as he shook violently.

“LO’AK! LO’AK WAKE UP, BABY! PLEASE!”

You shouted, smacking his damp cheek a few times. With a loud gasp, he woke up. His eyes were wide and his breathing was heavy. He immediately wailed, tears running down his face as he screamed in pain.“Its alright, it’s alright! I’m here with you now!” Your voice was shaky as you wrapped him in your arms.

“I-im so sorry y/n! I’m so so sorry! Please don’t leave me! Please!” He whimpered, laying his head on your chest. You caressed the back of his head, swaying him back and forth in your arms.

“I’m not leaving! I’m here! Look at me!” You exclaimed, holding either sides of his head to get him to look at you. Your eyes locked with his desperate ones. “I’m here. I’m sorry for leaving you before, I just needed time. But I’m here!” You smiled at him lightheartedly. He sniffled, wiping his tears quickly. You swiftly walked to his drawer, grabbing a dry cloth before making your way back over to him. You wiped his face and chest as he stared at you.

“You wanna tell me what’s been going on? I talked to your brother, and he told me some shit I didn’t want to hear.” You glared at him, eyebrow cocked as you awaited an answer, still wiping his soaking wet body.

“I-ive been getting high and drinking more.” His voice was shaky, his teeth chattering against each other as he whimpered. Your eyes wandered to the ground beneath you, dozens of empty pill bottles laid out. Your head snapped back to him, with an all-knowing glare on your face.

“And I’m guessing you’re having withdrawals from….the weed right?” You asked sarcastically. He sighed, rolling his eyes as his body shook violently.“Xanax…o-only for the pain. It’s helps me.” He whined, wiggling under the dry towel.

“This is helping you? Look at you. You were a mess when I found you and you’re even worse now.” You chuckled, lightening the mood. He managed to snicker even throughout his pain.

“Yeah yeah. Because I need you, don’t you get it? The days we were together were the best. I didn’t even touch any alcohol, I was too drunk off of you.” He explained. You blushed, moving down to his legs with the cloth.

“As much as you love me, I cannot be your only motivation, your only source of happiness. It’s not healthy for you or me.” You confessed, glancing up at him before continuing to dry him off.

“But you ARE truly my only source of happiness. I don’t know what I’d do without you…as you can see. Just look at me. I know it’s not healthy, and I don’t want to put any pressure on you. But I can’t help the way I feel about you anymore. I refuse.” He confessed. You sighed, hesitating before speaking.

“I love you, lo’ak. Always will. And I’ll do anything to help you out of this. I hate seeing you like this.” You strained, on the verge of tears. He sat up slowly, caressing your cheek with his shaky hands. You nuzzled your head into his embrace, grabbing the back of his hand.

“It’s all my fault. And I’m a fucking idiot for letting myself get to this point. I’m a mess, and I understand if you’re done trying to rescue me. It’s not your job to do this.” He shook his head, rubbing his thumb across your cheek to wipe your tears.

“It is my job….as your girlfriend. I’m by your side no matter what. I’m not leaving you again.” You smiled, grabbing his free hand in yours as you two stared into each others eyes. You pulled him in for a well needed hug, and he obliged. Despite lo’aks state, your hug stopped his shaking momentarily. It was warm, and comforting until you realized he hadn’t bathed in a couple of weeks.

“Baby, when’s the last time you touched water?” You asked, voice muffled in his chest. His eyes widened, realizing that he’d made, yet another, terrible impression on you. “I-uhh…” he stuttered, looking around the room in embarrassment before letting you go.

“What am I going to do with you? Huh?” You chuckled, standing to your feet before you reached out for his hand. He smiled sarcastically, taking your hand to stand to his feet. You held his waist to keep him steady.

“I’ll be good from now on, I promise.” He chuckled as he wrapped his arm around your neck, walking out of the hut with you.

You were sitting on the shore next to the stream. You were watching after lo’ak as he bathed in the river. He seemed to stop shaking once he hit the water, and he’d been in there for the last 20 minutes.

“You doing ok over there?” You asked, watching him grab water to throw on his chest.“Yeah, I’m feeling alittle better. I could still use a Xanax though.” He confessed, laughing to himself.

“Yeah right. Not on my watch. All of that shit comes out of your hut TO-MOR-ROW! No more drugs or drinking for a while.” You commanded.

“Damn, no weed either?” He asked walking closer to the waterfall, letting it run over his hands.

“NO WEED EITHER!” You shouted, glaring at him with a pointed finger. He hissed, walking into the waterfall to let it run over his entire body. You watched him intently, there was nothing else you could do.

He stood directly under the stream, letting it run down his hair and face. He’d occasionally run his hands over his face and through his hair, flexing his biceps and abs. There was a point where he reached down to grab his cock, stroking it softly as the water ran over it. Innocent to him but a turn on for you.

“Like what you see?” He spoke softly, completely breaking you out of your trance. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t.” You smirked, locking eyes with him.

“Then bring your pretty ass over here. I’ve been missing you like crazy.” He spoke lowly, so incredibly desperate for you. He ran his large hand down his body again, grabbing his cock to jerk it slowly. He stared in your eyes the entire time, eyes full of lust. As if he was ready to devour you whole. Your body tensed up, and your breathing hitched. He noticed a change in you immediately, and chuckled out loud.

“Just come bathe with me. That’s all.” He reassured, contradicting himself with his hand still stroking his cock. From the base, all the way to the tip, smearing his oozing precum.

“Mhmm, just bathing right?” You asked, eyebrow cocked as you stood to your feet, untying your cloths to let them drop to the ground. He eyed you up and down intently, keeping the same rhythm on his aching cock.

“Sure. Just come here.” He motioned with his finger, and you quickly obliged. Walking into the water towards him until you two were finally face to face. Your chest pressed against his defined abs as he looked down at you. He jerked his cock in the direction of your core, his swollen tip lightly pressing against your clit with every thrust into his hand.

“I’ve been waiting for you.” He whispered “Oh yeah?” You asked, running your dainty hands up his chest.“Yeah. I haven’t had sex with any other girl since you left me. My body yerns for you and ONLY you now. No one can satisfy me the way that you do. Mentally, physically….emotionally. My body needs you, I need you.” He spoke low and sensual, placing his large hand on the side of your neck.

“I’m not fucking you, lo’ak.” You spoke in your melodic tone, caressing his strong arms as you eyed his abs and chest. He smirked, knowing that you two were way past that. You leaned in, kissing his damp chest, leaving small hickeys. He groaned, letting his cock go to reach around, grabbing your plump ass in his large hands.

You slowly slid down in his embrace, submerging yourself into the water until you were chin deep. Your hair was soaked from the waterfall, loose curls cascading down the sides of your head and into the water. You stared up at him with your lustful eyes as you licked his swollen tip.

“Oh! my fucking- stop looking at me like that.” He moaned, watching you explore his cock; licking every ridge, every vein. Sucking the precum out of his tip gently. When you heard those words he spoke, your eye contact darted up to his again.

You stiffened your tongue, gently flapping it against his hole, making him quiver under your embrace. “P-Please don’t tease me. I can’t take that right now.” He whimpered, caressing the back of your head. Seeing as he’d been through enough the past few weeks, you decided to give him what he wanted.

You grabbed the base to keep him steady in the water. Without warning, you took all of him in your mouth until the tip of your nose pressed against his pelvis. He whined loudly fisting your long hair, using it as leverage to thrust into your mouth softly.

You met his thrusts, bobbing your head on his shaft. You swirled your tongue around the entirety of his length, making him pout down at you, eyebrows scrunched together as he let out soft whimpers.

“Fuuuck! P-Please baby!” He cried, legs shaking from his in coming orgasm. It was no secret that lo’ak was a sex-a-holic, and he hadn’t released any tension since the day you left him. This would be the first time he had a proper release in an entire month, which was all new to him. So this one was going to be intense.

You sucked him one last time before backing up with a loud pop. You replaced your mouth with your dainty hand, pumping him at a steady pace. “Please what?” You asked, glaring up at him as spit cascaded down your chin. “Pl-please fuck me. I’m begging you.”

He whined, placing a finger under your chin. You grinned, standing before him. “Please…” he whispered, pulling you closer by your waist.

Without a second to spare, you pushed him up against the large rock behind the waterfall. You took the opportunity to kiss every inch of his chest, feeling on his strong arms that were wrapped around your waist. You pryed them off of you, pinning them to the wall as you stood on your tippy toes, attacking his unscathed neck. He bit his lip, watching you go completely feral on him.

He bent down, finding your lips to engage in a passionate kiss. Your tongues danced with each other before you pulled away, a line of spit connecting the two of you. He took this opportunity to regain his dominance somewhat, turning you around so that your back was against the rock, him towering over you.

“Never knew you could be so nasty.” He spoke lowly, seductive. His hands were planted next to your head as he stared at you with nothing but sex on his mind. You could feel it radiating off of his wet skin. You managed to turn around in his embrace, backing your ass into his pelvis. He let out a breathily moan in your ear.

“For you I am. Only for you, my love.” You moaned, feeling his tip poke at your dripping entrance. Without question, he grabbed the base of his cock, sliding into you slowly. A series of loud moans fell from both of your mouths, so filled with desperation.

His hands slowly slid into fists on the rock, head buried in your shoulder to muffle his cries once he started thrusting into you. You held onto his wrists for support as your head laid back against his broad chest. His thrusts were hard and needy, almost as if he’d been dying for this moment.

“I-I’ve missed you so fucking much.” He whined in between small pecks to your neck, sending you spiraling. You were a moaning mess under him, tears already forming In the corners of your eyes from the constant pounding to your sweet spot.

“I-I’ve ngh!- i’ve missed you too, lo’ak.” You whimpered before biting your lip, trying your best to suppress your loud moans. He wrapped one of his strong arms around your neck, and you instantly gripped it. He used the hold on you as leverage to send you deeper strokes, deeper than he’d ever been before.

“Mmm lo’, i-its so deep!” You moaned through a clenched jaw, eyes rolling to the back of your head as he pounded into you with no mercy.

“I-I know, I know! Just take it for me.” He moaned, eyes rolling to back of his head as well. His mouth slightly agape as his head laid upon your shoulder. You felt his cock twitch inside of you, signaling that he was close, and so were you. Lines of your juices tricked down your thighs with every hard thrust. Your legs started to tremble and your stomach tightened.

“You’re gonna make me fucking cum!” You whimpered, voice rippling from the pounding you were receiving. He sped up, loud clapping sounds taking over the still forest.

“Fuuuuck, I-I’m close too. B-But I don’t want this to end. Not yet, baby! I-I can’t!” He growled, pulling out of you for a moment before slamming back into you. His and your legs buckling for a second before you both regained balance.

“Yesss!!!” You screamed, feeling that lingering orgasmic feeling in your stomach for longer than you’d ever had. He repeated the action, pulling out of you to slam back into you with full force.

“Shit! You feel so fucking good!” He whined, a single tear falling from his eye. In between this action, he pumped into you hard and steady, maintaining your peek for as long as possible.

As soon as he felt you clench around him, he’d pull out and slam back into you. Your legs trembled from the edging, it was becoming too much for you.

“Lo’ak, I-I can’t take it.” You moaned deliriously, your body going limp under him. He held you up by your waist, pushing you against the rock, sandwiching you in to keep you up.

“Yes you can, baby. I can’t let this end yet, I need you!” He whimpered in your ear before nibbling on it, sending you hard strokes. You moaned loudly, leaning your head against the wall as your legs trembled. He pulled out again for a longer time. He watched you shake underneath him, so desperate for a release.

“Lo’ak please! I- i need to cum!” You moaned breathily, holding onto the rock for dear life as you trembled. “I-I’m afraid you’re going to leave me again. Just let me savor this.” He groaned, desperate for a release too. He slammed back into you, immediately thrusting into you at a fast pace.

“Lo’ak I SWEAR I-I’m not leaving you again! You don’t have to to worry about that…j-just let me fucking cum please!” You screamed.

“PROMISE!” He growled, his dominance and animalistic urges taking the forefront. He tightened his grip around your neck, making it hard for you to breath. “I PROMISE!” You strained, tapping his arm for him to loosen up.

“Cum.” Was all he said before sending you the hardest stroke of the night, leaving it there. You screamed loudly, legs trembling as your juices ran down your legs. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head, as you leaned back into him in complete exhaustion. Without a second to spare, he began to move inside of you again, chasing his own orgasm.

“Oh my fucking God! I’m cumming, y/n. I’m cumming, fuuuuck!” He whimpered, legs trembling against yours as he buried his head into the crook of your neck. He sent you another hard thrust, leaving himself deep inside of you as he painted your walls with his seed. The feeling alone could’ve made you cum for a second time.

“Yesss, give me all of it!” You moaned, bending over slightly, just for his seed to seep deeper into your womb. He held you tightly, sinking his fangs into your neck to suppress his muffled cries. The sharp pain making you hiss lowly. He detached, blood running down his lips as he licked your wound clean.

“I-im sorry. I got carried away. I-I didn’t mean t-“ he rambled before you cut him off.“I’m fine, lo’ak.” You moaned. He pulled out of you, watching the access cum leak out of your tight cunt. You turned around in his embrace, bringing him closer to you.

“You make me feel so good. Don’t apologize for that.” You shook your head, smiling up at him. He smirked at you, pulling you in for a sloppy kiss.

After that, you two cleaned each other for the second time before making your way back to his hut. You got dressed in one of his huge t-shirts again, and curled up into bed with him. You two talked for most of the night before you knocked out in his arms. However, he couldn’t seem to sleep, not without his aid. He’d been doing Xanax for a month straight, and it was hard to just quit that.

As you slept against his chest comfortably, he held you tightly, glaring at the bottle of Xanax behind you. He couldn’t help the urge to down the entire bottle. And for what? You were literally in his arms, yet he still craved the drug. He sighed, reaching over you quietly to grab the bottle. He untwisted the cap, downing the 10 pills that were left. No water was needed, when he swallowed them.

He put the bottle back, wrapping you tightly in his arms before he closed his eyes. The voices in his head slowly died down as the drug consumed him. That numb feeling he had been searching for finally settling in as he drifted off into a deep…deep…deep slumber.

Taglist: @number1gal @loak-bae @tiredmamaissy @neytirishottie @viajaeger @terrorthewolf @lethargicluv @reyzzsostellar @m0nst3rfk3r @agelsully @jakescumdump @wekiamo @st-cass @cleardonutangelwagon @tsireqas @satanlovedays @afro-hispwriter @thecutieyahia @urfavgirlmakenna @fanboyluvr @iameatingmyhair @secretflowerobservation @violet-19999 @neteyamsprincess @xreadersstuff @lia-nath @sullymenrhot @dotheyevenknowmars @xdbluesky @slay-nt @domino-x3-blog @ladylovegood-69 @itssomeonereading @sweetirilly @skxawngmia @j-jinxee @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @cumikering @pxndorasdream @itsaleidasworld @atxxokirina @yeletta @blueslxt-primary @jackchampismybbg @eywascall @valeriearriana37484 @avatarsslut @bee782916 @atxxokirina @loaksbabyy

[adozentothedawn]

Six-song soundtrack

Rules: If you're tagged, make a new post with links to music and/or lyrics describing the following:

An event that defines your character's past

How your character sees themselves

How others view them

Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic)

A major fight scene

End credits song

Tagged by @solas-backpack-mug (and others but I never got around to it and now I forgot, sorry :( ), thanks!

Favaen (with Emblyn making a guest appearance)

So this was hard, on the one hand because I didn't really have anything on hand and on the other because when I went looking I suddenly had a bunch for the same point.

The Shore - Basia Bulat

Dakara Hitori Ja Nai - Christina Vee (Little Glee Monster)

Rise and Fall - Black Water County

We'll Meet Again - Laura Brehm and TheFatRat

Burn It Down - Vixy and Tony

Like The Dawn - The Oh Hellos

Throwing a tag towards @adraveins and @stylishanachronism for some good music recs. 👀

An event that defines their past

(This was so hard to limit, holy shit)

The Shore - Basia Bulat

There is no one who will take me by that shore Close to the smoke, far from the fires of your harbour But if I am awake this time I'll know All over your eyes, a storm is rolling over, rolling over

Emblyn, dearly regretting her decisions.

Oh you can take away the divine my dear And comb your hair And I won't mind at all Even when the thought's behind I came just to remind you I love you so

And while she does regret a lot, this one thing she clings onto.

How they see themselves

Dakara Hitori Ja Nai - Christina Vee

(an english cover translation)

Once I hated everything Sadness seemed my destiny Couldn't see the beauty all around me (If only) my future spans in front of me A crossroad branching endlessly The road is paved, the course is set I'll grab my dreams, the time is now

Favaen used to have severe emotional management problems and had no idea what to do with herself, a problem she eventually worked out with the help of her mentor and mother figure.

But those empty words are not a plan Lucky stars don't care So don't rely on counting them I'm thinking way too hard about my past I gotta push myself, I'm facing my worst fear, oh Don't care if I'm crying (I'm crying) I'm flying (I'm flying), I made my mind up Trust me, I will keep trying I'm stronger than I know (I'm stronger now) Don't care if I'm lonely (I'm lonely) It's only (It's only) the end of the old me It's time to let her go Say goodbye! (Say goodbye, say goodbye!) Love never lies

She is inherently optimistic because she made the decision and effort to be. Despite her past (both personal and Emblyn's) still on weigh on her, she does her best to move and make the future a better one.

How others view them

Rise and Fall - Black Water County

Listen here, tell me dear What have you now got to fear? Took you long to realise Take it one day at a time verse You've been wasting the minutes In the hours of your days Look around and you'll find That it's just another way

But there's something on my mind That I need to leave behind So tear the page, hit erase 'Til the day you hear me call Make a promise that you'll be The best to rise and fall

Favaen makes herself a turning point for the people around her. An opportunity to do better, to move on, to be someone you's rather be. Be that for Edér who ties himself to her in turn with such a force he literally sails across the ocean on the vague hope it might save her, or for some random bandit who gets to make the choice to leave, live another day, and never see her again.

Their closest relationship

We'll Meet Again - Laura Brehm and TheFatRat

This one had a lot of options, both in relationship and song (Edér being a good contender for example) but I realised I already had this one saved and it's too good not to take so Eothas it is. This is probably pretty self explanatory.

Suddenly you're nowhere to be found I turn around and everything has changed Looking for a way to work it out I'm trying to find some peace to navigate Everything we wanted turned to gold (Turned to gold) The path we chose, the future on our side Never thought I'd do this on my own (On my own) But now I wield the sword you left behind Dark for the sunrise Clouds for a blue sky Space for the travelling star Strong from the inside You're still my life-line I feel you wherever you are The oak tree where I met you And the writing on the statue I still remember every word you said I'm not a soldier, but I'm fighting Can you hear me through the silence? I won't give up 'cause there will be a day We'll meet again

Fight Scene

Burn It Down - Vixy and Tony

This was kinda hard for different reasons. I eventually landed on this one because it fits her as a character and is energetic and inspirational. Some expamples:

The legend of the firebird Is one of transformation If you dare to take the journey And you give the wolf his due Let the flame inspire For you are your own creation Throw your fear upon the pyre And let it rise as something new

So you think you don't burn bright enough? I tell you it's not true Burn it down, burn it down, burn it down Throw your fear upon the fire and burn it down Throw your voice out to the wind Feel the heat upon your skin As you hunger, so begin Burn it down

End Credits

Like The Dawn - The Oh Hellos

(The Oh Hellos are such a treasure trove for this)

I was sleeping in the garden when I saw you first He'd put me deep, deep under so that he could work And like the dawn you broke the dark and my whole earth shook I was sleeping in the garden when I saw you At last, at last Bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh, at last

Imagry of how Eothas kept Emblyn's soul with him repaired it over time and how she was eventually reborn as Favaen with pieces of him holding her together, making them essential soul twins.

You were the brightest shade of sun I had ever seen Your skin was gilded with the gold of the richest kings And like the dawn you woke the world inside of me You were the brightest shade of sun when I saw you

Being a form of soul twins it made Favaen absolutely miserable to be apart from him (something he didn't consider at all as a possibility cause he is in fact, not very smart) and eventually officially joining the clergy was an incredible relief for her.

[finitevoid]

Hummingbird heartbeat bart does not really resemble any canon iteration of bart at this point though I will defend the justification of my choices to the ends of this earth but ultimately something I’m realizing is that allowing bart to age into young adulthood is inherently going to make him not resemble any canon iteration . I don’t know why that era of sidekicks and heroes are not allowed to age but the starkness of it with bart is so strange when his maturity was such a heavy and important part of his development. By the time we hit graduation day he wasn’t particularly childish in my opinion as opposed to just hyperactive. But the writers in the 2000s utterly walk back any maturity he had. 2019 was pretty good but his appearances in crossover event comics in flash comics is always like bordering on character assassination Why is he still acting 8 years old he’s meant to be like seventeen at the least Bro I hate it here I hate comic books I hate comic books

hh bart is a borderline antagonistic figure. An interesting thing about comics bart vs cartoon bart is that cartoon bart has such a heavy emphasis on like. The opposite things that are achieved by comics bart. Cartoon bart is about a) deceit b) persona c) the dual maturity and immaturity of having been raised in a violent environment. comics bart is just an autistic middle schooler (and then an autistic high schooler). He wears his heart on his sleeve. His emotions are big and obvious and hard for him to control. It’s a pretty deliberate thing that he rarely lies, though he does have a sneaky streak by the 2000s. comics bart is about feeling displaced. They use the word “time refugee” to describe him which I think is interesting. The word “displaced” comes up a lot too. bart is pretty violently removed from everything he knows and is then thrown into an unfamiliar world and society. he cannot return to his home because if he does he will die. he cannot have a relationship with his family because he will be killed. Oopsie :3

so there’s this exploration of what trauma does to him while also really contending with him being young. He struggles with basic shit such as: 1) talking to other people 2) seeing other people as human 3) grasping consequences 4) understanding death, violence, or even pain and 5) knowing why the hell everyone thinks he’s weird and annoying

I don’t think I need to explain what this is evocative of

now the cartoon doesn’t develop its version of bart the way it Could because nobody in that writers room is willing to truly delve into the changes they’ve made to barts backstory. But regardless bart in the cartoon appears in a flurry of lies deceit and manipulation, spurred on by desperation and necessity. This bart doesn’t just understand consequences, he Lives them. this bart doesn’t just grasp pain and violence, he’s Familiar with them.

instead of being “displaced” from his home, separated against his will from his family, his world and what is familiar, bart leaves all of those things behind On Purpose. his 1 scene in the future is him hanging out in a prison camp with an convict, both of them wearing collars like dogs.

I don’t think I need to explain what this is evocative of

bart is also only ever portrayed as mentioning any kind of parental figure once, which is his father (GRANDON WHY ARE YOU SO FUCKING—). also his verbal response to being told he will Never Be Able To Return To Anything That Is Familiar to him is to sarcastically be like “why would I want to lol”. The combination of these things implies that EVERYONE HE LOVES IS DEAD did I forget to mention he’s 14 :P

I understand why they won’t develop this trying to grasp that level of suffering in a child is actually insane

despite the intense deviation from the comics version I think cartoon bart works because it hits on a lot of the same beats. Or, it certainly Can. being Different. being Weird. being SO fucking powerful and using that power in all the wrong ways for the wrong reasons. etc. I think this went underutilized however .

[angellesword]

Hi, binge reader here. I've read your Baggage fic for hours now. I couldn't stop myself from sending you an ask, so I apologize in advance for my long rant. First word, masterpiece, I gotta say. I found out from your AO3 that Baggage is actually a Bungou fic of yours (with mxm) so it kind of throw me off a bit whenever I read parts where the characters kind of match more of the anime than BTS, but that's just because I also watch BSD (though I couldn't really imagine Dazai's or Chuyaa's character like that).

At first, I'm hating Jungkook and Jisoo and really wanted a payback. The way reader is being tough and went harsh on them felt quite good. Like seriously though, don't they even consider how she would feel when they hide things from her? She didn't even hide her feelings from Jungkook (right? Or did I forget some parts?). She ran, but she always leave a trace, purposedly; she never lied or hide anything from those two.

But after chapter 14... damn, your fic really gave me a roller coaster. Protective doesn't really describe the feeling for me. I feel like a mother dragon with bloodlust for those who hurt her children (imagined Chuuya unleashing his power in that prison). I imagined if Jangmin said to reader about "payback for hurting you" and reader just went all "the only one who can hurt him is ME, not YOU".

I have say, that phrase somehow hit me hard; like I finally realized the meaning of it. 'I want him hurt, but by my own way' because reader want him to feel guilty for hurting her, but she never wanted Jungkook or Jisoo to suffer that bad.

Normally, I'm hooked on dark fics. I'm always up for the Dead Dove DNE. But something else always trigger me whenever it's the members who got r*p*d... like my other half just went "hoh...? you dare lay your filthy hands on him".

Those things aside, your fic is awesome. Chp 14 is like a plot twist to me because I really didn't expect it to get dark after reading the summary (especially in a parents au). I'm always looking for dark fics like that 😅 because mostly they're mxm on AO3. Never thought I could find the diamond in Tumblr. Looking forward for the next update. (I hope you don't kill Jungkook in the end. Jimin's death is already pretty harsh for me, so please spare Jungkook🥺)

P.S. I cried reading most of your fics (including Baggage), but chp 14 just really tickled that other part of me 😈.

Also, I instantly forgive Jungkook after hearing his story in the prison (even though I was raging at him ever since he said that he knocked up her sister). Your fic really gives me the turmoil, I don't know what to feel 😂

Hi! I’d like to start with a wahhhh don’t even apologize for sending me a lengthy ask. My heart gets so happy whenever I receive messages like this. Haha. Anyway, yes. This is originally a BSD fanfic and trust me, I understand when you said you couldn’t imagine soukoku acting like how I write them. This is why I usually tag my soukoku fics as OOC because i legit received so much shit for writing them like this, some even go as far as attacking me as person 😭 but most of my fics are self-indulgent and it is FANON for a reason! Though, I’m not gonna lie, I wish more readers would interact with my works—this is partly the reason why I post my BSD fics as JJK/BTS ones because I want to hear feedback from you guys, as I understand MxM is not everyone’s cup of tea. There are also people on my inbox asking me to turn my other fics into a JJK one, so I guess, why not?

Downside, though, is my characters, like you mentioned, are usually patterned to the original characters and not so much like BTS’s. (I’m too lazy to edit. I’m sorry.)

I also try to turn my hiatus/discontinued fics into a BTS/different fandom one because I get fresh ideas on how to continue the stories if I think of a situation not solely on in the original character. I have more fics on hold that I’m planning to turn into a JJK one and see if tumblr peeps would like it—and maybe then, I can finally continue writing them.

We have one more chapter to go before Baggage ends, and trust me, JJK will not die. I didn’t make him go through all that pain just for him to die 😭 I have been racking my brain out since chapter 14 dropped though…I have no idea how to end this fic, tbh. One thing’s for sure, this will have a happy ending.

Thanks for mentioning that my fic makes you feel in turmoil 😆 that is one of my main goal, actually. Haha!

I guess I have to update the tags, too, huh? I often get told my fics are wayyyy angstier/crazier than what they appear to be.

[wolvesandpetals]

Loki x Sylvie Post-Finale Fanfiction (Angst, Rated Teen) Part 2 of 2

Part 1 is here:

She never knew it would hurt this much when the person she loves is right in front of her, but she can't reach out and touch him; when she is still her, he is still him, but everything else has changed, like an invisible lever in an old theatre changing the scenery in the background, bringing them both to the part of the play where they are hopelessly lost.

[[MORE]]

All it took was one single moment, one single decision, and everything feels irrevocably broken now. It makes her contemplate on the true nature of relationships, how fragile they are, and how easy it is to shatter them- and her.

The smoke is slowly clearing, and all that seems to be left is a man who is doing his best to keep his distance from her, physically and emotionally.

She can tell from the way he stands with his arms crossed, or his fists clenced when his hands are by his side, that he really doesn't want to hold her hand. How can something so simple as the touch of his fingers be so vital to her existence that it feels like something has been ripped out from inside her?

She wants to reach out and touch him, but she is scared that if he pulls away outright, any hope of reconciliation that she still has left will shatter into pieces.

And she really needs this hope. It's the only thing she still has left. It's the only thing that keeps her going.

---

He looks like a man with a mission.

They spent quite a long time together, running from the TVA, running towards the citadel at the end of time, hoping to achieve their goal of bringing down the one behind the curtains.

But that was her mission, and he was there for her. She was the one behind the wheels, he was the one keeping the sails afloat.

Now it's different. Now he has a defined goal, a glorious purpose.

She's seeing him in a whole new light now, and not just because he has switched to Asgardian leather and metal armors.

As far as she is concerned, she is better off doing it all alone. One woman army, nobody to get in her way, nobody to screw up her plans. Nobody to blame her if it all goes to shit.

Or so it was, until two months ago, when Mobius decided to enlist her help in fixing the multiversal madness.

She has never really worked with people before, and it's weird, to say the least. She never considered herself a team player, but she is finding herself hating the idea less and less lately.

And she swears it has nothing to do with him. Not the fact that they are working together, and seeing his face first thing in the morning brings her a sense of calm that she quite can't explain. Or the fact that their rooms are next to each other and it makes her feel secure enough to finally get some rest at nights. Or that this whole arrangement has kept them on talking terms, when they had gone their own separate ways otherwise.

Nothing to do with that at all.

---

Humans are stupid, and the biggest evidence of this is how they decided that two extremely powerful Gods skilled at magic, enchantment, and defeating an evil extra dimensional cloud that swallows everything it touches, should be delegated to the role of research. "You're clever. You're good at reading people. You can put yourselves in the shoes of the bad guys, no offense", they said, but really, what they meant was, "We can't trust you out in the field much." She knows it, he knows it. She just doesn't know why he's complying.

That's how they find themselves researching every single day.

She likes to think he's not the only reason why she's studying in the library instead of in the comfort of her room, but that'd be a lie.

At first, he chooses to sit at a separate table. But she keeps going over to his to "get his opinion" on something in the file she's reading, and finally, he gives in. Their current arrangement consists of him sitting in the chair in front of her, to the left, prim and proper, while she hoists her feet up on the table.

He falls asleep on the desk one night, face smacked against a file, the tiniest bit of drool forming at the corner of his mouth. It would be a hilarious sight, if her heart wasn't feeling what she can only describe as longing.

They should probably talk about it, like mature adults, but neither of them know how to do that.

All she can do right now is gather the courage to run her fingers through his hair. The touch is hesitant at first, as if one wrong move would make him wake up and push her back to square one. Slowly, she relaxes, letting her fingers dance on his scalp.

He stirs in his sleep. "Please Sif. I'm sorry. Don't cut off my glorious locks, please."

Now this is a story she must hear when things are better.

If things are better.

---

Doctor Strange joins them very briefly, very rarely, but the tension between him and Loki is hard to miss. It's worse than the current situation with her, and that's saying something.

"You don't really like Stephen, do you?"

Something inside him seems to shift, but he masks it behind a non-chalant look immediately and just arches an eyebrow at her. "He's Stephen now, is he?"

"Well, that is his name." She shrugs. "What do you call him?"

"Strange", he spits the word out with an amount of irritation that indicates there definitely is a story there. "That is his name", he mimics.

She can't help the smirk that spreads across her lips. "What did he do to you?"

"Nothing", he lies, ignoring the horrifying flashbacks of thirty minutes of endless falling. Not a single soul must ever know a mere human got the best of him. "What can he do to me? I'm a God among those mortals. He just irks me because he is so pompous, and arrogant, and he ceaselessly uses magic to toy with others."

She pretends to think deeply. "Now where have I seen that before?"

He scoffs. "You mock me, but I am nothing like him. For one, I am not rude."

"He seems fine to me", she declares decisively.

It's the first time in months that he gives her a cheeky grin. "That's because you're rude too."

---

They are still just containing the threats to their world, instead of finding a way to fortify the barriers between worlds and stop the threats from coming.

"Shouldn't we have a plan to seal off the other worlds from ours?" She asks him one day.

"They are working on it." He tells her, and then with a look of worry, adds, "I hope."

There are debates on what to do at the Avengers tower and at the TVA. Nobody seems to agree on what the best course of action is, but everyone seems to be following the general instructions of Doctor Strange.

During one such meeting, a Minuteman makes the mistake of voicing out loud how she wondered if things would be better if they were running according to their old boss's plans.

Sylvie feels the guilt wash over her once more.

"No", Loki tells them all firmly. The determination in his voice takes her completely by surprise. "Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, middling, makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary. The definition’s blurred." She catches him steal a glance at her direction. "We couldn't have left a dictator in charge just because it's convenient. Listen, I'm the bad guy. I've done horrible, unspeakable things. I thought humans needed to be ruled. I wanted to rule. But even I know that it's not right to take away a person's life completely. These are innocent people. You are innocent people. You have families back home, parents, children", a pause and a softening of his features, "-love. A whole past, a whole future. That man had no right to take it away from you."

His powers of persuasion are foreign to her, and it's mesmerizing to watch. Her enchantments cannot hold a candle to how he is able to just talk people into doing what he wants, thinking what he thinks, seeing what he sees.

"He who remains had a plan. One, singular plan, from one, singular man." There is absolute conviction in his voice. "It's not the only way. We'll find another way. A better way."

She has never known what it is like to have someone see you for who you are- broken and flawed, and defend you- even your well-intentioned actions that yielded different results than what you expected and hurt them in the process. She suspects it has been the same for him, a lifetime of not having anyone have his back.

The warm feeling inside her is brand new. What is the name of this? Comfort? Relief?

Happiness?

---

This will be their first time out in the field in a long time, and she feels a little sick to the stomach.

He notices. "Are you alright?"

The concern in his voice tugs at her heartstrings. She nods. She has faced way worse, she shouldn't be so nervous about this, but she is. "I've never done this before."

"We can always just kill him and blame it on the Chitauris", he suggests with a serious face.

"I heard that", Peter yells from the other room, where he is doing whatever it is that teenagers do to prepare for battle.

She shakes her head in disbelief. "I can't believe we're babysitting."

"I've done this before", he assures her, and it surprises her to picture him being entrusted with such a serious task. "The trick is to conjure up illusions that keep them distracted enough to not cry."

She laughs. "You're thinking of infants. This one is a little older."

"I'm over a thousand years old, Sylvie. They're all infants to me."

Peter joins them, mask covering his face so that he doesn't reveal his identity. "So what do I call you? Loki and Loki? That's confusing. How about Loki and Lady Loki? Or is that offensive? I'm not suggesting women are inferior, because they're absolutely not..."

"Does he come with an off switch?" She whispers in horror as Peter rambles on.

Loki grins. With one wave of his hand and a flash of green, Peter's own webbing shoots out and seals his mouth shut.

---

Things are fine but not fine at the same time. He's right there beside her, but not there at all. They have their banters, they have their stolen glances, but they haven't had a meaningful conversation since that first day when she got back. She's been putting it off for a long time, but she knows they really do need to have the talk.

She corners him in his room one evening while he's tinkering with a temporal collar. She takes a seat in the chair next to his bed and rests her hand on the table, leaning her head against her palm, before switching position and crossing her arms and legs. Everything about her posture screams uneasiness. If he notices- he probably does- he doesn't say anything.

"You defended me that day."

He briefly looks up from the task at hand and gives her a soft smile. "Of course."

She blinks. "I don't understand." Her hands involuntary rise up to rub her temples. "If you can justify my actions to them, then how can you still be mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you", he says without missing a beat.

"Rubbish", her words come out angrier than she intended. This frustration is the result of the months of status quo they have had. She has to know now, one way or the other. "You're distant. You're guarded", she accuses. Then her voice breaks, as she feels a part of her break all over again with her next words. "You don't hold my hand. Why? Tell me."

He abandons the collar and focuses his full attention on her. Staring straight into her eyes, he answers her. "You know why."

"I wouldn't be asking if I did. Look, if it's because I chose the mission over you-"

"-Of course it's not that." He says decisively. Then a sad smile clouds his face. It's the same look he had when she accused him of conning her to gain the throne. "Do you think I'm the type of man who would want a woman to abandon her life-long ambitions just because she has met someone?"

She knows he isn't. But it still doesn't answer why he is so cross with her. "What is it then?"

He pauses for a moment, trying to decide whether he wants to bare his soul out to her once more or not. There are two ways he can go from here- choose to not let her in again and save himself from the hurt, or trust her again and open himself up to potential pain.

Who is he kidding? Pushing her away- keeping her away- doesn't hurt any less.

There were a thousand things that had to go wrong to bring two Lokis from two universes together. A connection like that, it doesn't just happen.

And it doesn't just go away. The pain is constant, it's a part of him, pounding like a second heart every second he has to stop himself from reaching out for her hand.

This has to come to an end.

He takes in a deep breath, bracing himself. "You didn't have to send me away, Sylvie. I wanted to stop you from making the same mistakes I did. But in the end, I didn't care what you chose. I just wanted us to do it together."

She never even imagined this could be the reason for his hurt. All these months spent thinking he hates her for her choices, and now it turns out he is hurt simply because she chose to do it alone? "I'm sorry." She says sincerely. "I just wanted you to be safe."

"And I just wanted to be there with you till the end." He confesses. His eyes shimmer with the emotions he has kept bottled in for so long. "You go, I go."

She doesn't know what to say to that. She has never been good at articulating her feelings. Tears stream down her cheeks at the realisation that even after everything, he is still there for her.

She didn't cry even back at Lamentis when they thought they were going to die. She doesn't let anyone see her cry when she is sad or scared. That's all she has known her whole life. She's used to it by now.

This is new. These are tears of relief. Comfort.

Happiness.

Tentatively, she crosses over to the bed and sits by his side.

It's quiet for a few minutes. But unlike the months of tension so thick she could cut it into splices with her daggers, this is comfortable silence. The kind they had before it all went wrong.

"Did you even miss me?" He whispers.

"What kind of silly question is that? Of course I did." Her shaking hands grab his, and oh how she missed this.

He intertwines their fingers. His eyes draw closed. Bliss. That's the only word for this feeling.

He opens his eyes again and studies her. She's staring back at him, teary-eyed, but with a hopeful smile. "Really? Because you have a really unique way of showing it. You didn't even come looking for me."

"I didn't know how to face you", she tells him honestly. No tricks, no enchantment, no treachery. Not with him. "I didn't know if you even wanted to see me." Her voice grows quieter, dropping to a timbre that perfectly encapsulates her deepest fear. "I thought you hated me."

"Hate you?" He is shocked that she thinks that is even possible, specially after seeing him these last few months. "Sylvie, I'm working with the Avengers. The Avengers. Do you know how much I hate them? They are my nemesis. They're self-righteous, condescending, and so completely dull. Every second with them makes me want to rip their hearts out. Why do you think I'm here with them?"

She thinks she knows. But she needs to hear it anyway.

"It's because of you." He lays it all out on the table. All cards on deck, win or lose. "You've been running away. I have been the one who has been here, trying to hold down the fort, working to fix everything. Because that is what one does when one loves-"

Shit. The word slips out before he realises it.

Their eyes go wide in unison.

"Sylvie, I-"

"-Don't you dare take it back now." She warns him. "I-" She doesn't know how to say it either. They make such a great pair, both equally daft at saying how they feel, like they are teenagers, not Gods who have lived for centuries. "I've been running because I didn't think I could bear the burden of knowing I found you and then I lost you. I don't want to lose you. Not now, not ever."

He kisses the back of her hand, before letting it go. He cups her face, gently caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. "I don't want to lose you either."

She leans in closer, until their foreheads touch. She can feel his breath on her face, warm and soft. That is exactly how she feels inside. "You won't", she promises. "You go, I go."

---

(Quote on Lesser Evil from The Witcher. Thanks for reading!!)

[drarryruinedme7]

kinktober, day 8. medical kink

To @rockmarina 💓 I’m sorry, this is nothing like you wanted (I don’t know why it’s so fluffy xD), but I couldn’t resist! If you dislike doctor/patient dynamic, well, you’re warned. Happy reading! thanks @malenkayacherepakha for the beta. 

“Healer Malfoy?” Kutch enters Draco’s office without even knocking. Typical.

Technically, he’s Draco’s boss so he can do whatever he wants to. But still. 

“Yes, boss?” They both hate it when Draco calls him that. It makes Draco say it even more.

“I have a special patient for you. Look, I wouldn’t have sent him to you, ever.” He accompanies the words with a scowl. “But it looks fairly important and—” Kutch takes a deep breath. “You’re the most qualified at the moment.” 

Draco rolls his eyes. “Was it really that hard to say?”

“Yes,” Kutch quickly replies. “He’ll come in with a disguise. Call me only if extremely necessary, I’m needed elsewhere. And Malfoy?”

Draco only barely resists the temptation to sneer. 

“Treat him well.”

With that, Kutch exits Draco’s office and Draco can finally let out all the very elegant expletives he was thinking. Treat him well. As if, after more than ten years of service, Draco would still need such advice. 

“Err, excuse me?” 

Draco looks up from his desk to see a medium-height bloke, green eyes, sharp jaw. Draco vaguely registers that there’s something familiar about him.

“Hello, please come in and close the door,” Draco says, professional voice and polite smile in place. He can be kind, thank you very much. 

The bloke enters Draco’s office, carefully sitting on the chair in front of him. Draco keeps smiling, hoping it will reassure him. 

“Feel free to drop your glamour when you feel like it. What should I call you?”

“Er.” The bloke shifts on the chair, looks around with clipped movements. “Gods, I can’t. It’s too weird. You’re weird, too polite.”

Draco blinks. “Excuse me, you don’t want me to be polite?”

“It would surely make this look more normal.” The man sighs, scratches at the back of his neck. “Well, I guess…” He waves a hand and his glamour starts to dissipate.

Ill-mannered and a show-off. What, only because the guy can wordlessly and wandlessly control his magic—

“Potter!?” Draco blurts out before regaining control of himself.

Potter grimaces, eyes apologetic. “When they told me you were the best I almost laughed in their faces. But… I really need help, and this is the first time I—”

With a grunt, Potter breaks off, bending over at the waist, head clunking on Draco’s desk. He convulses violently, and his hands disappear into his lap, clutching at it desperately. 

“What...? Potter, can you hear me?” Draco stands up to quickly reach Potter’s side, touching his shoulder lightly. 

Potter’s breathing has sped up like crazy and he keeps making these small sounds… Draco feels heat rush to his cheeks. The sounds Potter’s making are all too similar to mewls, to the sounds someone should make when sprawled on a bed, getting the best fuck of their life.

“Potter?” Draco asks again, voice rough. He straightens, taking his hand off Potter’s shoulder. He can’t believe he’s letting himself be this unprofessional, never mind with Potter of all people.

“Christ,” Potter murmurs, straightening. His face is flushed, eyes dazed. He does look as if he’s just been shagged. 

Damn it.

“‘m sorry,” he continues. He’s not looking at Draco and his hands still haven’t left his lap. “You can laugh at me. I… have these episodes. It’s been two months already, I’ve stopped going out, practically secluded myself in my house, because, err…”

“I’ll never laugh at one of my patients, P— Harry,” Draco says, leaning against his desk. “Can you describe to me what you feel during these episodes?”

Potter bites on his bottom lip, looking at Draco’s eyes briefly before dropping his gaze. “I— it’s… I orgasm.” 

There’s a tense silence as Draco registers Potter’s words. He internally shouts, struggling to maintain composure externally. “You...” Draco takes a deep breath. “Are you telling me you have spontaneous orgasms?”

He’s never once in his medical career, come across such a case. Of course, it would happen with Potter and of course, Draco couldn’t just let go of his stupid school crush on him and had kept wanking to thoughts of him over the years.

This will make his work all so much easier. Great.

Potter sighs, then nods. Draco shakes his head. He has to treat him like any other patient. 

“Alright,” he says. “Alright. Can you tell me how often you have these… episodes?” 

“Per day?” He asks, furrowing his brows. 

“You have them daily? Wait, you have them more than once a day?!” Draco’s sure his voice has gotten several octaves higher, and that this is the exact opposite of ‘professional’ and ‘treat him well’, but fuck. Fuck!

Potter winces. 

“I’m sorry,” Draco quickly amends. “Really, I don’t... It’s just a new case for me too. Please, go on.” 

Potter scrunches his nose up at him but takes a deep breath as he starts biting his lips again. “At first it was only, like, maybe a couple of times a week? Mostly at evenings or nights, that’s why I brushed them off. I thought, I don’t know… late-blooming, or something.” He scratches at his nape. “Err, but then they increased. I’d say I have them, like, six to seven—”

Potter’s hands fly to the armrests of the chair, gripping them for dear life. He shuts his eyes and his entire body goes rigid. Draco should really, really avert his eyes right now but he finds himself frozen on the spot, watching as Potter’s lips open in moans and his hips stutter as he comes. Again. 

When he opens his eyes this time, they’re even more glazed, perspiration all over his face. “See,” he says with a small voice and Draco’s chest constricts. He has a patient, an embarrassed patient, who’s struggling in front of him and all Draco can do is get steadily harder. “That’s why I stopped going out or working. It’s just so random and it keeps happening without no warning, I’m…” He inhales deeply. “I’m so exhausted, all the time. All my muscles ache.” 

Draco nods, clearing his throat. “I agree, you need to regain control over your life. If you feel comfortable, I’d ask you to lie on that stretcher.” 

Potter hums, standing to reach the stretcher. He lies down, eyes glossed with tears. 

“Look, if you need someone else or you aren’t comfortable—”

“Nothing like that,” Potter says. His voice is thick, but he smiles. “It’s just… the other Healers I saw, they laughed at me and told me I was crazy to want to get rid of such a pleasurable condition. I’m just happy you’re taking it seriously.”

Draco’s cock is aching with how hard it is but he smiles, hoping the scrubs will hide it. This is seriously messed up. 

“I’m sorry you had to go through that. I really want to help you. I’ll run some tests now, okay? Just tell me when it tingles, tickles or hurts.”

Draco takes out his wand. “Ready?” 

When Potter nods Draco starts casting diagnostic spells of all kinds. He has to stop another three times before he can finally understand what’s happening.

By the end of it, Potter’s not the only one who’s panting. Draco’s cock is crying for release, keeps twitching and pulsing, balls tight as he watches Potter’s face scrunch up in pleasure and his mouth open in bliss. 

It’s all too erotic. “Okay, Harry,” Draco says finally. Potter must have felt Draco’s arousal because he turns to look at him with wide eyes, just that little more focused at Draco’s rough voice. Draco clears his throat. “Erm. I’m 99% sure I know what’s wrong.”

Potter blinks, brings a hand to his hair, trying to adjust it. It only looks messier. Fuck, the level of testosterone in the room must be so high Draco’s not sure he’s not intoxicated. 

“Right,” he says when Potter smiles. He looks entirely too hot for his own good. “It’s in your nervous system. Some nerves are damaged so that when you brush the wrong spots in your body they send the wrong message to your brain.”

The expression on Potter’s face is pure confusion. Draco sighs and tries again. “Think of it as a Quidditch game. Seekers must look for the Snitch; Keepers must guard the goalposts and so on. Your neurons have specific functions, but what happens if a Seeker suddenly stops looking for the Snitch and starts throwing Quaffles around, instead?”

Potter’s face clears. “A fucking mess.”

“Indeed,” Draco says. A smile forms on his face against his will. 

“Is it curable?” Potter asks. His chest is still heaving heavily up and down. 

Draco nods. “Yes, but it will take quite some time. In the meantime, I can prescribe you some potions that will help diminish your episodes.”

Potter practically jumps off the stretcher, throwing his arms around Draco’s neck. “Bloody hell, that’s amazing! Thank you, Draco, thank you!” 

Draco laughs and returns the hug, remembering a tad too late he’s as hard as he could ever get. 

“Er.” Potter pulls back, raising an eyebrow. “Well, maybe… someone could show me what real pleasure is again. I kinda forgot it.” 

Draco’s kissing Potter before he can double-think it, whispering between kisses, “I’ll make you cry harder than you ever have.” 

[kristalpepsi]

Temptation Stairway Thoughts™ + Theory Discussion

TW: blood + Death mentions, Implied (forced/pushed) integration (systems), racism (against asians), unreality stuff bc the show is Like That, Trauma causd by therapy

TL;DR = I mainly talk about implied integration, n as some1 in a system tht! mkes me uncomfy! I mainly will talk abt wht I’m calling the multi-ena theory (n anothr theory ill call the Multiple/Multi-Enaverse Theory) thts been popping up n disccng how thts kind of the bggst thng keepng me on board! I won’t LIE I might b a little biased bc I rlly do like thise show b I am NOT blind so I will try 2 address som things. I also talk alot abt the Shepard n Phindol bc I love themb so much they make me very heart Big.

DISCLAIMERS:

Obviously Joel G Highkey/definitely/most probbly did not intend 4 any of thise, but media is very complic8d so u cn end up accidntlly making problmtc things or implyng not great things

I hav a typing quirkkkk so if u cant understand my post I rlly dont blame u! I’m sorry how I type is Incomprehensible™

Not an angry post, more like my brain is holding me host-ge until i talk abt everyth dskfjhd!!

DO NOT Send anyone in thise post hate or angry asks/messages or perish by my sword

OK so this recnt episde has me w vry vry mixd feelngs!!! I’m both happy n exctd! b litrlly 2 things is whts bothrng me. While I CLD jst say :I Am Lookng Away: i rlly do need 2 write it down. Under a Read-more bc im secure SKSJ

Part 0: I’m uncomfortable help

The Section wher i tlk abt n bring up othr ppl’s concerns

So fr most if nt all the frnds I hav who also wtch Ena ALSO has a vry “vr vry mixd feelngs now tht I’ve seen the episde!!” mood twrds Temptation Stairway! It’s 4 a bunch of rsns, like thise post (tw racism) mde by a frnd whch brings up a good point

Part 1: The Actual Intro

Episode 1 = Auction day (AD) Episode 2 = Extinction Party (EP) Episode 3 = Tempation Stairway (TS)

Who is Ena

Ena can b describd as an "abstract girl split in half, w 1 blue side n the other is her yellow side!" Each side (emotion/mood, 2 b specific) seems 2 hav their own voic actor credited along with seper8 credits 4 each mood! So far the canon sides r Ena (happy), Ena (sad), n Ena (drunk)! They seem 2 act accordingly: Happy acts happy n optimistc, Sad acts sad n especlly depressd, n Drunk acts confused n dizzy [In the Credits, it would look like thise: Ena (happy) by Gabe V., Ena (sad) by Lizzie Freeman, (drunk) Ena by Sam Meza

4 Episodes 1-2, thy follow thise pattern exctly! So we cn expect wht 2 see from them, n each voice actor is creditd accordngly as seper8 b all a part of Ena

On epside 3, Ena is seen as actng diffrnt!! She's suddnly less predictabl! I say thise bc Suddenly, her voic Actors r not stuck 2 Only their sides. Thise is also emphasized when looking at the credit list! No longer is it "Ena (happy) by Gabe V., Ena (sad) by Lizzie Freeman" it's now jst "ENA by Gabe V. and Lizzie Freeman"

Happy's voic can sound STRESSED n sad, Happy can tlk w Blue's side in mor control n Sad's voic can sound Really happy n optimistic. Somth's Diffrnt n Not The Same

Temptation Stairway Summary

Skipping 2 my point, The summary of the episode Temptation stairway is tht Moony and Ena have a bet 2 race 2 the Great Runas! The Great Runas, can grnt u any wish accordng 2 Moony n som of those Ena passes by on the wy. The wager, is tht "whoever reaches the top of the Great Runas n makes their wish 1st, has 2 pay the debts of the loser" (yes it’s phrased like that) As Ena journeys thru, The DIFFERENCES between Ena Temptation Stairway and Ena Extinction Party n Below, is mor obvious as the epsde progrsses, even 2 wher Happy's voic actor is the 1 screamng in agony 2 jst get murdered already. The Episode ends w Moony beatng Ena (but it's 100% possibl it can be the other way arnd, that ENA Beat Moony, b thats somth I'll discuss in a bit L8r). Moony splits in half, revealing that according 2 her, "she wished 2 be skinny" n a humanoid coms out of her previous form. As 4 Ena, Her blue side slowly dispprs n its not answrd why.

Theories so far, are:

Moony wished 4 Ena 2 b happy (or 4 her sad/blu side 2 go awy. 4 wht reason can b eithr wholsom or 2 Moony's advntge [like so she "doesnt have 2 deal w Sad Ena"]) - b if Moony wished 4 Ena 2 b happy/b rid of her sad side, tht wld mean perhaps she lied about wishing 2 be skinny (her new humanoid form may be how she is "paying her debt 2 the loser"). Unless the Runas can grant u more than 1 wish.

Ena ws the 1 who wished her blu side awy, whch is a little depressng tbh

If both the above r tru, it may b possibl bc it wsnt clarified (afaik) tht the great runas can only grant ONE person a wish (or more). I think we only get tht implica8ion bc we see 1 (open) door while in the distance, ther r more doors tht look like their eyes r closed. We hav 2 remembr Moony said "whoever makes their wish 1st whch means Ena n Moony can totlly mke wishes @ the sme time

Somhow, turning pure yellow/only happy is how Moony is payng her debt 2 Ena(??) (opposite 2 the 1st theory)

OR If Ena won the race, it can even b possibl 2 consider tht Ena did not make ANY wish, n her debt 2 pay 2 Moony is her sad/blue side removed (I do not subscribe 2 thise) 

This info that was brought up 2 me is high evidenc that Moony won the race, n it explains how Moony surprises Ena whn Ena arrives. “I’m The Best and you’re the worst! I wonder who got the hair chest?” said by Ena, is a direct reference 2 a phrase usd by kids when they lose that goes “First is the worst, second is the best, third is the one with the hairy chest.”

“Whoever reaches the top of the Great Runas n makes their wish 1st, has 2 pay the debts of the loser.“ Might be phrased tht way as a weird way 2 pay 4 ur greed? (Last minute addition from me since some people wld think this is quoted wrong in and outside of the youtube comments)

i'm p sure ther may even b mor theories b i dont rmmbr them OOPS

Part 2: The Implied Integration Part AKA: How the System!Ena theory is affected by this episode

TW: Final fusion discussion, medical trauma (Is that the right word)

Disclaimer: This is 100% unintended by Joel G. That’s y the Alternative title 2 thise part is “How the System!Ena theory is affected by this episode”

2 GET IN2 the whole Implied Integr8ion part of my Essay™ I hav a theory calld system ena or sys!ena! (Check out my #system ena tag. This is in chronologicl order!) While thers no canon explan8ion 4 how Ena herslf is how she is, she mkes very intrstng n almst good accdntl Sys Represent8ion 2 me! They even show cofronting rlly well! I headcanon Ena as a system bc of the accidentl system!rep, but it explains 2 me y n how she switches! she has triggers 4 when she switchs 2 a diffrnt side, etc!

Ther hav been theories about Temptation Stairway in the past (before the episode cme out) wher ppl try 2 explain y the trailer Looks Like Tht. Besides theorizing abt the introduction of a new forme (I'm ok w just calling it Scared/Anxiety 4 now until 4rthr notic), 1 of the theories ive seen is tht Temptation Stairway's new introduced forme is due 2 being something akin 2 being "integr8d" (probably by force, accordin 2 the OP) (in other words, all her sides merge in2 one) n Ena being devast8td abt it

While tht theory is now DEBUNKED, bc the new forme clearly did not come out bc of being One Single Mind now, the "integr8ion" part of tht theory is unfortun8ly a littl tru

What is Integr8ion?

Integr8ion is not inherently a bad thing. In systems, ther are 2 definitions: "the breaking down of barriers 2 form healthy multiplicity, n then healthy communic8ion n less amnesiac barriers" and the othr, n mor FAMOUS definition bc its the oldest 1, is "final fusion"

Fnal Fusion is when all the members "fuse/merge" 2gether until ther is 1 single mind left. While not necssrlly a bad thng, final fusion n ther4 "integr8ion" is a scry thing 4 a lot of systems 2 talk abt, because in the history of Treatment, Final fusion is uslly somthng forcd on2 systems 4 the longest time :^(

Very valid 2 hav final fusion as a goal, b showng it as a desire n end goal is uslly seen as a sad n even scry thing 2 promote accdntly or not in media, bc of the previous traumas in the medicl/therapy world of system treatment etc

What's Worse. is tht if we apply the Ending 2 Temptation Stairway to the System!Ena Theory, thts wht hurts!!!

Scrolling back up 2 the possibl theories of who won the race and wht happened aftr, Either Moony or Ena wishing 4 the blue side/Sad Ena 2 go awy is rlly painful!

B I'll be honest, thts a RLLY biased n personal opinion i hav!! I've seen ppl think its rlly wholsom altho a bit Sad, tht the blue side disappears. I've seen ppl think its rlly sweet esp if it was Moony who mde tht wish

BSCLLY If I were to hold on2 the System!Ena headcanon while watchng the Temptation Stairway episode, its Hurtful, not rlly bc of the implied Integr8ion of Sides, but bc most top theories r that the blue side disappeard on Purpose either from Moony or Ena wishing her away or involvng the debt! It's like asking 4 ur sibling irl 2 Disappear and cease 2 exist. it's scary n rlly sad esp whn the audienc can c tht Sad, Happy, n Drunk cn almst b seen as their own persons n mite even b abl 2 interact w each othr (as seen by the many fanart of Happy n Sad having their own seper8 forms)

  Ok so Now tht ive described my intro n Main Beef w the Episode, here's a theory I cn rlly get behind tht dsnt mke me wnna cry behind a Denny's. Prsnlly it's a rlly relievng theory even if it mite b hard 2 take in

Ther's no name 4 it, som call it the Enaverse, b just so it dsnt get confusd w other definitions (like, u wldnt call it the Marvel Cinematic Universe theory, the MCU is jst wht it is) I'm gnna call it the Multi-Ena theory! Bsclly, there's mor than 1 Ena in thise universe. But I'll get in2 a sub/partner theory tht is also possibl: ther is mor than 1 enaverse n somhow u may or may not b abl 2 travel between them

Part 3: The Multi-Ena theory

Something interesting I noticed was that the shepherds says “another ENA troublemaker?” Which definitely means more than one ENA/person has been there before.

(I blockd out the rest of the commnt not bc it ws bad, b i wantd 2 focus on this part of the commnt, but thise commnt will come up again L8r)

Not connected 2 System!Ena or the integr8ion issue I mentioned earlier, the multi-ena theory seems 2 b 1 of the top suggstd theories bc of many thngs! Bsclly n in short, thise theory believs tht in the series (or Enaverse), ther is multipl ena's! So fr i havent seen a post tht RLLY went in2 depth on thise so here is my attempt!

Evidence:

(See: above explanation on how the voic actors r credited 4 their roles individlly 2 explain my system!ena theory/intro) In episodes 1-2, Ena's diffrnt emotions/sides r creditd individually! In Temptation Stairway, Gabe n Lizzie Freeman r all creditd undr the sme nme, just as "Ena" (mening thise is a completely different Ena from the past)

Again, as said in my summry 4 Tempt8ion Stairway, thise Ena acts compltly diffrnt n is not follwng the sme "pattern" or rules as Ena did in Episodes 1-2! (Read above in my summary section) Either ther r stuff we've missd between Extinction Party n Temptation Stairway, or thise is a diffrnt Ena entirely.  I'd hav 2 sy prsnlly tht I'm leanng 2wrds the latter bc of how the VA's are crdtd. but if ur not convinced, let me continu:

When we meet the Shepard in 7:52 of the episode, they say (verbatim) "Arghh... Another ENA trouble maker." which implies there r more than 1 Ena's

9:08 - 9:19 when Ena jumps in2 the "Holy Code" where we head undrwtr in2 a sea of diffrnt doors, we see floating Ena models (n the comment section seems 2 gravit8 2 callng them "dead bodies") (Honorary mention: You'll notic they glitch in2 Mannequins if u pay attention 2 them). This piec of info is Direct Evidence 2 the multi-ena theory, bc ther r Explicitly mor thn 1 ena's on screen! wht's concernng n unanswrd tho, is y do they glitch in2 mannequins? Does tht mean all the mannequins we sw on screen in the begnng of the video (n onwards) were all previously an Ena? Is it only an Ena tht can transform in2 a mannequin or cn othr chrctrs also become mannequins?

Not the strongst evidenc b i'll input it anywy: Ena's Action boxes (Like when she receivs or gives items) spell her nme her as ƎNA (with a backwrds E). The thing abt thise 1 is tht we can't compare it with Auction Day n Extinction Part bc they don't have any action boxes. BUT What we CAN compare is how she is spelled in the dialogue boxes of those speakng in diffrnt languages AND in the Credits! In Episodes 1-2, She's Spelled as Ena with this captialis8ion. In Temptation Stairway the dialogue and credits consitntly spell her as ENA in all caps. May or may not allude 2 her being diffrnt, b i will admit this is the most Strechiest piec of evidnc. Tru or not, I'd like 2 refer 2 Tempt8ion Stairway ena as TS!Ena or ƎNA, prsnlly 2 differenti8 her frm the othr episodes

Pronounci8ion: BUT 2 build on the above evidence, In the beginning of the episode, Moony DOES pronounc Ena's name in different wys a lot, startng w I-NA (ai-na), ENA (ehna), n finally JENA. And this isnt new! She’s been doing it sinc Auction Day (ee-nah/ii-na) n Extinction Party (ay-nah). Thise may or my not sggst that perhaps Moony's inconsistancy is bc these othr pronunci8ions or names cld b of other ena's she's met in the past w similr or diffrnt preferences! I’d say because of her constant switchng in the beginning of Temptation Stairway, it would lean 2wards that she may know different Ena’s @ once. Otherwise, c the Multi-Enaverse theory below

Note: Every othr charctr besides Moony (So far; Merci and the Shepard) Pronounces Ena as ehna (or ehna) so it might be that perhaps Eh-na is the universal way of pronouncng Ena?

Conlusions/thghts on this theory: I prsnlly like thise a lot!! It makes Enasonas Very Possible, b also tht any interpret8ion of Ena cn b corrct or possibl! It knda saddens me tho bc im not rlly sure if we'll ever return 2 the Ena we're used 2, I wldnt rlly want 2 b stuck w/o Sad bc I thnk her role is rlly neat n can b importnt, b im biasd. I also rlly subscribe 2 thise theory bc it means whtvr happend 2 TS!Ena ds not hav 2 be permanent in the long run; Again litrlly the only thng keepng me from gettng supr upset abt the ending of Temptation Stairway, is tht the prev ena’s r not the sme n wld possibly not do thise, or tht ther r othr ena’s out ther besides THISE episod 1, who wld nvr do tht, etc

Part 4: The Multiple Enaverses/Multi-Enaverse Theory AKA The Alternative In Defense of Moony Mispronouncing Ena’s name over and over

An alterntve 2 the Multi-Ena theory, is tht there is MORE thn 1 Enaverse! So bsclly, a multiverse theory. Primarily thise my explain Not jst Ena's sudden Shift in how diffrnt she is in thise episode b may also explain how Diffrnt Moony is actng in thise episode 2. While thise isnt the top theory i prsnlly subscribe 2 (sinc ther isnt explicit evidence besides it bein an explan8ion 4 Moony n Ena's weird/diffrnt behavior), it DOES open a lot of doors 2 intrstng things 2 thnk abt!

Bsclly Moony keeps mispronouncing Ena’s name a lot (in Tempation Stairway) n its Really Rude, esp consdrng she’s always said it properly (As in @ least 1nce in an episode n not switchng multiple times) b4! so 2 Explain her Sudden change in behavior, this is actlly a Different Moony, besides a different Ena. this is a whole different universe/timeline!

LIKE If not multiple Ena's, The different Loca8ions in Ena cn probbly b traversible across dimensions! The Holy Code may b the door 2 diffrnt enaverses. The Shepard's garden cld b an interdimensionl place tht is singular n deals w diffrnt beings passing thru! While i dnt hav mch 2 sy on thise, its RLLY Interestng 2 thnk abt

Like the Multi-Ena theory, thise also opens the doors 2 enasonas being vry possibl :^) Som ppl's evidences r all involvng Moony besides how Ena's rlly diffrnt

Moony can skateboard??

Moony's square shape hole can shrink 2 hold an item

while not strong ATM or frm wht i cn see, its still very inch restng!!! Tho I would sy it is VERY on par w the Multi-Ena theory anyway

Part 5: Honorary Mentions: Mini Theories

The Great Runas is actlly a play on the "Run As" Command! I'm not very Smart engh 2 break thise down vry well, b bsclly w all the allusion 2 "codes" n the Blood ID looking like a Chip, The Great Runas being abl 2 grant u wishes makes a lot of sense! This ws brought up 2 me from a friend (@ambercard​)!

like its a command line. so then the great runas being able to grant wishes makes sense if its digital world like all the code stuff says Allows a user to run specific tools and programs with different permissions than the user's current logon provides.

Runas is a command-line tool that is built into Windows Vista. To use runas at the command line, open a command prompt, type runas with the appropriate parameters, and then press ENTER.

In the user interface for Windows Vista, the Run as… command has been changed to Run as administrator. However, you should rarely have to use the Run as administrator command because Windows Vista will automatically prompt you for an administrator password when it is needed.

and my friend who i was talking to said that probably explains what the password was for and the blood id being a login or something?

its possible using the blood id akin to using the run as administrator command since idk their name but one of the people ena met said the blood id didnt seem like her which is like. if she isnt administrator then it would make sense that using that command wouldnt match who she is

My response:

man do u realiz Ena uslly does not hav the corrct passwrd/admin privileges all the tme? Bc the guardian entity in extinction party askd her 4 1 b i guess it ws so Low Game tht it wsnt supr necsrry in the end

The Enaverse is all a computer code of some sort- most probbaly a game! AKA: This is a digital world

... If we were too treat this world as a video game this would make more sense since different play through bus and all that. Oh god this feels like a fnaf situation, taking a video that just wants to be a video and turning it into a big serious thing

Going with the whole ‘there are multiple enas representing the player’ theory, perhaps this ENA realized that she’s in a video game and isn’t taking it too well? But the game is kind of glitching out because of it.

Honorable Mentions: Random Info + Unanswered Questions

Ena seems self-aware of smth! (10:24 Ena screams "YOU'RE ALL LIVING A LIE!") May help the Run as command idea n the video game/digital reality idea! If not a video gme, they sure r Somewhere

What does the Great Runas look like?? is it the door? is ther mor thn 1 Runas?

What is Mariya n Gabo's Job? R they just like the Guardian Entity in Extinction Party but are assignd 2 this part/location of where they are?

In 6:30, wht does Ulysses mean by "Desires r never fulfilled nor quenched"? "You Will fail like the rest of them" Is he referring 2 the other Ena's that's passed by? who else have come n failed?

This Post Also brings up som good points I hvnt noticd yet!

Thise comment pretty much says everythng:

Standout things from this animation:

-This Ena switches between a male & female voice at seemingly random instead Happy speaking with a male voice and Sad speaking with a Sad voice. The text boxes noticeably refer to this Ena with a reversed E, and The Shepard says "Another Ena troublemaker", implying that there are multiple Enas. We also see some Ena corpses flickering into the mannequin bodies at one point. Third, at the end we see Ena's sad half turn from blue to yellow over the course of Ena & Moony's conversation. My personal theory is that this Ena is possibly 'broken' in some manner. -Moony either doesn't care or dosen't realize that Ena's voices aren't matching the personalities anymore. -The grey personality appears to come out when Ena gets too stressed out. Notably the transformation involves the happy half turning into static and exploding out, erasing Ena's face in the process. It also appears that some physical trauma (in this case, Brick Frog kicking Ena) is necessary to exit the grey personality, unlike the previously seen 'blackout' personalities which can possibly be switched by the other personality exerting themselves (in the auction episode, Ena enters her sad blackout/depressed personality, then switches to Happy!Ena, who apologizes to Moony about her depressed outburst). -Moony's hole is capable of closing to hold things, and she also knows how to skateboard. -Judging by Ena's reaction, Moony's transformation at the end is weird even by this universe's standards.

aaaand thats all 4 now! I really hope thats all my brain can think of skjsdhfsdfkh

Feel free 2 send me asks abt Ena theories n stuff! While this is a Comprehensiv post, it’s definitely mor focused on the Multi-Ena theory n my thghts on the episode whn it comes 2 how it affects the System Ena theory. I’m open 2 questions!!

Last Edit: Feb 19 2021 (GMT +8)

[iloveyou3thousand]

Can you possibly do a fic where Peter almost drowns and it is what makes Tony finally realise how much he loves him?

You got it! I willpreface this by saying I am not a medical professional in the slightest soplease take the methods described in this fic with a grain of salt, it’s what I found online :p

CW: neardeath experience and near drowning.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Tony likedto think that they’d had plenty of incidents involving water, but then fate orwhatever-the-hell has a hold of life’s reigns rears its ugly head and Tonyfinds himself watching, mid fight, how Peter’s too-limp body gets thrown acrossthe bay, toward the water, and right into the path of an oncoming ferry.

There’snothing he can do, which is the worst part of it. He’s caught up in a wrestlingmatch halfway up in the sky trying to get these enormous, electronic wasp-likecreatures off of him before they can stick their sharp, metal stingers throughhis chest plating. It’s excruciating because this isn’t something that shouldbe holding him back. He should be able to handle a handful of dog-sized buzzers.He’s handled so much worse before.

And Peter’snot responding on the comms.

“Anyone goteyes on Peter?” He sends a powerful blast from one of his repulsors rightthrough a creature’s twenty odd eyes and watches as it freefalls down to theground below.

Several voicesin his ear regretfully inform him that they don’t or haven’t seen him.

As the oneperson who last saw him, Tony realizes he’s going to have to take care of thishimself. That wouldn’t have been a problem if he hadn’t been covered in meancreatures. He already hated those things enough as it was. Why’d they have toget that big? And that….advanced.

Tony keepsan eye on the bay. He fights his way through the swarm around him to get a littlecloser to the water, make sure he can see Peter the second his head resurfaces.The ferry speeds by but it’s going far too slow for Tony’s liking, who is stillholding out hope that the kid must have come up on the other side, out of Tony’sline of sight. That he’s fine.

The passingferry leaves the water restless, and there’s still no sign of Peter. Tony waitsa second. And another.

UntilFRIDAY informs him that Peter is unconscious, and taking in water.

Tony triesnot to panic. Peter’s been through a lot, he can handle more than most peoplehis age, he has those spider powers to hopefully at least buy him some time,right? Right. Except he’s not so sure of himself and he’s not about to take anyrisks.

“Someonehas to get Peter out of the water. Now. Right now.”

Natasha ison the other side of town. As is Clint. Steve is trying not to get stung andbarely managing. Thor is halfway across the galaxy, Rhodey is in London forbusiness, and Bruce is in Zambia to introduce a new vaccine that StarkIndustries sponsored.

If Tonydoesn’t get these wasps off soon he’s afraid he might not get to Peter on time.

He fightstwice as hard. Stingers scratch sharply at the suit’s plating, leaving gashesand scratches and dents all over, and he throws around repulsor beams morecarelessly than before, frankly not really caring where the blasts ultimatelyland. He needs to get to Peter. The kid can’t drown. Can’t go like this. He’ssupposed to finish college and start up his own company and change the future.That’s what Tony always envisioned he’d do, not play Little Mermaid at thebottom of the Upper Bay.

The secondhe sees an opportunity to get out of his personal beehive he shoots toward thewater, asking FRIDAY to locate Peter, and he has him out of there in a matterof seconds, but he’s not sure if it’s enough. Setting all his thrusters to max,Tony flies Peter off someplace safer, somewhere the buzzing doesn’t reach.

Peter’sskin is a pale blue, and Tony’s terrified that he’s too late, but according toFRIDAY his heart is still beating. He doesn’t wake up when shaken and doesn’tseem to be breathing when Tony tilts Peter’s head back and watches his chestfor any positive signs. Shit. Okay. He wastes no time immediately breathing valuableoxygen into Peter’s lungs and initiating CPR when that doesn’t seem to have muchof an effect. His suit peels away so he can settle his hands against Peter’schest and start pressing, his faceplate retracting so that he can speakdirectly to him and so that the voices of his colleagues still fighting thosecreatures far away stop and don’t distract him. He can’t remember the last timehe’s had to do this but FRIDAY walks him through it, sharing updates on how theboy’s doing but it’s not looking up.

It’sterrifying.

He puts hisfull weight into pressing down against Peter’s chest, his own heart beatingfaster as if it’s willing for Peter’s to do the same, inch back from howdangerously slowly it’s working the blood around Peter’s body.

“Karen,keep our boy warm, will you?” He huffs out, and gets a pleasant althoughvaguely worried affirmative. Peter’s suit dries in an instant, and warmth poursfrom it – something that will hopefully encourage Peter’s body not to give upwhile Tony works himself into a sweat giving compressions.

“C’mon,Pete. C’mon now. Not now.”

Tony’shands are shaking when he reaches for the kid’s face, fingers on his nose andchin to part his lips and force air into his lungs again.

He can’tgive up. He’s not giving up. He was supposed to be the one to go before Peter,not the other way around. The kid’s got his whole life ahead of him and Tonyshould have been able to see it all unfold. But Peter’s not responding, andTony fears the worst.

He pressesdown so hard onto Peter’s chest that he’s afraid he’ll crack his ribs, butPeter’s body is resilient while Tony’s panic grows. His arms are sore andaching, his vision blurry as he watches Peter’s motionless face for a sign, anysign.

“You know I’mnot quick to beg but please, kid. Please.”

Petersputters. Once.

“That’s it.Come on. Come on. There you go.”

He pushesdown again, and this time Peter coughs, but he’s not yet taking in any air.

Tonyswitches from compressions to rescue breaths again until he pulls back andPeter takes in a big gulp of air by himself, followed by wet coughing and hisbody turning onto his side, curled around where Tony is knelt on the ground.There’s water coming out of Peter’s nose and he flounders.

Tony wantsso badly to wrap his arms around the boy and squeeze him tightly when heactually starts to breathe in raggedly and reaches for him the second he openshis eyes, like he’s happy to see Tony, like Tony was always the person he’dreach for first when he wakes up from something like this.

In thatmoment, Tony has a million new ideas on how to improve Peter’s suit and heknows that he’ll lock himself in his workshop until the updates are finished,and won’t come out until he knows something like this will never happen again.

The poorkid is crying. Tony reaches down and lies next to him, keeping him in a safeposition while still being able to wrap him up in a firm hug and run a handthrough his hair. He can’t believe he almost lost him.

“It’salright. You’re okay. Deep breaths, I’ve got you.”

Tony’s gripon Peter is firm, his hands trembling despite his best effort not to show justhow shaken up he is from watching Peter lie there, bluish and still and notbreathing at all and…

Tony burieshis face into the crook of Peter’s neck.

He can’tafford to let that happen again.

He can’tafford to let anything happen to Peter, ever again. And definitely not if thereis something he can do about it.

“I’m neverletting you out of my sight again.”

Peter sitson Tony’s lap on the way home. It’s under the pretense that this allows Tony tokeep the boy warm, but he knows it’s mostly so he can keep a hand wrappedaround Peter’s ribs and count his breaths, and feel the steady rush of airagainst the side of his neck every few seconds where Peter lays his head. He’sseen a medical professional, and May has been informed and Tony promised thathe’s in good hands, that he’ll stay with Tony for the night – just so he cankeep an eye on him and have the potentially necessary medical supplies nearby.

Peter ispretty shaken up, but other than that he seems to be doing fine.

Tony doesn’tdare let him stray too far.

Peter’sbeen quiet since the incident, only answering to any questions the doctors had backat the med bay, giving the occasional panicked look when Tony was asked to leaveor whenever someone wanted to talk to him in private. It would have warmed Tony’sheart if the situation had been any different, maybe.

Tonycontinued to reassure Peter. Kept telling him he wasn’t going to go far, wasn’tgoing to leave, wasn’t letting him go through this alone.

“I’m here,”he kept saying, “Don’t worry, kiddo.”

At acertain point he wasn’t sure who he was reassuring more between the two ofthem.

Once home,Tony helps Peter eat something and tucks him into bed after he’s taken atentative shower with Tony right outside the door, but it’s not long beforePeter’s standing by the couch again, looking exhausted but too shaken to sleep.

And frankly,Tony’s not doing much better.

“You knowwhat?” He says, because he wants Peter to get some sleep above anything elseright now, “Let’s go see if my bed’s any comfier.”

Peter goeswithout protest, and when they’re lying down he doesn’t hesitate to tuckhimself up against Tony’s side like he belongs there, and Tony has the creepingfeeling that maybe he does.

He’s neverbeen more scared to lose someone than he was when he realized that Peter wasn’tbreathing.

He’s neverdreaded the realization that maybe he couldn’t save Peter more than he did thatafternoon.

Maybe it’stime to start accepting just how much Peter means to him.

Just howmuch he loves him.

And embraceit in the same way he now takes Peter so readily into his arms, tucking hisnose into the boy’s hair and letting his hand skim up and down Peter’s backuntil he feels him shiver under his touch and let out a soft rush of breathacross Tony’s collarbone.

It’s ascary thought; loving someone so much. But with every breath Peter takes and exhalesacross his chest, Tony’s a little more glad to be able to feel as much as hedoes.

Now all heneeds to do is find a way to show Peter.

He’ll workon that first thing in the morning.

[ikenbar]

Mr. Love: Ike’s Choice CH4 PT9

THE LONG AWAITED VICTOR FLUFF IS HERRRE!! WE FINALLY HAVE SOME RESOLUTION HERE FOLKSSSS!! AND WE HAVE IT WITH A DAsh of angst because you gotta have at least a little bit in there for the flavor ;P

This one’s kinda long but I figured you guys wouldn’t mind. After all, it pays off in the end ;)

Warnings: Well we got the angst, swear words, heart melting confrontations and serious love from Vicky Li, not to mention some of the FLUFFIEST GIGGLY FLUFF YOU CAN HANDLE... ok maybe not that bad but after the trip we have been on I’m sure it will feel that way, and a cliffhanger that will likely make you wish this already long piece was longer :D

(Chapter Four (Victor and Gavin) Prologue, and part one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight can be found here!)

Please read the author’s note (and the beginning of the story) on chapter one part one if you’re new here :D

And an additional note in a previous part of chapter four part three here! (I promise these notes are important)

Chapter four:

Part nine:

The day was all but over when Victor had started packing his things. I could feel his eyes on me as I tried to focus on the file in my hand. “It’s five o’clock.” Victor urged, “I’m sure whatever you are working on can wait.”

“That’s quite the assumption.” I said, twiddling the pen in my fingers, “Five more minutes.” Victor was quiet, making me hopeful that he had granted my wish, but that hope was diminished as I heard footsteps approaching my desk. I braced myself, clutching the file in my hand tightly. A hand reached out and plucked the pen from my hands. I pursed my lips and looked up at the thief.

“You don’t want to keep your sister waiting long.” Victor said, placing the pen back down on the desk, “Didn’t you say you were excited to spend the night with her?”

“I am but five more minutes of waiting isn’t too bad.” I said, placing the folder on the table and turning in my chair to face Victor, “If you’re that eager to go home you could just leave without me.” 

“You know I can’t do that.” Victor said, folding his arms. I folded mine as well, maintaining stubborn eye contact with Victor. I wanted to fight him some more. I wanted him to stay and be safe in his office. I wanted to listen to me when I said that he wasn’t safe… but I couldn’t. The exhaustion that was weighing on me all day had only gotten worse. At that moment, I had been too tired to keep arguing. Besides, there was no talking down Captain Capitalist. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. 

“...Fine.” I finally said after a short pause, “Just… give me a minute to get my things together.” Victor nodded and turned to walk away. I stood up, closing the folder on my desk and started gathering my things.  The phone on my desk rang. Out of habit, I reached over and picked it up. “Speaking.” I said, nonchalantly.

“Ikamara Bikira.”

I froze.

The voice was deep and modulated, masking the true owner behind it. It was just like how Bart had described the anonymous tip was given. I straightened my posture and composed myself, as to not alert the attention of Victor, who was standing by the doorway watching me closely. “Yes.” I answered in the same nonchalant voice as before, “May I ask who is speaking?”

“I am Montu.” 

All the blood in my body pooled to my feet. Even though I expected this answer, it still shocked me all the same.

Montu continued, “You have manipulated everyone to get to where you are. You make people pity you and twist your words to make them care and give you whatever you want. No longer will I let this happen.”

I turned away from the door and dropped my professional tone, “Drop the fake names! Who is this!? What do you want from me?!”

“This is your final warning. Stop your lies and come clean about who you are or be destroyed.”

“Answer me damn it!!” I said through my teeth, “Who are you?!”

“... I am always watching.” The line cut. I stood frozen in place, listening to the monotoned ringing of the dropped call. I slowly pulled the phone from my ear and set it back on the receiver. 

“Who was that?” Victor asked from the doorway. I stalled.

“... No one.” I lied. I turned back to my laptop and shut it, “Just… some kid trying to sell me a story. It happens more than I’d like to admit.” I quickly scooped up my jacket from my chair and walked to the door. I briskly walked past Victor, avoiding all eye contact and any hope for furthering any kind of discussion. After a moment, I heard Victor’s office door shutting and heard footsteps follow behind me. I threw on my jacket haphazardly and quickened my pace to the elevators.

Once I got there, I pressed the button to summon the elevator and, to my dismay, saw that it was going to be a waiting game until one arrived, giving Victor enough time to catch up and stand by my side. A stillness came over us as I avoided any kind of contact with Victor. But  my eyes betrayed me as they were pulled into a glance at him. Victor stood quietly beside me, watching the floor numbers increase as the elevator moved up to our level. After a moment of blissful silence, Victor spoke.

“Do you remember the night you came to Souvenir?” 

I flashed Victor another glance. He kept his eyes away from me.

“Yeah.” I said, looking down and folding my arms, “What of it?”

“That night, your bill said to call someone you trusted.”

“...Right?” 

“You called me.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“Was that an accident?”

I looked back at Victor, this time keeping my eyes on him. His expression looked as tactless as ever. With his attention set on the floor numbers, I couldn’t read him quite as well as I normally could.

“... No.” I answered honestly, “I meant to call you that day.”

“And if I were to give you the same bill now,” Victor continued, “Would you still call me?” I watched Victor closely for a moment, thinking seriously about what he said.

“...Yes. I would.” 

“Then why do you insist on lying to me?” Victor finally turned to look at me, catching my eyes before I could look away. 

“Wh-what?” I asked, stupefied. 

“You say trust me? Then tell me who was on the phone with you.” 

I flinched. 

The elevator doors opened with a ding. I looked over to them and quickly snapped to attention. Without giving Victor a response, I darted into the elevator, pressing the lobby button quickly as an attempt to stop the discussion. The doors began closing but, with a quick hand, Victor caught them. He looked down at me, trying to meet my eyes. I quickly looked at the floor, folding my arms once more reflexively. After a moment of tense silence, Victor sighed. He walked in and pressed the close door button. The doors quickly obliged to the action, shutting the two of us in that cramped elevator alone and with no way to escape.

Victor stood close next to me. His steady breaths filled my ears as his expensive cologne did my nose. The nostalgic sense of reassurance that those things once gave me teased at my heart. I quickly shook that feeling away and braced against it, concentrating hard on the sound of the descending floor numbers, trying all I could to ignore Victor’s presence. 

I really didn’t want to answer Victor’s previous question, nor did I want to say anything at all, but I knew I couldn’t avoid it. But I also had questions of my own. Questions that had been pestering me since I woke up in the hospital. The first and most prominent question being: 

Why? 

Why did he care? Why did Victor try so hard to be close to me? Why did he insist on being a part of my life when all I’ve ever done is push him away?... What was his motive?

A white box suddenly appeared in front of my face. I jumped slightly at the sudden disturbance from my spiraling thoughts.

“Wh-what’s this?” I stammered, looking up at Victor and avoiding taking the box.

“You lost your phone in the fire, right?” He said, pushing the box closer towards me. My heart skipped a beat.

“...You… bought me a phone?” I asked stupidly.

“Do you really think I would bring that up just to give you something else?” Victor sighed, “If you’re skeptical then open it and see for yourself.” I looked down at the box. Taking Victor’s advice, I finally took the box from his hand and opened it. A sleek, velvety new phone sat perfectly in the center of the box. It’s pristine screen shone slightly in my eyes. I hesitated, at a loss for words.

“I had Goldman pick it up during his break.” Victor continued talking through my silence, “I have already swapped our numbers. I’ll text you when I get to your house tomorrow. Be sure not… to be…” Victor finally looked down at me. I was already looking up at him, searching his eyes for any hint of an answer to the questions that had been bothering me for what seemed like forever. “What?” Victor asked, eyes flashing with concern. 

“Why are you doing this?” My words toppled over each other as they left my mouth, finally freeing themselves from my head. After I had begun, I couldn’t stop myself, “Why are you trying so hard to be a part of this? I haven’t even known you for that long. All I’ve been is cold and brash to you. And what’s more, you have overloaded your already busy schedule with taking in my company. The only thing you have gotten from any of this is reputation. So is that it? Is all of this to boost your already amazing name because I can just put in a good word to the press if that’s what you wa-”

“Ike-” Victor held up a hand and silenced me. He looked me seriously in the eye, “Is that really what you think? That me caring for you is only to get a good word for the media?” I flipped my eyes between Victor’s. I didn’t need to read them to know he was disappointed in my questions. I slumped my shoulders and turned away from him.

“Why else would you do any of this?” I weakly said, the debilitating feeling of exhaustion hitting me for the uptenth time that day, “I’m not a pleasant person to be around. My emotions are bland, my employees hate me for how hard I work them. Hell, I have a fucking target on my back to prove how hated I am. And yet you try so hard to be a part of my life, even though it could cost you your own, so,” I looked back up at Victor, locking eyes with him, “Why? What did I do to deserve... you?”

Victor looked at me seriously for a very long time. When he finally spoke, his tone was firm, but also the most gentle I had ever heard.

“No one should have to be alone in the way you have been.”

I felt my heart jump into my throat. I blinked quickly a couple of times and shook my head. “Wh-” 

“I talked to your foster mother before your assistant brought you in.” Victor cut me off and turned slightly to face me better, “Without going into detail, she told me about your experiences in the foster program. How it made you go mute and it took months for you to open up to her. To any of them. They had shown you a new experience and gave you a new name to prove it, but, even when you grew accustomed to them, you moved out of their house the moment you had the chance. Even though the apartment you moved into was puny compared to the house you lived in before, Maria said you did it because you didn’t want to be a burden to her anymore. You’ve gone your whole life doing things alone because you felt like you needed to to survive. You don’t have to do that anymore... Ike,” Victor pushed my shoulder and turned me to face him dead on. He took my chin and, though I was already looking at him, held my head in place so I couldn’t look away, “I am here to help you with anything you need. Even if they are something as small as a lousy date or as big as your life being in danger. I want to help you. And, no matter what it takes, I will prove to you that you need not bear these burdens on your own ever again. You have my word, Ikamara. I promise, 

 “You will never be a burden to me.”

Victor’s last words sent me over. Tears gushed from my eyes as a sob crept past my lips. I threw a hand up to my mouth and pulled my head away from Victor’s hand, turning away from him to hide my face. Victor took his now free hands to pull me into a strong and all consuming embrace. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, fitting me comfortably in his chest. Victor placed his head in the crook of my neck, holding me even closer to him. It was then I cursed the nerve damage in my left side.

I tried composing myself, finding my breath and steadying my ever flowing tears, but it was no use. I pulled myself into Victor’s hug and shook as I cried into his shoulder. I dropped the box in my hand and clutched at the fabric on Victor’s back, as if it was the only lifeline I had to stop me from drowning. And, in that moment, it really felt like it was.

Suddenly, it felt as if a large weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I sighed and sunk deeper into Victor’s arms. A familiar warmth flooded my chest, ceasing my tears completely and steadying my sputtering breath. I relaxed into Victor’s hold further as the rush of biss filled my entire body. My grip on his jacket relaxed too as I tilted my head further into his shoulder. Victor tensed slightly.

“Ike.” He said urgently, “Are you alright?”

“... You… jerk.” I sniffed and hit Victor weakly on the back, “How are you so g-good at saying exactly what I n-need to he-hear?!” Victor chuckled, filling my chest with even more warmth. He lifted his head and pressed it against the side of mine.

“It’s not hard to guess what’s going on inside the mind of a dummy.” Victor’s deep voice so close to my ear sent heat spilling into my cheeks, “Just know that I mean it.” A warm smile crept onto my lips.

“I know.” I sighed, tightening my grip on his jacket once more, “Thank you, Victor. Thank you.” Victor tightened his grip around me as well, wordlessly accepting my gratitude. I stayed like that in his arms, soaking up all of the positive energy that I hadn’t realized I had missed. In that moment, I had never felt more at peace. Sure, that hug wouldn’t stop Montu or rebuild my burnt down building, but it did give me something I hadn’t realized I had lost. 

Hope.

And someone I could trust.

As well as someone who I turn to for anything, who would be there for me and; no matter how badly I’d screwed up; would never leave my side. Victor was no longer that cold hearted CEO that I had first met. He was a gentle, compassionate, man who genuinely cared about my well being, and would do anything to maintain it. Victor was something I was too afraid to accept but finally willing to admit.

Victor Li was my ally.

I never wanted that moment to end. I wanted to be held by Victor for eternity, basking in his smell and warmth. If only time would just stand st-

I paused, then tilted my head and looked up at the floor numbers. The digital panel was frozen between the number one and the letter ‘L.’ I smirked.

Sensing my movements, Victor turned and followed my eyes. “Would you look at that,” I hoarsely said, looking back at Victor, “We’ve made it to floor number, ‘D.’ Wonder where that will lead us.” Victor cleared his throat and straightened himself. I felt a tinge of regret as his hands left my shoulders, leaving me feeling colder than I originally thought I was. 

Victor looked down and picked up something from the floor. When he held out his hand, I saw it was the phone I had dropped to hug him. I hissed.

“Shoot, is it broken?” I asked, quickly taking the phone and inspecting it.

“It shouldn’t be.” Victor said, unphased, “The case will protect it from a drop up to four hundred feet. It’s also waterproof but not fireproof though so,” Victor flashed me a teasing glare, “no more bombs.”

“Easier said than done.” I tucked the phone into my blazer pocket and picked up the box from the floor.

“Take a minute to compose yourself.” Victor’s original voice had returned, if not a little softer than before, “Let me know when you are ready.”

“I am perfectly composed.” I teased, sniffling and smoothing out my clothes, “You’re the one who needs to compose himself.”

“Oh really?” Victor asked. Suddenly a ding came over my head. The doors of the elevator threatened to open.

“W-wait!” I quickly said, rubbing the tear marks from my eyes hastily. Victor chuckled and the doors paused, leaving just a crack open to the lobby. I glared at him and brushed my sleeves.

“Sadist.” I whispered under my breath. Victor arched an eyebrow but said no more. I turned and faced the doors, “Alright. I’m ready.” A second later, the doors opened all the way, allowing space for Victor and I to walk through it. 

The lobby was mostly empty, only a few stragglers remained, talking amongst themselves in what looked to be a pleasant conversation. Everyone was smiling… that is, everyone but one teenage girl in an oversized jacket who sat in the waiting area. She scrolled through her phone with boredom painted on her face. I looked down at the empty phone box in my hand. 

“Is this the latest model?” I asked, tracing the box’s design with my finger.

“Yes.” Victor answered simply.

“Must have been expensive...” I lost the last part of the sentence as thoughts circled my mind.

“No need to worry about it.” Victor said, popping my bubble before it became too big, “I added the funds of it to your investment.” My face fell.

“How kind.” I grumbled, tossing the box in a nearby trash bin. As we neared Adri, she looked up from her phone. A smirk blossomed on her face as she stood up, shoving her phone in her pocket to give us her full attention. 

“It took ya long enough.” She teased, closing the distance between us, “You guys took forever… I can only guess why from seeing the mess you both are in...” Adri’s smirk turned into a sinister grin. Victor and I looked at each other. Victor’s hair was slightly disheveled and his collar was popped up. I impulsively moved to fix it. At that same moment, Victor reached out to touch my hair. We both froze in place. Then, just as quickly, stepped away from each other to fix ourselves.

“D-Don’t get the wrong idea.” I quickly said, pulling out my ponytail to adjust it as a sharp blush erupted onto my cheeks, “We were just... talking.”

“Right...” Adri sang, her grin further increasing, “Does Officer Gavin know you two have been ‘talking?’” My heart leaped

“And just what do you mean?!” I asked quickly, bracing for the worse.

“Well, Minor told me-”

“Don’t listen to Minor.” I deadpanned, cutting Adri off abruptly as my once happy mood had been tarnished completely. Adri’s smirk widened.

“Mr. Victor!” a voice came from behind us. We turned around to see a fantic middle aged woman running towards us. “Mr. Victor! Do you have a moment?! It’s urgent!” She pleaded with desperation riding in her eyes. Victor turned to us.

“Excuse me, ladies.” He said respectfully, before walking forward and addressing the delirious employee.

“Yikes.” Adri huffed and clicked her tongue, “There’s no end to the work, huh?” I made sure Victor was completely out of ear shot before turning to Adri, practicing my usual poker face as I did so.

“How much of the conversation between Victor and me did you hear?” I asked, cutting right to the chase. Adri blinked at me.

“Wh-...well that is one way to bring it up.” Adri laughed. I tightened my expression and folded my arms. “... All of it, I suppose? Why?”

“This isn’t a game, Adri.” My voice was grim and earnest. Adri’s grin fell completely as we locked eyes. I continued, “What that conversation was about is real. Once you’re in this, there is no leaving it. As of right now, no one knows you know. You could walk away from this, never look back, and pretend you hadn’t heard anything.” Adri folded her arms.

“... Or?” She asked, gesturing for me to continue.

“... Or you could risk your life for an answer we may never receive. For a cause that may put you on a watchlist. For a woman you hardly know.”

Adri arched her eyebrow, “You mean for my sister?” I paused. “Listen,” Adri huffed, “How I see it, is you need someone on your side who has a background in self defense and a past with ending fights. Not to mention someone with an inquisitive mind and a sharp wit that can be quick to respond in any kind of situation. 

“And, despite only being seventeen, I’m your gal. Now, do you want a resume? Or do you want to trust that this foster sister actually has something other than wickedly good looks?” Adri smiled at me confidently. It was an impressive change to her normal, sarcastic demeanor. But it was a change I could get behind. I studied Adri, taking in all she said seriously. 

“A background in self defense and ending fights, huh?” I asked, placing my hands on my hips as an unsupressable smirk pushed through my lips.

“Oh yeah.” Adri nodded proudly, “If you’re gonna start them, you’ve gotta be skilled enough to end them too… So, am I in? Partner?” I took one last sweeping look over Adri before I came to my final decision.

“You girls ready to go?” Victor’s voice came from behind me as he approached us once again.

“Yup.” I said turning and walking to the front door, “You sure you can get out of here without another fan asking for your autograph?” Victor hummed but all the same quickened his pace to the exit.  Adri and I followed suit, having to widen our strides as we tried keeping up with the CEO. 

I reached into my blazer pocket and pulled out my phone. I whistled, getting Adri’s attention, and tossed her the phone. She caught it and looked up at me, confused. “If we are gonna be partners, I’m gonna need your number.” I winked at her. Adri smiled brightly.

Victor opened the front door and was instantly hit with flashing lights. The familiar sounds of overlapping shouts and camera clicks filled the air. Victor held a hand up to his face and rolled his eyes. “Didn’t you raise your security?” I shouted over the racket outside.

“What do you think is stopping them from coming in?” Victor asked, shutting the door quickly and blocking the disruptive sounds from the outside. Before I could do anything, Victor grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. “Stay close.” He said pulling me forward. I halted my steps and quickly pulled my hand away from him. Victor looked back at me curiously.

“They already think we are a couple.” I said, nerves getting the best of my voice as I spoke softer than before, “Won’t it only escalate it with… this?” Victor smirked and held out his hand again.

“Do you take me for a schoolgirl?” He asked, eyebrow arched. I stalled, mouth slightly agape. What in the- 

A memory from one of our first meetings flashed in my mind. My mouth slightly curved upwards, as I caught onto what he was referencing. Victor’s smirk widened as well. Without another word, I took Victor’s outstretched hand. Gripping it tightly, he pulled me through the doors. Adri quickly grabbed onto the back of my shirt and clutched onto it tightly as we walked through the bright flashing lights and loud voices. What was once a disorrenting and infuriating experience became so much tolerable with Victor’s hand in mine. The warmth that emanated from it seemed to have twisted around my heart, telling me that he would never let go. 

Ever.

>>>

After finally getting past those reporters, the walk to the parking garage seemed like a breeze. Despite being far from the comostion, Victor had maintained the grip he had on my hand. He said something about not knowing if there was danger elsewhere, and him needing to make sure I didn’t leave but, honestly, I didn’t need an excuse to keep holding his hand. I was just glad I wasn’t the only one that enjoyed it’s warmth as winter graced the air.

Finally making it to the entrance of the parking garage, Victor turned to us. “Alright.” Victor said in a very professional voice, “How far is your bike from here?”

“Not far.” I said looking around, “In fact, That’s it there, just a little ways from here.” I pointed forward to a sliver of a wheel between two parked cars not too far from us.

“Good. My parking spot isn’t too far from here either.” Victor said, looking down the other side of the lot, “Get on your bike and wait for me at the exit. 

“Right.” I said, nodding.

“And, Ike,” I looked up at Victor. He glared down at me, “Don’t leave without me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I said, arching my eyebrow, “After all, if I did, I’d likely never live it down.” 

“Mhm.” Victor hummed, looking me up and down to be sure I was telling the truth. His eyes landed on our hands. I followed his gaze and blushed.  I guess there was no need to hold them anymore… I quickly let go of Victor’s hand, readjusting myself slightly. “Alright then.” Victor said nodding to the two of us, “I’ll be right back.” I squinted my eyes slightly as I surveyed his face. 

… Was he blushing?

“See ya, Mr. Li!” Adri said, waving to him from next to me. Victor nodded respectively to her and turned away from us. We watched him leave before walking forward ourselves. “So,” Adri sang, smiling at me, “You guys sure seemed comfortable with each other. What happened while I was waiting for you guys to come out?” I rolled my eyes and shoved Adri aside.

“Shut it. It was as I said. We were just talking.” I said, keeping my eyes ahead.

“Sure.” Adri sang once again, “ And the hand holding?”

A blush crept onto my face, “Th-that was reassurance of my safety.”

“Right.” Adri nodded and looked down, her grin lingering on her face. For a moment we walked in silence, “... So… can we start talking about our case?” The abrupt question made me stutter in my steps.

“Not now.” I said, tone dropping as I scanned the garage, “I don’t know who is listening.”

“Right.” Adri said, just as seriously, “So, what can you tell me?” I thought for a moment.

“... His name is Montu. His first… move was made nearly a month ago while I was walking Sam home. He knew things about me that an infinitesimal amount of people know. And I’m talking like two people in this world, Adri. I didn’t know why he chose me at first. Whether it was fate, an accident, anger, anything. It wasn’t until this evening when I got a call from him that I finally found out his goal.”

“Which is?” Adri asked as we finally made it to my bike. I paused, hand on the handlebars.

“... He thinks I’ve had the world handed to me.” My voice was dark and distant as I thought over the phone call with Montu, “And that I am somehow manipulating people with guilt and getting whatever I want.”

“Is there any way we can make him stop trying to hurt you?” Adri asked, matching my tone, “Like, is there anything he wants from you? You know, other than your head on his wall?”

“He said something about stopping what I was doing and coming clean about my lies.  But without lies to come clean about…”

“Killing you will be his only way of justice.” Adri finished the sentence for me in a hushed tone. I nodded gravely. “How much about this does Victor know?”

“Not enough.” I said, opening the seat to my bike and pulling out two helmets, “I’ll put him on a conference call when we get home. There I can catch you both up to speed.” I tossed Adri one of the helmets. She caught it swiftly, grinning slightly. A thought came to my mind, “… Adri there was also something I wanted to talk-” A black sedan reared around the corner and slowly rolled toward us. 

“What?” Adri asked following my eyes.

“Raincheck.” I quickly snapped on my helmet and swung my leg over the bike, “That’s Victor. Get on quick. We don’t want to keep him.”

>>>

I rolled up to the red light and stopped just short of the crosswalk. Adri had her arms wrapped securely around my waist, making it obvious just how often she had gotten to ride a motorcycle.

 Victor’s car slowed and stopped just behind me. Night shaded his windows, making it so I could only see his silhouette. I tapped at my handle bars impatiently. Adri leaned close to my ear, squeezing her grip around my stomach slightly as she moved. “You think Victor would want to join us in sleuthing at your place?” She called over the roar of the engine.

“I dunno.” I said, flashing a glance to him through my mirrors, “It’s a pretty busy guy.”

“But, I mean, he’s going home anyway.” Adri rested her head on my shoulder, “What kind of work does he have at home?”

“You’d be surprised.” I sighed, thinking of the work I had at home currently, “... Wanna call and see?” Adri nodded against my shoulder. I reached into my blazer pocket and handed her my new phone. She took it and disappeared behind me. “It looks like he tried to call a couple of times.” Adri's voice was a bit muffled behind me. I cursed.

“I must have had the phone on vibrate.” I said, stretching my neck, “It’s hard to tell over the bike’s motor. Go ahead and call him back for me. He probably wouldn't yell at you like he would at me.” 

“Wanna bet?” Adri said through an obvious grin. After a short moment, I heard her speak again. 

“Hey, Mr. V! Ike was wondering if-” Adri stopped talking as if she was interrupted. After a long, tedious pause, her grip tightened on my waist. Adri leaned next to my ear again.  “Um… Ike?” Adri’s voice shook slightly, making me nervous, “Victor’s tires… were slashed.”

“What?” I scoffed, “How could-” I froze. Snapping to action, I flicked on my turn signal. The blinking lights illuminated the car behind me, exposing it’s driver. 

He was a tall man, build relating to one of Victor’s. The only difference was the black velvety mask on their face.

One with a glistening, green scarab in the middle of their forehead.

He wasn’t alone. Next to him sat another man with an identical mask and behind them, in the back seat, loomed a dark shadow with horns on the top of it’s head. I couldn’t make out their face like I did the others but I knew who he had to be.

“Adri.” I growled, looking back at the light as I tightened my grip on the handlebars, “Brace yourself.”

(Next)

[dutten-does-the-fanfic]

Obviously you don’t have to say anything if you don’t feel motivated or don’t want to write but i was wondering if you had any big plans for the future- both personal/original projects and fan fictions. Love ur writing! Again, plz i mean not to pressure you just genuinely curious

Hello! And thank you, that’s so sweet of you :3 I don’t remember if I’ve said this (I’m pretty sure I have??) but I’m currently in uni, and course-load and exams have practically made it their mission to kick my ass at every possible moment, which is why there are these long breaks where I’m just, completely inactive (and I hate it, but I haven’t unlocked enough levels of adult to figure out how to healthily balance my work life and personal life - maybe in a few years ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

But I am still writing!! (or, am going to be when I get a moment to breathe) Definitely motivated and interested and keeping at it!! :D

As for projects, oh boy. What haven’t I got going on (loads, is the answer, but to go over a few!)

I don’t really have any original projects - I’ve never really liked creating oc’s for some reason? I much prefer having the characters from a show/book/whatever and working off of them for the story/plot whilst still keeping some of the character we all fell in love with intact - I don’t know. I really love making small comments about the OG platform (quotes, moments, mentions, really anything, just small easter eggs for myself and whoever reads the story) that I obvs wouldn’t be able to make with my own OG content xD Everything would be canon then.

As for fanfiction! So much!! Absolutely none of it is finished, because I have zero patience or sense of delayed gratification when it comes to posting - I just want it all out at once and to read everyone’s comments at once xD

I’ve got stories going for a few different fandoms and ideas just written down in my ever-growing ideas-doc for even more! I think I’m going to correctly assume you might be here for the SKAM fics, tho ;p

Basically, I’m horrible with understanding what is and isn’t a spoiler because I know the twists and turns so I just take it all for granted - however, when I actively try to describe a fic without spoilers, they end up sounding genuinely dull xD But I’ll do my best without giving too much away!

I’ve basically got so many stories going at once that I genuinely have no idea how many there are as I always forget some, so here are a selected few!

Obvs, there’s Even’s POV for “Something Great” (aka “that fic” aka my twitter legacy) which is nowhere near done. I’m really loving what I have got down, though! As far as I remember, I’m about 8k in, but I’m shooting for 30-40k, so no time frame. In case you didn’t know, I’ve done an entire announcement post where there are also a few previews included :D

Then there’s a pretty much crack fic with some angst and a way for me to memorize my course work that actually isn’t too far from being finished, but... it needs some work. It’s basically one of those “heeey, you’re pretty much my best friend and I don’t have unrequited feelings for you at all (lies), so it’s totally okay that we pretend to hook up to get back at our roommate who keeps sexciling us only for it to turn real” kind of AU.

Then there’s the other crack fic from boy squad’s POV (well, Jonas, but they practically serve as one entity) about them being oblivious to Evak until one day Isak announces #Evak is real, but they’re just so sure they would have noticed something, so they think Isak and Even are pranking them, so they set out expose them. A+ content, if I have to say so myself.

Next there’s my newest pride and joy that I’ve currently got sitting somewhere between 50-60k with no end in sight. I love this story, I cannot being to describe just how much I love this story. There is so much to this story, and I don’t want to give anything away :’( Basically, Isak has quite serious trauma from something that happened in his childhood, and it’s set during his second year in high school - he’s living in the Kollektiv (with four rooms, ‘cause I aint sending Noora to London), and he’s got the boy squad, Eva and Jonas are still dating so the girl squad also make a lot of appearances. And it’s basically just this major character exploration of the different ways Isak’s trauma appears, how it impacts the way he interacts with other people, the way he sees the world and other people, how he basically doesn’t deal with the trauma and how severely it affects him. And then there’s this entire thing about the sudden suicide of a famous Norwegian pianist (not one of the major characters, I ain’t about that life) that somehow ties into everything and everything turns very shady.

That barely covers the actual story and I’m pretty sure it sounds so jumbled up, but I literally can’t figure out how to describe it without spoilers.

Then we’ve got another angst-galore! A traveling AU! Which, timing, I know. We’ll ignore that. With my pace, it won’t be ready until traveling is allowed again anyway ^__^’ It plays on the themes of lost and found, and it’s basically about how Even travels to find out who he is, but he ends up finding Isak instead, running into him in different cities and countries, and they fall in love, but Isak is traveling to lose himself and everyone - ah. Angst-galore indeed.

What else - there’s a snakesak ABO!AU, because I’ve never written either, and for some reason, I must’ve apparently felt the need to put the two together. ABO is the kind of AU that pretty much everyone holds different opinions on - it’s not a tag I filter out, but it pretty much differs from story to story how much I like it. All I know is, when it is done well, it is done well.

I know there are more, because there are always more. I’ve definitely got so many ideas that I haven’t gotten anything down more than the premise: There’s a murder mystery AU, because I’ve wanted to do one pretty much since I wrote the first chapter for Beat the Record (you know, back when it was still just supposed to be a oneshot xD) and now I’ve finally got a basic storyline for it! Featuring detective Even who has been demoted to a permanent deskjob and basically only kept on out of pity after screwing up evidence? an assignment? plans still pending. Not accepting this, he sets out to catch the new serial killer with the help of newly hired forensic scientist Isak, whom he asks for help because of how talented Isak is, not because Even has a big-ass crush on him. Then there’s the university AU that’s basically a rom/com where Even is one of the hosts for the uni’s radio station, sees pretty boy Isak generally being a mess, falls instantly in love and keeps talking about “the cute boy” on the radio, asking if anyone knows his name and if they can get him his number. Isak only finds out about it because Magnus is a listener and accidentally figures it out.

And so many more. Literally. We are talking pages upon pages, let alone some quite long stories I also have going for other fandoms. I seriously can’t wait - I just need to get myself writing xD

I hope this helps tide over the long waiting period a little :) xx <3

[funkymbtifiction]

Hi Charity!

I wrote in earlier about sending in a “Type Me” post and you suggested I make a list of things I’m good at and ask my family or someone impartial who has known me for a while which cognitive functions they think fit me.  Thank you! As it turns out, they were unanimous that my thinking function seems very definitely Aux Ti…but they also think my feeling function seems slightly more Aux Fi than Tert Fe X-D.  Since I’m torn between ENFP and ENTP, my family’s analysis didn’t narrow it down much, but it did sort of highlight where I’m most confused, which is the my feeling function.  Hopefully you can help shed some light on this?...

I think ENFP. I didn't see any rationalizing / Ti, but a steady stream of self-conscious awareness of morals and how you could be better at them, ethical decisions (such as not taking credit for things you didn't do yourself), a focus on relationships and how others are reacting to you / how you need to be more aware of people's needs, and a few things that "trigger" your Fi enough to get upset (while being generally permissive / easy to get along with otherwise). I'm guessing you have a strong presence of Enneagram 9 and a 3 fix.

[shadowfromthestarlight]

The moment a group of people stormed the Capitol building last Wednesday, news  companies began the process of sorting and commoditizing information that  long ago became standard in American media.

Media firms work backward. They first ask, “How does our target demographic want to  understand what’s just unfolded?” Then they pick both the words and the facts  they want to emphasize.

It’s why  Fox News uses the term, “Pro-Trump protesters,” while New York and The Atlantic use “Insurrectionists.” It’s why conservative media today is stressing how Apple, Google, and Amazon shut down the “Free Speech” platform Parler over  the weekend, while mainstream outlets are emphasizing a new round of  potentially armed protests reportedly planned for January 19th or 20th.

What happened last Wednesday was the apotheosis of the Hate Inc. era, when this  audience-first model became the primary means of communicating facts to the population. For a hundred reasons dating back to the mid-eighties, from the advent of the Internet to the development of the 24-hour news cycle to the end of the Fairness Doctrine and the Fox-led  discovery that news can be sold as character-driven, episodic TV in the  manner of soap operas, the concept of a “Just the facts” newscast designed to  be consumed by everyone died out.

News companies now clean world events like whalers, using every part of the  animal, funneling different facts to different consumers based upon  calculations about what will bring back the biggest engagement kick. The  Migrant Caravan? Fox slices  off comments from a Homeland Security official describing most of the  border-crossers as single adults coming for “economic reasons.” The New York Times counters  by running a story about how the caravan was deployed as a political issue by a Trump White  House staring at poor results in midterm elections.

Repeat this info-sifting process a few billion times and this is how we became, as none other than Mitch McConnell put it last week, a country:

Drifting apart into two separate tribes, with a separate set of facts and separate realities, with nothing in common except our hostility towards each other and mistrust for the few national institutions that we all still share.

The flaw in the system is that even the biggest news companies now operate under the assumption that at least half their potential audience isn’t listening. This leads to all sorts of problems, and the fact that the easiest way to keep your own demographic is to feed it negative stories about others is only the most  obvious. On all sides, we now lean into inflammatory caricatures, because the  financial incentives encourage it.

Everyone monetized Trump. The Fox  wing surrendered to the Trump phenomenon from the start, abandoning its  supposed fealty to “family values” from the Megyn Kelly incident on. Without  a thought, Rupert Murdoch sacrificed the paper-thin veneer of  pseudo-respectability Fox  had always maintained up to a point (that point being the moment advertisers  started to bail in horror, as they did with Glenn Beck). He reinvented Fox as a platform for  Trump’s conspiratorial brand of cartoon populism, rather than let some more-Fox-than-Fox imitator like OAN sell the  ads to Trump’s voters for four years.

In between its titillating quasi-porn headlines (“Lesbian Prison Gangs Waiting To Get Hands on Lindsay  Lohan, Inmate Says” is one from years ago that stuck in my mind), Fox’s business model has  long been based on scaring the crap out of aging Silent Majority viewers with  a parade of anything-but-the-truth explanations for America’s decline. It  villainized immigrants, Muslims, the new Black Panthers, environmentalists —  anyone but ADM, Wal-Mart, Countrywide, JP Morgan Chase, and other sponsors of  Fortress America. Donald Trump was one of the people who got hooked on Fox’s  narrative.

The rival media ecosystem chose cash over truth also. It could have responded to  the last election by looking harder at the tensions they didn’t see coming in  Trump’s America, which might have meant a more intense examination of the  problems that gave Trump his opening: the jobs that never came back after  bankers and retailers decided to move them to unfree labor zones in places  like China, the severe debt and addiction crises, the ridiculous  contradiction of an expanding international military garrison manned by a  population fast losing belief in the mission, etc., etc.

Instead, outlets like CNN and MSNBC took a Fox-like approach, downplaying issues in  favor of shoving Trump’s agitating personality in the faces of audiences over  and over, to the point where many people could no longer think about anything  else. To juice ratings, the Trump story — which didn’t need the slightest  exaggeration to be fantastic — was more or less constantly distorted.

Trump  began to be described as a cause of America’s problems, rather than a symptom,  and his followers, every last one, were demonized right along with him, in  caricatures that tickled the urbane audiences of channels like CNN but made  conservatives want to reach for something sharp. This technique was borrowed  from Fox,  which learned in the Bush years that you could boost ratings by selling  audiences on the idea that their liberal neighbors were terrorist traitors.  Such messaging worked better by far than bashing al-Qaeda, because this enemy  was closer, making the hate more real.

I came  into the news business convinced that the traditional “objective” style of  reporting was boring, deceptive, and deserving of mockery. I used to laugh at  the parade of “above the fray” columnists and stone-dull house editorials  that took no position on anything and always ended, “Only one thing’s for  sure: time will tell.” As a teenager I was struck by a passage in Tim  Crouse’s book about the 1972 presidential campaign, The Boys in the Bus, describing  the work of Hunter Thompson:

Thompson  had the freedom to describe the campaign as he actually experienced it: the  crummy hotels, the tedium of the press bus, the calculated lies of the press  secretaries, the agony of writing about the campaign when it seemed dull and  meaningless, the hopeless fatigue. When other reporters went home, their  wives asked them, “What was it really like?” Thompson’s wife knew from  reading his pieces.

What Rolling Stone did in  giving a political reporter the freedom to write about the banalities of the  system was revolutionary at the time. They also allowed their writer to be a  sides-taker and a rooter, which seemed natural and appropriate because biases  end up in media anyway. They were just hidden in the traditional dull  “objective” format.

The  problem is that the pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction of  politicized hot-taking that reporters now lack freedom in the opposite  direction, i.e. the freedom to mitigate.

If you  work in conservative media, you probably felt tremendous pressure all  November to stay away from information suggesting Trump lost the election. If  you work in the other ecosystem, you probably feel right now that even  suggesting what happened last Wednesday was not a coup in the literal sense  of the word (e.g. an attempt at seizing power with an actual chance of  success) not only wouldn’t clear an editor, but might make you suspect in the  eyes of co-workers, a potentially job-imperiling problem in this environment.  

We need  a new media channel, the press version of a third party, where those  financial pressures to maintain audience are absent. Ideally, it would:

not be aligned with either Democrats or Republicans;

employ a Fairness Doctrine-inspired approach that discourages       groupthink and requires at  least occasional explorations of alternative points of view;

embrace a utilitarian mission stressing credibility over ratings, including by;

operating on a distribution model that as  much as possible doesn’t depend upon the indulgence of Apple, Google, and Amazon.

Innovations like Substack are great for opinionated individual voices like me, but what’s  desperately needed is an institutional reporting mechanism that has credibility with the whole population. That means a channel that sees its mission as something separate from politics, or at least as separate from politics as possible.

The media used to derive its institutional power from this perception of separateness. Politicians feared investigation by the news media precisely because they knew audiences perceived them as neutral arbiters.

Now there are no major commercial outlets not firmly associated with one or the other political party. Criticism of Republicans is as baked into New York Times coverage as the lambasting of Democrats is at Fox, and politicians don’t fear them as much because they know their  constituents do not consider rival media sources credible. Probably, they  don’t even read them. Echo chambers have limited utility in changing minds.

Media companies need to get out of the audience-stroking business, and by extension  the politics business. They’d then be more likely to be believed when making  pronouncements about elections or masks or anything else, for that matter.  Creating that kind of outlet also has a much better shot of restoring sanity  to the country than the current strategy, which seems based on stamping out  access to “wrong” information.

What we’ve been watching for four years, and what we saw explode last week, is a paradox: a political and informational system that profits from division and  conflict, and uses a factory-style process to stimulate it, but professes  shock and horror when real conflict happens. It’s time to admit this is a  failed system. You can’t sell hatred and seriously expect it to end.

Matt Taibbi is one of the only people I subscribe to. He’s one of the few journalists I like because I actually believe he’s genuine.

[sheirukitriesfandom]

savos of course :3c

Why I like them

Oh, this is difficult. 

1. His backstory had so much room for potential (and most of it was wasted) as did his leadership of the college, along with the cries for a change of leadership. One reason I like him so is my wish to build on that potential. 2. Then there’s also the way he subverts traditional mage tropes. When you hear “archmage” you think of your Gandalfs and Dumbledores, the powerful wise old mentors who are perhaps a bit quirky - someone like Tolfdir basically - and Savos doesn’t much fit that description. He comes across as passive and surrendered to his current situation, not at all what the headmaster of the last refuge for Skyrim’s mages should be. 3. Shipping. I didn’t have much of a say in this, at some point Rashkan, my oldest and most developed Skyrim OC, decided “Hey, see that sad old elf up in his tower? I will cheer him up.” 4. I just go “Aww” when I see him? I don’t know why, because that’s normally how I react to characters like the Vanos siblings or Revus Demnevanni, characters whose cheeks I want to pinch. I can’t explain that point, really.

Why I don’t

He dies... Also for fucks sake Savos there are corpses in your basement!

Favorite episode (scene if movie)

There isn’t much but Labyrinthian is incredibly sad and even though he’s not there, the unused files at least reveal some of his feelings regarding the event.

Also, “Sir? How quaint.” gets me every time, especially since he’s one of the very few chars using the “MaleCondescending” voice type without being (much of) a prick.

Favorite season/movie

I don’t think this applies here

Favorite line

"What you learn here will last you a lifetime – several, if you're talented."

“No matter what, we stay together", Hafnar said. I looked him in the eyes and lied to him."  (unused but ouch)

And this entire conversation: Savos: "Mirabelle, would you please make sure my schedule is clear for the next few days? I'm working on something important." Mirabelle: "Your schedule is always clear, Arch-Mage. I see to that." Savos: "Ah, yes. True. Well, thank you."

Favorite outfit

His archmage robes. I once read a fanfic that described him wearing pyjamas striped “like a lighthouse”, i.e. red and white horizontal stripes. The mental image stuck with me.

OTP

I ship him with my vampire and scholar, Rashkan Atheron. I’m, however, fine with almost any pairing as long as the relationship is interesting/ fits the narrative. I must say I’d like to see him and Erandur meet though; I still like that idea.

Brotp

Savos and Mirabelle. Mira is the duct tape keeping the college and Savos’ life together. I also enjoy a good love/hate Brotp between Savos and Ancano. Also I want him to meet Paarthurnax. Thanks, @editedcopycat :P

Head Canon

I have so many of those and I’m too lazy to look for links right now, so have just one: Although I believe that crippling fear of failure plays a big part in Savos’ inaction, I also think he’s one of those people who only start working if there’s a deadline or someone reminding them of their duties. It’s a deadly combination of fear and laziness disguised as laid back attitude that characterizes his leadership style.

Unpopular opinion

Contrary to the above, Savos isn’t a wholly bad leader. He’s been the archmage of the college for a long time and has led it through some seriously tough times, not to mention the preexistent stigma from the Oblivion Crisis and the Great Collapse. I wish people would give him more credit for that rather than just calling him an idiot or incompetent.

A wish

I wish more people cared about him. Also, more fanworks would be nice; I’ve reached a point where I know pretty much any artwork or fanfic featuring him, including those on obscure Japanese or Russian sites.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen

1. It canonically happens :)))

2. This fucking line:

"I knew you'd come eventually. It would seem I'm bound to this place. The bitter irony of it all -- my greatest failure, and even in death I can't escape it. I never meant for any of what happened here. Tried to seal it up, lock it away forever. But now it all comes out again..."  (Unused but ouch x2)

I don’t want Savos to be bound to the place where he made the greatest, most painful mistake of his life. Poor guy...

5 words to best describe them

- tragic

- overwhelmed

- underdeveloped

- conflicted

- well-meaning

My nickname for them

I don’t have one but he IS the original Sad Old Elf

[mimzy-writing-online]

I hope this question isn't too stupid, but you're one of my favorite writing blogs so I'll give it a shot. I want to write a FanFic based on the 1971 version of Willy Wonka. I wanted the story to tell Violet Beauregarde's story, the one that turns into a blueberry. However, I have SOME questions as I'm fairly new to FanFic. 1). Am I better off focusing on each kid's perspective, going back and forth? Or is it good to narrow my focus one one character? 2). Can I give them a character arch, li

(2/3) like Violet's really mean in school but she becomes kind after her experience at the factory. Is that too cliche or predictable? 3). Why does she try waddling away after her blueberry transformation and the Oompa Loompas are singing/dancing around her? They're trying to help her, and I don't really get why she'd do something like that. 4). What are tips to better understand the characters I want to flesh out? I guess it circles back to the last question, understanding their psyche. Yikes

(3/3)  Yikes! Super sorry this ask is long. And I'm even more sorry if my questions were lame or you've covered them before. :P. I can overthink at times, ESPECIALLY when it comes to my writing. I'm such a perfectionist storyteller, it's not even funny. I hope my questions aren't bothering you. You're one of my favorite writing blogs, so I figured I could come to you. I apologize in advance for wasting your time. You DO NOT have to reply at all if you don't want to. :P Thanks, have a great week

First and foremost: this is not a stupid question, you are not wasting my time at all. This is actually a rare treat for my blog because I don’t get many asks that don’t involve blindness, though I usually know better how to answer those than I do other questions. So, here we go:

Are you better off focusing on each kid’s perspective, going back and forth? Or is it better to narrow your focus onto one character?

The general rule of writing is to simplify. If two background characters serve a similar purpose, just combine the characters, for example. Slimming down extra scenes that don’t contribute to plot or character development.

However, that advice is meant for people publishing novels, working within an overflowing industry, dependant on sales and royalties. They have to meet whatever industry standards are, like word count or POV types. They have to find someone willing to take them on as a client because they love that book.

Fanfiction is not bound by such nonsense. Fanfiction is a beautifully lawless land where capitalism cannot influence it. What defines what you do with fanfiction is if you enjoy reading it, and if you have the steam to continue a long project.

Some people easily write 200,000k fics within a matter of weeks or months (or in my case, just once, two years). Some people work best with short fics. Both (and everything in between) are wonderful.

So, how much steam do you have for this project? How long do you think you can carry it and still finish it? Because that defines how big you should plan to make this project. If you don’t think you can write a long fic, then maybe just stick to one character.

A compromise between the two is to focus primarily on one character, and examine the other characters more briefly. This could be done in just a single POV chapter, or a handful. This could be done with the characters connecting and seeing the side character through your main character’s eyes, seeing how they’ve changed.

There’s no wrong answer. This fic is for your enjoyment primarily. No matter what you write, it will appeal to at least a few people, if not crowds. But your fun comes first, both literally and figuratively. Write for you, write to explore the story for yourself.

Can you give them a character arc like Violet’s where she becomes kinder after her experiences in the factory? Is that too cliche or predictable?

I wouldn’t call it predictable, because I’d expect everyone to go into completely different directions because they were all such unique and individual people before they entered the factory, and they were foiled by their own quirks.

Violet was mean and fake, she was demanding. I don’t know how much I want to speculate on the plotline you have going for her, how you’ll develop her to make her want to be more kind.

But I would love to speculate on the others.

Agustus Gloop? 

I feel like his experience in the chocolate river and almost drowning would make it hard to enjoy chocolate ever again. I think it would be a long time before he had any sweets. Also, because of his weight, I imagine there’s got to be some body-image issues hiding under the surface. I’d also put money on him being bullied, and him acting out against the students who bully him and because of his size he is more intimidating, but that doesn’t stop people from saying things behind his back.

I imagine the chocolate thing is a form of self-comfort. Maybe he turns to other foods to over-eat with to cope. Maybe eventually he figures out that this isn’t helping him. Does he try to replace unhealthy foods with healthier ones? (idk, I have a personal turn off on getting into the concept of dieting, so I’m not going to dig in much there).

I’d like to see him learn to love himself, develop some body neutrality, that his body doesn’t define who he is or what his worth is. That he becomes okay with who he is as he grows up. People who are happy and comfortable with themselves are generally nicer and easier going than people who aren’t. Maybe with some self-love, he’ll be kinder to others.

Veruca Salt?

Okay, I have a confession. My brain thought of her when discussing Violet. I haven’t seen either of the films in years.

Well, let’s thank Wikipedia everyone, the greatest gift of the internet.

Veruca does come across as a spoiled brat. Her parents shower her in material objects, which might mean something. I have a close friend who hates people buying things for him or giving him gifts that cost money. This has to do with a parent buying him things out of guilt after episodes of emotional abuse. I asked him a while back what he wanted for his birthday (I meant baked goods, I bake or cook special meals as birthday gifts for my friends. A has asked for chocolate chip cookies for three birthdays in a row now. Several friends ask for cookies for Christmas). Anyway, my friend had a panic attack and couldn’t respond until an hour later.

Maybe there’s something to that.

What does she think about money as she grows up? Does her love language continue to be gifts? I think it might one day be quality time. Maybe it is now. It’s common for rich parents to be absent and barely spend time with their kids because of work and extravagant social lives that sort of money gives them access to, meaning they barely have time in the day to spend with their kids. Maybe gifts are the only way she can make sure her parents still care, the only way she can get their attention? 

Mike Teavee?

Apparently in the movie credits his last name is spelled Teevee. But I’m obsessed with tea (and this is the point where I remember my tea and wonder if I’ve let it go cold because I got too focused. Nope, it’s still there). So it’s Teavee here.

Wikipedia describes him as a young boy who only watches TV, nothing but TV. He’s especially interested in cowboys and Western films. He comes across as a know-it-all. He’s easily annoyed but gets along with others.

Anyone have a guess at where I’m going with this?

Mike is neurodivergent. I mean, that’s my new headcanon. I lean towards ADHD because that’s what I project, but like everything else, his interpretation is in the eye of the beholder. Every viewer sees something different in him.

Some common ADHD (and autism) experiences beyond having a specific interest is how others react to your special interest. You get used to people getting bored when you talk about your interest for the thousandth time, but it’s still important to you, but not to someone whose opinion matters to you. RSD is probably common.

Wikipedia says he’s described as lazy in the books? Common ADHD “symptom,” or rather something that outside viewers label as laziness. Really, he just doesn’t have the motivation to do any of those other things.

And Charlie?

Did anyone think I wouldn’t have any thoughts on Charlie, our hero and protagonist?

Oh no, I have thoughts. Charlie goes to great lengths to set his family up comfortably, he becomes generous with his money. He also knows nothing about running a factory. I’m hoping Willy Wonka gives him some help there. But I bet adult Charlie is a stressed-out workaholic who tries to do everything and thinks he has something to prove, that he’s not just some random lucky child, that he can do this. Charlie totally gets a work-related anxiety disorder.

Those are my thoughts. I still think giving them Violet’s arc isn’t cliche or predictable, but rather completely different from what you think would happen to all those kids.

I mean, maybe a few of them are still little jerks in their adult lives. There’s no one road to grow up on, even if you’re four strangers who shared a similar traumatic experience.

Why does she try waddling away after her blueberry transformation and the Oompa Loompas are singing/dancing around her? They're trying to help her, and I don't really get why she'd do something like that.

They strange looking short men she’s literally never talked to, never seen or heard of before today, who’s already taken away two children by this point, all while singing a song about what terrible children they were.

And she’s scared because her body is doing something strange and scary and awful. She’s scared. She doesn’t know what to do. What will happen if these strange men take her away? She doesn’t know what happened to the other kids.

And they’re not really communicating they want to help, just singing cheerfully about how awful children are.

What are tips to better understand the characters I want to flesh out? I guess it circles back to the last question, understanding their psyche.

A lot of it is just watching real-life people and wondering why they are the way they are. Listening to their reasoning and what they tell you about who they are and where they come from.

I know people who grew up like Agustus with using over-eating as a way to self-comfort, and the bullying they experienced. I know that if a kid was physically bigger than his bullies, maybe he’d fight them to make them stop and leave him alone. People who go through that journey of learning that their body doesn’t define who they are, accepting it because it is theirs and it takes care of them.

(Which reminds me of a post I like that pops around here and there, that positive body image should be about more than how “sexy” your curves make you look. A person shouldn’t have to be sexy to be treated like a person. A person shouldn’t have to be sexy at all if they don’t want to, especially not all the time, and especially not a child. And there are a lot of obese children in the world who don’t have any positive body image messages designed for them)

I learned what my friend’s love languages are and why they have them and what they mean. Which is why I have that theory for Veruca.

Mike is just self-projection and listening to other neurodivergent people when they describe their life experiences or listening to their theories when they say a character is neurodivergent too.

I won’t lie, my theory on Charlie is based entirely on the Avatar: the Last Airbender fandom’s common head-canon that Zuko becomes a workaholic after he becomes Firelord. There might be some canon material in the comics that supports that, but I’ve never seen it. I think Zuko and Charlie have a similar vibe and that those three years Zuko struggled, and Charlie’s entire life before the factory make them both feel like they need to be perfect and do everything right to prove they deserve the job they’re given and that their backgrounds don’t define their worth.

Thank you so much for your ask anon!

And again, you are not a bother. I enjoyed digging into this movie I’d never thought in depth about until tonight. And you’re not alone, lots of writers are overthinkers and perfectionists. You are in good company. Our writing and fanfiction community welcomes and loves you <3

And thank you for your kind words! I’m so happy that you love my blog so much <3 It made my day to read that

Take care anon, and good luck in your writing :)

[marithlizard]

Ace Attorney: Rise From the Ashes (Day Two, Trial Former) (part two)

I feel like screenshots would add zing and be helpful, but it’d be a pain to do my own for technical reasons.  Does anyone know of a good image gallery for RftA?  Google didn’t turn up much.   

Anyway.  Day Two, and it’s time for the trial of the already-confessed suspect.

"How did the investigation go yesterday?"  Lana, you could tell us something yourself. Even if you're lying through your teeth it'd give us something to work with.

Ooh, barbed little exchange between Lana and Phoenix.  "Never believe your client, they're probably a lying scumbag."  "See, being a defense attorney requires some basic faith in humanity. Unlike Mia, you don't appear to qualify."

Huh.  We’re given an upfront ambiguous warning from Edgeworth, right in front of the court.  Yes, yes we know personal feelings are icky and you don't want them near your tailored waistcoats, but why do you feel the need to disallow them right now? Phoenix has no personal emotional stake in this case.  Unless...Edgeworth thinks the proceedings are going to rebound on him.

Ema, this is not the time for sexy cross-examination fantasies.  You can go home and write fic after your sister is safe.

The dominatrix lunch lady is a "professional" witness?   Edgeworth I hope you didn't mean that the way it sounds.  

Edgeworth is unmoved by your rice.  Take that, lunch lady.   (If only the judge had as much dignity.)  

OH  I misread that completely.  She's a former detective!  (And Jake Marshall is a demoted detective. Connection?)  And while Edgeworth accords her due respect by calling her work first-rate, she's openly hostile to him.

And she arrested Lana herself?  If this crime was as staged and performative as I suspect, was that all part of the act?   Yeah, I don't think you were alerted by a sense of destiny or your finely honed instincts, lady.   Or that you were there to bring lunch to your boyfriend.

Would the stabbing have been as easy as Angel Starr describes it?  Didn't Goodman put up a fight at all?  Sadly our autopsy report has all of two sentences in it.

Ooh,  she just opens fire on Edgeworth with both barrels. And she offers a motive, the first one we've heard so far,  that Goodman was killed for knowing too much about corruption of evidence.  

My goodness. Evidence is sacrosanct, but sexually propositioning the judge while giving testimony is fine? Got it.  (Phoenix at least tries to call out her obvious bias.) 

Here’s a photograph, which the lunchlady so very thoughtfully took.  Lana with a bloodstained trenchcoat draped over her, wearing gloves, seemingly about to close the trunk of the car.  This was clearly taken after the stabbing.   But...if you witnessed the crime itself,  and arrested the suspect on the spot, would you really have had time to take this picture?  You'd be busy trying to reach Lana, surely.    (Smartphones were not a thing yet, were they?  Did Angel just happen to be carrying a camera? ....She did.  A lunchbox camera.  Perhaps for spying on prosecutors.)

Edgeworth why do you even own a knife like that?  And how did Lana supposedly get ahold of it?

Yes, thank you, that cannot possibly be a photograph of the moment of the crime,  given the lack of either victim or weapon in it.  

"Are you trying to test me? I sell box lunches for a living, you know."  The translation team was having SO much fun with these.

Aha, so the knife was in the trunk.   Unless Lana knew it was there, she didn't have a weapon prepared, which seems off for a premeditated murder.

...actually why aren't we hearing Lana's own confession account on the stand instead of the lunchlady's?   I know, I know, it works better for the game to force us to reconstruct it all from clues, but what's the in-story reason?

"Mommy, are prosecutors bad people?"  Yeah, this whole thing is definitely at least partly staged to smear Edgeworth's reputation.  (also why are small children in the audience for a murder trial)

It doesn't seem to have affected his spirits, though, since he can make lunchbox jokes.  And oooh, he's firing back at Angel.  He doesn't care if it's premeditated or not, but she does.  (Why does she care so much? it's the death penalty either way in this system, isn't  it?)

Wait why is she testifying about Lana calling Goodman out to the  Prosecutor's Office?  She has no personal knowledge of that at all.  (Indeed, it turns out there is no evidence it even happened.)  Annnd here we go, she's perjuring herself.    Purple prose about "plunging the knife in again and again" that directly contradicts the autopsy report.    She hates Lana so much it's really clouding her judgment.    

Edgeworth is holding Angel strictly to account on her  testimony even though it favors his case.   And he's getting distinctly sardonic about her lies.  It's nice to see that the truth does matter to him.

Ooh,  he points out the contradiction with the autopsy report himself, stealing Phoenix's thunder!   That would never have happened in previous AA games.  He's really changed, or perhaps he feels so under threat that there's no point holding back.

She...thought she saw repeated stabbing because Lana had a red scarf on?  That doesn't make a particle of sense. And wait, in the photograph Lana wasn't wearing the scarf at all.    Why are we listening to a thing this woman says?

For the second time in a row,  Edgeworth interrupts and takes over Phoenix's objection for himself.   He's demolishing her quite satisfyingly.  Perhaps it's not a desire for the truth so much as finally getting to strike back, after having people speak ill of him for years.

"After the murder, the suspect attempted to run behind the partition".  Yeees,  that absolutely fits with your picture of a cold-blooded (yet enraged) stabber committing premeditated murder in a public place with evidence all over.

You climbed a nine-foot chain link fence, in your negligee, fur coat and heels (you are definitely wearing heels), so fast that you were able to apprehend the fleeing suspect after stopping to take a picture first.  Riiight.

Lana said "muffler"...like the car muffler?   On the phone? That means Ema has lied twice now - first she hid the fact that her sister called her right after the murder, then she claimed her sister hung up without saying anything.

Ah! So Lana wasn't attempting to hide at all, she was attempting to make a phone call.  Like you do when  you've discovered a body.  

Hah!  Phoenix points out that Angel just claimed to be able to look straight through the concrete partition.  I didn't actually pick that up.    And he's no longer taking anything she says at face value - he believes her statement that she saw Lana try to use the wall phone only because it's a pointless detail that no one would bother to lie about.  

...So he's willing to believe she saw what she says, but from a different location? I have to agree with Edgeworth, that also sounds pointless.  Why claim to be standing somewhere else?  "Where" isn't hard - she must've been in the pointedly-mentioned and clearly labeled security room,  looking down from above.  Why not say so?

And the judge FINALLY chastises her for lying, if only mildly.   She freely admits she'll say anything to take down Lana.  And it sounds like she has a reason, beyond personal hatred.  (A justified reason?)  

Good for Ema, she points out there's no obvious benefit to the location lie.  And Phoenix is the first to say the p-word.  What benefit would be worth that?  

"I swear it on my finest plastic spork!" A bible would surely be redundant.

Yes, five minutes between murder and arrest is  a TON of time.  Lana could easily have  escaped if she'd wanted to.  Angel surely made enough noise to alert her, running around and even taking her picture.   And Lana just apparently stood there? Why?

YES boot her off the stand, judge!  Don't let the caviar lunch sway you!

Court is adjourned, but there are still so many questions.  We still don't know what-  huh? Angel isn't ready to stop talking yet?

"I... might be able to save you."    Now isn't THAT an interesting statement.  It sounds like she's offering to save Edgeworth himself somehow, not just his case.  Even though she hates his guts.

The judge very politely tells her to feed her new claim of "decisive evidence" to someone else.  I approve,  though of course she'll end up having her say anyway.

NOW you bring up a bloody shoe? Which was, I'm going to bet, not in the police investigation report?  Why do you have Lana's shoe, and what does blood on it prove that the blood  on her coat and gloves doesn't?  

I was right, Edgeworth did not know about the shoe.   And he brings up "evidence law", that new evidence can't be introduced without the approval of the police department. Which is weird, because I certainly remember Phoenix producing all kinds of new evidence during former trials.  Not infrequently hidden or stolen from the police.  (Does that mean the victim's ID card which Phoenix pocketed is inadmissible? I bet it does not mean that. Edgeworth just doesn't want to accept evidence from this annoying person who hates him.)

Too bad for him, because she got it approved by the police department on her own...today?  I know Edgeworth is the opposition here, but that does not seem fair to him.  People who are not Phoenix need time to prepare their cases.  (Mostly because, unlike Phoenix, they actually have cases.)

Huh.  I don't know if this will be called out as a plot point, but a fundamental difference in approach just struck me here.   Edgeworth claims there could have been some bloody footprints that just didn't happen to be in the picture. He doesn't know, because unlike Phoenix he doesn't go to crime scenes. He relies on the police reports given to him.   That seems like it could come back to bite him in a much bigger way than just  this shoe.

Lana kicked over a water-filled oil drum while struggling with Angel.  ...Apparently no one but me finds this highly implausible.  Oil drums are heavy!  Even when empty,  kicking one over is a stunt for a martial artist, and when full...I can't picture it.

"Ah, yes, I will perform this feat of strength to wash away the bloody footprints, removing all the evidence against me. Except for my bloody coat, gloves and shoes, the murder weapon, the body, the eyewitness, and  the photo."   Edgeworth why does this seem logical to you? I an almost see Lana rolling her eyes in the prisoner's dock.

Hah. At the moment of failure,  Ema  stumbles on the one sure way to get Angel Starr pissed off enough to derail the trial again - accuse her of being on the side of a prosecutor in any way, shape or form.   She obviously *is*,  in that she and Edgeworth want the same verdict, but she can't stand to hear it said out loud.  

NOW of all times, she produces a photo of the body??  ...I guess proof that she withheld even more evidence from Edgeworth, against both their interests,  is supposed to be proof that she isn't on his side?  

The ghost of Mia appears in Phoenix's  mind, telling him not to give up.  And indeed, that photo shows something sticking out of the car's  muffler.   I was right, Lana meant that when she said "muffler" on the  phone.  

The trial has to be suspended while someone goes and looks to see what the thing in Edgeworth's car muffler is.  (Which really should've been noticed by any competent police investigators.  As should the fact that the suspect's shoe was missing on her arrest, and nowhere to be found.  Is the cowboy not actually very good at this?)

Next time: trial part 2, in which the judge is hopefully so stuffed as to no longer be susceptible to lunchbox bribery.