#seth: aftermath

[samson-hart]

@all-cf-me ( for seth )

He's awake for a few long moments before consciousness truly finds him. He tries to take in a deep breath: but his breath rattles and the taste of metal floods his mouth. Samson splutters awake. Groaning, he tries and fails to sit upright. The ceiling is familiar. For one silent moment he braces himself. The memories don't begin, yet. It feels like a dream sat right behind his eyes. He can't see it yet.

Samson forces himself to sit up, chest burning as he does so. The world spins as he can feel his usually slower heart begin to race. "Seth?" he manages through a dry throat.

[eschatclcgy]

closed | @all-cf-me (Seth)

Pain and adrenaline pounded through him, making his hands tremble as he scurried towards the relative safety of the Bearded Lady.

His fashionably torn clothes bore more tears than intended and his bare arms were pink and red with all kinds of marks. The knuckles of his right hand were split open and bleeding, but by far the worst of it was his face. One eye was already swelling shut and an open cut on his cheek wept gently. His lower lip, split and swollen, was covered with blood, which coated his sharp chin.

It hurt to swallow around the handprints on his throat, and he tugged the hood of his armless hoodie further over his face whenever he passed someone on the street, refusing to look whenever anyone drew near. All he wanted to do was get to work, get a few drinks, and forget the morning had ever happened.

His long legs carried him faster and faster as he neared the Lady and he skirted around to a side entrance, hoping to avoid as many people as possible til he could compose himself.

He rushed inside, slammed the door, turned- and ran smack into someone inside the building.

"Fuck!" he yelped, a fresh throb of pain shooting through him. "I'm sorry-"

[constelationprize]

The Kayleigh Lives AU - Part Two

And now for our check in with the World's Most Normalest Exy teams

Do you know who is 100% no exception capital T Thriving in this AU? Danielle Wilds.

I mean, she's still the first female captain in the NCAA, but in this universe she has actual support from inside the ERC board due to Kayleigh's insistance through the years

It has to do something for your ego when the creator of your sport namedrops you in multiple international interviews and also sends you a gift basket when you get nominated captain.

So yeah, even though the Foxes are still a mess and didn't pass the fourth game, Dan's having the time of her life. Good for her, honestly.

Kayleigh always attends the NCAA banquets because it's an easy excuse to be close to Kevin. Also the team spirit award isn't named after her, but she is the one to announce the winner every year. The Trojans have a running gag of the captain always making the exact same silly pose so they have a wall filled with basically the same picture a dozen times with minor differences – the main one being the five stages of grief on Kayleigh's face as she realises what's going on

Kayleigh's been avoiding Wymack at these things for ages because, look, when you decide you're gonna keep your baby a secret from your ex it's not a general expectation the two of you are going to meet face-to face regurlaly and be expected to make stilted small talk where he's very likely to ask about your son. And she doesn't need any rumors about them rising up again after all her efforts to kill the Baby Daddy speculation stories. If they come back, eventually someone is going to do the math right.

Also Kayleigh's pretty sure that after enough glasses of wine she'd hit on him again and even she's self aware enough to know that would be kind of a dick move

But she has always kept an eye on the Foxes, not only because she still has a little soft spot for Wymack, but also because his ideals of giving troubled kids a second chance trough Exy aligns itself a lot more with her ideals than wathever the hell the Ravens are doing now

(she would however like them a lot more if they were actually good at the sport)

So on these things she usually alternates between schmoozing with the ERC and being plastered by Kevin's side. She never wears red or black just to mess with the color scheme but claims it's not to show favoritism. She takes blatant advantage of the fact that Kevin never had an "embaressed of your mom" phase and frequently sits herself between Kevin and Riko.

Most of the Ravens don't complain because they are taught not to question authority but most importantly because Kevin's mom is hot. So she can disturbe the vibes a little, as a treat

Kayleigh is a frequent point of tension between Riko and Tetsuji, because she is of an almost equal standing to him in hierarchy (in that weird grey area where they both are important assets to the side branch with some autonomy but, ultimately, their leash is only as slack as Tetsuji decides to allow), so he's supposed to owe her some respect, but she is also his only competition for Tetsuji's affection and Kevin's obedience. The only reason he hasn't acted out against her yet is that Riko's waiting for Kayleigh and Tetsuji to fight so he can be sure his is the side his uncle will pick.

Jean is also not her greatest fan. Mostly because he sees Kayleigh as someone who willingly put herself and her son in a position Jean would do anything to get out of, but also because she's the safest person for him to hate. Jean learned the hard way not get in the Master or Riko's bad side, and Kevin is his only support inside the Nest. But she has very little direct impact on his life besides protecting him by proxy when she watches over Kevin, just because Riko's generally not allowed to hurt ANYONE during those times. It always gets a bit worse when she leaves, however, and Riko has pent-up frustation to take off. Jean hates her a little bit for that, too.

Neither of them could get Kevin to think badly of his mother, though. His faith in Kayleigh is one of the only things the Nest never managres to beat out of him.

At the Winter Banquet, the only time she leaves the Raven table is to approach Dan. She wants to congratulate her personally on the efforts this season and maybe offer some words of encouragement and advice.

Despite her many efforts to avoid the coaches' table like the plague, however, she ends up going up to the Foxes' table right when Wymack was coming to check that they hadn't set anything on fire.

It's an extremely awkward interaction. She calls him by his first name but looks like she's swallowed a lemon the entire time. He feels like there is no safe place on her person to look and so stares slightly over her shoulder into the distance. They can't decide wether to hug or politely shake hands and end up with stilted nods. They HAVE talked before, but it always feels like it's the first time they are seeing each other since the break up. It's been twenty years and at this point both of them have given up expecting things to get lighter. It's just that it's kind of hard to get over the multiple elephants in the room.

The Foxes eat it the FUCK up.

Allison could smell the divorce like a bloodhound. Seth however doesn't believe Coach could actually pull Kayleigh Day.

The SECOND Kayleigh and Wymack awkardly turn away and flee in opposite directions, the betting pool starts

The score is as follows: Coach hit on her when they were younger and got rejected (Seth, Fifth Year Seniors) / They had a one night stand a long time ago and it was Very Bad (Nicky) / They had a one night stand a long time ago and it was Very Good (Renée, Matt) / They dated but Kayleigh ended it (Allison) / They dated but Wymack ended it (Dan)

Andrew refuses to bet. When Nicky presses the twins a bit too much, Aaron gets annoyed and decides to bet that Wymack is actually Kevin Day's biological father. No one takes him seriously.

The team sat across them tries to pretend nothing happened

Some time between the reunion and her 100th check up on Kevin, Kayleigh ends up missing a very important discussion between the ERC and Tetsuji

[unintentionaloracle]

FINALLY I RETURN FROM MY "AVOIDING MANIA SPOILERS MODE!"

...ONLY TO ENTER LESS SERIOUS SPOILER AVOIDANCE MODE BECAUSE RAW!

YEAH!

[rootedinrevisions]

Through the Wreckage

SUMMARY: When a devastating tornado tears through town, Tyler Owens faces his worst nightmare: the woman he loves is missing. Tyler is thrust into a desperate search through the wreckage to find her. As the storm's aftermath unfolds, it forces him to confront his fears, regrets, and hopes for the future.

A/N: So got inspired for this after watching Twisters earlier today. Just the anguish that we saw from Tyler when he realized Kate was driving into the tornado made me wonder what would happen if the person he loved was missing or in danger. Hence where we ended up here.

WARNINGS: Destruction (ie: a tornado hit so damaged buildings, smoke, dust, sparks, etc.), Blood, Minor Injuries.

WORD COUNT: 3.6k

TAG LIST: IN COMMENTS

If you would like to be added to any of my Tag Lists please feel free to comment, send an ask, or send a DM and I'll be happy to get you added! Below are the fandoms I currently write for.

Glen Powell: Himself (RPF), Characters He's Played

Twisters: Tyler Owens, Boone, Scott, Javi

Top Gun: Maverick: Rooster, Hangman, Bob

Marvel/MCU: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers

WWE/Wrestling: Cody Rhodes, Corey Graves, Damian Priest, Drew McIntyre, Finn Balor, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Kevin Owens, L.A. Knight, Pat McAfee, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins (if there is someone you're thinking of from WWE and they aren't on the list feel free to ask! There are so many guys on the roster that these were the ones that came to mind.)

The tires screeched as Tyler pulled up to the scene, gravel crunching beneath his truck. He barely shifted into park before throwing the door open and jumping out. His boots hit the ground with a thud, and the first thing his eyes locked on was the building—partially collapsed, its front wall completely gone. The inside was exposed like a broken shell, with beams hanging at jagged angles and smoke or dust curling into the air from where drywall and bricks had crumbled. His heart sank like a stone in his chest. This wasn’t good.

Behind him, Boone’s truck came to a stop, followed by Dani, Dexter, and Lily piling out of their vehicles. Tyler barely registered the sound of their voices calling his name as they ran toward him. His world had narrowed to the destruction in front of him, and one thought pounded in his mind: She’s in there.

Pulling his phone from his pocket with shaking hands, Tyler checked the last location pinged from your phone. His stomach twisted. It matched this address. He swallowed hard, the weight of dread pressing down on him as his eyes scanned the crowd of people that had been pulled from the building and huddled together on the other side of the street. His pulse quickened as he searched for you, desperate for even a glimpse of your face. But you weren’t there.

“Tyler, man, slow down,” Boone said, gripping his shoulder as he came up beside him. “Let’s figure out what’s going on—”

“She’s not out here,” Tyler cut him off, his voice tight and raw. “She’s not with them.” He gestured toward the crowd of people being tended to by paramedics. 

His chest heaved as the realization hit him like a freight train: You were still inside.

Without another word, he turned and made a beeline toward the first responders standing near the edge of the debris. His strides were long and determined, his jaw set in grim determination as he ignored Boone’s calls to slow down. 

The closer he got, the more chaos surrounded him. The air smelled of smoke and damp concrete, and the sound of crackling debris mixed with shouts from firefighters. But none of it mattered.

“Did everyone get out?” Tyler shouted, his voice hoarse as he reached the nearest firefighter. “Did you see a woman—about this tall, light hair?” He motioned frantically, his green eyes darting around. 

He already knew the answer from their hesitant expressions, but he refused to accept it.

“Sir,” one of them started, stepping forward, “it’s not safe—we weren’t able to get to everyone.”

“Where. Is. She?” Tyler growled, his frustration boiling over. His voice cracked, raw with fear and desperation. “Her phone’s still pinging from here! I need to know if she made it out!”

Another firefighter shook his head grimly. “We’re still doing sweeps, but the building’s unstable. Most of the front wall came down in the collapse. We can’t risk—”

“Bullshit!” Tyler snapped, cutting him off as he took a step toward the wreckage.

Boone and Dexter were on him in an instant, grabbing his arms to hold him back.

“Tyler, don’t,” Boone urged, his voice low and firm. “You can’t go in there, man. It’s not safe. They’ll handle it.”

“She’s in there!” Tyler shouted, wrenching free from their grip. His voice cracked as he pointed toward the ruined building. “I know she is, Boone! I’m not waiting around while they do their sweeps!” His voice was shaking now, and for a moment, the raw emotion broke through his resolve. His chest heaved, his shoulders trembling as he ran a hand over his face, trying to block out the fear clawing at his mind.

The building groaned, a deep, unsettling sound that warned of further collapse. Tyler’s eyes darted toward it, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms. 

If you were inside, he wasn’t about to stand by and let the clock run out.

“I’m going in,” he muttered under his breath, and before anyone could stop him, he broke into a sprint toward the wreckage.

“Sir! Stop! You can’t go in there!” a firefighter yelled, his voice sharp with authority.

Another called out, “It’s too dangerous! The structure’s not stable!”

But Tyler didn’t stop. He didn’t even slow down. The sound of boots pounding behind him told him Boone or Dexter was probably trying to catch him, but he didn’t care. All he could see was the shattered entrance ahead, the gaping maw of destruction that had swallowed you whole.

As he crossed the threshold, the air inside hit him like a wall—thick with dust and smoke, making it hard to breathe. He pulled his shirt up over his nose and mouth, squinting to see through the haze. The floor was littered with debris—chunks of drywall, splintered wood, and jagged shards of glass. Wires hung loose from the ceiling, some sparking as they dangled.

The creak of shifting metal echoed through the space, and Tyler froze for a moment, his eyes darting upward. A beam groaned overhead, threatening to give way. He clenched his jaw and forced himself to move, stepping carefully over a fallen section of wall.

“Darlin’,” he shouted, his voice hoarse and strained. “Where are you?”

His heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the wreckage, his eyes darting from one pile of debris to the next. The oppressive silence was broken only by the occasional crackle of sparks or the distant shouts of first responders outside.

“Come on, darlin’. Give me something,” he muttered under his breath, his voice trembling. He tried to focus, to ignore the dread clawing at the edges of his mind.

Tyler’s boot crunched on something, and he looked down to see a broken picture frame, the glass shattered across the floor. Around it were scattered papers, children’s drawings, and a few books covered in dust. He swallowed hard, the small remnants of normal life a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding him.

Pushing forward, he weaved through the destruction, stepping over overturned chairs and avoiding the sharp edges of broken furniture. The air grew hotter the deeper he went, the faint smell of something burning making his stomach churn.

And then he saw it.

A shoe.

Tyler’s breath caught in his throat as he recognized it—your shoe, half-buried beneath a pile of rubble. He stumbled forward, dropping to his knees as his shaking hands reached for it.

“Sweetheart?” he called, his voice breaking. He tossed aside chunks of drywall and splintered wood, the sharp edges cutting into his palms. Blood smeared across the debris as he worked, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was getting to you.

Finally, he uncovered your leg, and his heart seized. You were pinned beneath the debris, your body motionless. Dust and grime streaked your face, and your hair was tangled with bits of plaster.

“Sweetheart,” he whispered, his voice trembling as he reached out to brush a strand of hair from your face. His fingers were gentle, but his hands shook uncontrollably.

Leaning closer, he pressed his fingers to the side of your neck, searching desperately for a pulse. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. And then he felt it—a faint, fragile beat beneath his fingertips.

Relief flooded him, and a choked sob escaped his lips. 

“Thank God,” he breathed. “I’ve got you, darlin’. You’re okay. You’re gonna be okay.”

At the sound of his voice, you stirred faintly, your head shifting against the debris that cradled it. The faintest groan escaped your lips, so quiet he almost missed it. Tyler froze, his heart skipping a beat as his eyes shot to your face.

“Darlin’?” He said, his voice trembling with equal parts hope and fear. He cupped your face with one dirt-streaked hand, brushing his thumb across your cheek. “Hey, hey, it’s me. Can you hear me, sweetheart?”

Your brow furrowed slightly, and your lips moved, though no sound came out at first. He leaned closer, his ear inches from your face.

“Ty...” The broken syllable fell from your lips like a lifeline, and his chest ached at the sound of it.

“Yeah, it’s me,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m right here. I’ve got you.”

Your eyes fluttered weakly, just barely cracking open, but it was enough. Enough to send relief crashing over him in a wave so powerful it left him dizzy.

“Oh, thank God,” he murmured, his hand sliding down to grip yours. He squeezed it gently, willing his strength into you. “Stay with me. Keep those eyes on me, okay? You’re gonna be fine. I promise.”

You tried to say something else, your voice a faint whisper he couldn’t quite make out. He shook his head, tears pricking his eyes as he crouched lower to meet your gaze.

“Don’t try to talk,” he urged softly. “Just save your strength, darlin’. I’m getting you out of here. Just stay with me, okay? That’s all I need you to do. Stay with me.”

The faintest flicker of a nod came from you, but it was enough to shatter the fragile composure he’d been clinging to. His free hand pressed to his mouth as he choked back a sob, his chest heaving with the weight of his fear and relief.

The building groaned again, a deep, ominous sound that sent a shiver down his spine. He knew he didn’t have much time. He slid his arms beneath you, cradling you against his chest as he stood.

With you in his arms, Tyler turned toward the exit, his focus unwavering despite the chaos around him. All that mattered was getting you out of here alive.

Tyler adjusted his grip on you, holding you closer as he stepped carefully over the uneven ground. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t.

The air inside the building was suffocating. Smoke and dust hung thick like a heavy fog, clawing at his lungs with every breath. His throat burned, and each inhale felt like dragging sandpaper across raw skin. He coughed, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before forcing them open again. He couldn’t lose focus—not now.

Sparks rained down from a severed electrical wire overhead, the sharp sting biting into the exposed skin of his arms. He flinched, gritting his teeth as the acrid smell of singed fabric filled the air. 

“Stay with me, darlin’,” he murmured, his voice rough and desperate as he looked down at you. “We’re almost out of here.”

Your body shifted slightly in his arms, and a soft, raspy cough escaped your lips. Tyler’s heart jumped at the sound. Panic surged through him, as he saw how shallow your breathing was.

“You still with me?” He called, his voice cracking. “Hey, can you hear me? Talk to me, sweetheart.”

You coughed again, your eyelids fluttering briefly but not opening. A weak, almost inaudible groan escaped you.

“That’s it,” Tyler said, his tone urgent but soft like he was coaxing you back to him. “You’re doing good. Just keep breathing for me, okay? We’re getting out of here.”

He stumbled slightly as the ground beneath him shifted—a section of flooring sagging under the weight of the debris. Tyler’s knees buckled for a moment, and he tightened his grip on you, his heart racing.

“Dammit,” he muttered, steadying himself before pressing forward.

The building groaned around him, the sound of metal twisting and concrete cracking growing louder. He could feel time running out.

Another section of ceiling collapsed behind him, sending a fresh plume of dust into the air. Tyler ducked instinctively, shielding you as debris rained down. A sharp edge grazed the back of his neck, and he winced, but he didn’t stop moving.

The exit was just ahead—a faint sliver of light visible through the haze. Tyler pushed toward it, his legs trembling with exertion. His vision blurred, black spots dancing at the edges as the lack of clean air began to take its toll.

His steps faltered, and he coughed violently, nearly doubling over. For a moment, he thought his legs might give out, but then he felt a small, trembling hand against his chest. Your hand gripped weakly at his shirt, your head lolling slightly against his shoulder.

“T-Tyler...” you rasped, your voice barely audible. 

His breath hitched, and he forced himself to keep moving. 

“I’m here,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion. “I’ve got you, darlin’. Just hang on.”

The exit grew closer, but the smoke thickened, clawing at his throat and lungs. Tyler stumbled again, his knees hitting the floor as his body screamed for oxygen.

“No,” he growled, shaking his head as he clutched you tighter. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself back to his feet, ignoring the way his legs trembled beneath him.

The light from the exit grew brighter, and he could hear the distant shouts of first responders outside. They sounded muffled like he was underwater, but it gave him just enough hope to keep going.

Sparks rained down again, burning his exposed arms and neck, but Tyler turned his body to shield you, hunching over as he pushed through the final stretch. His back felt like it was on fire, the fabric of his shirt sticking to blistering skin, but he didn’t slow down.

Finally, he broke through the haze, stumbling out onto the pavement. The fresh air hit him like a punch to the chest, and he gasped, his knees giving out as he sank to the ground.

“Help! Somebody—” he coughed violently, his voice raw and barely audible. “Somebody help her!”

Paramedics rushed toward him, but Tyler’s focus was on you. Your face was pale, streaked with dust and sweat, but your chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. He reached up to brush a trembling hand against your cheek, his fingers stained with soot and blood.

“Stay with me, sweetheart. You’re safe now.” He whispered, his voice cracking as tears welled in his eyes. 

Tyler cradled you in his arms, his knees rooted to the pavement as the chaos of the world around him blurred into background noise. His only focus was you.

Your head lolled weakly against his chest, and your breaths were growing more shallow and uneven by the minute. A fresh wave of panic crashed over him as your eyelids fluttered, threatening to close.

“Hey,” he called softly, his voice trembling. “No, no, darlin’, stay with me. Look at me.”

Your eyes opened slightly, your gaze unfocused as you struggled to lift your head.

“I… can’t,” you murmured, the words barely audible.

“Yes, you can,” he said, his tone firm but full of emotion. “You’re not quittin’ on me now, you hear me?”

You coughed softly, your body trembling in his arms. Tyler adjusted his grip, pulling you closer as if he could shield you from the pain and the fear.

“We have plans, remember?” His voice cracked as he spoke, tears welling in his eyes. “Dinner tonight, just you and me. You told me you wanted to get dressed up, and said I needed to wear that tie you like. I’m not lettin’ you out of that, sweetheart. You still owe me a dance.”

A weak smile tugged at the corners of your lips, but it quickly faded as your eyelids grew heavier.

“And the church,” he continued, desperation lacing his words. “The little church your parents got married in. We’ll get married there, just like you’ve always wanted. You can wear that lace dress you talked about, the one you saw at the boutique last spring.”

You made a small sound, something between a laugh and a sob, and your fingers twitched weakly against his chest.

“And kids,” Tyler added, his voice breaking completely now. “Two–hell, however many you want. We’ll give ‘em the best damn life, I promise you that. Just… just stay with me, darlin’. Please.”

Your eyes fluttered open again, glassy but fixed on him.

“Three or four?” you rasped, a faint hint of amusement in your tone.

Tyler let out a shaky laugh, relief washing over him like a flood. He cupped your face gently, his thumb brushing away a smudge of dirt from your cheek.

“Yeah, three or four is perfect, darlin’,,” he said, his forehead pressing against yours as his tears mingled with the soot on his face. “Whatever you want, sweetheart. Just tell me the names you’ve got picked out, and I’ll make it happen.”

You gave a weak, tired smile, and he could feel the slight rise and fall of your chest against his. But your body still felt too limp, too fragile in his arms.

“Don’t you dare close those eyes again,” he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. “Stay with me, sweetheart. Stay with me.”

Your gaze flickered once more, but before he could plead again, the paramedics swarmed around you.

“Sir, we need to take her now,” one of them said urgently, but Tyler’s arms tightened instinctively around you.

“I’m not leavin’ her,” he said fiercely, his eyes wild as he looked up at them.

“We need space to help her,” the paramedic insisted, their tone gentle but firm.

Tyler hesitated, his heart warring with his head as he realized he had no choice. He leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to your forehead.

“You hang on, you hear me?” he whispered, his voice shaking.

Reluctantly, he let them take you from his arms, his hands trembling as he watched them load you onto the stretcher. His heart clenched painfully as he saw your pale, dust-streaked face disappear behind the blur of paramedics working to save you.

* * * *

The waiting room of the hospital felt like a void. Time moved differently here, stretching out each second into an eternity. Tyler sat hunched over in a plastic chair, his forearms resting on his knees, his hands clasped tightly together. Boone, Dani, Dexter, and Lily sat nearby, their voices low and subdued as they tried to offer support. But Tyler didn’t hear them. His mind was stuck in the chaos of the collapsed building, the sound of your ragged breaths, the weight of your fragile body in his arms.

He stared at the double doors down the hallway, willing someone to come through them with news. Good news. Any news. His burned skin throbbed beneath the bandages the ER nurses had wrapped around him, but he didn’t care. The only pain that mattered was the fear clawing at his chest. The fear of losing you.

“T,” Boone said quietly, resting a hand on his shoulder. “She’s strong. She’s gonna pull through.”

Tyler nodded absently, his throat too tight to respond. He wanted to believe Boone, but the image of you lying so still, your face pale and streaked with dust, was seared into his mind.

The doors finally swung open, and a doctor stepped into the waiting room. Tyler shot to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Tyler Owens?” the doctor asked, glancing around the room.

“That’s me,” he said, his voice hoarse.

The doctor smiled softly, and Tyler’s knees nearly buckled with relief.

“She’s stable,” the doctor said. “She inhaled a lot of smoke, and there’s some bruising from the debris, but no major injuries. She’s going to be okay.”

Tyler exhaled a shaky breath, his hands dragging down his face as the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders.

“Can I see her?” Tyler asked, his voice cracking.

“Of course,” the doctor replied. “She’s awake, but she’s still weak. Try to keep it short for now.”

Tyler nodded, barely hearing the last part as he followed the doctor down the hallway. His boots echoed on the tile floor, the sound somehow both grounding and surreal.

When he stepped into your room, his chest tightened at the sight of you. You were propped up in the hospital bed, an oxygen mask resting lightly over your nose and mouth. The faint beeping of the monitors was a comforting reminder that you were still here, still breathing.

Your eyes fluttered open when you heard him, and despite the exhaustion etched into your face, you managed a small smile.

“Hey, cowboy,” you whispered, your voice muffled by the mask.

Tyler’s lips curved into a smile, and he pulled a chair up to your bedside, sitting down with a sigh of relief. He reached for your hand, his fingers curling gently around yours.

“You scared the hell outta me,” he said, his voice low and rough. “Don’t ever do that again, you hear me?”

“I’ll try,” you teased weakly, your fingers giving his hand the faintest squeeze.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. Tyler’s thumb brushed over your knuckles, his eyes drinking in the sight of you as if to convince himself you were really okay.

“I meant what I said out there,” he finally murmured, his gaze locking with yours.

You frowned slightly in confusion. “What part?”

“All of it,” he said. “The church, the kids, everything. I want it all with you, darlin’. I want to marry you, and I’ll wear whatever you tell me to.”

You laughed softly, the sound raspy but real, and Tyler’s heart swelled.

“I’ll hold you to that,” you said, your smile softening as tears welled in your eyes. “I want it all too, Tyler. I always have.”

Tyler leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. “Then let’s start with dinner,” he said. “Soon as you’re out of here, I’m takin’ you to the nicest place in town. No storms, no distractions, just you and me.”

Your fingers tightened around his as you nodded, tears slipping down your cheeks. “Deal. Can we have Italian?”

For the first time in hours, Tyler let himself relax, a small smile playing on his lips as he whispered, “Sure, sweetheart. Anything you want.”

[lucky-slice]

Do you understand how much kevin respects neil? And i don't mean when it comes to exy, like sure there's a whole lot of you're not good enough followed by you will make court bluh bluh bluh, i mean fundamentally as a human.

Kevin and Neil's conversation after the truth of Neil's father is revealed drives me absolutely insane because I think it highlights a lot about how Kevin views Neil.

so indulge me for a bit....

I think a lot of people forget, in light of Andrew choking Kevin for not telling him the truth, that Kevin's initial reaction was to tell Neil to run.

*sorry for the quality - these are all screenshots off my phone

Kevin's instinct is to tell Neil to save himself, despite what that would mean for the team's success and for Kevin himself. This is significant to me for two reasons.

It highlights that Kevin genuinely cares about Neil outside of his exy potential. For most people, this would be a pretty obvious response to finding out your teammate has a guaranteed death sentence if they stick around, so it might not seem all that meaningful, but Kevin was raised in such an environment were you continued to play no matter what - even at the risk of death. Kevin is unflinchingly callous when it comes to exy and his teammates (*see his reaction to Seth's death), but he is frantic in his concern for Neil in contrast to his fairly passive response to basically anyone else's wellbeing outside of exy. Neil's death will have no real impact on Kevin. If Neil dies or goes to the ravens, nothing changes for Kevin. He is not at a greater risk of being hurt by Riko or the Moriyama's nor will his exy career be effected. That's not to say he would tell Neil to stay if he cared about him any less, but there is a desperation that implies a depth beyond just that of a teammate.

The fact that Kevin is frantic and desperate for Neil to leave, gives weight to his decision to keep teaching Neil in the aftermath of the revelation.

Neil doesn't want to run - he wants to be Neil Josten until the end. He gave Kevin his game and now he's asking him to keep it and Kevin obliges.

This is essentially Kevin promising that he will keep Neil's secret. He will allow Neil to wear his mask and continue teaching him despite the fact that Neil is essentially a dead man walking. This, to me, is Kevin ultimately respecting Neil and his choice. At any moment, Kevin has the ability to got to Wymack or Andrew and give Neil the chance at surviving, but that would mean betraying Neil.

Some people (certainly the foxes) would view refusing Neil's request as the proper and morally correct thing to do. But I think Kevin's immediate acceptance of Neil's decision is both immensely meaningful to Neil and also a signifier of a shared understanding between to two.

Imagine how impactful it must be for Neil, who has never had autonomy over his own life and has been marked for death basically since he was born, to be told that not only will his decisions and his autonomy be respected, but there is someone who will stand by his side on the court, knowing the whole truth, until the very end.

Kevin doesn't have much to offer Neil at this point. He can not give him a future - he'll be long dead before he can ever make court, and Kevin is a coward - he is not andrew, he can't stand up against the Moriyama's or Riko or Neil's father. Kevin can not protect Neil in a way that matters. All he can do is promise to keep Neil's secret and offer him a few more months of being Neil Josten.

I'm not including this to disparage Andrew or to suggest that he does not respect Neil, but this highlights that Kevin knows the decision to keep Neil's secret is one only Kevin would make. Andrew without a doubt would immediately try to get Neil to leave or attempt to get him into protection. I'm not passing a judgement of morality on what would've been the right thing to do, but I do think Kevin's reaction is indicative of the fact that Neil and Kevin understand each other in a way that no one else really will.

Neil and Kevin are a parallel's in a number of ways. Kevin lived the life that Neil was supposed to have and they are two parts of one story.

To them exy is not a game, but it's not really about exy either. It's about deciding to stay just to play for a couple more months even though you'll wind up dead because playing means you finally get to live after years of being a ghost. It's about playing to be the best no matter what, even though the consequences are having your hand smashed and the life you know completely demolished. It's about playing even though you're shaking with fear and anxiety because you need proof that your life, whether it be running to survive or living under an abusive hand, was not a waste.

Kevin agrees to keep Neil's secret because if the roles were reversed, Kevin would like to believe that he'd be strong enough to ask Neil for the same thing. This is obviously conjecture and a heavy heavy reading between the lines, but I'd like to think there's some truth there.

Finishing up with this line because it makes me a little emotional.

Kevin starts the conversation by calling Neil "Nathaniel" and ends it by calling him Neil again. Its right there in the text, "it was a promise". Kevin is offering Neil a life that is fully his - not his father's, not Riko's, but Neil's to do with what he would like, even if its only for a couple more months. If that's not respect, than I don't know what is.

[panlight]

Will never not be weird to me that the newborn fight has like . . . no fallout in the text.

I get why. Breaking Dawn is the re-write of Forever Dawn, which was written before Eclipse (and New Moon) existed. So because there was no newborn fight in Forever Dawn, it's not really a factor at all in Breaking Dawn. I also get that our narrator wasn't there at the fight so to her it's not like a super big deal; for her, Edward and Seth's fight with Riley and Victoria was the traumatic thing.

But like, dude. The supporting characters were literally fighting to the death. To the death! They could have died! This newborn army was trying to KILL them!

They killed sentient creatures! Sure they were vampires bent on killing them and it was self-defense. But those vampires were victims themselves; mere months ago they had been teenagers with lives until they got roped into Victoria's revenge scheme. This is tragic. It's one thing to kill Laurent or James who are centuries old and making their own choices. But the Seattle newborns? They were just kids, kids who were used and lied to. And they KNOW they're kids because the definition of a newborn is being a vampire for less than a year. They were about the same ages as the shapeshifters themselves. Diego was 17. Raoul was 16. Riley was only 18. Hell, even as vampires they spent their non-murdering time playing video games and reading.

I think the only time it comes up in Breaking Dawn at all is when Jacob is talking about the Cullens' abilities as fighters and who should take out whom if it comes to a fight. Jacob's not haunted by the fight. None of the shapeshifters seem to be at all. Even Jacob's horrific injury is just like . . . whatever. He's healed. It's fine. No one is upset or traumatized by that. No one is wondering what they would have done if there hadn't been a vampire doctor able to break and reset the bones.

None of the Cullens are bothered by the fight, either. It's just full-on into wedding mode.

This didn't stir up some stuff for Jasper? Really?

And the whole Bree thing! Esme and Carlisle were ready to adopt this girl! And then she's just never mentioned again. That doesn't haunt them?? They aren't horrified about what happened to that poor kid?

I understand, it would be a buzzkill for Bella and Edward's wedding and honeymoon for these characters to actually have to deal with any aftermath. The supporting characters just gotta do their supporting stuff. I get it. I do. But you set up this big battle and then it's just like "well! glad that's over!" Why even bother writing it if it doesn't matter?

[lycanspirited]

Aftermath

(For anyone wondering, before, who actually reads this, first off why? Second this takes place 6 months after the final battle with Ra, so pay attention *wink*)

@redemptioninchaos

For some, things had gotten better. Jenny and Seth were together as well as a vampire/witch and god could be. Robin was home working on university applications, sending one off to Boone. Meanwhile, Cobalt sat in the underworld, in his room. His ears pinned back. He heard the arguing, not really arguing, but could feel the mood shift in the world.

Heading out he found Colette and set a pawhand on her shoulder. "Listen," He started softly. "Why don't you go visit your parents, check in on them?" He walked around to face her more, his gold/green eyes looking into her black ones.

"It's been what? Months? Years? Take a break from all the magic and pain down here."

[codename-adler]

Hello! I'm asking around a few accts. Any kevaaron fic recs?? I'm loving their ship and reading people's hcs about them!

heyyyy it's A Little Late with Adler & here are your Kevaaron fics!

always going to start off with @djhedy 's coming loose because it is a staple and it is stitched onto my heart

twin high maintenance machines by @falsetto-foxhole cannot be skipped

The Way We Are by @kevindavidday /ParkeRose, also a classic

Twilight and Daytime by my eternal love Ukamushu @/apparently_i_write_fanfics ; so UNDERRATED despite written at the height of the Kevaaron frenzy, it is my comfort and my home

it's always been you. by @saturnwaves ; a future fic with Doctor Minyard and Pro Kevin Day that just hits right

Fairy Lights by @kweenkday : The Holiday AU!!! Neil and Aaron swap houses for the holidays. Kevaaron + Andreil happen...

gonna leave my Kevaaron ao3 bookmarks here for you to skim through as well!

@minyard-05 is currently the best blog for Kevaaron, read everything he has given us!!

now, ✨SHAMELESS SELF PROMO TIME✨:

dance 'til you find someone to die for , an ongoing Kevaaron fic where instead of Seth, Riko goes for Aaron, which brings him and Kevin closer in the aftermath and the upcoming battles (started back when i was one of the Kevaaron queens...)

more recent, i'm actually, genuinely so proud of having written The Two of Us (We're Done Running) for the Mixtape Exchange '24 (like, i have reread it multiple times. and i don't read my shit.)

[afterdarkprincess]

✨💘Tay's Fic Masterlist 💘✨

Sami Zayn & Jey Uso

Aftershocks Rating: Explicit Word Count: 14,595 Summary: Sami and Jey dealing with the aftermath of Tribal Combat at SummerSlam Masterpost Pretty in Pink- Aftershocks side story Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,570 Summary: On a brief vacation from shows, Sami comes home to find his boyfriend all dressed up and waiting for him. Post

The Devil's in the Details (But You Got a Friend in Me) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 33,090 (currently) Summary: Royal Rumble AU- Sami gets injured at the Rumble and never betrays Roman. Friends to Lovers through SummerSlam Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Sweet Like Justice Rating: Gen Word Count: 660 Summary: Backstage at Crown Jewel, Jey and Sami hatch a plan to subvert the Judgement Day Post

A Moment Backstage Rating: Gen Word Count: 1,027 Summary: Sami and Jey share an interaction backstage before the Tag Title Rematch (set during Nov 13th 2023 Monday Night Raw) Post

Ruin(ed) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 729 Summary: Watching from backstage as Rhea flirts with Jey, Sami gets possessive and pulls Jey into the closest closet Post

Beauty Rating: Mature Word Count: 356 Summary: Sami Zayn reflects on the most beautiful thing he's ever seen Post

Did you touch yourself to the thought of me? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1051 Summary:Sami finds out just how long Jey had been thinking about the two of them together. Post am I allowed to cry? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,556 Summary: Sami reflects on his relationship with Jey and the visions of Jey he sees in his head. Post

fuck it if i can't have him Rating: Mature Word Count: 1,514 Summary: Jey reflects on the choices he's made since the Royal Rumble and his feelings for Sami Post

I love you (it's ruining my life) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,372 Summary: Sami and Jey realize they're in the same hotel and meet up for a late night discussion. Post

fear Rating: Mature Word Count: 1,326 Summary: Seeing the carnage backstage, Jey fears for Sami's safety Post

you like that? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,058 Summary: Jey tells Sami all the things he'll do for him once he becomes double champ Post

CM Punk/Drew McIntyre

i won't be denied by you (the animal inside of you) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 932 Summary: Drew McIntyre is obsessed with CM Punk. Haunted by CM Punk. Possessed by him. Post

Winner Take All Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,778 Summary: After their encounters on the April 29th Monday Night RAW, Drew McIntyre finds CM Punk backstage. Alone. Post

Acts of Contrition Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,581 Summary: Drew kidnaps CM Punk and cleanses him of his many sins Post

A Piece of You Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,208 Summary: Drew gets exactly what he wants when he shows up to Smackdown- a piece of CM Punk Post

Unfinished Business Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,930 Summary: Drew hears Punk's remarks to Cathy after Bash in Berlin and seeks him out in his hotel room. Post

Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns & Jon Moxley

tangled up with you all night (burning it down) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3,720 Summary: Shield Era 2012 Seth has an encounter with 2023's Jon Moxley and Tribal Chief. Sexytimes ensue. Post

Seth Rollins & Jon Moxley

all you ever did was wreck me (yeah you wreck me) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3,278 Summary: Newly returned Dean Ambrose has a press event at the WWE Performance Center and World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is among those there to greet him. They find one another in a practice room long after everyone else has gone home and things escalate quickly. Post

mine Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,083 Summary: Dean Ambrose pays Seth Rollins a visit after Smackdown 3/29/24 to remind Seth who he belongs to. Post

The Bloodline- Roman & Sami

ours Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,990 Summary: After WarGames, Roman decides what Sami Zayn's place is in the bloodline, a willing hole for them to use. Post

Roman's Pet Rating: Explicit Word Count: 859 Summary: Roman's pet Sami serves the Tribal Chief and earns his reward Post

Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton

Unwrapping Rating: Teen Word Count: 1,289 Summary: After a long day of pressers and events, Cody returns home to Randy, who knows exactly how to take care of him. Post

Bret Hart & Shawn Micheals

between comfort and chaos Rating: Mature Word Count: 510 Summary: Shawn examines the feelings that have been growing between himself and Bret. Post

Solo Sikoa & Sami Zayn

Leather & Lace Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,009 Summary: Solo Sikoa finds himself as the new Tribal Chief. The Tribal Chief gets what the Tribal Chief wants. Solo Sikoa wants Sami Zayn. Post

Sami & Jey & Cody Rhodes

Can't Keep My Hands to Myself Rating: Explicit Word Count: 6,053 Summary: Things get a little heated in the bus after the Fastlane Press Conference, Sami facetimes his boyfriend to get in on the action. Part 1 Part 2

Jey Uso & Cody Rhodes

you can be rough, I can take it Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,108 Summary: Set after Fastlane 2023 press conference- Cody and Jey fall into bed together after winning the undisputed tag team championships. Post

Jey Uso & Sami Zayn & Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins

all's fair in love and war Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,413 Summary: Aftermath of November 20th Monday Night Raw- Jey panics at hearing Randy Orton's name out of Cody's mouth. He's lost the advantage and feels less secure than ever in his position on their team, but Sami, Cody, and Seth are there to support and spoil him. Part 1 Part 2

LA Knight & JD McDonagh

nothing safe is worth the drive (and I will follow you home) Rating: Gen/Teen Word Count: 1,305 Summary: LA Knight waits and watches and worries as JD fights in the Wargames match and comforts him afterwards. Post

Seth Rollins & Jey Uso

dont worry, I'll be gentle Rating: Explicit Word Count: 331 Summary: Seth ties up Jey for some playtime Post

Jey Uso x Reader

can you feel how much I want you? Rating: Mature Word Count: 774 Summary: You've had one of the best nights of your life at the Royal Rumble, and you go out with the rest of the locker room to celebrate and run into your best friend Jey after a few drinks. Post

[sugarshackpeasant]

the wolf pack timeline makes no sense (and here’s me trying to make sense of it/fixing it)

Things to remember:

After bella meets emily for the first time, Charlie claims emily was scarred more than a year ago (i don’t have a copy of new moon right now but i think bella met emily in early march??)

According to the twilight illustrated guide, jared and paul had already phased when emily was scarred

Jared and paul were heavily involved in the immediate aftermath of emily’s accident

Before collin and brady, seth was the youngest to phase (he was 14)

In new moon, paul is stated to be roughly 16

Jared and paul are in the same grade and they were born in 1990 like jacob, embry, and quil

Paul is explicitly stated in the illustrated guide to have phased in 2006

2003:

AUGUST

the cullens move to forks

2004:

MAY

Early May: sam uley phases in his senior year

It’s not stated when sam phased but for the sake of the timeline i’ll place it at the end of the school year

Mid May: two weeks later, sam shifts back to human

JUNE

Early June: sam graduates high school

Late June: jared cameron phases

Smeyer loves to use the phrase “not long after” which doesn’t leave much wiggle room 🙄

So i think jared phasing like 5-6 weeks after sam phased back to human aligns with that

this would make jared around 14 which doesn’t make sense bc seth was supposed to be the youngest

But the illutsrated guide and jared’s involvement in emily’s accident requires him to be phased at this point in time

Also it’s stated that jared and sam were casual friends despite not being in the same grade (i doubt an 18 year old and a 14 year old were hanging out that much considering they’re not related) 

My proposition: let’s change jared’s age in new moon to 17-18, this would make him about 15-16 at this point in time which would flow better with canon 

AUGUST

Mid August: paul lahote phases

It’s implied that paul and jared had already phased when sam and leah broke up 

Smeyer says not too long after sam phased, jared and paul did too 🙄

However, paul is explicitly stated as roughly 16 in new moon and the illustrated guide says that he phased in 2006

But that’s not possible!! It’s the same issue with jared’s age, if paul is 14 when he phased then seth’s not the youngest but also if he phased in 2006 then he couldn’t have helped when emily had her accident

AND if he did phase in january 2006 then emily’s accident would have happened 2 months ago, which contradicts charlie’s statement of the accident occuring more than a year ago

AND how is paul phasing early january 2006 (bc he canonically phases before embry) shortly after sam phasing in 2004??

My proposition: change paul’s age in new moon to 17-18, which would make him about 15-16 when he first phased in 2004!!

Late August: emily visits and sam imprints on her, sam breaks up with leah

Smeyer says not long after sam shifted back to human, emily came to visit the clearwaters

However, she also says that was busy with school so she didn’t visit immediately after

So i think like 2-2 ½ months later makes sense, it should probably be closer together but i think there needs to be enough time between all these events

Emily’s age is also unclear so i think she would be in trade school/college or something atp but we’ll say she graduated about a year before sam (making her 19)

SEPTEMBER

Early September: jared imprints on kim

It’s said that kim sat next to jared in history class at school for a year and i think this makes sense if you consider how small the classes would be

so they sit next to each other sophomore year and then the first day of junior year they’re sitting next to each other again 

Honestly this is a minor fuckup for me but considering that all the phasing stuff is more important, i think i can accept my explanation

Late September: emily gets scarred

OCTOBER

Early October: emily tells leah about her and sam but leah already knows bc of how obvious it was post accident

Emily canonically waited until she was more fully recovered to tell leah about her relationship with sam (and it’s one of her regrets)

2005:

JANUARY

Mid January: bella arrives in Forks

JUNE

Early June: leah clearwater graduates high school

In new moon, bella claims that leah is a senior like her but a year older

But this just makes no sense and is completely irrelevant to the story??

Canon states that sam phased when he was a senior and leah was a junior, making leah a senior in the 2004-2005 school year (when bella was a junior)…

So unless she was held back a year or started late when she was a kid, it’s just not possible

My proposition: let’s make leah a senior and have her graduate in june 2005, making her 18 at this point in time

SEPTEMBER

Mid September: the cullens leave forks

2006:

JANUARY

Mid January: embry call phases (i think, i can’t remember if he phased mid or later january)

FEBRUARY

Late February: sam and emily get engaged, jacob black phases

When embry drives bella to emily’s for the first time it’s implied that their engagement is recent

Bella visits around march 11, leading me to believe that the engagement happened around late february/early march

MARCH

Early-Mid March: quil ateara phases

Quil is cited as the 6th person to phase (illustrated guide)

This kinda doesn’t make sense tho…

Bella was hanging around the pack and at emily’s house before leah and seth phased and quil wasn’t there!!

Maybe the pack was just keeping it a secret, you know he phases, after a couple of days he transforms back and then sam sends him straight home bc quil’s grandfather is on the secret? Ig no one told bella/no one wanted to tell her

Like this technically fits in the timeline but it just annoys me, it feels like an afterthought when smeyer could’ve just had him phase between late march-may

But it’s not a glaring issue that NEEDS fixing so i’ll let it slide

Mid March: leah clearwater phases, harry clearwater dies from a heart attack, seth clearwater phases

Late March: the cullens move back to forks

APRIL

Early April: brady fuller phases

It’s stated somewhere that brady phases shortly after leah and seth so we’ll just place him here

MAY

Early May: Collin Littlesea phases

It’s stated that collin phases sometime after leah and seth, which to me implies that he phased after brady

The order could probably be switched but i don’t think it’s a super pressing issue

[purpleshadow-star]

I love Nora's story structure.

Her books start out kind of mellow. You learn some crazy things about the pov character's backstory, but the actual events happening aren't super crazy. Then, about midway through, there's some pretty crazy thing that happens that has a lasting impact on pretty much all of the characters. Then, at the end, right as you think the book is wrapping up, something insane that you hardly could have predicted comes out of nowhere and throws you for a loop. Then there's usually a touching little scene right at the end between the pov character and another character. Then the book ends. It's great.

Examples:

Tfc: Neil gets recruited to the Foxes -> Neil gets drugged at Edens -> Seth DIES -> Andrew gives Neil a key to their house

Trk: the team deals with the aftermath of Seth's death -> Drake -> Neil gets TORTURED AT EVERMORE -> Wymack helps Neil

Tkm: Neil deals with the aftermath of going to Evermore, and Andrew is released from Easthaven -> Neil gets kidnapped by his father -> Riko is MURDERED -> Andrew doesn't deny his and Neil’s relationship

Tsc: Jean heals with the Foxes -> [tbh no event from the middle sticks out to me bc I haven't reread it yet, so we're going to say the Grayson incident even though that's at the end] -> Neil and the FBI -> Jean starts to consider Jeremy, Cat and Laila his friends

[ultra-creepy-fucker-things]

In terms of my choice to view Toffee and his predecessor, Seth, as more reasonable people, I want to make it clear that I am not judging them based on what's implied about them in canon and then coming to the conclusion that they are reasonable from that, I am judging what's implied about them in canon as writing choices made by real human beings, and I am judging those writing choices as bad ones.

For example, based on what's said about Seth, I believe it is reasonable to assume that he is meant to be hateful or even genocidal against mewmens, and furthermore, I believe that the book implies that Toffee agrees with him on this point, and was inspired by his ideals when he assassinated Comet. I acknowledge that the show implies that Toffee is only a spiteful prick acting out of a need for revenge over his finger. So, why do I reject these almost certainly intended interpretations of these characters?

Because it's messed up. Septarians are monsters, which, in Mewni, means that their subjugated by mewmens, and especially the Butterfly family. And the timing of some of these revelations makes the decision to depict Seth as potentially genocidal even worse- when we get our first glimpse at who the septarians and, implicitly, Seth are and what they want, (e.g, that they believe themselves superior to mewmens and wish to subjugate them, that they hold the grudges of their forefathers as if they were their own), it is in the aftermath of Solaria's death, which could be reasonably attributed to the Septarian faction, given they are the only monster faction from that era that's really mentioned.

Solaria was actively committing genocide at the time of her death, and had been for her entire reign. Killing her was the right thing to do, and implying that her victims are in any way as bad as her is tone deaf at best.

And then, there's Batwin, and the fact that he was the one Comet was signing the treaty with, as opposed to another monster leader. Batwin being the successor of an Avarius, and implicitly, the inheritor of the position that Cresenta cooked up as a ploy to control monsters. Considering the existence of Globgor, Seth, and arguably even Toffee(depending on how literally you take "prince") monsters clearly have other leadership, and given this, I find the fact that the show just accepts Batwin as legitimate very odd. (as for the choice to make organic monster leaders evil or violent... Well, that just speaks for itself now, doesn't it?)

So yeah, I am not denying that Toffee and Seth are supposed to be cruel and violent and evil in canon, I am simply rejecting it as a bad writing decision ridden with, frankly, horrific implications.

[sethsclearwater]

hi teehee🫶 love ur writing, could you do Seth calming reader after an unexpected like run-in w a vampire in the woods? maybe she was on a hike or smth idk, but Seth came to her rescue and it’s the aftermath. could be minor angst but ultimately fluffy, but I’ll leave that up to you🎃

"seth!" you screamed when you saw what you were pretty sure was the rogue vampire the boys and cullens had been hunting for the past few weeks.

you were pressed up against a nearby tree, totally unsure of what to do as you watched the vampire look you up and down as he figured out what to do with you.

it couldn't have been more than a few seconds before 2 of the wolves came diving out of the treeline, chasing the vampire out of there while you sat there in complete shock.

"hey, hey," you heard your imprinter's voice coming over as he sprinted over to you, looking like he just must've phased back seeing as he was only wearing a pair of sweatpants and had haphazardly thrown his shoes on, "you're okay, you're okay," seth reassured, quickly pulling you into a tight hug, "promise you're okay," he mumbled against your hair, his grip so tight it was making it nearly impossible to breathe.

after a few moments, he slowly loosened his grip on you but you were quick to wrap your arms around his waist, pulling him back to you so you were anchored to him, "take some deep breaths," seth cooed, pressing soft kisses to your hair.

you hadn't realized it considering your mind was a bit preoccupied with other things, but your breathing was rather shallow and your heart was racing so fast you could hear it in your ears, "deep breaths pretty girl," seth reminded, running one of his hands up and down your back soothingly.

you nodded, allowing yourself to relax into his chest a bit as your brain started to realize you weren't in any kind of immediate danger anymore. as your breathing slowly started to even out and your heartbeat went back to a somewhat steady rate, seth loosened his grip on you a bit, "there you go," he cooed, as he listened to your heartbeat, pressing his lips to your hair again.

you peeked up at him after a few moments, sniffling as you released one of your arms from around his waist to reach up and palm away your tears, "you're okay," seth reassured, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, "can i bring you back over to the apartment? you're freezing," he asked softly and you frowned, his comment suddenly making you much more aware of the fact that it was significantly colder out than you remembered it being a few minutes ago.

before you could think too much about it, you nodded, allowing seth to lift you up so you wrapped your legs around his waist so he could carry you the short walk back to your apartment.

you had just gone out on a short walk, one that you did nearly every day except today that plan seemed to go awry considering the rogue vampire that managed to find you.

once seth got you back inside your apartment and sat down on the edge of your bed, you finally let out a loud exhale, sliding your hands down his arms until you found his hands and intertwined your fingers with him.

seth offered you a small smile, squatting down in front of you so he wasn't towering over you, "can you stay here?" you whispered, squeezing his hands and he nodded, taking your hands up to press a gentle kiss to them.

"not going anywhere," seth reassured, offering you another smile before he was getting back up, "you wanna take a bath with me?" he asked, already knowing how much you enjoyed a hot bath after a stressful day.

you slowly nodded, "promise you'll feel less stressed out soon, you just gotta give your body some time to calm down," he added, anticipating your frustration about not being able to get out of your fight or flight mode as quickly as you would've liked.

"okay," you whispered, voice still a bit shaky and he gave your intertwined hands a gentle squeeze.

"i've got you," seth reassured, untangling your hands so he could lift you up again and carry you into the bathroom for a bath that would hopefully help you calm down after your rogue vampire run-in.

[bloodyquillink-blog]

I had a thought…

This is going to be based off of the audio roleplays from @yuurivoice on youtube with his OC Auron and listener/lover Rook.

I was listening to The Night Does Not Belong To God by Sleep Token. Something about the piano in the beginning just fits the scene so well.

Imagine:

Listener(Rook) is taken by some enemies of Auron’s. Probably very old enemies that he believed were dead or at least disbanded.

They beat the shit out of Rook and send photos of the aftermath to Auron in a nice little package (for visualization purposes, remember when Seth, Alphonse and Boo got the box of Jessie’s hair? Yeah, kinda like that.)

Auron gets his gang together because he is seeing red, almost as if the blood he’ll spill has already gotten into his eyes.

He storms into whatever warehouse or building Rook is in.

He finds the rest of the gang that had kidnapped you but can’t find the leader of them. He’ll handle that later, he supposes.

Auron finds Rook laying on the ground, still tied to a chair. They’re knocked out and bleeding.

His gang frees Rook and he carries them out in his arms, whispering reassurance between every command he sends his team.

At a very fancy hospital, Rook wakes up. Laying on a hospital bed and watching Auron. His elbows on his knees, he’s hunched over and lost in thought. That is, until Rook speaks.

“Hey, hero…”

Auron confesses how afraid he was, trying to make it sound more like anger instead of fear. He explains that he couldn’t find the leader.

“You have some work to do” Rook says.

With their working and less sore arm, the pull out brass knuckles that Auron had gifted them (a sign of trust in his eyes, giving Rook an idea of just how cruel he can be behind the scenes). I almost want to imagine that Rook had fashioned this into a necklace they could tuck into their shirt so it wouldn’t arouse suspicious but idk.

Auron takes the brass knuckles. He silently kisses Rook on the head and caresses their cheek.

“My hands… are going to look much bloodier when I come back. The streets… will be even dirtier than before. My love for you is like a bullet. Nothing stands in its way… and if it tries to…” he doesn’t need to finish his sentence.

Auron leaves, slipping the knuckles on and telling a few of his people to keep watch. He puts his hair up and gets to work.

He comes back hours later to find you sleeping peacefully.

Your injuries, though tended to, are still red and irritated. You’ll be out of work for a bit.

Auron sits right where he was before he left. By your bed. However now, he looks at you. He watches your breathing, listens to the small noises you make. The only sound is the light fixtures buzzing.

He slips off the brass knuckles and wipes his hands off.

His bruised hands gently brush your hair. The cracks in his skin sting, but he ignores it. There are higher priorities. Auron stays, ignoring his discomfort being in such a stale environment.

He replays the beating he dished out over and over in his head until you come back to the forefront of his mind.

He temporarily forgets his cruelty, exchanging the thoughts for those of you. Every moment he has seen of you.

This shouldn’t have happened in the first place. If anyone else knows about you, then perhaps he should pay them a visit too.

He plans as you sleep.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Seth Mandel

A hideous article in the Washington Post goes out of its way to flaunt its disregard for journalistic ethics in the service of exacerbating the national anti-Semitism crisis. The piece itself is the reporting equivalent of corking the bat, filling an article with examples that undermine its thesis and hoping nobody looks inside.

The topic of the piece, written by Pranshu Verma, is the assertion that cancel culture is being applied to defenders of Hamas, so now cancel culture is bad. But the most objectionable part of the article is where Verma misrepresents an incident so egregiously that the credibility of the whole piece crumbles to dust.

To be clear, the rest of the article isn’t accurate either. For example, people weren’t being punished for “criticiz[ing] Israel,” as the headline declares, but usually for behavior such as destroying posters or chanting genocidal slogans and the like. Unfortunately, that sort of obfuscation is ubiquitous in media reporting on the aftermath of Hamas’s massacre on Oct. 7. The truly appalling part of the article is in the following excerpt:

Since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel responded by attacking Gaza, groups have poured resources into identifying people with opposing political beliefs, sometimes deploying aggressive publicity campaigns that have resulted in profound real-world consequences. Within weeks of Oct. 7, ‘doxing trucks’ prowled the campuses of Harvard, Columbia and Princeton, displaying the names and photos of students and professors who had signed statements declaring solidarity with Palestinians. In January, a Rutgers Law School student sued the university, alleging that he had faced discriminatory disciplinary action after sharing what he deemed ‘pro-Hamas’ messages from his classmates with school administrators.

So here’s how the Washington Post frames the Rutgers situation: Pro-Hamas people are having their lives ruined by Jews who highlight their public comments, and this Rutgers fellow is an example not only of that but of essentially doxxing. (Doxxing means to reveal personal identifying information that is either nonpublic or requires enough effort to find that it is, in a practical sense, nonpublic.)

Here’s what actually happened. Members of the Student Bar Association sent their group chat anti-Semitic and pro-Hamas messages after the Oct. 7 massacre, and an Orthodox Jewish law student in the chat, Yoel Ackerman, responded. He shared the messages with the Rutgers Jewish Law Students Association. For this, the law school opened disciplinary proceedings against Ackerman, with the law school dean telling her colleagues “we have a Jewish law student seeking to take and publish the names of those he deems to be supporting Hamas.” He was then subject to a Sovietesque impeachment hearing from the Student Bar Association. Ackerman, without receiving sufficient explanation, was berated for three hours in what amounted to administrative harassment. In order to dispense of their troublesome Jew, the SBA then moved to suspend its own constitution in order to expel Ackerman.

That’s when Rutgers University stepped in, and briefly suspended the SBA while it could sort out the mess that Hamas propagandists and their enthusiastic supporters among the deans had made of the school. The SBA was soon reinstated.

This, the Washington Post tells us, is an example of a Jew oppressing the poor gentile.

This is not biased reporting. It is Jew-baiting propaganda with a long and very disturbing history. The rest of the article, meanwhile, is biased reporting: Verma simply launders the exterminationist language of domestic extremists into legitimate criticism of a foreign government.

The whole article is science fiction. But the apology the paper owes Ackerman is very real.