#shadow creation service

[zenithclippingss]

Shadow Creation Service is very important to reveal the natural beauty of an image when a product is required to appear online. It presents the product with a sensible and very realistic look.

[shabitahtashamsongi]

Shadow Creation Service

Natural shadows, which are generated based on light angle and the subject's opacity, may not always meet the requirements. Photoshop Shadow Creation Service was created for this reason. What is Shadow Creation Service? Shadow Creation is an editing photo performance created using product photography tools to create a shadow on the object. This gives the illusion that the thing complements other objects in the shot.

High-Quality Photoshop Shadow Creation Services for Your Business Enhancements

The subject of the photo appears to float in the air without a background, and the natural view is lost. If the product is presented in an unprofessional manner online, it could lead to a customer's distrust. Online businesses have intangible products, so it is difficult for shoppers to establish a connection. Photoshop shadows can be used to add depth-of-field into the marketing mix. This confirms and makes it more authentic. This is also related to the eCommerce Image Editing Service. Clipping Path Find's Photoshop editors utilize a more precise and appropriate quantity of Photoshop Shadows to create beautiful product images for online merchants. Adobe Photoshop is mostly hand-made. Shadows can be created by photographers when they photograph a product. This will not be a perfect shadow. Clipping Path Finder creates all shadows by hand according to the clients' specifications. Here is what makes our company unique in providing all kinds of image enhancements to your business.

Why is Photoshop Shadow Creation Service important?

Make yourself the only choice for your clients by dazzling them and convincing them through your photographs to buy your products. The shadow creation service of Photoshop is used when the editor removes the background in a white product photograph. This makes the image credible instead of unrealistic. The dramatic results you can get with the Photoshop Shadow Creation Service will be enough to convince you of its importance and why it is worth using for your business.

Who Needs Photoshop Shadow Creation Service

Shadow Creation is a service that all eCommerce owners, online stores, photo studios and photographers need. All of our clients are very happy with this service. Photographers often require cutouts of products photos and eCommerce businesses are encouraged to post images on their website for sales. Shadow Creation is essential for maximizing a product's impression. Customers are not satisfied with a product unless it has the perfect shadow creation.

[globalphotoeditt]

Mannequin Product Photography and Its Importance

If you’re in the apparel business, you might have faced the challenge of demonstrating a product in the most appealing manner. For comprehensive product visualization, customers expect to view products from various perspectives. While showcasing products being worn is essential, the high cost of models and the potential alienation caused by mannequins present challenges.

In this blog, you will discover how ghost mannequin photography can help your e-commerce business stand out and dig into its importance and the steps to create stunning product images. Moreover, even after following the best practices, there are few things you want to get changed, contacting Ghost Mannequin Photo Editing Services are recommended. 

What is Ghost Mannequin Photography?

Ghost mannequin photography allows you to take multiple photographs of a product on a mannequin and then combine the photos to remove the mannequin in post-production processing. By using this method, you can create realistic and practical presentations of clothing, which allows customers to easily visualize the product. The result is a lifelike image that keeps the spotlight firmly on your product.

It involves photographing products on a mannequin and then removing it during post-processing to create the illusion that a garment is being worn by an invisible model. You need mannequins, a camera, a well-lit studio setup, and software like Adobe Photoshop for post-processing, or help from experts. 

Importance of Ghost Mannequin Photography

Realistic product presentation: Ghost mannequins offer a realistic depiction of the product without any visual distraction. This technique assists the customers in seeing themselves wearing the product and where they fit on a human body, which improves their experience and confidence in shopping on the particular platform.

Cost and time efficiency: Models are rather expensive to hire, and this makes mannequins the best options to be used in advertising. It is a faster and less expensive technique.

Enhanced depth and dimension: The traditional flat-form image of the product makes it difficult for customers to know the true form of the product, while ghost mannequin adds a third dimension to the photos, enabling the customers to gauge the shape of the product and get a feel of what it would be like when worn.

How to Create Mannequin Product Photography

As per experts at ghost mannequin photo editing, let's learn how you can create a ghost mannequin effect starting from scratch:

Planning your photography: 

Selecting the mannequin: Select a mannequin that is of the appropriate size and style.

Dressing the Mannequin: Carefully put on the garment over the mannequin, making sure that it fits it perfectly, and organize it properly to optimize its outlook.

Lighting: Proper lighting brings out features of the garment that include its pattern and details. Make sure that the lighting conditions for both the mannequin shots and the foam board shots are exactly the same.

Background: It is better to have a plain background that doesn’t distract from the product itself, i.e., grey or white. White mannequins usually work best with white backgrounds and make image editing and retouching infinitely easier.

Photographing the Product: One should also consider the angles and arrangements of the product. The product must be captured from different angles, i.e., from the front, back, and sides. Every single finalized product image will need at least 3–4 shots per product.

Post-Processing: 

Generating the invisible mannequin effect can be best done in Adobe Photoshop by photo shadow creation services.

1: Create Layers: First, load the mannequin image and the foam board image in Photoshop. Choose a mannequin picture and put it in the new layer. Cover it in white; it will be your base when you are done filling the other layers in.

2: Select the product in the Mannequin Image: Choose the product, zoom in tight, and choose your favorite selection tool, such as a single-click tool for the bottom item, lasso or magic wand.

3: Build and put mask: It can be achieved with the help of the Refine Edge tool, under the Select menu.  Press OK in the Refine Edge tool, and your mask is placed. Now, the product will float above the blank backdrop.

4: Repeat Previous Steps with the Foam Board Image: Bring in all three steps above in your foam board product image; photographing the product inside-out will allow you to show the inside-back of the product, thus finishing the mannequin effect. Draw a new layer,'select out the product’, and construct or refine the mask.

5: Overlapping of the images: Take the mask from the foam board picture and drag it onto the invisible mannequin product picture. Arrange the layers in such a way that the image of the foam board is below the mannequin’s picture.

6: Remove unnecessary parts of the foam board layer: Hide the mannequin layer and brush out the unneeded parts.

7: Add shadows and save: Finally, create a shadow between the two layers to add depth to the product, and save a copy of the Photoshop file.

Need Ghost Mannequin Photography or Ghost Mannequin Photo Editing Services?

Mannequin product photography has enormous advantages for e-commerce businesses, especially fashion businesses. It is clear and consistent, and it also gives you a professional look, which in turn will please the customer and hence help in selling more products. 

In fact, it is effective for both a small company selling clothes online and an individual designer’s online shop; it can enhance the appearance of clothes’ images and the overall experience of customers. For any help in this aspect, talk to Global Photo Edit, and avail their exceptional Ghost Mannequin Photo Editing Services.

[patheditprovider]

How Shadow Creation Services Can Transform Your Graphics

Professional Shadow Design

Shadow Creation Services prides itself on delivering professional shadow designs that have the power to transform your graphics. Our team of experts is dedicated to creating captivating and visually stunning shadow artwork that will elevate any space. With our keen attention to detail and creative approach, we go beyond traditional shadow art to bring you innovative and unique designs.

When you choose our professional shadow design services, you can expect nothing but the best. We understand that each client has their own vision and style, which is why we take the time to listen to your needs and preferences. Whether you're looking for a classic shadow image or a more abstract and contemporary design, our team will work closely with you to bring your vision to life.

Our professional shadow designers have years of experience in the field, and their expertise shines through in every project they undertake. They have an in-depth understanding of the interplay between light and shadow, and they use this knowledge to create visually striking and dynamic designs. From intricate and delicate shadow sculptures to bold and dramatic shadow images, our team can do it all.

At Shadow Creation Services, we believe that professional shadow design is not just about creating visually appealing artwork, but also about evoking emotion and creating a memorable experience for the viewer. We carefully consider the placement and composition of each shadow design to ensure that it resonates with the intended audience and creates a lasting impression.

If you're looking to take your graphics to the next level, our professional shadow design services are the perfect choice. Contact us today to discuss your project and let us show you how we can transform your graphics with our expertise in shadow art.

Custom Shadow Artwork

At Shadow Creation Services, we understand that every client is unique, and their needs and preferences may vary. That's why we offer custom shadow artwork services that allow you to create a one-of-a-kind piece that perfectly reflects your style and vision.

Our talented team of shadow artists is skilled in creating custom shadow artwork that is tailored to your specific requirements. Whether you're looking for a personalized shadow portrait or a unique shadow display for your home or business, we can bring your ideas to life. We work closely with you throughout the design process to ensure that the final result exceeds your expectations.

When it comes to custom shadow artwork, the possibilities are endless. Our team can create intricate and detailed shadow sculptures that showcase your favorite objects or symbols. We can also design captivating shadow images that tell a story or evoke a specific emotion. Whatever your vision may be, we have the expertise and creativity to transform it into a stunning piece of art.

One of the advantages of custom shadow artwork is that it allows you to add a personal touch to your space. Whether you want to showcase your love for nature, your passion for a particular hobby, or simply want to create a unique and eye-catching focal point, our custom shadow artwork can help you achieve that.

If you're looking for a way to make a statement and add a touch of personality to your graphics, our custom shadow artwork services are the perfect choice. Contact us today to discuss your ideas and let us create a custom shadow artwork that is truly one-of-a-kind.

Shadow Portrait Design

A shadow portrait is a unique and artistic way to capture a person's essence and create a striking visual representation of their personality. At Shadow Creation Services, we specialize in creating captivating shadow portraits that are sure to leave a lasting impression.

Our team of expert shadow artists understands the intricacies of capturing the human form in shadow. They pay close attention to the details that make each person unique, such as facial features, body language, and expressions. By skillfully manipulating light and shadow, they create stunning shadow portraits that are both realistic and artistic.

When it comes to shadow portrait design, we believe in the power of storytelling. Each shadow portrait is carefully crafted to convey a certain mood or emotion, whether it's the quiet contemplation of a thoughtful individual or the dynamic energy of a passionate soul. Our team works closely with the subject to understand their personality and preferences, ensuring that the final shadow portrait captures their essence.

A shadow portrait can be a powerful addition to any space, whether it's a home, office, or art gallery. It serves as a unique and striking representation of an individual, making a bold statement and sparking conversation. Whether you want to honor a loved one or showcase your own personality, a shadow portrait is a timeless and captivating choice.

If you're looking for a way to capture the essence of a person and create a visually stunning representation, our shadow portrait design services are the perfect choice. Contact us today to discuss your project and let us create a shadow portrait that is as unique and extraordinary as the person it represents.

Creative Shadow Sculpting

Shadow sculpting is a unique and creative art form that combines the interplay of light and shadow with the manipulation of different materials. At Shadow Creation Services, we specialize in creating captivating and visually striking shadow sculptures that are sure to leave a lasting impression.

Our team of expert shadow sculptors is skilled in the use of various materials, such as wire, paper, and fabric, to create intricate and delicate sculptures. They carefully consider the placement and composition of each element to ensure that the resulting shadow is visually appealing and evokes the desired emotions.

When it comes to shadow sculpting, our team believes in pushing the boundaries of creativity. We constantly explore new techniques and materials to create unique and innovative sculptures that defy expectations. Whether you're looking for a whimsical and playful sculpture or a more abstract and thought-provoking piece, our team can bring your vision to life.

Shadow sculptures are a versatile and dynamic addition to any space. They can serve as a striking focal point, adding depth and dimension to a room. They can also be used to create a sense of movement and energy, making a space come alive. Whatever your vision may be, our creative shadow sculpting services can help you achieve it.

If you're looking for a way to add a touch of creativity and intrigue to your graphics, our shadow sculpting services are the perfect choice. Contact us today to discuss your project and let us create a shadow sculpture that will captivate and inspire.

Artistic Shadow Imaging

Shadow imaging is a powerful technique that allows us to transform ordinary images into visually stunning and captivating works of art. At Shadow Creation Services, we specialize in artistic shadow imaging that brings a new dimension to your graphics.

Our team of expert shadow imagers is skilled in manipulating light and shadow to create striking and dramatic effects. They carefully consider the composition and placement of each element to ensure that the resulting shadow image is visually appealing and evokes the desired emotions.

When it comes to shadow imaging, we believe in the power of storytelling. Each shadow image is carefully crafted to convey a certain mood or emotion, whether it's the tranquility of a serene landscape or the intensity of a dramatic scene. Our team works closely with you to understand your vision and preferences, ensuring that the final shadow image captures the essence of your graphics.

Shadow imaging is a versatile and dynamic art form that can be applied to various types of graphics, from photographs to illustrations. It adds depth and dimension to your images, creating a visually striking and captivating result. Whether you're looking to enhance a personal photograph or add a touch of drama to a marketing campaign, our artistic shadow imaging services are the perfect choice.

If you're looking for a way to elevate your graphics and create a visually stunning result, our shadow imaging services are the perfect choice. Contact us today to discuss your project and let us show you how we can transform your images through the art of shadow.

Innovative Shadow Silhouettes

Shadow silhouettes are a timeless and elegant art form that has the power to captivate and intrigue. At Shadow Creation Services, we specialize in creating innovative and visually striking shadow silhouettes that are sure to leave a lasting impression.

Our team of expert shadow artists is skilled in the art of creating intricate and detailed shadow silhouettes. They carefully consider the placement and composition of each element to ensure that the resulting silhouette is visually appealing and evokes the desired emotions.

When it comes to shadow silhouettes, we believe in pushing the boundaries of creativity. We constantly explore new techniques and materials to create unique and innovative silhouettes that defy expectations. Whether you're looking for a classic and timeless silhouette or a more abstract and contemporary design, our team can bring your vision to life.

Shadow silhouettes are a versatile and dynamic addition to any space. They can be used to create a sense of mystery and intrigue, adding depth and dimension to a room. They can also serve as a striking focal point, drawing the viewer's attention and sparking conversation. Whatever your vision may be, our innovative shadow silhouette services can help you achieve it.

If you're looking for a way to add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your graphics, our shadow silhouette services are the perfect choice. Contact us today to discuss your project and let us create a shadow silhouette that will captivate and inspire.

In conclusion, Shadow Creation Services is your go-to destination for professional shadow artwork that has the power to transform your graphics. Whether you're looking for a custom shadow portrait, a unique shadow display, or a captivating shadow sculpture, our expert team is dedicated to bringing your vision to life. With our creative approach, attention to detail, and expertise in shadow art, we can elevate your space and create a memorable experience for your audience. Contact us now to experience the magic of shadow art firsthand!

[imageretouchinglab]

[glow-in-the-dark-death]

My Sweet Intruder (Sleepwalking Love)

I wanted crack but also fluff, this was the creation. Enjoy!

~

Tim had recently bought a new place to live near a college since he decided to continue his education, the apartment was on the nicer side of things and even though he had gotten it for his civilian life it still had some security on par with his night life safe homes.

All of this to say that it would be hard for someone to break in and even more so to not be noticed.

Which is pretty what he thinks is going on.

Someone is breaking into his house when he's not there which frankly is not that often to begin with since he's so busy with all kinds of things.

But the intruder doesn't seem to be causing harm?

There's nothing damaged or stolen just some food sometimes.

Honestly the complete opposite of what you would expect from an intruder, his apartment was cleaned things were moved around the kitchen was stocked with fresh food and ready meals.

Honestly it took him this long to know something was wrong because he had originally thought it was one of his brothers coming by and helping out or something.

But no after some investigating it wasn't anyone in the family it wasn't even his friends or someone else he knew someone who would make sense as to why this was happening.

Also there appeared to be living there considering all the things appearing around his apartment making a home for themselves that were very much not his.

But the Intruder since he had no name for them was ..considerate?

Almost sweet in a creepy way if you think about it.

His apartment was cleaned he had meals ready for him to eat and a bunch of other small things that combined were making his life easier.

He would like to know who this intruder was but his surveillance and all other tech always died out when it seemed they were there, so no video proof and they always were gone before he could catch a glimpse of even their shadow.

~

Danny was having such a good time, he was honestly a bit worried about moving to Gotham for college especially since apparently his application to live in the dorms had somehow not been processed or something and they only bothered to tell him while he was already there.

Thankfully luck was on his side because only a few hours after that incident while inside a coffee shop stressing about what to do and venting to his sister on the phone a man sitting next to him who looked like he needed a mini coma of sleep and looked kinda high overheard him and offered to be roommates with him since he was also going to the same college.

So yes things were going wonderfully, he had a place to live where he didn't even have to pay rent, and Tim was such a good roommate, he barely saw him but when he did he usually was more asleep then awake.

~

Tim after a while: "Why are there so many spaced themed objects in my apartment?"

~

Tim inviting Danny to live with him

Danny 'What's Stranger Danger?' Fenton: "Bet"

~

Tim: "How do they keep getting past all my security measures?!*pulling his hair out*

Danny using the key sleepwalking Tim gave him: "Home sweet home!"

~

Tim trying his best to catch Danny in person:

Tim sleeptalking:"One day I'll catch him"

Danny who is used to Tim sleep talking and sleep walking helping him get back to bed for the umpteenth time: "You sure will boo!"

~

Danny being grateful that Tim is letting him live there without having to pay rent and gave him a credit card to pay for things: "He's so sweet guys!"

Sam & Tucker: " Dude..is he your sugar daddy?! "

Danny: *shocked Pikachu face* "But there's no sugar involved?"

~

Danny thinking that maybe they are in a relationship just taking it very slowly because Tim's shy

~

Also Danny's love language being acts of service

Tim's love language is coincidentally also acts of service

~

Tim slowly falls in love with Danny still not knowing who he is: "I think I have issues"

Danny still thinking they're in a relationship and that Tim is just super shy: "Maybe we could hold hands soon!" *sappy smile*

~

Tim:

Danny:

~

What a story it will be when someone asks them how they got together! (◠‿・)—☆

Just an Idea

[professionaltelephotolabs]

Image Retouching Services | Telephoto Labs

At Telephoto Labs, we provide top-notch image retouching services to help you achieve the perfect look for your photos. Our team of experts uses advanced techniques to enhance the quality of your images and deliver outstanding results. Whether you need basic touch-ups or extensive retouching, we’ve got you covered. Need a service Contact us today at (778) 962–3786.

[son1c]

so, the thing about the megaflora in boscage is that, even though it’s incredibly strong, it’s not particularly smart. they’re plants after all, and so their “thoughts” mainly just consist of violence in service to obtaining food, and violence for the sake of violence. that changes when shadow shows up though.

through their shared black arms dna, the plants are able to connect with him, and they start poking around inside his brain. they see all his thoughts, all his memories, learn what he learns, know what he knows… and suddenly, the megaflora is extremely smart. smart enough to realize that having a mobile unit, not tethered to roots, and with a mouth that can speak for the collective, would be beneficial. so they smother shadow into submission. there’s just too many of them to hold back, once they decide they want him.

once he’s assimilated, they continue to learn more from him, and one thing in particular stands out: the creation of their world. through the eyes of shadow’s memory, they see sonic shatter the paradox prism, and thus, create boscage maze, and therefore the megaflora themselves. this leads the megaflora to the conclusion that their true creator is not gerald, the loathsome traitor who abandoned them, left them to starve, and now seeks to destroy them with project halcyon, but instead sonic.

the megaflora get a sort of reverence for him… “shadow” tells sonic that he forgives him for shattering the prism. tells him it was a good thing, actually. and that’s when sonic starts to clue into something being seriously wrong. frankly, he liked it more when shadow was upset with him... because at least that was really him :(

[talonabraxas]

Ra (Egyptian God) Talon Abraxas

Ra as Creator

Ancient Egyptian mythology gives credit to a number of different gods for establishing order and making the world, but those most often featured in creation myths are Ra, Atum, Ptah, and the goddess Neith. Whichever gods are named, they always have the same characteristics and power as Ra, and it is thought that Ra was present – and alone – at the birth of creation no matter what name he was known by later. Although the priests of Ptah might claim it was their god who created all things, therefore, the Ptah they cite would actually be Ra. In the case of Atum, he was essentially Ra only by another name, and the same could be said for Neith in her creative capacity.

In the best-known version of the story, there was nothing but swirling waters at the beginning of time when the primordial mound (the ben-ben) rose as the first dry land and Ra the Self-Created stood upon it. He cut his penis open and, from the drops of blood, created Hu (authority) and Sia (mind), and then became aware of his solitude and mated with his own shadow to give birth to Shu (god of air) and Tefnut (goddess of moisture) who left to establish the world. The two were gone a very long time and so Ra sent the Eye of Ra to search for them. When the Eye brought his children back, Ra was so grateful he shed tears of joy which fell on the fertile ben-ben and became men and women.

Recognizing these people had nowhere to live, Shu and Tefnut mated and gave birth to Geb (earth) and Nut (sky). Geb and Nut gave birth to Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys, and Horus the Elder, and from these gods, all the others followed. Heka, among the oldest of the gods, is, as noted, thought to have been present already at the act of creation. Each of the gods was given their own sphere of influence so that order would be strictly maintained, and, in today’s parlance, there would be no duplication of services. The gods would henceforth care for the people and, in gratitude, the people would worship and obey the will of the gods. This relationship produced balance and harmony between the people, their gods, the earth, and the afterlife all of which emanated from Ra.

[nayatarot777]

What Has Your April 2024 Been Like?

• Pile One •

You’ve been extremely dedicated to a craft or to the creation of something which has required you to overcome your fears. Stepping into courage has been a focal point of this past month as it seems like you’ve realised that certain shadow traits have been intensifying within you. It seems like you’ve stopped feeling sorry for yourself and you’re now focusing on actually overcoming obstacles that you’re facing. I’m seeing the visual of someone climbing a mountain that requires a tough journey, and while you feel fear towards uncovering certain things on this path, you’re still pushing through it. You’re using the tears that you’ve shed as motivation to get yourself the fuck out of this rut, so overall, you’ve been dedicated to improving yourself more than anything. This has come after experiencing a relationship that was one-sided, full of toxicity (maybe even abuse), and fake generosity. However, you’ve been dedicating yourself to increasing the strength of your spiritual protection by not allowing yourself to be comfortable in victimhood. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Extended Reading: What’s In Store For You In May 2024? - On Patreon (£4.50/month)

Personal Reading Info

YouTube

• Pile Two •

Seems like you’ve been going through a period of your spiritual awakening, Pile Two. This April, you’ve been expanding your consciousness towards manifestation, the manipulation of energy, spell-work, or anything similar to those metaphysical things. Seems like you’ve stumbled upon a clear solution to expose your energy to the world/the universe. Or just to put your energy out there. You’ve experienced a rebirth this April, and it feels like you’re looking at life through a new set of eyes and a new type of understanding. You’ve realised that your magickal/energetic abilities are magnifying because your intentions and energies are. There’s also something here about a fake friend. Perhaps this fake friend is involved in hard drugs (primarily pills is what I’m seeing) and it’s almost like you’ve been of service to this person. Constantly putting their needs and their healing above yourself and your own. There’s also something about someone being fake religious around you. For some of you, this message is about how you’ve recently realised that the religion that you’ve been taught just doesn’t align with you (hence why you’ve broken free from this and are expanding your own consciousness past the limitations put onto you).

Extended Reading: What’s In Store For You In May 2024? - On Patreon (£4.50/month)

Personal Reading Info

YouTube

• Pile Three •

This April, you’ve rejected someone’s offer that would’ve cost you something major. This offer was dangerous and presented to you with the intentions of trapping you in something. This could’ve been from a guardian (like a parent) or someone who’s just your familiar in some way. Someone who’s meant to protect you. The energy of children is out here too. There’s something to do with a birth of a child (perhaps some of you have some type of relation to a midwife or midwifery). There was some type of responsibility that someone tried to put onto you in relation to children or a child. You saw the truth about whatever this offer was, despite this person trying to talk you out of seeing and believing the truth yourself. Despite this, I’m seeing that April was a very joyful month for you. Thanks to listening to your intuition and using your higher mind to avoid burdens and responsibilities that would’ve weighed you down. You’ve had the feeling of being high on life from all of this joy. You’ve been going out and enjoying yourself more, or just indulging in hobbies that make you happy. I’m seeing a xenophobic person (someone who’s discriminatory towards others of a different nationality) coming out here. Some of you weren’t the one doing the rejecting with whatever this tempting offer was - for some of you, you were rejected yourselves, but this was divine protection. You may have been dealing with some fragmentation in relation to your intuition, due to someone manipulating you out of seeing the truth or manipulating the image of something to seem more appealing than it actually would’ve been.

Extended Reading: What’s In Store For You In May 2024? - On Patreon (£4.50/month)

Personal Reading Info

YouTube

[satancopilotsmytardis]

Taking Care

Pairing: Shigadabi

Rating: Explicit, RAPE/NON-CON

Summary: Commissioned by an anonymous user. Dabi and Shigaraki didn't start their working relationship off on the best foot, and to be perfectly honest, his view of his new boss isn't exactly favorable. But Shigaraki does seem to be trying to do better by the League, and him, in his own way. It's probably not his fault that he was socialized to be a total creep too. Dabi really shouldn't have given him the benefit of the doubt.

Contents: RAPE/NON-CON, brief descriptions of violence and vomiting, suicidal thoughts/tendencies, non-consensual body modification, natural lubrication, anal sex, anal fingering, multiple orgasms, dacryphilia, creampie, brief feminization, molestation, abusive relationships, possessive behavior, obsessive behavior, yandere!Shigaraki, dead dove: do not eat

Word Count: 10871

He is never gonna say that he 'hit it off' with the boss when they first met. Though, Dabi will say that's in part to the fact he could very clearly tell that Shigaraki wasn't the boss. He was just another over-confident jackass who had a bigger villain actually calling the shots from the shadows, and Dabi can't stand working with people like that. The guy's fucking second was giving him orders and trying to coach him into making smarter choices in his villainy and stepped in and stopped their fight before they could even really get started, and Dabi was left with a bad taste in his mouth and with the constant thought that the boss was a little pathetic. But the League was offering room and board, and a chance to fuck with UA again, even targeting his father's perfect creation, and Dabi had stuck around anyway. 

And for a month, his image of who Shigaraki was did not get any more flattering. He was absolutely a puppet for AFO and a spoiled brat on top of that. He felt entitled to anything he wanted and no one had ever told him 'no' or had shown him how that wasn't how the world actually worked. Well. It's not how the world is supposed to work, but Shigaraki does get whatever he wants as long as he proves to AFO he actually put at least a tiny crumb of effort into why he wants whatever it is that he's asking after. Dabi hates that too, but he keeps his mouth shut. The rest of the League is made of people so clearly desperate for somewhere to belong, and wanting to ensure their youngest members aren't exposed to the truly heinous parts of this world, that they are softening the work for them and trying to grow into a close-knit crew. But Dabi doesn't have the time or any interest in that bullshit. If he's joining a crew backed by AFO it's all going to be in service of ensuring that he burns Endeavor alive. He doesn't bother 'bonding' with the rest of them, he just works to ensure that he gets what he wants out of this arrangement. 

He feels like that might be happening when Shigaraki ends up making him the leader for the summer camp job. He isn't sure why he chose him over Compress, but he doesn't give a shit if it means he gets to be in control of how they hit the camp and who they go after primarily. He can make sure he's the one to see Shoto. The downside of all of this is that he also has to spend long hours planning with Shigaraki. They do most of it after the others have cleared out or gone to bed for the night, assessing their skills during the day, and planning around them at night where they don't have to worry about them confusing brainstorming for their final orders. Dabi doesn't love spending hours with Duster at night, but at least when they aren't being watched by AFO or Kurogiri, Shigaraki forces himself to behave a bit better. He acts more like an adult and less like the teenager he still is. 

It's during one of those late night planning sessions Dabi stretches, cracking his back, and feels his shirt ride up a bit. When he glances back, he can see that Duster is watching him. It's automatic to flip him off as he speaks, "What are you staring at, handjob?" 

"How far do your scars go?" And Shigaraki, among many other things, is incredibly blunt, so Dabi really isn't surprised that he'd asked. 

"None of your business, weirdo." They're sitting at the bar and he's ready to get up and head to bed, the two of them having gotten to a good stopping point for the night, when Shigaraki leans over and cages Dabi against the edge. He automatically tries to twist away, his temperature spiking hotter, as four cool fingers brush his side and start to push up his shirt. "What the fuck--" 

"Hold still or I may slip." Shigaraki's voice is flat and almost bored as he slides Dabi's shirt up his chest and side, red eyes dragging over him, far too intense for the tone he'd used. Dabi goes stock still as his deadly hand moves up his body until his shirt is pressed up beneath his arm, and Shigaraki hums, the other palm moving over his skin. He doesn't know what the other wants from him but he really doesn't want to end up dead because he's careless with his quirk. "You're already so damaged--" Dabi didn't know he could bristle any further, but he feels smoke and sparks behind his tongue as he grits his teeth. "If I don't know how bad it is, then I can't help make sure it doesn't get any worse." He brushes his thumb gently over one of the lines of staples curving over his side, and Dabi's anger, his breath, catches in the back of his throat. 

That's what this is? Concern? Some deeply weird, fucked up version of it from how poorly socialized Shigaraki is, but still. Concern all the same. Duster's hand moves over his chest, flicking his thumb over his nipple with a little snort as he does, sending an uncomfortable twinge across his nerves as the piercing there makes him so sensitive the bud hardens immediately. He only has three fingers against him then, and Dabi feels safe enough to bat away the touch. 

"Hands off, freak. I don't need you to take care of me. I know what I can handle." 

"I'm going to take care of you anyway." Shigaraki tells him without a hint of irony. "So you can tell me what you need, or I can figure it out for myself." He doesn't stop Dabi as he straightens his shirt and slips from the stool, fully intending to go upstairs and get stoned before going to sleep. 

"Whatever." He doesn't want Shigaraki, AFO, or the League to know anything about him. It'll just make it harder to escape them if he decides they aren't his best option in the long run. He heads upstairs and Shigaraki doesn't stop him. 

///

After that, though, he starts to notice little things that change around the base. Only he and the vampire kid are living here for the time being, and he really doubts she's the one who put a fancy antibiotic wound cream in the medicine cabinet of their shared bathroom, sitting right next to his toothbrush. For a second, out of sheer stubbornness, Dabi considers ignoring it. He is perfectly capable of taking care of himself and he doesn't need a brat like Shigaraki thinking that he's reliant on him for anything. But the logical part of his mind knows that he should take whatever help he can get. The whole point of being here is to get strong enough to kill his father. If he wants to do that then having his skin falling off is only going to make it more difficult. 

He starts to use the wound cream and realizes over the course of a week and the wave of exhaustion and relief that comes in its wake, that keeping his body at a low fever was only keeping weak infections at bay. They were still there and fighting to really make him sick for, well, he's guessing it's been a long time. But the medicine actually kills them and starts to let him heal a bit. Which, in turn, makes him fucking exhausted and starving all the time. He's been trying to eat better here now that he has access to non-spoiled food readily all the time, but he has an appetite for the first time since he was a kid. 

And he doesn't mention that, doesn't usually eat around the others, but he starts to notice the fridge and pantry is stocked with more and more every week. Healthy things, for the most part, but tons of protein bars, fruit, and the like, some of which he recognizes as brands that his father and other heroes endorsed because they helped them to put on and maintain a healthy weight and muscle mass. Dabi is thin as a rail, a side-effect from three years in a coma and seven starving on the streets, but maybe... maybe he can put on a little more muscle if he takes advantage of this. So he uses his phone to look up how to recover from long-term malnutrition and how to safely get his body used to a calorie surplus instead of a deficit. 

And about two weeks after Shigaraki felt him up while they were alone, he tells the entire group that they have a doctor-- the one who makes nomu, but is apparently a real doctor during office hours-- who is happy to see them all for check-ups. Dabi wants to be annoyed about that, but Magne perks up immediately and asks when the soonest she can get in is. So maybe, just maybe, this isn't actually Duster taking the opportunity to show him that he absolutely meant what he said before. Maybe he just actually wants to make sure they're in better condition than the first group he took to UA was. 

It doesn't mean he isn't acutely aware of how smug Shigaraki seems when Twice is bitching a few weeks later as he re-takes Dabi's measurements, the old ones no longer sufficient because of how much healthier he's gotten since he took them before. 

///

Hitting the summer camp is exhilarating. Getting to overcome forty students and six pros with a crew of nine outshines whatever the fuck Shigaraki had been trying to do in his original debut. Being able to snatch their main target and getting to stand there and watch his brother, his father's perfect creation, desperate and failing, had put a delight under his skin he wouldn't have words for if he ever were asked to describe it. But he locks that away and acts as unaffected as he always strives for, especially with AFO breathing down their neck as they get back to base. 

They get the kid situated, debrief, prep for the next steps of their plan, and try to get some rest. Even without three of their number returning, it was a resounding success as far as their leader and his teacher are concerned. 

And when that all falls apart, Dabi is out for the majority of the fight. 

He wakes up, his head throbbing, the room spinning, and desperately needing to puke, which he does almost immediately, barely managing to roll onto his side to keep from choking on it, and definitely splashing the side of Duster's sneaks with sick. But he doesn't get decayed for that. Shig just gives him a tissue from his coat pocket and reaches over for a water bottle. He doesn't have any pain medicine, not that Dabi expected that given they're hiding out in what appears to be an abandoned warehouse, but it would have been a nice surprise. He sits up a little, and Shigaraki helps him, one hand staying at the back of his neck, palm cool, and thumb rubbing soothing circles there like that could help take away the ache in his skull. 

Dabi swishes the first sip around in his mouth and spits further away from them to clear the taste before actually drinking some of the water and wiping up his mouth. "Sorry," because he might not like the guy most of the time, but he doesn't hate him enough to think he deserves to get puked on when he clearly got him out of getting arrested while he was knocked out. "What happened?" 

Duster reaches over and sticks a hand into Dabi's coat pocket, which even through his headache, sends a mixture of amusement and annoyance through him, before he draws out his cigs. And yeah, fine, he could definitely use one of those too. He sets a spark on his finger and lights up for them both, and Shigaraki actually takes his mask off so he can smoke before he starts to speak. 

///

Which is how the kind of good thing that the League had going, turns to absolute shit. He doesn't hesitate to stress that them traveling in a big group like this is going to make it damn near impossible for them to actually move without being spotted, and since they're currently going to be on a cross-country tour to try and find someone who will actually give them an ounce of the resources that AFO promised to his supposed successor, splitting up is their best option. If he does this entirely so he can make sure he is as far away from the rest of them as possible as they get a taste of the way that he's been living for the past seven years, then that's his business. But Shigaraki only lets him go under the guise of 'recruiting', like they could get anyone that wasn't complete trash to join up with them now. 

But that's what he's off doing when Shigaraki calls him in the middle of the night. He killed a few potential recruits today, using his flames to burn their heads from their shoulders, and going through their pockets yielded him enough cash to get a motel for the night and a real meal, so he's honestly doing better than he has been for a while, and it's deeply tempted to not answer his phone and just enjoy the rest of his night in limited luxury. But when the first call goes to voicemail, it immediately starts ringing again so he huffs and snags it off the sheets, cig between his lips and taking a deep pull before he answers, 

"What, Shigaraki?"

There's a slight pause and then he hears Shigaraki let out a slow, low breath. "Magne's dead."

And Dabi is suddenly a lot less annoyed with the call. 

Shig explains what happened, Twice not communicating with him or Duster, Overhaul being more than they thought they were getting involved with, Magne and Compress rushing in to defend the group, and Magne being splattered all across the warehouse. It sounds horrifying and all, and the group is apparently using the last of their funds on a back alley medic for Compress so that he doesn't bleed out or die of an infection. 

"What about after?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Once Compress is stable-- What are you doing after?" There's another pause and Dabi feels his temperature starting to creep a bit higher. "The fucking dregs of the Yakuza just killed and injured members of your crew-- if anyone finds out about that after the shitshow you and your teacher put on in Kamino, then we are all fucked. The League has already lost almost all of our credibility after you used us to build it up again after your first fuckup at UA." 

"Dabi--" And he can hear him scratching at his skin, can hear that venom starting to build in his voice that usually precedes one of his temper tantrums. But Dabi isn't Kurogiri or All For One, and he's not in this game to cater to anyone else's ego ever again. 

"Shut the fuck up." He snaps before the other can get going, and the hiss of his voice actually does stop the other man in his tracks. "You're the leader, no more 'second tries', no more 'do-overs', no more fucking training wheels. You either figure out how to fucking lead this group, do what you fucking said you were going to, and be worth our time-- or you cut us loose, Shigaraki. We aren't just characters in your games that you can move around however you feel like. We're your crew, you have a responsibility to take care of us and when you don't-- Your actions have consequences, and it's about fucking time you grow up and start acting like it." He doesn't even wait to see how that lands. He hangs up, turns off his phone, and goes to take a cold shower before he literally sets himself on fire again from his fury. 

///

He doesn't hear from Shigaraki or the rest of the League for nearly a month. Instead he gives up on the pretense of recruiting for the League, goes back to his old haunts and takes whatever arson jobs he can get. Unsurprisingly, after word has spread about what he did at the summer camp, he has a lot more opportunities for those kinds of jobs than he did before. Dabi doesn't like that this is what he's left doing, but he will do whatever he needs to in order to survive. He just didn't think he would be back in survival mode so soon. He thought that he was finally setting himself up to be the monster he always promised his father he would come back as. But he is making due. As fucking always. 

He probably should have ditched the phone that he was given, but he figures that if Shigaraki is so useless, then it's unlikely that he'll have gotten back any of the resources he needs in order to use it to track him. And he's not in the position to throw out a perfectly good phone when he's still squatting in abandoned buildings for at least three nights a week when he can't find or afford a shady enough motel to stay in. Dabi is in an empty apartment building, glass and worse is scattered across the first floor, and the the windows are all boarded up, but he has a pretty good idea of when a building has been in disrepair for long enough that it's likely to fall on his head, and he figures it's safe enough to go up a few levels. He almost laughs when he finds a door someone locked that whoever went through the place and cleared out, didn't bother to open, and he melts the handle right off and goes inside. The lock and whatever fear of the upper levels other people had, kept this room from being trashed, and he throws his backpack into a corner of the one room that has carpet. It's not much, but he'll be happy to have something soft under him besides his coat. 

He's settling in for the night, a protein bar shoved between his teeth as he uses his hand-crank battery pack so that his phone will be able to charge while he's sleeping, when said device begins to ring. It does that occasionally, but it's usually someone contacting him for a new arson job. This is the first time he's seen Shigaraki's name appear on his caller ID in ages. Dabi sincerely considers not bothering to answer him. It's an impulse, a whim, maybe a little bit of hubris because he's curious to see if Duster is calling to grovel for him to come back because everything's falling apart even worse since he left, but he answers anyway.

"What do you want, Shigaraki?"

"Dabi," And Shig sounds a little breathless for a second, and Dabi is about to hang up because if he is being chased down by heroes or something, Dabi is going to burn his phone and chuck it out of the nearest window. "I've been working on making sure that the League gets reparations for what happened to Magne and Compress. We're on the verge of using the heroes to destroy the Yakuza and obtaining a new weapon that is capable of destroying quirks." He takes a breath and continues, more evenly, "In two days we're going to destroy the last of the Yakuza on a public stage, we can do that without you, but I want you with me."

There's something about the intensity in his voice, something that eclipses anything that he heard from him in Kamino, and the part of his mind that has been looking out and trying to protect him since he ended up on the streets, stirs restlessly in the back of his mind. But the more immediate part of him is curious, if nothing else. "How exactly are you gonna do that, Duster?"

And Shigaraki starts to explain his plan and what the League have been up to in his absence.

///

Two days later he is warring with the exhilaration in his body from putting on such a display, seeing Shigaraki and Compress tear Overhaul's arms off, and the constant, and heavy motion sickness that keeps going through him from Spinner's awful driving. It's really a lot, and he's so glad that when they lose the cops and teleport to the base that Shigaraki and the others have been using-- an empty administration building on the edge of an abandoned warehouse district that has two shower stalls in the boys and girls' bathrooms and that they've scrounged around to find any vague cushioned furniture so they would have something better than the floor to sleep on-- Toga and Twice really do want to go shower and recenter themselves after a month undercover in a high-stress environment before the League celebrates the end of such a long plan that's finally come to fruition. Spinner goes to ditch the car and Compress goes to use his still lightning fast sticky-fingers, and his maskless face to go steal them some libations and food for the celebration. Which means he somehow ends up 'alone' with Shigaraki. 

He hasn't been alone with Shigaraki since he walked into this shitty little hideout yesterday afternoon, and that had been kind of by design. He still doesn't know what to think about the fact that the rest of the League treated him like he's been out trying to recruit and gather resources for the group this whole time, like he didn't just fully abandon them and make his own way when he realized how utterly fucked they would be under Shigaraki's leadership without AFO at least funding them in their downtime to make that worth it. He is fully planning on just going into the corner and taking a nap while Duster plays his game or something, when Shigaraki catches him with four fingers around his wrist. Dabi's temperature creeps up, ready to turn the hand into ash if he tries to close his fingers around his wrist. 

"Let go." 

"You're not going to leave again." He tells him, and Dabi is reminded again that he and the League are the first people Shigaraki has ever had to deal with who could say 'no' to him if they wanted to. He thinks this socially inept loser is actually asking him, maybe pleading, for him to stay after being down a valuable player for over a month. 

Dabi eyes him. Shigaraki isn't wearing his mask at the moment and his eyes are intense as they search his face. He pulls at his hand, and Shig's grip tightens for a second before he lets go. But his fingers follow his skin even as he pulls away, the pads of his fingers brushing down the back of his hand. "Depends on if you can make this arrangement worth my time again." 

"I'll be worth it." He promises. "I'll take care of you." 

The intensity of the words makes something in him wary, but a larger part does feel some measure of smug satisfaction that his words, of all things, were what were able to snap Shigaraki from the pampered delusion of his youth. Good. Still. Dabi scoffs and rolls his eyes, going to claim the cushiest couch for himself. "Yeah? We'll see about that, Duster." He grumbles before getting on the couch and turning away from him. He fully intends to sleep while he can. The rest of the League hasn't figured out that they need to take rest whenever they can get it because at any second they could be on the run, but that's not his responsibility to teach them. 

Duster leaves him be as he curls up, but Dabi swears he feels his eyes on him the entire time it takes for him to actually pass out.

///

He does stick with the League after that. He isn't sure he meant to, but Shigaraki always keeps him close. He never lets on to the others that Dabi is always a split second from abandoning them, and they seem to think he's part of their big happy 'family'. He's only allowed to go out recruiting when the League is getting ready to leave a location, and then he meets up with hopefuls in an assigned location that Shigaraki has picked out, close enough for the League to be nearby, just in case he needs assistance. Dabi can't say he loves being babied, but he understands why Shigaraki and the rest of the League are so worried about him going off on his own. He just hopes they get over it soon as he burns another group of eight hopefuls to death. He uses the last of his flames to light a cig and starts to head down the alley. 

"Well, if that's the rejection process, I might have my work cut out for me." He doesn't recognize the voice immediately, and that means he isn't shy about sending a blast off in that direction so hot that he knows it can cause concrete to crumble. There's a blur of red and yellow and his eyes track it to the opposite end of the building, a blur that he is not happy about seeing is the number two hero lands there. He has his hands up in surrender as he crouches on the edge of the building, a dumb, goofy smile on his lips. "Whoa there, hot stuff! I came for a chat, and you're really gonna blow both our covers if you set fire to half of the street." 

"Back off hero, or I'll turn you into fried chicken." 

"That is my favorite food, but not really what I'm going for." He resituates himself on the edge of the building, sitting on the ledge and kicking his feet like he's got nothing to worry about. Like Dabi doesn't know that birds burn. "I was hoping we could have a chat about how interested the League of Villains would be in having a hero in their ranks." 

And Dabi knows heroes better than any of the League. He knows the awful things they get up to behind closed doors, he knows how corrupt the HPSC is, and he knows that no matter how talented he is, Hawks should have never climbed the charts so quickly after his debut, and definitely didn't do it without someone's help. "You want to join the League?" He wonders if the others are close enough today to hear that. 

"Sure do, hot stuff. I--" he definitely has his whole speech ready to go and whatever, but Dabi cuts him off. 

"Then you can go through our official channels and prove you’re worth my time." He takes a few steps forward, very clearly still heading to leave. "You start proving you want a working relationship by letting me fucking leave." And the bird's wings fluff a little, twitching with his agitation as this very clearly doesn't go the way he was trained to expect it would. Dabi raises a brow at him and ashes his cig. 

"And how do I go through your 'official' channels?" 

"If you're worth the League's time, then you'll figure that out like even those ash smears did, pigeon." He says blandly and starts to walk. 

Thankfully, Hawks lets him go, and Dabi makes sure he's lost his tail before he goes back to the others. 

///

He's not expecting Shigaraki to look half-crazed when he gets back to base, but as soon as he's inside, the other man is catching his wrist and dragging him right off into the nearest mostly private area in the base. Duster has gotten worse and worse about invading his personal space, but he doesn't put up a fight this time as he cages him up against a wall, eyes wide and desperate as they look at him like he doesn't know if Dabi is real. 

"You aren't going out on any more recruitment jobs, you're staying with me." 

"If I don't go out you're gonna have to send Twice, and we all know how well that went last time." He only lets himself be that cruel because he knows that no one else is around. "Besides, having a spy-- even an untrustworthy one-- could help us get access to more--" 

"No." And he has never heard or seen Shigaraki have such vitriol in a word, not even when talking about destroying All Might at the beginning. "He's the fastest hero in Japan. He could have killed you, he could have taken you away, I am not risking losing you, Dabi. We're leaving tonight, and you're going to stay close so that I can keep you safe." 

A part of Dabi really wants to protest that. He wants to snap at Shigaraki and tell him that he doesn't need to be watched like he can't take care of himself, but there's another part that can't help feeling a little... good from how protective Duster has been since he started to get his shit together. He may have swung hard in the opposite direction of treating the League like pawns, but the fact he changed his outlook at all means that he really is listening to them when they talk. He needs to find a happy medium, but Dabi thinks he will the longer that he has to figure things out. "...Fine." It's not like he really thought Hawks was a good idea. 

Duster lets out a breath, slow and even, and hides away the desperate thing he just showed him. Dabi expects that to be it, but Shig reaches for his face. He's pretty sure he's the only one who Shigaraki touches so much, but he tries to ignore that as his cool knuckles brush over the back of his cheek. "Stay with me?" 

"You're such a freak. I'm not going anywhere." He rolls his eyes, batting away his hand before he feels how his temperature started to creep higher. 

But he keeps his word. He doesn't go out recruiting again, he ignores the calls from an unknown number that try to come through, he sticks with the League. Shigaraki always seems to be hovering around him and in his space, orbiting him like he's the center of his whole world and the new version of himself and the organization that he's starting to build. Dabi can't say he hates that. He hasn't been important to anyone for so long, so he stays, and the League grows, and Shigaraki changes. 

///

They take over the MLA, they heal from their injuries, they are able to gather resources and plan their attack. And when they do, it's with Shigaraki fully nomu, with all of AFO's quirks at his disposal. It's a year of planning and everything else, but in one year, they are ready for their war. It only takes Shigaraki one hour to kill Best Jeanist, Hawks, Eraser Head, Mirko, and half a dozen other less well-known heroes. He even harvests the ones that he can, their broken bodies being snatched from the battlefield by the doctor for future nomu. And in the middle of all of that, Shigaraki having teleported around to find his targets and get the heroes more and more on edge and scrambling, their soldiers were moving in, destroying local police and hero agencies, cutting into infrastructure and wiping out power in large sections of the country. But in all the ones that do still have power, when Endeavor is called to the HPSC building because the world is burning all around them, Dabi airs his video, he tells the world his name. 

And he and Endeavor die together just the way he'd always planned. 

///

There is a persistent, and unfamiliar, ache under his skin. The air feels like it's a little too warm, and there is a heavy exhaustion throughout him. Hands move over his skin, firm and bringing with them a soft towel that he realizes is wiping away something from his body that feels oily and is filling his nose with an unfamiliar chemical smell. But he doesn't hurt. All he remembers from the moment just after he watched his blue flames boil Enji's eyes out of his skull until the sockets were spilling cerulean fire, was a sharp satisfaction and an overwhelming pain as they both crumbled away to ash. He opens his eyes, surprised that he still has his, and finds himself looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling. The lights aren't too high, and he tries to figure out what's going on. 

Shigaraki is leaning over him, washing away a thin purple liquid from his naked skin, and Dabi's breath catches in the back of his throat. He was definitely missing limbs by the time he had his father pinned, his skin was gone in so many places. But it wasn't smooth and black like it is now. There are patches of skin, like there were before, that are still his original skin tone, but the rest of it doesn't look like the knotted scar tissue he knows to expect. There are no staples either, just faint lines of pink scars around where the different sections meet.

"You're finally awake, firefly." Duster's voice is breathless as he sees his eyes open, as he shifts to feel how this is his body, he can feel it all, can see himself. 

"What--" 

Shigaraki's hand curls around the back of his neck and Dabi is speechless as he leans down and presses a kiss to his forehead. "It doesn't matter. You're here, and I promise I'm never going to stop taking care of you." He rests their foreheads together, and Dabi is still and silent because he has no idea what he should do as he grapples with the fact he's still alive. 

///

Shigaraki, seeing as Dabi's awake, helps him into a fancy bathroom off of the side of the lavish room, making him sit on a shower stool, but letting him wash away the lingering liquid as he calls in the doctor. Dabi knows what happened to him before he speaks to Ujiko. Looking in the mirror, seeing the sections of his body that have the distinct skin of a nomu, seeing out of eyes he's certain should have been destroyed-- he knows that Shigaraki or someone must have pulled him out of the crater that was supposed to be his and Enji's gravesite, and send him to be fixed. They brought him back from the brink of death. Dabi isn't sure if he's happy about that or not. 

But he cleans himself up and submits himself to testing. He's the same kind of nomu Shigaraki is. His physical strength will be insane, he shouldn't have any worries about rejecting the other tissue that was grafted on him. He will be ageless, healthy, and stable for as long as he lives, and as long as he checks in with the doctor from time to time if he does notice anything strange. And then the doc leaves and it's just him and Shigaraki alone again. There's a strange numbness that has gone through him throughout his waking and he doesn't know where to even start with it. All he manages to do is turn to Duster and ask, 

"What happened?" 

Shigaraki threads their fingers together, no longer needing to worry about his quirk destroying anything he doesn't want it to, and smiles at him, warmer and realer than any he's ever seen on the other man's face before. "We won, firefly." 

///

He finds out over the course of the next two weeks that the League, Shigaraki, didn't just win, he devastated Japan, and every foreign military that tried to come into the country to stop him. He ensured that all of his people would have exactly what they needed and over the course of the twenty-two months that Dabi was in the tank and being treated by the doctor, Shigaraki has started rebuilding Japan with himself as its king. He is actually the king now, and the only heroes left in the country are the ones who are being systematically hunted down by his people. He took the world for himself and shattered it into pieces, but he's creating something new now. The others are all off doing their own work to those ends, and none of them know about Dabi surviving what was supposed to be his final fight. 

"I knew I would bring you back," Duster tells him. They're sitting out on the porch that wraps around Shigaraki's house. It's not a palace, though it's essentially treated as such by the rest of the world, it's just a nice house sitting on top of a mountain. On top of Sekoto Peak. Because Shigaraki wanted something here for him after finding out who he was. They don't have to stay here if he doesn't want to, they can go anywhere, he can have whatever he wants. But Dabi just feels numb. He wasn't supposed to live to see the end of the war, the rebuilding efforts, and it feels like every ounce of drive that was in him from before has been stolen away. He keeps wondering if he could burn himself again faster than this new body could regenerate. He wonders even if he did, if Shigaraki would just spend another two years fixing him. "But I didn't know how long it would take. I wanted them to go out and build their own lives now that they can without fear." 

Shigaraki is holding his hand. He holds his hand a lot. Runs his knuckles over the back of his cheek, catches him around the back of his neck and presses kisses to his forehead. Dabi keeps meaning to rebuff whatever weird familiarity Shigaraki is displaying, but he feels like all the things he notices about his surroundings are being filtered in through a fog, and he forgets about saying something because he doesn't even think to until hours after the touch happened.

"I can call them back, when you're ready to see them." 

Dabi doesn't know if he's ever going to be ready for that. He hasn't even asked what happened to the rest of his family after he killed Endeavor, and Shigaraki hasn't offered the information either. If he can't manage that, he doesn't know how he's going to even pretend to not be numb when the others see him. 

///

He's been awake for a month in this haze, so thick that he actually did ask Shigaraki to bring the doctor back again because he was kind of worried that his brain was going the way that the gray and black nomus do. But Ujiko had just looked at him with barely constrained pity and informed him he was showing symptoms of depression. Dabi had let out a bark of laughter at that, and it was the first time he'd laughed since he woke up. It felt like glass shards in his throat, and did not convince anyone that he was alright. He tries to get given work to do, something, anything to try and make this awful numbness go away. But working on how to run a country is no more or less exciting than running the PLF, especially since Shigaraki is still keeping him secret. 

He tries to train, and when Duster sees him going outside, he catches both of his hands and pulls him to a stop. 

"What?" He asks, barely registering it as he pulls him in closer, and brings his knuckles up to his lips. He needs to tell Shigaraki to stop doing that. 

"You can't train, firefly." 

"Why not?" 

"After how badly you hurt yourself, do you really think I would let you have your quirk?" Shigaraki says, pressing his cheek to his knuckles. "No, precious. You can have it back when you're all better and I know I can trust you again." 

And the first flicker of something cuts through his numbness. A sharp, hot indignation that-- that doesn't make his temperature creep higher from his quirk. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He snaps, yanking his hands away from the other. "You don't get to choose if I deserve my quirk or not--" that anger, that spark, takes away the numbness that he has been drowning in for so long now. "You don't get to decide if I live or die! You shouldn't have brought me back! I wanted to die! I meant to die! You took everything from me!" His face doesn't hurt when the tears start to slip down his cheeks and he wipes at his cheek with horror, seeing translucent, healthy tears on the back of his hand. Duster took away every inch of him, replaced the things that were broken but were his, with something that so clearly–

Shigaraki catches his wrist again, squeezing hard enough that Dabi gasps as he feels his bones grind against each other as he does it. Red eyes burn into his as he yanks Dabi closer, his other hand clasping around the opposite bicep in the same bruising grip. "I took care of you. I took care of the League. I made certain that you would be safe. You're mine," he tells him, and there is a madness in his eyes as he says it. Something that puts a sharp spike of fear in him and-- and reminds him of how his father used to look at his mother before Shoto was born. 

Dabi only lets out a thin whimper, a sound he's never heard himself make before as he's held helpless in Shigaraki's grip. It doesn't matter if they're the same breed of nomu, Shigaraki has All For One, he's holding him. He could kill Dabi right now if he wanted. And then he could bring him back and do it again. 

The mania in his eyes dulls a bit. He pushes it away, and they go to that unbearable softness again. Duster sighs quietly and loosens his grip before shifting a hand to his chin. "I know that you're not feeling well, precious." He says, pressing a kiss to his cheek, breaking a stream of his tears. "I'm sorry for yelling. Why don't you come with me to the kitchen and I'll make you some tea?" 

Dabi tests his limits, and is allowed to pull out of his grip. He doesn't have words as he shakes his head slightly and flees back to his room, but at least Shigaraki doesn't stop him from going.

///

It takes him hours after dark for him to be able to curl up in his bed and try to go to sleep. He kept ignoring Shigaraki's weird behaviors before because he just thought the guy was poorly socialized, but now he realizes that he's the only one he touched like that. That he never did it in front of any of the others either. He doesn't know what the others would think about this, but he wants out now. He just doesn't know how he's going to get it. Shigaraki owns Japan. He's in charge of everything, which means that unless he is willing to learn how to get by on his physical strength alone, lose his quirk forever, and be willing to kill the League and whoever else Duster sends after him, there is nowhere in all of Japan where he can go. 

He isn't asleep, not when those thoughts are rolling around in his head, but he is dazed and bleary when all of the sudden his bed dips. Dabi jolts, turning, trying to lash out with his quirk, and not finding it again as Shigaraki gets into bed with him. He catches his arm as he swings it towards him and barely blinks before he leans over him, his other hand against the mattress and caging him in. "It's just me, precious." 

A sharp fear he's never felt before starts in his gut and Dabi tries to pull his hand away, but he's held in place so that he can't sit up, "Shigaraki, get out of my room." His voice sounds thinner with that fear. He needs to break whatever delusional claim the other man thinks he has over him before this gets any more out of hand. "I don't want you in here." 

"I know you're upset, sweetheart," Dabi is far more than that when Shigaraki calls him that as he shifts closer. He tries to squirm out from under him, but the other man is so much stronger than him, and he keeps him exactly where he wants him on the bed as he forces a leg up between one of Dabi's own and pins him to the bed with his weight. Terror sears across his nerves and he tries to fight harder, tries to tap into the strength that this body is supposed to have, but he doesn't make the other flinch in the slightest as he does. "But I don't want you to go to bed angry." With him pinned from the waist down, Shigaraki reaches for his chin and holds him still. "I know this isn't what you planned, I know that taking away your quirk doesn't seem fair, but, precious, can you blame me?" 

He sounds like this is all perfectly reasonable, like Dabi is the one who is being insane. 

"When you had it before, you were going to kill yourself, baby. You were going to leave me. After you promised you weren't going anywhere." He leans closer and Dabi's breath catches in the back of his throat. "You said you would stay, firefly." There is a sharper ache in the look that he gives him now. "I need you with me, precious." He doesn't wait for Dabi to try to find his words, he just holds him still as his lips seal over his. 

Dabi keeps his lips pressed tight, he tries to turn away, but the grip on his chin holds him still as Duster kisses his mouth. He kisses him like this is something he's been waiting to do for so long, and a horrible sickness goes through him as he wonders if he did wait to do this, or if the reason he had been so unfazed by cleaning him up and helping him shower, was because he's already had his fill of his body while he was sleeping. Shigaraki doesn't care how unresponsive he is, he shifts his fingers up his jaw so he can press hard at the hinge of it, until Dabi knows his bones will break, or he'll have to open his mouth. The sharp pain is enough to have his eyes watering again, and his mouth opens with a sob. 

Shigaraki doesn't care. He licks into his mouth, holding his jaw open so that Dabi can't even try to bite him, as he licks deep inside. Duster takes like cold rain, and Dabi feels like that flavor is somehow sinking through his skin and all the way down to his bones. He wishes he were still feeling so numb as he lets go of Dabi's wrist to shift closer instead. Dabi tries to push against him, tries to pull on his hair or scratch his nails through his shirt, he tries to get away. He tries. Shigaraki doesn't even seem to notice. 

He pulls away, resting their foreheads together. "I've been waiting for you for so long, precious. I was so scared that I wouldn't get to make this new world for you."

Dabi shakes his head, weakly, tears dripping off his cheeks. "Shigaraki, let go of me, please." 

"Never again, firefly." He promises, kissing at the tracks of them again. "The whole world is mine now, and I've been waiting so long to share it with you." He strokes his thumb over his cheek and kisses the edge of his lips. "My queen." 

"I'm not yours--" Dabi yelps as pain lances through his cheek. It's not the same as burning, not the same as a bruise or broken bone. It feels different and wrong. And the pain comes with a soft crack as his skin shatters under the effects of Decay. He tries to thrash away, and Shigaraki holds him to the bed, but doesn't make his head crumble into nothing as he lets out a strangled cry. 

"Shit, I'm so sorry, precious. I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry." Shigaraki grabs him again, not in the same places as before, catching him in a hug and pulling him in, onto their sides so that he can hold him close, tucking Dabi's head against his chest as he strokes his hair and Dabi sobs, his own hand going to his shattered skin as he shakes. It takes about half an hour for the new healing to knit his skin back together, and he can't stop crying the whole time. He cries for his quirk, he cries for the body that hasn't been his own since the moment he was conceived, he cries for the end he was denied so someone else could use him for their twisted delusion. He cries and cries, and Shigaraki holds him and strokes his hair. He kisses the top of his head, and he tells him softly, again and again, "It's alright, precious. Nothing is ever going to hurt you again. I'm going to keep you safe, baby boy. It's all going to get better, firefly. I love you so much." 

It takes a long time for him to find words again, and when he does he only manages to say the other's name. "S-Shigaraki--" because he is terrified if he tries to protest again, if he tries to tell him this isn't love, this is something sick and twisted, that he'll be hurt again. 

Duster doesn't make him find words, he just tries to pull him into whatever soft hazy place he believes that he's living in, by kissing him again. He kisses him over and over, only parting enough for him to suck in a breath and let it back out on a fresh sob as his hands start to move over his body. He hadn't really dressed for bed, he'd just taken off his t-shirt and lounge pants and climbed in, and Shigaraki takes advantage of every inch of his naked skin. His hands move over his back, stroking around his sides and up to his chest to tease at his nipples. His piercings were all removed when he was in the tank, but his nerves, all of the new nerves all over his body that aren't broken and constantly screaming his pain, they somehow feel even more sensitive than before. 

Dabi's stomach floods with sickness as he realizes what he's angling for to put this 'argument' to bed, to prove how much he 'loves' him. "Shigaraki--" 

"Use my first name, precious. I want to hear it. I've been waiting so long to hear your pretty voice again, sweetheart." He breathes against Dabi's lips desperately as he kisses him again as he pushes him back onto his back, this time forcing Dabi's thighs wide around his hips. He can't help it when his breath hitches again as he feels Shigaraki's cock pressing against his as he's forced to this angle. He hates himself for the way that a jolt of pleasure goes through him there even as this only makes his fear sharper. 

"Tomura, please, I don't--" He pinches a little more roughly at Dabi's nipples and he whimpers but shuts up. Shigaraki wants to play this game. He wants to pretend, and he's going to make Dabi pretend too if he doesn't want this violation to be as physically painful as it already is in other ways as Shigaraki licks and nips along his jawline. 

"You don't have to be nervous, precious." He breathes against his skin. "I'm going to take such good care of you in our bed too." 

He doesn't bother to protest again. He knows it's not going to save him as his mouth settles against his throat, licking and biting like he wants to leave marks that he can't now because his skin is black there. Shigaraki starts to rock his hips into his, slow rolling movements that Dabi wants to twist away from, especially when they... start to feel good. He bites on his lip hard, trying to keep the only sounds coming out of him his soft sobs, as his cock begins to stir. But Shigaraki feels him, of course he does, and he smiles sweetly at him before his mouth moves down his chest to replace one of his hands. His other slips lower, catching the back of his thigh, pushing his boxers higher so that he can have his hand against his skin and drawing soothing circles there as he grinds against him. Dabi is pretty sure the petrichor taste of him is sinking past his skin and going all the way into his bones, settling there into a heavy, inescapable chill as his body, untouched for so long, starts to warm to his touches. 

The tears never hurt as they slip over his cheeks like they used to, and they never stop. Shigaraki's touches never hurt, and he never stops either. He pulls back for long enough to pull away his shirt and then he is kissing him again, his hands going down Dabi's hips and forcing them up so that he can pull away his boxers. Dabi tries to twist away instinctively, his body unable to suppress the urge when he doesn't want that. Shigaraki bites his lip so hard that he starts to bleed and he makes himself be still under him again. His erection doesn't even have the decency to flag as that fresher fear and pain go through him. His skin is so desperate for a touch. Even before he was supposed to have died, even before the League, it had been at least a year since anyone was willing to go to bed with him, and no matter how much his mind recoils, his body longs for pleasure. Shigaraki licks away the blood from his lip and murmurs, 

"You look so beautiful blushing like that for me, precious." His hands move over his body and he leans back to really look at him. "I wish I could have seen you before, but we were always so busy with work. I promise things will be different now. I'm going to make sure that you never have to lift a finger for anything else ever again." 

"Tomura, we don't have to," do this? Change how things were before? What? It's so sharply clear that this is all Shigaraki has wanted out of him since Overhaul. 

"I want to, precious. I want to make you feel good. I want to make every part of you mine. I want to make love to you, Dabi." He wishes so badly that he had burned hot enough to have only been ashes in the wind, and for the first time in his life, he doesn't know if he means when he was twelve or when he killed his father. 

Shigaraki kisses him again, his hands moving down his body, one wrapping around his cock and stroking him slowly from root to tip and Dabi hates himself for how loudly he moans. It feels so sickeningly good that his toes curl against the sheets and his cock starts to drool so much so quickly. He bites into his lip this time and tries not to squirm and have that pleasure turn to agony as Duster's eyes stay so pleased and adoring on him as he strokes his cock a few more times before he, thankfully, lets go of him. 

Then his hand moves over his balls and behind him. No, no, no-- His fingers, only wet with his pre, circle his hole, and Dabi grabs onto his shoulders, his nails biting into his skin. He's not even bothering to try to push him away, he's just bracing himself for the pain of being opened, or being raped by the thick cock he can see outlined in Shigaraki's pants, without proper preparation. But when Duster starts to rub around his hole, Dabi feels a surreal, unfamiliar ache in his pelvis before he feels-- he yelps as something warm and wet starts to slick his hole and Shigaraki's fingers as he rubs them over him. 

"Wh--" 

"That's it, precious. Getting so wet for me," and his voice is thicker with his lust. "I knew my baby girl would be so needy after having to wait so long to have me." 

He understands then, as Shigaraki circles him one more time before he pushes his finger deep inside, sliding along his wet walls without the discomfort he was expecting, that he didn't just have the doctor fix him. He had him made perfect for his delusions. He had his 'queen' made so that he could fuck him whenever he wanted. Dabi squeezes his eyes shut as a fresh wave of tears spill down his cheeks as he realizes that he probably tailor made his body to react to his touches. Made it impossible for him not to... like it as he's violated. 

Shigaraki rubs his finger along him, until Dabi is panting and keening softly as his cock leaks heavily against his stomach, and his hole is all but gushing slick as he puts in another. He sinks them inside and scissors them just enough to get him used to a stretch, strokes just long enough to ensure that his prostate is sensitive and making him moan with each little brush against it, before he kisses Dabi again and pulls his fingers out. 

"Tomura, please," and he wants to think that he's begging for him to stop. He knows he doesn't want this. But his body is lost in the heady, unwanted pleasure that is being forced across his nerves. He wants to die. He wants to be fucked. 

Shigaraki won't let him do the first, not when he thinks he owns him. But he takes the second for himself. He strips away the last of his clothing and Dabi shifts, twisting his torso so that he can hide his face against the pillows so he at least doesn't have to look at the other man as he wraps his hand around his thigh and holds him open and at the angle he wants, as his other hand steadies his cock so he can press inside. Dabi hates himself for how good it feels, how much wetter he gets, how loudly he moans, as Shigaraki feeds his massive cock into his body. He's breathless and soaking the pillow with his tears as the other man bottoms out.

"Fuck, precious, you're so tight." He leans in and kisses his cheek as he starts to rock his hips into him in slow, gentle, rolling thrusts that make certain every one of Dabi's nerves is stimulated and suffusing his body with pleasure. He laughs softly and Dabi wishes he could burn him alive. "First time you've had something inside since I brought you back, huh, precious? Guess that really makes you mine." He teases like they're lovers. As far as he's concerned, they are. 

And Dabi's body agrees as he starts to shift, angling his thrusts deeper, dragging their skin against each other slowly, kissing and touching wherever he can reach. He forces his pleasure to go higher and higher, and no matter how good it all feels, Dabi knows that it's wrong because his quirk isn't racing to meet him. His body gets warmer, but only the way a normal person’s would. Only reminding him with each sobbed moan and whimper as Shigaraki wraps his hand around his cock and begins to stroke, that his body isn't his. It never has been. It belonged to his father's ambitions first, then it belonged to his revenge, now it's Shigaraki's and he's never going to be able to escape. 

It's not an escape, but it is a relief when his pleasure goes so high that he can't fight it back any longer. His mind goes blissfully blank as he arches and cums, his insides tightening around Shigaraki, and pulsing just as much as his cock as he spills his release. His whole body feels consumed by the pleasure and he cries and cries as Duster keeps moving inside of him. He pushes him past the oversensitivity, telling him the entire time how beautiful he is, how much he missed him, how much he loves him, how he's never going to let him go again. He talks, and touches, and rapes him, and Dabi's body doesn't have the decency to be disgusted. He gets hard again, and this time, Shigaraki only lets him cum when he finally does, lacing their fingers together and kissing him sweetly as he fucks him full of his cum, until Dabi's mind gives him another few seconds of reprieve as his orgasm drowns him again. 

///

Shigaraki barely lets him be alone after that. He is with him in his bed-- their bed-- when he sleeps and wakes. He is with him when he eats, when he goes anywhere in the house, and if he has work to do, he brings Dabi to his office and he does his work, while holding one of Dabi's hands so that he can't go far. Dabi has to ask to even go to the bathroom when he needs to, and if he's not back in a timely enough fashion, Shigaraki comes looking for him. Now that he's shown his hand, proved to Dabi he is insane beyond anything he could have guessed, he doesn't bother to hide his obsession anymore. He keeps Dabi close, he pulls him into his lap for kisses and wandering touches that could turn deadly, or at the very least, painful, at his slightest whim. He slips his hand into his pants whenever he feels like it, either stroking him off or fingering him until he's dripping and trembling through his orgasm. He kisses away his tears and tells him how beautiful he is, how much he loves him, as he does, and Dabi lets him. 

He's not numb anymore. 

No, Shigaraki keeps him close, he dotes on him and adores him, and Dabi moves past the anguish. He moves past the regrets and wishes that he had just died when he had the chance. Wishing for those things won't save him now any more than it did when he was a child. He learns what Shigaraki wants from him, and when he wakes up in the morning a week after the first night that Duster forced his way into his bed, Dabi rolls into his chest and nuzzles his face up under his chin, pressing a kiss there, just beneath his jaw. 

"Morning, Tomu." He mumbles. 

Shigaraki's hands against him twitch, tightening just the slightest bit. "Morning, precious. Did you sleep better last night?" No secret now that they're sharing a bed that he has nightmares. Of the fire, of his father, and of Shigaraki too now. Dabi doubts he'll ever stop having any of those, but he shrugs. 

"Do you have a meeting this morning?" He asks instead. 

"Why, baby?" 

He kisses up his jaw until he reaches his ear. "Wanna see if I can take your cock without having to prep. You made me perfect for you, didn't you, Tomura?" 

"You were always perfect, firefly." Shig breathes, catching his chin and looking into his eyes. Dabi doesn't know if he'll ever learn to fake whatever he's going to need to in order to make Shigaraki believe his words are real. But he has time. He'll never get older, never be hurt again so long as he plays along. He can pretend. He wonders if Shigaraki can see those thoughts in his eyes as he looks at him, his gaze calculating. Dabi will play along. He'll do it until his mind shatters and he really does fall in love with this monster, or until Shigaraki sinks so far into his delusion that he never sees it coming when he burns him alive. 

Dabi knows how to bide his time to destroy someone. When he does it this time, he's going to make sure that no one is around to ruin the finality of that action. "I love you." He says on a breath, and Shigaraki smiles at him sweetly even though his eyes are still sharp. 

"I love you too, precious." They're both lying when they say it, but Dabi at least understands that his own words aren't just a lie, they're a promise. He will either love Shigaraki, or he'll kill him. Time will tell. 

[shabitahtashamsongi]

What is Photoshop Shadow Creation Service?

Natural shadows, which are generated based on light angle and the subject's opacity, may not always meet the requirements. Photoshop Shadow Creation Service was created for this reason. What is Shadow Creation Service? Shadow Creation is an editing photo performance created using product photography tools to create a shadow on the object. This gives the illusion that the thing complements other objects in the shot.

High-Quality Photoshop Shadow Creation Services for Your Business Enhancements

The subject of the photo appears to float in the air without a background, and the natural view is lost. If the product is presented in an unprofessional manner online, it could lead to a customer's distrust. Online businesses have intangible products, so it is difficult for shoppers to establish a connection. Photoshop shadows can be used to add depth-of-field into the marketing mix. This confirms and makes it more authentic. This is also related to the eCommerce Image Editing Service. Clipping Path Find's Photoshop editors utilize a more precise and appropriate quantity of Photoshop Shadows to create beautiful product images for online merchants. Adobe Photoshop is mostly hand-made. Shadows can be created by photographers when they photograph a product. This will not be a perfect shadow. Clipping Path Finder creates all shadows by hand according to the clients' specifications. Here is what makes our company unique in providing all kinds of image enhancements to your business.

Why is Photoshop Shadow Creation Service important?

Make yourself the only choice for your clients by dazzling them and convincing them through your photographs to buy your products. The shadow creation service of Photoshop is used when the editor removes the background in a white product photograph. This makes the image credible instead of unrealistic. The dramatic results you can get with the Photoshop Shadow Creation Service will be enough to convince you of its importance and why it is worth using for your business.

Who Needs Photoshop Shadow Creation Service

Shadow Creation is a service that all eCommerce owners, online stores, photo studios and photographers need. All of our clients are very happy with this service. Photographers often require cutouts of products photos and eCommerce businesses are encouraged to post images on their website for sales. Shadow Creation is essential for maximizing a product's impression. Customers are not satisfied with a product unless it has the perfect shadow creation.

[dilfsonic]

hi!! I love the sound of ur shadow service animal au it looks so so good. in your mind how does shadow build his own identity outside of his service animal role//what does that look like for him? also what’s Gerald like in the au?

Tysm!!

Hi there!!

Shadow building his own identity will be a long and arduous journey. His purpose in life is one thing, and it’s actually Sonic who inspires him to begin thinking differently. Sonic questions if anyone has ever only had one purpose in life, and this sticks with Shadow, far more than strangers inquiring why he doesn’t try to have a life outside Maria. Sonic doesn’t want Shadow to denounce his role if Shadow does indeed find fulfillment in it, but he does reject the idea that Shadow cannot ever consider alternatives. Maria won’t live forever, and once Shadow’s ‘role’ is considered obsolete, he’ll become government property as he’s technically a government owned asset, considering Gerald’s research was only allowed via sanction from the military and health ministries.

Shadow building his own sense of self comes strongly from his relationship with Sonic. Not necessarily the intimate one, but just in general by getting to know him. Sonic is unfettered freedom who does whatever he wants and comes and goes whenever he pleases. Sonic does not place himself in service to anyone, but him acting in his own self interest is intrinsically beneficial to others around him, and so he’s often helping people out for no particular reason other than it’s what he likes doing. It’s a very different way of life from Shadow’s, and it makes him curious what it’s like to do as he pleases. Of course, helping Maria is what pleases him, but as he spends time with this strange hedgehog he finds there’s other things that can please him, too. Its mind blowing as a revelation.

Now for Gerald; he’s a very complex character in this. We really don’t know how he canonically was personality-wise or how he treated Maria or Shadow, only that he descended heavily into despair and madness that likely twisted him into far more of a monster than he was. That being said, in this au at least, similarly to Shadow and Maria’s relationship being complicated, Gerald and Shadow similarly have a strange dynamic. It’s not necessarily cruel, but it’s not exactly loving either.

Gerald ‘loves’ Shadow in the sense that a) he’s his greatest creation and b) he’s the thing keeping his beloved granddaughter alive and out of eternal quarantine. He does become more fond of him in the way of dads who insist they don’t like or want cats and then can’t help housing the stray kitten their family brings home. As a baby, it’s difficult not to be a little fond of him, but Gerald carefully separates his affection and his necessary work relationship with Shadow, even as a young child. He has and does not shy from punishing Shadow for failure, and has taken his fright out on him during times Maria’s health has declined for some reason. Shadow goes through strenuous experiments and research and doesn’t protest even when his limits are pushed, which Gerald ‘monitors’ but rarely considers Shadow’s feelings on the matter. It’s usually Maria’s presence that will call days short if she’s upset by Shadow’s condition.

Gerald is very strict and reminds Shadow that there’s no room for failure, and certainly contributes to the dehumanization and objectification of him, but even he has his moments of sitting Shadow down and being struck by his creation’s personhood. It’s a very conflicting feeling for him, and if he questioned the ethics of this practice he would be sacrificing any way to save his granddaughter, which he can’t afford to do.

Gerald is a man who will see things as a means to an end. Those methods will be questionable, but anything is worth Maria’s life to him, which he has instilled in Shadow as well.

[brujahinaskirt]

Real talk: I used to dislike LH Arthur because fanon low-honor Arthur is... boring. But canon low-honor Arthur? He--his arc--is somethin' else.

[RDR2 MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW]

To start with what LH Arthur is not: MOST (not all, most) of the time, the fandom's interpretation (generous word choice) of low-honor Arthur amounts to little more than a mind-numbingly generic dark edgelord fuckprince with little to zero textual support. All his interesting traits, concerns, and cares are stripped away to leave a generic evil sexyman doll with no psychological complexity and maximum y/n fuckability. Or even duller, fanon LH Arthur is just a cornball redditor projecting all the dumb chaos shit they did in sandbox mode into the narrative and promptly ignoring said narrative in its entirety. (i.e., HAR HAR ARTHUR CANONICALLY BURNED HIS HORSE NAMED MARY ALIVE FOR FUN AND PISSED ON THE ASHES, YOU CAN DO THAT SO IT MEANS ROCKSTAR SAID IT HAPPENED) (sorry about your brain)

... but the canon low-honor Arthur trajectory is actually so fucking good. like yesss son please wake the fuck up after 20 years of consciously and painfully murdering your own self-concept to transform yourself into a workhorse of service to provide for a father who gives you nothing in return except a shadow of love (not even a genuine thank you).

yessss it is time to notice yourself again after two decades of blindness, to try and stop the bleeding, but you have lost your ability to heal with the crude tools you have turned your hands/mind/soul into (and for what? for whom??). So all you have at your disposal is to bleed some justice from the prophet-preacher-god-figure who was supposed to love you & love everyone you love most in this world.

yessssss forget revenge and fairness (pretty lies) and just get the only satisfaction available to you which is to make this, the final act of completing your self-destruction at his hands, take his entire family from him (prioritizing the people you love the most, he never deserved them).

And YESSSS use your last acts to spurn him, to rip his mask off, to let him know that YOU, the product of his own creation, his son, the blindly loyal pet he hammered into existence out of a child, SEES HIM for who he really is. Make sure he knows that someone is finally looking through this glitzy shell of a patriarch and psuedo-dreamer and looking RIGHT AT what's really under there. Which is nothing. Make your last words remind him of all the other people who destroyed themselves for him ("not Molly, not Ms. Grimshaw...") because they were more human and lived & felt more genuinely than he ever will. Make SURE he knows that YOU know he has nothing inside him, absolutely fucking nothing, he's not even a complete man; he's just a pathetic shadow of humanness, like a parrot imitating speech without ever really understanding it or feeling the weight of it ("[I'm dying but] you're dead, inside you're dead"); he has therefore become nothing more than the victim of another manipulator, another nothing-creature wrapped in a shell of someone who loves him but doesn't, really, and can't, and never did.

Yessssss hurt him so bad with the way you die he stops talking for seven years

[attichaos]

Rune Meanings

These are a few keywords and themes for rune symbols along with their modern alphabet equivalents.

*longer read*

Ansuz - Message, A

God, Ancestors, Revelation, Signs, Visions, Insight, Message, Knowledge, Communication

Berkana - Birch, B

Earth Mother, Birth, Fertility, Growth, Renewal, New beginnings, Creation, New projects, Creativity

Kaunaz - Torch, C/K/Q

Fire, Knowledge, Enlightenment, Comprehension, Insight, Illumination, Calling, Purpose, Idea

Dagaz - Dawn, D

Intuition, Light Within, Day, Awakening, Consciousness, Clarity, Hope, Balance, Growth, New cycles

Ehwaz - Horse, E

Twin Gods, Relationships, Progress, Movement, Harmony, Trust, Loyalty, Friendship, Assistance, Duality, Animal instincts

Fehu - Wealth, F

Wealth, Mother Rune, Abundance, Luck, Hope, Prosperity, Fortune

Gebo - Gift, G

Divine Interaction, Generosity, Partnership, Gifts, Talents, Charity, Service, Assistance, Luck, Fortune

Hagalaz - Hail (as in the type of weather), H

Transformation, Egg of Life, Destruction, Natural wrath, Uncontrolled forces, Testing, Change, External input

Isa - Ice, I

Cosmic Coherence, Suspension, Delay, Stillness, Frustration, Blocks, Pause, Waiting

Jera - Harvest, J

Earth, Right Action, Year, conclusion, Life cycle, Endings and beginnings, Abundance, Learnings, Growth

Laguz - Lake, L

Fertilty, Living Renewal, Water, Intuition, Imagination, Healing, Dreams, Mysteries, Insight, Instinct, Knowing

Mannaz - Man, M

Divine Union Manifestation, Humanity, Collective, Mortality, Community, Relationships, Morals, Values

Nauthiz - Neccesity, N

Needs, Friction, Shadow, Restriction, Disagreements, Resistance, Survival, Lacking

Othila - Heritage, O

Genetics, Legacy, inheritance, Spiritual growth, Abundance, Values, Contribution

Peorth - Destiny, P

Divination, Luck, Primal law, Fate, Mysteries, Occult, Feminine fertility, Chance, Fortune, Mysticism, Unknown

Raido - Journey, R

Solar Chariot, Rhythm, Progress, Movement, Evolution, Perspective, Journey, Travel

Sowulo - Sun, S

Thunderbolt, Wheel of Power, Success, Vitality, Inspiration, Justice, Success, Joy, Happiness, Abundance

Teiwaz - Victory, T

Masculine Gods, Warrior Rune, Leadership, Rationality, Honour, Bravery, Courage, Strength, Perseverance, Endurance

Uruz - Power, U

Primal Creative Force, Gateway, Strength, Endurance, Health, Courage, Vigour, Vitality, Force, Perseverance

Wunjo - Joy, V/W

Kinship, Heritage, Joy, Pleasure, Feast, Celebration, Comfort, Belonging, Community, Success, Festivities

Thurisaz - Thor, X, th

Protection, Polarity, Regeneration, Defence, Challenge, Danger, Attack, Strength

Eiwaz - Yew, Y

Tree of Life, Dreaming, Magic, Connection, Inspiration, Endurance, Sacred knowledge, Protection, Life cycles, Divinity

Algiz - Elk, Z

Divine Protection, Sanctuary, Protection, Guardian, Awakening, Courage, Defence, Instincts

Inguz - Fertility, NG

True Love, Music, Harmony, Fertility, Virility, Inner growth, Virtue, Peace, Harmony

Merry meet,

Atti <3

[shadowwalkingwitch]

Introduction and Table of Contents

Hello, I am Nox and I am a male Umbra Witch. I use the power that the shadows and the dark give to empower my spells. I worship Nyx, Erebus, Persephone, and Hades.

I'm looking for other, active witch blogs to follow so feel free to message and follow and I will follow back. Especially if you post about the following topics

Umbra witchcraft

Draconic/Dragon witchcraft

Night magic

Death magic

Cthonic Deities

Void magic

Lunar magic

Astrology

Tarot

Cartomancy

This post will continue to grow as I will use it as a Table of Contents as I begin adding back my own spells. This can be found below under the keep reading link.

*Warning* This is a curse and hex positive blog. Utilizing a hex or curse is like wielding any kind of weapon. It takes training and respect for the weapon being used.

If you would like an energy reading, cartomancy reading, or if you just really like my content feel free to send me a tip on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/shadowwalkingwitch

Consider tipping $3.00 to my Ko-Fi for the below services.

Cartomancy Readings - Open

Energy Readings - Open

Sigil Requests - Open

Tarot Readings - Open

TABLE OF CONTENTS

*Note* My oc posts will be in green text

My Rituals/Spells/Curses

Detecting your own energy

Connecting with Umbra energy

Connecting with your Umbra Guardian

Summoning a Shadow Person

Prosperity Spell

Mirrored Empath Shield

Don't Notice Me Ward

Umbra Dart Curse

Penance Stare Curse

Anon Hate Curse

Umbra Cloaking

The Umbra

Overview

The Umbra and Me

Umbra Guardians

Shadow People

My First Shadow Encounter

Umbra Witchcraft Tips & Tools

Umbra Witchcraft FAQ

Umbra Grounding

Umbra Witch Self-Care Tips

Umbra Witchcraft Tools & Associations 

Creating an Umbra Tether

Sigil Alphabet

Cthonic Deity Posts

Nyx, the Primordial Goddess of the Night

Erebus, the Primordial God of Darkness 

My Creations

Persephone and Hades Phone Backgrounds

Sigil of Spiritual and Astral Connection

Sigil of Luck and Good Fortune

Sigil of Calm and Peace

Sigil of Spiritual Communication

Miscellaneous

My Natal Chart