#so i'm giving it to him

[packleaderbriggan]

Monty Finch and Individuality

Does anyone else think that, after everything, Monty clung to any way he could feel in control of his own body?

Esther created him. She made him - his body, the very thing he was meant to feel secure in - for the sole purpose of seduction and bait for her trap. He truly was created to be a femme fatale, and his body was nothing more than a tool to further Esther's revenge on the boys and Crystal.

So, once everything is over, once he's finally found a home with Edwin, Charles, Crystal, and Niko (because they all made it out, fight me), what do you think he'd do in a desperate attempt to make his body his own?

People - and crows - are really good at mimicry. When they want to fit in, when they want to be accepted, to have a home, they try and change aspects of themselves to blend in with the crowd. They adopt what they feel is a unifying trait from the collective.

I think I want to explore that. (more under the break ;))

What do you think was going through Charles' mind when Monty timidly approached him one day, asking whether Charles would be okay if Monty got a piercing? Of course Charles would be okay with it; it's Monty’s body, he gets to decide what happens to it! What would he do when Monty looked away and explained that he didn't want Charles to feel like Monty was just copying him, trying to "steal his thing"? He would be so steadfast in his conviction as he reassured Monty that he would be more than happy if Monty copied him, flattered even, if Monty went forward with it, adopting a trait that Charles himself found so much joy and individuality in. He'd even show him some of the best tattoo parlors around where he could get his ears pierced, guiding him through the last-minute anxiety attack with gentle words and soft encouragement. And maybe something in his stomach would flip as Monty looked at his reflection and a bright, beaming smile spread over his entire face as he tilted his head this way and that to study the gleam of his new silver earring. Afterwards, when Charles would catch him in the office, deep in his own thoughts, fiddling absently with the small feather charm that now hung from his ear, he found it hard to remember what Monty had looked like before. It was as though his slight, bird-like form had been made to carry that tiny silver pendant, a badge of his newly found personhood.

What did Niko think when Monty showed up at hers and Crystal’s flat in London, a question tripping off his tongue before she could even say hello. Would she be excited as she led him to the salon, helping him settle on what color to dye his hair? Would she be happy that he's trying to feel more in control and present in his body? When he eventually settled on thin streaks of deep blue, red, and purple underneath his naturally dark hair, Niko would cheer and throw her arms around him, telling him how handsome he is when his confidence shines through his smile. As he shakes his head, each movement revealing a new combination of colored strands, she would gush about how the multi-colored waves of his hair gave him the same effect as the feathers of a crow. To herself, she would silently note that the specific array colors he had chosen were also representative of their friends- the red like Charles' favorite shirt; the blue for Edwin's characteristic uniform; the purple to match Crystal's hallmark royal attire. She would definitely rant to her girlfriend, bubbly and infectious, the moment she got home about how much Monty had grown in the few months that he'd been a part of their group.

What would Crystal say when he hesitantly asked where she got her charms and necklaces and accessories? As she took him to clothing stores and trinket shops around London, would she look on in contentment as he grew bolder and more in tune with his desires? As he snatched up the things that caught his eye - the shiniest pendants, charms, tassels, and gemstones - and tried on outfit after outfit, would Crystal’s small smile deepen into a grin, relishing in just how at home and present he was in his own judgments? As they hauled bag after bag up the stairs to the agency, and as she helped him set up his new wardrobe, would she sit back and observe as the boy flitted about his room, turning his trinkets in just the right way so the sun reflecting off of them made beams of bright light dance over the walls? Then, she would think back on Niko’s words and realize her girlfriend had been right- Monty Finch was becoming a person. He was stepping into his new life, coming into his own, savoring the feeling of freedom and expression and identity, beyond what Esther had molded him to be. And as she watched him, she couldn't help but think that he looked damn good while doing it- And not just because she had influenced his new sense of fashion.

How did the entries regarding Monty in Edwin's notebook adapt and adjust as he observed the changes in their newest agency member? Would he catch himself gazing for a moment too long at the bright smile on Monty's countenance as he spoke with Charles; distinguishing how Monty's nimble fingers, so suited for delicate spell work and material manipulation, tucked stray locks of his shoulder-length hair behind his ear as he read through the agency's vast collection of magical books; studying the way the dim illumination of the office made the light in Monty's dark eyes shimmer and dance as he listened intently to their newest client? Would Edwin's deceased heart stutter as a truly addictive laugh fell from Monty's lips at one of Edwin's sarcastic quips, and he found himself desiring nothing more than just one more glimpse of that lovely, beautiful, free sound? Would Edwin look on with a strange sense of satisfaction blooming in his chest as Monty snapped back at a rude client who had insulted Edwin, beating even Charles to the defense of the eldest detective, barbed words and a protective glint in his fiery, mahogany eyes? How would Edwin's notebook entries detail the evolution from taciturn and reticent to bright and communicative, the walls that Monty had built around himself falling away as he no longer felt the need to constantly protect himself? As Edwin observed this metamorphosis, dark clothes and hair giving way to irradiant jewelry and effulgent modifications reflecting the new, unrestrained confidence Monty seemed to have found in his body and in his life, he could not help but feel magnificently proud of the most recent addition to the Dead Boy Detective Agency.

And, as Edwin would discover, the Cat King had been correct about one thing: The second kiss was definitely better than the first. The familiar warmth of Charles had not yet faded from his lips before Monty was turning from the younger ghost, one hand rising to smooth over Edwin's jaw... And then they were entwined, breathless, gasping laughs flowing from all three as they kissed and touched and explored, enveloping each other with such utter love and complete devotion that Edwin could not help but wipe away a tear as they lay together afterward. The echos of their pleasure, their adoration, their tenderness amazed him, leaving him completely enraptured at the sight before him.

Edwin had thought that there was no one in his life or his afterlife that he could love as much as Charles Rowland. However, as he lay there, gazing at Charles' fingers rubbing at Monty's silver earring, so much gentle fondness in his eyes, Edwin could not resist pressing one more kiss to Monty's beautifully colored hair, his hands brushing away the dark strands from his sleeping face as he dozed on Charles' chest.

Monty had grown so much from their first, deceptive, maliciously planned meeting. He had changed, evolved, adapted, blossoming into a creature of fervent love, of loyal devotion, of steadfast adulation. The anxiety and prey-instinct he had been shaped in paled in comparison to the boundless confidence he exuded now.

And Edwin Payne would love every part of Monty Finch, just as easily as he loved Charles Rowland- His affection for the two boys he now rested beside in the warm afterglow, skin pressed against skin, tranquil palms resting delicately on exposed chests and bare waists, adoration coursing through long-dead hearts, came as effortlessly as breathing.

[ravenclawshermione]

New Chapter Up!

Chapter 2 of You Know The Scars On My Soul - I'd Give You Every Fractured Future is up!! ^-^

“So, let me get this straight,” he said, looking utterly bamboozled, “You took a peek into my pasts and presents and all that, and still decided that getting on the back of my bike was a good life choice?”

“I hate to break it to you, but seeing all that actually made you a lot less scary,” I explained, rolling my eyes, remembering him as Robin sitting at a bar with a glass of milk. I wondered if that had been this reality. 

“Did you miss the bit where I delivered a duffle bag of severed heads as a power play to become a crime lord?”

“Oh, you mean the heads of the monsters who terrorized the most vulnerable people in this shit hole of a city? Do you realize that most of us living in the slums see the Red Hood as our cape?” I countered, moving on to my fries, “Not that I’m condoning killing people, mind you, but your past hardly makes me view you as a threat to my safety. I’m not the kind of person you go after.”

He frowned, apparently not expecting that response, “What about the fact that you know who I am? That's a pretty big security risk, and not just to me, either.”

“Fun fact, if you tell people you can see things that haven’t happened yet, it generally results in a stay in the looney bin. Which, if you weren’t aware, is not a place you wanna be in this city,” I said, trying to keep my voice casual, “Now, if I tell you that you’re a very intimidating guy will you stop pretending that you might kill me?”

[zuzu-draws]

[The Strongest "Hear Me Out"]

+ bonus Yuuji POV:

Apparently this boy ain't traumatized enough!!!🗣️🗣️

[demi-pixellated]

🛹⛸💨💨

[shrews-art]

Consequences of brutal pipe murder I guess 😔

[egophiliac]

GET LOVED, IDIOT

GET LOVED SO HARD YOUR KIDS HOLD HANDS AND POWER-OF-LOVE YOU BACK TO LIFE

sorry guys, this is just my brain now. this is going to be the only thing I think about for the next week at least.

oh and also this

FIVE YEARS IN AND IT'S FINALLY CANON 🎉🎉🎉

WE DID IT

[humming-fly]

was anyone gonna tell me shadow saved rouge's life in sa2 or was I just supposed to find that out playing the game myself

(this worked out as a rather fitting closer for the Final Day in Year of Shadow haha, hope ya'll have a fun new year! 🎉🎉🎉)

[laughingcatwrites]

As a reminder that good exists out there, a coworker recently confessed to me that he found out his child is questioning their identity (kid's gender redacted for this post). The kid is keeping it from him, so he can't say anything to them or show that he knows, but he's doing his best to get mentally prepared and educated so that he'll be ready whenever his kid does feel comfortable enough come to him.

For context, this guy is a big, bulky middle aged dude who loves sports and typical outdoor "manly" activities. As his coworker and friend, I know he's a kind and sweet teddy bear of a person, but his kid probably views him as a stern, authoritarian figure, the way most teenagers view their parents. His family lives in a conservative area, so I'm sure between that, their dad's looks and interests, and the fact that their dad is a Figure of Authority, the kid is worried that they won't be accepted.

But you know what? When he found out about his kid, the first thing he did was reach out to his closest queer friend and ask for resources for parents of questioning children. His biggest fears are that his kid will be bullied or discriminated against and won't feel comfortable enough to be themself. His second action was to find himself a mentor in another parent who went the same situation (kid coming out in a conservative town). The other person is preparing him for some of the struggles his kid may face and the fights he may need to take on as a parent to make sure his kid is safe and treated well.

Something I want to emphasize for people focused on language as the primary method of allyship is that when we spoke, he used some outdated terms and thoughts about gender and sexuality. That does not make him bad. These were the terms and thinking used about questioning teenagers when he was growing up and he never needed to learn more current ones. But now that he does have that need, he's throwing himself in head first because that's his kid and he's darn well going to make sure that his kid feels welcomed and has a safe place to be themselves even if they never come out to him.

[paintedcrows]

Unintended consequence of creating my own Bill... He watches me draw now...

The Horrible Triangle in question:

[inkskinned]

it is genuinely and truly terrifying to watch trump and his apostles create a crisis and then "resolve" the crisis.

it is terrifying to watch right-wing media first say they love the tariffs, that "america is finally first again," that we don't need to be in a global economy. but then trump changes his mind. the media, in the next day or even hour - suddenly admits that the market was crashing, that we were in serious economic danger. but no worries because trump has saved us all! he's brought us back from the brink and stocks skyrocketed, something biden never did! trump's a hero! he loves us! he saved america!

i hate that the word "fascist" doesn't even seem to alarm them anymore. i hate that they treat it as a joke. i hate that others lift their noses and say triggered, libs? while lives fall apart. this is a man who has a religion behind him. this is a god-king. this is a man who has warped the soul of america, and they treat him as if he's just a goofy genius with a heart of gold.

within one hour of the tarriffs being announced, i already saw a commenter on instagram saying this is how we know he's playing chess, not checkers. but all the libs already sold their stocks, and i'm sat here laughing. i had to close my eyes.

[frags-fragzzzzz]

Hello ghost trick fandom

[retquits]

a quick sam sketch for the wonderful person who sent me a k☼fi !!! 🥺

he's thinkin up song lyrics 🎶

[laurellala-comics]

What if the characters in Ace Attorney all texted each other. Because they're friends. <3

(My alt text descriptions were a little long so I've added the individual text exchanges below, btw if there's any way I can improve my alt text please let me know!)

[id: drawing one shows text history between Maya Fey and Phoenix Wright on Nick's phone, starting with older texts at the top

Maya: ramen? (Nick has given this a thumbs up)

now we see texts from today at 11:37

Maya: Burgers?

Nick: sorry, not today, big case :(

Maya: Aww Nick

Maya: I'll pick it up and bring it over!

Maya: ... can i use your credit card (she punctuates the sentence with a big smiling face emoji) /end id]

[id: drawing two shows text history between Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth on Miles's phone, starting with older texts at the top

Edgeworth: This was a riveting article, I thought it might interest you.

now we see texts from today

Nick sends a screenshot of a twitter post that reads: Lawyers help people get through the worst day of their life. They're good at it because they have experience getting through their own worst day, which just so happens to be every waking day of their existence

Miles: Ha.

Nick: Just one "ha"?

Miles: Not your best work.

Nick sends a frowny face :( /end id]

[id: drawing three shows text history between Miles Edgeworth and Maya Fey on Maya's phone. The text bubbles from Maya here are green as a result of her, an iPhone user texting Miles, a google pixel user. Maya has also sprinkled several emojis into Miles's contact name, the libra scales, the angry face emoji, the shouting emoji, and the clashing swords emoji. They're mid conversation and Miles has sent a text bubble so big we can't read the whole thing.

Miles: -completely unnecessary. Doing a Steel Samurai reboot so soon after the series ended is a foolish decision, everyone will be directly comparing the two from the moment the first episode drops. I don't believe they even have a fresh direction for the show, the only difference will be the cgi. God forbid we rock the boat and follow a new character! It's abundantly clear to me that the studio executives are cowards.

Maya: Oh my gosh, and did you see the new outfits? Maya includes a sobbing emoji

Miles: Oh, don't get me started.

we see three dots at the bottom of the screen indicating that Miles is still typing. /end id]

[edithdraws]

Hello Adam Warlock nation 🧡

[maikhiwi00]

SENTINEL PRIME in

TRANSFORMERS ONE 2024, dir. Josh Cooley

[ellenchain]

DAY 3 of Jayvikweek: machine 🦾/butterfly 🦋

I couldn't decide because I don't like either version, but I'm posting them anyway because I want to participate too 😔

mad scientist Jayce and arcane herald butterfly in a rushed style

au, in which Jayce tries to get Viktor out of the astral plane and does everything to do so; including building an artificial body and practising necromancy again

And Viktor the Arcane Herald, destroyer of worlds, is confronted with his second greatest weakness: social events