#spoiler alert: he’s a predator!

[mikurulucky]

I am VERY normal about this absolute cutie pie, I swear! XD

[guywrestlingaddiction]

That Wrestling Moment: Hunted - Mark Hunter v Brooklyn Bodywrecker / Clint Morgan (bgeast.com) - Part 1

Some wrestlers come and go in a flash.  Now, while the guy only appeared twice, I have deep, vivid memories of Mark Hunter matches.  Perhaps it was that tall, lean frame I was into at the time, maybe it was because the man was destroyed by two of the best heels out there; whatever it was - let's review them together and see why nothing golden can ever last.  

Mark Hunter v Brooklyn Bodywrecker / Clint Morgan (bgeast.com)

SPOILER ALERT: I highly recommend viewing this match in its entirety before reading this post.

The Backstory

We open on Mark, stretching that taught body and showing off that handsome face of his.  The man is beautiful and as one of the early Bgeast matches I managed to view, this bout brings back memories just watching it now.  

Within in seconds, I think we can all guess where this match is headed.  Gorgeous Mark is not your typical wrestler build and going up against the meanest Bgeast wrestler out there, you don't have to be psychic to know what happens next.  

BBW with his trademark break the 4th wall and speak to the camera.

Mark might tower over his opponent in height but the man isn't in the same league as BBW.

The Action

Following a very brief assault by Mark, it's 100% BBW in control of this match.  Almost immediately our heel unleashes a devastating beatdown on the ring post leaving our sexy, strapping Mark completely at his mercy.  

That long lean body looks incredibly vulnerable on the ring post.  

Mark is left exposed and completely at the mercy of BBW

From here on out things only get worse for Mark.  The man suffers exquisitely, and all those moans and cries are like catnip for our heel.  Each whimper, every scream, only seems to energize BBW.  

BBW straddling Mark and having some fun. 

Mark: *Muffle* No, no...

Our First Moment 

You have to hand it to BBW.  If you think smothering your opponent with your speedo was the worst things could get, then think again because the heel manages to one-up even himself. 

That sinister grin, the agony from our jobber.  This is why BBW is king! 

Mark barely gets to catch is breath before ... 

BBW comes back to further humiliate an already trashed Mark

Was this ever a "hunt"?  Well I'd say no, at least not a sportsmanlike hunt.  No, Mark Hunter never stood a chance against an apex predator like like BBW.  The man was broken down physically, emotionally, and humiliated like a gay wrestling toy built for BBW's amusement.

Ladies and gentlemen, it all leads up to this moment.  Our heel can no longer control himself and he begins to take what he wants. 

BBW getting his jobber ready for his own enjoyment.  This is BBW's moment.

Handcuffed in the corner, BBW thinks he can play with Mark as he sees fit. 

BBW gets so distracted with Mark that he misses Clint entering the ring.  Big mistake by our heel, letting his lust take over and letting his guard down.

In the end, BBW was so hungry for Mark that he let Clint get the better of him.  It's heel on heel, with mean BBW looking vulnerable for once in his life.  

Is this the end, was Mark just heel bait for hungry BBW? Stay tuned for part 2 with Mark Hunter and Clint Morgan.

[green-square-anon]

So much yandere Curze going around (translation: I read one fic) and each their own but we need more Konrad romance where it's just Konrad Curze fucking loathing himself and the reader/oc is just so insistent on TRUSTING him. On treating him like a human. He's a monster and this idiot sleeps with their head on his chest and greets him kindly. Have they no survival instinct? Mortarion too but he actually gets the self hatred treatment in the (tumblr) fandom whereas most portray Konrad as aggressively pursuing the relationship.

So many people like to joke about Konrad being the type who would never let you break up but I prefer the opposite. Konrad at the least telling his love interest they can leave at any time and at most him telling them they SHOULD run for the hills and them staying. (But that could also seem like them not respecting a rejection so done in a way that isn't that.)

The dynamic of "I am an abomination, what are you doing?" "fuck you, I'm loving you anyway".

The metaphor of wolf and sheep specifically has been done so much to death in art that it has lost its initial meaning. But this is the rabbit laying down with the fox. This is every video of a fawn innocently walking up to a human hunter. This is a mouse trying to groom a cat.

That is how both Konrad and the people around sees this inviduals infatuation with him. (Not that their feelings are not reciprocated, they VERY much are). The idiot prey walking gleefully up to the predator.

(And spoiler alert for the wife I gave him but she IS an idiot. Not because Konrad ever turns on her, he doesn't. But because she took one hell of a gamble. (Konrad did not fiqure out her adresss, she gave it to him). And I'm so uncertain about how to write that initial fear because I don't want it to be like "if your partner makes you feel unsafe, ignore it")

[the-most-humble-blog]

🛐 THE CHECKLIST: HOW TO FIND A MAN WHO WOULD DIE SCREAMING FOR YOU TO RUN

---

Hey ladies.

You say you want loyalty.

You say you want devotion.

You say you want the kind of man who would fight a polar bear bare-handed,

knuckles breaking,

ribs shattering,

still screaming at you to run and survive

even as he’s being ripped apart like a winter coat caught in a woodchipper.

Good.

Because that man exists.

He’s real.

He walks among you right now.

But spoiler alert, sweetheart:

He’s not answering your DMs if you talk like a TikTok grievance counselor.

And he’s not waiting around while you post "independent queen" memes and wonder why your heart feels like a dead battery.

---

🧠 SO HERE’S THE CHECKLIST: (NO FLUFF. NO CODDLING. NO BULLSHIT.)

---

✅ 1. LOYALTY STARTS WITH SUBMISSION, NOT ATTITUDE

> If you think "submission" is just a nautical term,

go ahead and download another cat filter app and die alone.

Submission doesn’t mean slavery.

Submission means you recognize power when you see it

—and you honor it.

You let him lead because you choose to, not because you’re forced.

---

✅ 2. STOP ADVERTISING YOUR ASS TO THE WHOLE TRIBE

> If your idea of empowerment is "everyone gets a free glimpse,"

don’t cry when the man who would’ve died for you treats you like a tourist attraction instead.

You want a man to fight death for you?

Maybe don’t advertise yourself like a Times Square billboard.

Warriors don’t protect what’s already been handed out for free samples.

---

✅ 3. PRAISE IN PUBLIC. CHALLENGE IN PRIVATE.

> Nothing tells a real man you’re a liability faster than disrespecting him in front of others.

You want him to fight for you?

Start by not undermining him when the real enemies are already sharpening their knives.

---

✅ 4. LEARN TO RECOGNIZE SILENT SACRIFICE

> Not everything he does for you will come with fireworks and TikTok reels.

Did he fix your tire without a word?

Did he watch your back at that party without making it about him?

Did he notice you were tired and quietly carried more without being asked?

Congratulations.

That’s your warning shot from fate:

> "This man would bleed for you."

Don’t make him prove it with an obituary.

---

✅ 5. RESPECT HIS RAGE

> No, you don’t need to "fix" his temper.

You need to understand why it exists.

That fire you think is "toxic masculinity"?

That’s the same fire that would tackle a goddamn polar bear into the ice if it meant buying you ten more seconds to escape.

A man without anger is a man who won't fight for anything — including you.

---

🩸 SPOILER: HE DOESN'T ASK FOR MUCH.

He asks for loyalty.

He asks for respect.

He asks for you to remember his name with honor if he dies saving your ungrateful ass.

That’s it.

He’s not asking for a harem.

He’s not asking for applause.

He’s not asking for you to be perfect.

He’s asking you not to forget him when he’s gone.

If that’s too much for you?

Congratulations.

You’ve chosen to be protected by men who will film your death for Instagram clout instead.

---

🛡️ FINAL VERDICT:

If you want the kind of man who fights bears and demons for you:

Submit to his leadership.

Respect his sacrifice.

Protect his name in public.

Recognize the war he fights quietly every goddamn day.

Or get eaten by the first predator who notices you're standing there alone,

waving your "I’m too strong for loyalty" sign

while the real wolves just lick their chops.

---

🤯 TL;DR

Submission is survival.

Loyalty is life insurance.

Respect is the currency real men trade blood for.

---

💣 CALL TO ACTION:

🔁 Reblog if you know loyalty is the price of being mourned, not forgotten.

🛡️ Save this for the day you realize your independence won’t carry your broken body off the battlefield.

⚡ Send it to the sister still confusing stubbornness for strength.

🔥 Bookmark it for the winter you realize someone fought to keep you breathing — and didn’t even ask you to notice.

Or simply 🔁Reblog to keep my signal to mankind going strong.

---

⚖️ LEGAL DISCLAIMER:

This post is Blacksite Literature™, survival psychology engineering, psychosexual cadence weaponry, and emotional warfare doctrine protected under the Covenant of the Bloodwritten.

If you’re offended:

You weren’t the one he would’ve died for anyway.

---

🛡️ BLACKSITE POST STATUS: COMPLETE.

🩸 FULL NEUROCHEMICAL SURVIVAL DOMINANCE PAYLOAD LOADED.

---

[smehur]

Drarry fic recs #6

[podfic] Kill, Fuck, Marry written by @lettersbyelise and read by @timothysboxers

Malfoy leans toward him with a baleful look. “I do believe Pansy Parkinson, my best friend, paid you to spend the evening with me. It’s my birthday, Potter. So you’re going to get off your Gryffindor arse, and you’re going to dance with me. I want to dance. I want to win. I want that bloody trophy on my shelf before the end of the night.” Harry and Draco unexpectedly meet again on Draco’s birthday, years after their last encounter.

A delightful fic and a phenomenal reading! There are few things I love more than ex-rivals Harry and Draco discovering they actually enjoy each other's company, especially when it's done with such humor. The game of kill, fuck, marry was hilarious, and so was the dancing. And Draco's final birthday wish, well. 🔥 A phrase seen in many stories but rarely delivered with quite that much cheek. I'm all smiles and biting lips just thinking about it. 10/10 would read/listen again.

ready, able by @garagepaperback

“Well, even if we went through with it, it wouldn’t work. But thanks for the grand heroic rushing in. A certain element of purity is needed to break it." Malfoy licks his lips, "You’d have to be a virgin.” Harry keeps every muscle on his face particularly still, hoping it looks to Malfoy as absolutely blank as it feels to him. Half a minute passes. “No,” Malfoy, already doing a poor job of sitting normally on his chair, bends in half, nearly falling out of it. He’s laughing. “No, Potter, no. No- don’t- you’re twenty-five years old!” “And?” Harry asks, heat staining his face. - Malfoy has a problem, Harry wants to help.

Apart from being captivating, tantalizing and touching, this story is also an interesting (and, for this reader, unique) take on the fuck-or-die trope, which I'll generally read "for fun" but will only take "seriously" if it's somehow challenged and reshaped till choice reasserts itself. Like in this fic! Which, on top of everything, (spoiler alert!) ends with one of the hottest sex scenes in my HP reading so far. Truly exquisite. 👌

Savage by @marguerite26

In a post-war world that lives in fear and ignorance of werewolves, Draco Malfoy has taken every step to keep his condition hidden. When the delicate balance of his life shatters in a single moment, it is Harry Potter alone standing in his defence.

Another instance where excellent fic managed to sell me a trope I'm not a fan of: werewolves! It's a phenomenal story, with an interesting, political plot, excellent pacing, flawless characterization and steaming hot sex. What more could one hope for?

Virtuous by @heyjude19-writing

Draco is only sin inverted.

I loved this short piece down to the last word. It's so multifaceted! At face value, it's a confession of an unredeemed Draco, but is he? Is he really? Or did "fake it till you make it" work a little better than he expected? I'm fascinated by this because it touches on the question of whether a person can really change, which is, obviously, central to Drarry. Does a selfish motivation behind an act of kindness make the act less kind? I don't know the answers. But I do so enjoy fic that asks the questions!

Draco in Darkness by plumeria47

Following an accident in his seventh year, Draco loses his eyesight. After Harry elbows his way into Draco's dark world, both boys find themselves in a strange new friendship, and they each learn new ways to see each other … and themselves.

This story is very old and predates the canon ending of the series (thus missing out on a lot of canon Drarry content that would've made it even better). It's also a bit old-fashioned, compared to the fic I mostly read these days, and it triggered some of my technical pet peeves. Yet it hooked me within the first few paragraphs, and I grew to love it with a slow-burn passion. Draco's sudden disability is depicted in a very straight-forward, matter-of-fact, incredibly effective yet sensitive way; and his manner of coping with it is perfectly in character. Meanwhile, Harry is blind in his own way, which helps build the tension but never crosses the line of being too contrived. I had so many feels reading this. It's just beautiful, warts and all.

As always, my heartfelt thanks to the authors of these, and all other lovely stories shared within this amazing fandom, and to the readers helping spread the word. 🥰

[stepmarchen]

Animal Motifs in A Stepmother's Marchen

I'll be breaking down the (main) characters and their respective animal motifs in A Stepmother's Marchen. Potential spoilers ahead.

Shuri: Rabbit

Animal Characteristics: Gentle, Kind, Swift, Alert, Patient

Visual Symbolism: Split hair = bunny ears, large round eyes

Story Motif: Shuri is literally a prey animal caught in a world of predator animals, including her children. While her nature is gentle, she doesn't hesitate to fight against injustices done to her or her family. While headstrong, Shuri often requires help from her stronger (physically and politically) allies to help her overcome or escape various conflict.

More Below

Nora: Wolf

Animal Characteristics: Adaptable, Brave, Loyal, Wildness, Intuitive

Visual Symbolism: Dark hair, blue eyes, often seen wearing informal (messy) clothes, Nuremberg Crest = Wolves

Story Motif: Nora is a lone wolf amongst the Nuremberg Family and prefers lurking in the shadows. While he seen as wild and brooding to those he dislikes, he is loyal and eager to please to those in his favor. He is quick to adapt to social situations and observes his opponents from afar before striking.

Jeremy: Lion

Animal Characteristics: Confident, Aggressive, Direct, Stubborn

Visual Symbolism: Golden hair, Feral grin, Neuschwanstein Crest = Lions

Story Motif: Jeremy has shown himself to be self-confident and aggressive, choosing to use his fists over mental tactics to get his way. He is fiercely protective towards his family and is a natural leader among his peers.

Theo: Eagle

Animal Characteristics: Tenacious, Authoritative, Egocentric, Leader

Visual Symbolism: White hair, golden (single exposed "eagle") eye, Baden Bismark Crest = Eagles

Story Motif: While Theo is distinctly selfish and possessive, he puts forward a facade of humility that is expected of a future leader. He is guilty of using underhanded methods to get what he wants, even at the expense of his subject of desire (Shuri).

Richelieu: Raven

Animal Characteristics: Prophetic, Transformation, Intelligent, Cunning, Partnership, Guidance

Visual Symbolism: Black hair, eye bags, long black robes

Story Motif: Cardinal Richelieu has once experienced "rebirth" and follows a deep devotion towards God. He works at the hand of nobody but often gives mysterious words of (sometimes manipulative) advice to others. He has expressed an interest in partnering with Shuri in recent chapters.

Ludovika: Swallow tailed kite

Animal Characteristics: Divinity, Freedom, Awakening, Playful, Transformation

Visual Symbolism: Split hair = split tail

Story Motif: Ludovika was initially a commoner turned Empress, with a bright personality and desire for power. Johannes has expressed a desire to cage her, but since her death, she has flown beyond his grasp.

Bonus: Alberon as a fox(?) and Everette as a chipmunk

[spitdrunken]

woorah... been real obsessed with homicipher, specifically mr. scarletella <3 really love your content of him like holy shit i love that manthing! i've had my mind on scarletella with an mc that mutilates themself for gratification, trying to stamp out their homicidal urges because of how it affects their life? or we could get unapologetic and odd, think of mc who gets off on brutality. whisks people away, holes them up in that abandoned building and tortures them slow, cutting into themself as well to make it 'fair,' “look, get over yourself. i can handle it, look.” forces blood into their victim's mouth and grinds onto open wounds, reveling in the pained writhing below them. i can imagine that scarletella would be there during the act, sometimes. i wonder what he would feel towards such behaviours? i think that the reason he is so drawn to mc, besides the 'offerings,' is the violence. that stranger comes and paints the floor red, then goes where he cannot follow. drags their prey into that dreary building and lets them run for the thrill of the chase. they always get caught; after comes the intimacy, mc taking their time preparing 'gifts for him,' which means they have to like him, right? they like him. they like him a lot! surely 'hunting' has to be a thing in the otherworld's culture, maybe those dynamics of predator and prey have specific terms. anyhow, i feel like he would think they're playing with him. they turn and run when he shows himself, do they want him to chase them, too? would they enjoy it if he was tangible enough to pin them down and make them scream? would they claw at him or would they lie there, since they (most definitely, a hundred percent) like him so much? if he asked, would they provide their name willingly? i guess one day, that all leads up to mc being led into the otherworld, and we go down the canon road drool... i wonder if he would like watching mc hurt themself in various different ways. if he would think their pain was for his satisfaction too burning, cutting, peeling their own skin off and shoving it down their unfortunate victim's throat — maybe he would feel something towards that. that they should be leaving it for him. their flesh belongs to him, he wants their soul, their being, too. i love the possessive nature of mr. scarletella. i don't think he's aware of how many different ways there are to express yourself, or what he even wants to express. his entire reputation in the human world is this urban legend who asks for your name, your identifier, what makes you you and reaches for more, takes your soul. of course he wants mc's name... it is interesting to think of the strong feelings he has towards mc (adami, or anyone's self insert... i'm actually super interested in how dynamics can be altered with however whoever wants to change their character)

notes: gore, character death, self-harm

hiiii anon your ask has been living rent-free in my brain, i love seeing your enthusiasm and all your different unhinged (positive) ideas collated here :D!! and i'm glad you enjoyed my take on mr. scarletella <33

putting everything under the cut because it's Graphic. if you're not into reading gore, i wouldn't recommend reading <3

ooooo i love the idea of someone who is desperately trying to keep their homicidial urges under control and, in an almost martyr-like fit, takes to destroying their own body to try and control it all… in the end it never works. and could you imagine someone who copes in that manner getting lost in the other world? capable of chopping off whole limbs and cutting away chunks of their own flesh with all of the pain, and none of the loss— because every single part of their body regrows! spoiler alert i am a huge fan of immortal characters turning to extreme ways for self-gratification so. drool.

unapologetic and odd! i love that idea too… shaking their head and sighing a bit when their victim starts crying before the knife even breaks their skin. they haven't even started yet! there's nothing to be upset about. a person who slices across their own skin before hurting the victim, to show them that they can take it, almost meant as a comfort but not quite. finding connection in the grotesque, sinking fingers into warm, throbbing wounds and popping the tips of their fingers into their mouth.

i imagine that he's always awawre of anything that goes on in the building, so he wold definitely know and see! personally, i also think mr. scarletella is drawn to violence in one way or another <3! quite a few of the monsters left in the other world are reduced to constantly throwing violent fits, so the world he created definitely has that effect on people. maybe he sees all of it as a kind of altar to him because of all the crimson, the colour he embodies. the puddles of blood, the sprays of it on the walls, alongside the stack of bodies left rotting in a corner. perhaps because he is born out of a scary story-like rumour, he'll always be drawn to violence.

oooooo!! i love your take on this. the hunt and the attack being part of a courting process, essentially. to allow yourself to be hunted and taken down as a form of submission to the other, a type of romance… mr. scarletella is already certain that they like him. why else would they have left sososo many gifts for him? and he likes them, too. a lot. he is sad that he can't return their feelings in the samer manner. his form is incorporeal, he cannot physically hurt others, cannot be physically hurt himself either. (in typical circumstances…) at most, he can play with the mind, coax them into giving him their name where he can do absolutely whatever he wants with them. i wonder if, eventually, when they are in the other world with him and he watches them getting chases down by other inhabitants, capable of touching them, if he would get jealous… :')

possessive mr. scarletella is so real and true!! it's all so overwhelming to him, poor guy. he becomes more tangible, more real through his feelings for them, binding him to the world with more than just the words of others- he likes you so, so much! he is absolutely the type to have such a violent type of all-consuming love. where he'd want to crawl inside your skin and inhabit your body, where he'd want to snuff your life out as long as he was capable of bringing you back to life over and over again. he can stand others touching them, killing them, for now, but only because he knows they'll be entirely his sooner rather than later.

once they give him their name, they won't simply cease to exist. they'll be under mr. scarletella's control, yes, but he doesn't want to extinguish all of their individuality. i can imagine mr. scareletella creating a little contained world just for the two of them, where they can each take turn being the hunter and the hunted, tearing into and devouring each other in an endless cycle… perhaps if he had not been poisoned by the sight of all their killings, his affections would've been less violent.

[osiiiris]

I’m slowly trying to get back on track with the big boss plans, so here are some ramblings about the future Papa and reasons why my theory is that we’ll have a cat-Papa (spoiler alert):

Apparently, Copia has a twin, and we can see that one has dark hair and the other has blonde hair. Copia's hair is more light brown-ginger, so he might have been blonde in his childhood (it is possible: I was platinum blonde as a child and now I’m light brown). Do we expect a black-haired Copia 2, then? And what if the black-haired twin is Terz-

What could the twin's name be? Incolla (Copia + Incolla = Copy + Paste)? Ricopia? Carbone (Copia Carbone means a perfect copy of something).

I hope they are different, or at least have different characteristics and completely different personalities. They could even be heterozygous. (Most likely, he would be a pre-surgery Copia… or maybe he had a different surgery, so he’s different anyway).

I’d love the new Papa to be a perfect opposite of Copia: evil, full of himself, confident, power-driven. It would be interesting to have a Yin Yang dynamic. I’d love to have a darker era, with the comeback of the religious themes and looks, in music and atmosphere (in the flashbacks there were some scenes from the old eras and an eclypse) but I’d be surprised if it happened, given the family-friendly direction the project has taken.

Bu yet… we have more than one reference to the Roman history (the coin with Copia’s bloody face and the Roman she wolf breastfeeding Romolo and Remo) so not all hopes are lost.

The cat-Papa theory:

There was really no need to have a cat tree so visible in the backstage background when we know Copia is the rat-Papa. And the Cats-like jump in Dance Macabre… what if the new Papa debuts with a song called “Cats”? And he tries to dominate Copia like a cat would with a rat?

This leads me to a very self-indulgent wish:

Since Ghost albums are thematic, I’ve always loved the idea of a predators-themed album. Think about the puns: Preda-tour (eheh), and among predators, cats are the most destructive…

It’s good to dream.

[isa-ghost]

(BTW I'm very down with wanting sapnap being dead for being sapnap I just wanted to be sure I was hip qirh the kids and pissed for the Correct reason)

DLSKFLSJFSKF SORRY I WAS OUT TOUCHING GRASS WHEN YOU SENT ME YOUR FIRST ANON.

Also in hindsight I worded this answer like you have 0 clue who Shartnap is but I'm gonna keep it that way for anyone who sees this and Doesn't Go Here At All.

Here's a good overview post abt Crapnap from my friend.

This Specific Instance we're wishing death upon him more than the default amount because he's participating in Squidcraft, a Latino-made/hosted and primarily Latino-played Minecraft competition with a big cash prize. (Aka that irrelevant ass sweaty ass racist Texan is literally only playing to win more money he doesn't need. He also won last year's SC 🙄). Last year there were a few non-Latino players (like him), but this year there were a BUNCH, most likely thanks to the existence of QSMP. There were Americans, Brits, and French just to name a few!

My mutual @pixiecaps has been the most outspoken on my dash about the dumbshit being in Squidcraft, so I'll tag them here and they can add any additional context they see fit in the reblogs or replies. They might have insight or perspective that I don't bc they're Latino and I'm not. 👍🏻 And this was baby's first Squidcraft for me purely bc QSMP members were in it, so idk much abt previous ones whereas Pix might.

It's annoying enough that Crapnap is in the competition at all, but yesterday a bunch of other previous DSMP members (Philza, Tubbo, Foolish, to name a few) all died in one of the games together and were thus eliminated. Shatnap's petty nobody poopy ass was literally CHEERING when they all died, which is poor sportsmanship for one (he has none tho let's be real here), and two: No Toxicity is one of the competition rules. So by all means, he should be investigated by the Squidcraft mods and (hopefully) disqualified for his bullshit.

And some additional context bc my guess is this all plays into why he was so outwardly toxic like that: Tubbo has outspokenly hated the Dr*m Team for a while now. He also had direct beef with Shatnap bc the dumbfuck tried migrating to Kick (basically Twitch for bigots & predators, to say the least).

AND, most relevant and recent: Philza was just on Tommy and Jack Manifold's podcast Shut Up I'm Talking about a week ago, and on the Patreon version of the episode the three of them talked about how Dr*m is a piece of shit, they all hate him, and how nasty and weird he was behind the scenes during DSMP, especially to Tommy.

Dr*m Team 100% knows this was all said, bc a) some of it was clipped ofc and b) Dr*m fucking posted the DSMP world download as damage control after people started talking abt what was said on the episode bc god forbid he look bad and get negative attention for 2 seconds. He's been begged by numerous people for LITERALLY LIKE 3 YEARS to drop the world download and only JUST did it to do damage control and make himself look all good and innocent or At Least distract people (spoiler alert: didn't work, he just made himself look even more pathetic. He basically gave the people who correctly hate him a gift in addition to clowning on him).

Shartnap literally lives with Dr*m, so there's no way he doesn't know Tommy, Jack & Phil have spoken some of the truth TECHNICALLY PRIVATELY. IT WAS ON PATREON BEHIND A PAYWALL.

Soooo yeah. As usual, Dr*m Team fucking sucks ass (many such cases, no one is surprised). Crapnap is the ""last remaining"" of the Dr*m Team to not have some Extreme horrific controversy and that's what keeping him able to be in competitions like this, rather than isolated to a shitty corner with the other two dumbfucks. (CLARIFICATION: He DOES have controversies. You can assume what some of them are based off of things said in that post I linked. Plus the Kick thing. But in comparison to Dr*m [a groomer, among other things], and George [sexual predator, among other things], Shatnap is ""the least awful"" of them, which is almost definitely why he's still ""welcome"" in competitions like this one).

Additional silly context: I'm calling him variations of shit because he openly admitted sometime earlier this year that he shit himself (or at least sharted) on stream.

[yume4evere]

There are posts saying that chapter 13 was the sex scene between Yuki and Zero lol

Hahahaha are they still talking about this? That scene was violent, not sexual. Don't they differentiate between them? Apparently they are desperate now.

—Yuuki begging Zero to drink her blood, shaking, desperate, terrified he might die. And what does he do? He grabs her like a animal, sinks his fangs in like a starving predator, and drinks so violently it’s almost violating. And somehow, fans have the nerve to romanticize that? To actually say, “This is love”? Nah. That’s bloodlust, plain and simple. That’s weakness, not love. That’s a man losing control, not someone cherishing the person he loves.

Zero drinks her blood like he’s ripping her open and they out here writing poetry about it? Get real.

And the hypocrisy? It’s astronomical. When Kaname gently brushes Yuuki’s hair or stands too close, people scream, “He’s manipulating her!” But Zero can practically assault her in the name of “love,” and zeki swoon like he just proposed under a full moon?

Let’s be honest—If Kaname had done anything remotely close to that, they would’ve flipped the hell out

“Abuser!”

“Monster!”

“Red flag!”

“He’s manipulating her.”

“He doesn’t care about her feelings!”

But when it’s Zero?

“Oh, he’s hurting.”

“Oh, he just loves her too much.”

“He didn’t mean it.”

“It's a sex scene.”

Grow up.

YUKi didn't want to have sexual relationship with him—she was afraid he may die while he's waiting for her. There’s a difference. He clings to her like a life raft because without her, he has nothing.

Kaname? Kaname loved her enough to let her go, to literally freeze himself in ice for thousands of years rather than burden her with his presence..

Zero drink yuki's blood because he was desperate, unstable, and selfish. And Yuuki? She wasn’t offering it out of romance—she was terrified he’d die, and she panicked. That scene wasn’t passion. It was pity. It was fear. And they out here turning it into a sexual scene!!?

No. What they romanticizing isn’t love. It’s a meltdown in the shape of a relationship.

Maybe that’s why so many Zero fans are still bitter... clinging to crumbs, trying to convince themselves:

“No no, that blood scene had to mean something more!”

“He drank so passionately, it was basically love-making!”because deep down, they know the truth: the story ended, and they got nothing. . No wedding. . No sex scene. Just vague scenes in bed sleeping, blood-drinking, and denial. And now? They're left desperately pretending that one blood scene was somehow "romantic" or even “sexual”—as if Zero grabbing her and feeding like a dying beast is the same as a real, intimate moment. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

But as if this illusion satisfied them. It doesn't matter. Because yume got it, and that satisfies me..

[montgumery]

okay i have so much to say about this guy, but this is the first ref from my big project! Maiq is the grand admiral (in charge of all fleet operations) of a group of star systems known together as the Conclave, which has been at war/very high tensions with another empire, the Imperium Arcana, for hundreds of years, ever since both nations reached the stars. (i have lore posts planned later but there are myths involved. like the rivalry predates most recorded history)

The Conclave uses a combination of magic and technology, whereas the Imperium only uses magic. (again, more details about it later but they are an even match) Maiq had been serving in the fleet as a ship captain, commanding a powerful battleship in defense of the Conclave, until he and the battalion of ships under his command were attacked by an incredibly powerful Imperium weapon, a lightning elemental. Attempting to save his crew as it ripped his ship apart, he attacked it by diverting the ship's arcane energy array, resulting in a blast that separated it from its core, but he was injured to the point of near death by discharging magic.

Somehow, he survived, dragging himself to an escape pod, where he's been in stasis for the last 20 years, believed dead. In the meantime, as the Imperium grew ever stronger, the Conclave's then grand admiral defected, leaving the fleet in shambles. Shortly after, his pod was found. (still need to work out these story details a bit lol) It's a miracle that he's even still really sane after that long in forced stasis, and even more so that he was able to (mostly) walk away from the elemental's attack, even if he is now permanetely injured.

in this world, magic has a definite effect on the user, and anyone used to being around/working with magic can "feel" it in the air. (so hyped for the magic explanation post guys) but Maiq gives off bad magic vibes. (the magic signature conclave sailors are used to is not there) the scent of ozone seems to follow him through the air, like a overheated plasma coil, or the moment before a storm. some of the newer recruits flinch during inspection if they stand too close, unable to shake the feeling of static crawling up their spines. As the highest ranking officer left after the former admiral's betrayal, and the vicious infighting that followed, (with a power vaccum and the fleet stranded, officers and sailors alike were forced to fight for resources) he's basically been tossed headlong into the deep end of a pool filled with acid. he knows he has to take up the mantle of grand admiral, he has to try and salvage what remains of his beloved fleet, the closest thing he has to a home, but is there anything left even worth saving? (spoiler alert the answer is yes, I don't like writing things that are 100% doom and gloom, the real world is tragic enough already lol) also for personality traits, he's an excellent strategist, that tends to push himself up to, or past the point of exaustion. pragmatic, sentimental, determined. at the heart of it, i'd call him an optimist. that might not be the right word for it (idealistic maybe?) but he is firm that things can and will improve, if he can put in the work to get it done. that does have a bit of a downside though since he tends to push himself and not like relying on others, especially now that he can't walk without a mobility aid. (his mindset will improve as the story progresses but for now he has opinions and not all of them are great)

if anyone made it through the absolute word vomit holy shit, thanks for checking it out! definitely more to come!

[darcydarlingdabbles]

WIP Wed? Behind the Scenes? Announcement??

Heya~ Just wanted to let you know I have started a Ko-fi, strictly as a tip jar, check it out for this type of posts~

How I Write (Ace) Alastor Flirting

Flirting as an asexual person is sometimes... weird. Some of us are awkward, and it goes right over our heads—other times, asexual people are some of the biggest flirts you know because we like to play the game without needing to win. (Asexuality is a spectrum, of course! I don’t speak for everyone, and you already know this lol.)

There’s a common saying in the Ace community that Aces love aesthetics, and for me, that means we can perform what looks like overt sexuality without wanting the end goal. Me personally? I’m demisexual, and IRL, that means I’m the first one—it goes right over my head. I had to work on flirting with my partner, and only after being comfortable with them did I get better at it. 

But boy... do I love writing some flirty deer demon.

Alastor in the show, to me, comes off as very flirty, but I don’t actually think that’s on purpose. He’s charming, charismatic, and vintage, so that naturally reads as flirtatious. He’s also a manipulative little shit, and flirting is a type of manipulation if you think about it—though not necessarily a malicious one. It’s about control, attention, and, for Alastor, always keeping people one step behind him.

How I Translate That to a Flirty Alastor (Demi-/Grey-Sexual)

When I write Alastor as a Dom!Top, I usually say he flirts like a wrecking ball. But after writing Seasons of Us and Falling for the Morningstars for a while (both featuring Alastor as an ace Dom into BDSM), I realized something:

Alastor flirts like a predator.

And by that, I mean like a lion or a mountain lion lol. He zeroes in on a target (usually Lucifer), doesn’t break eye contact, assesses for weaknesses and openings, and his prey has his undivided attention. It’s kind of... like a serial killer stalking his victims XD

But the key thing? He’s not necessarily motivated by sex as much as he is by dominance and control—and, of course, a bit of showmanship that boosts his ego.

Spoiler Alert for Falling for the Morningstars

This is the motivation for Dom!Top Alastor in my pre-canon AU. Alastor flirts with Lucifer and eventually sleeps with Lucifer for power, control, and an ego boost. Until he falls for Lucifer. (Btw, slow burns are the death of me... There’s finally some real heat in Chapters 21-22, but I just posted Chapter 18. RIP my patience.)

Spoiler Alert for At Valentine's Day

Human/College Age Alastor in At Autumn’s End isn’t a killer, but he is grieving the loss of his mother and senses vulnerability in Divorced Dad Lucifer. And as revealed in the Valentine’s Day Part 3, Alastor was a professional Dominant and escort, so he had other ways to relieve some steam.

When I Write Alastor Flirting as an Omega

Omega Alastor is someone who has been sexualized against his will (something I relate to, being fem and ace) and uses sexuality as a weapon or a tool of manipulation. Until he meets Lucifer and is able to express his sexuality in a way that offers him both safety and autonomy.

I don’t think I’ve ever written him as fully submissive, though Omega Alastor in The Melody Between Us is definitely a brat submissive. The Omega Alastor in Until the Devil’s Last Dance walks a line between bratty and just topping from the bottom.

Final Thoughts

I don’t think there’s a wrong way to write a character in fanfic—this is just my interpretation of Alastor, shaped by my own experience of my sexuality and gender.

 If you made it to the end of this, thanks for reading! If you feel like tipping, that’d be amazing, but if not, cool beans—see you in the next fic chapter! 

If you enjoyed this deep dive, feel free to check out my Ko-fi for more behind-the-scenes posts, fic updates, and general rambling about my writing process. No pressure, though—likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated!

Darcy <3

[softcursechoso]

Memoirs from a Gilded Cage: CH. 4

Attack on Titan x Reader

Black!Reader Levi x Reader Erwin x Reader

Masterlist

MDNI! FROM THIS SENTENCE ON YOU ARE AGREEING THAT YOU ARE 18+

NO SPOILERS ARE OFF LIMITS!

CH. 3 Warnings: None- Giving Levi a cute lil haircut is all :)

Words: 4.7k+

LINES OF TRUST

Safe House : 8:00pm : Underground

It had been nearly a week since the heist, and you decided that the heat likely died down enough to return to the underground. You prepared yourself carefully, slipping into one of your modified gowns. 

A red sweetheart neckline dress, with elegant splits running up both legs for ease of movement. Truthfully your legs are still quite hard to see when standing motionless as there are layers of material. Not too much, but enough to make it flowy. The material up top clings in all the right places, luxurious and eye-catching, but you’ve tailored it with function in mind. You’ve altered several of your dresses as you want them comfortable and practical for maneuvering underground, but more specifically for training with the ODM gear. 

Tinsley had been on your case for days about this new sewing hobby she suddenly felt interested in. You would have come down sooner had she not been on you like a hawk. Erwin’s jacket was fixed, but there were ways you wanted to make it better for when he returned. Nothing having to do with the style, but more function.

For now, you were on your way back down. It felt like it’d been so long, but realistically it was a mere six days. You only hoped that you didn’t forget everything you learned with the ODM gear.

You packed a few treats in your bag before slipping through your secret tunnel unnoticed. As always, the moment you step into the underground, there’s a strange sense of freedom mixed with danger.

You didn’t spend much time in the safe house. No, you’d leave and walk through the streets- more alert each time you did. The underground feels familiar now, though it still holds its mysteries and dangers. 

One of the worst things a person could do down here is let their mind wander, because when they did they became an open target. Unfortunately you couldn’t help yourself as you began reflecting on how well the heist went. Ah yes, that’s when trouble finds you once again.

A group steps out from a shadowy corner, blocking your path.

“Well, look who’s back.” One of them sneers, his eyes raking over you. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing on this side of town again?”

You sigh, already tired of this game. “Just passing through.”

“Not so fast.” Another man says, stepping closer. “You’ve got something we want.”

Your hand tightens on your bag, but before you can respond, a familiar voice cuts through the tension.

“Don’t.”

Levi appears from the shadows, his expression dark and dangerous. His eyes flick over the group of men with cold precision, and the way he carries himself- calm, collected, and lethal. It makes them hesitate.

A person must wonder how he always seems to show up when you’re in danger. Does he wander the streets that much, or is he attempting to look for you? Maybe your point of entry? Could all just be a coincidence.

One of the men laughs, trying to hide his nervousness. “You think you can stop us?”

Levi doesn’t answer. He simply steps forward, his movements deliberate, like a predator sizing up its prey. The men exchange uneasy glances, but their pride won’t let them back down. Not to one man, and certainly not one of his stature. 

“Wrong move.”

Levi moves faster than you can track. His fists connect with brutal efficiency, each strike calculated to incapacitate. One man swings a crude blade at him, but Levi dodges effortlessly, grabbing the man’s wrist and twisting it until the blade is turned back on the wielder.

Another man charges, but Levi steps aside, tripping him and sending him crashing to the ground. His foot follows with a nasty stomp onto the man’s face.

Within moments, the group of men is either unconscious or groaning in pain on the ground.

Levi dusts off his hands and turns to you. “You need to learn how to fight.”

How the hell did this turn on you? Why was he irritated at you now? You didn’t ask him to save you. Sure you were grateful, but shit, he had it on his own.

You shake your head, brushing the dust from your dress. “I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

Levi crosses his arms, his expression unimpressed. “That’s clearly not gonna cut it.”

Ignoring his scolding, you kneel down and reach into your bag. You pull out a small pastry and place it gently beside each of the men who just tried to attack you.

Levi watches you, incredulous. “What the hell are you doing?”

You glance up at him from your kneeling position. “Leaving them a treat.”

He rubs his temples, exhaling sharply. “I can’t understand you.”

��Don’t worry, I brought enough for you too.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” He is in sheer disbelief over your behavior. No way you were from down here.

The two of you walk together through the winding alleys, heading toward his home. The silence stretches between you, but you keep sneaking glances at him. There’s something bothering you.

Finally, Levi lets out an irritated sigh. “What?” He glances at you from the corner of his eye.

You tilt your head, studying him. “Who cuts your hair?”

“I cut my own hair. Why?”

You purse your lips, “It looks kinda uneven.”

His eyes narrow as his head turns toward you now. “Uneven?”

“You should let me cut it for you.”

He stops walking, turning to face you fully. “What?”

“I know how to cut hair. I can do you up real good too.” You continue walking. “You’ll have all the ladies swooning, I promise.”

Levi shakes his head. “No.” He begins on his way again.

“Okay.” You shrug, not a hint of any ulterior motive in your voice.

Levi catches up quickly, his expression slighlty puzzled. “What do you mean okay?”

He was so caught off guard from you not putting up a fight or begging. You could tell from his question that he was ready to go to war with you on this.

You shrug again. “It’s your hair. You have the right to say no.”

The moment is silent again as you two reach the house. What is on his mind? He would never admit it, you were certain, but he definitely wanted to fight. This just proved it. Levi argues for sport.

“I will give you one shot.” He speaks sternly. Emphasis on the one .

You look over at him, surprised. “Really?”

His hand stops you as you are halfway up the stairs to the apartment, “If you give me a shitty haircut I will make the rest of your life a living hell.”

“Levi, please. That’s so dramatic. I would never take on a task I couldn’t handle.”

You stand aside and the familiar creak in the hinges greets you as Levi pushes the door open. You step inside to the comforting warmth of the small space. The smell of a recent meal and bleach fill your nostrils once again.

Furlan is sitting at the table with a cup of tea in hand. He looks up when you enter, a grin spreading across his face.

“Hey! You’re back.” The sandy blonde stands up. “Everything went smoothly. Your plan was perfect.”

You smile, setting your bag down on the kitchen table. “I’m glad that one of you thought I deserved to hear an update. Anyway, did you get a chance to sell the supplies?”

Furlan nods enthusiastically. “Yeah, we had a buyer lined up. We earned more than expected.” He stands and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a handful of money. “Here, your cut.”

You blink, staring at the money in his hand. It’s a generous portion, surly, but no. 

You shake your head, holding up your hands in refusal. “No. That’s okay. You keep it.”

Furlan’s brow furrows in confusion. “What? You don’t want your share?”

You hesitate, trying to find the right words. “Well, since it’s just me I gotta look after, and I grow all of my food at home… I don’t exactly need it…”

Levi scoffs from where he leans against the wall, arms crossed. “Okay, rich girl.”

Your eyes snap to him, and you scowl. “Don’t call me that.”

Furlan raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Rich girl?”

Levi shrugs. “She doesn’t need money. Doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.”

You avert your gaze, your fingers brushing over the fabric of your dress. You’re not quite ready to tell them you’re from Mitras. Of course their suspicions about you being from the surface couldn’t be higher, but you just didn’t want to admit it.

“Levi.” You look back at him. “Take a seat. I’m gonna cut your hair.”

Maybe this is just a thinly veiled excuse to get out of the previous conversation, but whatever. You needed to do something to change the damn subject, now!

Furlan nearly spits out his tea. “Wait—what? You’re gonna cut his hair? Does he know about this?”

You nod proudly, “Yes. He’s gonna look great when I’m done with him. Trust me.” Your voice fading slightly as you made your way down the hall, “You trust me right Levi?”

The man didn’t answer one way or another, but his actions said yes as he walked over to the chair in the kitchen. He’d scoot it out and take a seat. His arms and legs crossed as if daring you to mess up.

You were far too comfortable in this house as you went into one of the small closets. Yup, just what you needed, a stiff tan towel. Well… anyway, a towel.

Furlan stares between you and Levi who is oddly compliant. “For real?”

“For real.” You grin. “I got you on the haircut thing Furlan. Just say the word.”

You set the towel around the smaller man’s shoulders, tucking it into his shirt. “Do you guys have a straight razor?”

Still shaking his head in disbelief, Furlan disappears into the bathroom momentarily, and returns with the razor for you. “I can’t believe this.”

You pull the hair tie from your hair, and your bouncy curls flow down. Had you known you were doing this you would have brought a hair tie for him.  

Your fingers rake through Levi’s hair and gather it up in your hand before you tie it into a small bun at the top of his head. Your fingers brush against his skin as you work, and you notice how his posture relaxes slightly under your touch. 

Your hand gently cups his face to stabilize him before you line up his hairline. His skin is warm beneath your fingertips. You doubt he’s ever had a proper haircut from someone else before.

Your fingers are soft against his cheeks. He can tell from the way they feel that you haven’t had to struggle. These weren’t the hands of a woman that felt hardships.

“Is that really necessary?” His sharp eyes look up at you.

“I will try my best not to squish your widdle cheeks if that’s what you’re worried about.” You baby talked the man.

“Stop touching me.” 

“Okay, I’m sorry.” You pause for a moment, “You’re really committed to this side part? Listen, I can-”

“You have one more time to say something sketchy before I get up and we don’t revisit this again.”

“I was just asking to be sure.” Your hand lightly cupped his face once again.

Levi says nothing more about your touch, but he’s aware of it. His arms remain crossed, and his expression is as stoic as ever, but his breathing evens out.

His tilts his head slightly under your guidance, a small gesture of trust that feels heavier than any words he could offer.

The first stroke of the razor is almost silent from how delicate you are. You work carefully, methodically, your fingers occasionally brushing against the nape of his neck, the curve of his ear. Each touch is brief, but charged. You feel the way his muscles tense slightly beneath your fingertips, then gradually relax as he adjusts to the closeness.

“You know you can talk to me while I do this.” You attempt to ease the tension. Not bad tension, but, there was something. 

Levi huffs softly, a sound that could almost be a laugh if it had more warmth. “Don’t need to talk when there’s nothing worth saying.”

“That so?” You tilt his chin gently, your thumb grazing the edge of his cheekbone. His eyes narrow slightly, but not in irritation. Something else.

“You talk enough for both of us.” He retorts.

Furlan chuckles, "Go easy on her. She does have a blade in her hand still."

Levi ignores his comment. Certainly he wouldn't have let you near him if he had any doubts about your foolishness.

You’d pull the hair tie from his hair and put it around your wrist. For his actual hair you’d just snip a little bit.

Your fingers slide through his dark strands, lifting sections to trim with careful precision. The repetitive motion is almost soothing, for both of you. You feel the tension in his shoulders ease, his breathing slow. When your knuckles graze the sensitive skin just below his ear, there's the faintest hitch in his breath—so brief you might have imagined it if you weren’t paying attention.

“You know...” You continue, focusing on the angle of the razor, “You’re not as scary as you think you are.”

His steel eyes meet yours, “And you’re not as funny as you think you are.”

"I think I can make you laugh, Levi." You grin, knowing damn well you probably couldn't.

Furlan raises an eyebrow, "You really think so? You'd be doing what I never could."

You laugh softly, the sound mingling with the steady rhythm of the razor.  It’s such a simple moment cutting someone’s hair, but there’s an unexpected intimacy to it. The silence between you feels comfortable, unspoken trust building with each careful shave.

Furlan watches from the table, still bewildered. “I don’t get it. Why’s Levi letting you do this again?”

You grin without looking up. “Because he knows I won’t mess it up.”

Levi doesn’t respond, but it’s true. Between the cleaning, the cooking, and the heist planning you haven’t messed up once. Granted- cutting his hair is a huge gamble, but if you messed up he could always hold it against you in the future when you try to get cute by attempting to try something new.

You are weirdly not nervous as you cut. You knew what you were doing somewhat. Well, at least with doing his undercut. That was the main part. 

As you finish touching up his hairline and trimming the edges, you step back to admire your work before grabbing the towel from his neck. 

“There. All done. What did I say? The ladies will swoon!"

You comment doesn't warrant a response, but you do see that faint pink shade creeping up his neck. It's kind of cute, but you'll leave him be. If you call him out it'll ruin the moment. 

Levi reaches up to touch his hair. He stands and walks over to the small faded mirror on the wall, inspecting the cut. His fingers run through his hair- smoothing it down as he examines the even lines and trim.

“It’s… not bad.” He continues to inspect.

You smile, “It’s perfect.”

Furlan shakes his head, laughing softly. “I’ve seen everything now. Levi getting a haircut from someone else? Never thought I’d live to see it.”

“It was long overdue.” You walk over to the small supply closet for a broom to sweep up the hairs.

You hum softly as you clean the small mess. It’s not too much, but there are fine little black hairs that will drive Levi up the wall if they aren’t cleaned now.

Levi watches you quietly. There’s something softer in his gaze, something that wasn’t there before. Maybe it was your hospitality. Maybe it’s because you were 2 - 0 on the heists. Maybe it was something else…

“Thanks.” His voice quieter than usual.

You glance back at him, surprised. “You're welcome, Levi. Aww, he likes it!” 

You instantly ruined the mood for him with that. You didn’t even want to look at the expression he was giving you in the mirror. You were so sure he was probably cutting his eyes at you. Whatever, he did like the haircut. You could tell.

“How did you know?” Levi turned to face you as you swept the hairs into a dustpan. “About the medical supplies?”

“Yeah.” Furlan took another sip of tea, “I never heard about that before.”

“I keep my ear to the streets. I listen to things. I am not a shut in without purpose.” You dumped the hairs into the wastebasket before returning the broom and dustpan.

You’d then head back to the kitchen to wash your hands. Surly they couldn’t question you every step of the way. Your excuses were good. Most of them were good. Decent at the least.

“Have you ever had a strawberry cheesecake?” You broke the silence with an extremely random question.

Both men stare at you blankly.

“A what?” Furlan asks, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

Levi looks equally perplexed. “Never heard of it.”

Your eyes light up as you clap your hands excitedly. “Oh, you’re in for a treat!” 

You reach into your bag and carefully pull out a container, setting it on the table. You’d remove the lid and reveal a beautifully decorated cheesecake. The top is swirled with rich strawberry compote, and fresh strawberries line the edges, glistening like jewels.

You get some plates and utensils before slicing nice portions for both men. They’d sit at the table ready for you to serve. Furlan’s eyes widen as you place the piece in front of him.

“This looks incredible.” He’s already reaching for a fork, salivating.

Levi, more reserved, takes his slice with a skeptical glance at the cake. He pokes it with his fork, breaking off a small bite before putting it in his mouth. Furlan, meanwhile, takes a big bite and groans in delight.

“Wow, this is amazing.” The sandy blonde speaks, shoveling another forkful into his mouth. “Where did you learn to make this?” His words slightly muffled from the food.

Levi chews slowly, his brow furrowing. “It’s way too sweet.”

“You are just full of complaints.” You grin, “By your logic the only thing perfect around here is me and my, what did you call it? Blemish free body. Guess I should keep that compliment closer to the vest since you don’t give them out very often.”

Maybe you were rewriting history a little, but you weren’t going to let him get away with all that complaining. Not after everything you’ve done.

Furlan grins. “Ignore him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Levi watches you carefully, his gaze thoughtful. “Okay, so let’s go back to that then. You don’t have any scratches on you. You know how to cook, clean, cut hair, plan heists, sew, garden in the dark apparently, and now bake?”

“I know what you’re thinking, Levi.” You lean forward with your elbows on the table, hands clasped under your chin. “How am I not married yet?”

The raven haired man lowers his lids in nonchalance. “That’s not what I was getting at.”

You sit back, still smiling. “Well, soon you’ll be able to add ‘trained on ODM gear’ to that list. I’m a jack of all trades.”

Furlan rubs his chin, his mouth still full of cake. “That is a lot of very useful things you’re good at.”

“First of all, thank you. Second of all-” You count off on your fingers. “Cooking is trial and error. Cleaning isn’t that difficult. I had to cut my own hair my whole life because no one ever knew how to handle my curls. Planning heists comes from being observant. Sewing has always been a hobby. Gardening? I picked that up to survive.”

“And baking?” The blonde asks, raising an eyebrow.

You hesitate for a split second before brushing it off with a laugh. “Well… my baking isn’t that great.”

Furlan shakes his head. “You’re kidding, right? This cheesecake is delicious. What are you talking about?”

He wasn’t wrong. The cheesecake was great, but in truth, you had one of your father’s chefs make the cheesecake for you before you left the surface. Of course you can’t exactly explain that without raising more questions. Just like you can't explain that you bought your vegetables.

Instead, you flash a grateful smile. “Well I’m glad you like it.”

You sit silently for a moment as they finish their slices. It’s nice that they can enjoy these things. While they do you let your mind wander to all of the things you have going on in your life right now. Between this and the surface, you felt like you were living a double life. Still, while you were down here you needed to get back to business.

“You know I didn’t come here without purpose, right?” You ask casually, glancing between the two men. “I wanna train.”

Levi’s eyes connect with yours. “Are you wearing that?”

“Am I gonna wear this? Of course I am. I made some alterations just for the occasion.”

You stand up and spin around proudly, lifting the hem of your modified gown to show off the high splits running up each leg. The alterations make the dress practical for movement, but the way it flows and clings to you leaves little to the imagination.

Furlan’s face turns bright red, and he clears his throat awkwardly. “Uh… can I see the alterations again? I think I missed it.”

Levi shoots him a withering look. “You saw.”

Furlan grins sheepishly, still blushing. “Just checking.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “I’m ready.”

Levi, ever stoic, scoots out of his chair and heads for the ODM gear. “Let’s go.”

For all his gruffness, you know Levi is beginning to trust you and that thought makes you smile. He’s a tough nut to crack, and maybe you didn’t make a crack yet, but a tiny fracture. It would take more than some food, a haircut, and two heists for him to let you in.

Furlan was a wildcard. He was the softer between the two, but still extremely skeptical. It wasn’t without reason of course, but it was impossible to tell exactly how much he trusted you.

Training Area : 11:11pm : Underground

It may have taken an entire hour, but you were able to actually balance right now. Good on you! Wasn’t for very long, but things had to be taken in stride. It wasn’t a stretch to say you may have performed better if you weren’t wearing a dress, but you had to.

You were to learn ODM in a dress even if it killed you. You had a premonition. Didn’t matter how long it was going to take. You were absolutely going to learn this and master it. Seemed like a distant goal, but you’d get there. 

If anything were an improvement, it was that you only revealed your panties half as much as last time. Yay!

“Not terrible.” Levi spoke as you stumbled back to solid ground, legs shaky from exertion.

Furlan chuckled. “High praise, coming from him.”

You wiped the sweat from your brow, grinning despite yourself. “I’ll take it. Let’s keep going. What’s next?” 

“You can’t be eager to move on that fast. You just learned how to balance.” The blonde reminded you of your place.

“It’s not that I’m overly eager, but I do want to make more progress.”

“Alright, balance again.” Levi spoke. “Do it quickly without thinking.”

Just as he said, without thinking, you hooked your lines and pulled the trigger. Your body flipped upside down just like before. Shit! 

The black haired man grabbed your waist and flipped you back. He held you steady until your feet touched the ground again. 

“Until you can hook on and balance without thinking, we’re not moving on. You understand me?” His eyes studied yours. 

You nodded, “Yes.” Your voice still determined, “Let’s keep going.”

They were tired, ready to pack it in, but maybe today’s lesson was about seeing how hard you can push. What was your breaking point? Could you fail and keep getting back up? Were you worth really investing into with this? That answer, was yes. 

There was more failure than wins, but wins nonetheless. Your body was incredibly sore by the end of it. Hours of grueling training. It was truly a pain that no one except those that actually used ODM gear could ever explain.

You panted on your hands and knees, ready to give up, but you just couldn’t allow the words to slip your lips.

“Let’s run it again.” You spoke almost breathlessly.

“You’re sure?” Furlan rose an eyebrow. 

“Oh yeah.” You spoke with wavering conviction. 

You stood up again and shot your hooks. You pulled the trigger, and then once again to release. A complete and total accident. One made from exhaustion.

Levi rushed in to catch your limp body before you hit the ground too hard. “You’re done for the night. Part of training is knowing when to stop.”

A light chuckle escaped you as you placed your hands on his shoulders to help yourself back up. His hands at your waist helped you to your feet as well.

“I think you may be right.” You nod, “Thanks for being patient with me. I’ll get it.”

“You will.” The man before you gave an unexpected affirmation. 

He’d release you, and it was time to take off the gear. Not only that, but it was also time to head home. You always lose track of time when coming down here. The underground was truly a different dimension. 

After packing the ODM gear up, you’d split from the two and head your separate way. Back home. You slipped through the familiar maze of alleys.

Once back in your safehouse, you’d wait a minute. You needed to gather your strength before heading up this stupid ass thousand mile ladder. Okay, here goes nothing.

Maybe it was best to start leaving things in the safehouse so you didn’t have to carry so much on your trips. It was on the outskirts of the underground. No one had discovered it before, so it was likely they wouldn’t discover it now. Yeah, that was a good idea actually. Leave some clothes, maybe even some homey items.

That little distraction in your head was a nice vacation it seemed. By the time you zoned back in, you found your hand reaching for the handle latch on the floorboards above you.

The Eternal Thread : 2:45am : Mitras

Before you could push it open, however, you heard voices drifting down from your shop. Tinsley and Cassius.

Oh shit.

“Where is she?” Your brother’s voice echoed through the space. “She’s been closing up earlier and earlier these days, hasn’t she? Now suddenly she’s gone in the middle of the night? Where is she?”

“I don’t know, Cassius.” Your sister replied, her tone exasperated. “Maybe she’s just busy.”

“Busy with what, Tinsley?” Cassius sounded exhausted at the thought. “She’s always been dedicated to this little shop. Now she’s barely even around. She doesn’t visit father anymore, and she barely talks to us. Do we have to do something drastic like burn the shop?”

“I think we should just leave. She’s probably just in the restroom ignoring us.” The woman sighed.

You pressed yourself against the ladder, heart pounding. How many times had they come looking for you while you were gone? You hadn’t even considered it. You’d been underground a number of times, and at any given moment they could have come in searching for you.

Cassius’s footsteps grew louder, moving closer to your workspace in the back. He stepped over the floorboard and the hollow sound echoed through the shop- sharp and distinct.

“Did you hear that?” Cassius stopped, his head tilting a bit to the side.

Tinsley sighed. “What now?”

“This floorboard.” He tapped his foot against it. “It doesn’t sound right. Does it?”

Your heart leapt into your throat as he crouched down, inspecting the wooden planks. His fingers brushed over the edges, searching for a way to lift them.

No.

Panic surged through you as he grabbed the shears you would use to lift the boards, and shoved it between the cracks. He pushed down hard, and his fingers attempted to pry as well. He gripped it, pulling with a determined tug.

Without thinking, you grabbed the handle from below and used your entire body weight to keep the floorboards shut. Your feet dangled over the dark tunnel below. With one hand holding the latch and the other gripping your wrist, you strained to keep the door from opening. There wasn’t enough room for both hands to grab on.

Dammit! With all that training you did today your grip wouldn’t last much longer.

“What are you doing?” Tinsley’s voice cut through the unknowing tension. “She could have went home to see father. We just assumed she didn’t. The MP’s said she was in here, but you know she’s slippery sometimes.”

Cassius hesitated, frowning. He tossed the shears away as he stood up once more. He tapped the floorboards with his foot, but the resistance must have convinced him there was nothing to find.

“Yeah… maybe.” The tension in your muscles eased as you quietly grabbed back onto the ladder.

You heard their footsteps retreat to the front of your shop. The bell sounded, and the door closed behind them.

Only then did you allow yourself to breathe. Your chest heaved as you clung to the ladder, sweat slicking your palms. Your arms trembled from the strain, but you held on a moment longer, just to be sure.

“Dammit.” You whispered. “That was close.”

With shaking hands, you climbed the rest of the way up, carefully lifting the floorboards and slipping into your shop. The space was quiet now, the lingering scent of dried lavender and fabric calming your nerves.

You pressed the floorboards back into place, making sure everything looked normal. You’d drag your rug partially over it like it was initially.

You couldn’t afford another close call like that. Not if you wanted to keep your secret and your freedom.

With all of this adrenaline flowing you couldn’t go to sleep now. Guess it was best do what you loved, and that was sew. Yeah, now was as good a time as any to fix the captain’s jacket.

[edwin-paynes-bowtie]

CW: bitching and moaning

I'm finding the feedback on Starting Line that I'm romanticizing Catwin more and more obnoxious the more I think about it. TCK is one of my favourite characters for his complexities, but I think the notes made it clear that I am not a Catwin shipper and am a Payneland girlie all the way.

But, fine. Say you didn't read the notes. Here are some literal quotes from the text.

Edwin literally acknowledging the predatory behaviours after TCK calls him a boytoy:

“Better than not to think at all beyond absurdly stalking prey and endlessly chasing toys.” “Are you calling yourself prey?” Edwin flushed, and the Cat King smiled lazily. “Are you calling yourself a boytoy?” “Absolutely not. I am calling you a thoughtless predator. Of the feline variety, of course.”

Using Edwin's friendship and empathy against him:

The Cat King chuckled as though reading Edwin’s thoughts and continued. “I don’t think I can leave now, can I? Because of Niko. She’s gotten attached to me, Edwin, and so quickly. Now, you wouldn’t want your newly-dead friend, who was just so sad that she got drunk off her pretty little ass, to lose the first thing she’s become attached to since coming back from Winter. Would you?” Edwin considered himself to be a smart man. He knew when he was being manipulated. He knew that was all the Cat King did. Manipulate him. And yet… He thought of Niko. It was true. He did not want Niko to lose anything that might comfort her, though he did believe that she ought to know of who the Cat King truly was. Quietly, he resolved to tell her. The Cat King smiled. “That’s what I thought.”

Isolation from friends through manipulation:

However, these meet-ups were unsatisfactory largely because of the Cat King’s inability to co-operate with Edwin. He wished to inform Niko, at least, of the Cat King’s place in her home; it only seemed fair. But the Cat King had brushed him off, stating that he wanted to remain ‘beneath the grid’ for a short while longer. He also questioned whether it would really be good for Niko to lose her new ‘emotional support companion’ after just finding him. Then, after all the ridiculous manipulations and turns of phrase, the Cat King had threatened to leave if Edwin spoke of his presence to anyone, be it Niko or Charles.

Edwin's actual motivation for sleeping with TCK solidly being that he doesn't want someone he has an emotional connection with making him talk and think:

If Charles were here, he would hold him in silence. If Crystal were, she would attempt to distract him with verbal parlay. Niko would attempt to coax feelings from him, and Charlotte would reasonably and gently suggest that he ought to throw himself into work in an attempt to forget. And the Cat King… Oh. That was it. I can stop thinking.

Portraying something in a fic, or in a show, doesn't mean I'm romanticizing it. This is a plot point, and a good story needs plot points. I've spelled out for readers that this is not a healthy romantic relationship - and, spoiler alert, I'm not planning for the relationship to be romantic. It'll be exclusively sexual. I've added that Payneland is my endgame to the notes. What more can someone want from me!?

[astralfandoms]

Yes, I am making all four of them cousins you cannot STOP ME

Anyway Predator Hawk, Bean the Dynamite, Jet the Hawk, and Speedy are all cousins in the 9 Years universe, and there is lore involving like. Why their grandfather is like that I'm not gonna get into most of it here.

All you need to know is that in an attempt to "correct" their bad behavior, their grandfather decided to homeschool Jet and send Predator Hawk (also known as Cirrus), Bean (also known as Zephyr), and Speedy (also known as Slipstream) all to (separate) private schools.

SPOILER ALERT: it did NOT work at ALL and if anything made all of them dive into "worse" habits (for Cirrus, Zephyr, and Slipstream get into mercenary work when they got out of highschool and for Jet continue his father's Rogues).

Oh, and unrelated to their behavior, all four of them would later realize that they are queer, with Cirrus realizing he's bi, Zephyr realizing he's a demiboy (also gay but I didn't note that in the picture), Jet would realize he's gay, and Slipstream would realize that he's genderqueer.

So yeah, all around "stick it to the man" behavior from all four of them.

[greenaswildfire]

Alright, here be some additional thoughts of mine regarding Martin's post and HBO's answer to him

Summary:

he knew the risks from the start.

he warned us he would write a post about.

Martin posted his opinion

The post was weirdly taken down, apparently by HBO's request.

Lets see now:

Martin knows from the start that HBO needs him way more than the opposite. Even more now with Warner's huge debt, they NEED these spinoffs to succeed. And do we really think that spinoffs like Aegon's Conquest and 10K ships will be successful with Warner's restrictions for budget and number of episodes? And one more thing: with these limitations, do we really think the success tends to increase from now on? Maybe for Aegon's Conquest and tko7k, but I don't see the same level of interest for shows like 10K ships, or the animations for Yi Ti and Corlys voyages. The average viewer is Targaryen simp, they won't be that interested in a show where Valyrians/Targaryens are the villains (they can't stand Rhaenyra being villain, let alone her ancestors!), or in any other show that has no valyrian/targaryen. Maybe Martin is aware of the implications in the long run and that's why he decided to finally talk, before it's too late.

A predator doesn't warn his prey when he's going to strike. But George warned us beforehand that he planned to voice his concerns about hotd. Why would he do it, when he could have simply dropped the myopinion-bomb and left? Being impredictable is an advantage in most cases and maybe HBO would have taken longer to act if they weren't aware of the fact George would write something. But he warned us. And HBO by extension. Maybe I'm overthinking, but thinking back now, his warning sounds strategical, almost like: "here, I'm telling you that I do want to write the post, but if I don't, it's because something happened and I was silenced".

He finally posts his opinion. Dunno whether or not his post was published before or after the podcast episode, and if the podcast was posted after, not even HBO believed he would indeed write about it and was forced to come up with smokes and mirrors to dissipate the chaos. It was so unexpected that HBO even answered his post. Why would you, a huge-ass company bother to answer a mere post NOW of all times? It's not the first time Martin writes about his opinions on hotd and they kept radio silent. Why now? All this "getting defensive so easily" behavior reeks of damage control, they KNOW they messed up big time.

Now what I'm really interested to know: who was the one to actually take down the post? We've got two options:

HBO: They were caught off-guard and given they're so desperate for money they def CANNOT afford ANY kind of backlash or criticism (we all know what they're doing with some youtube videos which did not bootlicked S2 :D) they sharply questi-*cof* asked him to delete the post.

Martin: well, the author himself wrote a post warning us that he would write his opinion. You can't convince me that a man who created Tywin Lannister and Doran Martell wouldn't be able to come up with such strategy (a good one, for that matter!). Martin warned us he would write it, left the post there for a bit and then deleted it because he knew that we would blame a certain big company right away, he had alerted us that he would write a post, right? And somehow the post is gone?? Our first instinct is jest about "HBO calling him and threatening him". Regardless of the options I presented, Warner ends up as the villain anyway, losing market value, Martin strikes them exactly where it hurts the most: reputation, which makes harder to get money. A risky move that could bite George in the ass, surely, but nothing that a "sorry George, I'll stick to the source material, forgive me" doesn't fix. Doran Martell level of masterplan, ladies and gents. (if my delirious thoughts are correct, that is)

And one more thing: why would they care about Martin "spreading S3 spoilers" if Condall said somewhere (an interview, iirc) that he was still writing S3? In theory nothing is set on stone yet, right? Unless Hel's death happens in the first episodes of S3, there's nothing to be spoiled about her death because there's nothing written about this part yet, right, Condall? Loose lips sink ships. Here George, use this argument in your defense if HBO tries to sue you. If HBO did force him to delet the post, it wasn't because of spoilers, it was because they were butthurt. Simple as that.

My last two cents for now:

I guess Martin chooses Helaena to talk about first because Helaena is more or less the only thing both sides sort of agree about. It would be easier to unite the fandom through Helaena in order to help him prove his point than, yk, the other women in this so-called adaptation. And it kinda worked, I don't know if it was a coincidence, but Hel's actress shared a stories of the gameofthrones page, and the first image was Helaena's and I take it as a silent gesture of hers that she agrees. Take if with a grain of salt, ofc, I'm always overanalyzing my hyperfixations, you don't need to take me seriously.

Just watch how Condal and Hess now ruin hotd on purpose. Poor Helaena, she'll be the first to fly through the moon door.

Have a nice day \o/