#that meaning just a calm discussion about it with no hostility involved-

[flowerfletching]

Alright so I've seen someone post about how Jenny x Gilan is a bit weird, which I do agree with, but since I don't really focus on their relationship much I don't really have much to say on it, plus what I would have had to say was better said by other people. That being said when I looked on the reblogs I also noticed that someone brought up Halt x Pauline and how there are some things weird about it because of how they met but I also have more to add to it. And since this is really long I decided to make it my own post since I have a LOT to say on this. Plus it's just a bit different than their reason for mentioning it so I figured it'd just be a better idea if I made it an individual post-

First, to the person who mentioned it, I agree. There is absolutely NO WAY Halt would have fumbled that hard and I don't care how pretty she is, it just makes absolutely no sense whatsoever for him. There's also the fact that, a little bit after, Halt said that he was tempted to tell her about his royal background but ultimately decided not to. And you want to know why he decided not to? Why, that's just because he thought that she wouldn't be impressed. Not because he just spent all that time escaping to begin with and didn't want to risk her stabbing him in the back, no it was just because he thought she wouldn't be impressed. Keep in mind, I'm pretty sure they had literally JUST met. Like, bro. Seriously?

Then there's also the fact that their relationship just kinda feels shallow and undeveloped. I feel like it's shallow because it was literally love at first sight, which was essentially loving the other immediately without knowing the other person literally AT ALL. We also don't really see them growing together much before they actually get married, and the little moments that we actually DO get to see still don't have very much development and don't really show good examples of the love that is allegedly there. I get that there was a lot of the relationship that was built behind the scenes but still, you really couldn't show us much proof of those developments, could you? Plus it also just feels like their marriage in general was just used as a plot device, providing as a huge event that got disrupted to lead into the main plot of the book.

Alright but that could be mostly excused if the relationship was actually nice, cute, and functioning in the end, right? Well, while there are some scenes of them having a good relationship, there's this one scene that absolutely DESTROYED any chances of me actually enjoying that ship.

My final reason for not liking this ship, which is actually kinda why I just don't like Pauline in general, is in the Lost Stories (I believe the section it's in is Purple Prose and it's the first chapter of it). I mentioned not liking this section when I rebloged someone else's post and mentioned that I had another reason for not liking this section, and this is that reason. This is actually the main reason, actually. The idea is that Halt, Pauline, and Will are all having dinner together, right? Will decides to read to them what he plans to read at Horace and Cassandra's wedding for his speech. Will's wording was a bit extra and Halt didn't hesitate to let him know. Now I will admit, I feel as though Halt was being a bit rude in this scene. And while his personality of being blunt and grim doesn't really make that behavior okay, his behavior absolutely does NOT justify Pauline's response to it.

How it ended was by I believe Will mentioning the way that Halt was acting, and then Pauline ominously (literally the word that was used, I'm not joking) said that she would talk to him later. And how did Halt react to that, exactly? Well when it comes to his reaction, it says that the wolfish smile was wiped off of his face and that he looked scared. Halt, the war hero, the one that had been betrayed by his own family, and the one most famous for hiding his feelings, was scared of his own wife. I've seen the trope of men being scared of their wives but I feel like if Halt, of all people, has to be scared of his wife, then there's a problem. Not to say men having to be scared of their wives ISN'T an issue, it is, but for someone like him to be scared it MUST be bad. Especially after she literally just hit him... TWICE. This scene alone proved that Pauline would hit Halt (proven by the first hit), she WOULD do it again (proven by the second hit), and that there's probably more that goes on behind the scenes that we don't see (proven by Halt looking scared when Pauline ominously mentioned talking to him later). Once again, Halt was being rude in the way he let Will know that he didn't approve of the way that he decided to go about his speech. That does NOT, however, justify Pauline's behavior in response to it.

And the thing is, Pauline is the stupid either. She's smart enough and is good enough with people that there's almost no POSSIBLE way that she doesn't know what she's doing. And yet, she does it anyway. This is either borderline, signs of, or is straight up abusive behavior. You might think I'm exaggerating and I hope wouldn't really blame you, with the way he wrote it it wasn't really depicted as serious since that probably wasn't the way it was intended. That still doesn't change what actually happened.

And yeah, that's the reason why I have such a hard time actually liking this ship. To me it feels shallow, underdeveloped/forced, is borderline abusive, and is basically built on an interaction that was just ENTIRELY out of character to begin with. And while yes, there are some good moments, I feel like there aren't NEARLY enough to make up for all of the flaws in it.

[hanggarae]

time i asked you to be mine ..

1.9k words, sort’ve enemies to lovers, reader and minghao are stubborn, fluff, angst, set in the same universe as maybe we can try if you let me but yn is a different person !! not proofread

97 line royal au series masterlist

“mingyu, i will quite literally give you my entire kingdom if it means you will shut up about your insufferable duke friend” you glared up at your friend

he pouted slightly before doing his best to bounce back quick, “yn just give him a chance. i promise you won’t regret it!” he claimed excitedly

you rolled your eyes at his insistence, you knew you would regret it. just like you regretted anything that involved xu minghao.

“mingyu please. just drop it” you mumbled, turning back toward the book on your lap

“i don’t have anything to say to the princess, so i would appreciate if you’d stop bothering me about her mingyu” minghao scoffed at his friend, pushing him slightly in order to sit back at his table, “your dream of seeing us together is-“

“how can you be so sure?” mingyu exclaimed, cutting his friend off before he could finish. he’d heard the end of his sentence far too many times from both you and minghao

“neither of you have ever really given yourselves a chance to see what it’d be like to spend more than five minutes in a room together, so how could you be so sure that the two of you could never be anything?”

“i refuse to entertain this anymore, if you’ll excuse me, i’ll be on my way” minghao muttered before turning from mingyu, “i’ll have the guards see you out”

the universe must hate you.

that’s the conclusion you arrive to when you walk into the meeting you were to attend.

you didn’t mind going to the meeting itself, all you really had to do was meet with councils of another kingdom and discuss plans for the future.

what you did mind however was the ‘council’ you were meeting with being xu minghao.

taking a deep breath, you let your feet move themselves to lead you to the meeting table.

“sir xu, pleasure to be meeting you again” you smiled tight-lipped

had the two of you been alone you would’ve been much more hostile like you’d wished, but it seemed minghao had brought some other nobles from his kingdom, recognising the faces as yoon jeonghan and wen junhui. the two of them smiled kindly at you while minghao mirrored your faux-politeness

you’d spent twenty minutes discussing with the three of them, genuinely enjoying your talks with the three, surprisingly enough minghao included.

his giggles were something that made your heart melt and you’d give all of the jewels on your father’s crown to keep hearing it

that was before junhui and jeonghan had been called for a somewhat urgent matter, ‘nothing urgent enough that requires the duke, we’ll see it through instead while you both continue’, the split second that you’d caught jeonghan slyly smirking to himself reminding you too much of mingyu when he wanted you and minghao to meet

you both continued and wrapped up the meeting, exhausted from fussing over minuscule details. you looked over at him, smiling softly to yourself at how he was dozing off ever so slightly. his eyes peeled open, feeling your soft gaze on him and when he caught it he mirrored it like earlier, except this time with warmth instead of malice

“if you’d like to wake yourself up before your friends return, i know the perfect way you can”

despite supposedly hating minghao, you were enjoying your time with him right now. the calming sounds of nature, the ambience befitting your walk with minghao

“hao look, those flowers are stunning” you sighed happily, “they’ve always been my favourite”

minghao smiled at you, and if he noticed the sudden use of the old nickname he didn’t mention it. before he could reply his attention turned to the man approaching

said man called your name, and you keened when you saw him, running over and enveloping in a hug. you’d spent the next few minutes catching up with your friend before turning back to minghao, excited that you really were able to spend time with him again

“we can wrap this up now if you’re so disinterested, princess” the duke sneered at you

you looked up at him, confused at his sudden shift in behaviour

“are you going to continue staring at me dumbly or are you going to head back?” he said coldly before you could say anything back to him

you huffed at his tone, this really was no way any decent person would be talking to someone. suddenly you’re reminded that his pretty face couldn’t give you enough reason to put up with his ugly personality

you turned your head to the side, smiling bitterly “it’s like whenever you can sense me start to forget why i despise you, you make it some sort of goal to remind me”

you moved to leave, giving minghao no time to say anything back to you, “you really haven’t changed at all, have you hao?”

minghao cringed at the once familiar nickname, one that used to be so full of love. to hear it slip from your lips filled with only hatred

“you’re an idiot” jeonghan said bemusedly to his friend that was currently on the verge of losing his mind, “if you like her, what compelled you to talk to her like that?”

minghao groaned, “i don’t know. i just wish i could take it back” he grimaced when he remembers your hurt expression from a few days ago

jeonghan sighed again at his younger friend, “well the next time you’ll see her is at the ball isn’t it? we are to still attend so i’d suggest talking to her”

if only it were that easy minghao thought to himself,

as if he could read his thoughts, jeonghan spoke again, “please enlighten me on why exactly the two of you loathe each other”

“it’s a stupid reason, really”

minghao wasn’t born a royal, nor was he even born a royal. he was simply a young boy when he’d first entered the palace, the former duke promising him a life here. he wasn’t clueless, minghao knew exactly why he was there. from a young age minghao had a talent and it’d been the raving topic of the village school countless times, the royal family knew they needed to get their hands on him while they could

but minghao didn’t have royal blood, and he never would. so no matter how much of a prodigy he was, he’d never fit in, not in this palace of aristocrats

the staff was always much stricter to him, berating him for anything. he was the only person in the palace they could release any anger on, taking the beatings the staff use to vent their frustration at their own job because he and his family had no power to stop them

he hated living here. it made him feel less than human. you made him feel less than human. despite how much he enjoyed being your friend, he couldn’t stop the bitter taste in his throat when he saw how easily you could get away with anything

you were a princess, after all. who in their right mind would ever be able to say anything to you?

he knew it wasn’t your fault, he’d never blame you. until you blamed him. minghao thought that would be the worst betrayal he’d ever felt. why would you blame him? you knew it wasn’t him so why? why would you say that he of all people had broken your mother’s favoured antique vase?

minghao had sworn he’d felt the bruises from that day for weeks. and those same bruises burnt the next time he saw you. and he swears those bruises were the ones that whispered into his ear and told him that he despises you. he despises you and how much of a spoilt princess you are, at least that was how he put it

looking back however, he really can’t find it in him to blame you. you were young, weight of the world on your shoulders. so he really couldn’t blame you for blurting the first thing out when you were being scolded. and it’s not like you knew about the life minghao was living at the palace

unfortunately, minghao didn’t realise this soon enough, because by the time he did, you’d stopped asking if the boy at the palace could come play with you

it always amazed how the maids were so good at getting the castle ready for a ball, it always looked stunning

you smoothed your hands over your dress when you realised guests were starting to pile in, greeting them politely like you’d always been taught to

you’d seen many familiar faces, but one that you’d completely forgotten about was his

obviously he’d be here, he’s still a duke at the end of the day, even if he was the manners of a far too drunk man at a bar

you didn’t bother greeting him well, you didn’t care enough about appearing any certain way to him. you were actually quite intent on ignoring him for the rest of the night had it not been for his slender fingers slowly wrapping around your own, bringing them up slowly to him mouth to place a soft kiss on your hand

you stood looking at him, gaping for a few seconds before quickly recovering to see the next guest

it seemed like minghao was doing anything and everything to bother you tonight

“would you care to dance, princess?” he grinned at you

you looked at him sceptically, raising your eyebrow “are you sure you wouldn’t be too disinterested?”

if minghao was bothered by your comment he didn’t let it show on his face, too busy focusing his attention on the fluid steps he was taking with you

“i’d like to apologise. not only for my actions the other day but.. it regrettably took a long time for me to realise it wasn’t your fault to blame you for that day all those years ago-“

“it was” you replied, voice small, “it was my fault. and i could never blame you for hating me for it. minghao i promise that if i’d known how they were treating you i would’ve never done, but that doesn’t excuse that i did do it and i’m incredibly sorry for doing so”

the two of you stayed silent for a few seconds, the soft violins in the background being the only sound you could hear

“princess, could i tell you one last thing?”

you looked up at him, nodding at him to go on

“i’m sorry for making you ever think i could hate you. i’m sorry i realised too late just how much i truly loved you”

“well it’s better late than never, i suppose” you smiled at him

“you wouldn’t happen to have something to me, would you princess?” he hummed at you

“well..” you pondered for a few seconds, “i think you owe me another dance if you’d like to know” you giggled

[vynegar]

chapter nine analysis/discussion

I found an interesting discussion/analysis post on chapter 9, so I figured I’d post about it in the same vein as my previous post about a fan theory. This will be more paraphrasing and summarizing rather than a full translation. First is the bilibili post, then below that will be my own thoughts on it and the chapter.

my usual disclaimers; I’m not fluent, there will be mistakes and especially with this type of post I won’t be agonizing over precise word choice, just the overall argument. check my masterlist for more translation and analysis.

[Tears of Themis | Main Story Chapter 9 “Grey Frontier” Plot Discussion and Analysis by 日和风物诗. Originally posted to bilibili on July 5, 2022.]

Chapter 9 feels like the calm before the storm. Even though MC doesn't have all the information and the writers haven't given us an omniscient POV, we still learned a lot. This chapter is probably a transition chapter, but still plays an important role that is worth analyzing.

1. Why the atmosphere among the NXX members has changed

This chapter feels strange right from the start when Luke and Marius are outside Tyson Turner's hospital room. Although everyone argued with other before, it's unusual for them to be so direct and to bring up "rich people" so often. Them deliberately talking like this feels deeply disconcerting.

And then there's Artem, whose attitude as changed the most. He was indifferent at NXX HQ when telling Luke he was busy, then at the police station he was aggressive and overbearing and even suddenly became Harper's attorney. He's like a completely different person from when he warmly encouraged MC over the phone, confusing both the audience and MC.

Now let's sort out some relevant details. First is the night before Artem's attitude changed, when he hesitated over the phone, paused, then said "I believe you can handle all of this well." This sentence seems normal, but MC (who has a sharp intuition) feels the deeper meaning behind it. Clearly he was referring to something more dangerous than just the online harassment.

The next day in the HQ, Artem deliberately picked the farthest chair, rejected MC's offer to help, avoided her gaze, and was extremely distant when leaving, as if afraid that MC would persist in trying to work with him and get involved in something dangerous.

As for Artem becoming Harper's defense attorney, his confrontation with Luke and MC at the police station actually reminded me of "Day and Night" when Artem pretended to be part of the enemy to obtain key information – similar aggression, similar scene opening – so this time he's probably doing something similar. That is, he is "acting", and under some scrutiny, we can see some clues toward that.

For example, he shook his head at MC to stop her when she was about to hold Luke back from questioning Harper, and he didn't do anything when Harper looked to him for help. On the surface, Artem is protecting his client's rights, but in reality, he's helping Luke obtain key info from Harper, the source of the drugs.

This feels familiar. Think back to the "standoff" between Marius and Luke in the hospital. On the surface Luke is mocking Marius, but in reality he's reminding Marius about his button and returns it to him.

Everyone in NXX is in a different position with their own things to protect, so it's natural for the occasional conflict to occur like between Marius and Artem over Neil Hume's disappearance. However, this apparent hostility and indifference really seems disconcerting and deliberate, and the timing of everyone's estrangement clearly isn't mature. Thus, Vyn and Marius are absent from routine meetings for the first time, and the sudden confrontation between members seems even more abnormal. However, looking at the notes on the case files [in the NXX HQ in the game], we can find that everyone is still getting along like before.

So with that, it's not hard to conclude that everyone is acting. Now the question is, who is the act for?

The biggest suspect is NSB.

At HQ, Artem told us that part of access to the Big Data Lab was transferred to the NSB's special investigation group. They locked all the cases related to NXX and even had Luke investigate any abnormalities in Pax. One important thing is that Luke wasn't even previously informed about the NSB investigation team, which he thinks is because he had gotten "too close" to NXX members. NSB might think that Luke isn't on the same side as them anymore and is wary of him, and this could just be the reason that everyone is acting. Luke is also meant to investigate Pax, so he shouldn't be too close to the object of his investigation in order to remain impartial. And if Artem is truly trying to infiltrate the enemy, then it's even more necessary for him to distance himself from us, both NXX and NSB.

Second is the mastermind represented by Jerome Adams and Wilson Sorge. NXX has already been exposed to them, and feigning internal conflict may confuse their focus. At the same time, because NXX is unsure of how much they know about NXX's members, they can use smokescreens to avoid any unnecessary involvements. But Jerome said that he works at Gladiolus Valley Research Center, which is run by the city government. Unless he and Wilson are working behind the back of the research center, the conspiracy may have to do with the city government. This leads to an even scarier idea.

What if the NSB, Jerome, and Wilson are all connected? What if there's a mole in the NSB?

Then that incident Luke was involved in where a group of people died from contaminated drugs could also have something to do with this.

2. The Identity of Oedipus

My initial guess was Jerome Adams. First, he has the pharmaceutical resources, and second, he is often in that hospital, so it would be easy for him to give Harper the drugs and note. Finally, he also has the motive: if the drugs he gave Luke were really the antidote, then his purpose could be using Luke as a "test subject" to study the effects of the drug. And when Luke met with Aaron, his feeling that there was someone watching him could be from being watched. Or they could be wanting to control Luke and use him for their purposes. Either possibility is frightening.

3. The Problem of MC's Participation

I saw many people saying that they didn't feel a sense of participation in chapter 9, that MC was in the dark the whole time, far away from the truth and core of the case, like she was being "protected" by everyone. Although this is true to some extent, this "outsider" perspective is uncomfortable.

But think back to how we joined NXX in the first place. The three existing members of NXX all had different viewpoints on Neil Hume's disappearance, so they had to bring in someone else in order to be impartial.

So from the start, we've always been in this position – we can't become overly involved in any one side, just like how Themis must independently and impartially make judgments.

Our personal background is also less complicated than the other members. We have fewer restrictions so we can deal with the matters as they are, without getting too caught up in external forces. As the saying goes, sometimes you're too close to something to be able to see it clearly, and as an observer who hasn't fully become involved, we'll be able to clearly see the things they can't and more objectively analyze each side's interests.

In short, just like Artem told us that night before the meeting: "I believe you can handle all of this well." They trust you enough to let you play such a crucial role.

[end of post]

--

This is pretty long as I comment on the points that are discussed, but also just talk about things that I thought of during the chapter. Tl;dr I agree that it’s probably an act, and the likeliest reason is some combination of Jerome’s side and NSB. But lots of other details and tangents are discussed.

1. Why the atmosphere among the NXX members has changed

I agree that the antagonism between the members is probably just an act. Despite their disagreements and small quips at each other, they calm down and cooperate peacefully when it comes to the important things. Therefore, when we see them being so openly aggressive while protecting each other almost secretively (Marius’s button and Luke questioning Harper), it’s a signal that something is going on.

The post makes an apt connection to “Day and Night” SSR when Artem works for a suspect in order to lure them out and advance the investigation. In one scene he also acts cold, arrogant, and aggressive in order when up against MC, in order to seem fully on the enemy’s side. The events in this card can pretty much be read in the exact same way.

(I also initially thought that this might not even be him trying to proactively obtain more information on the enemy, but just maintain what control that NXX has already. With the NSB locking out their access to other NXX-related cases and poised to take over investigation, Artem may be involving himself just to make sure they still have eyes on this case. That way he’ll be present for any leads that may appear, and he can ensure nothing suspicious happens like destruction/suppression of clues or evidence. Possibly he discovered Harper’s possible connection to NXX drugs through his own independent investigation and began to act.)

In addition to “Day and Night” being a prior example of acting aggressive, Chapter 9 itself also has an examples. Luke’s behavior at the juvenile correctional facility shows us that unusual aggression from one of the characters can be because they have a hidden purpose that is rooted in trying to help the other.

It is interesting that while Artem appeared indifferent to MC in public, Marius was able to switch back into his usual playful self towards her at the NSB questioning. However, Marius is still just representing Pax’s interests and his connection to MC is probably publicly documented from his trial, whereas Artem is supposed to be representing Harper now.

This connects with a very astute point made in the post, that NXX does not know how much their enemy knows. MC is clearly aware of this too when speaking with Jerome in the hospital. Since she’s not sure if Jerome saw what happened, and the NXX members’ identities are quite sensitive, she decides to hide the others’ involvement and say that she and Vyn evacuated on a boat, since Jerome had already seen Vyn during the normal course of the cruise.

It may explain why some relationships can seem quite normal (if they’ve already been exposed), while others may have to keep up the hostile act. For example, anyone who knows about Luke’s personal life would know that he’s close with MC, and Jerome already saw Vyn and MC together so she can mention him when talking about that night. However, whoever’s watching NXX might not know how close Artem and MC are beyond work partners, or may not know the relationship between the NXX men. For possible unknown relationships, NXX may be keeping their distance as much as possible.

One thing this chapter has showed, though, is that Jerome already seems to know quite a bit about Marius and how he operates, to the point that he knows how to manipulate Marius into paying someone’s medical fees. It’s definitely possible that Jerome’s side is keeping a close eye on Maruis and that Marius and Vincent’s communications are somehow compromised, since paying those medical fees was something Marius had Vincent handle privately.

Marius being watched also explained some parts that made me question the “acting” theory. His sarcasm when saying that he and NSB are on “the same side” seems to show genuine displeasure, but could be explained by frustration at NSB taking over the investigation and not really toward Luke. What stood out more was when Marius said that the “kind soul” (Luke) only gave back the button because it could no longer be used against him, making it sound like Luke was keeping leverage against Marius. However, it could also be read as them keeping so much distance that this was the first opportunity Luke had to return the button, and Marius just put his own spin on the situation to suit the “act.” In that case, it seems like Marius still maintains the act even alone with Vincent, as if he suspects that they are under surveillance. (Vincent as a mole is a possibility that has often crossed my mind, since he has access to so much information, but I just don’t think he is.)

Finally, checking the case files is a very clever idea. They seem mostly normal, except Vyn has one sharp comment on Gerard Boone’s file (“Think less and do more.”), though honestly I’m not sure who or what exactly he’s referring to. It could just also be Vyn being Vyn (see Rio’s personnel file, “…you didn’t just give me an order, right? at Artem). On Harper’s case though, Vyn is also surprised that Artem took her case.

I joked that Vyn actually comes out of this chapter looking pretty normal. Mainly because he appeared only in one short scene, where he was also in a private setting and mostly spoke with MC, and partially because he’s normally Like That (affectionate). His surprised comment about Artem really shows how independently the NXX members are currently operating though, and it almost feels like Vyn is less involved in the hostile performance than the others. This makes sense, seeing as any interests that Vyn might be representing (like Svart) haven’t come into play (…yet?) and as Adjudicator of NXX, impartiality would also be important for him.

As for NSB or Jerome being the ones watching their “act”, I don’t have much to add. NSB has been pressuring Pax, wary of Luke, and taking over the investigation; it’s not a stretch to imagine them taking that suspicion one step further. Jerome already seems to be watching them to some extent, as discussed earlier about Marius. I think any connection between the two is still firmly in speculation territory, and it may just be that Jerome’s role in the research center allows him access to the resources he needs. However, I do like how OP looked into the BDL entry for extra clues, like in the case files too. It reminds me of how Svart is noted to have a well-developed pharmaceutical industry in its BDL entry, relevant in that first fan theory I posted about.

Just one possibility for whoever might be watching them: Irene Burke revealed in the Inspection Chapter (8.5) that Tyson Turner gave her photos of Vyn and instructed her to get rid of him as the last member of the original NXX investigation team. Although Turner is dead now, this is still a line of thinking that we can consider, as NXX has clearly been surveilled before.

2. Identity of Oedipus

I think Jerome (or someone related to his side) is our best guess for this so far. I’ll go on a little tangent in this section since we’ve actually seen another Oedipus before in the story, in Luke’s personal story. In Greek mythology, Oedipus solved the Sphinx’s riddle, making the Sphinx kill herself. The Oedipus in Luke’s personal story also went up against Sphynx, though there, the Sphynx was victorious. However, it seems like these two Oedipuses are probably completely different people in completely separate storylines, seeing as their purposes don’t seem to have anything in common.

This chapter is our clearest confirmation that the personal storylines are completely separate from the main storylines, which is painfully demonstrated by MC not knowing about Aaron or Luke’s illness. It’s necessary considering the romance in the personal stories, but I had privately considered the non-romantic events of the blossom chapters as canon. Seeing almost two years of character development being undone in the main story, especially with Luke still trying to push away MC, is… so sad. I can’t help but wonder how the other LIs are doing – is imperfection still unacceptable to Vyn, is Marius still considering letting go of his identity as Z, has Artem learned how to balance his work with pursuing his own emotions?

3. The Problem of MC's Participation

Honestly, I dislike it when all the LIs are trying to shelter MC to keep her “safe,” but this post made me think of it in a different way. Yes, she’s excluded from some key aspects of the investigation and also kept in the dark. However, because she is genuinely not involved in the tricky balance of representing different interests, she’ll be the last one remaining if NSB (or some other entity) do start trying to impede the members from investigating due to the interests they each represent. If NXX specifically agreed to keep MC safe in this way, then they’re protecting her because they trust her to save the investigation if they’re ever besieged from all sides. Time will tell if this is the direction the writers intended, but this is a somber enough explanation for Artem’s phone call encouragement, and I would really love to see this kind of development.

[eggymf-archived]

of paper planes and wildflowers; 14

ft. ominis gaunt with f!reader (series)

chapter warnings: mild violence, non-consensual legilimens, torture, kinda plot-heavy, a story within a story

chapter summary: it wasn't easy being a wielder of ancient magic, just as it also wasn't pleasant to have a partner-in-crime who was getting more and more volatile when it comes to his desperate search for a cure. luckily for the new 5th year, there was your circle of friends, who gladly took them in to destress for a little while. who would've thought that your fates will get intertwined on a deeper level by this innocent little choice. 

word count: 5.1k

a/n: oh wow it took me way too long to update this (work was whooping my butt as usual sadly) sorry about that. also, i will be releasing a one-shot related to this series alongside the next chapter. until then, i shall continue writing (unfortunately).

main masterlist || series masterlist || AO3

Human bonds— the connecting threads that are either fulfilling or destructive; a means of self-discovery through interaction with others. Through having companions, one learns about the self and the world via their experiences together, and by staying in the relationship, a dynamic is made. 

Although each dynamic had its own unique beauty and charm, the true-to-life depictions as opposed to the scenarios that play out within silly little heads usually had a stark difference, both of which are shown by the two present cases involving two pairs of Hogwarts students in this very moment.

The first pair was in the main room of the Undercroft, unexpectedly screaming their heads off in a pointless debate on morals. Their topic mainly revolved around the importance of “trust” and “allegiances”, which eventually shifted into the heated (and rather personal) discussion of one's “level of maturity” and “baseless accusations”. Their relationship wasn't this vexing before— in fact, they got along so well to the point that they'd share secrets with each other right off the bat.

The other pair was, unlike the previous, calm and collected, patiently waiting for the other two to cease their blown out-of-proportion argument for the betterment of their wits. Surprisingly, their dynamic wasn’t initially this harmonious either, until the layers of prejudice and false perceptions were eventually shed.

A sigh of utter dismay escaped your lips as you finally shut the lid of the inconspicuous chest, descending down the flight of stairs within the enchanted space and trudging back to a very relaxed Ominis. He was sitting cross-legged on the velvet-upholstered sofa, sipping a freshly brewed cup of tea while a plate of snacks lowered itself gently at the side table. As for the young Gaunt's flawless capability in maintaining his composure, it would seem that his mandatory etiquette lessons as a boy had served him well.

“This is the third time today, isn't it?” he nonchalantly asks. A biscuit floated towards you, which you accepted gratuitously as you sat beside him.

“Unfortunately, yes. Good thing we're done with lessons for the day,” you groaned. 

“So what is it this time? This is the longest argument they've had to date,” Ominis grumbles.

Two days. Two long, arduous days of unbearable tension between Skylar Evans and Sebastian Sallow— Merlin knows how long this will go on, but you sure hope that they'd stop all of this madness soon and just reconcile already.

"An argument? It's hardly just that, my dearest. It's a war, if you ask me. Sebastian's absolutely livid, going off about his incapability of trusting goblins. Apparently, Skylar considered working together with one?”

A grimace contorts itself on his formerly calm complexion, his slender hands gingerly placing the teacup set at the side table. 

“That would explain his hostility then,” Ominis sighed. “Goblins were the ones who cursed Anne after all.”

You blinked owlishly before dread slowly dawned upon you, your blood running cold at his sudden revelation. 

“Oh… Oh. I—”

“There's no need for apologies, my sweet. It's not like you were informed about it beforehand,” he reassures. “You wouldn't have been able to deduce it at first glance either.”

“But still…”

It was undoubtedly a touchy subject that stirred a sense of guilt in your chest for unknowingly bringing it up, yet despite it all, curiosity lingers at the back of your head: this had all begun ever since that recent incident that you had accidentally witnessed several days ago. Maybe it was related to all of that?

Ominis frowns at your sudden silence, his lips pressed firmly into a thin line, inwardly panicking within his poor head despite his calm demeanor.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t have said it…? No, no. I think it’s better if she knows. Oh no, how in Merlin's name do I deal with this?” 

He was still inexperienced when it came to the unfamiliar process of soothing another person's nerves— he only had to fend off for himself for the majority of his life, after all. But what kind of a lover would he be if he made no attempts in easing your worries away? He had to try at least.

“Darling, scoot over for me, will you?”

Albeit the mild shame brought upon your bouts of self-blame, you did just as he requested, shifting towards the far end of the sofa. Your blonde-haired lover smiled ever so slightly, plopping his head right atop your plush thighs the moment you obliged his request. Your eyes, initially wide open at his sudden actions, softened at the ticklish sensation of his fingertips against your cheek.

“My dearest?” he calls out in the gentlest of tones, a bright, rosy hue peeking through your skin as his palm grazes against your face. The iciness that ran through your veins was immediately thawed, followed by a blissful sigh escaping your lips as he stroked his thumb across your cheek.

“Yes, my love?”

“I may be blind, but I can tell that a frown is not a good look on you,”

The corners of your mouth twitched upwards slightly at the statement, resisting the urge to burst unbecomingly into a fit of giddy giggles. “Is this your way of cheering me up?” 

His opal eyes, ever so mesmerizing, lit up in joy and hopefulness at the hint of amusement in your mildly teasing tone. “Would you smile for me if I said yes?”

He chuckled at the slight shift of your cheek as you smiled, a laugh escaping your lips before planting an affectionate peck against his palm.

“You cheeky little rascal. Of course, I would.”

Sincerity was truly magical in its own right— easily capable of turning the most awkward of attempts into the most romantic gesture you had ever come across in your life (or perhaps it was merely just a part of Ominis' overall charm).

It was yet another comfortable silence looming over the both of you, him steadily breathing with his eyes shut as you raked your fingers through his slicked-back hair. You were humming a soft little tune— a tender scenario oddly reminiscent of what he used to experience as a wee boy with his favorite aunt. 

His heart, worn by lethargy and disappointment towards the concept of emotional safety, was now throbbing almost painfully at the comfort of your presence. It was akin to being wrapped with a soft fluffy blanket, gently cradled with an unspoken promise of love and protection— one that he will never seek from another person except you. Only you.

But alas, he had to contain himself for now, much to his dismay. Since you have plans later that day with Garreth and Natsai, he intended to make the most of his remaining few hours with you. Inhaling a lungful of air, he quells the bubbling bashfulness and hesitance brewing in his gut. 

“Say, is it alright if I make a request?” 

A curious hum vibrated from your chest as your eyes gazed upon him. “What is it?”

“Could you… Read something to me? Anything you want. It's too quiet here…”

Butterflies bloomed within your chest at the innocent request, your poor self giggling quite helplessly out of pure adoration at his meeker-than-usual tone, much to his utter embarrassment. Despite his attempt in being indirect, you knew exactly what he meant.

How could you ever refuse him?

A slight jostle was heard from the nearby bookshelf, eradicating the bashfulness from his system. A specific book pulled itself off the shelves before hovering to your outstretched hand. It was rather plain and unassuming in appearance, but beyond its leather-bound cover lies the most intricate of illustrations on every page that depicts a tale of adventure. It was the copy of the very book that you had often pestered your father to read to you as a little girl— a moment of bonding that you had with him whenever he was at home. 

He was quite the unusual man— seemingly square but was the kindest of souls especially towards children and magical beasts. He had the uncanny ability to tell even the most complex of flowery-worded tales in a manner that was easily understood by a mere child— an evident display of his wit, creativity, and sense of wonder. Had you requested another to read it instead, you would've fallen asleep due to your inability to perceive its true meaning.

This time around, however, it was rather nerve-wracking, for the reenactment of a fond memory was a gesture of great intimacy, especially to a non-relative. You were no storyteller for sure, and you could only hope that you'd do these literary pieces some form of justice when reading them out loud to Ominis himself.

“I hope that the genre of adventure is to your taste?” you asked him. With his nod as a go-signal, you flipped its fairly old pages open to one of the compiled stories within.

The guardian of this world was no writer, orator, or artist— they were a weaver: one who uses strings as their medium to depict all stories within the fabric of existence. One could assume that the guardian was a deity or a mere concept; a being or a non-being— the origin of all the principles; the organizer of chaos; the anchor that grounds this realm into coherence— to make it comprehensible by lesser minds. Each living being was a thread, signifying a lifespan and purpose. Within the plethora of such strands were those that gleamed of silver— beings who were capable of magic; and amongst threads of silver lay fibers of gold— a select few who were bestowed with the ability to wield the magic of yore, sworn to duty of serving all that walks upon the earth. Amongst the threads of glimmering gold that sparingly decorated the vast textile, there was one that shone brighter than the others: a young lady who had the kindest of hearts and the loftiest of dreams— to rid the world of all pain and suffering. Alas, despite the purity of her intentions, this will soon be branded as an act of defiance against the laws of this world.  For there is no light without shadow, as there is no shadow without light— simply because one is capable of dispelling the darkness does not mean that one should.  Extraction upon extraction, accumulation upon accumulation, her once brilliant thread soon loses its luster, gold turning into murky crimson— much like the pain that she had collected in enacting her arduous lifelong mission. Akin to ink that had been carelessly dropped upon fabric, the blight brought upon the world by her folly starts as a single dot atop the intricate embroidery, soon to be unleashed the longer it remains.  Alas, the nameless artisan couldn’t abandon their eternal life’s purpose regarding this matter, for they had to keep weaving the threads of fate. If they were to stop, time would cease to move— a fatal transgression to the principles of this realm. But despite the shackles that ensnares them to their stern duties, they were a being of just and mercy; brimming with love for all that breathes— a silent overseer that gazes their gentle eyes upon the world.  “For this was the doing of magical folk, it shall therefore be fixed by magical folk.” With a single strand of hair from their head, deft hands began to stitch a living creature within their magnum opus: an owl that embodies a fragment of their wisdom and foresight— a catalyst of transcendence from the blight that threatened to seep through the remaining strings of gold. Once fully embroidered into existence, its large amber eyes look expectantly at its creator, awaiting their orders. “I have granted you a part of my wisdom, for you are created from a thread that is nearest to the origin of my knowledge. So go forth and fulfill your purpose— seek the noble souls who shall undertake this task.” Thus, with its newfound purpose, the owl took flight, traveling through the vastness of the fabric in search of those who shall purge its filth. 

BOOM!

Ominis shot right up while you screamed out of sheer fright, clutching your book tightly as the room violently trembled while the various trinkets in the room rattled audibly due to the sudden impact from above. As the tremors in the room allayed, you quickly handed the book to Ominis, hurriedly scampering to the entrance to take a peek at what had happened.

Long story short, the argument between Skylar and Sebastian took a turn for the worse.

“Sky, please—!”

“Don't you dare touch me, Sallow!” Skylar scowled, glaring hatefully at the brunette who had a panicked expression on his features.

“But that's… That's not what I meant! I didn't mean it!” 

The Hufflepuff shot Sebastian the most hateful glower that they could muster before stomping off to the exit of the Undercroft, a panic-stricken Sebastian tailing after them in a feeble attempt of reversing the damage of their words. You winced as the metal door slammed shut, prompting you to open the lid of the chest fully. You curiously scanned the large space for any signs of damage, only to be gobsmacked by the sight of the entire wall behind the chest covered in soot— as if a massive fireball had been purposely shot onto the vacant space, or rather, missed its target.

“Is everything alright?” Ominis calls from below the room. Upon exiting the enchanted space, he sniffs the air, lips curling into a frown at the strong smell of smoke and burnt wood.

“Well, the Undercroft is still intact, I suppose…?”

Ominis sighed exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of his nose out of pure disdain towards Sebastian and Skylar's antics. 

“Oh for the love of Merlin…”

The last of their classes today is finally over, and Skylar Evans immediately rushes out of the premises, hell-bent on dodging the presence of a certain Slytherin male who goes by the name of Sebastian Sallow. There was a saying that those who possessed the brightest of smiles had the cruelest of rage, and that statement bodes true for the famed new 5th year, who nearly burnt their classmate into a charred crisp for his insensitive, tactless tongue.

It was the first time that poor Skylar had ever felt so enraged towards a person before, and anger itself was the very emotion they despised, for it often resulted in a splitting headache soon after it all fades. Sebastian had made yet another fatal mistake due to his lack of control over his emotions— one that could both cost him a precious bond and a chance of ever finding a cure for his sister's malady. 

Truth be told, the cause of his outburst wasn't even that rage-inducing. Skylar had merely tried to voice their worries regarding Sebastian's lack of sleep no thanks to his unhealthy hyper-fixation on a certain spellbook, only to be given a scathing, out-of-pocket insult from the vexed brunette.

“You want the truth so badly? Fine! You're all talk, barely any action! You're frolicking out there in the bloody Scottish Highlands, and I'm deciphering this bloody book ALONE. Must be nice to have your life all carefree, yeah?! Bloody hell, you're so fucking annoying!”

Skylar knew it was just the copious amounts of desperation and stress permeating within his system that resulted in his rude outburst, but their heart could only take so much before it finally reached its absolute limit.

“Stupid Sebastian… Stupid magic… Stupid curse…” they sniffed, angrily swiping the lone tear that cascaded down their cold-flushed cheek as they moped in silence. This gut-wrenching instance revived the homesickness that they had desperately repressed this entire time— to go back to London and live a problem-free life as a wee Muggle once again, for ignorance was bliss (and Sebastian Sallow wasn't).

They couldn't help it initially— the smooth, treacled flattery that spilled from his pretty pink lips was much easier to believe than the cold hard truth. But now that all were nearly in utter shambles as wrongdoings piled themselves atop one another, it was time to acknowledge the fact that Skylar's hospitality had gone too far— a good-natured trait turned psychological leash in the hands of a conniving little mastermind.

Oh, if only there were someone more sensible and less volatile around that could aid Skylar in their quest. Perhaps that would knock Sebastian's towering ego down to a more bearable height. Matters aside, the ancient magic wielder truly needed a break from it all, and much to their luck, Natsai had invited them over for drinks at The Three Broomsticks on this particular afternoon at the very last minute.

The walking trip to Hogsmeade felt a whole lot faster thanks to their preoccupied mind, their feet leading them to their destination without much thought. Emotionally exhausted eyes glanced at the wooden signage of the pub before pushing the doors open, their eyes meeting the positively jam-packed establishment filled with both students and locals indulging in their merriment and chatter while a pleasant tune sounded within the building’s wooden walls. 

Amongst the crowd of students were you, Garreth, and Natsai, each drinking your respective fills of well-deserved butterbeer and occasionally munching on peanuts after a rather eventful day. The female Gryffindor immediately spots Skylar, soon beckoning them to come over while a tankard with its signature foamy top carefully floats towards the table from the bar.

“Glad you could make it!” the ebony-haired Gryffindor beamed.

“Thanks for inviting me,” Skylar finally managed to smile as they planted themselves on the chair beside Natsai. The floating cup of butterbeer placed itself right in front of Skylar, which they gladly sipped while you and Garreth were in the middle of your usual banter.

“You know, I'm quite surprised that you didn't bring Ominis along. Which reminds me…” Garreth trails off, a grin slowly forming itself on his smug expression while you narrowed your eyes in suspicion.

Oh no.

“Is there something you aren't telling us? Because I've been seeing you two everywhere together lately.” 

His words immediately resulted in a half-hearted glare from your mildly blushing self as you tried to grip the remnants of your composure.

“That's quite the assumption, Garreth. We are just classmates, you know? Classmates,” you gasped, feigning your cluelessness while the bitter taste of denial and lies lingered on your tongue.

“Aww c'mon! You can't expect me to believe that!”

You snickered at his response. “Then why'd you ask in the first place?!” 

“Because there's clearly something going on and you're obviously hiding it,” Natsai joins in, much to your chagrin upon hearing the red-haired male’s triumphant chortle. 

“Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to hide this for long?” you internally groaned, your nervousness skillfully concealed behind a veil of lightheartedness. Truthfully, there was a burning urge within you that wanted to just scream out at the top of your lungs that you were, in fact, proudly in a relationship with Ominis Gaunt. Alas, you had an oath of secrecy to uphold.

“Oh, stop it, both of you. I can assure you that it's all academic-related,” you tutted. “You've seen how the workloads are. Even Garlick’s been pretty merciless lately with her assignments too. He just needed some extra help.”

Natsai smirks before drinking from her cup, obviously not buying your bluff. 

“Extra help, eh? Seems a little too extra in my opinion,” the male Gryffindor snorted, warranting a slap on his arm followed by a vicious battle of flicking peanut shells towards each other.

The remainder of the day was the most fun that Skylar had ever had so far. It was a breath of fresh air— harmless tomfoolery, discussing nothing but the simplest of topics, and recalling the never-ending mischief amongst students in Hogwarts for the past few years. From drinking butterbeer to buying all sorts of sweets from Honeydukes right after, this seemingly mundane and impromptu trip was exactly what Skylar needed. No mentions of ancient magic, a cure for an unknown curse, trials, or enemies— just the silly little struggles of students whose greatest woe was regarding how they'll make their written essays longer to fit the required minimum length.  

It was unfortunate that time had passed by so quickly whenever fun was involved, and upon leaving the last of the shops that the four of you had opted to visit, the sun had already plunged back into the distant horizon, the sky no longer its usual shade of blue. 

Amid boisterous guffaws and jokes on the way back, Skylar mustered a smile regardless of their evident sorrow that this small little hangout was nearly over, which didn't go unnoticed by your wandering, observant eyes. Upon nudging Skylar lightly, you uttered the very words that officially grant them a special place of their own within your circle of friends.

“You should join us again next time.”

And with just that simple invitation, Skylar's unpleasant thoughts fade into obscurity, replaced with a sense of true belonging— that they'd have a place to go to regardless of their feats, contributions, or even after their mission reaches its eventual completion. 

But alas, there was still a long road up ahead, for this unfinished story was far from reaching its desired ending.

The cold evening air was commonly accompanied by the soft howling of distant winds along with the faintest crackles of ice, yet this particular ambiance felt strangely rebarbative. It was too quiet— the air was dense and still, devoid of any sounds apart from crunchy footsteps on snow. A foul sense of dread was prickling your skin from within as the four of you traversed down the unassuming, dimly lit path.

Skylar seemed to bear the same sentiments as you did, deftly reaching for their wand concealed beneath their coat while you promptly did the same. Unblinking eyes scoured the surroundings for anything suspicious while Garreth and Natsai remained unaware, still trudging along the path that leads back to the castle with you and Skylar tailing after them cautiously.

And then you saw it— a silhouette of a cloaked figure lurking amongst the shadowy, frost-withered trees, slowly pointing their wand in your direction. Much to their momentary misfortune, your reflexes were far quicker.

A turquoise-colored flare erupted from the tip of your wand, hitting them right on the chest and flinging them back. Garreth and Natsai's eyes widened in mortification as they heard the strike of the spell, whipping out their wands immediately. The unknown person, now laying face down, desperately tried to fight against the Impediment Jinx's effects by wriggling himself around. Several red bolts of light shot from the same location where they once stood, followed by an all-familiar spark of green that made your heart panickedly hammer itself within your ribcage as Garreth managed to narrowly dodge the fatal attack.

The Killing Curse.

“RUN!” 

All of you immediately broke into a sprint, only to be halted in your tracks shortly after as multiple jets of black smoke swarmed towards your retreating figures. The grip on your wand tightened as the surroundings became screened with swirls of a densely dark fog, men dressed in tattered black robes and weathered silver masks covering the upper half of their visage emerging from the shadowy swirls. Skylar grits their teeth in defiance, firing a jet of red towards one of them while the rest of you follow suit to aid them in the fight.

The ferocious exchange of spells illuminated the dimly lit surroundings with flares of various colors, accompanied by the sound of blitzes, the shattering of magical shields, and explosive blasts. Your heart pounded rapidly, deflecting and dodging an onslaught of fatal curses and pesky jinxes, strategically flinging various spell combinations to their defeat. Your foes fell one by one until all were either incapacitated or gasping for air at their fatal injuries. The escape promptly resumes, the sound of footsteps rapidly thumping against the earth as the four of you bolted for your dear lives. 

But alas, villains always had a plethora of the dirtiest tricks up their sleeve, only to be revealed at the very last minute to instill absolute terror within the heart of their prey.

Skylar quickly grabs Natsai, preparing themselves to apparate away while you reached out to Garreth's outstretched hand, only for the same puff of black smoke to push you away from him. Your grip around your wand loosened as soon as a strong hand encased itself around your neck, your only weapon falling onto the ground before the stranger apparates you away. 

Upon materializing out of thin air, you were then slammed against the tree with a pained gurgle escaping your dry, chapped lips. 

The man was clearly one of the dark wizards you had encountered earlier, dressed in the same black cloak and a silver half-mask. You could only watch in fear as his towering figure looms above you, his stare devoid of any mercy, yet adorned with a glint of pure malice. A sharp sting penetrated your head, an intrusive force beginning to plow its way through your mind, destroying every built-in defensive mechanism to rummage through every nook and cranny in desperate search of a specifically vital knowledge within the archive of your memories.

The House of Robard. 

The murder of your loved ones. 

The wall in the Undercroft.

He wickedly flashed his prominent canines upon finding the information he needed, a deep, predatory chuckle rumbling from his muscular chest.

“Found you.”

Color visibly drained from your complexion at the sound of the all too familiar gravelly voice from your deepest nightmares, fear began to rapidly suffuse itself into every fiber of your being, your dainty, delicate hands feebly trying to pry his hand away from your neck.

It was him. The man from 6 years ago— the cold-blooded murderer of your late uncle and brother.

The moon enshrouded itself behind a protective layer of clouds, almost as if it did not wish to bear witness to the direst cruelty that would soon befall you once more. The meek whimpers that escaped your lips fueled his bloodthirst as he traced the tip of his wand along your jawline before digging it into your temple. With an eerily serene smile, his lips parted to mutter the incantation of the spell that caused your brain to blank out of inevitable despair. 

“Crucio.”

Your high-pitched cries of sheer agony pierced the stillness of the night as the curse was brutally cast directly into your head, your body thrashing and flailing in a futile attempt to escape. The pain was beyond anything you’ve ever experienced in your entire life— your skull was being split open in the slowest and most agonizing way possible all while getting viscerally twisted and torn apart from within. His piercing gaze was still ransacking your memories in the midst of it all, hot tears uncontrollably running down your face as waves upon waves of torture brutally surged within your mind.

Alas, it was all for naught. 

It was still the same set of memories without a single trace of any changes despite jolting you with nothing but pain— the most savage of means to remove any possible Memory Charm that had been cast upon you prior to this encounter. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, reluctantly releasing you from the Cruciatus Curse, your limp body falling onto the snow-covered ground with red crackles occasionally sparking from your temples. 

This mission was like his prior attempts: another failure.

It was ultimately all his doing— the fabled silver-tongued traitor of his family tree who connived with the enemy centuries ago. Even in death, the betrayer himself had managed to outwit his descendants again and again, and it was no different this time around. The tall male could only scoff disdainfully, his monologue sounding incoherent as your brain struggles to fathom all that is within your surroundings. Your vision was blurred, consciousness on the brink of fading into black out of sheer exhaustion. 

The shouts of your name were soon heard from a distance, a familiar wooden stick with a trail of gold dust meandering its way towards your incapacitated form, tucking itself snugly back into your hand. Before your valiant rescuers could reach you, the cloaked male spares you one final glance, his fragmented parting words blending into the howling winter winds as he dissipates into the shadowy hours of the night.

“...remember… knowledge… power… ours…”

From cities to hamlets, nature to settlements, the owl searched tirelessly for the worthy. Alas, many days passed, but all was futile. It was akin to finding a needle in a haystack, much to the poor bird’s despair. The owl hooted sadly at its predicament, hopping alongside a small stream: whether it was for the sake of collating its thoughts or if it merely wanted food or drink, it wandered with no clear destination in mind, following the trail of running water instead. It soon came across a lone human male who sat atop a large rock, nibbling on a piece of bread as he seemingly gazed into the far horizon.  The owl blinks in curiosity, pausing its activities to quietly observe the human before it. This man was rather unusual compared to the others, for he possessed an ethereal appearance: he had slicked-back blonde hair, smooth porcelain skin decorated sparingly with little moles, gaunt-like features, a lithe frame, and enchanting yet sightless opal eyes.  The little owl, ever astute and highly perceptive, noticed a sorrowful human emotion beyond the veil of his mortal beauty— loneliness. Its gentle hoots snap the male out of his reverie, his mouth hanging slightly ajar at the sudden sound of ruffling feathers beside him. The little owl rubbed itself affectionately against his arm, rousing a soft chuckle from his thin lips.  “Why, hello there, little one. It's rather unusual of you to be out and about at this hour,” he hums, running his slender fingers through its fluffy plumage. It hoots back enthusiastically to his words, much to his joy.  “Do you have an owner? A family?” the asks further, only for the owl to adorably tilts its head before hopping onto the male's lap. A grin graces his face, giving the owl a much-appreciated scritch. “Very well, you shall be my companion from now on. Now for a name…” he trails off, closing his eyes shut and feeling the sun kiss his skin as he ponders. Moments later, he casts his unseeing gaze to the unknown distance with a smile on his face. “I have been told that the sky looks ‘reddish’ around this time of day. Henceforth, you shall be known as Russ— in honor of the time that we both met.” At long last, Russ the Owl meets one of the few worthy mortals of this quest: a man that embodies both light and dark; compassion and cunning; a hero and a traitor— The Author.

< chapter 13: a hideout within a hideout 🔞

chapter 15: tba... >

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I posted 1,138 times in 2022

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I tagged 406 of my posts in 2022

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Longest Tag: 111 characters

#ninety percent of dumb scott reactions are due to the fandom not even trying to put themselves in scott's place

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Calm Down, Please

I wish people wouldn't jump to conclusions that Derek having a 15-year-old white son means that Braeden and he are broken up. It doesn't tell us much about the time frame either. It doesn't say anything about the writing either.

Alternatives other than Derek and Braeden are broken up:

1. Eli is Kate's child. (Ugh, but possible.)

2. Derek had sex with a woman during the six years between the Hale Fire and the beginning of Season 1.

3. Derek and Braeden adopted a child.

Considering that I don't think they're going to have Scott be in his early thirties, #2 is most likely the correct answer.

Jumping to conclusions is being pretty overly dramatic.

91 notes - Posted March 25, 2022

#4

EVERYBODY LOVES DANNY

This is an exploration of the role Danny Mahealani played in Teen Wolf for the first four seasons. It was inspired by an anonymous correspondent who described him as a token. Danny was not a token. Instead, he was a foil for both Stiles and Allison, and his friendship with Jackson was a parallel with the friendship between Scott and Stiles and his romantic relationship with Ethan was a parallel with the romantic relationship between Allison and Isaac.

To me, a token character appears in a movie or story to serve one purpose and one purpose only: to be seen as what they represent. If Danny was the Token Gay Character, he would be on the screen only to be the object of Scott's accidental flirting or to serve as a sounding board for Stiles's insecurity or to remind the audience of Jackson's vanity. Once that purpose was served, he would vanish. Yet, effort was spent on Danny's his emotions and decisions concerning friendship, social status, and the supernatural. He is definitely a minor character, but he's certainly not a token. A token wouldn't be missed as badly as he was in Season 4. The obvious hole he left still puzzles people to this day.

In the first season, Danny's role serves as giving us a necessary look at how the rest of Beacon Hills High sees Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski. He's not as intensely involved with Scott as Stiles, not as hostile as Jackson or Lydia, and he's not a new girl unsure of her footing like Allison. It is an absolutely necessary role to reinforce Scott's complaint of 'sitting on the sidelines.' Danny treats Scott with benign indifference, the way you would treat a nice kid in your science class to which you don't actually talk. Danny doesn't get Jackson's hostility to Scott's rise on the lacrosse team, and he verbally expresses it, but he's just happy to have another good player on the team that helps them reach the state championships. Danny tolerates Stiles because Scott is first line, and he's shocked by Scott's insistence on dancing with him at the Winter Formal, but he does dance with him, reluctant but not repulsed. Danny gives us the average student's view of Scott.

We also get the build up of Jackson's and Danny's friendship, which plays a much larger and more important role in Season 2. Jackson and Danny like each other as much as Scott and Stiles do, and there is a level of implied closeness matching each relationship. Danny can be just as sarcastic as Stiles toward Jackson, "If I come back and you're lying dead underneath a pile of weight, I'm taking the Porsche" and they discuss topics as sensitive as mutual sexual attraction and Danny is concerned because Jackson doesn't answer his texts for a week. The major difference is that Danny respects boundaries in a way that Stiles doesn't, and that is shown by the production -- regardless of my own personal taste -- as a detriment when Jackson decides to go after the bite and suffers the curse of the kanima. Stiles willingness to intrude on his friends life is shown as crucial in Scott overcoming not only his initial transformation but also his evolution into hero. To be fair, Jackson does not seek out Danny's help in the same way that Scott does to Stiles, which is also shown as a problem.

In Season 3, with Jackson's departure, Danny's focus shifts to Ethan, but he still serves as the same foil for Stiles and, now, Allison. No matter how talented the three of them are, no matter how much Danny is a survivor, they are still human in the world of the supernatural. Danny keeps his boundaries, so he's either a pawn of the alpha pack or a bystander to the action -- symbolized by him being present in the room when a chaos fly possesses Ethan and being unaware -- but on the other hand, he does survive and he does it with minimal trauma, not counting the Darach attack.

Stiles gets involved and stays involved, and he will have to deal with the consequences of the nogitsune possession for the rest of his life. Allison choose to become involved with werewolf, even knowing how dangerous in, and she gets involved and stays involved, and it costs her life. Danny chooses to become involved with a werewolf, it being revealed that he wasn't doing it ignorantly, but he keeps himself out of the action.

The audience noted Danny's absence in Season 4, precisely because he had become an important part of the story. He did have friendships, he was involved, but it also made sense that the characters wouldn't experience the same sense of absence, because Danny had drawn relatively firm boundaries around that involvement. He would be involved in things in his own terms.

The audience mourned his loss in Season 4, because of the Dead Pool plot, but I feel, that if we thinking about it enough, we should have mourned his loss in both Season 5 and Season 6. Danny's presence could have helped us understand Stiles's actions more effectively. They could have even had conversations about feelings of alienation between friends. Danny's presence could have been even more important in Season 6B, exploring how boundary setting is not the same as giving into fear.

A character with his much impact can hardly be classified as token.

108 notes - Posted January 9, 2022

#3

Corey Bryant is a Hybrid Ghost Rider

This is for the Meta Monday: Monsters

I thought it would be obvious to the fan who is a casual observer, but there are many people who assume that Corey is a chameleon hybrid, but I don't think that's true. It's an understandable mistake, as several characters call him a chameleon, but as Season 5 and 6 goes on, we get more and more evidence that Corey's abilities aren't actual camouflage, but in reality the ability to shift matter into another dimension -- the Wild Hunt's dimension. Here are my arguments:

The shape he took reflected the person that he was. When the Doctors experimented on their chimeras, they often selected traits to graft onto others that coincided with their natures, in line with the oft-quoted supernatural principle. Tracy had traits of a kanima because, similarly to Jackson's impostor syndrome, her night terrors left her unsure of who she really was and what she was really doing. "She thinks she's asleep; she thinks she's dreaming." Hayden shared some qualities with Kate, though to a far less unhealthy degree, so she was grafted with traits of the nagual. "I'm not angry, Liam, I'm vengeful." Corey, similar to the Ghost Riders, was someone who felt that they could be in the center of the room and not be noticed. "My parents barely noticed the first time I died."

The Ghost Riders could project matter into another dimension, and Corey is able to perceive them and reverse it. While it seemed that Corey's major power was blending into his surroundings, he exhibited no other lizard-like traits. Instead, he was able to notice the Ghost Riders. He was able to locate the relic in the library. He was able to pull a Ghost Rider out of his dimension. In addition, the Surgeon, whose powers allowed him to perceive "frequency and vibration" was able to pierce Corey's invisibility without any difficulty on more than one occasion, even though they were abled to miss people hiding.

The Doctors had access to the "genetic" material of the ghost riders, due to the infected wound on Douglass. There was a whole sequence demonstrating that in Season 6A, when the lowenmench was hit by a whip and "infected" and then a shot when, after Douglas was placed in the tank, the greenish fluid was shown entering the tank.

Douglas himself immediately after acquiring the Outlaw's pineal gland, made capturing Corey his first target. He said "something I've been waiting to do a very long time" by which he meant turning the Wild Hunt into his army, and his next step was taking Corey. He also used Corey to bridge the Wild Hunt's dimension and Earth's dimension. He very specifically chose Corey, and it makes sense if Corey was, through the Doctors' science, part of both dimensions.

While people assumed from the start that he was a chameleon and several characters used that word to describe him, Teen Wolf often had people make mistakes in identification, and not only teenagers without occult training. Jackson passed Derek's test, and the pack assumed the Oni were going after only supernatural creatures.

117 notes - Posted May 16, 2022

#2

161 notes - Posted January 16, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

When Disappointment is Not Disappointing

This is about Obi-Wan Kenobi, Episode 3:

When I first watched the fight, I was disappointed. It was clumsy. Awkward. Beautifully shot, but the fight was nothing compared to other light saber fights, and Darth Vader clearly letting Obi-Wan get away.

And then I suddenly smacked myself with the Clue Bat. Of course. That was the point.

Obi-Wan Kenobi has not wielded a light saber for maybe ten years. Both he and it have sat decaying in the desert. He doesn't sleep well, he has a mindless menial job where he must let cruelty happen on a daily basis, so he can go home where his only social interaction is being cheated by Jawas and emotionally flagellating himself by fixating on a ten-year-old boy that he can't even talk to.

He had to be asking himself -- what the hell am I even doing here. I told Bail I couldn't do this. I told him!

And then there's Darth Vader. He starts out killing innocents because that will make Obi-Wan come to him. Only it doesn't. What the hell is that? Then he draws his light saber and Obi-Wan runs. What the hell is this? He tried to provoke his old master with bullshit "I am what you made me" and "You should have killed me when you had the chance" and Obi-Wan doesn't lecture him about the Force. He doesn't say a single word! And then when they fight, he does it one-handed, and every ounce of Hayden Christensen's body language screams disappointment. What the hell is this?

Anakin Skywalker didn't spend ten years in the Imperial Brooding Chamber in his Castle Commemorating His Defeat on his Impressive Stone Throne of Angst, plotting his revenge like the Pettiest Most Dramatic Bitch in the Galaxy, for nothing.

This was supposed to be his Validation, and he ends up fighting a terrified hobo in a strip mine.

So, of course, he stops burning him. This isn't what he wanted at all. He lets Ben go, because maybe if he does so, the Force will stop yanking his chain and give him the round two he always wanted.

And the best part? It will. Deborah Chow has slowly, meticulously showed the re-emergence of General Kenobi, the best of the Jedi, poking through ten years of loneliness and mourning. It will come back, it will come out, but Darth Vader might not like the result.

Why?

"The Jedi Code is like an itch. He cannot help it!"

1,003 notes - Posted June 2, 2022

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[mandyjane-lifedesign]

Strengthening Relationships Amidst Home Repair Needs

Home repairs can be taxing both physically and psychologically. More so, when you're dealing with these issues hand-in-hand with a partner. However, these situations also provide an opportunity to enhance your relationship. This guide will offer recommendations on how to navigate through these challenging moments and still maintain your relationship's steadiness. The Relationship Repair When dealing with home repair needs, the relationship between the two parties involved can equally need some fixing. Just like repairing a home, healing a relationship requires patience. A relationship can be fixed only when both parties acknowledge their faults. Realizing what went wrong helps to avoid repeating the same mistakes again. Open Communication Importance In any kind of repair—a leaky roof or a shaky relationship—the importance of open communication cannot be stressed enough. If a problem arises during the repair process, you should transparently inform your partner about it. Being open about any potential challenges not only makes finding solutions easier but also builds trust between you and your partner. Remember that proactive communication fosters unity, understanding, and mutual respect. Maintaining Patience Maintaining patience is not just about waiting for the work to get completed; it's also about managing expectations. It's about understanding that every task takes time and no one is perfect. Cutting some slack for mishaps or delays can help keep stress levels low for both you and your partner. Through this ordeal, remember that patience is truly a virtue in hard times as well as good times. Addressing Repair Concerns The process of home repairs can be quite fraught. Especially if you are a DIY newbie. Yet addressing these concerns quickly helps to maintain a harmonious relationship. Face the issues head-on instead of avoiding them; this doesn't mean that you confront them aggressively. But rather discuss openly and find a compromise where both of you are satisfied with the solution. Go to this branch and seek professional home repair advice. Avoiding Blame Game Regardless of thorough planning, home repairs often spring surprises. When the unexpected happens it can lead to the blame game. Avoid pointing fingers and instead concentrate on finding a solution. Casting the blame rarely solves problems; rather, it amplifies them by generating unnecessary hostility. Go To a Safe Space This phrase is an essential compass when sailing through tough times. You might have differing perspectives about the repair works needed or how to proceed. When faced with such disagreements, it's advisable to go to a safe space—a metaphorical place where calm rational discussions can occur. This approach will secure mutual respect and continue open communication—two vital ingredients in any successful relationship. Maximizing Efficiency Together An advantage of having a partner during home repairs is the opportunity to maximize efficiency. Creating a practical strategy, distributing tasks according to skills, and setting timelines can all contribute towards this goal. Remember that efficiency does not necessarily mean speed but rather skillfully using your resources—including time—to achieve your goals. Working smart rather than hard together builds teamwork and allows you to appreciate each other's efforts more. Celebrate Small Wins Last but not least, celebrate small wins together! Small victories like fixing a tap or clearing off a day's to-do list deserves a little acknowledgment. These small celebrations are symbolic tokens of progress that keep the spirit high during what could be otherwise stressful moments. Plus, they make you appreciate how far you've come and why it's worth all the hard work you've been putting in together. Approach to Disagreements Disagreements are a natural part of any relationship, especially under the pressure of managing home repairs. However, it's how you manage these disagreements that matters. Adopt an approach of understanding and compromise rather than getting caught up in the heat of the moment. It's not about winning an argument but finding a solution. And one you both agree with. Staying objective and calm will keep conversations constructive. Role of Forgiveness When working on home repairs together, there may be moments of frustration or mistakes made. In such instances, the role of forgiveness becomes paramount. Holding onto grudge advantages no one—it only escalates the tension. Being able to forgive is not just about letting things go but also about learning from these experiences. The process of forgiveness can, paradoxically, make your relationship even stronger over time. Setting Boundaries While collaborating on home repairs, don't forget to set your personal and professional boundaries. These boundaries are necessary for maintaining mutual respect and ensuring that each party's individual needs are met. Establishing tangible boundaries can range from having designated work and break times to acknowledging each other's space during tasks. This practice helps avoid feelings of being overwhelmed or invaded upon—thus minimizing potential disagreements. Valuing Each Other's Effort Value comes in many forms – it isn't always about the outcome but the effort put in. Appreciating your partner's efforts in the home repair task can strengthen your relationship. Show genuine appreciation not just for successful endeavors but also for their sincerity and hard work. This attitude encourages good morale, mutual respect, and a positive outlook towards work and each other. Exercising Flexibility Flexibility in home repairs—and in relationships—refers to the ability to adapt to new conditions or changes in the plan. Being rigid can inhibit progress and cause unnecessary stress. Exercising flexibility means accepting that things might not always go as planned. It also leaves you open to alternative solutions. It also communicates to your partner that you're considerate of their ideas and feelings. Relationships and Home Improvement For a relationship to flourish during home improvement projects, it's necessary to ensure clear communication, patience, mutual respect, and shared decision-making. Projects can provide opportunities for relationships to grow positively. Treat these renovations as an avenue for constructive growth in your relationship—as if your relationship itself is getting a beautiful new makeover! Shared Decisions in Repairs A successful home repair project is a result of shared decision-making. Prioritizing equal participation in every aspect—from planning stages to implementation—enhances partnership spirit. Discussing choices and compromising when needed promotes a sense of unity. It encourages teamwork and strengthens the bond between the parties involved. Importance of Teamwork Teamwork blends different skills, perspectives, and efforts into one cohesive force towards achieving a common goal—in this case, home repairs. Prioritizing teamwork enhances both task efficiency and relationship strength. A relationship flourishes when both parties cooperate. So, support one another, share responsibilities, and recognize each other's contributions. Similar principles are key to effectively working together on home repair projects. Prioritizing Safety While home repairs can improve your relationship, they shouldn't put you or your partner in harm's way. Ensuring a safe work environment is as important as the repair task itself. Use protective gear and follow established safety guidelines. And don’t rush into tasks. Nothing is more important than your well-being. If DIY isn’t your thing, use a service such as the Water Damage Specialist for safe repair work. Summing it Up Home repairs need not be a draining or stressful process. Instead, these can serve as unique relationship strengthening opportunities when approached with open communication, mutual respect, patience, and understanding. By valuing each other's efforts and maintaining a team spirit while prioritizing safety, you can convert the often-daunting task of home repair into a memorable shared experience.   Photo by Roselyn Tirado on Unsplash Read the full article

[cheekygreenty]

Familiar - The Darkling x Reader

He was living his worst nightmare. You were in danger because of him. He swore to protect you, to get himself caught in the crossfire if it meant saving you but right now he was useless and you were suffering. He didn't know where you were or who took you from the Palace, the place he said was like a fortress, the safest place in Ravka. You were swiped from right under his nose, most likely roughly and mercilessly and it was all because you loved him.

He never wanted anyone to know of your relationship, you were his most protected and valued secret and he would put his life on the line to keep it that way. But now you were gone and he couldn't bare to look at himself. The promise he made to you was broken and he let you down.

For our love is a ghost that the others can't see

You agreed with it too, knowing that you would immediately become a target if Aleksander introduced you as his. But here you were now, sitting in the back of a moving coach, gagged and handcuffed with a blood and tear stained face.

The ride was more bumpy and painful than it was at the start, having now been on it for at least 4 hours, you knew you were far from home and heading to Fjerda.

The realization hit you as soon as you felt a pair of strong hands at your wrists, holding them apart in the safety of your chambers to prevent you from summoning. The festivities were loud and blocked out your shouts of self-defense and cries for help. That's where Aleksander's protection had run out, right there in your shared rooms.

You cursed yourself as more tears slipped out your eyes, you were a fool who didn't listen to their own advice. Ravka didn't know about you, the Darkling seemingly had no weaknesses until your irrationally tipsy behavior. Tonight's stupid actions would cost you your life.

---------------------

'Enjoying the celebrations?' You held your fourth champagne glass of the night tightly in your hand as you walked up to Aleksander and Ivan. They were all business and no party as the Little Palace roared to life following a day of successful business negotiations. Grisha of all orders let loose and had fun, forgetting the troubles of war as foreign delegations joined in, all in unity for a single night of fun.

The Zemeni were dancing with the Kerch, the Shu were peacefully discussing with the Kaelish, it was a utopia. Your own mind was for once calm, be it the champagne or the vibes you didn't know and didn't care.

'You did a very good job Y/N, I'm impressed.' Ivan gestured to the party and pride filled you. It was stressful and nerve-racking to plan a banquet of this magnitude, but seeing it all accomplished and with no fights made you unbelievably happy.

'Thank you Ivan. Go enjoy yourself, I'm sure Fedyor is looking for you.'

He walked away just as you'd hoped, leaving you and Aleksander alone. You moved a step closer, taking his hand in yours.

'It is magnificent darling, you look magnificent too.' His head dipped as it usually did when he was about to kiss you, but he stopped himself and instead looked around the room, inspecting it to make sure no one was watching him.

'Relax, we're in a large crowd, I highly doubt anyone is paying us any mind.' With the foreign ambassadors here, Aleksander's black attire was balanced out with black tuxedos and suits. He wasn't sticking out anymore, he blended in. You wanted to be with him, and perhaps you could be right now.

'If you say so' Although your words did something to reassure him, his sweet lips were brief on yours. It was a short kiss, but he somehow conveyed his love for you in that quick second before he was back to his usual General persona.

'Alright General Kirigan, I'll go annoy Genya.' You joked and in the process knocked the glass over onto your fine silk kefta. 'Shit'

You didn't miss the look of amusement on his face as you tried to dry the stain with your sleeve. 'Or I'll go and change' you laughed, leaning into his laughing body.

You were certain the moment was intimate and private, that nobody was watching, but a pair of eyes closely watched the scene from afar, mouth open ajar as he found the Darkling's only weakness; You.

--------------

'Moi Soverenyi what is the meaning of all this?' Ivan didn't expect to be dragged out of bed at this hour and see the General's inner circle crowded around his war table in their nightclothes. He thought the banquet went well: nobody fought or got injured or even argued, it was the perfect night so to speak. But the powerful Grisha still dressed in his silk black kefta was restless and panicked.

His hair was disheveled and he looked ready to kill as he stood with his back to everyone, facing the big map of Ravka. The room was silent save for a few yawns and sighs. Nobody knew anything about why they were there but the tension surrounding their commander was hostile and frightening.

'Y/N Y/L/N is missing from Palace grounds. I think she may have been taken.' Ivan stilled, he was the only person in the room who knew of the relationship between his General and you and had grown to like your refreshing presence. He cared for you in a brotherly way and your disappearance ignited a fury in him.

'I need you searching the streets, interrogating the delegates, anything we can to bring her back.' His face was still turned away from them, and Ivan knew he wouldn't turn around.

Aleksander was beside himself with worry and guilt, he was on the verge of tears. You were gone and it was his fault. His mind was swirling with the accusations and the self-hate, but also with memories of you. Your life echoed around the walls of his head, bouncing off of his heart with a shatter.

He wasn't going to wake up tomorrow next to you curled up in his arms. He wasn't going to hear you rant over breakfast. You were gone and it was his fault.

He was trying so hard to devise a plan to find you, to command his Grisha and be a General, but in that moment he was just Aleksander, Y/N's Aleksander. Worry took up his mind and all the commanding bones in his body yearned to have you next to him.

He turned his head briefly to Ivan, who had the same expression on his face that Genya wore when he woke her up searching for Y/N. She was already out in the streets of Os Alta with David, trying their luck with tracking your jewelry.

'We leave in 10 minutes. Every single Grisha in the Second Army will be used if need be.' If you listened closely, you could hear the edge to his voice, a slight pang of heartbreak and anguish. He was trying to hide it, but alas he was only a man.

The Grisha started muttering amongst themselves and Ivan caught a few words of their conversations and couldn't help but let the rage rise in him 'She's not even that good of a soldier.....' 'Who is that?' 'I want to go back to bed....'

'A foreign dignitary had the audacity to kidnap a Grisha after we let them into our home and you speak of going to bed?'

'Ivan.' Fedyor warned him.

'Moi Soverenyi, with all due respect, Y/L/N was simply a teacher to the younger Grisha, not a high-ranking soldier with valuable intel. Should we really assume a kidnapping happened? For all we know it was desertion. Y/N found a good moment to slip out and escaped.'

Every shade of us you fade down to keep

Them in the dark on who we are

The second those words were spoken by Polina, Aleksander's black shadows let loose. They crept up her legs and around her throat, tightening and tightening until air could no longer enter the inferni's lungs. She was petrified, she was simply stating another perspective on the situation but her General's and Ivan's responses told her her opinion was not wanted at all.

Aleksander stopped himself before he killed her. It was his fault, all of it. His Grisha didn't take this seriously because they didn't know who Y/N truly was to him, perhaps a secret ready to be shared, spoke a voice deep in the back of his head, not your voice though. He wouldn't tell anyone anything until he had your approval. If he ever got it.

'Believe me, Y/N was no deserter.'

'10 minutes!' Barked Ivan at the Grisha when none of them moved from their tired trance.

-----

You didn't know Fjerdan fluently but you knew enough to make out the most important words 'We crossed the border', 'Witch', 'let her burn'. It was enough to drown your hope of escaping and coming home to Aleksander and your Grisha.

You never got involved in any war or fighting, simply choosing to teach the young students the basics of summoning. It made you content and happy, whereas war made you anxious and nervous. Your body had only ever known the luxuries of the Little Palace, the feel of a pen or book in your hands. To add to it, your powers were never used in a defensive way only summoned when you taught, so this was a drastic turn of events to say the least.

Being dragged and beaten by the Fjerdans, insulted in a foreign language, and cuffed so the one comfort you had available to you was useless, brought you to your knees despite the initial training you received when you joined the Second-Army. I am no soldier, I am a teacher.

The border had been crossed and you were officially a Fjerdan captive, ready to sit a trail where you would be found guilty and hanged for your gifts. The chances of Aleksander finding you were slim to none as you tried to remember if any clues were left behind at the scene of your kidnapping. The Fjerdans were quick and concise, neat and skilled, leaving no traces of their presence in your chambers.

The back of the carriage yanked open and let in the evening sun, blinding you in the process. You stopped counting the time after the 8th hour passed and your space was still pitch black. The shadows once were a comfort, now they were simply a tool to frighten you even more.

'Let's go, Witch.' A tall man spoke as he grabbed you by the arm, dragging you as if you didn't weigh anything. You complied, not seeing a reason to tire yourself by fighting back. It was pointless and futile.

You were in the middle of nowhere, a field of open green space with patches of snow. Fjerda. You'd never been anywhere near the border even, but the cold wind was whiplash-inducing just as Aleksander once described it.

'I thought I am to face trial.' You had barely spoken a word in fear in the carriage but the suspicion had rousted you to mutter the words.

'You? I'd rather kill you right here' joked the man and his companions laughed along as if what you said was the beginnings of a hilarious joke. 'You are the Demon's vulnerability, we hurt him for revenge' He pushed you to your knees roughly.

This love is gonna be the death of me

It's a danger

'So I am to die in a field?'

'Not before you tell us everything about the Darkling' then a kick to your stomach shut down your senses.

-------

'We are crossing into Fjerda Moi Soverenyi' Ivan shouted over the galloping horses. Not even 2 minutes after the meeting, Fedyor noticed 3 Fjerdan delegates missing from their rooms in the Little Palace and raced to tell his General who was now fiercely riding his black stallion with a fury no one dared to comment on. He had Squallers feeling the air for you, Durasts tracking your jewelry, and Heartrenderers listening to heartbeats as they all made their way up to Fjerda, the enemy country.

As time passed, the fear rose and turned into a strange combination of denial and grief. Aleksander tried to desperately shoo it away, to rid the thought as it came. You were alive. You had to be.

He felt his crew getting restless and tired but he didn't dare slow his pace. His stallion seemed to understand the urgency of the situation and for lack of a better word, legged it as his master requested.

'General, we think we can feel something.' The Durast and Squaller riding right behind him suddenly burst out. 'About 5 miles northeast, I can direct us from there.' The man in the purple kefta bellowed and Aleksander's heart picked up the pace to a deadly rhythm. He was immortal, but he was sure this was going to be the death of him.

---------

It took every ounce of courage and pride to not give in but you hurt all over. Your ribs were cracked, lungs quickly collapsing, your arms and legs unmoving. The only aspect of you that looked normal was your face

'I'll leave it, let him see you dead in a coffin with only your pretty face as a reminder of how disgusting he is, how disgusting all of you are.'

You had told them nothing, not a word, not even a cry of pain to satisfy them. If these were truly your last moments, you wouldn't go down as a traitor. Your eyes closed on their own accord a while ago, your ears stopped listening when you heard the first bone crack in your leg.

You didn't see Aleksander's shadows flood the field, cutting down everything in his path. You didn’t hear the Fjerdans scream out in pain and fear. There was blood everywhere, not just yours as he ran to you.

'HEALERS NOW' you didn't see him, you didn't hear him, but he saw you beaten and dying right in front of him. His hands traced the side of your face lovingly as a small tear escaped his eye. You felt it, his touch on yours and your lip pulled up in the faintest smile you could manage. He was here.

Ivan was next to you in an instant, attempting to quicken your heartbeat, fill your weak lungs with air and keep you alive but his shaking hands were rigid and stiff with fear at the possibility of losing his friend. The other Grisha watched with perplexed faces as they quickly approached, the Healers running for dear life to get to you in time. You were only a teacher in their eyes, not the General's love or the Heartrenderers comrade.

'Y/N you'll be okay, I promise.' Aleksander left a kiss against your forehead, keeping his lips there for as long as he could before the red keftas swarmed around you and fought to save your dwindling life.

And the dark was opening wide, do or die

You registered his touch, his kiss, before the itching took over and the pain slowly lifted. The darkness was back as a comfort and death seemed far away.

The Darkling only had one weakness, one vulnerability, and only one reoccurring nightmare; the death of Y/N Y/L/N and he made sure to let the world know if you ever came to harm, he would kill anyone and anything in his path.

------

Here’s my masterlist 🥰

Taglist (Tell me if you want to be added!!)

@aleksanderwh0r3 @theonelittleone @searching-for-gallifrey @lostysworld @0-artemis @exo-1204 @staradorned @bookfrog242 @simp-for-ben-barners @keepdaydreamingbb @acciorudolphx @pansysgirlfriend @pansysgirlfriend @justmesadgirl

[meteor752]

Dsmp Hogwarts AU, except it’s all the characters and I go into why they are what they are, please reblog this took a long ass time

Man, what a title Huh? Anyways, this will obviously go over the characters and not the content creators, because in some cases those are vastly different

Also, before we start, I will go over an important thing that I will mention probably a few times, and that is the difference between Hufflepuff Loyalty and Slytherin Loyalty.

Both of these houses value loyalty, but in very different ways. Take for example that you’re a spy who has their best friend as their partner, and you’re out on some super important mission. Let’s also say that your partner got shot and is close to death, and the only way to save them would be to abandon the mission entirely.

A Hufflepuff would try to complete the mission because it would be the best for all, while the Slytherin would abandon the mission despite the fact that it could result in countless deaths, just to save their friend.

See it as Selfish Loyalty vs Selfless loyalty. Both are great things to have, but are still different.

Anyways, on with the show

Tomathy Danger Kraken Careful Innit

I have seen people try to argue that this boy is a Hufflepuff because of his loyalty and such, but gosh darnit everyone this child is a god damn Gryffindor. I mean, one of his main character traits is that he’s brash and too brave for his own good. The reason he got fucking exiled is because he burned down George’s house without thinking of the consequences, and then just screamed at Dream without thinking of the consequences. The same goes for Ghostbur’s “death”, it was because he had no real plan except Stab Dream with an axe. So yeah, Gryffindor

Wilbur Soot

Slytherin, 100%. This man has created one and a half nation, one entirely out of spite, he was both a general and a president, he’s a smart lil fella, and he managed to hold his own against the god of the server. I don’t even thing you guys wanna argue with me here

Tuberculosis Underscore

This one is tricky, because it’s really between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw for me. Like, he does possess the Hufflepuff loyalty™ plus he is very kind, but he’s also one of the more logical and observant characters we have in this server (The bar is very low let me tell ya). But I think I will have to go with Ravenclaw, just because like, the boy invented nukes. He built fucking nukes. So yeah, a very chaotic Ravenclaw that will spout bee facts at you, be prepared

Technoblade

My man is a Ravenclaw, no doubt about it. I mean, he started talking about an old greek myth in the middle of a war? Just Ravenclaw things amiright?

Philza Minecraft

I will have to go with Slytherin on this one, simply because of the large amount of Slytherin Loyalty, but also because of his cunningness and resourcefulness, but for real this was very tricky, simply because I don’t like to think about c!Phil too much because as some of you may know, I kinda hate him (Not the cc though, obvs, he’s awesome)

Ranboo My Beloved

Hufflepuff. This boy’s ideology is literally “Choose people, not sides”, he’s an honest and compassionate boy who works hard, and has a very open mind. He’s literally the by the book Hufflepuff

Eret

Honestly, Slytherin. I mean, they are ambitious as fuck, both shown by them betraying L’Manburg for the throne, but also by working hard towards their redemption arc. They are also a good leader of the smp, and in general a great role model to have

Nikki Nihachu

This one is actually difficult, simply because Nikki has gone through quite the character arc the past couple of months. She started out kind, sweet and loyal, a classic Hufflepuff. Then she joined the syndicate and straight up tried to kill a child, which is less Hufflepuff but who am I to judge. But in her core, as seen through her discussion with Jack about Tommy’s revival, she is still a good person that works hard for what she believes in, wants the best for everyone (Despite sometimes working in her best self interest) remains kind through it all. So yeah, Nikki is a Hufflepuff, just a bit of a sadistic one. But we can’t all be perfect ya know?

Fun Jonathan Michael Vincent Georgina James Sus Dy Soot

Ah, my favorite character, and also one of the best examples of a Ravenclaw. And I ain’t saying that just cuz I’m a Ravenclaw, Fundy is one of the most Ravenclaw characters out there. He’s creative, Clever, Spontaneous, Witty, Curious, Sharp, and a real trickster. The idea of Ravenclaws being the goody two shoes kids that always does their school work is just false, we never do our Homework and instead sit and read about things we find interesting, and Fundy is a good example of that. Also he was quite the eager learner during the Dreamon Hunters arc, which again is a good example of a Ravenclaw. So if Ranboo is the by the book Hufflepuff, then Fundy is the by the book Ravenclaw.

Dreamwastaken

I’m pretty sure it’s confirmed that Dream is actually a Slytherin, and I ain’t arguing with that. This boy is cunning, sly, a leader, traditional, Self-Preserving, and a master with words. There is not much more to say here, apart from the fact that Slytherins main colour is literally green, so it all checks out, this boy is a snake.

George Lore

Mr not found over here really is hard to pinpoint down, simply because his main character trait is his apathy, which isn’t really a trait for any of the houses. I was discussing this one with my girlfriend, and both of us were pretty clueless of what to do with him. I was thinking if Hufflepuff since they take the ones that don’t fit anywhere else, but then I was reminded of the most recent Dream XD stream, which showed us one thing, and that is that George is clever, observant, and Sharp Minded, all the traits of a Ravenclaw. Sure, he could also be Slytherin as he was both cunning and sly as well, but I think Ravenclaw fits him more personally.

Sappitus Nappitus Boyhalo

Finally we have another Gryffindor, there’s been a serious lack of them on the list. My man is a fighter, he’s bold, he’s brave, he’s passionate, he’s confident, and he doesn’t really think that much of the consequences of his actions (Cough the pet war cough), so yeah this boy a lion.

Punz

Ah, Punzie, the mercenary themself. Tbh, I know very little about them because Punz don’t get involved that much in lore unless they are hired for something. I mean, they were in the eggpire, but even then they were barely involved, which is sad cuz I like Punz. But what we have seen of Punz is that they are someone who does not care about you or what you want, as long as you pay them. They are power hungry and self preserving, which means that I have to put them in Slytherin.

Jack Thunder1408 TV Manifold

The boy who I can’t help but be sympathetic towards. Jack is also a hard character to pin point because of the reason that he’s gone through quite the development. Jackie boy is a very broken character that has literally been through hell, so it’s hard to properly sort him. He’s quite confident and clever, yet cunning and resourceful, so for me it’s either Slytherin or Gryffindor. But I do lean towards Gryffindor more, partly because of his stubbornness and gullibility, and part because of all the fire imagery that’s associated with him. I mean, the cc described him as burning inside, he’s been through the scape of fire and death, and he burnt his nation to the ground. In case you didn’t know, Fire is the element of Gryffindor, so yeah, another red and gold boy.

JSchlatt

Schlatt is as both charming, charismatic and calm in the early days, using subtle manipulation tactics to get his way and achieve ultimate power. He’s ambitious, narcissistic, cunning, and tyrannical, while still hiding it all behind a facade of smiles and waves. He could also be both cruel and irresponsible at times, aka the time he had an underage child drink during an event, but ya know, mistakes. So all in all, I think it’s pretty clear that he’s a Snakey boy.

QuackityHQ

As much as I love CC!Quackity, I also fucking hate him because of the many, many different directions he’s taken this character which makes it possible for him to fit in literally any of the houses. The duckie is both Chaotic and lawful, he’s both friendly and hostile, he’s a smart cookie and a fucking dumbass, so like bruh. But, I’m gonna have to go with how he is now, which is manipulative, power hungry, cruel, and strong willed. Aka, another Slytherin.

Karl Jacobs

Finally, a character that is not broken down to the point of barely making out a readable personality. Karl is a kind and funny person, who is very open to new people considering how often he gives tours to visitors and new people, and he is quite literally loosing himself traveling through time in an attempt to help people. Hufflepuff

Awesamdude

This one I know will be controversial, but I’m saying Hufflepuff on him. Sam is one of the best cases of the Hufflepuff loyalty, literally letting both Tommy and Ghostbur be stuck and ultimately die in the prison just so he wouldn’t risk Dream breaking out. Before that point he was very kind and gentle towards Tommy, literally building a robot to keep him safe and take care of him. Sam nook is a reflection of Sam’s feelings towards Tommy, and they are kind and gentle.

Dropsbyponk

Ughhhh, another tough one. Ponk is a chaotic being who is mostly neutral in conflicts, but is shown to be very open about their feelings towards those they care about, like Sam or Foolish. They seem to be have strong feelings in what they believe in, and can be a bit brash sometimes, not really caring about the consequences of their actions, which is what makes me say Gryffindor for them.

Badboyhalo

Our favorite muffin demon. I assume, I don’t know what life you live. Anyways, Bad is like the stereotypical Hufflepuff. The kindhearted, well meaning, sweet, responsible Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuff that’s like in all of those incorrect quotes blogs and “Slytherin and Hufflepuff friendships uwu” posts. But for real, Bad is very Hufflepuff. He does however have Slytherin Loyalty, considering he pretty much sacrificed the entire server for Skeppy, but if you would try to convince me that Bad is a Slytherin I will just laugh at you

Skeppy

It was at this point I realized what I’ve gotten myself into with this post, which you know, not fun. Skeppy is both cocky and filled with energy, with a real ambition to cause chaos. He’s also shown to be willing to sacrifice himself for the person he loves, Bad, when he gave himself up to the egg. I’ve seen some people say Slytherin, but I’m kinda getting Gryffindor from the lad, so yeah, another lion.

Antfrost

Frosty here is a kind hearted person that for the most part seem to be along for the ride. He reminds me a bit of a parent of toddlers, with his patience and serenity towards the more chaotic people on the server, so of course my natural instinct is Hufflepuff. Buuuuut, then there’s again the issue with the egg and the Slytherin loyalty, this time towards his boyfriend Velvet who he was willing to join a cult for (relationship goals) but again, you can’t really say Ant is a Slytherin considering how wrecked he was about what he did while in the eggpire when he was released from it’s grasp. So yeah, Puffle boy

Captain Puffy

Oh captain my captain, you are such a Gryffindor. And some of you may disagree on that, stating that she’s a Hufflepuff or something (I did research before this to check what other people think, I know) but naaah, she a lion. Puffy is very motherly and protective towards other people on the server, especially the minors, but in the way that a Bear is protective towards its cub, which is gentle towards them but fierce towards others. Puffy also falls natural in the role of a leader as seen with Pro-Omelette, but that is kinda expected since she’s a past Pirate Captain. But she wasn’t the leader she was supposed to be, as she waited quite a while to act against the eggpire out of fear of hurting her friends, which lead to quite the damage towards the rest of the server. She’s also been shown to act on impulse, killing Antfrost and taking one of his lives after he killed her son. Idk if this is a good explanation of why I believe Puffy to be a Gryffindor, it sounds more like I’m claiming her to be a Slytherin or Hufflepuff, but she is a Gryffindor I promise!

Foolish Gamers

Foolish is a kind and friendly being, if not a bit naive and easily distracted. He’s also not the brightest person, in fact I’d go as far as to call the guy a Himbo, and he can be a bit skittish sometimes if he’s stressed or haven’t taken a break in a while. But despite it all, the guy is someone who’s creative and hard working, with a brilliant mind for his building. The man is an artist who can get grumpy if you suppress his creative aura, and put his heart and soul into his works. He also has a habit of getting wrapped up in big projects, and ignoring sleep or personal care until he’s finished them. This all leads me to say that Mr Gamers is a Ravenclaw, just not the smartest one. But hey, we can’t all be geniuses, can we.

Slimecicle

Slime is very naive and very trusting towards people around him, taking every word they say as a fact. He can also be a bit dark and ominous at times, but quickly shakes it off as nothing important. This all makes him quite childish, which is very hard to sort, so I’m gonna say Hufflepuff for his friendliness and move on.

Purpled Bedwars

I actually started loving this guy the minute I saw him, purely because Purple is my favorite colour, like my man has taste. Purpled, like Punz, is a guy who helps whoever pays him the most. He’s not interested in most things on the server, too busy looking out for number one (And Dogchamp of course). He’s very self reliant and resourceful, but still quite passive. He may not be the most ambitious guy, but Purpled is definitely a Slytherin (It also brings me and my girlfriend Serotonin knowing that the mercenary siblings are both in the same house, we love those two)

Hannahxxrose

I don’t watch Hannah that much, but god I love her voice, it makes my lesbian little heart happy. Hannah is a friendly person who is very naive about the conflicts on the server, thinking it all can can be solved by placing a rose (God I wish). She’s a good decorator and a good hearted person, who unfortunately fell victim to the egg’s influence. I’m going with Hufflepuff on her, but I’m honestly not entirely sure as I don’t know that much about her.

HBomb94

H is a very well meaning person that only really wants people to be friendly towards each other. He had a strict moral code and he keeps to it, as shown where Fundy tried to get his help with blowing shit up. He’s very helpful to those who ask and is willing to back up his friends when it’s needed, which makes me say that the friendly totally not dirty cat maid is a Hufflepuff.

Connoreatspants

I just want you all to know that I’m writing this before Connor’s lore stream that surely will just go against everything I say because fate hates me, just so ya know. Connor is not a person that does stuff on the server with lore and he for the most part keeps to himself, so this is a bit hard. Connor also has this thing where he likes to say things just to confuse him, and also making a bit of cursed lore, but he’s still a fairly humble person. He does lie and steal a bit, and has this habit of moving into other people’s houses, but I digress. I’m actually leaning towards Ravenclaw on him, for some reason, so that’s what I’m going with until I have more of an established character.

ItsAlyssa

I know she has left the server and stuff, but she was one of the original members so it would be a crime not to include her. Alyssa is a bit chaotic, often going on killing sprees, or burning down the trees outside of L’Manburg. So I’m placing Alyssa in Gryffindor, but to be honest I don’t really know at this point.

Callahan

How do you sort a person who does not speak, stream, or show like anything of his personality? The answer is, you don’t. Hufflepuff is the house of those who don’t fit in anywhere else, and that’s where I’m placing him.

Vikkstar123

Please log onto the server I’m begging you, I didn’t watch you as a kid and honestly know nothing about you. From what I’ve seen of Vik he’s a very humble person that tries to stay out of it all, instead forming a land together with his bro Lazar. Honestly my instincts say Ravenclaw and I trust my instincts, so I’m putting him in Ravenclaw

Lazarbeam

Lazar was actually a big part of the exile arc which I realized after already have written his, so now I gotta rewrite it. Lazar is fairly ambitious on the server, and has the goal to obtain the most powerful objects on the server just to rival the other strong members of the smp. He’s especially against Tommy, and aims to do a lot to be the opposite of him, aka well respected and not a war criminal that got exiled (Totally fair goal). Despite that, he was able to show some empathy to the British child, even going as far as to give him a disk during his exile. This all makes me say Slytherin on him.

Michaelmcchill

Newest boy. Michael is a very apathetic person, showing little to no empathy towards most people’s trauma on the server. The person he does feel empathy for however is Dream, who of course did nothing wrong and is locked up in the prison which is just horrible oh no. Michael just truly does not care about what you’ve been through (as of now) which is why I’m gonna say Slytherin, because he does have Slytherin loyalty towards Mr Was Taken.

TL;DR

Tommy-Lion

Wilbur-Snake

Tubbo-Eagle

Techno-Eagle

Philza-Snake

Ranboo-Badger

Eret-Snake

Nikki-Badger

Fundy-Eagle

Dream-Snake

George-Eagle

Sapnap-Lion

Punz-Snake

Jack-Lion

Schlatt-Snake

Quackity-Snake

Karl-Badger

Sam-Badger

Ponk-Lion

Bad-Badger

Skeppy-Lion

Antfrost-Badger

Puffy-Lion

Foolish-Eagle

Slime-Badger

Purpled-Snake

Hannah-Badger

HBomb-Badger

Connor-Eagle

Alyssa-Lion

Callahan-Badger

Vik-Eagle

Lazar-Snake

Michael-Snake

So all together we have Seven lions, Ten Snakes, Seven Eagles and Ten Badgers. I think that’s fair tbh

[astaroth1357]

How to Calm Your Demon Boyfriend; Vol 2

So You Pissed Him Off, Have You?

Notice: Due to an impending lawsuit for libel and misinformation, Mammoney, Inc. has filed for bankruptcy. All past guides from their company have been revised and re-released. All future printing will be handled Solo Man, Press.

Oh? Is there trouble in your devilish paradise? Well, there’s bound to be a spat or two between lovers but things can get... complicated if one half of your pair could easily wipe out a nation. Attempting to calm down your demon can be tricky, however in this volume of How to Calm Your Demon Boyfriend we will be covering the best methods available for you to do just that! With our instructions and a deft touch, you’ll manage to avoid your boyfriend’s hellish rage and get right back to enjoying that tender, sacrilegious relationship you’ve come to love!

This volume only covers if your demon boyfriend is mad at YOU. If there is SOMEONE ELSE making him mad, please consult Volume One!

Lucifer’s mad at You

You are in a very tricky situation so treat your next actions with the utmost care…

First, ascertain who is at fault for what has occurred. If it’s you, then figure out the severity. A minor infraction can be smoothed over easily enough with some explanation and sincere apology.

More severe breaches of trust will be harder get past. Plead your case but don’t attempt to excuse your actions. Acknowledge fault and, again, apologize. If he seems receptive, attempt to touch him in some way like on the hand or arm but no higher. This a literal demonstration of your attempt to reconnect.

This is the best that you can do for now, but he should acknowledge your efforts as long as you approached it correctly.

If it’s his fault… as far as he’s concerned it’s still your fault, unfortunately. It’s the pride in him speaking. 

Ask him what he believes you’ve done wrong and assess from there. Some things may be better to give a brief apology to, but no more. You don’t need to explain yourself for something you didn’t do. It may be best to leave him for a few hours after this and let tensions cool.

If the accusation is too egregious, you have the option to not apologize at all. This will likely anger him further if you give no explanation, though. Explain why you don’t think you should have to say sorry, then leave. Call for his brothers if you need someone there to intervene.

Now you wait. Unfortunately, it's an inevitability. Lucifer will need time to process and do a post-mortem on what happened. If he was truly the one at fault, he’ll acknowledge it to himself but never admit it out-loud. He may extend an olive branch in the form of a gift (the size and expense of which will be directly proportional to how much he messed up) but that will be it.

If you forgive him, then life can return to normal. If not, consult our other material: Can I Breakup with My Demon Boyfriend?

Mammon’s mad at You

It is first important to discern between his usual “anger” and actual anger.

If you see any of these signs: Blushing, stuttering, overly defensive denials, general tsundere-ness then you are likely only dealing with “anger.” Feel free to tease appropriately.

If these signs are not there then something is very wrong. Find out what it is, he will be forthright with a little persistence. (i.e. bug him until he says something. He will likely want to tell you anyway)

Attempt to remedy the problem as quickly as possible. This will no small matter. A truly upset Mammon should not be ignored.

If you have done something wrong, an apology may be in order. Do be sincere if you can because Mammon will appreciate the effort.

Cheer him up with either compliments or physical contact, head pats and cuddles work most effectively. If his face is red, though, you’re likely on the right track in general.

He isn’t one to hold a grudge so this should settle any brief irritation that’s derailed your relationship. Take care not to upset him this much again in the future.

Leviathan’s mad at You

Again, he’s probably jealous but now he’s going to be jealous and possessive. Admittedly, not the best combination.

Stay. Calm. If he’s already hysterical then adding onto the situation won’t do anyone any good. Patience may be difficult to hang onto, but it’s crucial to getting through this on the other side.

Physical contact is still important but NOT TOO EARLY. If he has his guard up he may just slap away your attempts to touch him.

Chances are he’s already built up a narrative in his head. This will not be easy to combat, especially if his suspicions aren’t true.

Denial will be tricky. You don’t want him to accept his false narrative as truth, but there’s going to be only so many times you can say, “No, that didn’t happen” before he stops believing you.

Deny his story first, firmly and with no room for doubt then redirect the conversation to asking why he’s so worried about it. Get to the heart of what’s making him feel so self-conscious and start soothing him from there. He’ll be feeling vulnerable, so a delicate touch is necessary.

NOW is the time for physical contact. He still needs to know you’re there so you should get as close to him as possible. He’ll probably be holding onto you pretty tightly. He won’t mean to bruise you if he does. 

Hold him close and don’t even think about letting him go until he’s ready. He needs to know that you'll stay with him even if this is what he has to offer. Your embrace is not just reassurance, it’s a promise. I hope you're prepared to keep it.

For more on how to comfort Levi, please seek out: How to Comfort Your Demon Boyfriend.

Satan’s mad at You

Oh my, aren’t you in a pickle? The focus should be on the immediate concerns first, then the long term. Don’t try to resolve both at once.

The immediate concern is that you have a very ticked off Wrath in front of you and he will make his displeasure known. Apologize. Apologize now. Is it actually your fault? Who knows. That's a long term concern and you should focus first on getting him to calm down fast.

Satan will not listen to reason right now, especially not if you're the only one offering it so don’t even try.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT attempt to touch an angry Satan. He's going to be far too gone for cuddle time to smooth things over.

You should give him space. He likely doesn't want to be mad at you and is very aware of just how dangerous this situation is for you both. If you take a step back, he'll do what he needs to in order to calm himself down (which is probably going to involve property damage of some kind but better it a bookshelf than you).

Wait until he is no longer shouting, then you may approach and carefully plead your case. You better have some airtight logic if you want to convince him he's actually the one in the wrong about something, but if he is he will apologize.

Of course, if you are at fault then you should apologize and attempt to explain. Even if you don’t have the best justification, you can still win him back if you can prove you had good intentions.

Unfortunately, even if he understands your reasoning he may still be a little miffed... Speaking candidly, if there's still residual anger left it may be best just to f*ck it out. This is not a joke, it's a legitimate way to redirect lingering negative emotions in a relationship. So have at it, I suppose. Just have a safe word ready because you'll need it.

Asmodeus’ mad at You

Again, reason and logic will fail you, especially at the very start. He WILL be upset and he WILL lash out. Likely verbally.

DO NOT engage in a fight of insults with Asmodeus. Not only will you lose but the situation may escalate to the point that your relationship will suffer permanent damage.

Remain calm, but you need not take the abuse. You are well within your right to tell him that you will leave the room if he does not cease the hostility. Don’t mean this idly either because your presence will be very important to Asmo. He hates to be ignored.

If you must leave, do so. Don’t turn back even if he pleads. Wait for him to come to you, because he will, and then a civil conversation can commence. Apologize if necessary.

After his initial anger has passed, Asmo will be very quick to feel remorseful. Despite his ferocity, he should be rather forgiving (at least to you anyway).

He will want make-up sex, for his own comfort if nothing else, but as always he will not force the matter. It may be much sweeter than usual, though, because that’s his way of saying “I’m sorry.”

Beelzebub’s mad at You

Oh dear.... You have either denied/stolen his food, hurt his family, or somehow just really ticked him off...

If you denied him food, get more.

If you hurt his family, plead for mercy.

If you’ve just really, really ticked him off, I’m not even sure what you did but you probably ought to apologize and maybe rethink your life choices... They must not be very good.

Belphegor’s mad at You

This will happen, but again Belphegor is pretty lazy. He’s more likely to give you the silent treatment than he is to blow up in your face.

Your challenge now is to get him to talk to you. Unlike with Mammon, he won’t be itching to say anything so a slight nudge isn’t going to cut it.

Start by trying to be frank about the situation. Attempt to sit him down and say that you wish to talk things out. Be empathetic, approachable, and sincere. This should elicit at least some attention from him for most issues.

If he intends on holding out further, then you have already done your part to the best of your ability. Leave the door open to that discussion, but go about your day until he’s ready for it. It won’t be easy, nor will it feel good, but it’s important to set boundaries and not allow his silence to punish you when things could be worked out more productively.

I assure you, Belphie does love you and he will miss you. It may take a little time, but he will eventually approach you to have that talk. Resolve what happened together and then things can return to normal, cuddles and all.

If you are looking to calm down your demon before he hurts someone else, please consult Volume One: Tame Demons, Save Lives!

[lifeofkaze]

When Stars Ignite - Chapter 20

HPHM Rockstar AU

A/N:

General Warning: This whole fic has a general warning of being NSFW / 18+. We will give specific warnings for every chapter in itself, but several adult themes will be more or less present in every chapter, may it be explicitly or in mention. These include sexual topics, drug abuse, (ab)use of alcohol, smoking and a whole lot of cursing.

Specific Warning: Language, drinking, allusions to/mention of sexual content

~~~

Find the masterpost here, the previous chapter here and the next one here. The songs featured before every chapter can be found on this pretty badass playlist here.

~~~

This work is a collaboration with @the-al-chemist

Taglist: @slytherindisaster @night-rhea @carewyncromwell @thatravenpuffwitch

We're on the edge

On the edge

We just might be lovers

Dive in to the glory where we'll be out there

~ Takida - Edge ~

With an exhausted sigh, Orion let himself fall against the back of the sofa in the green room. Even now, more than an hour after their second show of the day had been over, he could still hear the roar of the crowd hanging in the air.

The experience of their charity show still fresh in their minds, every one of them had given everything to make their main show just as memorable as the one before.

Catching some sleep had helped with clearing Orion’s mind of the turmoil that had raged inside his thoughts. Although it had been unexpected, he was glad Lizzie had come to check on him. Before she had arrived, he had felt like a leaf tossed in the winds of his memories, unable to catch hold of anything that would help him weather the storm.

But when he had felt her arms around him, her steady heartbeat had been enough to ground him and return his focus to the moment at hand, not the past and not the future. Who would have thought that the touch of her hand alone would be enough to calm him where, on his own, he needed several hours of meditation.

As they did do every so often these days, his eyes wandered over to where Lizzie was chatting with Skye. All the fans that had been allowed to meet them were long gone, one of them leaving hanging on Everett’s arm.

Skye was impatiently glancing at her phone, checking the time. Orion noticed how she made a point not to look to the door, where Erika was standing with an unreadable face.

Lizzie said something to Skye that made her roll her eyes. Sniggering to herself, she made her way over to him; her movements were less energetic than usual and Orion could tell the exhaustion of the day was already affecting her.

She slumped down onto the sofa next to him. “I think Skye and Erika want us to leave,” Lizzie giggled. “Skye said they ‘have some things to discuss’”. She tried to hide her grin behind her hand. Her blue eyes were sparkling with laughter, her cheeks slightly flushed.

“I can just imagine what kinds of topics they would feel the need to cover,” Orion smirked.

Lizzie giggled again, then sighed and sunk deeper into the plush couch. “Me too, but can’t they just go somewhere else? I don’t want to move, I’m tired.” She grimaced as she tilted her head from side to side. “And my shoulders hurt like hell.”

“We could go back and you let me do something about that,” Orion said so quietly only Lizzie would hear, his smile turning decidedly more mischievous. He almost reached out to touch her, catching himself at the last moment.

Lizzie pursed her lips before they curved into a shrewd smile, the one Orion knew meant trouble. She leaned slightly forward so she was closer to him; she was just far away enough to not seem suspicious to the others but the look in her eyes was intense.

“How could I refuse such a generous offer,” she purred before abruptly leaning back again, “but not just now. I want to wind down a little before we go back.”

She stood up and had to take a little extra step to catch her balance again. “Let’s go get some drinks, what do you say?”

Spending time with her seemed a good way to end the evening one way or another, so Orion got up as well and they set out to leave. It felt strange to just go out with her for drinks, they hadn’t done anything like that in ages. But then again, Lizzie had been right earlier; they were still friends after all.

They were just about to walk out the door, when his eyes fell on Merula sitting in the far corner of the room. She was playing with a lighter that was unfamiliar to him. She was staring into the flame burning up from the small device before she extinguished it again. Orion felt a pang of guilt rising up in his chest; he hadn’t even noticed she was still here.

“Go ahead, I’ll catch up with you in a minute,” he muttered to Lizzie and made his way over to his foster sister.

Merula only looked up briefly from the flame she had sparked again when Orion stood next to her.

“I thought you were leaving.” It wasn’t a question but a statement.

“Not without saying goodbye,” he leaned forward slightly, trying to catch her violet coloured eyes. “Are you okay?”

Merula snorted. “Do I look okay?”

“You have a habit of hiding your true sentiments under a mask of sarcasm and spite, so for the inexperienced observer it is hard to tell.”

She let the flame go out and raised her eyes. “And what does the experienced observer say?”

“That you look even more sulky than usual.” Orion indicated the gleaming lighter in her hand. “Where did you get that? You’re not supposed to smoke.”

Merula’s frown deepened at his words. “You’re not Ethan fucking Parkin, but you sure start sounding like him,” she snarled. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, got it?”

Surprised at her tone, Orion raised his hands defensively; he was usually exempt from Merula’s moods. “I never meant to reprimand you. I’m just trying to keep you out of trouble.”

“Keep me out of trouble?” Merula snorted. Her eyes went to the door through which Lizzie had left a few moments ago. “How about starting with yourself then?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t take me for stupid.” Her eyes grew hard as they turned back to him. “Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”

Orion pressed his lips together; he didn’t like what he was hearing. What was going on between Lizzie and him was supposed to be a secret, yet in a matter of days three of their closest friends had all discovered the truth.

The guilty expression written over his face was confirmation enough for Merula. She angrily stuffed her lighter into her pocket.

“I can’t believe you’re so stupid,” she hissed. “You of all people, risking everything we have like this. And not even telling me,” she added bitterly. “I thought you trusted me.”

“You know I trust you,” Orion answered, trying to keep his voice steady. “But this was not a matter for me alone to decide.”

“Yeah, I see,” Merula sneered, “she’s fluttering her lashes at you and you’re putty in her hands. Doesn’t matter if what you’re doing is the most stupid fucking thing you’ve ever done.”

Her eyes flashed and she grit her teeth. “And seriously, Lizzie? Of all the girls you could have had, why did it have to be her?”

Orion frowned. “Why would you say that? I sense a lot of hostility in your words.”

“Spare me the bullshit, you know exactly what I mean. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but couldn’t you have just done it like Ev and gotten yourself some random groupie? But no, of course you had to go the complicated way and get yourself involved with someone who is strictly off limits.”

She raised her chin in defiance. “You can’t really believe she’s being serious with you. Just look at how she’s acting, she’s flirting with anyone with a pulse.”

Orion was becoming increasingly annoyed with Merula’s accusations; listening to her, it seemed as if she hadn’t known Lizzie for years.

“No doubt, Lizzie is an affectionate person. But you should know her; she is quick to share friendly banter but not her…”

“Her what,” Merula scoffed, interrupting him, “her love? Her heart? Wake up Orion, she’s playing a game with you.”

“No,” he said pointedly, another flare of anger at Merula’s unwarranted criticism. “You misinterpret the situation entirely. This has nothing to do with love.”

Merula looked him up and down for a second. “So that’s it? Just some mindless fucking around? Seems I have misjudged you; didn’t think you had that in you,” she snorted. “Not her though, she’s acting just as I would have expected. I always knew she was a little -”

“Mind your words,” Orion cut her off sharply. He wasn’t able to keep his anger at Merula’s insults to himself anymore. “If I were you I would think well about what you want to say next.”

Taken aback by his sharp tone, Merula blinked at him. “You snapped at me,” she said, looking completely dumbstruck. “You’ve never snapped at me before.”

“You’ve never acted like a petulant child before.”

“I don’t get it; why don’t you see it? That everybody’s darling thing she’s doing is not real, it’s just for show.”

Orion shook his head. His hand went to the pendant around his neck, tugging at it. “The face we show to the world is not always a mirror of how we feel inside. Only because Lizzie doesn’t let people look through her like glass, doesn’t mean she is a bad person. I thought you of all people would understand that.”

Fed up with her, Orion turned to go but Merula grabbed his arm, holding him back for just a moment longer.

“Just be careful, okay?” she said, suddenly sounding much softer than before. She didn’t look at him when he turned his head to face her. “This band is the closest thing to family we’ve ever had; she’s not worth risking that.”

*

Orion kicked the door to his hotel room shut with his foot, while Lizzie kissed him passionately. He could still taste the rich flavour of the whiskey on her lips, the bottle they had been sharing dropping to the ground with a muffled thud as she wrapped her arms around him. It landed right next to the jacket she had brushed off his shoulders; she stepped over it and pulled him further into the room.

In passing, Orion bent down and picked the bottle up again and took another sip. The earthy taste filled his mouth and the liquor burned in his throat, adding to the fire running through his veins. Lizzie pulled him closer again, their lips connecting as she kissed the last drops of whiskey off them.

She took the bottle from his hand, and brought it to her own lips, her eyes never leaving his even for a second. When she stepped back into the light falling into the room from the window, he could see there was a drop still hanging on the corner of her mouth; she spread it over her lower lip with her thumb before wrapping her lips around her fingertip, her smile heavy with promise. Orion exhaled slowly; she knew exactly how to drive him insane.

Within a heartbeat he was by her side again, the energy between them drawing him in like a force field. It had been building over the course of the whole evening; the exchange with Merula had left him feeling stirred up and with the last traces of adrenaline left from their show, his body had been flooded with the same restlessness he had been feeling for most of the day.

The strong drinks served in the bar where he and Lizzie had wound up had been a welcome distraction, just like her lingering looks and fleeting touches. It was a game between them she had mastered to perfection.

They hadn’t even been inside his room yet when Orion hadn’t been able to resist her any longer. He knew it was risky as hell to kiss her out in the open, but the sizzling tension between them had clouded his judgement. He hadn’t cared a single bit who might see them when he had pinned her against the door of his room, and judging by the way she had eagerly returned his kiss, neither had she.

It was stupid, it was dangerous and it was just what both of them needed tonight.

Maybe Merula had been right at least in one thing; Lizzie knew what to do to get him where she wanted him.

But she wasn’t the only one knowing him like the back of her hand. The soft moan escaping her as his kisses trailed down her throat was just as electrifying as the roar of the crowd when they were on stage.

She tilted her head to the side to give him better access and Orion smirked as he felt her fingers tangle in his hair. Her body shivered as his hands wandered up her sides from her hips. She let go of him just long enough to let him pull her shirt over her head, his own following just a moment later.

He rested his hands on her waist, which fit into his palms as if they were made for them, before they went up to her shoulders, giving her a slight push towards the bed. Lizzie let herself fall back into the sheets, pulling him along with her, their lips locked in a steamy kiss.

She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him even closer, her hands running down his spine.

“We should close the curtains,” he mumbled with the last shred of rational thinking he could muster, followed by a sharp intake of breath when her fingers dipped under the hem of his trousers.

“Better hurry then,” she breathed, teasingly biting his lip. Her words were slurred from the exhaustion of playing two shows in a day and the whiskey taking its effect on her.

Orion reluctantly broke free from her. She leaned back into the cushions and shook her hair out; it fell in soft waves over her shoulders and Orion couldn’t wait to bury his hands in her honey-brown mane. He kissed her one last time before getting up again; leaving her sprawled on his bed like this was feeling like a crime.

He stepped towards the window to pull the curtains close when he saw the figures dancing in the street outside; the faint sound of music was drifting up to him. He stopped and watched them for a moment.

“Looks like there’s quite the party going on outside,” he chuckled.

When he got no response, he turned around and, after a first moment of incredulity, had to bite back a laugh. Lying on the comfortable mattress, the day had gotten the better of Lizzie; her head had fallen to the side, her eyes were closed and her lips slightly parted. Her slow and steady breathing showed him that she was fast asleep.

Orion laughed quietly; no wonder she hadn’t been able to resist the lure of sleep, even if he was a little disappointed she’d left him hanging. Playing two shows in one day had taken a toll on all of them.

He knew she wanted to be left alone when she was sleeping, but the bed was only so big and he just couldn’t resist when he climbed into the sheets next to her. He gently ran his hand over the curve of her hips up to her waist. He didn’t want to wake her up, he just wanted to feel her smooth skin under the tips of his fingers.

Responding to his touch, Lizzie murmured something indiscernible and turned around, resting her head on his chest. Orion couldn’t help but smile as he carefully covered them both with the duvet.

They had shared the same bed more times than he could remember, even though Lizzie had made a point in returning to her room when they were on tour. Even so, the sight of her sleeping next to him was not new to Orion.

He was familiar with the way she hugged her pillow, and how she couldn’t sleep without the weight of a blanket on her shoulders, no matter how warm it was. He knew how she liked to sleep with the windows open, and that what she missed the most when they were home in London was the sound of the sea.

And still, even after all these months, they had never spent the night together without sleeping with each other first. This kind of intimacy was against all of the essential rules they had established; they weren’t about emotions, only about fun times between good friends. No commitment, no complications, no heartbreak. It was just another way of relieving the adrenaline in their bodies after they had left the stage.

But Orion couldn’t help the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that something felt different; that something else had sneaked into their dynamic over time.

He looked down and watched Lizzie sleeping peacefully for a moment. He shifted slightly so he had his arm around her and brushed back a strand of hair from her face. Just like this afternoon, he felt at ease with her in his arms, all thoughts about past and future forgotten. Everything that counted was right here and now, in this moment, just the two of them.

He absentmindedly twisted one of Lizzie’s curls around his finger and thought about what Merula had said. She was wrong, he decided for himself; this utter peace of mind he was experiencing right now, this was worth risking a lot for.

As Orion felt his own consciousness slip, he rested his face against Lizzie’s soft hair. He pressed a light kiss on her head, her familiar scent of jasmine and mint enveloping him and making him breathe her in deeply.

A memory rose from the depths of his mind, an off-hand remark made by him on a hot summer night on his rooftop. As her body was nestled against his, feeling as if it just belonged there, he couldn’t help but agree.

She really was the perfect size.

His lips curving into a smile, Orion drifted off to sleep.

[apostate-in-an-alcove]

Pretty early in my blog’s existence there was a now-deactivated Christian blog called healing in christ (or healing through christ) who was quite active in the religious trauma, atheist and ex-Christian circles. This blog ended up responding to one of my posts and I admittedly, did not take that well and wrote some nasty things in response to them. In hindsight, I wish I was more calm and not so vulgar in my reply but I suddenly remembered that blog and what bothered me about that person’s activity and attitude towards other religious trauma blogs.

Besides pestering traumatized people and making it well known that they thought atheists as lesser than them, one thing that bothered me about that blog was their incessant attitude that just because they managed to find healing and solace in the same religion they were hurt by, then that means everyone who was hurt by Christianity should. Every word they wrote dripped in holier-than-thou attitude and made it known that they had clearly achieved the right and proper path while the rest of us were just angry and hateful bastards who were wrong for feeling angry with god, Christians and Christianity. Instead of respecting people’s spaces and other people’s way of coping or processing trauma, this person was incredibly invasive and deflected attempts by ex-christians to explain why their behaviour or attitude was wrong.

Perhaps ‘healing in christ’ had good intentions but their execution was woefully ignorant. People’s spaces and boundaries need to be respected, especially where the discussion of trauma is involved. If religion helped you overcome your trauma than so be it, but religion often causes more harm than good for many and there is a reason people only begin to heal once they leave their religious communities. People who choose to abandon religion and find solace through healthy, secular means are not lesser, confused or lost for doing so. They do not need an overbearing hand, trying to forcibly pull them back to Christ, they need someone who will actually listen to them and support them.

Whatever ‘healing in christ’ went through, they did not deserve, and their trauma and way of dealing with it is valid in my eyes and I support a person’s decision to stay religious. If they got bullied and relentlessly mocked by ex-Christians and religious trauma blogs than that is unfortunate. Even so, invalidating other people’s pain and anguish is a horrible thing to do, and sometimes if an entire community of people is hostile to you than your behaviour might be the problem and not the community itself. I just remember that blog and all I see is a textbook case of how Christians, even ones who were hurt by their own religion, misunderstand other people outside of their fold and don’t attempt to understand or try to listen.

[pluviophile-bookworm]

HSMTMTS 2x10: New and a bit alarming... ok, very alarming

I don't even know at this point if I'm more nervous or excited for this episode. I've done my waiting and, well, whatever lies ahead, good or bad, or a little bit of both, I just can't wait anymore, even though I haven't been so scared to press play since... well, since last week. Guess I should just go for it, then:

Ooh, shady Seb doing the recap! We love to see it. Like, seriously, I'm anxious about the Seblos fight, but shady Seb is kind of my new favourite Seb.

I just... Ashlyn's acting is top tier. Emotional connection to the material? Superb! Chemistry with her co-lead... well, he'd have to be co-leading for any chemistry to be possible. I love Ricky, and I feel for him with all he's been through, but he's just not lead material right now. And it shows. Especially next to Ashlyn, who is killing it!

Miss Jenn is on the verge of a bloody mental breakdown and I just... wish I could do something to make things better. She reminds me of my mum when a deadline approaches for her to submit an article, and I just feel for her right now. Gosh, I'm feeling for everybody today. My empathy seems to be at its peak and I might just burst from all these emotions this episode is making me feel even before the 5-minute mark.

Ok, but Miss Jenn being stressed means Carlos is stressed for two, which means... this is a really bad time for him and Seb to have personal problems. My heart just can't handle it.

Wow... I never thought I'd see the day! The two leads are actually talking to each other! This is a mid-July miracle!

Why does everyone keep pretending their HSM was good? It was a flaming hot mess! A child could see that.

Miss Jenn needs a lot of work on her 'gracious face'. I, like Carlos, have quite some notes. Only mine aren't exactly, how do you say... verbally formulated quite yet.

Did Carlos just refer to Miss Jenn as 'mother'? Because yes.

I've been in a couple of local theatre productions in my day, but none of them had actual physical sets — we relied on the audience's imagination quite a lot — so I wouldn't know what a good set is made of... but even I can tell that plywood and Elmer's glue = not good.

Kourtney is a multi-tasking icon and we love her. I feel like I don't say this enough, but she deserves all the love.

Ooh, shady Seb is... well, shady! 'Quit school and get a job at the pizza shop?' — I mean, you don't see Reddy or Kourtney (or Howie, for that matter) quitting school in order to work at the Slices! Those kids juggle it all and, as someone who's never had to balance school and a job all at once, they have my deepest admiration.

Still, I think they should have thought about 'inventing' something re: transformation earlier than this point. The personal drama has taken up too much of their time.

Why does everyone keep inviting people over to Ashlyn's? I mean, it's not like I've ever heard her complain, but the girl needs some rest! And her house is not a public space.

Oh, so they're making this into a contest? I mean, I have never been a fan of competition, but to each their own. And Redlyn are hosting! This is going to be so beautiful! (You know, unless the boys try to sleep — see my post from yesterday about Reddy's background noise machine)

'I'm not worried. But North High should be!' Ooh, I love this look on Ashlyn! See, there's a lead to take notes from! And Ricky should be the first to do so. Take notes about what a lead acts like, I mean.

Oooooh, Big Red claps back! We love to see it. Although, you know, it stems from the fact that he's nervous about coming up with a solution to the transformation problem. 'I get bossy around the power tools' — Yes, sweetie, and I love that look on you. Maybe you should be around power tools more often, if that helps.

Ughhh, look what the cat brought in! Lily (I wish I knew her last name so I could refer to her by it exclusively, but we'll have to make do). I hate that girl. She reminds me quite exactly of the girl who bullied me in seventh grade to the point where I wished I'd die before having to deal with her at school again. She and Lily both bring out my aggressive side, and I hate that about them.

Ricky — 'so good at being a leading man'? I don't know what Lily is playing at here, but Ricky has not shown himself to be a very good leading man this season. He has the potential to be, but he has not fulfilled it by this point. Sure, he supports his friends and they support him, but that's basic decency. Not yet good leadership. No hate on Ricky, just the truth.

'I vaguely remember him' — please tell me this is setup for Ricky leading Lily on and then slamming the door in her face with the truth. The way I see it, he's been given a chance here. A chance to be the supportive, protective best friend Big Red deserves. I just... have a lot of ideas about this and I don't want it to end badly instead.

'I'm just not well-liked here, and I don't know what to do' — well, of course you aren't well-liked, you little— (ok, ok, calm down, breathe, 10, 9, 8...) whatever. I mean, she hasn't even considered basic decency, as it seems. Must be a new concept to her.

'Don't start with me, Carlos!' Wow. As much as I hate it that my two faves' only interaction in so long is so hostile, I kind of like this side of Big Red. I wonder what other sides of himself he's been hiding.

Listen, I don't like Seb being patronised and babied, but... 'Chip, this is your mother speaking: go call your mother!' made me laugh so hard. They're leaning into the on-stage family dynamic and I live for it.

EJ's idea of using old skateboards for the spinning contraption is... a brilliant callback to the fact that Ricky and Big Red were first characterised as skateboarders... you know, before diving headfirst into the theatre thing. And it feels like it might actually work.

Miss Jenn's excitement at seeing Mr Mazzara ('Benjamin!!!') is perhaps only topped by the fact that he was halfway home, got a text from her and instantly went back to the school. I mean, these two have something that's really big.

Miss Jenn referring to the kids as 'my children', combined with Carlos calling her 'mother' earlier just warms my heart so much! Those guys really are family. I live for it.

Ok, but... as clear as it is that the Wildcats are very far behind NH in terms of budget, rehearsal time and who knows what else, I hate seeing Miss Jenn resigned to them losing. I want to see her have faith in them, talk about how they will win, and, in her own words, 'trust the process'. I mean, I guess it's good that, as a teacher, she wants to prepare her kids for a possible defeat (and I mean really possible if they don't step up their game immediately, especially some of them * cough* Ricky *cough *), but a team that goes out to the field expecting to lose has a very minimal chance of winning.

Despite everything I've been saying again and again about Nini lately, the fact that she just delivered a very different 'No, Seb' has just redeemed her. See, this one wasn't dismissive or patronising — this was like, 'no, Seb, don't put yourself down' and I love that spin on the catchphrase I'd grown to hate. See, many things can be redeemed. And some simply cannot. * cough* Devil's spawn Lily *cough *. Also, Seb being self-conscious about the fact that Carlos 'doesn't have many options' at East Hight is the perfect setup for In a Heartbeat — meaning they will either have a chance to talk about their issue, or they have a telepathic connection, in which case, what kind of soulmate stuff is that?

'You're my sister; he's my cousin' — yeah, Ash, putting it like that makes it sound a lot weirder than it should, but I do get what you're trying to say. This is not a drill! Ashlyn is a Portwell shipper (heck, maybe even the captain of that ship) — but I feel like we already knew that.

'Why'd I never hear about this?' — and there it goes. Within the same scene, Nini was redeemed and then made aggravating again. What does she care if Gina thought Ricky sent her chocolates? He didn't. Because he and Gina can't be anything but very good friends. And I feel like good friends is what Gina needs. Maybe that's why I wanted EJ to be that for her initially (or it was because I'm aroace and don't tend to notice romantic attraction between fictional characters — or real people for that matter — unless it's explicitly stated to be there). But I've been on board of the majestic S.S. Portwell for a few weeks now and it's finally about to set sail.

Yeah, Nini, get a root beer, calm the heck down and get over it!

'Your other clockwise!' — Why does this even need to be said? How many 'clockwise's are there? I absolutely understand why Big Red gets the way he gets around power tools. I'd be on edge too, if the people I was trying to work with didn't know what way clockwise is. Still, I feel like by the time I'm 30, nobody younger than me would have a reason to know what way clockwise is, and I don't know if I feel bad or neutral about it.

Oh, so there's no telepathy involved in Seblos' problem resolution — it's been Redlyn's good communication all along. I might have known.

Ooh, Portwell is being discussed on both sides! PORTWELL NATION HOW WE FEELING

Nini? Why is everything about Nini? There's no way everything is about Nini. In all seriousness, though, EJ's worries about letting the next girl go seem valid in regards to Gina, given that she explicitly stated (though not within earshot of EJ or anyone who could have tipped him off) that she needs someone who will show up and stay. But they'll figure it out. They'll find a way. I know it. They will, or I will riot, and I know I won't be alone in that.

Ooh, Howie is giving Kourtney the original blueprints! Looks like Reddy isn't the only one who has a spy on the inside.

Ahhh, Ricky! Not 'Let You Go' again. I haven't cried to it in three days and I was not ready to break that streak. But... wait, this is where Carlos approaches Ricky to ask him for help with writing a song for Seb, isn't it? I am definitely ready for this.

Oh, is it... is it Ricky who suggests Carlos write a song for Seb? Now that is what a good leading man looks like.

'I'm adjusting to being called bro' — me too, Carlito, me too. But... this scene must have been so emotional for Josh, given that he hadn't come out yet. I remember him crying during The Climb and... all I'm saying is I want Ricky to come out at some point, too.

Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh... they were just talking about love languages and that's when Carlos shows up? Cinematic. Wait, there's Portwell too? This is what dreams are made of.

My oh my oh my! Risotto! For real this time. I might have just teared up. (Full disclosure: I did.) I've only had Portwell for about three weeks, but if anything happens to them, I will... you know how the meme goes. [side note: Wait, when I said 'for real this time', I was not expecting EJ would say it, much less word for word. Am I... writing this show now? It's usually my dad who predicts people's lines in TV shows]

'Not that I know of'... excuse me while I hyperventilate! These two are literal soulmates. They might share a brain, too, for all that I know. Portwell nation you ok guys?

I love that Ricky helped Carlos out with this song and is supporting him through it, but... I just might have preferred for him not to be there. I kind of need Seblos to have this moment to themselves. But, you know, with the way they feel about each other it might as well be like they're alone in the universe, let alone the room.

Ok, but Frankie's voice... brings out feelings in me that I didn't know I was capable of. Make of that what you will. Also, I'm not sobbing my eyes out, you are.

Ahhh Reddy my sunshine my sweet boy I love you but why did you have to cut Seblos' moment short? They were going to kiss, I know it. Oh well, they probably will, later on. Off-screen probably, but who cares? Not everything is for us to see. At least Carlos and Ricky had a moment there... Carlos calling Ricky 'bro' made me more emotional than I expected. It's like Miss Jenn says in s1: 'They're best bros, and that's a sacred thing... for reasons I will never understand'.

Ricky's acting sounds like a cat about to spit up a hairball, and it's so funny... in a scene that is supposed to be arguably the most dramatic of the entire play, that is not a good thing.

Oh my, oh my... you did not! You did not just end the episode with Ricky taking a fall from who knows how high. I was not ready. This episode was entirely too much for me. I will need 10 to 15 business days to recover from this, and we all know there aren't that many. But in the meantime you'll find me obsessively listening to In a Heartbeat for hours on end. Seriously, this episode is too much.

[falling-heights]

I know that this one is a classic but how about a rivalry between goku and vegeta?

Now, what divides Goku and Vegeta the most in this rivalry, and what most often leads to conflict is the motive behind their actions and decisions.

Goku, though not always morally or mentally sound, is still his golden-hearted self, and will somewhat remain that way no matter the outcome. He won’t cause harm to you in any physical way, and he’ll do his best to heal what mental damage may surface. 

Vegeta on the other hand, doesn’t have a limit. He’s calloused and cruel. What happens to you or anyone else is thrown out the window so long as he gets the results he wants. 

So to speak: Goku is the light and gentle side, Vegeta is the dark and passionate side.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though, dear. There is much to be discussed before I can satisfy you with the most tempting bits. What’s most important in this moment, is their nature and how this will all start. 

Vegeta is very boxed up about himself and how he feels. Though you won’t know half the crazy and grotesque thoughts that float around his head, it’s also likely that he won’t keep these feelings in check until he’s right at his breaking point.

Goku, quite dissimilarly, is openly vocal about his thoughts, and such thoughts will remain mild until he’s threatened. He’s overall friendly and welcoming which results in you being somewhat closer to him from the start. Though romance is equally open to them both. 

Goku will be the first to take notice of the other. He’ll recognize Vegeta’s lingering glances quite early on. 

From this, Goku will build up a subconscious hostility to the short saiyan whenever you’re around. 

This will likewise cause Vegeta to grow an annoyance at Kakarot’s clingy traits. Goku may attempt to herd you around early on. Vegeta will sense paranoia for what Kakarot may be saying when he wasn’t around. 

To secure himself safely into your life, and to ensure that his rival isn’t spewing ridiculous rumors, he will make sure to be around you more often. 

Though still mild, this is only the start of their true rivalry, it only gets worse from here. They will compete with each other like this for awhile, in a feeble and petty effort to gain your respect before the other. 

It is at this point that you will begin to notice the contrasts in their behavior and personalities. 

Goku, though being far more open, is careless and aloof. He is outwardly friendly, but it almost never comes across as romantic when he’s trying to be genuine about it. Centered around this issue is his constant physical affection. Goku does it so often and frequently that it only ever comes off in a friendly way. Even something like a kiss may be mistaken as a joke. Goku will be closer to you in a friendly aspect, which Vegeta would struggle with most of the time. 

But you can’t possibly think the Prince of all Saiyans does’t have some tricks up his sleeve as well, right?

What Goku lacks on a romantically and physically involved level, Vegeta sets new records. 

He’s far more calm and calculating. His humorless and mannered personality will come off as honest and serious. You can’t help but feel drawn to his soft-spoken charm and quiet nature. 

Not only that, but a physical gesture, something simple as holding your hand, or him being closer than usual is enough to make you blush. These kinds of moments will always be rare and fleeting, but they mean everything because he’s beginning to break away from his boxed up mentality. 

It’s strange how something so elementary can feel so much more intense when it comes from another person. But don’t you worry honey, he has many more things in store for you.  

I wouldn’t suggest you try to hide your reactions, though. He’s more than aware of how his body language is affecting you, and with each time he takes it to a new level, it’s a small victory against Kakarot. He’s confident that you’ll be his alone very soon, so long as he remains patient. 

Unfortunately, whether or not his words and actions are truly genuine is hard to determine. His desire for you spreads like poison. Your touch, your voice, your scent is like a drug. One that he draws evermore addicted to with each interaction. 

Now Goku is no fool in Vegeta’s cunning nature. He’ll know immediately once Vegeta starts his antics, and something will switch in his mind like a light. 

He can tell when your gaze lingers on the other saiyan when he’s in sight. He won’t fail to miss the danger and chaos within Vegeta’s eyes either. Without fear without guilt or regret, almost as if it were a silent challenge of authority. 

His paranoid behavior will only worsen the minute you ask him about Vegeta. 

Why were you so curious about him now? What had Vegeta done to get your attention, even when not around? Why weren’t you as involved when you spent time with Goku?

He will try to convince, or rather plead with you to open your eyes and see the red herring. Goku may be a fool, but he doesn’t joke about the safety of his loved ones, this much you knew. The fear in his eyes is more than enough to make you wary. But, you shouldn’t focus your anxieties just on Vegeta. Because Goku is hardly any better. 

He’ll try to isolate you, both from vegeta and the other Z-fighters. He knows what Vegeta is capable of, which will cause his delusions to escalate. A predominant disposition will take ahold of him. He’ll grow over-protective, hardly wanting you to go anywhere without his knowing. This is, likewise to Vegeta, add a factor into your growing discomfort around both men, though at this point, you’re position with Vegeta is much worse than Goku’s. 

Now, it would be Vegeta’s turn to notice a shift in your behavior. You’re far more withdrawn, more shy to his touch. You don’t talk as much, and when you do, it’s always unsure and nervous. And worst of all, when Kakarot was around, you’d recently developed a subconscious habit to shift towards that clown if Vegeta entered the room. 

This is both infuriating and teasing to the Prince of Saiyans. At one point, you had so carelessly flaunted everything at him, and now you could barely meet his eyes. This is his first tipping point. It’s a surprisingly mild reason, but out of anyone, he’s the most eager to lay claim to you. In his eyes, the sooner he can ward off Kakarot and assert himself as your lover, the better. 

He may be unstable, but Vegeta is always calculating, always thinking about the next best strategy. Which is why he’ll be the first to confront you. He will wait for a perfect moment. A moment where no one will be around to hear or stop him. And a moment is all he’ll need.

Vegeta will corner you, most definitely in a physical manner. He enjoys when you get squeamish because of his touch. He’ll want answers. Why had you shut down so abruptly? Why had she been so eager to get away when he got close?

In the same breath, his controlling attitude will take over. He’ll say Kakarot is no more than a bad influence on you, especially when Vegeta would give you so much more. 

“What good is a Clown before a King?”

You aren’t off the hook yet my dear. Oh no, Vegeta has much in store. He’ll want some significant sign of compliance. He won’t go all the way just yet, but still, something must be done. A kiss perhaps. He’s not one for constant physical affection, but you’re just asking for it with those large, watering eyes and quivering lips. 

Though, perhaps you should count yourself lucky for the ever-watchful Goku. He may not be around every second of the day, but he’s honed his senses well enough to sense your aura from any location. He’ll immediately know when you begin to panic during Vegeta’s intrusion. It’s simply a matter of finding you in time, though vegeta’s presence with your own will give him more than enough motivation. 

It won’t take him long. Goku will find you, uncomfortable by Vegeta’s advances, and in a state of minor hysteria. This will be his tipping point. He’d failed to protect you. And it wasn’t even innately your fault. Vegeta had been far more aggressive than he could have imagined, and it was his fault for not being there to protect you. 

This sense of failure, this blow to his pride and sense of duty will fill him with a furor that could make the devil cower and weep. It won’t take more than a second for Goku to lost himself, turning super saiyan and ripping vegeta away from you. At this point he can’t even hear or see anything else other than Vegeta, and he was out to kill. 

In these few seconds of freedom, you will be given a chance to run. The others, though most likely unaware of what stemmed this fight, will try their best to usher you away from the two saiyans. They can get you away, but they’re helpless to do anything except observe. 

A battle between the 12 gods would be nothing compared to the brawl taking place between these two. This wasn’t a simple spar like olden times. No, this was a fight to the death. One that neither party intended to lose, especially when there was such a prize so valuable on the line. 

There are only two ways this conflict can end. Compromise, or Death. [For your sake, I split these into two endings]

Death

Both men depraved.

Both men ravenous.

Both men seeking your favor and receiving none. 

Nothing good can come of it. 

I’d love to give Goku where his credit is due, and he’ll try his best, but he won’t be the one to rise victoriously in this. 

You have no idea how capable Vegeta can be when he’s determined enough. And he’s never wanted anything more than he’s wanted you. 

This will be a close battle. 

He’ll barely have enough strength to survive, but all that matters is Kakarot’s demise. It doesn’t matter what he has to lose in the process. 

It won’t take him long to find you. 

Whether you’re running or hiding, he’ll find you with ease, and put a stop to your hope of freedom for good.

There won’t be anyone to stop him. They’d all died long ago during the fight, caught in the cross-fire. 

Everything was perfect now. He had you, no one to stop him, and the power to do anything he wanted. 

Submit before he forces you, it would only make things so much easier in this new way of survival.

You can only hope for another route of escape, or some way for Goku to come back and save you. 

But this is unlikely.

Compromise

Yes, how exciting...

But compromise how, you might ask?

Fusion

And the only permanent fusion for these two could be the potara. 

Now, we all know that if they fought to the death, only one will come out alive, and even that is a gamble far too risky for you dear. 

Vegeta would be unwilling to admit defeat, and Goku is too worried to lose you. 

For your sake, Vegeta may be willing to bite down his pride if it meant he could still somewhat have you as his. 

Goku wouldn’t like it any more than his counterpart, but for you, he’d give up that freedom. Goku would be the one to propose the idea. 

Only at the absolute minute, when he knew neither he nor Vegeta would be able to carry themselves much longer. He’d brought the pair of earrings as a precaution, knowing it may have been his only option. 

You won’t have made it far when their forms fused. The pillar of light, that could have been seen hundreds of miles away, blinded you. 

But the figure that emerged from this light was familiar. Two side-swept bangs, gloves, earrings, and that bastard smile. His eyes shone with a dark sense of possession. They immediately located your form in the small distance that you had made, his sneer seeming to grow evermore taunting. 

The others that stayed behind to help you flee won’t last more than a few seconds against this beast. 

You can’t imagine the monster that Vegito really is. 

He’s worse than Goku and Vegeta could have ever been. His amplified traits don’t just lie in raw power. His emotions would also be stronger several dozen times over than either of his predecessors. 

He may like to play with his food, but he can get serious in the blink of an eye. And keep in mind, he’s far more unstable and dangerous as well. 

Vegito probably won’t kill you, but you can’t expect a normal life after he catches you. You’ll be safe, without a doubt. But no one will ever be as much as a threat as him. 

Check out my other stuff!

[teawaffles]

The Fugitives from the Fire: Chapter 6

Note: Some language.

“——The ‘riddle’ has been solved.”

The moment they returned to the inn, Gregson issued that loud proclamation.

Just like before, the suspects and police officers merely wore unresisting expressions, with no one saying a word. But he’d already taken that bewilderment and silence into account; disregarding them, Gregson began to speak.

“You’re probably wondering what’s this all of a sudden, especially since I was fretting away up until a while ago. But after gathering my thoughts outside, the answer came to me in a flash. So, for a moment, please remain quiet and listen.”

Gregson said so in a stern tone, and began to prowl around the room.

“This case went as follows: the Yard arrested one of the fugitives in that inn, but during the interrogation, he was murdered. Moreover, the building was caught in a fire and burnt to the ground.”

“How pitiful.”

The proprietress sneered. But Gregson did not rise to the bait, instead continuing in a calm voice.

“……Then it was up to us to identify the fugitive’s killer, but as the investigation proceeded, we came to realise that the situation the victim had been placed in was unusually baffling. Firstly, from what I witnessed of the body first-hand, I ruled out the explanations of both suicide and an accident. Next, I concluded that the victim did not use the fire to escape, hence leaving the theory that he was killed by another person. But judging from the testimonies of those involved, it would’ve been difficult for the murderer to head to the victim’s room and kill him directly. Moreover, we had to dismiss the idea that he’d been shot from the window. In other words, every solution that followed from common sense had been rejected. As such, I found myself in a deadlock.”

Gregson had laid bare his state of mind; nervously, Bruno spoke up.

“……Then, does that mean we’ve reached a dead end?”

“Nope. On the contrary — as I mentioned earlier, I’ve found the answer.”

Then, he declared in a loud voice.

“This was—— an escape plan all along.”

“……Huh?”

Everyone — except Sherlock — was thrown into confusion.

After that moment of utter amazement, Bruno asked a question on behalf of everyone present.

“No, no, didn’t you say it yourself earlier? There’s no way he could’ve escaped.”

“Don’t be hasty. What I wanted to say, was that to the victim, this had been an escape plan.”

“……That doesn’t make any sense, you know.”

Hillary hadn’t quite grasped his meaning. Breaking his gaze away from her, Gregson continued pacing around the room.

“Perhaps he’d thought of this plan when he was hiding in the inn, or maybe it struck him when he realised the police were arriving and panicked — we can’t be sure which one it is, but what’s certain is that before we arrested the fugitive, his accomplice told him that the room had a hidden escape route.”

Not unexpectedly, the proprietress cut in.

“What are you talking about — an escape route? There was nothing of the sort: as the owner of the place, I can tell you that much.”

“Precisely. I checked that too: there was no such thing. But as criminals lurk in the slums, there are many who conspire to abet them; underground passageways and the like criss-cross the area to help them to escape the Yard in an emergency. Hence, it’s likely the victim believed him.”

“…………”

Even Hillary, who’d mercilessly filed her complaints earlier, had nothing to say to that. Both her lack of enquiry into her prospective guests’ history, as well as the reinforced room doors, had instead served to aid the murderer: that much was undeniable, and her guests had caught on as well.

“We can only speculate as to the details of his plan; but suffice to say, the arrested man had believed him. Then his accomplice started the fire at a prearranged time, and the man locked the room from the inside — this was so that no one could enter the room as he fled. In addition, as he was convinced he had a chance of escaping, he refused to cooperate during the interrogation.”

“There were various holes in their plan: for one, what if the officers didn’t take a break and stayed in the room? But in reality, things had gone just as they had expected……. Though, if the residents here weren’t so hostile to the police, the officers might not have acted so carelessly.”

Sherlock chimed in with his own defence of the Yard. After a beat of silence, Gregson continued.

“As such, the man had been left alone in the room, and the fire began right after. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. He quickly broke the chair’s armrests and got free of his bonds; he then locked the room door, and headed to the ‘escape route’ he’d been told of earlier.”

“H-Hold on just a moment.”

Confused, Bruno cut in.

“Earlier, you kept going on about an escape route and the like…… What does that have to do with the murder? If it was just that he couldn’t escape, then he would’ve still been alive in the room. On the off chance that he did manage to break out, then he would’ve been long gone in the first——”

Questions poured forth from the young man, and Gregson promptly raised a hand to stop him.

“You’ve been interrupting a lot since the start. I’m trying to explain everything carefully and in order here. Please listen properly till the end.”

“H-Huh……”

Reluctantly, Bruno fell silent, and Gregson resumed his explanation.

“Where was I…… Ah yes, the man was headed to the escape route. So he went to the indicated location — most likely the spot where he’d collapsed, one step away from the door. At first glance, the worn-out floor was unremarkable, but his fate awaited him right there. There had to be something: naturally, he got down on all fours to search for it. It’s likely he broke free of his bonds so he could use his hands at this point.”

Saying that, Gregson stopped before the three suspects. He formed the shape of a gun with his hand, and pointed it at Bruno.

“Right then, his accomplice shot him.”

“……Eh?”

Astonished, Bruno frowned.

“I-I don’t understand. In any case, I get that you’re trying to say he died of a gunshot; but at what point did the murderer show up?”

“Don’t get me wrong: the killer didn’t enter from the door or the window……”

Gregson’s finger had been pointed at the young man—— and now he turned it upward.

“——He shot him from below.”

“Huh? ......Ah!”

The other officers, the proprietress, and the young man were all stunned speechless. This idea had not two, but three dimensions. Three rooms lined up in a row, and three floors with the same layout.

From the room at the end of the second floor, a single line extended downward. As they listened to the inspector’s walkthrough of the crime, that was the image that formed in everyone’s minds.

As if enjoying their reactions, a smile rose to Gregson’s lips.

“The victim had been shot from underneath, while he was in a position as if he were crawling on the floor. That’s why his corpse had been prone, and that’s also why there hadn’t been much blood in the room. Based on the position of the victim’s body, there is only one person who could’ve used such a trick.”

Now, Gregson’s gun turned into an accusatory finger, pointed at the true culprit.

“It’s you, in room 203. Mike Myers.”

“Wha-……!”

The burly man, who'd been silent all this while, winced and took a step back.

“Wait — such a ridiculous method’s impossible, isn’t it?”

“It’s not impossible. The floor was decaying in places, so much so there were even holes. A bullet would’ve easily passed through it.”

“……I’ve been meaning to get it fixed sometime,” Hillary muttered. “Certainly, a gun with a bit of power would be able to punch through it.”

“If he’d been shot from below, how did you know where the dead man was?!”

Gregson shot back. “I explained it earlier, didn’t I? When the fire began, I saw the victim lying on the floor, one step away from the door.”

Mike looked desperate. “Even so, this is preposterous! If you think about it normally, since he’d died in a locked room, doesn’t that mean he simply couldn’t withstand the police interrogation and killed himself?!”

“I’ve also covered that already. Judging from the scene back then, it was neither a suicide, an accident, nor an escape attempt — it’s clearly a murder. Furthermore, it was after considering each and every method that I arrived at this trick. When you’ve eliminated the impossible——”

Gregson stopped.

That was the line Sherlock had used. If he’d borrowed not just his powers of deduction, but even his very words, he would have ruined the way things were between them.

“N-No, I refuse to accept this! Besides, it’s only a possibility that this trick worked! Without any evidence, it’s all just speculation!”

“……Hm.”

Up to this point, Gregson had presented his deductions without hesitation; but now a trace of bitterness crept into his expression.

To begin with, apart from Gregson’s own meagre eyewitness account, as well as hearsay from people who’d been in the vicinity, this case presented nothing for them to work with. When one got right down to it, the possibilities they’d been discussing were nothing more than conjecture. They had no unshakeable, physical evidence to base their accusation on — the suspect had hit a sore spot, and the inspector had no words with which to rebut him.

Even so, Gregson refused to show any sign of weakness, forcing his expression into a smile.

“Hmmm.”

Then Sherlock, who’d been standing near the entrance, began to do some stretches.

“……Well, Mike has a point, doesn’t he? We can’t just accuse someone based on hypotheticals.”

“Right, right? As I was saying, I didn’t kill him.”

“——However.”

Sherlock raised both arms toward the ceiling.

“If Gregson is right, then you must’ve raised your arms like this when holding the gun. Then you fired a shot. After that, what remained on the ceiling?”

His interest piqued, Gregson also looked at the ceiling.

“What’s left — the hole from the gunshot……”

Once again, he felt as if an electric bolt had coursed through his body. It was the same feeling he had gotten when he’d spoken to Sherlock about the crime scene earlier.

Gregson continued. “There hadn’t been any sizeable pool of blood around the body……. That’s because most of the blood that spilled out of the bullet wound, had flowed through the hole left by the gunshot. And if it had trickled down to the floor below……”

“!”

Instantly, Mike hid his arms behind his back. But it was futile: Gregson pounced on him, grabbing his arms and pushing his rolled-up sleeves even higher.

Everyone stared.

On the underside of each of his upper arms, was a streak of dried, dark red blood.

“I see. The blood dripped from the hole in the ceiling onto your arms, then trickled all the way there and dried up.”

“……Shit. I wiped it off up to my elbows, but there was still some higher up.”

His arms still restrained, Mike’s shoulders slumped. That had been as good as a confession. Somehow, it seemed the bloodstains were in his blind spot, and that was why he’d missed them.

“……A-Alright! That confession and these bloodstains ended up deciding it all! My deductions were right, of course! Ha, hahaha……”

Wrapping up his explanation, Gregson broke into peals of awkward laughter. At that, his audience looked puzzled, but gave him a small round of applause nevertheless.

“……I can’t stand that personality of his — but those were excellent deductions, I’ll give you that.”

“Yeah. I’ve managed to see his professionalism today.”

Even as a wry smile escaped her lips, Hillary grudgingly offered words of praise; and Sherlock agreed with her on that.

Footnotes:

This is a great time to add that Mike Myers is a reference to the killer in the Halloween movie franchise (warning for horror — Wikipedia), similar to Jake Voorhees in the first story. Thank you @oaroftheocean for pointing this out!

[cathyparrlyn]

A warning to Tumblr and Discord users in the Six and WATT fandoms

Tw for stalking, guilt tripping, deception, suicide, death threats, and hate anons.

In the beginning of summer, there was an incident that showed the true colors of some of my former friends, especially one who has proven themself to be hostile and dangerous multiple times. I stayed quiet about this for a while as I wanted to forget the drama and the pain they caused me and my friends, but recently I’ve found out that they have continued to hurt many of my friends, claim a minor who was a victim of the situation had attacked them, and more. Because of such dangers, and because these people are present in both the Six and WATT fandoms, my friends and I found it necessary that we share this story as a warning to others.

On May 11, the Parrlyn Discord server was created. I, being an acquaintance of the server owner, was one of the server’s mods who would talk to everyone and work with the owner to make it a safer place. This server ended up being how I first became close with the person who caused so much drama: @Chess-exists (Chess).

Chess and I would talk on both the Parrlyn server and dms, and I soon joined other servers at their request. We considered each other friends, but they also set off many red flags. Some of the major of these being Chess lying about hacking into the Sixcord and deleting the server because “all the mods hated them”, claiming they can cry when ready and wanting to pretend someone on the Parrlyn server was dead to prank another person on the server.

In mid-June the Parrlyn Discord faced the 3rd big incident that has happened on the server. Someone jokingly entered under Moan-Jeutas’s (Lizzie’s) username, said “I’m 12, don’t attack me !!” and left when they noticed people were beginning to panic.

I was offline whilst this happened, and when I came online shortly afterward I found a few people panicked. Instantly, I was asked by multiple people to call them. I texted some of them while going on call with a friend of mine who is a young minor, @lakes-other-sixes (aka Lake), who was crying. I was then informed by Lake that they knew who had entered the server with Lizzie’s username. At the same time, a friend outside of the server had confessed to me through DM about being behind the Lizzie account along with one other person. They profusely apologized and explained what had happened.

Although my friend had made a mistake, I would like to give context of why they ever thought of the joke in the first place. When they were temporarily on the Parrlyn Discord, it was just starting out, with about ten people including us and nobody who had admitted to being triggered by Lizzie’s writing.

This friend and I constantly talked about Parrlyn fics together, and one of the things we mentioned was Lizzie’s Carrie AU and how I would have liked to talk to her about it but didn’t want to bother her as she disliked the ship. The friend and I had both been going through personal issues at the time, I will openly state that mine was how my uncle died not even two weeks before this happened, and they thought a small joke could cheer us both up.

So this friend and another person thought it would only be an innocent inside joke between friends to pop on the server and mess with me and some other friends. They had no idea how big the server was or that people were triggered by Lizzie and left immediately.

The joke was wrong, and we all have acknowledged that. They both deeply apologized for it to me and some others. They wanted to fix things with the server, but there was one problem; our friend Lake knew who they were.

Lake is an extremely sweet kid. They were never a part of the joke, but were extremely scared that if the people’s names were released then everyone on the server would hate them. It was to the point that they were crying on the phone to me for about half an hour because of the situation. Because of this, me and the friends figured it would be best to apologize anonymously; not for their sake, but for the others who were scared. So I talked with the server owner and made an announcement sending an apology from them through me.

This is just our side, and I know some will disagree with the decision we made, but I was informed that someone had talked to Lizzie about it and that she knew about the situation and the anonymous apology. We kept it anonymous because we would never want to put any kid into the panicked state that Lake was in, and I will take any responsibility if it means I kept a kid from anymore serious panic. I have also apologized to Lizzie formally, as well as getting consent from her to use her name in this post and offering to answer any questions she had, including giving her the names of the people behind the account if she wanted them.

This mistake from my friends, which they had apologised for, was what led to Chess showing their true colours.

A few minutes after I posted the apology announcement, I was instantly added to a separate group chat titled “Smack a bitch” where Chess and their friend, Aine, had requested the name of my friend behind the account. This chat was highly inappropriate and hinted they would possibly send them hate and I didn’t approve of that, so I said no and left. I then later got a message from Lake that Chess was now interrogating them to spill who was behind the account.

Not only had this bothered me since Lake was young and was open about their anxiety, but also nobody but me and Lake’s former partner had known that they knew who was behind the fake account. They were extremely nervous and asked for help and I said I would talk to Chess for them since it made them uncomfortable.

When I went to talk to Chess, I told them to stop interrogating Lake because this was giving people more stress and I wouldn’t talk to them if they continued. They refused and asked me to “back the fuck up”.

After this conversation, I thought it was over. That was until 3 days later when one of my friends behind the account got hateful anons and death threats over the situation.

These anons were alarming, so I went to talk to the server owner about them. After a long discussion, the server owner confessed to Chess telling them everything they had done to find my friend.

This next part might be triggering for some, just a warning about stalking. (Ends after the screenshot)

Chess had confessed to stalking both my Instagram and Tumblr by going through them and making a suspect list of mutuals I interacted with so that they could interrogate Lake, a 14 year old, into saying who was behind the account.

(Note, none of the people mentioned here were either of the people behind the account)

After I sent the message telling them to stop the interrogation, Chess made Lake swear not to tell me anything else, got them and Aine on voice call, and guilt tripped them into feeling forced to agree to be interrogated on who the person was.

After Chess had successfully got the name of one of the people behind the fake account from Lake, they told the server owner and a few others the name of the person. One of whom was @herequeerandreadytokickass (Lex). Chess had also confessed to Lex about wanting to send anons to the person behind the account whose name they had found out. Lex had not only told me this on call, but also told me that the “friend” Chess was referring to in the hateful anons was me.

Utterly disgusted by their actions towards the situation, I blocked Chess. That was it. I explained to my friends why I blocked them and told them that they could still be friends with Chess, and I left the Parrlyn server to avoid drama since I figured Chess needed it more than me and wouldn’t hurt anyone else after this.

Chess was very upset that I blocked them without talking to them, and I refused to unblock them since they made me uncomfortable by this point. They then told a few friends they were framed for the anons even after previous confessions that they had sent them, and the fact that the anons only pointed to them.

One of the people Chess talked to was Lake, who then tried to find who sent the anons. After I found this out, I called Lake and we both shared our sides of the story. This is when Lake told me how Chess guilt tripped them, but also figured out that Chess had lied to them about how they found out Lake knew. Chess had blamed it on me telling someone, when Lake’s former partner confessed to telling Chess that Lake knew.

This new information caused Lake to become extremely panicked. They were already dealing with stress and just found out they had played a small part in their friend getting sent anon hate and death threats. Chess lying had triggered them more. I talked to Lake and helped them calm down and they decided to block Chess as well.

Chess didn’t like this. They immediately began to spam Lake’s user on a server and also had three friends ask them to unblock Chess.

Not only was this disrespecting Lake’s mental health and decision, but one of the people who dmed Lake had angrily blown up at them. This was @flat-dr-pepper-chasers (Robbie).

By blowing up on Lake, who was dragged into this situation and emotionally manipulated, Robbie caused Lake to panic again.

Soon after this, I got notified that Chess was so mad at Lake, that they deleted a server collaborative fanfic because it was Lake’s “pride and joy”.

Lake had now been through so much and they didn’t tell me anything until it was necessary. I had received all this info from another source because I was an ex-mod of the server and a person involved in the incident, but Chess began to blame Lake and continued to hate them.

I couldn’t take it anymore when I found out that Chess, a 16 year old, deleted the fic to spite Lake, a 14 year old who they had until very recently viewed as a friend, when Lake didn’t do anything. I knew I couldn’t let this slide or more people would get hurt, so I rejoined the server as a mod again, kicked Chess and explained the situation so everyone knew what was going on.

Do to a limit on screenshots the next part of the post will be reblogged by me, might take a second though to add in the screenshots.

[slowly-writing]

Almost Lost You

Jennifer Jareau x Reader

Word count: 2.3K

Requested by: n/a

Warnings: canon typical violence

This case was stumping the entire team. The dump sites had seemingly no correlation, so Ried’s geographical profile was out the window. The MO was all over the place which made it hard to nail down a profile on the unsub. The only thing that proved these murders were connected was the flowers the unsub was leaving in the victim’s hand, and even with that you were beginning to question it all.

“Does anyone else feel like their brain is melting?” JJ groans and you feel inclined to agree.

“Your brain can’t actually melt. You could boil the water in your brain but the fatty tissues that make up the majority of it are harder to break down,” Spencer says and you smile, at least his facts are always consistent.

“That’s not what she means, Spence. It’s a metaphor. She means she’s tired of getting nowhere with the case and she feels like all the work is physically hurting her,” you explain and he nods in understanding, looking at JJ whose head is now laying on the table of the conference room the three of you have hunkered down in.

“Did you know it’s actually proven that fresh air can increase productivity and reduce stress?” Spencer pipes up again and you chuckle as you rise from your seat, grabbing JJ’s shoulders and coaxing her up.

“Good call doc. I think I’m gonna take her outside for a bit before she puts that brain melting theory to the test. You take a break too, alright? Even geniuses have a breaking point,” you wait until he agrees to stop for a bit to lead JJ outside.

“It just feels so messy. Like there’s no way to get through it all,” JJ has tears in her eyes as she looks up at you and your heart breaks at her obvious frustration. You often wonder how JJ got into a field like this, so painful and gruesome. She has such a tender heart, if you had met her outside of work you would’ve guessed she was a teacher, maybe a social worker, but certainly not a profiler whose job was to hunt down some of the worst people the world had to offer.

“I know it feels like this will never end, but it will. I promise it will, because we’re not going anywhere until we catch this creep. Hotch and Emily are interviewing the victim’s families again as we speak and Morgan and Rossi are at the crime scenes. They will all get us some more to work on and eventually we’ll nail this guy.”

“You promise?” JJ’s voice is soft and you can’t resist the urge to pull her into your arms, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“I do. Are you ready to go back in?” JJ nods and you pull away, “then let’s go crack this case.”

xxxxx

“Rose Allen, Jessica Phillips, and Sara Parker have been found dead. Now I don’t know about you guys but I sure as hell don’t want a fourth name added to that list,” Morgan snaps, slamming his hand on the table. You all look up from your notes at the outburst, and none of you blame him. JJ grabs your hand under the table and it calms you both as tensions rise in the room.

“What do you think we’re doing here? None of us want this to go on. We’re trying our best,” Emily knuckles are turning white as she clenches her first.

“Okay let’s all calm down. If we all put our head together then we can crack this. So, the women disappear from their daily routines, they are gone for a week before being found in various locations with different causes of death. What does that tell us?” Hotch starts the discussion and everyone settles in to work.

“He’s obviously stalking them. He knows their routines and is able to grab them without anybody seeing,” Rossi is the first to join in and you nod along.

“And the manner of the killing isn’t important to him, as long as they die. With victim number one we have strangulation, then stabbing, and last dehydration. He doesn’t care how they die as long as he can see them suffer,” your brow is furrowed as you think out loud.

“The flowers obviously mean a lot to him, right? It’s the only consistency,” Emily jumps in and everyone voices their agreement.

“They’re yellow roses. Those symbolize friendship, maybe these women told him they just wanted to be friends?” JJ says and you think she’s onto something until Spencer speaks up.

“Historically yellow roses have a different meaning. Now they are known to symbolize friendship but they actually used to stand for infidelity or unfaithfulness. He could’ve had a childhood trauma involving an unfaithful individual that still haunts him,” Hotch perks up as Reid finishes.

“Rose and Jessica’s family members said they were having relationship troubles, Sara’s family didn’t have much to say, but with how hostile her fiancé was, I’d bet my career that their relationship was rocky,” the analysis makes sense, at least it’s a start.

“Okay, so we have an unsub targeting people whose relationships are failing. Considering he targeted the girls I’d guess they were the ones who were unfaithful, who would know if they were?” Rossi asks and you all think through the list.

“If it was me I’d only tell my closest friends,” you say and try not to wince at the way JJ’s head snaps to face you. “I’m speaking hypothetically of course. I’ve never cheated so I don’t know what it’s like in that situation. I can only make an educated guess on the thoughts and feelings the victims were having in the moment,” you stare ahead as you say it, nobody knows you and JJ are together, and this is not how you want them to find out. “That was a poor choice of words,” you say and Emily raises an eyebrow at you.

“Ignoring y/n’s over explanation of how she’s never cheated on anyone,” Emily says slowly and you avoid eye contact. “None of these women shared friends. Garcia couldn’t even find evidence that they knew each other, let alone had the same confidants.”

“When Will and I went through all that we went to a relationship counselor. Is it possible they saw the same one?” JJ asks and Garcia pipes up for the first time.

“I can have that answer in just a few moments,” the sound of a keyboard can be heard through the computer, “aha! According to their credit card records they all saw Dr. Damien who is a well renowned relationship counselor in the area. She was, however, out of state for a conference when Rose and Jessica’s bodies were found and did not return until after Sara was reported missing.”

“It could still be someone in her office. Receptionist, coworker, hell even a janitor,” Morgan seems as desperate as you all feel.

“I have a receptionist who was working during all three intake appointments, Jacob Daniels and-oh gosh-At age 8 his father murdered his mother, in the trial he claimed it was because she was cheating with the neighbor who denied the allegations. Regardless there was no family and Jacob bounced around the foster system until he aged out five years ago. Three months ago he landed a job in Dr. Damien’s office and within a month and a half the first murder was commited,” Garcia relays the information, her eyes wide.

“That would be the stressor. Hearing about the failing relationships was too much for Daniels and he snapped. Garcia, do you have an address?” Hotch asks as you all stand, grabbing your gear.

“Like you even have to ask. Be safe my lovelies,” Garcia tells you all as she ends the call.

xxxxx

“Jacob Daniels FBI! Open up!” Hotch yells as he bangs on the door. You hear a crash inside and Morgan takes that as his cue to kick open the door. You’re the first inside and Daniels freezes when he sees the guns trained on him. He may be damaged, but he knows he can’t outrun a bullet. Instead he grabs a knife and points it towards you.

“Stay back!” He yells and you raise your hands, holstering your gun before speaking.

“I just want to talk, Jacob. Can we do that?” you ask and you can see him shaking as he looks between you, Morgan, Hotch, and Ried. Everyone else is still en route.

“They needed to die,” Jacob starts and you blink in surprise as he jumps straight into it.

“Why?” he focuses more on you, relaxing despite the three guns still pointed at him. You inch forward as he begins to talk.

“They didn’t know how to love. No woman knows how to love!” He yells.

“Now that’s not a fair statement, plenty of women know what love is,” you say and you can hear the other team calling their ETA through the comms, but you’re hoping to have this wrapped up before the three minutes it will take them to get here are up.

“Do you? Know how to love? Do you have someone?” Jacob’s voice is soft, almost a whisper as he desperately tries to prove himself wrong. You’re only a few feet away now, and he’s slowly lowering the knife. If you can just get a few inches closer you can grab it.

“I do. She is the most important person in my life.” Out of the corner of your eye you can see the confusion on your team’s faces but you don’t have time to focus on them right now. “I can’t tell you why someone would cheat on the love of their life, but I can tell you I never would. A few bad people isn’t a reason to give up on love or life. They hurt people, but they didn’t hurt you Jacob,” his head snaps up and you quickly realize that was the wrong thing to say. He lunges for you and before anyone can get a shot off he has your back pressed to his chest and his knife to your throat.

“Woah calm down man!” Morgan yells, his panic alerting the rest of the team that this just went south.

“Let her go, Jacob,” Hotch’s words inform the team that he has you, the only female in the room. He doesn’t waver though, ever the calm one in the storm. You can hear the tires of the other SUV squealing to a stop outside. Lucky for you so can Daniels and you use his distraction to slam your eyebrow into his ribs. His grip on you loosens and you’re able to take him down. Morgan takes over, cuffing him as you feel a body slam into yours. JJ throws her arms around your neck and you wrap one arm around her waist, the other cradling her head as you let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m okay,” you tell her and she lets out a shaky breath before pulling away from you completely.

“You idiot!” she yells slapping your shoulder.

“Ow! What was that for?” your hand goes to the place she just smacked, though it didn't hurt much.

“Why would you get so close to him! He could’ve killed you!” She slaps your other shoulder and you groan.

“But he didn’t. I thought I could disarm him, but it's okay now. So can we just agree it was a dumb move and stop hitting me please?” you ask and JJ pulls you into a hug again. You wanna laugh at her conflicting emotions, but you know how scared she is.

“I almost lost you,” she whispers and you sigh.

“You didn’t. I know it was scary, but I’m okay.”

“I could hear the whole thing.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I promise that I’m okay. You didn’t lose me,” you tell her and she nods, pulling away again. The bubble the two of you have been in is popped as you both turn to see the whole team staring at you, Morgan apparently having passed Daniels off to local officers to make sure you were okay.

“How long has this been going on?” Morgan asks and you look to JJ.

“Six months?” you ask her and she nods. You turn back to the team and nod, “yeah, six months.”

“How did we not notice?” Rossi asks and you laugh.

“I was thinking the same thing. Some profilers you are,” JJ teases them but they all seem to be in too much shock to register it.

“So when you went on that rant about not cheating…” Emily trails off and you roll your eyes.

“Did seriously none of you notice how she was looking at me? I thought I was gonna be the next murder victim!” They all laugh and JJ looks at you.

“You ever cheat on me and you will be,” she says simply with her arm wrapped around your waist and a smile on her face.

“How do you say such aggressive things but look so cute doing it?” you ask, wrapping your arm around her shoulder and placing a kiss on the top of her head. “But I would never cheat on you, my love. I’d have to be an idiot to risk losing you. There’s nobody in the world I’d rather be with.”

“As cute as this is, I’m ready to get out of here,” Morgan teases and you roll your eyes.

“Let’s finish up here and we can talk more on the way home,” Hotch says and you all nod.

“And we know Garcia is gonna want all the details, I wouldn’t mind them either, so drinks when we get back?” Emily offers and you agree.

“Sounds like a plan.”

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