#that one is usually just 'may the father of understanding guide us'

[teecupangel]

Heya! I wanted to say that I like reading what you post on your blog. ^^ Keep up the good work, and may the Great Father of Understanding guide us.

(Saying this cause I felt it was feeling. I'm an Assassin through and through, though. Lmao)

Aaawww, thank you so much! This good work is only possible because of the wonderful asks I get (and how understanding you guys are at how slow I can be at answering TTATT)

May the Father of Understanding guide us!

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

The Vow 2

Warnings: non/dubcon, arranged marriage, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: mob!August Walker

Summary: your father’s murder leaves you in the hands of a dangerous man.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

The man is quiet. The villain. The boss. The groom. Your... husband. 

The vows were what you would find in a script. Nothing special. Just standard. Just going through the motions. And when he lifted the veil, his kiss was just as prescribed. That’s it. Your life is over and his is just beginning. 

Your hand is in his as he guides you from the hall. He takes you between the pews and out the tall doors. A shower of petals rain down on you as you come out into the sunlight. There’s a car waiting. The people around you are like actors on a screen. It’s all fake. This isn’t a happy day, this is business. 

The car door shuts on the other side of him and you’re closed in with this stranger. The stranger you’ll spend the rest of your life with. You know his name and his bad deeds, but nothing else. 

You fold your hands over the layers of the full skirt. He shifts as he pulls a fold of tulle from beneath him. You watch his large hand and tremble. 

“Sorry,” you breath and snatch the skirt so that it can’t overflow onto his lap. 

He catches your hand and you freeze. You lock up, bones aching, muscles clenched. He tugs on you. You let him draw you closer as you stare at his steely grip. He brings his other hand over to pet your knuckles. The softness of his touch makes you tingle. 

“You’re scared,” he states. It isn’t a question. He knows. “If you are loyal, you don’t need to be.” 

You nod, “yes, sir.” 

He huffs through his nose, “I am your husband.” 

You close your eyes and tempo your heartbeat, “what should I call you?” 

“You know my name.” 

“Walker.” 

“August,” he insists upon his first name. “Maybe one day, you will have something softer to call me.” 

“Maybe,” you shiver and he squeezes your hand. 

“Your father wrote his own fate, you will write yours,” he raises your hand and lays a kiss on the back of it. “It doesn’t need to be the same.” 

You stare ahead. You can’t let yourself feel or you will feel everything. The fear, the grief, and even, the anger. Once they boil over, you will be lost. 

“I understand, August.” 

Another heavy exhale. 

“You will not act so cold in front of my men.” He takes your hand and forces your fingers open. “You will touch me with kindness.” He puts your palm to his cheek and leads you to cradle his face. His stubble pokes at your delicate gloves. “You will do so without my order. You will behave as a wife, so far as they are concerned. Let your father’s defiance die with him.” 

“I will not resist,” you tell him as much as yourself. 

“Goddamnit, look at me,” he says. 

You turn to look him in the face. The anger you expect is absent. He watches you placidly. Your fingers twitch and he leans into your touch. He takes your other hand and forces you to twist toward him. He leans in and before you can think, his lips are on yours. 

It is different than at the altar. Not just a peck, more. His lips part and his tongue flicks out along yours. He hums and you open your mouth. His hand creeps up the back of your neck and he locks you against him. His tongue invades your mouth and you squeak. 

He draws away and his eyes narrow, “better.” You’re unsure if he means it was better than before or that you need to do better.  

He lets you go and sits back against the seat. He closes his eyes as he pushes his shoulders wide. His feet are planted as he lingers in unspoken thought. You look at the driver then out the window. You turn back to him. 

You touch his sleeve and shimmy closer. He hums again. The tone assures you that you aren’t unwelcome. Play your part, fulfill your vow. That is all that needs to be done.  

This is more than you, there is your mother, and others beyond that. Those that were once loyal to your father. Those you called friends and family. Those who now walk the same tightrope. Those that have already fallen. 

The car stops. A flicker of panic strikes in your chest. The door opens from outside and he pulls you out with him. You keep one hand on your skirt and the other on his arm. He marches ahead. 

You enter the large building and wait in some room. He remains silent, pensive. You’re summoned and after a time. He fixes your arm to hook through his as you stand before the large doors. 

“Head up,” he girds before you enter. 

They watch you, just as before. You can hear them this time, whispering. You don’t look anywhere but ahead of you. He nods at the more notable guests. You will not doubt be met again with those faces through the night. 

He puts you ahead of him to climb onto the platform where the bride and groom’s table stands. He follows closely. He pulls a chair out but puts his hand to your back so you cannot sit. He sidles behind you. Instead, he sits with you, lifting you into his lap. 

You quiver again. Humiliation surges through you. This is his show of victory. He boasting. No, you will not just be beside him, you are his.  

[harmoonix]

Nature's Alurre

° Short Astrology Observations °

H a r m o o n i x

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❀ -> Ceres Asteroid (1) at 6°, 18° 10°, 22° degrees can end up working in a comforting space/place for them, something about their work is very dear to them

❀ -> Sagittarius Degrees (9°. 21°) in your big 3 make you "wild", you seek for curiosity, for knowledge, for adventure, for passion all these combined make you fierce

❀ -> Someone with an Water Sign in their 6th house/Moon in the 6th house has a deep love for animals, they love animals and can find a comfort when they're around

❀ -> Ceres (1) in your 1st house/Ceres aspecting the ascendant are the type of people who need to nurture themselves first instead of nurturing others

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❀ -> Moon square/opposite/conjunct Uranus are going through 100 moods every day, I don't think they can function if they stay in one mood because their own nature is to be able to feel everything at once

❀ -> Neptune trine/sextile/conjunct Sun are the type of people who always want to be in a good mood and try staying positive about the things in their lives

❀ - If earth Venus would be described by emoji: 🌍🧚🏼‍♀️✨💚💲🍵🥗☘️ these would mostly be their most used emoji

❀ -> Pandora asteroid (55) aspecting the ascendant or in the 1st house. Can be the type of people everyone has questions about or is curious to know more about, it can even indicate that person who ask you a lot of questions and they don't like your answers/replies to their questions

❀ -> Ceres (1) in Scorpio/8th house may need sex to nurture themselves, natives with these placements can be highly sexual and sometimes can even seek for it

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❀ -> Asteroid Angel (11911) aspecting the Moon can indicate that your angels may protect/guide you through your mother, for some of the natives their mothers could've be their biggest protector, if this doesn't relate to you then your angels may have an motherly energy when they're around you

❀ -> Sun/Saturn in the 12th house can indicate daddy issues, and no.. not that type of daddy issues where girls try to date guys with 100 yrs older than them, it actually indicates issues with your father or an absent father

❀ -> For people with Chiron in the Pisces/12th house, they can heal with music, if you're in a bad mood just listen to some music it may help your mood in that situation

❀ -> I don't know why but so many people tend to ignore "Parallels" in their chart, parallels share an close energy to the same aspects as "conjunction" . And they're so underatted, we need to cancel the person who said they are not important.

♥️♥️♥️Here is a post about how you can find your Parallels in your chart ♥️♥️♥️:

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❀ -> Did you actually knew that you have a guiding planet in your chart? Your guiding planet is supposed to help you understand this life and it's lessons better and to help you in your everyday day, to know what planet you have as a "guide" you need to look at your chart and find the closest planet to your Sun. (if you have multiple planets conjunct Sun then find the conjunction with the closest degree)

For example: In my birth chart Venus is the closest planet to my Sun, they're not conjuncting but they're at 1 sign apart from eachother. That makes Venus the closest planet to my Sun...now it's your turn to find yours 🥰

❀ -> Asteroid Nike [307] shows victory/something you'll accomplish in your chart

Example:

Nike in the 10th house = good job/career

Nike in the 8th house = transformation about yourself

Nike in the 2nd house = your finances/money. Usually Nike in the 2nd house can indicate being wealthy

Nike in the 7th house = relationships/marriage

If you have Nike in none of these houses then look in this photo: Here are all house descriptions for every house specifically

❀ -> Gemini/Sagittarius placements can be very talented in writing, is way easier for them to describe something while writing

❀ -> Mercury in 10°, 22° degrees can have it hard when it comes to explaining things, they may also struggle with finding the perfect words in a conversation, on the other hand you choose your words with a good mindset

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❀ -> Aquarius Juno/Juno in the 11th house > Don't get in relationships with people who seem strict/manipulative and obsessive, you need freedom in a relationship the most, is way better than being like a bird blocked in a cage 100%

❀ -> Aries Juno/Juno in the 1st house > They desire someone intense, who can understand them perfectly. Someone who can be there for them. Don't settle for less. You desire someone who can be more than a lover to you, to be half of your soul

❀ -> Eros (433) in Libra/in Libra Degrees (7°,.19°) are seeking for true love, they want to have that true love like in movies and they really desire it

❀ -> Eros (433) in Cancer/in Cancer Degrees (4°,16°,28°) seek for a nurturing love, they'll love to nurture and take care of eachother

❀ -> Eros (433) in Sagittarius/in Sagittarius Degrees (9°, 21°) seek for a partner who they can share the craziest things with, they'll love if you will hang out with them in a adventure/place where they may like to go

❀ -> People with an Earth sign in their 8th house may have an husband/spouse who can work hard, because the 8th house also represents your spouse resources and the earth signs are usually the one who work the hardest for what they got/have (It also shows deep respect for eachother)

❀ -> I'm gonna tell you that if you love someone with Virgo Venus/Venus in the 6th house, make sure to use words of affirmation when you are with them because it simply makes them to be better (be supportive)

❀ -> Psyche (16) is the asteroid who is the most connected to your soul, and it can describe a lot of things about it based on the sign/house the degree, and the aspects

For example:

Psyche in the 4th house may be very connected to their family/especially on their mother side, their soul may feel safe around females

Psyche aspecting Uranus shows a soul of an artist who is constantly changing and evolving in something better, also there is something striking about them

Psyche in Scorpio/Cancer/Pisces may have an thing for physical touch, bounding, and dedication, their soul can be highly emotional

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🌼 Today is such a good day for shorty astro observations, coming back with a theme that so many of you like it, I rarely post on Saturdays so here we go🌼

🌼 Have a blessed day everyone and I'll see you all again at the next post 🌼

Stay in harmony and peace together with the moon - H a r m o o n i x 🌙🌼

[beomiracles]

Hi!! May I request just an any member of TXT x reader wherein they are both demigods and go to camp halfblood??

⌞ 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐆𝐎𝐃 ⌝

DREAM RECALL stumbling across a hidden camp on the Long Island shore reveals that you are not the only one with a compromised family.

pairings demigod!txt x demigod!reader (gn) warnings none !

#serene adds ✎ anon...you brought out my inner nerd with this one. I've read ALL and I mean all Percy Jackson books. I LOVE THE SERIES. Though this was when I was 12, so I'm sure there are a few details missing BUT hehe, this was sm fun. I couldn't pick just one member so I did head canons for all of them!!!

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOKS (shame on you) It's basically a series in which the greek gods occasionally have children with ordinary humans, thus creating a "demigod". These children will grow up to have a fragment of the powers their parents have. Camp half-blood is a sort of safe haven for these children where they're assigned a cabin based off of their godly parent. They train and specialise in their powers in order to defend themselves !

this post makes a lot more sense if you have read the books or seen the movie(s) but I have tried to make it understandable for those who haven't !

either way these are the type of demigods I personally think the members would be, (yes I'm trying to be different).

YEONJUN — son of ZEUS CABIN 1

After spending four long and excruciating summers at camp half blood, Yeonjun finally got acknowledged by his father last year, becoming the first to move into cabin one. 

Thanks to his outgoing nature he's never had any issues making friends despite his unusual parent. — He’s also one of the first to greet you upon your arrival. Making sure you get introduced to everyone and everything as he shows you around, throwing in a quick pick-up line or two as he tours the place for you.  

Most definitely likes shows off, I mean, he’s not Zeus only acknowledged son for nothing. — Summoning large thunderstorms, relishing in the way you cling to his side as he makes lightning strike not far from the two of you. 

Your first nights at camp half-blood are spent in cabin one with Yeonjun, despite the protocol being for unclaimed demigods to stay in Hermes’. 

It’s a little bittersweet to say the least when Aphrodite finally decides to acknowledge you as it meant you had to bid farewell to your new friend’s spacious living quarters. 

Though Yeonjun gets along well with almost everyone, there’s a kid in cabin seven that always seems to get on his every nerve.

SOOBIN — son of ARES CABIN 5

Despite being the son to the God of literal war, Soobin considered himself to be somewhat of a pacifist. Unlike his half siblings, he never engaged in any of the fights usually taking place both inside and outside of cabin five. 

He much preferred spending time with you, picking flowers as he lets you braid them into his hair. Reading poetry together on an open field or going to care for the horses in the stables. 

Soobin knew that his nature got him on his father’s bad side, but he didn’t really mind. Instead he used his almost supreme strength to help out where he was needed, carrying heavy hay bales or helping you move large furniture in your room.

He’s probably too shy to ever admit out loud that he thinks you’re very cute. As one of Aphrodite's children he thinks you must hear that a lot, thus he holds back from showering you with compliments. 

He’s also not one to participate in the many games hosted by your camp, and if he does, he’s always the first one to get sent to the infirmary.

BEOMGYU — son of APOLLO CABIN 7

Has been around for pretty much his whole life, his necklace filled to the brim with beads, representing each summer spent at camp half-blood. 

Very much a show off as well, knows how to use a bow but can also both sing and play the guitar. His ego might just be bigger than Yeonjun’s. 

Quickly introduces himself on your first day there, even though your tour guide (Yeonjun) purposefully avoided cabin 7 as he showed you around. 

Beomgyu often complains that you use your powers on him, as Aphrodite's children are known for their manipulation of both love and lust, and that’s the reason as to why he can’t get you out of his head, dedicating song after song to you as he plays them by the fire each night. 

Often takes joy in casting minor curses on whoever does him dirty, cough, cough. So you’re not surprised when you hear the loud yell coming from Zeus’ cabin on a Saturday morning.

TAEHYUN — son of ATHENA CABIN 6

Unlike the others, Taehyun finds little amusement in anything that involves the outdoors. Cooped up in his room, he spends his days reading and researching the most diverse topics that he can come across. 

You have to practically drag him out of the cabin as you force him to join you and Beomgyu whilst you practice archery. He will most likely just whine and complain the whole time, pointing out your errors as he goes. 

Thanks to his introverted nature, Taehyun doesn’t have a lot of friends, to be honest, you might be his only one. — He will never admit it out loud, but his heart beats a little faster when he sees you skip inside the dimly lit cabin. Ready to listen to him talk about whatever book he had last read. 

He does care for you, not that you would know because he only talks fondly of you when you’re not around. Standing up to whoever might have something negative to say as he quickly shoots them down with a witty remark. 

On a brighter note, there’s little Taehyun doesn’t know and you can always count on him to be able to handle any kind of situation.

HUENINGKAI — son of HADES CABIN 13

Kai almost wanted to cry when his father finally claimed him two years ago. Being associated with death wasn’t exactly something one wished for, especially not Kai. Not to mention the fact that he would have to sleep in the creepy and dark cabin all by himself. 

Quickly becoming an outcast, Kai was very hesitant to approach you, not wanting to scare you off with the literal epitome of death lingering around him. But you liked him from the start, the two of you made for an odd pair but you thought it was kind of charming. 

You ate dinner and breakfast together, and you often visited him in his cabin so that he wouldn’t have to be so lonely. Despite his father being the ruler of hell, Kai was both scared of the dark and any horror movie rated 13+. 

He didn’t care much for the powers passed onto him by his father and thus he never practiced them very much. — If he did use them, it would be in order to bring back your pet cat that had been run over by a car, or saving a mouse that got caught up in a trap. 

Kai did however become quite close with Yeonjun, the fact that they were both the only children of their parents sparked a friendship that no one really saw coming.

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[3hks]

3hks' Guide to Plot (2024)

Alright guys... Here's a big one! These are MY personal thoughts on how to create and write plot. As time continues, I'm positive that some of these things will change, which is why I included "(2024)" in the title! Let's start with some of the basics and definitions, shall we? Hint: you probably want to see the last tip!

~PLOT STRUCTURE~

For 99.9% of novels, they follow a similar--if not the same plot structure--so let's take a look at them chronologically!

>>> Exposition: The beginning of the story, the starting characters, settings, relationships, and ideas are established. This is meant to give the reader a basic sense of the story.

>>> Inciting Incident (initial conflict): This is what sparks the conflict. The characters themselves may not realize it, but this event ultimately changes the whole course of the plot! (This may not always be before the rising action.)

>>> Rising Action: The GOOD stuff starts here! More introductions, more development, more action! Tension builds as the story continues.

>>> Climax: The climax is NOT equivalent to the conflict. The climax is the most exciting or tensest part of the story. The protagonist often is forced into making a difficult decision, whether it be self-inflicted or by another character's hand.

>>> Falling Action: The climax has ended, and things are coming to an end! The falling action is always shorter than the rising action, because there isn't much to introduce, and the characters are simply rolling through the consequences (good or bad) of their previous actions.

>>> Resolution: This is the end of the story. Many people will tell you to tie all the knots together during this part, but it's ultimately up to you! However, there should be some sort of ending to provide closure, at the very least. The conflict should also be resolved (hence the name).

Let's look at the diagram itself! (I'm using Freytag's pyramid because it's well-known. Thank you Writer's Hive for the image!)

~CONFLICT~

Alright, let's talk about the types of conflict real quick!

Character v.s Character: This is your typical conflict, where there are two opposing characters struggling against each other.

Character v.s Self: This is a less common conflict that takes place within the character's mind. (Examples: Self-doubt, decision making, moral dilemma, etc.)

Character v.s Society: This is a conflict between a character (or even a small group of characters) struggling against a larger, typically oppressive society as a whole.

Character v.s. Nature: Just like in the name, this is a character against a force of nature: a tornado, storm, flood, etc.

Character v.s Supernatural: Simply put, this is just a character struggling against a supernatural force.

While knowing and being able to identify the different conflicts doesn't necessarily help you write, it's important to understand what your character is battling against in order to build the conflict.

~BUILDING THE ARCS~

If you watch a lot of shows or movies, you're probably familiar with the term "arc," which is just another way to say plot or subplot, depending on your story.

When writing plot, you want to have a MAIN or LEADING ARC. This is your character's goal that's usually established at the exposition. However, there is usually more to add so your storyline isn't too one-dimensional. These are more arcs or subplots that simply branch out. In a way, it's meant to slow the plot down and add more content while still advancing the story.

So yeah, subplots are able to assist in slowing down the story but they need to help advance the main arc.

This can be done by simply connecting the two--making sure that both of them are at least relevant to one another.

Here's an example! Let's look at HunterxHunter (Yoshihiro Togashi)

The main character, Gon, has a goal to locate his father. This is what HunterxHunter is mainly about. The leading arc, main plot, etc.

It's incredibly simple and straightforward, but it's not that easy.

Along the way, you see different problems arise, creating more subtle and smaller arcs. For instance, there's the Yorknew arc, the Greed Island arc, and the Chimera Ant arc.

The focus of those arcs aren't necessarily for Gon to find his dad. As a matter of fact, his objective is kind of an afterthought in the presence of these subplots. Still, they are connected to Gon's objective and push the story!

See how modest the main plot is? It does not have to be the world's most complex storyline.

Your protagonist's goal is the leading arc, and things just get in the way of it.

Keep this in mind and it may actually help you design your plot events!

~KEY POINTS~

Character introductions: By the end of the rising action, you want most of your characters to have been introduced. This may vary for some certain scenarios, but logically, most characters are going to be involved in the climax, so they must be introduced beforehand.

Environment: Your character will typically start out with a set view of their society, world, and people. Through your developing plot, there should be some changes in their view. What they believe is true could prove to be false.

Triumphs and losses: Sometimes, your character needs to win, and sometimes, they need to lose. This adds a sense of naturalness (not everyone gets what they want) and aids your character development. There are times when a loss is actually the foundation of the exposition! (Wink-wink, nudge-nudge)

~WHERE TO PLACE "THAT SCENE"~

Here's a pretty big one! As writers, we often have just "that scene" pictured out in our minds--it's absolute perfection and a REAL piece of art.

But where are we going to insert it?

If it's not too important, there are three places I suggest! 1. The exposition, 2. the rising action, 3. the falling action.

If your moment is able to introduce a relationship, character, or setting, the exposition is the way to go. If it can build on the three things I listed AND may have a part in the conflict and/or climax, then rising action it is! If it's somewhere in between and somewhere else, then try falling action!

And it can even be the inciting incident if begins the conflict!

Resolution is also a possibility, but because it's near the end, your scene may have less impact than you want. However, if you're still into that idea, then I suggest placing it at the very end! (You'll just need a lot of patience to get through your whole story just for that part, though lol.)

The most important part is to understand what the moment can contribute to the plot, because then you'll have a much better idea of whether you should place it closer to the climax or further away!

Did this help? Let me know!

Happy writing~

3hks <3

[discordiansamba]

Azula visits him in his cell.

He knows she's coming before she arrives. He can hear the guards at the door try and dissuade her. His sister snaps at them, angry. How dare they stand in her way, when she knows that they let Mai through. They relent, and Azula steps into his cell.

She crinkles her nose at the smell. He's less filthy than he was before thanks to Mai, but only just. She meets his eyes- and for just a moment, her breath catches. Zuko's tempted to start growling, just to see what would happen. The dragon goads him on, but he decides against it.

"What do you want?"

She obviously didn't expect him to speak. When he does, she exhales, and she's back to the normal Azula.

"I see you're back to your usual self," Azula observed, "-I suppose we have Mai to thank for that. I hear she's been visiting you."

"Upset you'll have a harder time executing us?" Zuko asked. "Or is father the one who plans to do the honors?"

Azula flinches- it's obvious that she didn't expect him to know about that. He doesn't blame her. She must have assumed he didn't have the presence of mind to understand anyone when he'd been paraded through the Caldera like a chained beast.

(He had been, he supposes.)

"Father, of course," Azula recovers, "-it's only fitting that the Fire Lord should slay the last of the dragons."

Zuko bares his fangs. "What makes you think we'll go down so easily?"

Azula huffs, and rolls her eyes. "You should just make it easy on yourself, Zuko. I would think you'd be grateful to be released from your miserable excuse for an existence."

Yeah. He can't deny that some small part of him still longs for that. But he thinks of Uncle, and of Mai- thinks of his friends. They'd all seen him at his worst, but they accepted him anyways. And she's right- if he dies, the dragons really will be gone. He's spent years chafing at the confines of the prison that is his body, but maybe it doesn't have to be one.

Azula never looks him in the eye anymore. He levels his gaze with hers, but she takes it as the challenge it is, and doesn't look away.

"And what would you do," Zuko said, "-if it comes for you next?"

His sister pales. He shouldn't be enjoying this. He's not stupid- he figured it out a long time ago. He knows Azula blames herself. She hadn't known the consequences when she'd shoved him into that cave- she'd only been six. She was just playing a petty, jealous prank. All she'd wanted was to go back to the villa and lap up mother's attention for a few hours.

He also won't lie to himself. He blames Azula- but only sometimes. She was just a child. They'd both been children. But he also can't pretend that he's not bitter, vengeful in a way that has nothing to do with the spirit that took up residence in his skin. She'd taken everything from him- just like her namesake had taken everything from the dragon.

"Don't worry," Zuko promises, "-when you're running a fever that high, you don't even notice your body twist out of shape."

"Shut up," Azula snaps, "-I would never let that happen."

"You wouldn't have a choice," Zuko says, "-did you think I did? You can't fight something like that. You'll be lucky if the dragon decides to ever give you your body back. It's not like Uncle's here to guide you."

(He's not quite himself right now, otherwise he would never be saying these things. But he doesn't stop. He holds the dragon at bay, but only just.)

"Be quiet," Azula hisses, "-I would never become like you."

"No, you won't," Zuko agrees, "-because I don't intend to die."

Azula stares at them for a long moment, then clicks her tongue. She leaves without another word, and Zuko exhales. He shakes off the dragon, its whispers falling back into silence. He feels like he's finally won, but it doesn't feel as good as he hoped it would.

He doesn't hate Azula. He can't.

(It was as much a warning as anything else. Killing him would only free the dragon- and leave it free to search for its next host

Who better than Azulon's very namesake?)

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

the antichrist's wellness influencer era

HELLO, SINNERS, welcome to my youtube channel, I'm Adam, the Antichrist, Adversary, Destroyer of Kings, Angel of the Bottomless Pit, Great Beast that is called Dragon, Prince of this World, father of lies, Spawn of Satan, Lord of Darkness.

Today I want to talk to you about the law of attraction, a trend that's been circulating in the self-improvement community recently. And hey, I'm all about the law of attracting! TODAY WE'RE MANIFESTING OUR BEST, MOST SINFUL LIVES.

Now I know some of you are skeptical. Manifestation? What kind of nonsense is that, it's not for us Satanical sinners! Well, I'm here to tell you that is ABSOLUTELY IS. NOT JUST MANIFESTATION, BUT ITS SINFUL BROTHER, DELUSIONS.

LET ME SHARE A REAL LIFE STORY.

I HAVE USED MANIFESTATION MYSELF. IN FACT, I USED IT AT THE EARLY AGE OF ELEVEN. I USED IT TO REVERSE THE APOCALYPSE! Not only that, I delusioned my way out of my bloodline of darkness, made myself related to my adoptive family, created duck aliens, possessed my friends and defied heaven and hell!

SO YOU SEE, YOUR DELUSIONS CAN NOT ONLY MANIFEST YOUR FUTURE, BUT ALSO REWRITE YOUR PAST. BE DELULU. IT WORKS.

Of course, I then reclaimed my Antichrist identity for this Youtube channel, because my good friend Pepper said I needed to stick it to the patriarchy and shake the status quo of the current self-improvement clime. She then said this is not what she meant by that, but HEY! THE LESSON IS, DON'T FOLLOW THE PACK, CARVE YOUR OWN PATH, EVEN IF IT'S A STUPIDER ONE!

MY GOOD FRIEND CROWLEY ALSO MANIFESTED HIS WAY THROUGH THE DREAD SIGIL ODEGRA, DRIVING HIS CAR INTO FLAMES AND EMERGING THE OTHER SIDE.

ALL BECAUSE HE WAS ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY DELULU!

I TURNED THE HELLHOUND INTO MY LIL DOG NAMED DOG, AGAIN THROUGH SHEER DELULU!

THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY, SINNERS. I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF DELULU.

AS USUAL, MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR DAILY MINIMUM OF THREE OF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS. I'M GOING WITH SLOTH, GLUTTONY AND PRIDE! COMMENT BELOW WHAT SINS YOU'RE INDULGING IN TODAY, TRADITIONAL SEVEN OR OTHERWISE.

SIGNING OFF WITH MY SIGIL, THIS WAS THE ANTICHRIST. MAY SATAN GUIDE YOU DOWN THE ROAD TO HELL.

[fsfghgee]

Sektor and Sub-Zero's relationship in MK1 Part 3. What Can We Conclude So Far?

Someone asked me what I thought of the Sektor trailer the day it came out, and since the Sektor trailer revealed a little more than we already knew about her affection for Bi-Han, I decided to do a third breakdown on it.

To begin with, I don't believe that Sektor is being manipulated, is obeying out of duty, has been brainwashed by Bi-Han, sees Bi-Han as a father and so on.

I don't believe in these theories.

Sektor is doing everything because she wants to, because it suits her purposes. And most likely, she is the real mastermind behind the entire Lin Kuei evolution process. And no, I don't think she's manipulating Bi-Han. She is simply guiding him to achieve the dreams he shared with her (as stated in her own bio). Like, they are partners.

According to her bio — which basically serves to help you understand the character's motivations and what led them to engage in mortal kombat — Sektor is Bi-Han's kindred spirit.

As I've stated in other posts, a kindred spirit means this:

"Kindred spirits are like-minded and like-souled people with whom an instant connection of love and understanding is mutually experienced," clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, Ph.D., tells mbg. "The connection is inimitable and often defies verbal description."

People who share common interests, values, or worldviews might be described as kindred spirits. "In more spiritual words, we could say that they resonate at the same frequency, and there is matching energy between them," Katherine Bihlmeier, a relationship coach specializing in energy work, tells mbg.

And this is the AI's answer:

"Sense a kindred spirit" means to recognize someone as having similar interests, opinions, or feelings to you. For example, you might say "He sensed a kindred spirit and reached out to her".

Some other signs that you've found a kindred spirit include:

Common interests: You may share the same hobbies, opinions, or values.

Immediate connection: You tend to recognize each other quickly and form an immediate connection.

Strong bond: Kindred spirits tend to form strong bonds with each other that often transcend time and distance.

The earliest known use of the noun "kindred spirit" is in the early 1700s, in the writing of Isaac Watts, an Independent minister and writer.

The meaning is broad and can be applied to any type of intimate relationship where those involved have a strong (and unbreakable) bond and share common interests (without judgment, both understand and respect each other). We already know that Sektor is not related to Bi-Han (Sektor's mother is Madam Bo, a former Lin Kuei warrior leader, and her father is a respected retired Lin Kuei master armorer. While Bi-Han's mother was an excellent fighter who died a long time ago, and Bi-Han's father is the deceased Grandmaster), which leaves it to an intimate connection that arose based on a friendship (remembering that kindred spirit also implies that it was an instant connection, so it's unlikely that they have been friends since childhood) or a romantic relationship.

Before Sektor's bio was revealed, I was inclined to believe it was just a friendship based on common interests, but since nrs usually uses "kindred spirit" as a kind of love term…

And Bi-Han as a pround (no one bests a Lin Kuei ~Subzero mk1) and lonely leader of an ancient warrior clan (a real clan, a group of close-knit and interrelated families. They grow the clan by having children among themselves, not by kidnapping children from the streets as in previous timelines) who made Sektor (previously just a master armorer and a skilled warrior) his second in command (even before his brother Kuai Liang and his adopted brother Tomas abandoned him, as Kuai Liang himself subtly says in the story mode…

Like, why would the daughter of a master armorer and her apprentice be a major impediment to the second and third in line of succession? We already know why. Because Bi-Han made Sektor his lieutenant as soon as he took over as Grandmaster and Cyrax for being associated with both (Bi-Han, the grandmaster who believed in her and she trusted him, and Sektor her commander and ruthless instructor) ended up becoming a sort of third in command of the Lin Kuei.

), I'm inclined to believe in the second hypothesis.

She sounds really close to him…

She doesn't even call him Grandmaster…

Even though she respects him as Grandmaster.

She'll rescue him and humiliate herself so that Liu Kang can restore him (she may not get on her knees, but just the fact that she asks Liu Kang to restore him, knowing that she shares Bi-Han's contempt for Liu Kang, I'm sure that resorting to Liu Kang was humiliating for her)

Since the Sub-Zero ending, we already know that Bi-Han admires her a lot and shares everything with her…

She's more than the second in command of the Lin Kuei. Much more…

What are the real chances of there being nothing more than friendship? I mean…

I wish I had a friend like that!

Let's be real, Sektor is his ride-or-die girl.

[birdiebirdjay]

controversial opinions on characters? (specifically harry potter)

hi anon! thanks for the ask :)

hmmmm i have quite a few

i don't like luna lovegood. i think she's very irritating as a person and i would absolutely go batshit if i had to interact with her in real life. she is the wizard equivalent of a flat earther and an anti vaxxer, not a spiritual guide. hermione wasn't narrow minded for doubting her and xeno, they were the narrow minded ones for never questioning their beliefs despite the MOUNTAINS of evidence against them. rahhh she makes me so angry. (i hate that i have to specify, but this isn't misogynistic, i would feel the same if she was a guy.)

lucius malfoy is a relatively harmless guy, he's just slippery. he gives me such peacock vibes. he just wants to show off and look rich and not be questioned. (also he def dotes on narcissa and draco which is adorable to explore in fics <3 i think he would be an amazing father to a little girl and would have loved a daughter which i like exploring in my fics, but that's just a headcanon)

draco is the same way, i feel. iirc he's usually too scared to start shit unless crabbe and goyle are there, he just makes me laugh tbh. of course he does do and say some shitty things but i am just. unable to take him seriously. this may be because i haven't thought about his character in a while, but as of right now, i don't really see him as evil OR a sympathetic little boy. he's just. a little dude. (he is more dangerous than his father though, i'll give him that.) i mean if marauders stans are allowed to glorify james potter and put him on a pedestal, i'm allowed to have this.

percy weasley! i love percy so much, i think this is an uncommon opinion but i don't really know. i think he's amazing, i've already talked about him a lot on my blog so ye :)

i think the weasley family is dysfunctional asf. i don't think i personally can explain it, but this post by @/arkadijxpancakes does a great job of comprehensively analyzing their history and dynamics as well as showing why each weasley is the way they are. super good read!

albus dumbledore: i don't know why this is controversial but i actually think he was a good character, all things considered. yes, he did some bad things, but they were to help save the wizarding world in the end. he set it all up.

severus snape: i think he's awesome, deserved WAY better, and was a traumatized character who is severely overhated. please don't try to fight me on this, you'll just give me a headache.

lily evans: this is a very new opinion of mine but... i don't think she was a great person. i used to wonder 'how could james potter, a shitty little twit twat, end up with such a wonderful and kind and amazing person?' but i've come to realize, she's really not those things. she was kind of a shit friend from what we know. i still think she's very interesting, but not necessarily a good person.

harry potter!! i want to include him because i think that quite frankly he is an awesome little dude but is super underrated and borderline disliked by a big part of the fandom. though i personally feel like he could have been written better in some ways, i still love him tons and i think he deserves more appreciation <33 (also i adore the idea of an oddly specific au where percy and oliver team up to take care of lil tiny first year harry)

neville longbottom: this may be the most controversial one yet but i just don't feel the hype. i feel like he was largely unimportant in the first six books besides as a side character (but it's been a while since i read most of them, so correct me if i'm wrong) and yeah he was cool in the seventh, but like... i still don't feel it. he was pretty boring imo. i think i logically understand why he's loved, but i don't personally relate :/

(canon) james potter: hate him. -100000000/10. he can go die. (OH WAIT HE ALREADY DID!) i'm sorry, i just cannot like him. fanon james is awesome and super cute and lovable, but fanon james is a whole different person than canon james. if we compare young severus to harry, james is dudley dursley in literally every way. rich, privileged, gets away with everything, and loves picking on powerless and vulnerable people for fun. the only difference is that james potter tended to do it with a partner/group, and dudley could do it on his own. oh, and dudley apologized, i guess. it was pretty half assed but we did see him trying to be better with the teacup and stuff. they both suck, obviously, but at least dudley had a slight turning point. maybe i just don't like james because we never saw him be apologetic or regret anything in canon? idk.

cho chang: i honestly really liked her! i thought she and harry could have been super cute ever since i read the third book. now obviously valentines day of 1996 was a disaster, but i still think that if she and harry had met up again after the war and after they had figured themselves out, they could have sort of talked and apologized and moved on and possibly rekindled. idk, this isn't really as ~controversial~ as some of the others because i feel like cho chang is just more forgotten than unpopular or controversial, but i don't see a lot of charry content out there so i'm putting this here :]

one last thing i almost forgot, VIKTOR KRUM IS A FUCKING CREEP!! i used to be more hesitant about voicing this opinion because he's so loved in the fandom, but GOD DAMN he's a creep. as a famous, rich, popular adult, he asks out a 15 year old and is super nice to her and appreciates her intellect and is generally very sweet to her, but that just. that literally just sounds like grooming to me?? wtf?? i mean if i was asked out at 15 by an 18 year old, i would be VERY creeped out. also he comments on how attractive ginny (15 at the time) is at bill's wedding when HE IS IN HIS 20s. he then makes a comment along the lines of 'what's the point of being famous if all the good looking girls are taken?' HEY HERE'S AN IDEA, FIND A WOMAN INSTEAD OF A GIRL??

there's gotta be more controversial opinions i have but no one else comes to mind right now; feel free to request opinions on specific characters! i have a lot of those :]

[wintersettled]

Ongoing Batfam recs

disclaimer! this is being written primarily off the top of my head so don't expect insane quality! also I'm aware a lot of people aren't sure where to start or what's current -- for that I recommend looking through reading guides but I thought I'd talk a bit about current ongoing batfam comics I'm aware of. To read these you could go to your local comic store, use the DC Infinite app or do what I often do and use alternative sites to read comics, many of which can be found by searching "where to read comics free reddit" via your internet browser.

not all batfam characters are currently appearing very much in comics so I'm afraid there will be a distinct lack of many favourites such as Tim Drake, Helena Bertinelli, Stephanie Brown, Jason Todd, and Jean-Paul Valley, however it should be noted that in Batman: The Brave and the Bold there is always a chance that an issue will feature one of them. This series features 60 pages containing multiple short stories which vary in length, some occurring across multiple issues. While it is labeled "batman" it regularly features characters outside of the batfamily.

I'd also like to not that due to DC's All-In there are many new authors and storylines starting up so most are barely any issues in! These are really just early on thoughts BUT it's a great time to start reading!

Regarding Bruce Wayne himself, Batman is currently (as usual) appearing in two new all-in arcs in both Detective Comics and Batman (2016). Can I say I like either? No! It is a long established fact that I am most definitely not Taylor's biggest fan and him deciding to rehash already done and in fact tired storylines as well as making minor adjustments to origins is no surprise nor do I care -- still I'll be fair and tell you that the story involves, you guessed it, the no-killing rule woah! Something so deftly written you can spot the killer from the first couple pages except this time the issue ends off with perhaps one of the most ridiculous and bad plot twists I've ever seen... enough hating on that. Now with the Batman series itself, I fear I dropped it ages ago. I'm understanding there's some conflict regarding the return of previous characters but following Gotham War I struggle to car about this run and I'll admit so far what I've heard from those who have read the recent series is mediocre at best.. still I recommend checking it out for yourself seeing as I can't actually speak on it.

Nightwing aka Richard Grayson is having a seemingly better time. With the introduction of Dan Watters as the new writer we're getting a new Nightwing (2016) story that I am feeling really positive about! I fully recommend checking this one out, just going off the first issue it looks good and I have spent the last month yearning for more! Titans (2023), however, I'm a bit more sceptical of... I'm liking the change in dynamics (always love a Roy feature and Donna leading) which see different characters taking the forefront of the team. I'm not a big fan of Beast Boy nor his dynamic with Raven so it may not be the best but I think the Titans are a super important part of Dick's story so I'll say if you're not keen on this, maybe run it back and pick up The New Teen Titans (1980) which is the start of the team and even sees Dick become Nightwing!

A new writer has finally joined up on Catwoman (2018) and let me say that I loved that first issue. Someone is trying to kill Catwoman and all of her previous identities. We hearken back to her international thievery and what a huge scale Selina Kyle was once on! I'm very excited to see her travel as the story progresses!

Damian Wayne continues as a main character on Batman & Robin (2023) which I am not caught up to so I can't comment on the story but at least in the past it's had its moments! I can't say I've always been totally into the portrayal of Talia however this series has in the past emphasized Damian's relationships with his father as well has others like Nika aka Flatline!

Both Barbara Gordon and Cassandra Cain have been appearing in Birds of Prey (2023)! I enjoy the series but I will admit I feel like it's still finding its footing and I loath the occasional portrayal of Barbara as Batgirl -- something I feel is actively harming the quality of the story. Most of the time she is portrayed as Oracle, and while her wheelchair has yet to make a comeback, I'm hoping somebody explodes the dark spirit of Dan Didio from that office so ableism and misogyny can finally die a cold and lonely death in their buildings janitorial closet. Anyways! Cass has also been appearing in her new solo Batgirl (2024)!! This is so exciting! If you don't know Batgirl (2000) is possibly one of the best things ever written in history and every one should read it so I'm so excited to see her back! This first arc seems to focus a lot on the dynamic with Lady Shiva, Batgirl's mother. While the first issue was more set up for the rest, I cannot wait!

outside of elseworlds I'd say that about wraps things up for current batfam! pick one up, I'd love to chat about it!

[seokjinsonlyone]

build a bridge

pairing: yoongi x f! reader

summary: “God, sometimes I’m happy when you go off on me because at least then I know what you’re thinking.”

genre: co-parents to lovers; angst; fluff

rating: pg

warnings: brief mention of general/postpartum depression other than that it’s just the fact that yoongi’s a DAD!!!! CERTIFIED DILF!!!!!!

wc: 3.2k

You heard a muffled, “Guess who’s here?” then the sound of small footsteps pattering towards the door. After a few more seconds of shuffling it opened and your daughter all but flung herself on you. 

“Mama!” 

“Luna!” You opened your arms wide, expecting the tackle she always greets you with when you pick her up from her father’s. You pepper kisses all across her cheeks, heart melting at the way she giggles in your embrace. “Hey, baby. Did you have a good time with daddy?”

She nodded, wrapping her arms around your neck, snuggling into you further.

“I missed you.”

She pulled back, lightly grasping your cheeks and pressing her own mildly slobbery kisses to your face. “I missed you.”

Before you could get overly emotional, her father cleared his throat reminding you two that you weren’t alone. You plastered a fake smile on your lips. “Hey Yoongi.”

He nodded back at you, lips pressed in a straight line.

“Do you have her stuff ready to go?”

“Uhhh… just about. Time got away from us a little bit. You want to step inside while I finish packing her up?” he asked, gesturing for you to come in.

You couldn’t help the sigh that escaped your lips as you entered his house. You don’t understand why he couldn’t just have her things ready to go. Whenever it was his turn to pick her up, you always had everything ready and waiting for him. Your goodbyes may have been a little long and drawn out, but once he was able to pry you two apart it was quick and easy. “Luna, baby, why don’t you show me some of your toys while daddy gets the rest of your stuff?” you suggested, setting her down and letting her guide you into the living room.

Her eyes lit up at the request, light bulb going off in her little toddler brain, rushing to the corner to find whatever item your statement sparked. 

It was then that you noticed her outfit. You rolled your eyes at the shirt he donned your daughter in—bright pink, with sparkly gold lettering reading “Daddy’s Little Girl.” It was gaudy and definitely not something you bought for her, but she looked cute anyway. She always did. She had half of your DNA, why wouldn’t she? You shook it off. You know he only did things like that to get under your skin, as if he needed to put in any extra effort for that. 

Your eyes roamed around the room, inspecting the interior. A nice sleek, modern yet homey design only interrupted by the sight of dolls and cars spread over the floor. He had good taste. You paused looking over the mantle where he had a few photos displayed. Your eyebrows shot to your forehead, realizing that the one stationed in the very middle was of you and your daughter from when she was about two months old and just started smiling. Your lips were pressed to her cheek and she had a big, toothless baby grin that was nearly identical to your own spread across her face. You knew the photo well seeing as it’d been your lockscreen pretty much ever since he snapped it. 

Your inspection was cut short by your daughter calling out to you. “Look at my tabby, mama!”

“Huh?” Your brows furrowed in confusion. Your daughter’s speech was pretty good. And what she lacked in vocabulary and pronunciation you usually made up for on account of you being fluent in Luna, but you’d never heard her speak of a ‘tabby’ before. All confusion was cleared up, however, when you turned around and saw the tablet in her hands. You were already irritated, but now you were pissed.

“My tabby.”

“Oh wow,” you said, feigning enthusiasm. “When’d you get this?”

“Daddy got it for me,” she replied. That didn’t really answer the question, but you didn’t think she would. As a three year old, her concept of time was all but nonexistent. He must’ve just gotten it for her, though or you would’ve heard about it long ago. One thing your child did was talk. She began flipping through the apps, showing you each one, and you wanted to give her your full attention. You really did, but inside you were seething.

Yoongi came out holding both of her bags just in time to feel your wrath. You stood abruptly cutting Luna off. “Really, Yoongi? A tablet?”

“What?”

“Don’t ‘what’ me. You know I didn’t want her having one of these. Not at this age.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not,” you snapped back. “You know what? Never mind,” You snatched her bags from his hand ready to just leave. You could feel yourself getting worked up by the second and you did not want to traumatize your child by having her watch her parents argue in front of her. “Come on, Luna. Put that down, it's time to go.”

“I bring my tabby with me.”

You stooped down to her level. “No. You’re leaving it here. Go put it back. It’s time to go home.”

You had to refrain from rolling your eyes as hers filled with tears and soon after she burst into sobs. You counted to five in your head, willing yourself to exercise the last bit of patience you had. “Miss Luna,” you said sternly, forcing her attention to you. “We’ve talked about this. Babies cry because they don’t know how to talk. But, you know how to talk. Are you a baby or a big girl?”

“A- a big girl,” she sniffled, sobs dying down a bit.

“Okay. So you need to calm down. Come on. Take some deep breaths with me. In,” you inhaled deeply, “and out,” you exhaled. You did it a few more times, Luna following suit until she was calm again. You wiped the tears from under her eyes. “Now talk to me. What’s wrong?”

“I want my tabby,” she pouted, looking like she was about to get teary again.

“You know that you have some toys that stay at mama’s house and some toys that stay at daddy’s house. The tablet stays at daddy’s house. You can’t bring it with you.”

“It’s fine. Just let her take it,” Yoongi piped up.

You turned to him with fire in your eyes. “Can I talk to you in the kitchen?” He sighed, slumping his way to the area, while you brought your attention back to your child. “Luna. Go put your dolls and your cars back where they belong, then you can play with the tablet until mama finishes talking to daddy, okay?”

She nodded, happy to have reached some sort of middle ground, and did as you said, and you all but stomped into the kitchen. “I hate it when you do that,” you fired immediately. 

He rubbed his hand down his face, looking like he was already over it. “What did I do now?”

“Yoongi,” you stressed, “I’m sitting over here telling her that she can’t bring it with her, and then you telling her that she can. How does that make me look? Who is she supposed to decide who to listen to? What are you gonna do when she doesn’t listen to either one of us? Stop undermining my authority.”

“I’m not trying to undermine your authority, but you’re making a big deal out of nothing. I don’t see why you’re so against the tablet in the first place.”

“She’s only three, Yoongi! What does she need to be on the internet for? There is so much out there that she absolutely does not need to be exposed to. And on top of that she doesn’t need the constant stimulation. You know she already has a predisposition to ADHD. Do you even monitor her when she’s using it?”

“She’s only three, __! Of course I monitor her. And for the record. I hate when you do that.”

“Me?” You pointed back at yourself, raising your eyebrows incredulously. “What did I do?”

He leaned back against the cabinets and ran his hand through his hair, trying to maintain his calm exterior but you’ve obviously ticked him off. “You bottle everything up! I know that in your head Luna is just your daughter, but I’m sorry she’s not! She’s mine, too. I’ve mentioned getting her one of those things several times, and the only thing you’ve ever said was ‘I don’t think that’s a great idea,’ and then you would switch subjects. I respect you as her mother, but I’m not just going to blindly accept everything you say. How was I supposed to know you felt this way about it if you never told me? I can’t read your mind, __. And, you always do this. God, sometimes I’m happy when you go off on me because at least then I know what you’re thinking.”

The anger dissipated from your body with every sentence he spoke and by the time he finished speaking, your lips began to wobble. Yoongi watched as your eyes slowly filled with tears and the only thing he could think of before they broke loose was how eerily similar to your daughter you looked. The same expression having crossed her face not ten minutes ago. He sighed, pulling you into his chest much in the same manner that he would do her as well. 

You allowed yourself the comfort of his touch for all of thirty seconds before stepping back and wiping at your eyes, ridding them of the few tears that slipped out. You turned around peeking past the wall, making sure your daughter was still occupied. She was. Dolls successfully put away as you told her, while she sat tapping away on the tablet.

Unfortunately there weren’t many other things you could do to stall for time. You had no other option but to turn around and face the truth. “You’re right,” you conceded, ripping the band aid off. You weren’t lying when you said you didn’t want to argue with him, but you were just so passionate about anything concerning your daughter that you let your emotions get the best of you more often than not.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry, and I’m not just trying to win an argument, you know?”

You nodded, bottom lip tucked between your teeth, even though you didn’t know, not really.

“Can we sit?”

You nodded again, taking the seat adjacent to him.

“___, you know I don’t do things to intentionally piss you off, right?”

“Except when you put her in shirts that say ‘Daddy’s Little Girl,’” you pointed out, trying to lighten the mood. You hadn’t had a heart to heart with him in god knows how long. Hadn’t been in this proximity to him in even longer.

He rolled his eyes in return. “Well, yeah. That’s like the one thing. I like the way your eye twitches whenever you notice it.”

You breathed out a laugh. “My eye does not twitch.”

“It does. Your eye twitches, you stare for like two minutes, then give me one of those exasperated sighs. But, that’s not what we’re talking about. I’m being serious.”

“Look,” you exhaled shakily, “I’m sorry for snapping at you and for not communicating effectively. I–“

“I already told you I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. I just– I really hate the way our relationship is now. When Luna was first born, we agreed that we would do this together. Now I feel like I can’t even talk to you anymore. The only reason I even got her the thing was because I felt bad for her.”

“Why?”

“She was, like, inconsolable a couple days ago because she wanted you so bad. Poor thing cried herself to sleep and everything. The next day she was still sad, so I took her to the store, and we picked it out. That was the only thing that got her to stop crying over you.”

“Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve came and gotten her.”

“I didn’t want my time cut short, and I didn’t want you to think that I couldn’t handle her,” he admitted softly. “I want you to trust me with her.”

You furrowed your eyebrows. “Yoongi,” you called with your stern voice and waited until he made eye contact with you. “You’re her father. Of course I trust you with her. If I didn’t, I would’ve taken you to court and you’d be seeing her every other weekend at best. I know I can be overbearing, but it’s only because I’m scared,” you replied, slipping out a confession of your own. 

He reached out, covering your hand with his own. “Scared of what?”

“Everything? I’ve spent the last three years terrified. She’s my whole world. I don’t know what I would do without her. I wish you would’ve called me when she was throwing her tantrum because all I do when she’s away from me is worry and wonder and wait until I can see her again.”

He tutted. “See. This is what I mean. Luna wanted you. You wanted her. I wanted to call you, but I didn’t. Because of what?”

“Because of me.” You felt yourself getting worked up again, tear ducts beginning to well up. “You said it yourself. I bottle everything up. I push people away. I pushed you away, and we were supposed to be in this together. All I want for our daughter is for her to have the best life possible, yet I’m the one ruining it.”

“Hey, now. Cut the crap,” he deadpanned, cutting your spiral session short and scooting closer to you. “You’re not ruining anything. You’re the best mother that–“

“Mama?” you hear a little voice call, followed by small footsteps pitter pattering, and a few seconds later your daughter came rounding around the corner.

You quickly swiped at your eyes. “Yeah, baby?”

She handed her tablet to Yoongi, before turning back to you, lifting her hands up so you could hold her. She gripped your face in her little hands. “You sad?”

“Yeah, mommy’s a little sad,” you answered honestly. You always tried to treat her like a human. You wanted her to know it was okay to show emotions, and that you were human just like everyone else. You weren’t a superhero, just someone who loved her very very much. 

She pressed big, sloppy kisses on each of your cheeks then laid her head down on you, putting you in a position very similar to when you first entered the door, except then you wanted nothing more than to leave and now you found your brain cycling through reasons you should stay. “Feel better now?”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you very much.”

At your confirmation, she wriggled out of your lap and into Yoongi’s reclaiming the device and continuing her game. Your heart melted as you looked at them, really looked at them together for the first time in a while. She really was a good mixture of you both. Your face shape and lips, curl pattern at least a standard deviation looser than your own but flowing wild and free nonetheless, his cute button nose and crescent shaped eyes. She was absolutely adorable, they were adorable together. You sighed heavily, suddenly nostalgic over all the time you missed together. “I’m sorry. It really is all my fault.”

“I told you to cut it out,” he said seriously, eyes focused on whatever your daughter was doing.

“No, really, Yoongi. I wasn’t okay for a long time after she was born.” He grimaced, likely remembering the time period after your daughter was born. Postpartum depression transitioned into general depression and for a while you found yourself just floating through life, unable to find a balance between being a human and being a mother. It was rough. He tried to help you so many times but more often than not he just bore the brunt of your emotional instability. “By the time I finally got some help, there was so much time and space between us. I just… I had to go.”

He squeezed Luna a little tighter. “I wished you didn’t. I hope you know that.”

You bit your lip. “I do. You tried to get me to stay, but my mind was already made up.” You weren’t quite sure if it was the right decision, but you know that you definitely feel more stable now than you did then. Although today had been proving that your road to recovery had not been fully traveled. 

“What about now?”

“What do you mean?”

He locked his eyes on yours. “Is your mind still made up? Because I love you.” Your breath hitched. “I’ve loved you for a really long time, and I think my biggest regret out of everything was not telling you that sooner.”

“Yoongi I-I…” You were at a complete loss for words.

“I know there’s a ton of time and space between us, but I’ll build a bridge and we can walk across it together.”

You wished Luna was in your arms at that moment. She was your excuse, your scapegoat. Whenever you felt uncomfortable or vulnerable you’d just hug her to you and give her all your attention until whatever it was went away. You suppose it’s a good thing she’s not seeing as it was that mentality that got you here in the first place. You had to stand on your own two feet now. Easier said than done. Your mouth opened and closed a few more times, still no words being formed. 

“Baby, go play in your room for a bit,” Yoongi told your daughter, then placed her on the ground, keeping hold of the tablet. She reached for it, but he held it at bay.

“Daddy,” she whined.

“Nuh-uh. I think we’ve had enough playtime on this today. Room. Now.”

He ticked his head to the side and she stomped away, rolling her little eyes, which would be a topic of discussion sooner rather than later. For now though, you focused on trying to process the fact that Yoongi was in love with you.

“C’mere.”

You stood wide-eyed and allowed him to pull you into his lap. You were stock still as he wrapped his arms around your middle and pressed his face into your neck simply breathing you in. “Yoongi…”

“Shhh… Just let me hold you for a little.” And he did. Until you completely relaxed into his embrace. It was a lot. It’d been nearly two years since you were this intimate with him and anybody else for that matter. “You don’t have to say anything. I don’t want to take more than you’re willing to give.”

You sighed. “You’re a good man, Yoongi. A great father. I care about you, but you deserve more than I have to offer.”

“I don’t want any more than that. The only thing I want is a chance. Let me be there for you. Not just because you’re the mother of my daughter but because you’re you, and I love you.” You inhaled sharply at his admission once again. He smiled into your neck. “Will you let me be there for you? Can you do that?”

It was nerve wracking to open your heart up again, but honestly you weren’t sure if you ever took it back from him in the first place; so, you shakily brought your hands up to cover his that were around your waist, interlocking your fingers together. “I can do that.”

[warping-realities]

Dalton Academy - Prideful Son (Final)

"Trip, what kind of deal did you make with the old man? Things are weird here man." - Vincent Carmichael was sitting in the leather armchair of the luxurious apartment that came with the position of Dalton's headmaster. He had just gotten out of the shower and poured himself a generous dose of Scotch. But not even the velvety taste calmed him down because he knew that something very unusual was happening. He had led Dalton for many years and had handled the transition of several boys, many of whom had been powerful sources. None of them, however, had done what Jaime Sanchez had done. He himself had been a source although as always happened after the sealing of the contract little of that previous life had been preserved. Precisely because of this he knew that something was not happening as usual. Nothing in that situation went as expected from the beginning, so Trip Hartfield needed to clarify some things.

"Vince, you need to calm down, what the boy may think he knows is certainly not enough to change his destiny. What happened in that room is between me and my ancestor. Dalton never made a mistake, it won't be now that he starts." - Was the answer coming from the phone speaker.

"He manipulated me Trip, do you have any idea how dangerous it can be for someone who thinks like one of us to not be linked to us but working against us? And there's still the matter of Leonardo Reis, he came here for a contract at the request of Flip Thompson and I had assigned the Bear Club boys to deal with him..."

"I asked Flip to take Reis. He was one of the sources of my group and he agreed to do me this favor."

"What? Why? And why didn't you inform me?"

"Because it's part of the deal I made with the old man. He gave me a list of names of interest. Reis' name was separate from the others, not even Chad knows he was on that list . But he is as important as the others."

"What kind of game is the old man playing, Trip?"

"I don't know Vince, but we need to trust him."

…..

The boy was very good at understanding when something was wrong and that day he had the feeling that something very wrong was about to happen. The winter had been merciless, they had little food and the fight for their territory in that land had been incessant. The warriors are few and the mouths to feed are many. In that situation a seven-year-old blind boy was a burden that few were willing to carry. Of course he didn't understand all of that rationally, but instinctively he knew something was coming. His mother had been tearful all morning and his father, who never paid him much attention had hugged him tightly. Ulf knew they were both heavily criticized for letting him live, but they were in a new land and had lost so many on the journey there that sacrificing the first baby born in that place seemed like a bad omen. And when the boy started to grow it became clear that despite his visual impairment he had something different, a connection with the gods themselves and because of that they let him live. But in that winter morning that connection was the cause of his doom. While he was playing with the puppies that were his main companion the men from the village came and took him away.

The journey took a few minutes and the entire time he felt his father's hand guiding him. At times he seemed to tremble, but Ulf knew that must have been a figment of his imagination. When they finally stopped he heard his father comment.

"So much blood spilled because of this place and now this."

"They are tireless and in much greater numbers than us, Njal, and they know this land like no one else. If we want to survive we will need the help of the gods, otherwise we won't make it to summer."

"I know Gorm and I'm here, aren't I? About to sacrifice what is most precious to me, Thyra hasn't conceived again in all the years since Ulf was born."

"Then ask the father of all that this blessing be granted to you and your wife. But don't try to stop what will happen. He always belonged to the gods and Odin himself came to me in a dream asking for the boy."

"I know, so let's get this over with. Ulf, boy I need you to be brave like a warrior should be. Soon you will meet with the father of the world and I need you to ask him to intercede, to help us give what is necessary to survive on this earth. Until then I need you to lie still." - Said his father, placing him on a hard surface. Where he lay waiting as he was ordered until he felt a searing pain in his chest and felt the life drain away along with the blood coming from the wound.

When the boy thought it was all over he heard a strong and serious voice as one would expect from a king.

"Open your eyes boy."

He opened his eyes and for the first time he actually saw and before him was the father of all, Odin himself smiling at him and he was also blind in one eye. On each of his shoulders was a crow perched.

"Very good Ulf, you behaved like a true warrior. Now your real work begins.

....

The situation at Hartfield Manor could be described as weird if one weren't making a huge understatement. Jaime and Leonardo had woken up and it was up to Mike Jones to deal with it while Chad made desperate phone calls to his father, Carmichael and the other Crows. Sanchez's transformation seemed to confirm that the work was done, but what had happened to Reis put everything in doubt. The fact that they acted as if nothing had happened and had always been that way should put an end to that doubt, but how could they be sure? Until Chad talked to his father and Carmichael they couldn't be sure and Mike knew that as he stared at what should be the final version of Jaime Sanchez, the seal of their contract. And that he spoke to him as if they were friends. He knew that this was how it should be, but then why didn't he feel it?

"... with you and Chad in basketball, Eddie on the mats and if the twins accept to join you will also have two talents in football. I think the Crows have a great chance in the competition between the clubs. And if you accept him, Leo has a great talent in soccer, although his size may not seem like it. In Brazil they called him Hulk, which is also the nickname of a famous player there. I feel useless for not having anything exceptional to contribute. Unless my latino sex appeal counts for something. - Said Jaime smiling.

"Get real Jay. You look like a pimp selling us." - Interrupted Leonardo Reis.

"Well, the Crows value ambition, don't they? And Carmichael himself said we could apply to join."

"The decision of who enters or not is made together Jaime, but the final approval depends on the president." - Still uncomfortable with the situation.

"So I'm going to have to suck up to Chad? Nothing new under the sun for him. By the way, where is he?"

Chad was at that moment sitting on the balcony of the second floor of the family mansion, on a call with his father. The same feeling of uneasy that Mike felt dominated him.

"Dad, with the others it seemed right, we fit in well. Just the way you said it would be. Sanchez however... It's just that he looks and behaves the way he should be, but there's something that bothers me. And there's still the question of Reis.... What do you mean? And why couldn't I have known this before? ... I understand, but it would have saved me a lot of anguish. But what should we do now? .... Yes, maybe when he formally entering the club we will feel as we should. Until then I will do as you say and try to get to know him better and see if we fit in. At the same time I will look for anomalies. I will also talk to Carmichael in person.... Yes, I'll keep you informed. I'm going to hang up now, the other guys are arriving... thank you dad, it's very important for me to know that you're proud of me. - Chad said, finishing the call and observing the four others arrive in Eddie's car. If their integration with the twins was also strange, he would have a problem that he might not know how to solve.

….

They were dead, all of them. His father's children's children had perished and the colony was no more. Over the past few decades Ulf had learned to channel the power of the father of all into those who came to him, boys becoming warriors under their combined power. But what was a source of hope for his people in that land became a source of fear for the natives. The gigantic and brutal warriors born there were feared and hated with such intensity that a union between the different nations was made with the sole objective of eradicating them. Ulf used all the power that he was born with and that he had received through the countless sacrifices made in the name of the father of all through him and it was still insufficient. The losses for the natives were massive, but Ulf's people were completely decimated. They spared only the small children and took them out of his reach.

The God also left, without worshipers he would not survive in that place, but Ulf was trapped there, he was born there, he died there and was reborn there. His destiny was linked to that land and so was he. The father of all left leaving two little crows as company for the companion who had helped him so much. And so Ulf waited, years became decades, decades became centuries and legends about the place spread among the local population. He was already in a state of dormancy when fate smiled at him again. And smiling was what he did.

….

"I propose a little drinking game to see if you have what it takes to take become members. - Eddie said smiling to Leonardo and Jaime.

"So these are the high standards required to join the Crow Club? To be able to drink as much as the old members?" - Jaime replied.

"I wouldn't say just that, but we can discuss some other tests later. Alone." - J.B. replied, eating Jaime with his eyes.

"Be careful Sanchez. Roberts is insatiable.- Commented Jacob Miller. - I have experience and I can confirm."

"If I were you, I wouldn't doubt my boy Jay's capabilities." - Leonardo replied smiling.

"Okay, another thing. We have three Jays around here and this isn't going to work, we need to get organized." - Commented J.B. - I'm J.B. and I was the first to arrive so I'm not going to change."

"I'd really like to know why you have that nickname, Roberts." - Said Leonardo.

"It's a diminutive of Johnny Boy, Eddie started calling him that and we ended up adopting it." - Chad replied next to Mike.

"Well, then if that's a nickname of a nickname maybe he should change it." - Leo replied.

"Fortunately I arrived earlier and have primacy, while Jaime here hasn't even joined the club yet." - J.B. responded with a smirk.

"Hey, I didn't even say anything. Stop picking on J.B. Leo." - Jaime intervened.

"You can call me Jake and that's fine." - Said Jake Miller

"Leonardo is easy, we just call him Leo. Which brings us back to you Jaime. We can't have someone without a nickname between brothers." - J.B. continued, being interrupted again by Leo.

"I didn't say you could call me Leo."

"Dude, stop teasing, that's already your fucking nickname, come on!" Jaime intervened again before addressing J.B. - So, any suggestions?"

"Jaime Sanches... J.S. no, it doesn't sound..."

"That's not his full name. - Chad commented while sipping his bourbon, the arrogant expression back on his face. - Our dear colleague is Jaime Caetano Sanchez."

"So we're talking about a J.C. - said Greg, sitting side by side with Jake"

"Better than J.S. but there's still something missing." - replied J.B.

"J.C. um... how about Jace?" Jake said thoughtfully. "I can already imagine the repercussion of the posts. Jace and Jake. The contrast between the skin tones will draw a lot of attention. Apart from the fact that we're both hot." "

"If that's what you're looking for, Jake, maybe Mike would be a better option. But hey, Jace is a good nickname." - J.B. replied.

"Ah, don't worry, he won't escape, in fact none of you will. You are all an excellent source of followers." - Jake said smiling and making all the Crows look in Jaime's direction at the mention of the word source. But he didn't show any reaction to that.

"Well, if you want me to be Jace, so be it. So how is this game going to work?"

"That's easy, we ask, you answer, everyone drinks." - Eddie replied.

"What's the point of that if everyone's going to drink?" - Leo asked.

"Exactly." - Eddie replied, smiling and filling several glasses of tequila.

….

Ulf watched the two native boys approach his territory. The clearing had shrunk a lot over the years, nothing was left of the old village except some broken utensils long forgotten. It was precisely the boys messing with the rusty trinkets that had once belonged to Ulf's people that woke him up. He approached the edge of his territory and waited for the boys to approach.

"Kitchi, we shouldn't go further, it's dangerous. The elders..."

"I had no idea you were a coward Keme."

"I'm not a coward! Take it back brother!"

"I'll take it back if you accompany me to the clearing and prove me wrong."

"Fine, but if the elders find out we did this..."

"They'll only know if you talk. Let's go"

Ulf followed the interaction between the brothers with interest. They didn't speak his language but that wouldn't be a problem. He waited until the boys were in the middle of his clearing before appearing.

"Hello, I'm Ulf" - He said smiling and scaring the two boys who immediately got into a fighting position.

"Get away from us evil spirit." - Said the one called Keme. While his brother Kitchi relaxed.

"Brother is just a little boy, one of the invaders."

"He's too far from the cities to be one of them."

Invaders? And cities? Had his people returned? If that were the case, the God could have returned with them and Ulf would no longer be alone.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I've been alone for a long time. I just want to talk. Tell me about these invaders."

"Get away. We shouldn't have come here. Let's go Kitchi. - Keme said pulling his brother. Ulf could have stopped them, in that place his power was absolute although it was a pale shadow of what it once was. But he noticed something about that one called Kitchi, there was the same kind of power in him that Ulf himself had possessed before the God. And the boy had felt that connection between them. So Ulf let them go knowing that the one he was interested in would return.

There was no need to wait long. Within a few days, barely a blink of an eye for Ulf, the boy was back.

"What are you?" - He asked from the edge of the clearing.

"Come here and I'll tell you."

"I'm not stupid if I go in there you'll kill me or worse."

"If so, why didn't I do it when I had the chance?"

"I don't know, but I don't trust what you say."

"It's okay to stay where you are, I won't force you to come in. One day you'll choose to come in on your own."

"I will never do that, spirit"

"We'll see" - Ulf replied smiling as if he were the most innocent being in the world.

….

"Sexual orientation?" - J.B. asked, holding the glass of tequila in his hand.

"Straight." - Leo replied.

"Boring as expected, Reis." - Replied J.B.

"Open to experimentation." - Jaime replied with a smile.

"That's what I'm talking about! Drink!" - shouted J.B. happily before chugging the entire shot in his mouth, followed by the rest of the boys. The question game combined with alcohol had helped them all to integrate, there were still fights here and there, but that was expected given the fact that they were not clones of each other and each should have their own personality. Almost all of the Crows seemed to have accepted that Jaime, or rather Jace, was fully integrated and that Leo had come to them as a bonus. But both Mike and Chad, who were in fact the most similar among them, still didn't completely accept that as true.

"Favorite sexual position?" - Greg asked. But before the colleagues could respond, Chad interrupted them.

"Put your glasses away and try to keep a slightly convincing face, gentlemen, we have visitors. Carmichael is coming here."

"Why would the headmaster come to your private home Chad?" - Leonardo asked.

"Because you idiots made such a fuss that the neighbors complained to him."

"You speak as if you haven't done the same."

"I beg your pardon. Chad Hartfield would never do something unworthy like a fuss. - Jaime said in a mocking tone. Making everyone, even Mike, burst out laughing.

"I'm serious, glasses in the kitchen now. - Chad scolded, but without being able to completely hide a smile as he watched with satisfaction that bunch of gigantic grown men carry out his orders, with a feeling that it was too good to be true. And that was precisely the problem, that uneasy feeling didn't go away.

"Either he really is one of us or he is a great manipulator which in a way makes him one of us." Mike commented next to him.

"I asked Carmichael to observe him. He is the alive person with the most experience on the subject. But I agree with you, I saw my father with his group my whole life. Or at least I have memories of it. - Chad corrected himself before saying continue - And the truth is that when they are together it's like watching a machine in action, the gears fitting together perfectly. It seems like one knows what the other is going to say or do before the other has even finished thinking about it. That's the kind of thing I expected here. The morning was amazing and I liked them both, we needed someone to slow down J.B. when necessary and Leo does that perfectly and as for Jaime, I mean Jace, he's the most similar to you and me out of everyone, It's like he's a third part that we're missing, Mike, and we don't even know it. I really want to believe him. But there's still something forced, don't you feel that too? I can't even call him by his nickname without feeling my tongue curl as if I wasn't saying something true.

"I know man, I have the same feeling, I want it to be true I feel like it should be true but at the same time it's not... let's wait for Carmichael and see if he sheds any light."

While the two were having that conversation, two others were talking in the backyard of the house in whispers so that they would not be heard by anyone inside.

"You think they suspect something, man?"

"Despite all the bro talk they are tremendously intelligent Leo, I believe we did a good job and that they should at least be willing to believe in us. And that will have to be enough."

"What a mess you've gotten me into, Sanchez."

"I didn't mean to, Leo. But I won't lie and say I'm not grateful to have an ally."

"So what do we do now?"

"We'll wait until we get back to Dalton. You'll have to find a way to get rid of his bones. I'm sure they're behind that red door in their headquarters."

"And you?"

"I'll take the hardest part. Find a way to get us there."

….

Kitchi was waiting for him at the edge of the clearing, always avoiding putting himself within range of Ulf's power. But it had been a long time since the boy who wasn't a boy decided he wouldn't do anything to the boy. Because he had learned to like the other boy. He was brave and fierce in the way Ulf had been taught by his people and his God to admire. And through him Ulf discovered what was happening in the world outside his clearing. That was how he discovered that the invaders Kitchi had spoken of the day they met were not Ulf's people or if they were they were very changed, they did not have the same gods or the same customs and did not seek the glory of death in battle. Strange as it was, Ulf had learned to respect and like a member of the people who had decimated his own people and made the God leave. Also he hated to think that these new invaders with their strange customs could be what his people across the sea had become.

"What news do you bring from the world beyond brave warrior?" - He asked smiling. But without getting a smile in response.

"I came to say goodbye Ulf. My people go to war against the invaders. They never found out that I came here. I broke traditions for too long and even though I see that they are mistaken about you now I am a man and I don't I can act like a boy anymore. Goodbye, spirit."

"Kitchi wait..." - But the boy didn't listen to him and left while Ulf resigned himself to returning to the helpless existence he had known over the past few centuries as he had known would happen someday, but had hoped it would not be so soon. Kitchi's few occasional visits had been a relief from the centuries of solitude. So much so that when he felt the boy approach his domain after just a few days he felt a sense of relief that in his entire long existence he had not known he would be capable of feeling.

"I thought you wouldn't see me again, great warrior." - He spoke in a mocking tone towards the approaching figure. Only to have another surprise. Kitchi crawled towards him, injured in so many places that he didn't know how the boy had survived. - Boy, come to me, let's go. You can do it, just a little longer. - He said encouraging the boy, who little by little crawled towards him, only to fall to the ground a short distance from his territory. And when everything seemed lost, contact was made when the boy managed to enter into the clearing. And Ulf set to work, using what little power he hadto heal the boy until he could speak again.

"They're dead Ulf, all of them, my father, my brother... there's nothing left, there's no one left."

Ulf felt it as if he were experiencing the death of his own people again. Which was curious since it was the people of Kitchi who had caused that to them, not that the boy had any responsibility for what happened.

"I want…. I need..."

"What?" - Ulf asked, knowing exactly what the request would be.

"Give me. Your blessing. The one you gave to the warriors of your people."

"What good would it do you now, if your people no longer exist?"

"It's good for me to take as many of them as I can, it's good for me to be reunited with my people knowing I did what I could to bring them justice."

"I can do what you ask of me but the source will be you, and you will be different, more like the men of my people than yours. You will become what your ancestors gave their lives for detain. It may be that when your time comes you will not have a place among them."

"I don't care. The men who killed my ancestors are dead, the men who decimated my family are still breathing and I want to be the one to take their last breath."

"I can't deny you that, it's my mission, the reason for my existence. But I'm going to miss who you are."

"Just do it, spirit!"

And Ulf did. Between the screams of pain and despair he felt the boy he knew change before him. Ferocity exacerbated to the limit of cruelty, cleverness becoming malice, a mind modified with a sole purpose of revenge and decimation and a perfect body for that. Gigantic arms ending in hands powerful enough to crush skulls. A massive torso capable of withstanding the most powerful blows and legs strong enough to carry all of that.

It was done and Ulf for the first time since he had been given that fate was unhappy about doing the work assigned to him. The monster in the form of a man that he had created turned his back on him without even saying a word and he did nothing to stop him even though he knew the fate that awaited him, just as he knew his own fate. He was destined to fade into oblivion or continue to create monsters like that. For the first time in all those centuries, oblivion seemed to be the best option.

…

"I can't answer you. Both he and Reis seem quite integrated to me, but the whole situation is atypical. The contract that your father made... well, what's done is done. Who knows, maybe things will work out after the initiation ceremony, with the old members here in Dalton." - Carmichael said to Chad in front of the entrance porch of Hartfield Manor.

"I thought the ceremony was just symbolic, that the act of acceptance and the transformation itself were what validated the contract."

"Usually yes, but as I told you, everything about this particular contract is unusual. You ended up with one more member than expected. Two in fact, if you count the fact that Gregory Miller was a side effect. Extremely unusual . I don't even know how to explain what happened to Reis. And unless Dalton himself does it..."

"So what should I do?"

"Keep an eye on him, on both of them. Maybe they'll reveal themselves if they're pretending or maybe Dalton himself has some more surprises in store for us. Now let's all go back to school and wait." - Director Carmichael concluded as he headed to his car, leaving behind a thoughtful Chad.

...

"Knock, Knock" - J.B. said in a jovial and cheerful voice at the door of Jaime's bedroom.

Jaime himself, upon hearing that, smiled. He had managed to get rid of Greg so he could have the place to himself and his target. Practically naked with his muscular, tanned body on display and a bright smile on his face, he opened the door.

"Jace, you pervert trying to seduce me?" said J.B., admiring him with hungry eyes.

"Please, as if you need convincing to do anything." - Jaime replied with a smile, slowly approaching his colleague's face, until their lips were about to touch.

"Sanchez you are playing with fire."

"I'm not afraid of getting burned." - He replied, grabbing J.B. while giving him an intense kiss and dragging him to the bed.

"Jace you rascal, hiding the game all the time." - J.B. said breathlessly as Jaime took off his shirt.

"And I thought I had left obvious signs in response to your advances." -Jaime replied as he kissed J.B.'s neck and powerful chest.

"We're going to need to talk about what you consider to be obvious."

"I don't think so, I won't be able to answer anything for now." - Jaime said, approaching his colleague's now fully erect member and engulfing it with his mouth.

....

Leonardo was pissed about the whole situation. He had tried to adapt to that place, he had chosen to ignore his more aggressive instincts towards that country, controlling his bad temper and for what? To become a pawn in a damned game of manipulation controlled by the spirit of an old megalomaniac capitalist.

He almost pissed his pants off in that vision. The damned crows seemed to have flown towards his face and after what he saw happen to Dalton's eye he threw himself to the ground like a scared boy.

"Get up Leo, we have little time and I don't know what I'll be like when I wake up, I'll need you to be my anchor and I don't even know how to do that right." - Jaime said while extending his hand to him.

"I don't want any part of this." - He responded without extending his hand back.

"I didn't want to either, but unfortunately we're stuck with this. All of us. Help me find a way to end this once and for all." - And Leo extended his hand.

When he woke up he was completely changed physically and he felt that something had changed in his mind too. But he still knew who he was and what he would have to do.

However, he was amazed at how far Jaime was willing to go to get what he wanted. And now in Dalton's basement, as he looked for a way to get rid of the old man's damned bones, he wondered if his colleague hadn't already gone too far on the path to becoming one of them. That train of thought was interrupted when he found what he was looking for.

"Perfect" - He said, looking at the gallon of kerosene with shining eyes. Without realizing that perhaps he already had walked a few steps along that same path.

....

"Turn your back." - Jaime said to J.B. with a commanding tone after giving him one of the best blow jobs he had ever received. Which made him obey immediately. - So, Johny Boy, I was thinking. What do I need to do for me to be formally accepted into your Club? Greg and Jake were accepted immediately while I'm still pending- Asked as he positioned himself on top of the other.

"I don't know, I thought Chad was going to announce it at Hartfield Manor..."

"I thought I was important.-Jaime said, now holding J.B.'s hair tightly.-That I was special.-He continued with a kiss on his colleague's neck.-Even irreplaceable." - He concludes by placing his swollen cock close to J.B.'s ass but without making any effort to continue.

"Jace...I don't know...ungh."

"Don't you know or don't want to tell me?"

"I don't know if I knew...."

"I believe in you. - Jaime replied, gently penetrating his classmate ass. - But there is something you know and can tell me." -He continued while increase his pace.

"Ungh...no...don't stop. What? What do you want to know?" - J.B. asked amidst waves of pleasure. Causing Jaime to increase his pace even more and open a wide smile.

…

For 150 years Ulf remained silent, ruminating on his own existence, determined to ward off any man who approached him. He knew he couldn't deny it if someone entered his territory and asked for his blessing and even though the probability of that happening was very small after what happened to Kitchi, he took precautions. The forest area around his clearing became surrounded by wild and cruel creatures. And quickly the legends about the cursed place spread among the few remaining natives and also among the invaders. But that introspective calm didn't last as long as last time. One spring morning many men approached his territory and set to work. Just like Ulf himself. Quickly the entire region was filled with wild animals. Crows attacked men while they were working. Wolves howled at night, scaring the pack animals and making them flee, bears invaded the camp and destroyed the food. And yet they continued to work.

An iron will drove that men, an unstoppable force of the kind that Ulf would have admired if it hadn't been bringing those men closer every day to his territory and to the possibility of him being forced to resume the role he wanted to avoid at all costs. And despite everything he did that day came. He watched the men approach his clearing, some armed to the ground shooting at the animals he sent, others cutting down the little brush that still separated his clearing from the new road they had opened and then... Ulf felt his territory. suddenly increase, regaining almost all of its original size. The place where his village had been now housed the beginning of a large construction and beyond that there was already a small village in formation.

He did not introduce himself to those men, resisting with all his might the impulse to do so. He held out until night and then brought hell upon them.

The next day the men left, leaving behind them the unfinished construction, dead animals and some of them buried. Ulf watched this with relief, believing that he could once again return to his state of contemplation.

For weeks it seemed to him that it would be so. Then one night the man arrived.

….

"What the hell are you carrying around there?"

"The solution you asked me for."

"Man, we could burn down the whole school if we use this."

"I don't plan on using it here, dumbass. We go in, take the damn bones, put them in these backpacks I brought and take them to the middle of the woods where we can set them on fire."

"A forest fire isn't much better than a school fire."

"I haven't seen you do anything useful so far."

"Then see." - Jaime replied. He approached the digital panel next to the large door of the Crows headquarters and entered the password as he spoke it out loud.

"0 - one - nineteen - eighteen - 0 - nine. Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, it was kind of obvious if you stopped to think about it. It would only be more obvious if it were Dalton Hartfield's birthday."

"If it was that obvious you wouldn't have needed to suck Roberts' dick."

"Shut up, asshole. We're inside, now we just have to go to the damn red door and..." - Jaime began to say, interrupting himself when looking at a solid wall without a single door.

" Puta merda" - Said Leo when faced with that.

"I don't understand, everything pointed here." - Jaime said, running his hand over the exquisite wallpaper in the hope of feeling a hidden door behind it.

"We're fucked man. Why did you have to drag me into this shit?"

"I didn't ask for this either man. I just wanted this shit to end."

"Good, we can still finish." - Reis replied, lifting the gallon of kerosene.

"Are you crazy, dude? This could turn into a huge mess."

"You said yourself that you want to end it all."

"But not like this. Let it go, no one is going to burn this school down." - Jaime said, making Leo release the gallon.

"Certainly not. - Chad said standing at the door - You almost fooled me Jaime. But your mistake was believing that just because he's a slut J.B. would be stupid. He's a Crow and a Crow is always smart. Which proves you're still not one of us. I knew there was something wrong with you two.”

"Fuck you, you psychopath" - Was Leo's response. While Jaime pondered what to do.Then cursing himself for choosing that path he made a decision.

"You're right. I'm sorry for using him like that although he certainly liked it. But the truth is that Reis came to me thinking I could help him and at the same time I felt like you still didn't trust me Chad. So I came up with a plan to find out what Reis intended to do and at the same time gain your trust."

"You fucking piece of shit. What do you think you're doing? I trusted you!" - Leonardo shouted, lifting the gallon again.

"I already told you to turn that shit down!" - Jaime shouted back and again his colleague obeyed him. Something Chad can't help but notice.

"If what you say is true Jaime, why don't you prove it!"

"Call me Jace, man - Jaime said in an attempt to convey confidence - and what do you want me to do? How am I going to convince you?"

"Nothing you say will make me trust you... Jaime. - Chad replied, highlighting the name. - But you can prove it by making our dear colleague one of us."

"I... I don't know how..." - Jaime began to respond.

"Fuck you, Chad. I'm going to get out of here..." - Leonardo interrupted.

"Tell him to be quiet" - Chad said.

"Leo, shut up and stay still." - Jaime said and to his surprise and that of Leonardo himself, he remained motionless and quiet in the middle of the room."

"As I suspected. Looks like you'll get the chance to prove yourself after all...Jace." - Chad said with a bright smile. And while mentally apologizing, promising to fix it when he could, Jaime turned towards Leonardo and instinctively began to do the work assigned to him."

….

Ulf watched as the man approached and sat on a rock right in the middle of his center of power. The man reminded him of the God. He was old in appearance although he was infinitely younger. But the aura of power and the absolute certainty of deserving that power were the same. Very different from what Ulf himself felt, forever trapped in that contradictory state between a child and a centenarian being. He was already ready to try to scare away that figure when the man spoke.

"I know you're there, I feel you there. I came to talk and come to an understanding." - And then Ulf realized that the man just like Kitchi and Ulf himself had the power within him. The man's light was weak, blurry and Ulf realized he wouldn't have much time on this plane. But also that that light should have been as bright as Ulf's own had once been. That made him consider listening to what the man had to say. But what made him lower his guard was the fact that one of his crows flew and landed next to the man and he didn't even flinch.

"Hello. I'm Ulf" - he said, becoming visible to the man.

"Hello, Ulf. I'm Dalton. I think we have a lot to talk about." - Dalton Hartfield replied to the boy who wasn't a boy. For several hours they talked. At dawn both had a new understanding of various things and an agreement was made. And for the first time in decades Ulf was happy with his purpose.

….

"What's the purpose of all this hate, Leo? All this poorly disguised anger. Because no matter how much you try to hide it, they're there. What did we do that was so bad to you?" - Jaime asked his colleague, now sitting and staring at him with vacant, distant eyes. - You can talk."

"Where to start? Maybe it's because I'm trapped in a place full of psychopathic troglodytes guided by an evil spirit who intends to turn me into one of them? Or maybe because someone I thought I could trust turned out to be exactly like them? "

"He has a good point. - Jaime said to Chad, still trying to make the other trust him. - But it's not just that, you hate America. You hate our country but you're still here enjoying our blessings." - Jaime continued, not believing he was saying something like that.

"I had no choice in being here and I don't hate America. The entire continent is..."

"Cut that leftist bullshit. You're in America now, in real America. Where the real football is played, the real land of opportunity and you know what else I think you know it and resent it, don't you? That's where all this anger comes from." - Jaime continued, at the same time hating and feeling a perverse pleasure in those words.

"No... no... it's not true. I love my country."

"No one said otherwise, Leo. After all, you are a typical Brazilian. A happy, funny guy, concerned with enjoying life and a bit of a rogue when needed."

"These are stereotypes man... the worst... about Brazil"

"Liking soccer is also a stereotype and you like it."

"It's different, not every Brazilian likes football. And it's not just because it's a stereotype that I need to stop liking it."

"Exactly! Just because it's a stereotype doesn't mean it isn't true, does it, Leo? Which makes what I said about you true."

"No... I... I'm not a playful kind of guy... I'm not a clown... I have goals."

"Of course you do, you're in Dalton and to be in Dalton you have to be ambitious. You can't wait to get your hands on your grandfather's fortune."

"I never... needed it."

"Which doesn't mean you don't want to. Imagine everything you'll be able to do with all that money, make the most of the countries you love so much, the one in which you were born and the one that welcomed you and that you chose for yourself ."

"I... no...."

"Let the anger go and call it only against your enemies, America is your second home, the home you chose and we are your brothers, the ones you chose when you agreed to come to Dalton and we chose you, you are not a clown, you are our priest, you are the one who makes us smile when we need it and you are the one who controls J.B. because he is the only one who can make you impatient even though he wants to enjoy life as much as you do, and because all of this your place is among us so accept it." - Jaime concluded, almost believing his own words at the same time that Leonardo tried to avoid getting carried away by them, with his hands covering his face. And Chad looked at them both in amazement. The seconds seemed to drag by until Leo uncovered his face. And there was a combination of joy, malice and arrogance in him. There was no doubt. He was one of Dalton's Crows.

That realization opened a hole in Jaime's chest. He had done that, he had plotted and deceived and manipulated and finally done that. He could justify all he wanted, he could say he dit it just to gain Chad's trust and thus be able to figure out how to reverse it all. ...but it still didn't change the fact that he had done it. And Chad seemed to think the same way.

"I was wrong, you are one of us. Only one of us could do this. Welcome brothers." - He said smiling with what seemed like genuine joy combined with a great deal of relief. Jaime had thought about denying it, about throwing everything away, about punching that face until that bright smile was erased. - "Thanks, bro" - He heard Leo say next to him with a voice that was both arrogant and happy at the same time that made the feeling of nausea he felt increase. He turned around thinking about what he was going to do... but before he could decide what it was he found himself staring at the same wall where he had unsuccessfully tried to locate a hidden door minutes before, a red door that had appeared to him in dreams, that had tormented him for days without revealing what was behind it, a red door that didn't exist but was still there right in front of him. He stepped towards hearing Chad and Leo calling for him but ignoring them. With his hand shaking with anxiety he turned the handle, opened the door and physically walked through it for the first time.

….

The door that existed only when Ulf allowed it opened and the one he expected to see entered. He assumed the form the man expected to see and addressed him.

"Chadwick Wentworth Hartfield the third, what brings you here?" - He asked, knowing exactly what brought the descendant of his old friend there. The old friend whose image he used at that moment in a replica of the room he had planned and never got to occupy in the Academy that bore his name.

"Hello, sir. I... I come with an offer to make to you.

"Proceed."

"There's a kid in California, Jaime Sanchez, one of my scouts found him and..."

"I'm aware of the kid, Trip, your scouts are my scouts after all."

"Sir, I didn't mean to..."

"Calm down, you gave them the necessary resources to reach the boy. And I recognize that. So answer my question, what brings you here?"

"It's my son, he is... a disappointment, sir. Unworthy of your legacy. I failed... I failed the Academy, I failed you, and I failed him."

"I understand. But you still haven't answered my question, what brings you here?"

"I need you to do your thing with him."

"I see, that's all? Sanchez is extremely promising and you found him for me."

"Well, if you can ensure that the Hartfield legacy continues without major obstacles, it is your legacy as well and the one that helps ensure Dalton's survival."

"So you want a contract? Is that it?"

"If possible."

"Yes, it is possible. Both requests are. But it will not be easy. The blessing in its pure form, without the help of a source is a different experience from what you are used to seeing. But it will be necessary, your son should be the one who will guide the contract and in his current form he is totally inadequate. After that the steps must be followed specifically. I will give you a list of names of boys who should be brought to Dalton, boys who in the future will be a source of problems for the Hartfields and other people of interest to the perpetuation of the academy. Your son must be informed of what to do with all of them with the exception of one. He must not know that the last one came with the same objective as the others, find someone to be the sponsor in your place, not even Carmichael must know that he is a party to the contract until we are close to completion. When they and the source are under the roof of the academy things will have only one direction to go. Now Seek your son and prepare yourself, you You won't be pleased with what you see."

"Yes sir." - Chadwick Hartfield III responded respectfully, leaving and closing the door behind him.

Ulf waited in anticipation. It had been a long time since he had used his original method of working, after Kitch and before Dalton the prospect of doing so would have saddened him. But in just over a century and a half he had learned much more than in the entire previous millennium. And knowing that made him smile when he saw the door open.

...

The door opened and Jaime entered.

"You have got to be kidding." - He said when he saw where he was. For he was in the old familiar office of the Dalton headmaster.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist." - Someone said but he wasn't who he expected. - I'm Ulf and I think I owe you an explanation. - Said a blond boy smiling.

"I don't understand..." Replied Jaime.

"Let me help you." - Said the boy. And suddenly Jaime found himself standing in a snow-covered village where a blind blond boy was playing with puppies.

…

"I must say that you are the first since Dalton himself to know my whole story Jaime. Pitty."

"Why?" - Jaime asked.

"Why don't we clarify your doubts? I imagine you have many." - Ulf replied with a smile that Jaime had already seen mirrored on many of those who frequented Dalton.

"So this whole time it was you? The dreams, the visions? My grandmother... I thought... And the bones?

"Oh, where do I start?" Your grandmother. An unforeseen event, something rare in my plans. And what a formidable woman she is! It is very difficult to make the journey back to this plane. And she did it quite easily twice. But she couldn't be a match for me, not here in my territory. I had a conversation with her and she agreed to leave when she understood that there was nothing she could do against me. But she was not as upset as one might think because she understood that I like her want the best for you." - Said the boy with a friendly smile.

“Is she allright?”

Yes Jaime, there’s nothing she could offer me that you couldn't either. I released her. Which brings us to the visions. Each source manifests his power in a different way, since Trip Hartfield's scouts found you I have longed for know what yours would be. Many of my current skills came from the different sources that attended Dalton. The choice of your club mates came through the ability to look into the future that I inherited from one of those sources. But I will talk about that later. When It was clear that you were a dream walker I used that to guide you in the direction I wanted and I admit I had a lot of fun in the process. The physical limits to which I am restricted do not allow me to know the world with my own eyes. But Dalton gave me ways to interact with different people from different cultures and expanded my horizons. Plus I'm proud of our library, the books took me to places I could never physically go. I like spending my time there among them. And we had some interesting conversations there."

"I…did we?"

"I'm very proud of my impersonation of a grumpy old lady."

"The librarian? Mrs O'Malley? Was that you???

"One of my multiple personifications within these walls. I like interacting with the boys under my tutelage. But as I told you Mrs.O'Malley it's the personification that I'm most proud of and that allows me to spend my time with the books. I'm particularly interested in Mr. King's work. I don't know how he managed to escape Dalton when he lived so close to me. But it takes one to recognize the other. And his work on The Shining made me to think that he was always aware to some degree of what we were doing here. It's a shame indeed that he managed to escape me. I wonder what I could have done to someone like him. But in a way I'm not sad, I don't know if there would have been much left of his light or shining as he called it, if he had come to me and me. Then I wouldn't have his wonderfull works to help me kill time. And he was useful for my plans, he helped me put you on the path of The Crows Club.” - Ulf said, pausing and looking at Jaime, waiting for any doubts. When the boy didn't speak, he resumed his long monologue.

“Which brings us to your third question. The bones. Dalton was a genius and a true warrior of his time. He showed me that there was another ways to perform my role. That times were different and that I could create another type of warrior. A new kind of warrior for a new time and since then I have been adapting to the times and looking for new ways to expand my influence and share my blessing. And it was Dalton Hartfield who made me realize that what I do is indeed a blessing. And also who gave me the means to ensure that it reaches every corner of this country. His bones were crushed until they turned into powder and were mixed into the very mortar that built the walls of this institution. Which is the Destiny that part of the bones of every Academy student shared after the end of their passage through this plane. The other part of the bones of these former students is buried in their respective home states. I can't leave my territory, Jaime, as you yourself testified. But everyone who steps on it is subject to my influence and those who receive my blessing receive a part of me. A part that remains in the soul, but also in the body, in the bones. And it is these bones with my essence, buried in every corner of this country that guarantee my influence no matter the distance from my center of power. Every time one of our recruiters goes to visit a prospect, he takes with him a piece of Dalton on his body, a ring, a pendant. Made from the bones of deceased former students, some of these objects are so old that they were made from the bones of Dalton himself. Bone magic Jaime. Something that my own people did and that a source from Scandinavia brought to me about a century ago. And so I answered your questions. But let me get ahead of you. You're curious as to why I chose each of the others.”

Jaime was actually more concerned about reversing that situation. He had done things that he never thought he would be able to do with that single goal and now he saw no alternative to completing it. Then he let the apparition continue with his speech. - "Of course"- He replied thinking that at least he would buy some time to try to escape that trap he had found himself in.

"Liar - the boy replied without letting his smile waver - But I'm indulging myself so you'll have to put up with it. Michael Jones would become a public prosecutor who, together with the workers' union leader Jacob Miller would launch an investigation into one of the main arms of the Hartfield conglomerate after the death of Miller's twin brother in one of the Hartfield's slaughterhouses . A completely accidental death due to the drunken state of Gregory Miller, a notorious drunk stuck in his glory days as a college football player who had a career interrupted by an injury. The Hartfield Company would win the case but at the expense of a lot of money. Money that would already be compromised because Edward Chang,whom after inheriting his father's restaurant empire would transform them into a vegan chain, thus cutting one of Hartfiled Company's main contracts. To make matters worse the ore export contract for the steel industry another of the Hartfields' main sources of income would be suspended when Leonardo Reis, a staunch Brazilian nationalist, took control of his grandfather's mining company and decided to strengthen the Brazilian national industry. Crowning the disaster, Senator Jonathan Roberts managed to approve a new law increasing taxes on large fortunes. All of this being published in the country's biggest newspapers, including a particularly incisive article written by the famous political journalist Jaime Sanchez. The Hartfields are one of Dalton's biggest sources of funding, this could never happen and thanks to the good work done by both of us, Jaime it won't. Thanks."

"I didn't help you, not willingly!"

"Jaime, you chose to leave the twins under the influence of the Crows. You seduced Roberts to gain access to the club headquarters. You used, abandoned and remade Reis in Dalton's image just to achieve your goal without knowing that in doing so you achieved mine. You are mine Jaime Sanchez. And you gave me the chance to have my men in the place where the greatest dynasties in the world were born and died with secrets that could be useful to me, in the place that houses the largest unexplored area in the world, I found myself excited just thinking about what the Amazon has to offer me. You gave me an unexplored past through Chang and Reis, and promising future through the Millers. With them you gave me the opportunity to extend Dalton's ideas to millions through the screen of a cell phone. "

"I... I didn't mean..."

"Of course you wanted Jaime. You are a Crow. You accepted being the moment you sought out others of your own free will and thus sealed the contract, what came after were only the consequences.Everything happened as planned as always happens. As the board predicts. The board never makes mistakes Jaime, because I am the board. Our time It's ending. The last part of my blessing will fall on you. And as I said, it's a pitty. To be fully integrated with your brothers, you'll forget. Forget what you saw here. Forget me. You'll just know that Dalton changed you and that you are grateful for that. If it serves as compensation, know that your work is not finished yet. The old sources become my main scouts, using what is left of their light to locate other potential sources and continue with the good work. And This ends our conversation Jaime." - The boy concluded and Jaime realized that it was indeed true, that he had no escape.

"Before I go I would like to ask one more question."

"I think you've earned that right."

"Why do you do this? Those men killed you and forced you to act like this, why continue?"

"Eternity is too heavy a burden to bear without a role, boy. For a while I hated what I did as you saw for yourself. But then Dalton gave me the chance to do what I was created to do in a way that I didn't hate it. And at the same time gave me the opportunity to grow in a way that was denied to me by my own people. Although they taught me something that continues to be real to this day. This world needs warriors, leaders, the alphas of the pack. And I provide these leaders without prejudice of race, origin or sexuality. And that is why I will continue." - Understanding that the final moment had arrived, Jaime asked one last question.

"I never had a chance, did I?"

"Jaime, this is your chance. Goodbye, You have my blessing. - Jaime closed his eyes one last time. - It's time for Jace to wake up."

….

It was graduation day. Chad had been the valedictorian, praising the way of life and legacy of Dalton, drawing applause from everyone, even though they knew he was preaching to the converted. After tha he had called Senator Roberts to speak. J.B.'s father had become much more receptive to Dalton's culture after a visit there a few months earlier, even more so after Eddie and Chad's parents talked to him about his chances of running for president.

After the ceremony, a big dance was organized in the school's main hall, welcoming the families of all the graduates. The Miller twins were a sensation among the girls, being stopped all the time to take selfies or record a video. Their Tik Tok had boomed and they had already been invited to participate in talk shows and even a Netflix series. The other Crows had also shared that fame to some degree. Videos featuring the three Jays were particularly popular. The twins father to the surprise of the closed-minded community where they had been raised supported them unconditionally after a conversation held at the Academy and a good portion of land annexed to the family property.

Jace was very interested in visiting the place in the company of Caroline, the twins' younger sister, and he was not the only one to strengthen relations between the families. Melissa, his own sister, was talking to Leo and something more serious had already been established between Mike and Amelia, Chad's sister, who in turn was already engaged to the English socialite Charlotte Humphries sister of Louise, Eddie's current girlfriend, whose sister Lilly, in turn, was involved in a serious but secretly very open relationship with J.B. Only the twins were single for marketing reasons as they should be available to satisfy the desires of fans of both sexes. Which didn't mean they were inactive, because at that moment the two were leaving the room accompanied by three girls and a boy, probably for a quick orgy.

Jace suppressed his smile as he glanced across the dance floor where Mike and Chad were dancing with their respective partners, moving on to the table where Eddie and J.B. were secretly exchanging caresses while their ladies did exactly the same, and turned his eyes to where Leo, in turn, courted his sister in an undisguised way. He would have a conversation with his friend about that. Nothing would give him more pleasure than being Leo's brother-in-law with his millions of dollars, but if he somehow hurt his sister the other Crow would see an entirely different side of Jace. Finally his eyes fell on Caroline Miller and he prepared to do exactly what Leo did with his sister. He was interrupted, however, by an unknown man, clearly a Dalton alumni.

"Jaime Sanchez I have longed to meet you. I am Philip Thompson."

"Ah, of course. From the same class as Trip Hartfield. You can call me Jace Mr. Thompson, it's my nickname between brothers."

"So call me Flip, Jace. My partner Brent Woodward have wanted to talk to you for some time, but due to the nature of our work we haven't been able to attend the official meetings."

"You're scouts, aren't you? Chad mentioned that you two were the sources for his father's group."

"Yes, we were. We were much less powerful than you were. I can't tell you how much because..."

"Because you don't remember. I understand the feeling. I confess that I don't know exactly how a scout job works.

"That's why we'd like to talk to you. I know Vince Carmichael expects you to replace him one day at the head of the academy. But that's not going to make your job as a scout any easier. So why don't you wait until that job is no longer necessary to take on a position here? Until then we would like to offer you another official job offer."

"I still have college ahead of me sir."

"Our offer won't interfere with your studies, boy. You can start as an intern, paid of course. Woody and I are senior partners at Alpha, one of the biggest marketing agencies in the country and we'd like you to join us. I've read some of the your written works and they are excellent. Furthermore, constant work travels are a great way to justify absences due to scouting jobs. You will need to be in different parts of the country looking for sources and ensuring their recruitment and transfer to Dalton. If If you want to get married one day, believe me, you'll need a solid excuse for your absences. And by the way you can't take your eyes off that beautiful red-haired girl, I believe it's in your plans."- He finished with a smile that Jace couldn't help but return.

"Flip, I feel honored to accept your offer. When do I start?"

"The day after tomorrow, when you've recovered from the tiredness that redhead will give you."

"Flip, please, we are proud Dalton’s sons it takes a lot to tire us out."

….

Epilogue - 30 years later

"Jem, calm down. - Jace said with a serious tone of voice to his eighteen-year-old godson sitting next to him in the backseat of one of Alpha’s luxurious car. - If you're going to be the leader of the Crows this year you can't just be anxious for going to visit a prospect. What would your father say about that or your uncle Chad?"

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jace. I'm doing my best to honor the legacy of the family and the Academy. But I can't completely avoid the anxiety. We are meeting the most powerful source in the last 30 years."

"Indeed, and do you know who was the most powerful source before him? Me. And I'm here by your side, a man from Dalton. You may be thinking you'll find some terrifying thing waiting for you, but in reality you'll find a scared boy who doesn't know why a prestigious school is offering him a scholarship. And it's up to you as president of the Crow Club to turn this scared boy into the terrifying thing. Your cousin Fritz went through this two years ago and Teddy Roberts last year. They had help from their brothers, Fritz had Eddie Miller and Teddy had Johny Miller and Mike Chang. You already have the upper hand Jem, I'm going to take over as Dalton's headmaster and take the twins with me and Leo Jr. will be there too You're covered, so put on your best smile and go to battle James Wentworth Hartfield-Jones." - He concluded as their car parked at a suburban house, making the boy relax a little.

Later while Jem was talking to the source he did the same with his father.

"In Dalton your son will be surrounded by the best professionals that the education system has to offer in addition to the company of extremely promising young people, Mr. Ansari. Jem, who is talking to your son now, is my godson and the son of the Supreme Court Judge Michael Jones, one of the youngest to hold the position during President Roberts' term. Theodore the president's grandson, studied at Dalton last year. And I know we only met and I'm taking over the institution, which may seem like a bias to you, but I studied there and I am a partner in one of the largest marketing companies in the world. From my class came great businessmen from the most diverse fields, in addition, Judge Jones himself also an Oscar-winning actor and a former football player, I'm talking about the Miller brothers, my brothers-in-law who you certainly know. Believe me you couldn't be putting Kamal in a better place."

"I believe you, Principal Sanchez. But I can't help but wonder what a place like Dalton could want with my son."

"I understand you, I thought that about myself one day, Mr. Ansari. The best answer I can give you is that I see a lot of myself in him." Jace replied with his usual arrogant smile.

[snobgoblin]

too tired to draw but I got Danny brainrot so I'm gonna take this ask game and just fill out the ones I want to lmao

💛 How easy is it for your character to laugh?

see you really have to catch him off guard because he tends to be kind of stern and standoffish? he wants to be respected (and is very socially awkward) so he generally won't laugh unless you really throw something unexpected at him- or unless hes very comfortable with you. also he hates puns and will groan when hearing them (glances at Julian)

💛 How does he put himself to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)

stimming... often he'll fall asleep watching some weird little moving doohickey. he can't let his thoughts get to him or he'll be up all night. this way he sleeps like a rock. sometimes he sleeps against the window if it's not too cold and watches the fog swoooosh in the moonlight

💛 How easy is it to earn his trust?

depends on your definition of "trust". like he trusts Portia pretty easily because she spilled secrets to him first and he knows he has leverage over her, in a way. but he will NOT let you have any leverage over him unless he has something on you first. part of it is paranoia from living in a world with magical beings- he won't even give his full name to strangers for fear of them having power over him. he doesnt trust easily to say the least

💛 Does he consider laws flexible, or immovable?

pretty flexible. part of him is like "rules i must follow rules i must have defined boundaries" but another part of him is like "all these rules are made up and arbitrary anyway so I should just be guided by what I consider to be right or wrong" so he's conflicted about it I guess. he does pay his taxes though. unlike Asra and Lucio

💛 What was he told to stop/start doing most often as a child

READING PEOPLES MAIL. he's naturally curious so he would go through his father's satchel when he was home and snoop in people's business. he learned how to not leave any evidence he was in them, which he uses for some investigations

💛 Does he swear? Does he remember his first swear word?

he doesnt usually. he may occasionally say "damn it" or "gods" if he's really screwed but he's really not one to swear. he's super tame with it. if he's really done with Lucio's shit in any route he might say "let's kick his ass"

💛 How does he cope with confusion (seek clarification, pretend they understand, etc)?

INVESTIGATES. if he's confused he will ask questions. if he can't ask questions without drawing suspicion he will Find Out Another Way whether that be books or going through your belongings, in extreme cases

💛 What color does he think he looks best in? Does he actually look best in that color?

he thinks he looks great in gold and he does but honestly he looks good in any color he's very handsome. my favorites to put him in are deeeeep red and purples

💛 What animal does he fear most?

you would be hard pressed to find an animal he IS afraid of tbh. he happily approaches snakes, wolves, and poorly trained (biting) hunting dogs- he's not afraid of bugs either

💛 How does he speak? Is what he says usually thought of on the spot, or does he rehearse it in his mind first?

he lives in his mind and lot. he thinks more than he speaks and he doesn't always realize it. if it's a planned meeting or something he'll often rehearse or try to prepare but he's not generally *too* anxious about it. just socially awkward. but he doesn't dwell on it too hard usually especially if he's working at a higher goal

💛 Is he easily embarrassed?

yes.

💛 What embarrasses him?

being perceived slash being vulnerable in any way shape or form. if you see him doing anything that can't be seen as cool and mysterious or respectable in some way he thinks he's ruined

💛 What is his favorite number?

15

might revisit this game later but for right now I have satisfied the brain worms

[princeloww]

Hello, its me again, telling the Takin Over the Asylum fandom about Scotland, despite being from Ireland.

My last post was about Scottish slang and a rough guide on how to actually use it. (Aye, Nae, Cannae, etc)

Today, not because of any specific reason, and just because I feel like it, I'm going to talk about how education works in Scotland, since I know a lot of TOTA fans are NOT from the UK, yet probably still wish to write fanfiction, and might want to get it more accurately right.

Again, I am not Scottish, but I've done research, and this is just a rough guide for people wishing to write fanfiction about Campbell Bain. - and a lot of people may already know this stuff, of course, but this is just for those who might not.

"High school" is generally not a used term. Some schools are CALLED "high school" in their actual names, for example, Perth High School, but they aren't high-schools like in the USA.

School starts for Scottish kids in primary one. This is the equivalent to elementary school, in other places. Usually kids are around 4 or 5. Primary school lasts until P7, which is the equivalent of year 7 in England. You would be 11 in P7.

After primary school there is no middle school. It is straight to secondary school, in S1 (equivalent to year 8). Secondary school is basically middle school and high-school combined. You're there from 11-ish until you're ready for college.

Secondary school lasts from S1 (yr8) until S6 (yr13).

The Scottish education system is much different than in England/Wales and Northern Ireland, so here's some things that will explain it better than I can:

National 5 is pretty much the equivalent to GCSE, which are exams taken in the rest of the UK when you finish school. In the rest of the UK, once you've done your GCSES, you can go onto complete your A-levels, which is basically just a higher qualification.

A-levels are equivalent to Scottish Highers.

You do your National 5s in your last year, and then can go onto do higher education.

In Takin Over the Asylum, Campbell is 19 (I believe), and his father says he has not finished his exams, and wants him to go back to school.

I'm assuming the education system was generally the same in the 90s, and working off of that assumption. If it was not, then this is a waste of your time, but oh well.

Either Campbell did not complete his National 5s at 15-16ish, or his father is pushing him to finish his higher education. I think both options are interesting, when it comes to possible headcanons or fanfiction ideas. Either Campbell struggled with his (basically GCSEs) and was unable to complete them, having no qualifications at all, or he did complete his exams, has some qualifications but his father wants him to do more, finish his education and strive to achieve more.

I like to headcanon that he really struggled in school despite being bright and well-able. He always seemed to get in trouble when he didn't mean to, probably for being too loud, energetic and "disruptive", in a way that the teachers didn't understand to NOT be him misbehaving.

Most of this is just food for thought, really, and a wee bit,,, entirely useless, but I thought it was a bit interesting.

Again, feel free to correct me in the replies. I am but a simple Northern Irish David Tennant fan, who wants to help people feel more confident writing fanfiction, for my own selfish desires.

Hope this was somewhat helpful to someone out there!

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

Personality through quotes

Thanks @willtheweaver here, @melpomene-grey here, @somethingclevermahogony here, and @awritingcaitlin here!

Rules: give quotes from your OCs based on the given prompt!

Got long, under the cut!

Prompt: Being caught red-handed

Lexi: *sobbing* “I am so so so so so sorry please - please I understand if - if you don't see that but - but I really mean it! You should understand! You do, right?”

Maddie: “Fine, I did it. But if you think about it, you were supposed to look out for that, so in a way, it's both of our faults.”

Ash: “I did it, that's true, but lookey here...” *pulls out $5* “diiiid I?”

Gwen: “Well, you got me... I'm really sorry I was... I was trying to help, y'know? I try my best and sometimes I mess up, and it's not good enough. I had no idea this meant that much to you. I'm really sorry. If I knew, I would've been much more careful. You know me, right?”

Robbie: *standing up straight, hands on hips, but noticeably bouncing on his toes* “Look, I know it looks bad. But in my defense...I literally forgot. And I was stressed.”

Akash: *trying not to panic* “Please, just believe me when I said that it was an accident. Genuinely. You won't to put me in too much trouble for an accident, right?”

Jedi: “My sincerest apologies. I am humbled by this experience. I admit that I did this terrible thing. You must think little of me. Perhaps I went a bit too far. It shall not happen again.”

Carmen: “I cannot believe I'm being interrogated! You actually think you've caught me doing a wrong-doing? Tt. You haven't caught anything! Who are you going to get me in trouble with? No one! Agh! This is a pointless conversation. If you're going to ask me questions to get answers from me, the least you can do is not sound idiotic.”

Prompt: About someone they wish they could forget

Lexi: “I wish I could forget Shelby entirely. I mean, I don't remember first grade to begin with, other than that something happened that made me hate her forever. I wish it could've all gone. Then again...maybe it helped Ash, in the end. I'm not entirely sure.”

Maddie: “Hm. Brycen. I miss him sometimes since he used to be a friend. I wish I could forget him, so I won't have to miss him.”

Ash: “I want to say Frank, but I dunno what effect that would have on Mikey, so I'm picking Mr. Jimenez. Whatever creepy thing happened at his house I'd like to forget.”

Gwen: “I don't want to forget anyone. It's shaped me into who I am today. However... There was this one rude girl, Chailey, in elementary school. I guess her.”

Robbie: “Jason Sturges. I called that guy so many insults, I can't regurgitate them all.”

Akash: “Jason Sturges. Middle school was bad enough.”

Jedi: “I would not mind forgetting the man my father was.”

Carmen: “My uncle. I hope he is not resting in peace.”

Prompt: You're completely lost in ____(fill in the location)

Lexi: “If I'm lost, I'm gonna be honest, I'll panic. Before I found out I had teleportation, that is. Though my instinct may be panic first anyway. It felt so weird being in Alium for the first time. I felt more lost there than ever.”

Maddie: “I get lost in places like the mall. I only visit, like, three stores, so I don't know where I am if I'm not in my usual stops.”

Ash: “I get lost in my aunt Reyna's house. Is that normal? It's almost a maze.”

Gwen: “On my first morning run, I got lost in my neighborhood. I think I took a wrong turn and got to a street I've never been on. So it threw me off, and it took about ten minutes to find my way back. Maybe it was shorter. But it felt like ten minutes.”

Robbie: “I get lost in my school all the time. It's pretty big, which is pretty annoying when I space out. It took me forever to find my classes on the first day. First week, actually. I kept forgetting.”

Akash: “I don't usually get lost, actually. I have a good sense of where I am. So I'm usually Robbie's guide that first week of classes. But when the whole Alium thing happened, it freaked me out.”

Jedi: “I believe we are speaking literally, for I have become lost in my work before. In the case of the former, I have found certain cities hard to navigate, even when I studied maps beforehand.”

Carmen: “Tt, I don't get lost.”

Prompt: A quote about bad weather.

Lexi: “Oh, I hate bad weather! It completely ruins my plans that I make with my friends. I mean, yeah, rain is good, but come on! Why when I have an outdoor activity plan!?”

Maddie: “Hm. I dunno, I don't care about bad weather. I mean, sometimes I want to be outside but I can't, but I don't mind the rain.”

Ash: “I don't care if rain ruins my plans. I'll just do something else. But I don't like if I can't do what I want, like if a hurricane keeps me trapped inside my house. That's the worst.”

Gwen: “Well... Bad weather has its ups and downs. I don't like the rain ruining my plans, but if I'm inside all day, it's really nice atmosphere for reading!!”

Robbie: “Ah, bad weather...would be a lot more fun if my mother didn't fuss about how dangerous playing outside is.”

Akash: “Logical brain says bad weather is natural. Emotional brain says I agree with Lexi, I hate bad weather.”

Jedi: “Sector 2 is rather small and completely surrounded by water. We have many powerful hydrokinetics whose job it is to prevent flooding or destruction. Sector 9 has less of those, but we are close enough to a coast to get a lot of rain and occasionally potential flooding if the season is right.”

Carmen: “Miss Morgan and Mr. Singh had a point when they said they hate bad weather. I happen to strongly agree, though my reasoning is irrelevant.”

Prompt: [A quote about reading]

Lexi: “I like reading, but I usually will gravitate towards audiobooks so I can multitask. Sometimes if I don't feel like music I'll turn on an audiobook while I'm riding my bike or working on my garden! And sometimes I'll peek at some fanfiction....”

Maddie: “Sometimes I'll read a cool sci-fi book. And sometimes nonfiction stuff about technology. Also decided to check out some Star Trek fanfiction. I'm not sure if I should be doing that.”

Ash: “My shelves are full of high fantasy and cool robotics stuff. And puzzle books.”

Gwen: *lights up* “Oh, I love reading!!! My walls are lined with shelves that I got when I ran out of room on my bookshelf! It feels so cozy being surrounded by books, and I usually curl up and read a book in my little reading corner to wind down at night.”

Robbie: “Reading is super cool for something I don't do as often as I'd like. I've been reading more Webtoons lately and some manga. That's awesome.”

Akash: “I'm still reading the book series I loved in fourth grade, like Wings of Fire. Who cares that I'm a high school freshman now? That's basically still middle school. And sometimes Robbie will pester me until I read a web comic.”

Jedi: “I have been so busy with my work lately that I do not often read for pleasure. Even still, reading for pleasure usually included science or speculative fiction.”

Carmen: “I don't read often. Just research papers.” [she likes historical romances even if she'll do nothing but complain about them I know it]

Tagging @mysticstarlightduck @cherrybombfangirlwrites @mk-writes-stuff @monstrouswrites @drchenquill

+ ANYONE ELSE

Your prompt: [A quote about the ocean]

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

@nebula--nix @literarynecromancy @honeybewrites @the-golden-comet

[hoebiirama]

What's "Preganan" ?

✑ Anonymous sent : "Could I have an imagine/a little scenario of Madara explaining to his son that his wife is pregnant again and that he'll have a little sibling soon?"

✑ Anli's useless comment : Listen... I know I said I don't take requests for scenarios and my point still holds but you can't throw dad!Madara at me and expect to get a simple headcanon post, I'm just too weak for this man, it's not even funny ㅠㅠ I however wish to apologize for how short it is I also couldn't stop myself from naming his son Fukuya after my own OC from a fic I'm currently working on, I love this boy so much that it's become the default name I use for any male Uchiha OC at this point lol

Content warning : AFAB!Reader (use of she/her pronouns) // Obvious mention of pregnancy // Madara is awkward af // My writing skills are rusty and it shows

Masterpost | Rules | Send a request | Works in Progress

Fukuya hadn't expected to see his father waiting for him right outside the Academy grounds that evening, and there's a split second where all the little boy can do is stare at the man leaning against the fence gate, frozen in place.

It's not that he isn't excited to see him, not at all. It's very much the opposite, but it's so sudden and unusual that he can't help but wonder, for a moment, if today is meant to be something important, and he worries that he may have forgotten about it. Usually, Madara is too busy to come pick him up after class — not to mention his father typically tends to scare children away, though Fukuya doesn't understand why — so the task was almost always yours to take on. Needless to say both Madara's presence and your absence are enough to unsettle the 5-year-old boy for a short time, until he catches his father frowning in confusion at his strange behavior and is effectively brought out of his stupor.

Madara can't help the little smirk of pride that betrays his normally neutral expression when he sees his son running up to him, and happily welcomes his embrace when Fukuya clings to his hip, even returning it with a one-armed hug. Though the man really isn't fond of public displays of affection as a general rule, it's a different story when it comes to his son, even if he tends to keep it to a minimum; he knows people are staring, and he can't help but feel like it's a breech of privacy.

His possessive tendencies extend even to Fukuya — it took a lot of work and dedication for you to convince him to let your son attend the Academy just like every other kid his age.

Not one to make small talk, or at least to initiate it, Madara remains silent as he uses the arm he has draped around his son's shoulders to gently nudge him forward, guiding him towards the direction of your home, on the other side of the village. Fukuya doesn't protest, and he's too giddy about his father being there to take the time to say goodbye to his friends before he and Madara are on their way.

It doesn't take long for Fukuya to turn nervous, however. The moment the Academy is out of their field of vision, a heaviness settles in the pit of his stomach — he still doesn't have an answer to his question, but he's too hesitant to ask about it. He knows he has nothing to fear, but he feels awkward about the fact that Madara never explained why he was there to begin with. It feels like he should've by now, so Fukuya doesn't understand why his father hasn't said a single word to him this entire time.

Madara, however, doesn't fail to notice Fukuya's unease, and unlike his son, he can read the boy like an open book. He was aware that he would question where his mother was even before he left for the Academy. The problem is that Madara dreads the questions he knows are bound to follow, and he's just not ready to have this discussion with his son, who's still practically a baby in his eyes.

He knows he has to, though, because Fukuya is bound to find out one way or another, and he'd rather have the boy be prepared for it instead of being confronted with the situation and not knowing how to handle it.

Madara sighs, finally resigned. "I know you're wondering where your mother is."

Fukuya turns his head up to look at his father and nods, confirming Madara's assumptions.

"She wasn't feeling well today, so I told her to stay home and rest," he then explains. The neutral tone of his voice does nothing to give Fukuya any clues about the gravity of the situation — if anything, it just serves to confuse him further.

"Is mommy sick ?" Fukuya worries.

Madara frowns. "It's a bit more complicated than that."

Silence.

"I don't understand."

"Your mother is pregnant," Madara simply answers.

Fukuya stares at him, eyebrow raised, as if his father just spoke a completely alien language to him.

"What— what's preganan...?

"Pregnant," Madara corrects him.

This isn't going well, and Madara is so grateful that you aren't there to witness the embarrassment. He's already uncomfortable with the discussion and he hasn't even gotten into the actual subject yet. If it were only for him, he would've dropped the bomb on Fukuya from the beginning, but of course you had to make him promise to be gentle in his approach, and he had to comply because he loves you too much to disappoint you.

You carrying his child is his ultimate weakness, but Gods forbid he'll ever admit it to anyone. He'd rather die than tell the truth, even if you're fully aware of that fact already.

"It means there's a baby growing inside of her."

"Oh."

Fukuya doesn't add anything to this, but Madara decides to let him speak first before continuing. He doesn't want to do this but he gave you his word, and he isn't one to go back on it.

"Wait, does it mean I'm a big brother now ?" Fukuya's sudden excitement at the thought of having a younger sibling he can take care of warms Madara's heart so much more than the man thought it ever could.

"In a few months you will be," Madara nods.

"Yes ! I can't wait !" Fukuya exclaims. Madara doesn't think he's ever seen him so elated before, and he fails to completely hold back his smile.

He's also glad and so incredibly relieved that Fukuya doesn't ask him how babies are made on the rest of the way home. And, in truth, so are you — there are so many reasons you don't want him to be on duty to explain that one to anyone, children or not.

But that in itself is a story for another day. And one Fukuya definitely doesn't need to be aware of.